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Upcoming Agenda

• Virgen de la Paloma Fiesta
In August, Madrid celebrates its most traditional fiestas: San Cayetano, San Lorenzo and La Paloma.

• Dia de la Hispanidad
Spain celebrates its National Day on 12 October with an impressive military procession in the Plaza de Colón, Madrid.

user experience

Madrid - user Valentine - 05/07/2007
I have been living in Spain for more than a year (Barcelona, Madrid), but since I’m working for an American company, my Spanish is still at beginner level. Of course I can say ‘one-two-three’, ‘beer’ and ‘hello’, but I’m often confused in hotels and restaurants. The last few months in Madrid, I’ve been using XS2Madrid on my cell phone. Spanish people tend to react a little strange in the beginning, but they really appreciate your effort to get to know their language. Especially when going out with friends, we had a lot of fun with the fun & flirt sentences. The best thing is that you can add some phrases you use often to your ‘favorites’ section, and after a while, I started knowing them by heart. Besides that, the city guide provides some excellent reviews and insider tips about Madrid’s hotspots, restaurants and clubs, some of which cannot be found in the regular city guide books.

Virgen de la Paloma Fiesta

 

The fiesta of the Virgen de la Paloma at the Plaza de las Vistillas in Old Madrid has been celebrated since the 18th century, and is one of the city's largest and best-known festivals.

The streets are decorated with coloured lamps and there are concerts, processions and street parades. The Madrileños dress up for the occasion in traditional Chulapo costumes, while the women wear Mantón de Manila shawls as they dance the chotis face-to-face in the open-air.

The fiesta culminates on the 15 August with the procession of a picture of the Virgin of Doves through the streets, carried by the firemen of the city council.

When: 15 Aug 2008

Where: Plaza de las Vistillas