The Primavera lineup looks like it was put together by people who love music, where the Coachella…read morelineup looks like it was put together by a bunch of dumb LA scenesters. There are new bands that I've never heard of, therefore, I had to do a lot more extensive research compared to Coachella prior to leaving. Even though I didn't understand lyrically (language), I was still lost in the compositions themselves. It made me realize that musically we're not so divided as one may think. I've concluded that a lot of the DJ's (at Primavera) actually have layers, dimension and color to their beats whereas in North America the EDM scene is so screwed up. Rather than celebrating DJ's with talent we're too busy making them rock stars. Fluff with no substance, whereas, the underground Euro DJ's performing at Primavera had actual talent to back up their beats. A lot of the bands on the bill strongly utilized organic instruments. Even the synth pop based bands still had an organic element to them unlike most hipster pop bands in North America that are over produced in the studio with little to deliver live. Why is Spain and most of Europe still holding onto back to basics organic rock where as in North America we are so obsessed with having our bands over produced? Unlike last year at Coachella where I struggled to find bands I wanted to see before 4 pm (outside the headliners), 60% of the stuff on the Primavera list, although virtually considered to be "nobodies" in North America, were bands I actually really wanted to see.

We were in Madrid for a soccer game and looked up what was going on in the city. Found this…read morefestival and was so pleased by it!! They have all different food trucks, including trucks with wine and beer, and tons of variety for food. We got a mix of both (burgers, crepes, fries, etc.) They also had live music the whole time we were there. Made for a great setting for lunch! For sure worth stopping by and enjoying and afternoon at the festival!

This festival provided the biggest range of cultural cuisines that I got to experience in Spain…read more(the majority of restaurants in Madrid serve Spanish food only). After wandering from food truck to food truck for about an hour, I decided on Venezuelan Arepas, loaded fries, and a Spanish beer. I went with Spanish friends and it was fun for all of us to try so many new foods that we didn't know were even sold in Madrid. It was refreshing to see the cultures meshing. This food truck fest happens a few times a year (check their website for the dates!).

The view here is amazing. We had awesome food and drinks but being able to really take in the city…read morewas one of the best parts! Liked - Liked - Liked - Liked - Liked - Liked - Liked - Gambas French toast Cocktail

Though I'm not a native Spaniard, I studied abroad here and visited too- this is one of the best…read morerooftop views in the city! Unless you make a dinner reservation (only way to get food too), tickets are 5 euro to enter the bar and you might wait around 10 min in line to enter. While cocktails are expensive by European standards at 10 euro, tinto de verano (a classic) isn't terrible at 5 euro. Even without drinks, definitely worth it just for the view! Sunsets are amazing. On a chilly evening, they have heaters over some of the lounge chairs. I'd highly recommend to get a great view of the city!

This is a circus theatre!! And it has endless shows! There's something going on ALL the time. If…read moreyou happen to tour Madrid, check their website, click "programacion" (on the left) and see if they have an event. Note: the website doesn't seem to accept my Canadian credit card... so I bought my ticket in person at the box office (which opens at 6pm, I know...) Note 2: they are VERY strict with cameras. So I hope they don't kill me as I post mine. The staff is nice, they will try their best to understand you (me). I communicated by showing them my phone (with the event page open), and they got it. They also weren't rude at all, especially when they had to repeat themselves and I stared blankly (I'm sorry!!). If this were Toronto... Other than CIRCUS shows, there are music shows (singers and bands) as well. The tickets are super cheap! Since I had to rely on the staff's seat pick (argh), I was pleasantly surprised they made sure to choose "best available" for me! yay!! All the seats are pretty good, they are arranged nicely so people in front will not obstruct your view. The stage is not big. Okay the audience: this place seems like a children's festival venue. So you will see a lot of children. And a lot of children cannot sit still, especially with so much action and music going. You just have to pray to the circus gods that they're not sitting behind you. (FYI they were sitting to my left, not behind me. Thank goodness. But the poor 10 year old boy in front had to deal with seat kicking, ear-piercing screams, and little hands grabbing his hair. The poor boy!! And his parent obliviously didn't switch seats with him. Argh. Jeez) OK THE SHOW: the one I watched was an anniversary show by la Escuela de Circo Carampa (a circus school since 1994!!!). And they are freaking amazing, let me give you an example: tight-rope walking on loose ropes (there were 5) and he walked (and danced) the ropes like he's strumming a guitar. The show was a bunch of mini shows, featuring 1-2 performers. It was fun. You know those frisbee rings that are super bendable, well one performer used these in his show. Circus here wasn't the traditional stuff, they used a bunch of "Oh I didn't know you could play with that!?" materials.

I saw Rodrigo y Gabriela here with a group of American students of Spanish last summer (July 1st,…read more2014) and had a wonderful time. The theater calls itself 'Teatro Circo Price' or Price Circus Theater and is shaped in the classic ring that maximizes viewing for attendants. This worked really well for the concert, in my opinion, and the seats we had were in no means expensive or great but everyone could see the action on stage. The attendants were quite polite and did not make anything difficult for our group, which included mostly teenagers who all had a good time.

Puerta del Sol is the "center" of Spain, both geographically and in its ability to attract every…read moresingle tourist with a camera and zero spatial awareness. If you've ever dreamed of standing in a crowd so dense you become part of a human gazpacho, this is your spot. Historically, it used to be a literal gate to the city hence "Puerta" and now it's just the gateway to dodging pickpockets and street performers. The clock tower at the Real Casa de Correos is iconic so go to see that. There's a statue of a bear eating from a strawberry tree (El Oso y el Madrono), which is the official symbol of Madrid. Why a bear and a berry bush? No one knows exactly, but it's been repping the city since the Middle Ages.

Being back in puerta del sol feels like home. Here's the deal- sol is like the central hub. From…read moresol, any direction you go, you'll find what you need! The metro station is sol connects to three lines making it one of the most accessible stops. The plaza area itself is always overrun with tourist and scammers, so beware and watch those pockets. But, the magic of sol is in the side streets that connect to it. Go north and you're in gran via or chueca. Take a step towards the irish pubs and grab a pint! Go north west in search of some churros at san gines. Sol is the connecting point to many notable places to visit! While I don't consider it a stop in itself, it is a great meeting point among groups to start your journey!

Had a good time here on a Monday. The food is a hit or miss, choose wisely! I opted in for Peruvian…read moreand got the Lomo with noodles instead of traditional Saltado, kinda regret that and wish I got the OG instead... Noodles had a weird cheese flavor if you're into that. The hot sauce didn't help either, not a huge fan. Steak was tender nevertheless. Watermelon mojito was great. I think the bar is immaculate and has huge variety. Come here any day, they're open until 12am I believe. They had a DJ, patio area, and 2 floors of eats to choose from.

This food hall was great way to try a variety of foods. So many options for food and drinks and…read moreinternational foods too. The prices are more than reasonable but $4 beers were pretty awesome. The people at the stands are helpful and explain their menus. During the week for dinner the place was quite busy but the bottom floor does close early. Cool spot to check out and have a delicious bite to eat!

This is coming from a person who's lived in Texas most of her life: the tacos were so good!! The…read moresalsa paired so nicely with it too and it's not crazy spicy. We also ordered the quesadilla and it was good but if I could go back in time I would get more tacos for sure. The service was so quick. It took less than five minutes to get our food. The ambiance is fun and lively, very colorful and spacious. We were very fortunate to not wait in a line when we came. I would've gone to eat a second time there if I wasn't so full. Sooo good!

Came here for lunch around 2pm and had some great tacos and quesadillas! Although the line was…read morelong, it moved very, very quickly. We were also served very quickly and were seated at a table in the well-decorated interior. Prices are extremely reasonable (you can get tacos plus drinks for under 10 euro). The gringa quesadilla was the star of the show for me! Super filling and they put lots of meat inside. My friends got the mango margaritas for 5 euro and loved them. Overall: great spot for yummy tacos, quesadillas, and drinks all while being affordable and in the middle of Sol