CITY OF MADRID PRESS DOSSIER CITY OF MADRID TOURISM BOARD Summary 3 Contents 3 CITY OF MADRID 4 4 MADRID IS Art and Culture .......................................... 4 Lifestyle: ....................................................... - Gastronomy .......................................... 6 - Shopping ................................................ 7 - Leisure & Entertainment ................ 8 - Nature ...................................................... 9 8 - Sport ......................................................... 10 - LGTBI ....................................................... 11 - Family ...................................................... 12 - Neighbourhoods and Surrounding Areas ............................ 13 The Place for Professional Meetings and Events .................................................... 15 16 EVENTS 11 17 PRODUCTS Y SERVICES 19 TOURISM SECTOR Issuing Markets ......................................... 19 20 Hotel Offering ............................................ 20 Connectivity ............................................... 21 Accessible Tourism ................................... 22 What’s New .................................................. 23 24 ABOUT US 23 2 COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, CITY OF MADRID TOURISM BOARD Madrid is... 1 1. Panoramic view with the Metrópoli building in the foreground. City of Madrid Diverse, tolerant, multicultural, creative, lively, innovative, sustainable, global… many words could be used to describe Madrid. Yet, the city’s capacity to welcome outsiders is no doubt its most representative identity mark. And it’s all due to the locals’ open and inclusive nature as they make you feel right at home whomever you are and wherever you come from. If you come to Madrid, you’re from Madrid. That’s why Madrid is known as the city of open arms, a hospitable destination with a very unique lifestyle that makes it a one-of-a-kind place in the world Madrid is also the capital of culture. The actual source of inspiration for many of A city of rights and liberties, Madrid is city offers visitors some of the most them. One example of this is the distinctive a benchmark for the LGBTI community. extensive and well-conserved historical/ Barrio de las Letras district where some of With the cooperation, equal treatment and artistic heritage in the world where the most important Golden Age Spanish cohesion afforded by each and every universal references like the walkable art writers once lived. Another is the active Madrid native and their commitment district Paseo del Arte co-exist in the same cultural life found at the Students’ against violence and all types of environment as royal sites, museum Residence. A favourite filming location for discrimination, the capital has become the houses, institutions with centuries of the motion picture industry and premiere largest and most genuine reflection of history such as the Spanish Theatre and city for major audio-visual productions, LGTBI pride in the world. the Royal Theatre as well as modern and Madrid is also the capital of flamenco, with alternative cultural spots like Matadero tablao venues offering unforgettable On a professional level, Madrid is a Madrid and MediaLab Prado. All of them experiences as they tremble with emotion booming city. It has established itself as a together create one of the most attractive from the incredible staging. It’s the capital top-rate destination for business tourism cultural offerings in Europe with annual of Spanish music too with big-budget and professional events and meetings as events and activities of interest to a broad shows, the epicentre of which is Gran Vía, the home of large specialist headquarters audience available 365 days a year. also known as “Madrid’s Broadway”. and a long list of services that have gained the trust of professionals from all over the Moreover, Madrid is inspiring as a city Madrid has one of the best retail world who have chosen it as the place to that captures cultural and artistic talent. offerings in all of Europe and, thanks to the do business not only because of its Velázquez, Goya, Picasso, Dalí, Cervantes, liberalisation of shop opening hours, it can leadership, but also its cosy atmosphere. Lorca, Buñuel, Almodóvar; the list could now be enjoyed almost all year round. go on and on. Madrid has welcomed and Spanish and international designers, In short, Madrid is a city with immense continues to welcome big names in alternative fashion houses, top brands as personality which welcomes visitors with painting, literature and film throughout well as garments created and made in the open arms and offers them one of the best time as an essential part of the city’s life city can be found in the capital city’s and most complete tourism offerings in and the development and dissemination different shopping areas: from Gran Via to the world. It’s a friendly city with a lot to of its works of art. It has even been the the Barrio de Salamanca district, all the enjoy where there’s always something way to Fuencarral street. going on and something new to discover. Welcome to this trip through the city of Madrid is also all about open-air life as Madrid. a sustainable city that looks after the More than 3.000 hours environment and holds great natural of sun a year treasures. With green areas like El Retiro, The European capital with the La Casa de Campo, La Quinta de Los most sun hours – quite the Molinos, El Capricho and Madrid Río, hhMore information: opportunity to experience the Madrid offers a healthy and peaceful The City of Madrid Tourism Board city and enjoy the outdoors atmosphere to experience nature. Official Website: www.esmadrid.com /en 3 COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, CITY OF MADRID TOURISM BOARD Madrid is... 1. The Reina Sofia National Museum and Art Centre has been exhibiting a collection since 1992. 2. The stairway at the CaixaForum Madrid. 3. The Prado Museum is one of the most-visited in the world. 4. Sorolla Museum Gardens. 1 Art and Culture 2 Madrid’s walkable art district El Paseo del Prado and the El Retiro park Paseo del Arte is the hub for a are currently under review to be recognised cultural offering which is unique in as a World Heritage Cultural Landscape. the world. Its three main museums The Prado Museum, which is celebrating (Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza its bicentennial in 2019, has an exceptional and Reina Sofia) provide a real collection of 8,600 paintings and more trip through art history. All of than 700 sculptures in addition to this valuable heritage is found organising successful temporary exhibits. 3 alongside other types of artistic The route begins in the 11th century proposals, creative trends and new with the Mozarabic murals from the This itinerary can be extended with visits multidisciplinary cultural centres Church of San Baudelio de Berlanga and to sites like CaixaForum Madrid, where that have arisen following the continues through time with some of the a surprising vertical garden welcomes transformation of old sites masterpieces by geniuses of the likes visitors, and museums as special as the of El Greco, Ribera, Zurbarán, Murillo, Romanticism Museum, Sorolla Museum, Goya, Velázquez, Fra Angelico, Tiziano, Decorative Arts Museum, Lázaro Galdiano Caravaggio, Rubens, Durero, Rembrandt Museum and the Cerralbo Museum Museums and several others, all in an area near (entrance to all of them is available with the Madrid is a city to be enjoyed on foot and places of interest such as the Cibeles Cinco Museos. Otro Madrid five-museum the less than one kilometre occupied by Palace and Fountain, the Royal Botanical ticket). Added to this are exhibits offered the Prado Museum, National Thyssen- Gardens and the Puerta de Alcalá gateway. by institutions like Fundación Mapfre, Bornemisza Museum and Reina Sofia Fundación Juan March, La Casa Encendida Museum offers the chance to take in some As for the Thyssen-Bornemisza, located or Centro de Exposiciones Arte Canal, of the main masterpieces of universal in the Villahermosa Palace, it offers visitors Casa de América and the many specialist painting in a privileged setting (a Paseo del the opportunity to enjoy the history of art galleries as well as other cultural and Arte Card can be purchased for entrance European painting from the Middle Ages historical points of interest: Archaeology to all three; there’s also plenty to discover to the end of the 20th century through its Museum, Naval Museum, Fashion and via the Paseo del Arte Imprescindible app). permanent collection. There are more than Costume Museum, Lope de Vega Museum 1,000 works of art from primitive Italian art House and the Contemporary Art Museum. forms to Russian constructivism not to mention its unquestionable attraction – Impressionism. A for Art and Architecture The Paseo del Prado also connects to Madrid’s historical inheritance from the Reina Sofia National Museum and the Habsburgs and Bourbons co-exists Art Centre located in the former Hospital with works of international prestige General of Madrid in the Atocha district. A such as the ones created for Terminal place where its numerous visitors and the 4 at the Barajas Airport, the Cuatro history of contemporary art come together, Torres Business Area and the Reina it features work by Dalí, Miró, Juan Gris, Sofia and Prado Museum expansions. Solana and Tapies in addition to Picasso’s Also standing out is the work done Guernica as well as work by international at major urban parks like Madrid artists such as Georges Braque, Francis Río, with the spectacular Arganzuela