đThe Bubble Weekend: Feb 21
Madrid Fashion Week, contemporary dance and an El Greco exhibit at the Prado.
February 21, 2025 | Madrid | Issue #87
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Here Are 5 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend
Itâs Friday again!
Weâre also one month away from the spring, so this brings us a lot of joy. And as we anticipate the arrival of milder temperaturesâthis winter has felt endlessâhere are a few curated options for your weekend in Madrid.
And if you hear of any house parties, please let us know. We can never say no to those.
Enjoy!
1.đ Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid 2025 (February Edition)
The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week MadridâSpainâs biggest fashion eventâis back, and this time itâs celebrating its 40th Anniversary.
Venues around the city transform into a grand runway for both established and emerging designers from around the world as they present their new sartorial creations. Itâs also a great way to impress people on Instagram. âLook at me hanging out with the models, you plebsâ.
The MBFWM (a mouthful, we know) is a key event on the international fashion circuit, and this February edition promises to introduce major industry innovations and trend-setting collections from designers at the forefront of contemporary fashion.
This yearâs schedule features the popular OFF Program, featuring prominent Spanish designers and a spotlight on emerging designers through the Samsung EGO initiative, which focuses on the next generation of Spanish fashion.
Thereâs also the LâOrĂ©al Paris Award for Best Collection and Best Model, which recognizes âoutstanding craftsmanship and creativityâ in the event.
Do not miss shows by designers Isabel SanchĂs, Custo Barcelona or Agata Ruiz de la Prada. Check the full program on the official website.
Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Madrid. Avenida del PartenĂłn 5, IFEMA, Madrid. Through Feb. 23. Check website for full program. Tickets start at âŹ10.
2.âïž Escaparates de Madrid: A tribute to urban sketching
If fashion is not your thing (donât worry, we wonât judge), why not try an exhibit of urban sketches showcasing the most emblematic storefronts in downtown Madrid instead?
The exhibit presents a curated selection of works created by urban sketchers dedicated to preserving Madridâs heritage through art. It features 62 pieces, all sketched in situ during two-hour sessions held on Tuesdays, with no restrictions on technique.
Once each drawing is completed, the artists enter the establishment to share their work, obtaining a stamp from the business to certify the authenticity of the artistic moment.
Over the past four years, these artists have meticulously documented historic storefronts across multiple districts, working directly on-site to immortalize their essence.
More than just an art exhibition, this collection serves as a visual archive of Madridâs commercial legacy, featuring establishments that date back to the 17th century such as the LibrerĂa de San GinĂ©s or the restaurant Sobrino de BotĂn.
The goal of the exhibit is to make sure that the cityâs oldest businesses âremain celebrated and remembered for generations to comeâ. Itâs a great wat to learn about more about the history of the Centro (Downtown) district.
Escaparates de Madrid. Centro Cultural Clara del Rey, Museo ABC, Calle de Amaniel 29, Madrid. Though March 1. Mondays to Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Free admission.
3.đš An El Greco Exhibition at the Prado Museum
Attention, art nerds (i.e. us)! The Museo del Prado is presenting an unmissable exhibit that brings together, for the first time since 1830, most of the works Greek painter El Greco (the architect of the Spanish Renaissance) painted between 1577 and 1579 for the Monastery of Santo Domingo el Antiguo in Toledo.
This exhibit highlights the artistâs most significant commission up to that point, with a project that originally included a grand altarpiece and whose canvases were later scattered across different collections.
A highlight of the exhibition is The Assumption of the Virgin, which returns to the Prado for the first time in over a century, thanks to a collaboration with the Art Institute of Chicago.
This masterpiece will be displayed alongside other works from the museumâs collection and pieces from the side altarpieces of the church, so visitors will have the rare opportunity to experience El Grecoâs artistic vision in its near-original context.
El Greco at the Prado Museum. Prado Museum, Paseo del Prado s/n, Madrid. Through June 15. Check website for schedule. Tickets: âŹ15.
4.đđ» A Dance of Boundaries and Memory: Minus 16 & Biterna
Minus 16, by Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin, is a bold exploration of improvisation and audience participation, blending elements from his past works with Israeli and Cuban music.
Since its 1999 premiere with Nederlands Dans Theater II, the piece has pushed dancers beyond structured choreography, embracing instinctive movement through Naharinâs Gaga technique. The performance culminates in a shared experience, as audience members join the dancers on stage, reinforcing dance as a universal language.
In contrast, Biterna, choreographed by Aleix MartĂnez for the 33rd DansĂ neu Festival, is a deeply historical and emotional piece. Premiered in July 2024, it featured a live choir and original music by Arnau Obiols, honoring the 600th anniversary of Europeâs first anti-witchcraft law (oohhh, witchcraft!). The work highlights the persecution of marginalized communities, with Biterna symbolizing an imaginary medieval gathering place for accused witches.
Both works use dance as a transformative forceâone through audience engagement and physical expression, the other by reclaiming historical memory.
Minus 16 & Biterna. Paseo de la Chopera 14, Centro Danza Matadero, Madrid. February 21 & 22. 8 pm. Tickets start at âŹ20.
5.đ A classic sainete: La Señorita de TrevĂ©lez
Have you ever seen a sainete? (For those of you unacquainted with the term, itâs a type of Spanish comic opera). If the answer is no, then make sure you donât miss this one.
La Señorita de TrevĂ©lez is a classic sainete from 1916 by Spanish playwright Carlos Arniches. Itâs also a satirical comedy that explores themes such as âmalice disguised as amusement and power dynamics in societyâ.
The story takes place in a small town, where a wealthy young prankster named Tito Guiyola and his friends orchestrate a cruel joke at the expense of Floritaâa single, naĂŻve, and aging woman who lives with her protective brother, Gonzalo.
When the truth is revealed and the cruelty of the situation becomes evident Gonzalo tries to defend his humiliated sister. Itâs a funnyâyet tragicâplay that âoffers a critical reflection on human nature and social injusticesâ, making it one of the most significant pieces of 20th-century Spanish theater.
Donât miss it.
La Señorita de TrevĂ©lez. Teatro FernĂĄn GĂłmez. Centro Cultural de la Villa, Plaza de ColĂłn 4, Madrid. Through April 20. Check website for schedule. Tickets: âŹ22.
đšđ»âđ» Viral Stories of the Week
đž âOh, I just like to dress like this.â
đ The Goat, Redux
We know we had a story about the â5th Floor Goatâ yesterday, but we love him so much here he is again.
đ A Message From Our Sponsor
Secret Kingdoms is your English bookstore in Madrid. It specializes in Spanish history and literature, contemporary and classic novels, books for children and young adults of all ages, history and historical fiction, thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, poetry, biographies and much more.
Located on Calle de MoratĂn 7 â a few blocks away from the Prado Museum â and with over 20,000 new and used books, Secret Kingdoms has something for everyone.
Find out more at www.thesecretkingdoms.com
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