đš What's on in Madrid: October 24
Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock, a Greek tragedy, Don Quixote in Japanese and more.
Madrid | Issue #119
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Here Are 5 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend
If youâre in Madrid this weekend, prepare for emotional whiplash â in the best possible way.
On one end of the spectrum, youâve got a festival kicking off in Vallecas with DJs, live trap, and art that questions the rise of AI â proof that the cityâs street culture is louder and smarter than ever.
On the other, Swiss director Milo Rau brings a devastating theatrical punch blending Greek tragedy with true crime to force an unflinching look at violence, childhood, and grief.
In between? An altar of the dead dressed like a cabaret (literal cabaret), a dual literary exhibition and Warhol and Pollock sharing wall space at the Thyssen. Honestly, you canât say we donât give you options.
Happy weekend. đ
1. đŒïž Warhol & Pollock face to face at the Thyssen
Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollock never met. But starting this weekend in Madrid, theyâre about to share a room. Or rather, a museum floor.
The Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza is bringing together two of the 20th centuryâs most iconic (and misunderstood) artists in a bold new exhibition that explores their obsession with space, repetition, and the hidden emotional chaos behind all that surface.
Warhol may have built a brand on soup cans and Marilyns, and Pollock may be the original paint-flinger â but this show reveals a more introspective side to both. Turns out, they werenât just image-makers. They were also explorers of scale, rhythm, and personal mythology, and they both saw space as something to break, stretch, or hide behind.
Curated by Estrella de Diego, the show includes rare works by both artists â plus others from their era who shared a fascination with large formats and spatial disruption. There are whispers, too, of Warholâs eerie fascination with Pollockâs tragic death in a car crash, and how it may have inspired his own Car Crash series.
If you want to see two cultural legends accidentally open up to each other from beyond the grave, this is a must-see.
đ„ïž What: Warhol & Pollock: New Spatial Strategies in Postwar Art
đ Where: Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Paseo del Prado 8, Madrid
đ When: Through Jan. 25. Check website for opening hours.
đ Tickets: âŹ14
2.đ Cabaret for the Dead: Mexicoâs DĂa de Muertos altar
Madrid this month gets a whole lot more colorful â and spooky â thanks to one of the cityâs most visually stunning fall traditions: the DĂa de Muertos altar at FundaciĂłn Casa de MĂ©xico.
This yearâs edition is called Cabaret El Recuerdo, a dazzling tribute to the souls of the departed imagined through the lens of early 20th-century Mexican cabaret, with its European roots, velvet curtains, and smoky, candlelit glamour.
You can see dancing catrinas, blown glass spheres, skeletal chandeliers, and an altar so extravagant it might just summon the spirits with style.
The altar features 12 life-sized catrinas, a tzompantli (yes, a skull rack), and hundreds of marigolds guiding the souls back to the land of the living. The result? A theatrical, emotional, and highly Instagrammable homage that reminds us the afterlife should be celebrated as a cabaret: full of music, mischief, and memory.
Beyond the main altar, the foundation also installed three more altars around the city (CentroCentro, Matadero, and Plaza de DaoĂz y Velarde), spreading the spirit of the holiday across Madrid.
đ„ïž What: Altar de Muertos â Cabaret El Recuerdo
đ Where: Casa de MĂ©xico, Calle de Alberto Aguilera 20, Madrid
đ When: Through Nov- 9. Check website for additional information.
đ Tickets: Free admission
3.đâ Quixote, tertulias & cafĂ©: Two literary Madrid worlds collide at SerrerĂa Belga
Madrid isnât short on literary legacy, but SerrerĂa Belga is doubling down this fall with two powerful exhibitions that pay tribute to the cityâs most iconic writer â and the cafĂ©s that shaped generations of intellectuals.
Youâll find a gorgeous display of 300 rare treasures from the Museo del Castillo de Peraladaâs Cervantes collection, including 17th-century editions of Don Quixote, surreal illustrations by Salvador DalĂ, and never-before-seen sketches and drawings.
With more than 1,000 versions of Quixote in Peraladaâs full archive, this is your chance to see how the knight of La Mancha has inspired artists across centuries and continents.
Downstairs, the space takes you back to the golden age of Madridâs literary cafĂ©s, with recreation of the CafĂ© de Pomboâs legendary tertulias â the artistic and bohemian gatherings led by RamĂłn GĂłmez de la Serna in the early 20th century.
The show includes unpublished meeting notes, period objects, and a contemporary photo project that captures the lost magic of the sacred crypt of Pombo. Curated by Vicente SĂĄez, itâs part history, part time machine, and a love letter to the kind of places where stories â and revolutions â were born over a cup of coffee.
đ„ïž What: Don Quijote: The Peralada Collection + Tertulias at the CafĂ© de Pombo
đ Where: Espacio Cultural SerrerĂa Belga, Calle de la Alameda 15, Madrid
đ When: Through Nov. 23
đ Tickets: Free admission
4.đș Madrid Urban Fest turns Villa de Vallecas into a block party
Is your idea of âurban cultureâ just trap concerts and graffiti walls? You need to get out more. Madrid Urban Fest is back, bringing two weekends of concerts, battles, dancehall, and DJs â plus an exhibition that asks if AI is killing the creative street soul.
The stage belongs to heavyweights like Sara Socas, Kyne, Antony Z, Aissa, and We$t Dubai, all headliners from past editions who now return with new collabs.
Things get moving tonight, starting at 7:45 p.m. with DJ Vic DrumSet, followed by performances from Safree, Monzo, and Shoren at 8:30 p.m. On Oct. 25, DJ Joan Cortés warms things up at 7:45 p.m. before Antony Z and Sabah hit the stage.
Because no culture fest is complete without some visual edge, donât miss the dual exhibitions: âAlma Urbana vs IAâ, exploring the collision of urban art and artificial intelligence, and the Mural Artistas Urbanos by festival mainstay Amalia Pacheco, with portraits of the performers by illustrators like Miss Corleone.
đ„ïž What: Madrid Urban Fest (Opening Weekend)
đ Where: Centro Cultural Pilar MirĂł, Plaza Antonio MarĂa Segovia, s/n, Madrid
đ When: Through Nov. 8. Check program for schedules.
đ Tickets: Check program
5.đ Greek tragedy meets true crime in Milo Rauâs haunting take on Medea
Brace yourself â this isnât your average night at the theater. Controversial Swiss director Milo Rau brings his latest production to Centro Cultural Conde Duque, blending Euripidesâ Medea with the real-life case of GeneviĂšve Lhermitte, a Belgian woman who in 2007 killed her five children and later chose euthanasia on the anniversary of the crime.
Again, this is not for the faint of heart. Rau confronts the audience with a chilling question: how do we process violence â not just as spectators, but as participants in a society that produces it.
Performed by both adult and child actors, the piece creates a striking collision between innocence and horror, weaving together classical tragedy, documentary theater, and unsettling beauty in a way that forces us to sit with discomfort.
What begins in childhood â that strange territory of fragmented language and imagination â becomes a raw, political meditation on rage, silence, and grief.
Rau doesnât offer answers. Instead, he opens a space where violence is stripped of sensationalism and reframed as a deep, human rupture â one that implicates us all. If youâre looking for theater that leaves a mark, this is the one.
đ„ïž What: Milo Rauâs Medea
đ Where: Centro Cultural Conde Duque, Calle del Conde Duque 11, Madrid
đ When: Oct. 25 & 26. Check website for schedule.
đ Tickets: âŹ24
đș What to watch if youâre staying in this weekendâŠ
đ„ïž What: Nails | TV Series | 2025
đWhere to watch: SkyShowtime
âWhatâs it about: A comedy about four women of different ages and social strata who form a close friendship through their regular visits to a beauty salon, facing social expectations of perfection and encouraging them to reevaluate their lives and personal identities.
đ€© Why you should watch: Because it strikes a sweet spot between feelâgood comedy and meaningful emotional stakes. If you want something light enough to stream but with characters youâll care about and themes that stick with you, âNailsâ ticks those boxes. Sure, there are some familiar tropes (women shaking off expectations, âclub of the free womenâ etc.), but the cast is strong and the tone is refreshingly honest.
đŹ English Subtitles: Yes.
đ€€ Something to try this weekendâŠ
đ€ La Biblioteca: Rafa Peña brings fine dining to a palace library in ChamberĂ
Whatâs it about: Ready to splurge? LaâŻBiblioteca de SantoâŻMauro is housed in the former palace library of the 19thâcentury mansion that is now the HotelâŻSantoâŻMauro, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Madrid. The decorâdark wood paneling, towering bookshelves, plush fabricsâoozes aristocratic charm.
Why you should go: If youâre after an experience that blends historical elegance with gourmet finesse, LaâŻBiblioteca delivers. Add the hotelâs lush garden patio (when itâs not cold), and it becomes a rare treat in the city.
Bottom line: Dress up, book ahead, and prepare to linger. For the specialâoccasion list, LaâŻBiblioteca is a standout in Madrid.
đ Address: Hotel Santo Mauro. CalleâŻdeâŻZurbanoâŻ36, Chamberi, Madrid
â Minimalist vibes, maximum flavor: Natif CafĂ© nails it
Whatâs it about: Natif CafĂ© is a sleek, stylish brunch spot serving French-inspired breakfasts, top-notch coffee, and beautifully simple dishes like avocado toast, soft scrambled eggs, and granola.
Why you should go: Because itâs calm, elegant, and everything tastes as good as it looks. Perfect for quiet mornings, unhurried brunches, or catching up with friends in a space that gets every detail right.
Bottom line: A go-to for brunch lovers who like their coffee strong and their settings photogenic.
đ Address: Calle de Santa Teresa 2, Madrid
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Hey, great read as always. That line about street art questioning the rise of AI is realy insightful. Love how Madrid's culture is so vibrant and smart, always engaging with the big topics. You always highlight the coolest, most thought-provoking stuff. Awesome options!