Madrid is one of the most vibrant cities in the World, with an atmosphere that makes everyone fall in love with it. The Spanish capital and metropolis has everything to offer to make your stay an unforgettable experience:
- wander around magnificent historic sites, monuments, and parks,
- dive into the depth of culture at numerous museums,
- free your inner shopaholic at fashionable boutiques and shopping centers,
- join sport and music events, or
- go make new friends at the liveliest bars, restaurants, and nightclubs.
No city in the world is more alive than Madrid, a seductive place whose energy conveys a simple message: this city really knows how to live!
Madrid, city of art
Few cities have an artistic pedigree as pure as Madrid, which makes art lovers return here again and again. For centuries, Spanish royalty showered praise and riches on the finest artists of the day, from local talents like Goya and Velázquez to great Flemish and Italian artists. Masterpieces by these and other Spanish painters, such as Picasso, Dalí and Miró, now adorn the walls of the city’s most important galleries.
Three museums in particular are giants: the Prado Museum, the Reina Sofia Museum and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. But in Madrid they are only good starting points.
Capital of gastronomy
Beyond the humble pretensions of its local cuisine, Madrid has become one of Europe’s richest culinary capitals. The city has enthusiastically embraced all the creativity and innovation of Spain’s gastronomic revolution. But this embrace of the new goes hand in hand with a passion for the enduring traditions of Spanish cuisine, for the conviviality of the culinary experience and for showcasing the infinite variety of foods from all regions of Spain. From tapas in elegant temples to all things new, to sit-down meals under centuries-old vaulted ceilings, dining in Madrid is a true pleasure.
Killing the Night in Madrid
Madrid’s nights are legendary, and the perfect complement to the quieter charms of art and fine dining. It may be the city with the most bars in the world; a collection of cocktail bars and nightclubs that combine a touch of glamour with non-stop action. But that only partly explains the appeal of Madrid’s nightlife. Venture into the nighttime streets of many neighborhoods and you’ll find yourself swept up in a tidal wave of people, accompanied by a merry crowd ready to dance until dawn.
Beautiful Architecture
Madrid may lack the cache of Paris, the monumental history of Rome or Barcelona’s reputation for modernist masterpieces. And no, there is no equivalent of the Eiffel Tower, the Colosseum or the Sagrada Familia that you can point to and say “this is Madrid.” But Madrid has nothing to envy. The wide range of Spain’s architectural history provides a glorious backdrop to city life, from medieval mansions and royal palaces to the unsuspected angles of contemporary Spanish architecture, from the sober brick and slate spires of Madrid’s baroque to the extravagant confections of the belle époque. In short, it is a beautiful city.
Don’t miss this opportunity!
Enjoy Madrid while studying at our Climate Change Summer School and/or Skills Summer School next summer, you won’t regret it!