2018’s top exhibitions in Madrid

2018’s top exhibitions in Madrid This year is packed with exhibitions you won’t want to miss. Madrid’s famous Art Walk will welcome Rubens. Painter of Sketches at the Prado Museum, Monet/Boudin at the Thyssen-Bornemisza and Russian Dada 1914-1924 at the Reina Sofía Museum. Other noteworthy shows will also be held across the city including Derain, Balthus, Giacometti at the Mapfre Foundation (Recoletos exhibition hall),Toulouse-Lautrec and the Pleasures of the Belle Époque at the Canal de Isabel II Foundation, Duchamp, Magritte, Dali: The Revolutionaries of the 20th Century at the Palacio de Gaviria, and Disney, the Art of Storytelling at CaixaForum Madrid. [+] Madrid Destino Activities Gastrofestival Madrid The ninth edition of Gastrofestival Madrid, which was held from 20 January to 4 February, was co-organised by Madrid City Council's Tourism Department and Madrid Fusión. Over 450 of Madrid’s establishments and institutions took part in the gastronomic and cultural festival, offering over 300 activities. New this year were the Gastrofestival Solidarity section and the Gastrobocata  and Gastrodeco categories. [+] Promotion of the destination of Madrid in Israel, Colombia and India The capital promoted its tourist attractions at the International Mediterranean Tourism Market (IMTM) in Tel Aviv and the Vitrina Turística ANATO tourism fair in Colombia. It also attended the SATTE fair in India. Content only available in Spanish. [+] Record number of visitors assisted at SAITs in 2017 The city of Madrid’s Tourist Assistance and Information Services (SAITs) assisted 2,529,267 visitors in 2017, 3.24% more than in 2016. 67% of the travellers were from outside Spain. Tourists from France were the most frequent users of these services, followed by visitors from Argentina, the United States, Italy, the United Kingdom and Germany. [+] Attendance of professional MICE events With the aim of promoting Madrid as an international MICE tourism destination, Madrid Convention Bureau took part in four professional events in February: Confec Red (Marrakesh), Pure M&E (Paris), Successful Meetings University (New York) and a European Best Cities event (London), enabling it to hold a combined total of over 100 meetings with members of the MICE sector. It also attended the convention of the Spanish Federation of Professional Congress Organisers (OPC España). [+] What’s new in Madrid Combined ticket for the Royal Palace and Teatro Real The Royal Palace, one of the most visited attractions in the capital, and Teatro Real, one of Europe’s most important opera houses, are two of the most unique and iconic venues in Madrid de los Austrias (Hapsburg Madrid). Now they can be visited easily and affordably with a combined ticket that costs 15 euros and is valid for 30 days (it includes an audio guide available in five languages at Teatro Real and unguided entry to the Royal Palace). Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office of either venue. [+] New products in Madrid Check out some of the most notable tourism resources launched by the city of Madrid in 2017, for information on key developments relating to accommodation (hotel openings and renovations), bars, restaurants, cafés and nightclubs, shops and shopping centres, markets and gastronomic spaces, cultural centres, sports facilities and other offerings and services. [+] Madrid in numbers In 2017, the city of Madrid recorded the arrival of 9.9 million visitors* (54% international and 46% domestic), with a total of 20.9 million overnight stays. The main source markets for international tourists were the United States, Italy, the United Kingdom, France and Germany, and the foreign markets that showed the most growth were China, Brazil, Mexico and Argentina. Total spending was 8.838 billion euros, with an average individual daily spend of 221 euros in the Community of Madrid. *The total number of visitors and overnight stays includes legal tourist apartments (INE–National Statistics Institute) [+] Monthly calendar of events Easter Processions through the capital’s most iconic sites, holy music in churches and basilicas and the traditional tamborrada drum parade in Plaza Mayor on Easter Sunday are some of Madrid’s most notable Easter events, and you can enjoy them alongside traditional seasonal cuisine like torrijas (Spain's answer to French toast) as well as the capital’s regular cultural and leisure programme. [+] Ellas Crean Devoted to female creators, the festival Ellas Crean (Women Create) is now in its fourteenth edition. Until 1 April, Conde Duque Cultural Centre will host a multidisciplinary that will feature both prominent and up-and-coming female figures from film, literature, music and theatre. [+] Delightful markets The city of Madrid boasts almost twenty specialist markets (both regular and occasional) where you can wander around, browse and buy food, fashion, design, decorations, hand-crafted items and more. Madrid Productores at Matadero Madrid, Mercado de las Ranas (Frogs’ Market) in Barrio de las Letras (Literary Quarter), Mercado de Motores (Motor Market) in the Railway Museum, and Malamarket in Plaza del Dos de Mayo are just some of them. [+] A new season at La Zarzuela Racecourse The 2018 season is kicking off at La Zarzuela Racecourse, which celebrates the 77th anniversary since its opening this year. From Sunday 4 March to 2 December you’ll be able to enjoy horse races at this venue in the Spanish capital, which offers great entertainment and a range of food establishments. [+] Vuelve a Madrid Programme The city of Madrid’s loyalty programme makes over 150 exclusive offers and opportunities to enjoy the capital available to visitors, who simply need to register on its website www.vuelveamadrid.com.Vuelve a Madrid users receive 600 Madrid Points as a welcome gift, which they can exchange for unique offers in the categories of leisure and entertainment, gastronomy, art and culture, shopping and nightlife. This gives them a chance to enjoy a selection of the best restaurants, musicals and shows, flamenco clubs, sightseeing tours, shops, museums and much more. [+] In The Press Kulinarische Liebeserklärung an Madrid. Bellevue NZZ [+] Anniversary celebrations Aida at Teatro Real Madrid’s famous opera house continues to celebrate its bicentenary as well as the 20th anniversary of its reopening with a special programme that will see one of its most monumental and iconic productions, Aida, return to the stage from 7 to 25 March. Giuseppe Verdi's opera will be directed by Nicola Luisotti and will feature a triple cast including some of today’s best voices, such as Violeta Urmana, Daniela Barcellona, Gregory Kunde, Fabio Sartori and Alfred Kim. [+]