Spanish Culture

When the Court was established in Madrid at the time of Philip II (1561), the small town became the capital of a vast Empire in which the sun never set. From that moment onwards, there commenced the construction of churches and convents, palaces and other monumental civil buildings, which currently form part of what is known as the Madrid of the Hapsburgs, in the area surrounding the Plaza Mayor, one of the city’s tourist areas par excellence (the Monastery of the Encarnación, the Monastery of the Descalzas Reales, Plaza de la Villa).

During the 18th and 19th centuries, Madrid developed on a grand scale. The new airs of the Enlightenment and the artistic enthusiasm of monarchs like Philip V and Charles III left behind monuments such as the Royal Palace and the Sabatini Gardens, the Fine Arts Academy, the Prado Museum, the Botanical Gardens, etc. Monuments, gardens, squares and fountains that make up Madrid of the Bourbons.

This extremely important artistic legacy, which is reflected in so many monuments and museums in and around the city, exists in harmony with modern Madrid (3,000,000 inhabitants) of the 21st century, the political, cultural, economic and financial capital of Spain. The city is experiencing a period of cutting-edge urban development which is equipping it with a state-of-the-art transport infrastructure; for example, the expansion of Barajas International Airport, new Underground lines, and the extension of the high-speed train line (AVE), which includes a connection with Zaragoza (2003) and Barcelona (2004).

The hectic pace of the Madrid business world co-exists alongside an infinite number of possibilities for leisure and fun. Billboards are overflowing with opera, theatre, musical comedies and flamenco shows, which are complemented by music and dance festivals in the summer and the autumn. The tempting pleasures of eating and shopping join those of the nightlife of a city which is famous for being one of the liveliest in the world due to its ever-increasing leisure offer and more especially to the happy and easy-going lifestyle of Madrid’s citizens. The capital city also has a lot to offer family tourism, such as the Amusement Park, Zoo-Aquarium, Planetarium, Warner Park, Imax Madrid and Faunia biologic park.

Time off
Ah, the famed siesta. From 2pm-5pm, you'll find that most stores, banks and government buildings close their doors, allowing their workers to head home or to the local cafe for lunch. As with most things in a major city, this can be viewed as an inconvenience or as a pleasure. Take the time to stroll through the empty streets or the park, hit the empty shops (if they are open, that is) or grab a menu del dia for lunch. As for Sunday opening, most shops are firmly shut on the day of our Lord, but do open the first Sunday of every month. There are plenty of national holidays in Madrid too: for a list of these dias festivos, see www.fiestas-de-madrid.com.

Getting tongue-tied
Learning a language is a humbling experience; the best way to learn is to chat with everyone you see, learning from your mistakes along the way. Talk to your portero about the weather, your neighbors about football (soccer), or your lecturers about current affairs. Go to intercambios (language exchanges) at a local pub or cafe or invest in a proper grammer course. Spaniards on the whole are marathon talkers - find one to teach you some basic slang, such as que va (nonsense), pijo (snob) and coño (best to ask a native friend about this one).

Mind your p's and queues
When waiting in the queue at the grocery store or El Corte Ingles, it's best to look at the assembled crowd and ask, "¿Quien es el ultimo?" to find the end of the queue. When exiting a crowded bus or Metro car, politely ask, "¿Vas a salir / bajar?" as an alternative to knocking people over on your way out. It's also customary to say hello and goodbye to folks in the elevator, and just as your mother taught you, to give up your Metro seat to older passengers. Madrileños rarely use the polite usted form, but it is still best to bring it out with folks old enough to be your grandparents - plus it's good grammar practice.

On the road
Many of Madrid's ancient winding streets are pedestrian dominated. But if you have to share your wandering space with cars, be sure to pay attention. Drivers in the city enjoy making large cars fit down tiny alleyways, and when they do, it's every man for himself. If you have a car in the city, don't double park - you'll be greeted by at least one steady note of blaring car-horn until you hang your head and move your car.

To tip or not to tip
Now you may have read in guide books that it's not customary to tip in Spain. This is somewhat of a fallacy. It is true that in cafeterias and "old-man bars" you should only leave a few coins behind after a coffee, but in restaurants you should leave at least 10 percent. The moral of the story? Don't beleive everything you read in guide books.