February is the shortest month of the year. Here are five recommendations to make the most of it:

1. So you may not like Valentine’s Day (many Spaniards I know say it was invented by the Corte Inglés), but what better excuse to grab your significant other or group of friends and relax in Madrid’s very own Arabic baths?

2. A winter’s day is the perfect time to discover the Círculo de Bellas Artes. For the one-euro entry fee you can visit any of the exhibitions and then refresh yourself in the gorgeous cafetería.

3. Among the highlights at the Filmoteca in the historic Cine Doré this month are the Brazilian slum tale City of God (9 February) and a retrospective of Fernando Fernán-Gómez’s films. Full schedule is here.

4. Check out the Modigliani exhibit at the Thyssen or free of charge at Fundación Caja Madrid. The exhibit looks at the Italian artist’s work after his arrival in Paris in the early 20th century, as well as the artists – among them Cézanne, Picasso, and Chagall – who influenced him.

5. Make your own music at the monthly Anti-Karaoke in Sala El Sol on 27 February. The show promises to be a crazily good way to bid February adiós.

See map below for all locations mentioned above:

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