š„¶ What's on in Madrid: November 21
The Christmas spirit is here, whether you like it or not. Oh, and also the Thyssen at night is back!
Madrid | Issue #123
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Here Are 5 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend
Itās Friday again!
Madrid is already glowing in full holiday modeā¦ and not just because of this horribly cold weather. Christmas lights are flooding more than 240 streets across the capital, Cibeles is gearing up for a showy (and very Madrid) switch-on with Carlos Sainz and Pablo LĆ³pez, and every corner of the city seems to be rolling out something festive, cultural, or just plain delicious.
This weekās edition brings you the best of whatās happening: art, food, tradition, and a few wonderfully chaotic madrileƱo surprises.
You can wander through lights, get lost in art, eat your way through a holiday fair, or simply pretend itās still autumn and go for a walk under the newly lit Gran VĆa.
Grab a coat and venture outside. Happy weekend!
But first, a word from this weekās sponsor
š¦ Your Thanksgiving Plans? Sorted.
Looking for a taste of the USA without leaving the city? The American Club of Madrid is hosting its annual Thanksgiving Dinner on November 27th at the MeliĆ” Castilla Hotel.
Expect a 2-hour traditional buffet, a dedicated kidsā buffet, childrenās entertainment, and live music, all in a warm, festive atmosphere perfect for families, friends, and anyone curious to experience a true American Thanksgiving in the heart of Madrid.
Buffet includes roasted turkey with stuffing and gravy, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, mac & cheese, salad bar, and more! š¤¤
Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Dinner begins at 8 p.m.
Seats are limited (and sell out fast!) ā so advance registration is required.
Come hungry, meet new people, and enjoy a slice of home (or a taste of something new)!
ā”ļø Full details & registration here
1. š Get ready! Madrid turns on the Christmas lights this weekend
Itās the most wonderful time of the year! And Madrid doesnāt do Christmas lights ā it stages them. This year, the city is going bigger, brighter, and frankly a little show-offy (but in the best possible way).
More than 13 million LED lights will flood over 240 locations across all 21 districts of the city, turning the capital into a giant, sustainable, energy-efficient Christmas postcard. You simply will not escape the festive glow and you WILL enjoy it.
The big switch-on happens in Cibeles, where racing legend Carlos Sainz Sr. (so the dad, not the hot son, sorry) will officially press the button at 19:30 this Saturday.
Before that, the faƧade of the Palacio de Cibeles becomes a full-blown immersive spectacle with videomapping.
But what really makes Madridās Christmas lights special this year is how personal they are. Once again, local schoolkids have designed a series of luminous drawings that will brighten streets around Plaza Mayor.
Alongside them, some of Spainās top fashion designers (Oteyza, Isabel SanchĆs, Pablo Erroz, Devota & Lomba, and more) are putting their stamp on the city with unique creations across Montera, Chueca, and Plaza San Juan de la Cruz.
There will be giant luminous trees, a walk-through candle in Nuevos Ministerios, angels floating over Atocha, a glowing Baby Jesus (!!!!) in Ventas, a new āluminous sunriseā on Goya, and hundreds of cherry trees and light garlands stretching more than 157 km ā the distance from Madrid to Toledo.
So yeah, Madrid wins Christmas.
š„ļø What: Citywide Christmas Light Display
š Where: 240+ locations across Madrid (main event at Plaza de Cibeles)
š When: Nov. 22 to Jan. 6 (switch-on event at Plaza de Cibeles: Nov. 22, 7:30 p.m.)
š Free admission
2.š
š» The Christmas Market at El Corte InglĆ©s Castellana is a must-visit
If Madrid had an official Christmas headquarters, it would probably be the El Corte InglĆ©s at Nuevos Ministerios, which has once again opened its massive Christmas market ā and yes, it is as extra as you imagine.
The annual mercadillo turns the Nuevos Ministerios side of Castellana into a maze of lights, ornaments, food stalls, and enough holiday merch to decorate the entire city twice.
The market takes over the storeās outdoor parking area, with rows of casetas selling everything from classic ornaments and nativity pieces to handmade gifts, toys, festive crafts, and all the sugary Christmas staples you definitely donāt need but totally want. Expect themed booths for lights, nativity scene pieces, flowers, Lego, Disney ā basically a choose-your-own seasonal adventure.
The food offering this year is genuinely impressive. Youāve got crowd-pleasers like La Cocreta, The Cookie Lab, DemasiĆ©, Joselito, plus a new wave of food trucks including CafĆ© de ParĆs, Tepic, Kricky Pelton, and Quispe. Oh, and thereās also turrĆ³n!
Grab a hot Cola-Cao, wander around, and embrace the chaos. This is one of Madridās most festive, busy, and undeniably fun holiday traditions.
š„ļø What: El Corte InglĆ©s Christmas Market at Nuevos Ministerios
š Where: Calle Raimundo FernĆ”ndez Villaverde, 79, Madrid
š When: Through Jan. 5
š Free admission
3. š¼ļø Noches Thyssen: one of your fave museums is opening at night
Few of thisās many great nighttime plans are as elegant (and as free) as Noches Thyssen, the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemiszaās initiative that opens its temporary exhibitions to the public this Saturday evening at zero cost.
Itās one of those rare chances to wander through world-class art without the crowds, the heat, or the entry fee ā just two quiet evening hours in one of Europeās top museums.
You can check out Warhol, Pollock y otros espacios americanos (through Jan. 25), which brings together icons of American art reconsidering space, abstraction, and perception.
Rounding it out is the immersive installation John Akomfrah. Escuchando la lluvia toda la noche (through Feb. 8), a meditative audiovisual work thatās perfect for a quiet Saturday evening.
If youāre looking for a cultural plan that feels both exclusive and accessible, this is the one.
š„ļø What: Noches Thyssen (Free late-night access to temporary exhibitions)
š Where: Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Paseo del Prado 8, Madrid
š When: Saturday, Nov. 22, 9 p.m. to 11 p.m
š Tickets: Free admission
4.š El SueƱo de la RazĆ³n Exhibit: Photography & AI
Madridās tech-meets-art hub is back with a major exhibition that takes you on a full journey through how weāve tried to capture reality ā from 18th-century scientific drawings to todayās AI-generated images.
Espacio FundaciĆ³n TelefĆ³nica presents a sweeping show that explores the evolution of visual knowledge: how we moved from drawing and engraving as āobjectiveā tools to represent the world, to the revolution sparked by the invention of photography, and now to a brand-new era defined by big data, LiDAR lasers, and generative AI.
The exhibition brings together nearly 300 works, mostly from the Museo Universidad de Navarra. There are botanical engravings by figures such as Esenbeck and Humboldt, original Piranesi prints from Views of Rome, and the monumental imperial edition of Description of Egypt, one of the most ambitious publishing projects of the modern age.
The show then traces how early photographers ā in the 1840s and 1850s ā travelled to the Mediterranean in search of the same motifs once captured by Napoleonic engravers, marking photographyās birth as a scientific and artistic medium.
The exhibit ends by throwing you into the present, with immersive contemporary installations by Anna Ridler, Quayola, and ScanLAB Projects, all of whom use cutting-edge tools to reveal how technology is reshaping the way we see ā and understand ā the world.
š„ļø What: El SueƱo de la RazĆ³n
š Where: Espacio FundaciĆ³n TelefĆ³nica, Calle de Fuencarral 3, Madrid
š When: Through April 5
š Free admission
5.š Mercado de Motores: Fun Times at the Train Station
The Mercado de Motores is back. The second weekend of every month, the Mercado de Motores market takes over the Madrid Railway Museum (which used to be a train station) to bring you live music (see video above), food trucks, vintage clothing, used vinyls, and more.
Over 200 designers and entrepreneurs showcase their productsākind of like a flea market but a whole lot better.
Mercado de Motores has been gathering hundreds of artisans, designers, creators, book vendors, artists, gourmet food producers, and vintage/second-hand specialists for over 10 years.
This market/fair has become a benchmark for sustainable and local trade, providing visibility to entrepreneurs who, for the most part, do not have physical stores. Letās show them our support, shall we?
š„ļø What: Mercado de Motores
š Where: Paseo de las Delicias 61, Madrid.
š When: Nov. 22 & 23, 11:00 a.m.
š Free admission
šŗ What to watch if youāre staying in this weekendā¦
š„ļø What: The Crystal Cuckoo (El Cuco de Cristal) | Miniseries | 2025
šWhere to watch: Netflix
āWhatās it about: A young doctor gets a heart transplant. While recovering, sheās invited to visit her donorās hometown in rural Spain. She discovers a community, a family with secrets, and an ancient mystery.
š¤© Why you should watch: Because itās the kind of thriller that you can binge in a single night: fast, polished, and much more agile than the bestselling novel itās based on. The show delivers an engaging mystery that jumps between timelines without losing momentum, and offers just enough twists (including a bold early reveal that reshapes the whole investigation) to keep viewers hooked.
š¬ English Subtitles: Yes.
š¤¤ Something to try this weekendā¦
š« Malacatin: Madridās most Iiconic cocido lives here
Whatās it about: At the heart of Madridās traditional cuisine scene lies MalacatĆn, a time-worn taberna that has been serving the cityās iconic cocido madrileƱo since 1895. Nestled in the castizo barrio of La Latina, this four-generation-old restaurant is a culinary pilgrimage into Madridās past.
Why you should go: Because when winter hits and you crave comfort food that actually comforts, the cocido here hits with full force. The stock is rich, the meats and vegetables are carefully prepared, and the atmosphere? The dĆ©cor hasnāt changed much in decadesāpipes, old tiles, stories all around.
Bottom line: If youāre only going to eat one cocido in Madrid this year, make it at MalacatĆn. Book ahead, come hungry, and savour every moment and mouthful.
š Address: Calle de la Ruda 6, La Latina, Madrid
š„ Aux Merveilleux de Fred: A Parisian sugar cloud in Madrid
Whatās it about: A French-Belgian patisserie gem tucked into Madridās Chueca, Aux Merveilleux de Fred crafts beautiful, light-as-air meringue-and-cream cakes called āMerveilleuxā, alongside brioche-style cramiques, wafer-thin waffles, and other handcrafted sweets. Everything is made fresh in-store, visible through large display windows, in a baroque-inspired space that feels a little like Paris.
Why you should go: If youāre after a dessert stop that feels special rather than just routine, this is it. The star āMerveilleuxā cakes ā crunchy meringue mashed with whipped cream, dusted with chocolate shards ā are distinct, irresistible, and already cult-favourites worldwide.
Bottom line: For a sweet escape in Madrid where craftsmanship meets dessert indulgence, Aux Merveilleux de Fred is a must-visit.
š Address: C. de MejĆa Lequerica, 3, Madrid
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