Fundación Juan March is one of those cultural centres that marked a before and after for me - I visit regularly since I found it. It's been around in Madrid since 1955, when it was set up by a philanthropic financier Juan March Ordinas with the aim to promote Spanish culture.
It offers interesting and well-curated exhibitions that cover a range of diverse topics and also has free lunchtime and early evening concerts every week, usually classical or jazz, as well as free lectures and film showings. The exhibitions are rarely crowded, you just stroll in - no tickets. It is not a huge space, but the shows are always well curated and often educational.
If you want to see a concert or attend a talk, you must enter the online draw in the morning about a week before each event. If you aren’t lucky, you can go and queue on the day - the ticket office opens an hour before each event. A small shop features very well-priced quality postcards and posters (50 centimos and 5 euros respectively).
There’s a super chic cafe/restaurant downstairs with sexy black leather booths, and a self-service library in the gorgeous garden too! It’s near La Cazorla Castelló too!
Find your way with 243 Insider Tips from our Local Spotters
"Microteatro por dinero" in Madrid is simple: 15m² - 15-minute plays - 15 spectators. It's a new way to to go the theater. What a thrilling experience!
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This fantastic wine shop, "Vino y Compañía" is the place to discover the fantastic variety and quality of wine on offer in Spain. Come with an open mind!
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The apartment block this cafe sits under is an ugly beauty and I love it, not least for the exuberant planters that are an integral part of the building.
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I didn’t think Madrid was lacking anything but now I’ve found "Mazál Bagels and Café" I’m wondering how I survived without its bagels all these years!
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What sets this bar apart is its exceptional handling of ingredients, creating dishes that sing with Andalusian flair—a nod to Manu's roots.
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Sala Canal Isabel II in Madrid used to be a water tower: now it's an uber-cool gallery used for media exhibitions. I love it, and not just because...
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VETA is the biggest contemporary art gallery in the city, so once you’ve had your fill of the Old Masters at the Prado, why not get off the beaten track?
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243 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
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