Click here to go to the list in Spanish

If you want the hit and miss Google translate version (for example, no. 5 Riding a bike in the Retiro, becomes “Riding a Bike for Retirement” according to Google, click here to see it in English!

We’re not sure about no. “43. Empezar un pelea de bolas de nieve con un desconocido” – Start a snowball fight with a stranger. There are strangers a plenty in Madrid, but only a day or two every few years of snow!

What would you add to a ‘must do in Madrid’ list?

1. Madrid Me Mata has provided us with a great resource: a map of all free WiFi hotspots in Madrid. Obviously the guys at MMM need our help, so if you know of a place with free WiFi, you can add it to the map following the instructions (in Spanish) here. Happy (free) surfing!

2. I’ve been meaning to write a post about where to see live music in Madrid. This week the New York Times has published a write-up of great spots to hear live music all over town, and it’s definitely worth checking out. Any places you, dear readers, can add?

There are tons of free things to take advantage of in Madrid, but this post goes beyond the normal standbys of parks, museums during certain hours and public healthcare. If you are hunting down frugal activities in the city, be on the lookout for the phrase, “entrada libre hasta completar el aforo,” free entrance until full. Search various event listings and check out the resources listed (in Spanish) here.

1. Art: For hip and fresh art spaces I recommend a visit to the Matadero and NFM’s perennial favorite, La Casa Encendida.

2. Clothes: Sincoste is an experimental “store” where the ropa is all free. It’s located in a sort of hippie-collective building that, according to a friend, calls to mind both Berlin and the U.S. Food Not Bombs movement. The name is an anti-capitalist riff on the Lacoste brand.

3. Books: Madrid’s library system offers a network of municipal libraries plus metro-based mini-libraries. To qualify for a borrower’s card, present your Spanish ID or passport, if a foreigner. Some English-language reading material and plenty of versión original DVDs available.

4. Tapas: OK, technically you do have to shell out for your drink to qualify for this offer, but several bars—like El Tigre—do a great job attracting clients with this freebie.

5. What would you choose as the best free thing in Madrid? Add your comments below!

See map below for locations mentioned above:

View Larger Map

Well, over at NotesinSpanish.com we’ve been collecting the real Spanish phrases used on a day to day basis by the inhabitants of this fine city, and at last we’ve sifted, ordered, compiled and recorded them so that you too can sound like an honorary Madrileño!

Get the full rundown here:

The Real Spanish Phrase Book and Audio Guide

Spanish pastries are here to tempt you year-round, with the chocolate napolitanas of La Mallorquina or the chocolate con churros at Chocolatería San Ginés, for example.

But their scale-tipping powers become even harder to resist around holidays. At these times, be prepared to either let out the belt a notch or hit the gym a little harder, for you won’t want to miss at least trying these special pastries, available for a few weeks at most at your local pastelería.

Here are my top five favorite seasonal Spanish pastries:

5. December/January: I really don’t like the round, sometimes cream-filled roscón de reyes, but it is super popular with most people around Christmas and Reyes (Epiphany).

4. November: For Day of the Dead you’ll find marzipan shaped like huesos de santos or saints’ bones with various sweet fillings. Nothing like religious relic-tinged culinary humor.

3. November: Another All Saints’ Day specialty are cream puffs, buñuelos de viento. There’s no linguistic link, but they always remind me of Spanish surreal filmmaker Luis Buñuel.

2. May: Madrid’s got its own special treat for the Fiestas de San Isidro, in honor of the city’s patron saint. Try these anise-flavored donuts or rosquillas de anís.

1. March/April: Described by one Spanish girl I know as a “bomba de calorías,” torrijas, or Spain’s version of French toast, are a cinnamon-sugary fried treat sold around Holy Week.

There are few things more castizo—authentic—in this city than a breakfast of chocolate con churros. Though these fried delights are a staple at neighborhood bars around Madrid, they are rarely made in the bar itself. Instead, bars depend on regular deliveries from the diminishing number of churrerías around the city for their supply.

According to Antonio, one of my neighborhood churreros, the number of these tiny fried dough factories has dropped from 1,600 to less than 200 in the last 15 years. And that’s because the churreros are a dying breed. Of the four churrerías that operate in my barrio, most of the churreros are over 70. Antonio, who is a sprightly 35, is already training one of his delivery guys in the art of churro-making. He himself started 18 years ago. He says it was just like becoming a mechanic or a plumber: a vocation.

His bright little churrería, a relative newbie in the barrio (it’s been around for 10 years) shows no sign of slowing down. But, as Antonio says, it’s “slave” work: the hours are grueling (he opens from 5 to 11 am every day, holidays included). In another miniscule old-timey churrería two blocks from my house, the older woman who runs it with her husband refused to even answer my questions because she was too exhausted and busy. She said she’d been up since 2 am.

It’s clear, though, that the madrileño love for fried dough hasn’t wavered. Even Antonio says he still swears by a desayuno con churros.

Madrid, where the needs of the pedestrian always come first

First of all I’m writing to say that I hope that grumpy old git Rajoy doesn’t kick you out of your job later this year (in fact I particularly hope that HE gets kicked out of a job instead – he really is the most odious, obnoxious politician I have ever come across in my life).

Secondly I would like to thank you for the great job you are doing of putting big stinking roads into big stinking underground tunnels. I think this will be your legacy: the mayor that put big roads in tunnels. More of the same please. Do us all a favour and bury the Castellana, ASAP.

Now to the main point of my letter. I’m lucky enough to be able to take a stroll quite often around the Retiro Park. What a delight! You really have done a fine job of keeping it spick-and-span, although there are times when I’d like to take those infernal noise-making leaf-blowing machines and chuck them in the lake.

Ah, yes, the lake. Now the bongo playing round the back of the lake in that big semi-circular plaza with the columns used to drive me slightly mad, until at last I was able to appreciate the talent at work in those endless repetitive beats. What I can’t get used to though, is that every time I walk around that side of the park I am offered drugs by young gentlemen who whistle, hiss and beckon at me persistently, from 100 yards away, and don’t seem to get it into their heads that if I completely ignore them right up until I pass under their noses, it means I don’t want what they are selling. I ignore them, and they keep hissing, beckoning, whistling and cajoling, and it is really starting to piss me off.

I appreciate that it is important to group certain aspects of the cities talent in niche locations (keeping so many prostitutes on hand on the Calle Montero, just off Sol in the heart of commercial and touristy Madrid, is a masterstroke), but I just can’t see the connection between selling drugs, and people relaxing in the sun and playing ethnic musical instruments by a beautiful lake in a big beautiful park.

Well, if you are happy to let these guys stay there, I’d just like to suggest that you set up boothes for them, like the guys who sells peanuts to feed the fish, so at least they’ll know that we know where to find them, and they won’t have to keep annoying innocent strollers like myself.

Keep up the good work, and don’t give in to the lunatic with the beard,

Yours obligingly,

A Concerned Citizen of Madrid

P.S. A taxi driver recently told me he thought all the city’s transport problems could be solved by putting a vast undergound bus station under the Retiro Park. Seems to me he could be onto something. What do you think?

Want to use this site to get in touch with the Mayor? Send in your letters via the contact page and we’ll publish them here!

1. Shopping – With the massive rebajas (sales) in every store, you´re certain to pick up a new friend as easily as you pick up a bargain. Icebreaker: Can you hold my place in line while I check out that shirt?
2. Gym – The Spanish aren´t famous for their status as gym rats but if ever you´re to find a treadmill partner, now´s the time. But don´t hesistate too long – you´re likely to find the gym empty by February. Icebreaker: Are you training for the 2008 San Silvestre?
3. Classes – Language academies, driving schools, Masters programs – the new year is all about personal betterment. And the full classrooms mean lots of new friends. Icebreaker: Even with all the classes in the world, my salary´s sure to stay put.
4. Grocery Store – With everyone studying the prices and complaining about the cuesta de enero (yearly price hikes) you´ll have plenty of time to strike up a conversation with your fellow shoppers. Icebreaker: I know a great place where the tapas are still cheap…
5. Bars – The Spanish are a bar-happy people and something´s never change. Higher interest rates, expensive chicken, crappy pensions – they can all be assuaged with a caña or a copa. When all else fails, you are certain to find plenty of locals at the neighbourhood watering hole. Icebreaker: The tried and true “¿Estudias o trabajas?”

How will you manage to meet the locals?