Madrid is immense even when it’s on the contrary. While many finish packing their luggage to escape to coastal Spain, the city is finalizing the details to welcome the month of leisure in its own right: August. For 31 days Madrid exudes a purer air, an exceptional silence, a halo of tranquility and, above all, because summer inactivity is just a mirage: August plans in Madrid are a refreshing reality and for all audiences. Here we have come to have a (very) good time.
Table Of Contents
- Madrid pop icon, 1964-1979 (all month)
- Red feather: from García Lorca to Pedro Zerolo ( all month)
- Jurassic World: The Experience (all month)
- Rogu: Art of Fire by Mobius (August 15 and 16)
- Atlético de Madrid's 'Welcome Night 2025' (August 21)
- Iconography of evil. Tapestries of the deadly sins(all month)
- Pinto's concerts for its patron saint festivities (August 8 to 16)
- The Hell and Wonders of the National Library
- Lope a la fresca August (August 1, 8, 22 and 29)
- Babylon Park (all month)
- A dip in the city's water parks (all month)
- August festivals (all month long)
- Perseids on the night of San Lorenzo (with more activity around August 12).
- Veranos de la Villa 2025 (all month)
- Candlelight, concerts by candlelight (all month long)
- Banksy Museum
- Buenas Noches 2025 (until August 23)
- Last days of Flamboyant, at Palacio de Liria (all month)
- Refuge in culture (all month long)
- Algorithms of chaos (all month)
- The surprise concert of the Veranos de la Villa ( August 14)
- The First Round: meet new people (August 7)
- San Lorenzo Festival (until August 24th)
- Festival Escenas de Verano (all month)
- More (natural) swimming pools
- Riosequillo: one of the largest pools in Spain.
- The most refreshing waterfalls in Madrid
- Summer cinemas (all month)
- The sky of Madrid: its best rooftops
Madrid pop icon, 1964-1979 (all month)
The communion between photography and fashion from the hands of photojournalist Gianni Ferrari, who portrayed Madrid during the sixties and seventies. The artistic dialogue is complemented by some twenty textile garments and accessories of fashion greats (such as Balenciaga, Pucci, Pedro Rodriguez…) as well as publications of the period from magazines such as Vogue and Telva.
📍 Location: Cristóbal Portillo Hall. The Eagle (Arganzuela)
Red feather: from García Lorca to Pedro Zerolo ( all month)
The Pedro Zerolo Foundation and the Arkhé Archive are behind this exhibition that pays tribute to different stories of dissident struggle of the LGTBIQ+ collective in Spain. It does so through a hundred pieces including photographs, pamphlets, posters, books, works of art, publications…
Divided into several chapters, the first is entitled “Ruina” (Ruin) and consists of a single installation (by artist Eugenio Merino), which reflects on the non-existent grave of García Lorca; the second chapter, “Los amores imposibles” (Impossible loves), tells the story of homosexuality during the years of the Spanish transition to democracy; The third chapter,“The hiv/aids crisis”, portrays this problem and stigmatization in Spain; and ends with the fourth and last chapter,“The lives of Pedro Zerolo”, which dedicates space to the figure of Pedro Zerolo, his activism, and equal marriage…
📍 Location: 18 Doctor Fourquet Street, first floor (Lavapiés).
Jurassic World: The Experience (all month)
The life-size animatronic dinosaurs of the Jurassic World saga stay in Madrid during the whole summer. Jurassic World: The Experience features scenes from the movie and? the occasional scare. Seriously, where is the velociraptor Blue?
📍 Location: Paseo de las Delicias, 61 (Delicias, Arganzuela).
Tickets: from 22€.
Rogu: Art of Fire by Mobius (August 15 and 16)
Rogu: Art of Fire is a show performed by three of Ireland’s most talented fire artists who, through an intricate choreography between dance and martial arts (and a lot of technical skill) will develop a dance wrapped in fire with pyrotechnic effects of sparks, flames…
Location: Plaza Matadero, access by Plaza de Legazpi, 8 (Arganzuela) Tickets: free of charge
Atlético de Madrid’s ‘Welcome Night 2025’ (August 21)
Red and Whites, the new season is here and to celebrate it Atlético de Madrid has prepared the ‘Welcome Night 2025‘. This is the official presentation of the first three teams of the Club (First Team, Atlético de Madrid Femenino and Atlético Madrileño), as well as the new signings for the 2025/2026 season. All of them will be presented with a tremendous party full of live music, performances, shows and many surprises.
📍 Location: Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Av. de Luis Aragonés, 4 (San Blas-Canillejas)
🎟️ Tickets: 12€
Iconography of evil. Tapestries of the deadly sins(all month)
For the first time, these two collections of tapestries are exhibited together. All of them were made by the Flemish artist Coecke van Aelst and acquired by Philip II in the 16th century. The first exhibition consists of six tapestries (from the collection of Count Egmont) on the deadly sins: greed, sloth, lust, gluttony, anger and envy; the second, collection of Mary of Hungary, on pride, gluttony, lust and sloth.
📍 Location: Bailén street 8 (Palace)
Tickets: from 14€.
Pinto’s concerts for its patron saint festivities (August 8 to 16)
Tremendous lineup for this year’s Pinto festivities. Take note: on August 9, Ana Guerra; on August 11, La Guardia, La Frontera and Javier Ojeda (singer of Danza Invisible); on August 13 and 14, Rozalén and David Bustamante; Saurom on August 15? In addition to orchestras and DJs every day.
📍 Location: Auditorium of the Park Juan Carlos I (Pinto)
The Hell and Wonders of the National Library
A new permanent exhibition opens its doors at the Biblioteca Nacional under the suggestive name of “El Infierno y las Maravillas” (Hell and Wonders). The space gathers the essence of those “hells” that for centuries populated the libraries of the world, i.e. places dedicated to forbidden books. Also, to the wonders, i.e. the most precious books that used to be kept in vaults. Now, the National Library exhibits a selection that dialogues with these libraries of the past, but also of the present and the future, from the first alphabets to virtual reality.
📍 Location: Paseo de Recoletos 20-22 (Salamanca)
Lope a la fresca August (August 1, 8, 22 and 29)
The Lope de Vega House Museum proposes, in its garden, theatrical sessions every Friday of July at 21.00h. with free access until full capacity is reached. This museum picks up the expression “a la fresca” to return to an ancestral custom as simple as enjoying the night air of the torrid Madrid summers to share words, to share experiences. In this case, quiet chats, declaimed verses, live music concerts, theatrical encounters… Check here for the complete program.
📍Location: Calle de Cervantes, 11 (barrio de las Letras)
Babylon Park (all month)
Different arcade game machines all over the scene, virtual reality scenarios… and a roller coaster? And a roller coaster? indoors? but what is this? Madrid hosts such crazy places as Babylon Park which could be defined as a large indoor amusement park. And with good air conditioning to overcome the crushing summer heat.
📍 Location: Westfiel Parquesur. Avenida Gran Bretaña, s/n (Leganés).
Tickets: 1.5h of unlimited play for 15€.
A dip in the city’s water parks (all month)
When the heat in Madrid starts to make the flip-flop melt and the sidewalks look like kitchen griddles, it’s time to consider a dip. Because yes, in Madrid in August you can also do water tourism without the need to take boats (we are conformists, swimming pools are enough for us).
We have compiled the best water parks in Madrid and surroundings here, but if what the heat asks you is a dip with a change of zip code included, we propose a plan less than an hour away: Aquapark Toledo, which is less than an hour away and has slides that give vertigo.
Three parks to escape Madrid
There are those who prefer a strategic summer: a dip further away from the asphalt with their feet in a wave pool. For that there are incredible parks like Western Park or Aqualand el Arenal, two great classics on the island of Mallorca .
Also on the peninsula there are options with sun and water in equal parts, such as Aqualand Bahía de Cádiz, in El Puerto de Santa María, which combines slides for all ages in an enclosure of more than 100,000 m2.
August festivals (all month long)
Get your carnation, sandal and spray bottle ready, we’re going to a popular festival. August gives no rest: there are many saints to honor, many hens to taste.
We start celebrating San Cayetano in Lavapiés, from the 5th to the 8th, with shawls decorating the streets and activities that will invade the neighborhood, being the Vara del Rey square the epicenter where the concerts will take place. We continue in the same neighborhood to dance for San Lorenzo (from August 9 to 12) in the squares of Nelson Mandela, Cabestreros and Arturo Barea. And the popular festivities end with the Virgen de la Paloma from August 14 to 17 in the Carrera de San Francisco and in the Plaza de los Carros (with concerts in the Vistillas, as usual).
📍Location: Different locations in Lavapiés and La Latina.
Perseids on the night of San Lorenzo (with more activity around August 12).
The tears of San Lorenzo represent one of the astronomical milestones of the year. It is the most important meteor shower of the year, since under excellent visibility conditions and without light pollution, between 50 and 100 meteors can be observed per hour. This year, the maximum, the peak (according to calculations of the National Astronomical Observatory) will be on August 12 at 22.00h.
📍Location: the sky of Madrid
Veranos de la Villa 2025 (all month)
The Veranos de la Villa are the unmissable event of the summer in the capital. With workshops, concerts, exhibitions and screenings, Madrid stays alive and awake ready to survive the heat.
Most of the activities are free or with prices from 5 € and for all audiences. From an olfactory tour to recognize the city in a different way, to theater shows at the Circo Price, concerts in the Claustro del Pozo, outdoor concerts in Conde Duque, ‘Cine Caliente’ cycles in the Parque de la Bombilla, concerts by Yerai Cortés, Pasión Vega, Stereo Party (a party with bands from the 90s in commemoration of the anniversary of Subterfuge)….
Don’t miss anything by checking the program on their website.
Location: different locations
Candlelight, concerts by candlelight (all month long)
August is lived at night, when the sun goes down, the breeze appears more or less timidly and the candles of Candlelight Candlelight candles illuminate the most surprising scenes of the city.
In August, for example, a tribute concert to Luis Miguel will be held at the Four Seasons; to Mecano and La Oreja de Van Gogh at the Hotel Wellington; or something more classical like a tribute to the timeless composers of history (Mozart, Bach…) at the Ilustre Colegio Oficial de Médicos de Madrid.
📍 Location: different locations
Tickets: from 15€ and up
Banksy Museum
The Banksy Museum is a monographic and permanent space dedicated to the work of Banksy. Inside, 170 replicas of the works of the famous artist vindictive, combative, acid, direct, and with a style so replicated as a tribute. It is the place to go through his life and work in 1500 square meters of exhibition.
📍 Location: Paseo de la Esperanza 1 (Arganzuela)
💸 Price : Tickets from 14€.
Buenas Noches 2025 (until August 23)
The Cervantes Square in the town of Hoyo de Manzanares becomes a great stage in the cool during the month of August for all its neighbors. Its performing arts festival, which will start on July 12, will continue until August 23 with free shows of classical music, jazz, clown, opera, flamenco, dance… You can check here the complete program.
📍Location: Plaza Cervantes (Hoyo de Manzanares)
Last days of Flamboyant, at Palacio de Liria (all month)
Joana Vasconcelos intervened, a few months ago, the Palacio de Liria. Its large and colorful structures, full of light and imagination, are part of the imaginary of the Portuguese woman who dreams of the magnanimous and horror vacui. Flamboyant will continue its presence throughout the month of August.
Location: Calle de la Princesa, 20 (Plaza de España)
Refuge in culture (all month long)
In the fresh air, yes, but inside the great cultural containers of the city. Refúgiate en la cultura is an initiative of the Community of Madrid that, in the context of the Veranos de la Villa, bets on a series of interventions in museums, galleries and artistic spaces of the city.
During the months of July and August, in the peak hours of temperature (between 15.00 and 17.00h) spaces such as the Museo Nacional del Prado, the Reina Sofía, the Thyssen-Bornemisza, the Galería de las Colecciones Reales, the Arqueológico or the Museo de Historia de Madrid, municipal libraries, cultural centers, movie theaters and emblematic spaces such as the Círculo de Bellas Artes, Matadero Madrid or CentroCentro, and OXO Museo del Videojuego, will host free artistic performances in addition to opening their doors to take refuge from the heat.
Location: various locations
Algorithms of chaos (all month)
Climate change, eco-anxiety, exploitation of natural resources, climate crisis, deterioration of the planet. Everything comes together, connects and explodes in Juan Carlos Santoscoy‘s large-scale paintings. The Mexican artist exhibits during these months at the Museum of America with one goal: to reflect on the environmental challenges…
Location: Avenida de los Reyes Católicos (Philippine Islands)
The surprise concert of the Veranos de la Villa ( August 14)
A classic of Madrid’s summers: the cultural activities of the Veranos de la Villa. Summers of the Villa that fill the neighborhoods of the city, the institutions and museums, with a lot of life and fun in the face of the crushing heat. Exhibitions, summer cinemas, concerts, workshops?
The program is intense and does not stop in August. Among so many dates, we are left with the live music held at the Conde Duque Cultural Center or the Cine Caliente in the Parque de la Bombilla .
However. As has become a tradition, the Veranos de la Villa generate great expectation one day… It will be next August 14 when the name of the protagonist, the protagonist or protagonists of the highly anticipated secret concert will be known. A magical way to end the summer with a WOW effect. Tickets will be available for free download from August 11 and we will only know the artist once he/she appears on stage…
📍 Location: Calle del Conde Duque, 11 (Conde Duque)
The First Round: meet new people (August 7)
Do you want to meet new people in a fun and relaxed environment? The First Round is an experience that aims to be the first round of many. It all starts with a short questionnaire that you will have to answer. Then, the algorithm will work its magic to connect you with people you will meet in a secret location (which will be revealed to you the day before the date).
📍Where? Secret location that is revealed 24 hours before
💸 Tickets: from 11 €
San Lorenzo Festival (until August 24th)
Thirteen musical shows will take place at the Teatro Auditorio, the Chapel of Nuestra Señora de Abantos, the Lonja del Monasterio and the Teatro La Antigua Mina in Zarzalejo: throughout the month, the soundtrack of these Madrid venues will showcase proposals such as 1 piano and 2000 candles, by David Gómez; España, fantasía sinfónica (Ballet flamenco de Madrid with the Orquesta Ciudad de Alcalá); or Living Room Room Room, by Fátima Miranda. See the complete program here.
📍Location: different locations
Festival Escenas de Verano (all month)
Because in the summer, the best thing to do is to take a good nap during the hottest hours of the day and then wake up, wake up with the help of culture. And in any corner of Madrid, not only in the city. That’s why the Festival Escenas de Verano is coming to occupy the squares of the region with more than 250 activities including dance, theater, cinema, circus… Check here the whole program.
📍Location: 158 municipalities
More (natural) swimming pools
That we love the pools in the Community of Madrid is a fact: so necessary, so refreshing, so neighborhood. But that we’re passionate about natural pools… that’s a fact. Luckily, the prevailing nature on the outskirts of Madrid, leaves room for a series of oases of peace and bathing as Las Presillas, the well-known reservoir of San Juan, the natural pools of Cercedilla or Hoya Encavera de Lozoya. You choose.
📍Location: different locations.
Riosequillo: one of the largest pools in Spain.
The Riosequillo swimming pool is located in Buitrago de Lozoya (just 70 kilometers from the center of Madrid) and is one of the largest swimming pools in the country. It can hold up to 2000 people and is open during the whole month from Tuesday to Sunday with a price of 9€ for adults and 6€ for children. On weekends it costs 13€ for adults and 9€ for children.
📍 Location: A1, Km. 74, Buitrago del Lozoya
The most refreshing waterfalls in Madrid
From the Chorrera de los Litueros in Somosierra (which tops the list of the coolest towns in Madrid) to the Purgatorio waterfall in Rascafría or the beautiful waterfall of the Pradillo reservoir. August is the perfect month to escape to nature and look for those places that make us happy after a short walk or trekking. Do you dare?
📍 Location: Different locations
Summer cinemas (all month)
To (over)live the Madrid summer, who does not have a pool or, failing that, friends with pool, the best thing to do is to wait for nightfall and go out in search of the stars of the best summer cinemas in Madrid. This year, the open-air screens are back to refresh the torrid nights, from the alternative sessions of CinePlaza Matadero to the greatest hits of Parque de la Bombilla and its Fescinal or Cine Caliente (commented by different personalities) to the vintage experience of Autocine Madrid with a program prepared for the whole family. And much more.
📍 Location: Different locations
The sky of Madrid: its best rooftops
Rooftops, rooftops, terraces? No matter what you call them: they are Madrid’s desire as they allow us to brush with the tips of our fingers those sunsets that we boast so much about as neighbors of Madrid. In addition, many of them host parties, concerts, brunches, cocktail evenings with live music… And you, which one will you join?
📍 Location: Various locations