Piscinas abiertas

What’s the one thing that Madrid is missing? A beach! Fear not however, because Madrid’s outdoor swimming pools will start to open their doors towards the end of May. They tend to stay open until the beginning of September when the children go back to school (although obviously each individual pool will vary) so if you’re here over summer you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the sun!

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?

Retiro

Retiro Park is a great place to visit all year round, but is especially pretty in Spring and Summer. Retiro Park is a hotspot for both tourists and Madrileños and could even be described as a symbol of Madrid. Once a private recreational ground for the royal family, today it is open to the public to enjoy the beautiful walks and views.

Preterite v. Imperfect

The problems caused by the preterite and imperfect tenses are certainly up there along with those of the subjunctive and ser and estar for us poor Spanish students. Like both of the above, it’s also something that unfortunately just requires lots of practice to master, but it’s always helpful to start out with a clear set of rules.

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.