Erasmus: is there anybody out there?

New to Madrid? Just about to start your Erasmus term at one of Madrid’s many universities? This blog post is for you!

Easter in Madrid

Might sound like I’m stating the obvious, but Easter is a very religious time in Madrid. There are a number of religious parades that take place on various days throughout the city and some of them are quite a spectacle. So regardless of whether or not you celebrate Easter, you should definitely try and get down to one or two!

Zaragoza

In need of another weekend trip to let off some steam after an intense week of study at Inhispania? How about Zaragoza?

Catedrales

Seeing as Easter’s coming up, thought I might grab this holy opportunity and talk about one of Madrid’s religious monuments: Almudena Cathedral.

The circus is coming to town!

From the 1st March onwards, a new Cirque du Soleil show will be in Madrid. Which is certainly one not to be missed! 

I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike.

What’s stopping you? Here in Madrid there are dozens of ways to get hold of a bike (excluding stealing one, obviously). From free bike hire, to guided city bike tours, you’ll definitely be able to find what you’re looking for.

Madrid: the scenic route

Now that the weather’s starting to cheer up a bit there’s no better time to get out of the house and start exploring Madrid, especially if you’ve just arrived. Not sure where to head first? Let me give you a few ideas.

Salamanca

Now that Christmas and New Year are merely a distant memory and we’re all back working hard at Inhispania, I thought it was about time I returned with some top tips for making the most of your time in Madrid. And what’s my tip for today? Leave Madrid, and get on the bus to Salamanca.

¡Feliz Navidad!

Christmas is nearly upon us, so I thought I’d take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy Christmas!

Going upmarket

The San Antón Market is a gem I only discovered recently. Tucked away in Chueca, one of the trendiest parts of town, this market slash food court offers everything you could possibly ask for. From sushi to traditional Greek cuisine, luxury frozen goods to to seafood fresh from the water, a healthy fruit and veg stand to some of the best homemade cakes I have seen in Madrid- it’s hard to find a gap in the market (if you’ll pardon the pun). 

The Ice Palace

Stuck for things to do in the afternoons after your Spanish classes? People coming to visit and you’re not sure how to entertain them? If the answer to those questions is yes, I think I might have found the perfect activity for you. Allow me to introduce the Ice Palace...

Something to brighten up your day

Christmas is just around the corner, which can only mean one thing: Christmas lights! Madrid’s Christmas lights will be turned on this Friday, 30th November and will stay switched on until the 6th January, leaving plenty of time to get out and enjoy the different displays.

Here’s some info regarding the best places to go and see the lights as well as when they’ll actually be switched on.

A city with a story to tell

Although it would be hard to get bored of Madrid, it’s always nice to have a change of scenery and explore a new place.  Just over half an hour on the train from Madrid, cheap, easy to travel to and with loads of stuff to keep you busy for the whole day, Alcalá de Henares provides the perfect opportunity to do just that.

A room with a view

Arriving in Madrid for the first time can be a daunting experience, especially when you have nowhere to stay. I found this out for myself, when I arrived in Madrid a few weeks ago. If you’re taking one of the more intensive courses at Inhispania, the website is a helpful place to start when it comes to finding accommodation and is also a great way to relieve yourself of all the stresses that come with it. But if you’re planning to stay in Madrid for a bit longer or even if you just fancy seeing all the options for yourself, you have come to the right place.

Abono joven, where art thou?

Why is everything so complicated in Spain? This is something I seem to be asking myself several times a day (definitely has nothing to do with the fact that my Spanish is teríble…). Buying an “abono joven”, a monthly ticket for all public transport, (you get the “young persons” discount if you're under 23) was on my list of things to do for three weeks before I actually worked out how to do it. This was partly down to my own laziness, but aside from that, every person I spoke to seemed to tell me something different: “go to a tobacco shop”, “go the the ticket office in the station”, “do it on the website”, “call this number”. The list goes on.

Travelling Around Spain

Madrid (and therefore Inhispania) is one of the most ideal places to do a Spanish course for a multitude of reasons but perhaps one of the most enticing (bar that Inhispania is super cool) is how easy it is to travel around Spain. The capital city’s central location means that it is possible to get to anywhere in Spain without wasting time or money.

The cheapest way to travel is by far the bus but be aware that it will take a lot longer than a plane or train might. The best thing to do, in my experience, is book an overnight bus so you can sleep the whole journey: you don’t lose any tourism/fiesta time and save a night’s accomodation.

San Fermín, Pamplona

The bull running in Pamplona, also known as San Fermines, is one of the most famous of Spain’s extreme carnivals and celebrations and is held in honour of Saint Fermin, the region’s patron.
The event is opened annually 12:00pm 6 July by the traditional “chupinazo” firework and is closed at midnight July 14th by the customary rendition of Pobre de Mí.
However, the most exciting part of the carnival is the daily encierro. At 8am this happens: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTHHgxFOD_g

Gay Pride Madrid

Madrid is world famous for its LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transexual) community. The city is open and welcoming to everyone and every lifestyle. This is proven by Chueca, a neighbourhood in Madrid which has become internationally recognised as a place for freedom of expression. Inhispania´s satellite school is by the way based in the Chueca area. 

Gay Pride Week takes place usually in the last week of June or first week of July each year and according to MTV is the world’s best.

Summer in the City

Even if we do have excellent airconditioning at Inhispania, the afternoon heat in Madrid can be overpowering in Summer, but NOT when you know the perfect places to relax and embrace the sunshine. Here are my 3 favourite tanning spots to hit after my Spanish lessons (Intensive 20, 10am-1pm Mon-Fri), depending on my mood:

El Escorial, Symbol of the Spanish Empire

Each week, we, the good folk of Inhispania, kindly organise a range of optional extra curricular activities for you, the students, to enjoy. These range from the more simple “Tapas en El Tigre” or a football match against the teachers to excursions to local places of interest such as the Monasterio de El Escorial.

So here is a little background information to excite you ...