Madrid Outdoor Movies & More

If there’s one English phrase that Spaniards are sure to know and use in the summer, it’s Open Air. These two simple words have the coolest implications – something cultural in an outdoor space. Until the 24^th of July, The Open Air Movie Theatre occupies the Tierno Galván Park, located in the south of Madrid. Every night, a different blockbuster will be projected onto a massive screen. The movies are all hits – the selection includes films that are currently screening in the Madrid’s theatres or have definitely made it onto people’s ‘top ten’ lists.

But everyone knows that going to a movie is not a complete night in itself – which is why the venue has smartly become much more than a Theatre. There are also two restaurants – Japanese and Spanish Tapas – with terraces so one can tomar algo with friends before or after the flick. As if that’s not enough, after the movies, the venue will convert into a club. DJ Focus and DJ Mini, both part of the Red Bull Acadamy  – a renowned ‘DJ school’ – will pump the tunes until 3:00 a.m.

Movie Schedule: All movies start at 22:15 p.m.

• Monday, July 19th: Celda 211
• Tuesday, July 20th: Ágora
• Wednesday, July 21st: El Diario de Carlota
• Thursday, July 22nd: Niños Grandes
• Friday, July 23rd: Shutter Island
• Saturday, July 24th: The Runaways

Costs:
-Option 1: Movie + Zona Ocio (club & restauraunts)  13.50 Euro
-Option 2: Zona Ocio + 1 Drink (after movie, at 12:30 am.) 10 Euro
Where: Parque Tierno Galván
Metro: Méndez Álvaro or Arganzuela-Planetario
Bus: Lines 156, 102 or 152 to C/ Méndez Álvaro

For more outdoor activities click here.

By Chloe Nash

Big Jump – A Day for the Rivers

For the environmentally conscious, the political activist, and the overheated soul looking to cool off, this Sunday has a lot to offer. BIG JUMP is right around the corner. On July 11^th, more than half a million people throughout the world will jump into a clean river at 13:00 p.m.  The worldwide event aims to reconcile people with their rivers and promote awareness of the ecological issues and solutions surrounding precious bodies of water. The Big Jump project was founded 25 years ago as a means to encourage people to re-conquer their rivers and lakes. Sadly, many rivers and lakes across the world have been neglected and abused so much that their polluted status makes them dangerous to use and even prohibited to the public. The Big Jump Project embodies the effort being made by conscientious world citizens to clean and restore such rivers. The effort has made a strong splash – over the past 20 years, more and more sites on rivers have reached the bath water quality standards.

There will be eleven Big Jump celebrations in Spain alone, one can find the river closest to them on the website. For the community of Madrid, the Jump will take place at the Río Alberche. At 13:00 p.m. there will be an educational lecture about water quality and river restoration. Following the talk, the crowd will take the plunge into the river.

Although the Big Jump project has serious and even grave undertones regarding environmental damage and maintenance, this Sunday is a day of celebration in the name of Europe’s healthy rivers. The Big Jump Project will reach its culmination in 2015, with the European River Swimming Day. Crowds will flock to the European rivers that have reached the quality water standard to take a dip.

Big Jump is a campaign under the wing of the European Rivers Network (ERN) and many organizations and partners have surfaced in the past years. In Spain, the Volunteering for Rivers Program (part of the Spanish Environmental Ministry) fully supports the Big Jump Project and hosts events such as discovery canoe tours and fishing trips in conjunction with Big Jump.

Come on out this Sunday and be one of the many mindful people who want to respect and restore the beautiful rivers of Spain and the world at large.  For more information, email grupomadrid@wwf.es.

Where: Río Alberche (Aldea del Frensno) in the Recreational Zone of the Beaches. For an idea
When: Sunday, June 11^th.
Hour: 13:00 is the start of the talk, followed by the great jump! People will arrive late morning and stay through the evening.
Transportation: A bus will leave from the official WWF office in Madrid, located on Gran Vía de San Francisco, 8

Chloe Nash

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14 Free Sightseeing Activities in Madrid

The sun is out and what a better time to enjoy all of the beautiful and free sights in Madrid. From plazas to parks, famous roads and botanical gardens, there are plenty of reasons to go out and enjoy some time outside! Did we mention all of these activities are free?

1. Campo del Moro and the Sabatini Gardens
   The garden here was designed by Francesco Sabatini, the architect behind many great works in Spain including the Puerta de Alcala and the Palacio Real. Go see some garden art and enjoy!
   Metro: Plaza de España
2. Royal Palace
   While entrance into the Palacio Real may not be free, watching the changing of the guard is! The full procession takes place on the first Wednesday of the month, from 11 a.m. until 14 p.m., every half hour.
   Metro: Opera
3. Puerta del Sol
   Considered the mere center of Madrid AND Spain, check out the Kilometer 0 stone
   Metro: Sol
4. Plaza Mayor
   This large rectangular plaza is one of the most well known in Spain. Once used for coronations and even bull fights, now mostly for people watching and the occasional festival. The plaza has been the center of many events throughout its history, such as public executions, bullfights, “autos de fe” during the Spanish Inquisition, and public markets, the only events that continue to this day.
   Metro: Sol or Opera
5. La Gran Via
   La Gran Vía or Spanish capital’s “Broadway” recently celebrated its 100 year anniversary. This large main street is lined with lavishly decorated buildings. It is one of historic Madrid’s largest and most important roads.
   Metro: Gran Via or Callao
6. Caixa Forum Madrid
   You can enjoy a visit to the exhibits at Caixa Forum for free, but the most interesting exhibition is the vertical outdoor garden.
   Metro: Atocha
7. El Rastro
   This is the largest market in Madrid and takes place every Sunday from 9 a.m.- 15 p.m. Here you’ll find many things to browse, but tons of entertainment as well. From street performers, vendors, food, and music, El Rastro has enough to take up your entire Sunday.
   Metro: La Latina
8. Real Jardín Botánico
   Although the Real Jardín Botánico (Royal Botanic Gardens) may sound like a destination for those who travel by horse-drawn carriage and not sleek, modern jet, it shouldn’t be overlooked when planning your itinerary. In our “steel and concrete” age, we need such gardens more than ever.
   Metro: Atocha
9. Museo de Arte Público
   The Museum of Public Art is another of Madrid’s free museums, but this one is entirely outdoors and located under a bypass.
   Metro: Ruben Dario
10. Mercado de Pintura
    Located in Plaza Conde de Barajas- it’s an open- air workshop and market for local artists. Here you can not only browse through paintings, but order them as well.
    Metro: Tirso de Molina
11. El Capricho Park
    Though not as popular or centrally located as El Retiro, this park is worth the visit. It was originally built for the Duchess of Osuna and has a mix of both French and English influences throughout its 14 hectares.
    Metro: El Capricho
12. El Retiro park
    Madrid’s most famous park, was once used as a recreation area for the Royal Family- a perfect place for the entire family. You can lay out and read, have a picnic, or simply relax and people watch.
    Metro: Retiro or Ibiza
13. Casa Del Campo Lake
    If you want even more peace and quiet than El Retiro- head to the Casa Del Campo Lake. This lake is located in Case del Campo neighborhood and accessible by Metro.
    Metro: Lago
14. Templo de Debod
    This monument came all the way from the banks of the Nile River in Egypt as a thank you gift. This unique monument offers a piece of Egypt in the heart of Madrid.
    Metro: Plaza de España

Also, you can check our Madrid Summer Guides for more ideas

By Alondra Palomino

Madrid Summer Activities: Water Park

Feeling like summer is coming on? Sunny days are upon us, and what better way to celebrate the coming of the often most loved and briskest of seasons than to get down on some water and sun?  Madrid may not have a port or beaches, but it does have the perfect escape just a half an hour away from the city center: The Aquopolis Water Park. The good ol’ Spaniards have recreated the American tradition of wave pools, fast waterslides and water park wedgies. Aquopolis is in fact one of Europe’s biggest and oldest water parks and has a little bit of everything for everyone, whether you are young or have a family with six kids.

Located in Villanueva de Canada,Aquopolis is a maze of water rides. Among the big attractions are the Kamikaze and Super Slide, long and narrow slides that take a special liking to velocity. If these things freak you out a bit don’t fret, the Zig Zag and Black Hole slides offer many more turns and tosses than speed. The old and mellow can enjoy the slow river ride—think Splash Mountain without the splash—or the two big wave pools. Little kids have plenty of choices: slides for their size, an activity pool full of safe games and the like, and a fast river ride are among the things to keep them occupied. The place is also chock full of resting and relax zones, green areas ideal for eating, resting, reading, or catching a game on the newly installed TV sets (after all, the World Cup is happening this summer). Food, bathrooms and changing rooms also abound, further proving this isn’t just a shaggier version of an original water park but a first rate attractions park in its own right. Much of the food is, as expected, pizzas, burgers and fries—don’t worry though, salads and other things rarely seen in these places are around too.

Aquopolis opens the 13th of June and will close the 6th of September, so it’s strictly a summer fling. Day hours are from noon until 19:00 in the evening. The park has several paying methods depending on their customers like,  for instance, special rates for schools or groups of over twenty people. Here we will give out information on the standard individual rate, if you would like to see the rates for groups click here. Day rates are: Adults higher than 1.40 meters 21.95 euros, kids between .90 and 1.40 meters and seniors 16.95 euros, and kids under .90 meters enter free. Entrances can be bought online, at the park or by calling 902 345 006. Resting chairs are 3.80 euros while renting a box to keep belongings in is 4.20 euros.

Getting there is possible by personal transportation or by public buses, which include lines 623 and 627 (both leave outside the Moncloa metro approximately every 10 minutes) and 851 (leaves outside the Principe Pio metro every hour during the summer). For more information on bus routes click here.  There is also another Aquopolis water park near Madrid in San Fernando de Henares, click here to check it out. They’ve got the water and the rides, you’ve got the sun and the transportation to get there—go have some fun!

Parque Acuatico Aquopolis Villanueva de la Canada
Calle de la Mirasierra, 28691 Villanueva De La Cañada‎
902 34 50 06

By Daniel Sznajderman

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Saturday Nature Walks in Madrid

La Casa Encendia, a showcase of art, culture and science, is now taking a step beyond its walls: it is organizing field trips to the outskirts of Madrid to find and learn about singular types of trees. The trips are part nature walk and part information session (nature protection and conservation), and are organized by guides that are well informed and prepared. The first of these trips will focus on the “Olmos de Somontes” and “El Pardo” species and will take place on the 20^th of February. The excursion will begin at La Casa Encendida and last approximately from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., the price is 15 euros.

By Daniel Sznajderman

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Cable Cars in Madrid

For a bird’s view of the city visit the Teleferico de Madrid, around since 1969 and still retaining that old school touch. It is also a convenient way to enter Casa de Campo, the city’s largest municipal park and home to a variety of trees and animal species. A two way ticket is 5.15 Euros, though prices vary depending on the day and number of people per group. For more information go to the website.

By Daniel Sznajderman

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1. Telef�rico de Madrid
2. Casa de Campo

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Bike Rental in Madrid

Looking for a fun way to spend a sunny day? Rent a bicycle at Bybike and explore El Retiro, the beautifully well kept patch of green that’s smack in the middle of the busy city. The rental is just across the street from the park’s east entrance and the prices are friendly: 4 Euros an hour on weekdays and 5 Euros on weekends and holidays. Ordinary and mountain bikes are available, as well as ones for children as young as 3 years old. Weekday hours are from 10:30 a.m. to 14:30 p.m. and 17:00 p.m. to 20:30 p.m.; weekend hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 21:00 p.m.. For more information visit the Bybike website here.

By Daniel Sznajderman

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El Real Jardín Botánico

 The Real Jardín Botánico-CSIC offers an educational course, every Sunday, from the 5th until the 26th of October, for families. The course teaches children and parents about fruit, their function and most important characteristics.