đŽ What's on in Madrid: February 20
The Chinese New Year is here! Oh, and the Cocido food tour is back.
Madrid | Issue #133
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Here Are 5 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend
Itâs Friday again!
And as you probably know by now, Madrid doesnât really do quiet weekends.
This one especially feels like the city has decided to throw everything at you at once. From dragons dancing through Usera for Chinese New Year to steaming bowls of cocido and late-night cultural openings in LavapiĂ©s, thereâs a great option for everyone.
Yes, yes. It still may be cold, but socially, this city is on fire. If youâre looking for fireworks, comfort food, and contemporary photography, weâve done the filtering for you.
Happy weekend!
1.đČ Welcome the year of the horse with dragons, fireworks, and a Lunar New Year Parade in Usera
Face it, you donât go to Usera often (some of you donât even know where that is!), but at least once a year, itâs good to grab your coat and head over to Madridâs Chinatown to witness the unexpectedly cinematic Chinese New Year celebrations.
One of the cityâs coolest neighborhoods becomes the stage every February for a festival that mixes tradition, community pride (the non-gay one), and pure street-level energy. In 2026, the celebrations welcome the Year of the Horse, and we once again lean into the joy, noise, and color of the Lunar New Year.
The centerpiece is the Gran Desfile (Big Parade), which this year comes with a major novelty: instead of sticking only to the usual streets, it will also unfold through Parque de Pradolongo, giving the celebration a wider, more open-air setting. There will be cool costumes, giant dragons, martial arts demonstrations, choreographed performances, and those drums, gongs, and cymbals that make it totally worth it to leave the comfort of ChamberĂ.
But wait, thereâs more! Turns out the celebration doesnât end with the parade. In fact, one of the highlights this year is the final performance by the Escuela Superior de Wudao de Madrid and the prestigious CompañĂa Juvenil de Yingge de CantĂłn, bringing the ancient Yingge warrior dance (a tradition with more than 300 years of history) right into the heart of the city.
Boom! However, if you want the most magical moment, come the night before. On Saturday, Pradolongo hosts a fireworks show over the lake: fifteen minutes of lights, color, and sound designed to scare away pets bad spirits and welcome the new year with prosperity.
DJ Dr. Kielmannsegge will be setting the mood beforehand, so itâs the perfect weekend plan. Canât afford a trip to China? Thereâs always Usera.
đ„ïž What: Chinese New Year Parade (Year of the Horse)
đ Where: Parque de Pradolongo, Usera (Madrid)
đ When: Feb. 22 (parade starts at 12:00) + Fireworks on Feb. 21
đ Tickets: Free admission
2.đ€€ Ruta del Cocido Madrileño: the ultimate comfort food tour is back
Yes, spring is a month away, and it looks like weâre starting to get glimpses of warmer weather. But itâs still fucking cold outside, so donât get your hopes up. And since you canât wear those sexy jorts of yours, why not just give in to the winter blues and grab a comforting plate of proper cocido madrileño?
The cityâs most beloved cold-weather ritual is back: the Ruta del Cocido Madrileño, celebrating its 16th edition. For a month and a half, Madrid turns into one big steaming map of chickpeas, broth, and unapologetic comfort food.
If youâve never had cocido, youâre missing out. Traditionally, cocido is served in its famous three âturnsâ: first the soup, then the chickpeas and vegetables, and finally the meats. Consider it a full Madrid winter ceremony, best enjoyed slowly, preferably with friends (and forget about making plans afterward, youâll be unable to move).
The idea for this Ruta is simple: 40 restaurants across Madrid and the surrounding region serve their own version of cocido, the cityâs most iconic slow-cooked dish.
Some are historic taverns in Centro, others are neighborhood favorites, but all of them are part of a collective tribute to the kind of cuisine that takes hours to make and about five minutes to
gulpfall in love with.
Big names are on the list, including legendary spots like MalacatĂn, La Bola, Taberna Antonio SĂĄnchez, Los Galayos, and La RayĂșa, alongside lesser-known contenders like Los Arcos de Ponzano, El CafĂ© de la Ăpera, and Manolo 1934. Also worth noting: La Gran Tasca, which won the award for Best Cocido in 2025, is back to defend its title.
đ„ïž What: Ruta del Cocido Madrileño 2026
đ Where: Participating restaurants across Madrid & the region
đ When: Through March 31
3.đż Eduardo Chillida at 100: A landmark retrospective celebrates the sculptorâs centenary
Madrid has a habit of doing cultural anniversaries properly, and this spring itâs Eduardo Chillidaâs turn. The Centro Cultural Conde Duque hosts a major exhibition marking the centenary of the famous Basque sculptorâs birth â a rare chance to see the full breadth of an artist who shaped the language of modern sculpture in Spain and beyond.
Chillida is best known for his monumental works in iron and stone, the kind that seem to wrestle with space itself. But this show goes deeper than the public icons. Curated by Alicia Vallina and organized with the support of Chillida Leku and the FundaciĂłn Eduardo Chillida-Pilar Belzunce, the exhibition brings together 102 pieces spanning his entire career: small and large sculptures, graphic work, drawings, and portraits.
The heart of the exhibition is a set of 20 sculptures that invite an unusually intimate encounter with Chillidaâs materials. Youâll see works in plaster, alabaster, forged iron, reinforced concrete, and his famous Lurrak â dense clay blocks fired in wood ovens, where subtle tonal shifts depend on time and heat.
Even when barely âtouched,â these pieces feel alive, like physical meditations on weight, silence, and form.
If you want a crash course in one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century, a man who won the Prince of Asturias Award and spent his final years building the Chillida-Leku museum, this is the perfect entry point.
đ„ïž What: Eduardo Chillida Centenary Exhibition
đ Where: Centro Cultural Conde Duque, Calle del Conde Duque 11, Madrid
đ When: Through June 21
đ Tickets: Free admission
4.đž LavapiĂ©s reopens a community cultural hub: Espacio Loseta launches this Saturday
Great news! LavapiĂ©s is getting back one of those places that feels instantly necessary: Espacio Loseta, a new community cultural hub opening tomorrow. Itâs a shared living room for the neighborhood, a âcasa comĂșnâ created by a group of young locals who want to bring artists, neighbors, and curious visitors together around exhibitions, workshops, and gatherings that donât revolve around spending money.
In a city where so much culture comes with a price tag, Loseta is trying something refreshingly different: a space built on presence, participation, and community rather than transactions. The goal is simple: to create new ways of relating, meeting, and making things happen in the barrio.
The opening day is already shaping up to be a proper Lavapiés-style celebration. From midday until late, there will be churros and vermut, DJs, bingo, and a few surprises thrown in for good measure.
Itâs casual, welcoming, and very much the kind of plan that reminds you why Madridâs neighborhood culture still matters.
đ„ïž What: Reopening of Espacio Loseta (community cultural space)
đ Where: Espacio Loseta, Calle Torrecilla del Leal 32, Madrid
đ When: Feb. 21, noon to 11 p.m.
5.đ· New York on the walls of Madrid: Helen Levittâs street photography lands at FundaciĂłn MAPFRE
FundaciĂłn MAPFREâs Sala Recoletos hosts one of the seasonâs standout photography exhibitions: a sweeping retrospective of Helen Levitt, bringing together nearly 200 works that trace more than seven decades of her singular gaze.
If youâve ever wondered how something as simple as children playing on a New York sidewalk can feel epic, poetic, and politically charged all at once, this show has your answer.
Levitt (1913â2009) made the streets of 20th-century New York her studio. She was drawn not to grand events but to the small, fleeting moments of urban life: chalk drawings on brick walls, mischievous glances, improvised games, tired faces, tender gestures.
What might seem insignificant in real time becomes, through her lens, a subtle but powerful portrait of social reality. The exhibition is organized into nine sections, offering a full journey from her early black-and-white street photography to the more mature, layered work that cemented her legacy.
A pioneer among women photographers, Levitt balanced documentary commitment with a quiet lyricism that feels surprisingly contemporary.
đ„ïž What: Helen Levitt: A Life in the Streets
đ Where: FundaciĂłn MAPFRE, Sala Recoletos, Paseo de Recoletos 23, Madrid)
đ When: Through May 17
đ Tickets start at âŹ5
đș What to watch if youâre staying in this weekendâŠ
đ„ïž What: Yakarta (Jakarta) | Miniseries | 2025
đWhere to watch: Movistar+
âWhatâs it about: Olympic badminton player Joserra now teaches PE at a state high school. His routine life changes after spotting Mar, a young prodigy, during a school tournament.
đ€© Why you should watch: Screenwriter Diego San JosĂ© builds a complex, wounded protagonist brought to life by a quietly magnetic Javier CĂĄmara, whose performance is full of restraint and emotion. Opposite him, Carla QuĂlez holds her own with striking maturity and intensity. What seems provocative on the surface becomes a thoughtful reflection on trust, second chances and the fine line between suspicion and genuine devotion.
đŹ English Subtitles: No
đđ» Something to try this weekendâŠ
đŁ Down the rabbit hole: unlimited sushi in the heart of Malasaña
Whatâs it about: The Kaiten Lab Wonderland is a playful, Alice-in-Wonderland-inspired sushi spot tucked away in Malasaña. From the moment you step through its discreet, almost secret-looking entrance, you fall down the rabbit hole into a bold red dining room filled with checkerboards, mirrors, card motifs, and nods to Lewis Carrollâs surreal universe.
Why you should go: At its heart is a kaiten (conveyor belt) sushi system, plates of sushi, nigiri, baos, dumplings, and even the occasional patatas bravas glide past your table in a continuous loop of temptation. Itâs a great stop if you want a traditional Madrid meal with character: tapas, seasonal dishes, and attentive service.
Bottom line: Itâs not trying to be the most refined sushi in Madrid; itâs trying to be the most entertaining. And it succeeds.
Address: Calle de Manuela Malasaña, 5, Madrid
âïž Pink Bourbon: Where Salamancaâs specialty coffee gets serious
Whatâs it about: Pink Bourbon Espresso Bar is a sleek, modern specialty coffee spot where the bean truly takes center stage. Itâs inspired by the Pink Bourbon variety (known for its floral and fruity notes), and itâs all about celebrating high-quality coffee through careful sourcing.
Why you should go: If you care about coffee beyond âjust caffeine,â this is your place. The baristas are passionate and knowledgeable, happy to walk you through origins, roast profiles, and brewing methods like V60 or Chemex
Bottom line: Pink Bourbon is for people who treat coffee like wine: nuanced, layered, worth discussing. Come for the aesthetic, stay for the craftsmanship.
Address: Calle de Diego de LeĂłn, 41, Madrid
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