12 Things to Do in Madrid in October

The heat is definitely behind us and the capital offers its terraces and viewpoints for locals and visitors. A month to enjoy outdoor events, visit museums, take gastronomic tours and make the most of Madrid's nightlife.

Take note of these October must-sees and organize your itinerary with the best things to see and do in Madrid.

If you happen to visit Madrid during this date, you can find an agenda of commemorative events such as concerts, street theater, exhibitions or film screenings, which aim to make visible the value of the Hispanic American community.

One of the activities is the Concierto de la Hispanidad, which includes an agenda with entertainment shows, children's theater, dance and concerts of Hispanic American artists. During October it is possible that in the squares and parks of Madrid you can find different concerts and outdoor shows, as the program is available throughout the month. In addition, many museums, galleries and study centers in the city offer lectures, workshops and exhibitions to learn more about this encounter between two worlds.

Also on October 12, the Paseo de la Castellana hosts the military parade of the National Day of Spain to commemorate this cultural and linguistic expansion of the country outside Europe.

The beautiful Retiro Park, full of paths, fountains, vegetation and with its wonderful lake with boats, takes on a special hue at this time of year, like any natural landscape in autumn. Its greenish colors give way to the chestnut tones that bring the arrival of winter.

This park is home to more than 15,000 trees and in its 125,000 hectares you will find a haven of peace in the bustling city of Madrid. In addition, it is recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

If you want to know its history and not miss its most special corners, I recommend that you take a tour of the Retiro Park with an expert guide. This way you can fall in love not only with its beauty, but also with its past. And if you prefer to visit it on your own, don't forget that in autumn the park is open from 6 am to 10 pm.

In autumn in Madrid it starts to get cooler, so besides being the perfect time to start taking shelter in some of its historic cafes, it is also the perfect time to visit some of its important museums. Here are the ones I consider the most important in the city and the ones you can't leave without seeing:

• Prado Museum: it is the best known art gallery in Spain and one of the most visited in the world. It houses a large collection of works by artists such as Goya, Velázquez, Rubens, Bosch, El Greco and Titian, among others.
• Thyssen Museum: it houses works of both ancient and modern authors and together with the Prado and the one mentioned below, it is part of the Art Triangle of Madrid.
• Reina Sofia Museum: it preserves contemporary and 20th century Spanish works. It has a permanent art collection that houses works by Dalí, Miró and Picasso, among others. It is also known for its surrealist art.
• Museo de Bellas Artes de San Fernando: finally, located on Alcalá Street, although this museum is not as well known as the previous three, it is worth walking through its corridors to see other works of Spanish art by renowned artists such as Murillo, Sorolla and Romero de Torres, among others.

In October the doors of more than one hundred places of heritage and cultural interest in Madrid will be open, as part of the Madrid Otra Mirada event that promotes the protection and conservation of the city' s iconic places.

Not only will you have the opportunity to get to know buildings that are usually closed to the public, but you will also have access to more than 200 free activities.

Exhibitions, conferences, workshops, concerts, children's activities, among other proposals, can be enjoyed in museums, theaters, churches, parks, gardens, libraries, cultural centers, palaces and historic buildings throughout Madrid.

Useful information

• This activity requires that you reserve your tickets in advance. Normally the City Council of Madrid enables a web platform for registration of visitors, since tickets are free but the capacity is limited.
• You may also find it practical to purchase a ticket for a tourist bus, which speeds up the transfers from one point to another and so you can make the most of this great architectural and heritage festival offered by the city.

Autumn is here and soups usually become an excellent option to warm up a little bit. Cocido madrileño, seafood broth, Castilian soup, a la San Anton or a Galician consommé, are a fantastic option to comfort the soul after a good walk and face the cold night that envelops the autumn nights of Madrid.

I want to tell you that the city holds an entry in the Guinness Book of Records as the home of the oldest restaurant in the world. Founded in 1725, Casa Botín is one of the most prized exponents of traditional Spanish cuisine and the perfect spot to taste not only soups, but also different and appetizing roasts, desserts and seafood.

And if your thing is to try new foods during your travels, the plan to take a gastronomic tour of Madrid to know the best tapas, wines and foods of Spain, would not go amiss.

If you visit Madrid for 4 days or more, it can be a great idea to take a guided excursion to nearby places like Toledo, located just an hour away from Madrid.

In Toledo you can visit its cathedral, one of its main attractions, walk through its stone streets and explore more of this city, where Christian, Jewish and Muslim cultures converge. Throughout the year you can find available tours to Toledo, including transportation and guided tours.

You can also visit the beautiful Segovia, which is worth visiting to enjoy its diversity of cultural, historical, gastronomic and architectural options.

From the Palacio Real palace to the Puerta de Alcalá, passing through the streets of Arenal and Mayor, as well as Puerta del Sol and Cibeles, October is the month to enjoy the Madrid International Light Festival throughout the city.

This event also takes place in other European cities such as Lyon, Brussels, Lisbon and Turin. The Madrid night in October is filled with light to celebrate art and creativity with illuminated installations, light performances and laser projections on Madrid's symbols.

An additional alternative to everything you can enjoy at night in Madrid.

Although it is not a traditional holiday celebrated in Spain, if you are in Madrid towards the end of October, you can join the wide repertoire of Halloween celebrations that you will find in the city.

All Saints' Day is also celebrated in many Catholic and Spanish-speaking countries, an ancient tradition that honors the memory of those who have passed away, and what better way to get in tune than with a walk through the Almudena Cemetery, where the remains of prominent figures in Spanish history rest, a walk that may well end with a concert or outdoor show.

You can also get a taste of Mexico with the intriguing and mysterious festival of Todos Los Muertos, which is also commemorated with an event that takes place at the Casa de Mexico every year, and where you can taste skull and bone-shaped pastries, pan de muerto and watch parades of calacas. Highly recommended.

The landscapes offered by autumn seem perfect to visit a place like the Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid, a box of surprises that houses the scientific legacy of more than 200 years of natural history.

Here you will find a complete collection of plants and herbs from around the world, which are carefully preserved in beautiful and extensive gardens. In this space you will have available audio guides in several languages that you can request at the entrance, temporary exhibitions and much more.

If you visit Madrid in October I recommend you to plan your visit, especially if you are traveling with children and are looking for plans for them.

Useful information

• Price: 4€ to visit the garden, 6€ including the exhibitions of the Villanueva Pavilion. Free admission every Tuesday from 2:00 pm.
• Hours: in October from 10:00 to 19:00 hours.
• Address: Royal Botanical Garden, Plaza de Murillo, 2. 28014 Madrid.

Since 1991, the Madrid Film Festival has graced the beginning of autumn. For two weeks the city showcases the best of Spanish independent cinema and the world film industry.

Great Spanish directors have had their debut in this space that every year serves as a springboard for new filmmakers, playing a crucial role in promoting emerging European and Latin American independent productions.

With programming in movie theaters throughout the city, workshops and meetings with the participation of renowned directors and actors from the world independent circuit, this event will allow you to get closer to the bohemian and avant-garde life that characterizes Madrid and enjoy a day of film in the Spanish capital.

If you happen to be in Madrid in October, what better experience than visiting the Madrid Games Week fair, the annual meeting that brings together the video game industry, professionals and fans, to share news, releases and technological advances in the sector.

One of the most famous pavilions of this fair is the one dedicated to virtual reality, where you can experience the most innovative trends in simulators, Arcade areas, sports games, Cosplay and digital interaction.

There are also live competitions and a huge fair with specialized stores, where you can find curious souvenirs, books, virtual reality games and much more, all inspired by the Manga Comic, E-Sports or the traditional characters of this pixel world.

Marathons have become a way to raise awareness about many problems that afflict society. This race, better known as the Perroton, promotes the adoption and responsible ownership of pets. A solidarity activity that has the support of public figures of the city, organizations dedicated to animal rescue, the veterinary industry and civil society.

The race is approximately four kilometers long and has a participation cost of 15€ for runners -human and furry-. Along the route that starts at Plaza de Colón and ends at the Jardines del Descubrimiento, there are also improvised adoption centers, where attendees can, why not, find the love of their four-legged life.

Check the official website of the event to learn all about how to sign up and the requirements for participation.

Carolina's Traveller Tip

If you are a woman, you like running and marathons are your thing, you can sign up for the Women's Half Marathon, which also takes place in October and has a distance of approximately six kilometers.