🌙 What's on in Madrid: July 10
What are your plans tonight if Spain defeats Belgium?
Madrid | Issue #152
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Here Are 5 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend
It’s Friday again!
Look alive, people! Spain is one game away from the World Cup semis, and the city is turning into a big, slightly anxious watch party today. On top of that, Mad Cool is taking over Villaverde with one of its strongest lineups in years. And when you need to refuel? We’ve found you spots that actually deliver. Just scroll down.
Last but not least, Episode 2 of The Bubble Podcast is out! We talk about true crime (maybe), how to enjoy this summer’s verbenas, and mistakes foreigners make when moving to Spain.
Happy weekend!
1. ⚽️ Watch Spain vs. Belgium tonight (and root for La Roja, duh)
Alright, everyone. Spain is through to the World Cup quarter-finals after knocking out Portugal — and now shit is getting real comes a proper test: Belgium. Madrid is turning into a collective living room this evening, and it will be loud and hot. Have a few cold beers ready to calm your anxiety, and if you want the full emotional breakdown experience, skip the sofa and go outside.
Madrid Río is again stepping up with giant screens at Puente del Rey, turning the riverbank into an open-air fan zone and adding two massive screens this time, placed right in the center of the bridge, so you can actually see what’s going on (a nice perk) while being surrounded by thousands of fans.
Bring a flag (ideally a Spanish flag, unless you want to
dieget booed) and prepare to chant every time Spain gets near the goal.Not near Madrid Río? You’ve still got the usual options: Plaza Colón (our fave!), Rita’s, Oasiz, and Autocines Madrid are all setting up big screens. If you’re looking for “I’m freaking out, please hug me” energy, we suggest Plaza Colón or Puente del Rey.
Remember to light up a candle for la virgencita tonight. We’re getting close.
🖥️ What: Spain vs Belgium (World Cup quarter-final) on giant screens
📍 Where: Puente del Rey and Plaza Colón, Madrid
📅 When: July 10. Kick-off at 9:00 p.m. (arrive early)
🎟 Tickets: Free admission
2. 🎸 Mad Cool Festival takes over Madrid
Not into the football madness? Fret now, fellow weirdo… Mad Cool (aka Madrid’s coolest music festival of the year) is back for its 10th anniversary, and the city turns into a four-day music marathon this week (but let’s be honest, you’re reading this on Friday morning, so this is all about what’s happening tonight and tomorrow).
Friday is packed with cool artists. You’ve got Twenty One Pilots and Kings of Leon headlining, which already guarantees a packed crowd screaming every lyric like it’s 2013 again. But the real problem? The clashes. Pixies, Halsey, Interpol, even A Perfect Circle — at some point, you will miss something you wanted to see, and you will complain about it later. Consider it part of the experience.
Saturday, though, is when things get even cooler, darker, and more iconic. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds are closing the whole thing, and if you’ve ever seen him live, you know this is more than just “a concert”. Add Pulp, The Black Crowes, Kasabian, and David Byrne, and you’ve got a lineup that looks great on the ‘gram.
Mad Cool is known for multiple reasons: the dust, overpriced beers, long walks between stages, and seeing your favorite band at 7:30 p.m. while waiting for someone else.
Pro tips. Wear comfortable shoes, pick your non-negotiables in advance, and accept that everything else is improvisation.
🖥️ What: Mad Cool Festival 2026
📍 Where: Iberdrola Music, Calle Laguna Dalga and Avenida Real de Pinto Villaverde, Madrid
📅 When: July 10 & 11
🎟 Tickets: From €89 (day pass) — still available online
🍷 Create. Sip. Connect. An exclusive evening for Friends of The Bubble:
Want to get your hands dirty and explore your creativity? We’re hosting an exclusive Wine & Ceramics Night for paid subscribers, led by Senda Cerámica founder Felipe Ponce.
Forget copying a bowl from a pottery class. This evening is all about experimenting with clay, exploring your creativity, and meeting other members of The Bubble community over wine and cheese.
📍 Where: Senda Cerámica Studio, Calle Torrecilla del Leal 7, Lavapiés
📅 When: July 22, 7 p.m.
🎟️ Paid subscribers only · Limited spots · First come, first served.
To reserve your place, email social@thebubble.com.
3.🎺 Whatever: Old-school jazz, Madrid-style (and it’s free)
If your idea of a perfect Friday isn’t a sweaty festival crowd but something a little cooler (literally and culturally), this one’s for you. Whatever Jazz Band is bringing their proper 1920s jazz energy to Madrid, to remind you of New Orleans, Chicago, smoky bars, and what good music is supposed to sound like.
Before you ask, this isn’t a “modern jazz with a twist” situation. These guys are fully committed to the classics: Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Johnny Dodds. These guys not only play the kind of music that built everything that came after, but they also recreate it in the same style, same arrangements, and same vibe.
The band is a mix of international musicians based in Madrid, all deep into traditional jazz, with backgrounds in different swing and dixieland projects (which means they know what they are doing). They play trumpet, clarinet, and banjo, which makes them sound like the kind of band that no longer exists (they do).
Oh, and good news: it’s outdoors; it’s free. Don’t miss it. You’ll likely go there for 15 minutes and stay there all night.
🖥️ What: Whatever Jazz Band (Dixieland)
📍 Where: Avenida del Presidente Carmona, 3, Madrid
📅 When: July 10, 9 p.m.
🎟 Tickets: Free
4. 🎭 Las Que Gritan is a play about family therapy and what happens when it goes wrong
Have you managed to polish your Spanish yet? Because honestly, it’s time you started going to a play here. Especially because this one feels a bit too real (but still funny enough to handle). Las que gritan, at Teatro Maravillas, might hit closer to home than you’d like.
The premise is simple. A mother decides to organize a weekend getaway with her three daughters so they can reconnect, talk things through, and, you know, get along. Except it all goes very wrong.
What follows is a full emotional unpacking disguised as a comedy. Old tensions resurface, things that were never said finally come out, and suddenly this wholesome family retreat turns into absolute drama.
The tone jumps all over the place — one minute it’s genuinely funny, the next it’s brutal, then it’s surreal, in an effort to reflect what family dynamics are actually like: messy and unpredictable.
Also worth noting: the cast is stacked, and the staging leans more experimental than your typical commercial comedy, so expect something a bit sharper than your average night at the theater.
🎭 What: Las que Gritan
📍 Where: Teatro Maravillas, Calle Manuela Malasaña 6, Madrid
📅 When: Through Aug. 30
🎟 Tickets: From €22
5. 🇵🇷 A colorful deep dive into Puerto Rico’s identity, pop culture, and its complicated relationship with the U.S.
Looking for something a bit more… intellectual (but still super-fun)? This one’s worth your time. Casa de América is hosting a new exhibition by Puerto Rican artist Bernardo Medina, and it’s 100% worth visiting.
This exhibit plays with a very specific tension: Puerto Rico and the U.S. Not in a textbook way, but through irony, symbolism, and a lot of pop culture references that work on multiple levels. You’ll walk in thinking “this looks cool” and walk out quietly questioning history, identity, and the concept of cultural influence.
You’ll see plátanos turned into cultural symbols, reworked Campbell’s soup cans (yes, Goya beans), and even traditional toy horses. Medina calls his style “jíbaro pop” (basically Caribbean pop art), and he mixes identity, politics, and culture into something that feels light on the surface but isn’t really.
Go, wander, think a bit, then grab a drink nearby and keep thinking about what you just saw.
🖥️ What: Bernardo Medina “Tengo un Coco Contigo” Exhibition
📍 Where: Casa de América, Plaza de Cibeles 2, Madrid
📅 When:Through Sept. 30
🎟 Tickets: Free admission
📺 What to watch if you are staying in this weekend…
🖥️ What: Torrente for President (Torrente Presidente) | Movie | 2026
📍Where to watch: Netflix
❓What’s it about: The sixth installment of a satirical comedy that pokes fun at Spanish social and political stereotypes, featuring parodies of real events and special guest appearances from the political sphere. Torrente is the typical racist, homophobic, misogynist “cuñao” who is suddenly tapped by far-right party “Nox” (lol) to run for office. Hilarity ensures.
🤩 Why you should watch: Because it’s the perfect movie for those who follow Spanish politics and will get every single joke related to the current scandals affecting Vox, PSOE, PP and all the others. It includes multiple cameos from Spanish politicians, celebrities, journalists, a former Spanish PM (seriously), and even Alec Baldwin and Kevin Spacey (no, seriously).
💬 English Subtitles: Yes. (If you’re easily offended, skip this one).
💃🏻 Places to try this weekend…
🦉 Gallobúho: Coffee by day, cocktails by night — and somehow both actually work
What’s it about: A hybrid café-bar in Madrid that pulls off the rare trick of being genuinely good at both. By day, Gallobúho leans into brunch territory (croissants, cinnamon rolls, yogurt bowls, solid toasts). By night, it flips into a proper bar menu with croquetas, jamón ibérico, mini burgers, and a full spread of shareable plates.
Why you should go: Because the morning menu is tight and actually appealing (the Nordic sandwich with salmon and egg is a standout, and the smoothies are legit), while the evening offering goes beyond basic bar food — there’s brioche de chipirón, and even a 600g entrecôte if you’re going all in.
Bottom line: A rare all-day spot that doesn’t feel like a compromise. Come for brunch, stay for drinks, or just pick your side. Either way, it delivers.
Address: Plaza de las Salesas 7, Madrid
☕️ Urbano: Where Madrid’s coffee snobs actually agree
What’s it about: A proper specialty coffee spot that takes its beans seriously, working with high-quality coffees from places like Colombia and Myanmar, and pairing them with homemade pastries from Sucre that are just as much of a draw as the coffee itself.
Why you should go: Because the coffee menu goes beyond your standard latte (cold brews, filter coffee, pistachio cappuccinos if you’re feeling adventurous), and the sweet side delivers — think almond flour orange cakes or dulce de leche + pistachio combos.
Bottom line: It’s just a very good café that does everything right.
Address: Calle de Santa Bárbara, 8, Madrid
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