Photo from Guide to Madrid’s Literary District by John Dapolito Last year my book A Guide to Madrid’s Literary District was published by Secret Kingdoms and this year, I’ve got not one but four new titles out! Okay, admittedly three of these are Lonely Planet guides (the big Madrid guide, the pocket guide and the […]
I’m delighted to announce that A Guide to Madrid’s Literary District will be officially launched in Secret Kindoms bookshop on April 20, 2024! Illustrated by Nathan Brenville and published by Secret Kingdoms, the book is a glossy bilingual guide to Barrio de las Letras. In honour of Cervantes, the launch of A Guide to Madrid’s
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Filled with bars, vintage clothes shops, and artisanal emporiums, Malasaña is hands down Madrid’s hippest neighborhood. Throbbing with activity way into the wee hours, its heart is indisputably Plaza dos de Mayo. But there’s so much to see besides this: dive down any street and you’ll find the barrio full of hidden corners worth exploring.
A romantic folly I’ve spent a lot of time exploring hidden corners of Retiro recently while making my new audio tour for Voicemap. However, as Retiro’s Montaña Artificial (artificial mountain) lay well off my route, I hadn’t had time to visit since was reopened this summer. Still, I’m glad I waited. With the autumnal leaves
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While Madrid boasts fantastic art galleries and fabulous museums, if you’re interested in Spain’s Roman and medieval history, a day trip is your best bet. Only a short train or bus ride away, destinations like Segovia, Toledo, and Alcala de Henares never disappoint. Toledo Once the Visigothic capital of Spain, Toledo‘s history goes all the
August festivals in Madrid Though August is a quiet month in Madrid, three local festivals keep things lively with traditional dance and music. The festivals of San Cayetano, San Lorenzo and the Virgen de la Paloma all take place within the same month in the adjoining neighborhoods of Lavapiés and La Latina. Located in the
Home alone This summer finds me home alone or, as the Spanish would say, “de Rodríguez”. With my husband off on holiday, I’ve been left free to roam the sizzling streets of Madrid, to stay out late, to daydream and to wonder exactly where this phrase “estar de Rodríguez” came from. My research first took
Visitors coming to Madrid are often nervous about being targeted by scammers. A legitimate fear if you don’t understand the language and are reliant on the kindness of bilingual strangers to help you navigate your way around a foreign city. As problems can start as soon as you get off the plane with unscrupulous taxi
Just one hour’s drive from Madrid, the city of Toledo was once famed throughout Europe for its lively intellectual and economic life, a rich heritage that was deeply intertwined with the history of the Jewish people. Though obliged to pay higher taxes, Jews were left free to practise their faith, first under Muslim and later
