Madrid is a lively city and has a host of ongoing attractions that are well worth a visit. First of all, when travelling to Spain, it's highly recommended to see one of the classic flamenco shows. The Flamenco music and dance has its origins within the gipsy population in Spain. In Madrid, as well as in other cities in Spain, you'll find several Flamenco clubs. In the same way Madrid, as a major city of the arts and culture, you will also find many world-famous galleries and museums, housing some of the finest collections in the world.

Madrid is also famous for its vast selection of bars, cafes and restaurants, as well as for what it has to offer in food: Tapas, a wide variety of restaurants, food shops of various origins and ethnic flavors. Especially around Puerta del Sol, you'll find a high concentration of everything relating to food, drinking, entertainment and staying away from your hotels as long as possible.

To have a drink, the Libertad 8 (Calle Libertad 8) is a small nice and quiet caf�, it often welcomes cuentacuentos (story tellers) and cantautores. Otherwise, if you prefer flamenco, go near Calle de los Cuchilleros � La Guitarra. To eat cheap, cervecer�a Cien Montaditos (calle Mayor) sells excellent bocadillos (sandwiches) for 1�.

In Madrid, cinema lovers will find a large choice with plenty of movies in English or Spanish. The Filmoteca (National Filmboard Repertoire Cinema), a must for movie buffs, shows films in their original language. Also the Filmoteca is really cheap. The majority of foreign films are dubbed into Spanish, but many films are also shown concurrently in their original language with spanish subtitles.

If you want to see some non Holywood movies: cinema Renoir and Alphaville (metro Plaza de Espa�a) are your best choice. Go also near Gran v�a and Plaza de Callao. You can find the majority of cinemas in Madrid around Gran Via and in all the commercial centers.

For people interested in opera, ballet or classic music in Madrid they will find several interesting alternatives. A night at the opera or the ballet at the opulent Teatro Real is amazing and unforgettable. The opera of Madrid is located near the Royal Palace and the metro station opera and normally has big international artists on its program. Don�t miss the classic home-grown operetta called zarzuela; try to see an outdoor performance if you can, held at the Corralla or the Jardines de Sabatini.

Auditorio Nacional de Musica: Principe de Vergara, 146 Tel 913 370 139. Modern home of the Spanish National Orchestra and the National Chorus of Spain. North of the Salamanca district. Tickets 1,000 - 1,200 ptas for regular productions.
Auditorio del Parque de Atracciones: Casa de Campo. 3,500 seat capacity with productions ranging from punk rock to symphony orchestras.

In the same way, going to the theatre is a good way to experience another part of the Spanish culture. The majority of the theatres in Madrid lies on Gran Via or in the district around the Opera. Spain�s national theatre and orchestra are based in Madrid, and classical concerts are often held in many small, but delightful, venues like the Fundaci�n Juan March. Here you'll find different theatres playing everything from classic Spanish theatre to international musicals.

Teatro Calderon: Atocha, 18. Tel 914 023 601. Tickets 2.000-3.000ptas. Largest theatre in Madrid, seating over 2,000 people. Mostly features opera with performances on most nights.
Teatro de la Comedia: Principe, 14. Tel 915 214 931. Tickets from 1.300ptas. Performances of a classic nature. No performances on Wednesdays and the theatre is closed during July and August.
Teatro Espanol: Principe, 25. Tel 914 296 297. 50% discount on ticket prices on Wednesdays. A wide selection of classic, favourite plays. Funded by the city government.
Teatro de Madrid: The Theatre of Madrid is located on La Vaguada, Monforte de Lemos, s/n near the metro station Barrio del Pilar-Herrera Oria and the National Music Auditory is located on Principe de Vergera, 146 near the metro station Cruz del Rayo.

Spaniards, like most Europeans, are fans of soccer, and Madrid has two huge soccer stadiums (the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium and the Vicente Calder�n Stadium), each holding as many as 100,000 people. Likewise, tennis fans will find fine courts to practice this sport in Madrid. In fact, Madrid has a growing variety of fitness centres and sports clubs with golf courses and tennis courts. In the same way, for those who prefer pigeon shooting, the Club de Campo, where international competitions are held, offers its superb facilities.

Madrid abounds in dance halls, tascas, cafes, theaters, movie houses, music halls, and nightclubs. As you can see, Nightlife in Madrid is so plentiful that the city can be roughly divided into the following "night zones". However, You'll have to proceed carefully through this maze, as many of these offerings are strictly for residents or for Spanish-speakers.