Madrid, where past and present live together, is a creative, diverse, unique and attractive city. With more than three million inhabitants, it is characterised by its affability and hospitality.

Getting to know Madrid means immersing yourself in its rich cultural heritage, its extraordinary museums, theatre, cinema, opera, monumental buildings and its unique and lively nightlife.

Madrid offers cultural and leisure activities for all tastes and all ages - concerts, opera and ballet; movies and theatre; shows; nightclubs and tablaos flamencos; sports events and bullfights.

In addition, there are particular festivals celebrated in the city throughout the year that include Veranos de la Villa, San Isidro bullfighting season, carnival, Verbenas, Easter processions and the Festival of Madrid.

However, if you really want to enjoy Madrid, you cannot miss a fundamental facet of life here, the nightlife, which starts at sunset and ends whenever you choose. In other words, Madrid never shuts down. Madrid never sleeps.

The best way to really see Madrid is to walk through its streets. There are a large number of places worth visiting and a wide choice of organised walking tours.

Night and Day

Travellers arriving in Madrid undoubtedly know that it is one of the liveliest and most bustling capitals in the world, both during the day and more especially at night. Until well into the morning, discos, clubs, music cafes, disco-pubs, jazz clubs, flamenco establishments, bars and strange nightspots play host to a heterogeneous public (particularly at weekends) prepared to have a good time.

This happens all year round, but in spring and summer, to make the most of the good weather, the party goes out onto the streets. Squares and avenues - above all Paseo de la Castellana, Madrid's great artery linking Plaza de Colón to Plaza de Castilla, presided over by the modern Puerta Europe towers - are full of pavement cafes where you can while the night away.

Festivities

Many popular festivities are celebrated in Madrid in the spring and summer. Those of the 2nd of May, and above all those of San Isidro (15th May), show off the most traditional customs, with processions and street fairs in which there are no lack of stalls selling hot chocolate and churros (doughnuts) and other sweets.

The 'Summer in the City' programme, organised by City Hall from June to September, is brimming with concerts, recitals and other outdoor events. The numerous shows are later extended with the 'Autumn Festival' until December, the time for Christmas and Epiphany, and then the carnival... In Madrid there is always some occasion for a celebration all year round.

Madrid - One Big Stadium As far as sport is concerned, Madrid is a city that can be said to enjoy sport, whether in top competitions or in the even more important promotion and practise among the public of all ages. Good proof of this is that there are no less than 1800 public sports centres, plus an endless number of private establishments. In particular, there is a growing interest in golf, offered for both visitors and business tourism. The city operates an active policy of building and improving the public courses (Club de Campo, Club Olivar de la Hinojosa, Centro Nacional de Golf de Arroyo Fresno under construction, etc).

This has borne fruit in the form of three big international tournaments this year: the LV Spanish Professional Championship - Banco Atlántico Grand Prix - and the II International Golf Award, both in June, and the BBVA Open Turespaña Masters of Madrid Region in October. Besides, November will see, for the very first time, the I International Golf Show, which will no doubt become the golf industry's big biannual date in our city.

To the above, other sports can be added, which make Madrid 'one big stadium', and the top competitions are briefly summarised as follows:

Athletics Memorial (February) and Madrid's Marathon, with about 10,000 participants (MAPOMA, April). In basketball, the Region Trophy (September) and the International Christmas Tournament (December). In cycling, Spain's Long-Distance Cycle Race (Final Phase, in September) and the popular Bicycle Festival (October). In equestrian sports, the International Show Jumping Grand Prix (June). And not forgetting sports which can be practised on the outskirts of the city, such as motor racing, skiing, etc.