The summer will only be remembered when October arrives. But the plans Madrid is preparing for this fall keep body and mind busy. The boom of the new season of exhibitions, concerts and festivals … and the nights of Madrid, those that never end. Grab a pencil and make a note.
Table Of Contents
- Gaza through their eyes (until October 19)
- Maruja Mallo. Máscara y compás (from October 8th)
- Back to the Fnac de Callao (from October 30)
- One night at Single Love City (every Friday and Saturday)
- IKONO (all month)
- Wicked. The musical (from October 3)
- Café Central resists (and it's time to support them)
- Jurassic World: The Experience (all month)
- Candlelight: the candlelight concerts (all month)
- Podimo Fest (October 20 and 27)
- Machu Picchu: journey to the lost city (all month)
- Radar Joven (from October 15)
- Abierto x Obras, exhibition by Cristina Mejías (from October 16)
- Perreito Club (October 11 and 17)
- Las Ferias del Campo Landscapes and modern architecture in Casa de Campo (from October 14)
- Warhol, Pollock and other American spaces (from October 21)
- Ibiza Paradise (all month)
- Picasso and Klee in the Heinz Berggruen Collection (from October 28)
- "The Prado in feminine III". Artistic promoters of the Museum's collections (1701-1819) ( from October 27th)
- Titirimadroño (October 20 to 26)
- A new Decathlon store for Madrid (opening: October 2)
- Robert Rauschenberg: The Use of Images (from October 3rd)
- The best concerts in Madrid this October (all month)
- Feast of the Transhumance (October 19)
- Altar of the Dead (from October 3rd)
- The largest retrospective exhibition of Robert Capa (from October 2).
- Madrid Otra Mirada (from October 16 to 19)
- Tapapiés (October 16-26)
- Suma Flamenca (from October 14)
- Perrotón (October 19)
- Ballet of Lights (October 25)
- The Jazz Room: a trip to the heart of New Orleans (October 26)
Gaza through their eyes (until October 19)
How to explain what is happening in Gaza if an image can say it all. Or several. The photographic exhibition Gaza through their eyes is the result of the collaboration between Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the Department of Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid of the European Commission (ECHO). 27 images provided by various photojournalists that are also “the voice of Gaza; an appeal not to look the other way,” in the words of the gallery.
📍 Location: Plaza de las Cortes, 3 (Downtown).
💸 Tickets: from 7 €.
Maruja Mallo. Máscara y compás (from October 8th)
A long-awaited exhibition finally arrives in Madrid: Maruja Mallo’s major retrospective will open its doors on October 8 at the Reina Sofia Museum. Organized by this art gallery and the Botín Foundation, the exhibition is a journey through the magical realism of the artist from Viveiro, surrealism and her obsession with geometric shapes. 90 works, including drawings, videos, writings… that review the life and work of one of the great voices of the Generation of ’27.
📍 Location: Calle de Santa Isabel, 52 (Downtown)
Back to the Fnac de Callao (from October 30)
It was 1993 when Fnac opened its doors at number 5, Plaza de Callao, a tower of Babel, a paradise of books and records, a haven for culture in physical format. Now, more than thirty years later, the building is undergoing a complex restoration process that will convert the iconic building into 70% of the space dedicated to store and a brand new terrace. October 30 will be the comeback.
📍 Location: calle de Preciados, 28 (Centro)
One night at Single Love City (every Friday and Saturday)
Single Love City is a nightlife reference in Móstoles. Three atmospheres, two terraces and new theme parties to liven up Friday and Saturday nights. Its rooms work as three interconnected worlds, with one dedicated to the most commercial music (sounding the hits of the moment non stop), another to reggaeton of all times and the last, in which to release the artist in us, with interactive karaoke.
📍 Location: avenida del Alcalde de Móstoles, 2 (Móstoles)
IKONO (all month)
As if it were a succession of photocalls, IKONO is a space dedicated to immersion in surreal scenarios. A large ball pool, a room of mirrors, another room full of hanging lamps that seems to be taken out of any dream… Three floors to investigate, explore and feel, over 60 minutes, in this sensory gallery made up of lights, smells, colors and unique touches.
📍 Location: Calle de Sánchez Bustillo, 7 (Atocha).
Tickets: from 12€.
Wicked. The musical (from October 3)
It has made history on Broadway and, finally, comes to Madrid. Wicked tells the untold story of the Witches of Oz (Elphaba, the one we would know as the Wicked Witch of the West) and Glinda (the future Good Witch of the North). What made them go their separate ways? With a soundtrack composed by Stephen Schwartz, the musical is conceived as a visual spectacle that delves into the reflection on identity and human complexity.
📍 Location: Nuevo Teatro Alcalá, at Calle Jorge Juan, 62 (Salamanca neighborhood) Tickets: from 23€.
Café Central resists (and it’s time to support them)
Another icon of the city almost disappeared. Another cultural space that was about to vanish. The iconic Café Central announced a few weeks ago that it would close its doors for good this October, after 43 years of activity, the celebration of more than 14,000 concerts and national and international recognition as an iconic venue for the jazz genre. Fortunately, the indignation of its regulars and neighbors, as well as the media coverage of the news, has achieved the unthinkable: the Central stays, at least, a little longer.
📍 Location: Plaza del Ángel, 10 (Downtown)
Jurassic World: The Experience (all month)
Jurassic World: The Experience is a journey through the iconic scenes of the film saga. Also, a trip to science and fantasy, both come together on the same plane in this experience in which several life-size animatronic dinosaurs roar, hide among the dense vegetation, interact and… Do they escape? Where is the Blue Velociraptor?
📍 Location: Paseo de las Delicias, 61 (Delicias, Arganzuela) Tickets: from 22€.
Candlelight: the candlelight concerts (all month)
They are everywhere and we can’t get enough of them: Candlelight is a series of concerts that brings classical music closer to everyone, how? By reinterpreting themes from different genres, from rock to musicals through soundtracks (and not forgetting the masters of classical music, of course). In October, the highlights are a tribute to Mecano, a special Rings and Dragons, a tribute to Coldplay… and La Oreja de Van Gogh!
As always, this cycle expands to cities around the world and reaches the most special places, such as the Círculo de Bellas Artes, the Ateneo, the Pontifical Basilica of San Miguel, the Palace of the Dukes of Santoña… among other locations.
📍 Location: different locations
Tickets: from 15€.
Podimo Fest (October 20 and 27)
The Podimo Podcast Fest is back: the first announced dates point to this October with the special live recordings with audience of Soy una pringada and Mimi XXL (October 20 at Teatro Marquina) and Gente Muerta (October 27 at the same theater).
📍 Location: calle del Prim, 11 (Downtown)
Machu Picchu: journey to the lost city (all month)
Put on your glasses, we are going to travel. Machu Picchu: journey to the lost city is a virtual reality experience that explores the secrets, history and geography of the Inca Sacred Valley.
📍 Location: Calle de Raimundo Fernández Villaverde, 57 (Tetuán – Nuevos Ministerios) Tickets: from 16,20€.
Radar Joven (from October 15)
The association of venues Madrid En Vivo hosts the fourth edition of the festival of emerging talent, Radar Joven. This year, 57 artists and bands among which we find joseluis, Aiko El Grupo, Somos la Herencia, Alba Reche,…
📍 Location: several venues such as El Sol, Café La Palma, Siroco, Tempo Audiophile Club, Clamores, Maravillas, Café Berlín Club Madrid, etc.
📅 Dates: from October 15 to November 8
💸 Tickets: from 7 € €.
Abierto x Obras, exhibition by Cristina Mejías (from October 16)
Abierto x Obras is the cycle of site-specific exhibitions designed specifically for the space of Nave 0. In October, it is the turn of the artist Cristina Mejías, who has designed a work that “deepens her interest in the materiality of the construction of knowledge by invoking a fragile and mutable ecosystem,” in the words of Matadero.
📍 Where: Matadero, at Plaza Legazpi, 8 (Arganzuela).
Perreito Club (October 11 and 17)
Dance, but dance a lot. Let yourself be carried away by the music and throw out everything, absolutely everything, freeing yourself and occupying the space. Perreito Club is to have fun, to move, to learn those forbidden steps in a reggaeton class toasting at the end with a glass of wine. The “Drink & Dance” sessions that flourish around the world are now coming to Madrid with this great plan.
📍 Where to go? Alarde Estudio de Danza (Tirso de Molina) Tickets: from 15€.
Las Ferias del Campo Landscapes and modern architecture in Casa de Campo (from October 14)
The ICO Museum opens October with a new exhibition dedicated to the heritage value of the modern pavilions that were built in the Casa de Campo between 1950 and 1975, more than fifty pavilions that come back to life in this exhibition between architecture and the history of the city. These pavilions functioned as a sort of “architectural laboratory” allowing the imagination and skill of iconic architects such as Miguel Fisac, Alejandro de la Sota, Francisco de Asís Cabrero, Jaime Ruiz, etc. to run wild.
📍 Location: Calle de Zorrilla, 3 (Downtown)
Warhol, Pollock and other American spaces (from October 21)
The new exhibition at the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza examines these two masters of the admiration, and almost obsession, that Andy Warhol had for Jackson Pollock. Warhol was a great collector of Pollock’s work and Pollock inspired some of his work. The exhibition brings together the two, as well as other contemporary artists, and brings the works into dialogue while reflecting on the complexity of these two figures and the fascination with large formats.
📍 Location: Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, Paseo del Prado, 8 (Center).
Ibiza Paradise (all month)
In San Francisco, two young men are arrested during a peaceful demonstration against the Vietnam War. After getting out of jail, they leave the country without looking back… They arrive on an idyllic island where more people like them are clamoring for a change for peace: it is Ibiza, the paradise on earth of that time. Now, a dinner show held in the Callao Cinemas, recovers this feeling, this joy, this corner of experimentation. You can get your tickets here for Ibiza Paradise.
📍Where? Callao Cinemas (Callao)
Tickets: from 25€.
Picasso and Klee in the Heinz Berggruen Collection (from October 28)
Another duet at the Thyssen, this time starring Pablo Picasso and Paul Klee. This exhibition shows the works of both that were part of the personal collection of the German art dealer Heinz Berggruen (and that today are part of the Museum Berggruen in Berlin).
📍 Location: Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, at Paseo del Prado, 8 (Centro)
“The Prado in feminine III”. Artistic promoters of the Museum’s collections (1701-1819) ( from October 27th)
The itinerary of the Prado Museum that traces an alternative path through the rooms of the art gallery is back: that of women. In this case, The Prado in feminine will cover the figures of Maria Luisa Gabriela of Savoy, Maria Luisa of Parma and has as protagonist Queen Isabel de Farnesio (key figure of European collecting). Farnese gathered an enviable collection with more than a thousand paintings, among other pieces.
📍 Location: Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, Paseo del Prado, 8 (Center).
Titirimadroño (October 20 to 26)
Vallecas once again becomes the epicenter of puppetry this October. Titirimadroño is the International Puppet Festival that this 2025 celebrates 16 years of activity. It will do so with workshops, with the presence of the most renowned puppeteers of the visual arts scene and with a series of performances and puppet shows.
📍 Location: Puente de Vallecas
A new Decathlon store for Madrid (opening: October 2)
A team race, sports challenges, prizes and the presence of special guest Carla Flila mark the opening of this new Decathlon store in Madrid. Decathlonstore store , which will open its doors on October 2. An afternoon to enjoy this new space with the most complete sports offer and take sets of products or gift vouchers through sports challenges and running training. If this fall you are thinking of returning to the gym, start a new sport or know the trends of this season to renew your looks and accessories of your day to day, stop by!
🗓️Apertura: October 2 from 17.00h.
📍 Calle Lopez de Hoyos, 111
Robert Rauschenberg: The Use of Images (from October 3rd)
The Fundación Juan March bets in this new course for the figure of Robert Rauschenberg. It does it with an exhibition with intrahistory since, this same Foundation, organized the first monographic exhibition of Rauschenberg in 1985. Now, forty years later, and coinciding with the centenary of the birth of the American, it returns on this sample to reinterpret it from the purely photographic vision.
📍 Location:Calle de Castelló, 77 (Salamanca neighborhood)
The best concerts in Madrid this October (all month)
From Joaquín Sabina’s farewell tour to Viva Suecia’s eagerly awaited concert, including the legendary Patty Smith at the Teatro Real or Loquillo’s tour. October is the return to the living room and the celebration of musical autumn. Here are our favorites:
- Dry Cleaning (Teatro Barceló, October 23).
- Loquillo (Movistar Arena, October 24)
- Duki (Movistar Arena, October 28 and 29)
- Jesse Baez (Sala But, October 29)
- Viva Suecia (Movistar Arena, October 31)
Where to go? Various locations.
Feast of the Transhumance (October 19)
As they do every autumn, direct from Cervera de Pisuerga, the sheep and goats of La Fiesta de la Trashumancia in October will walk through Madrid. Every year, up to 1,000 Merino sheep and 100 Retinta goats walk through the capital to vindicate the importance that shepherding had (and still has) in Spain.
📍 Casa de Campo, Calle Mayor, Puerta del Sol, Cibeles, Recoletos, Colón and back to Casa de Campo.
Altar of the Dead (from October 3rd)
Casa de México is getting ready to celebrate its most special date with a unique installation. The Mega Altar of the Dead can be visited from October 3rd until November 9th. You can check here all the information about tickets.
This Mexican custom is a fundamental element in the set of traditions of the Day of the Dead, which consists of installing domestic altars in honor of those who are no longer with us. Casa de México honors this tradition by dressing up the entrance and façade of the building with decorations, flowers and decorative lighting. This edition is inspired by Mexican cabaret and will be created by architect and designer Guillermo Gonzalez.
📍Where is the location? Calle de Alberto Aguilera, 20 (Arapiles)
The largest retrospective exhibition of Robert Capa (from October 2).
Death of a militiaman is probably one of the photographs we all have in mind when we talk about the Spanish Civil War. Its author, Robert Capa, is “the most famous war photographer in history,” as defined in a press release by the Círculo de Bellas Artes in Madrid. Starting on October 2, the city’s most extensive retrospective exhibition of the photographer’s work to date will be held in this building. More than 250 pieces will make up the exhibition (including photographs, personal objects, publications…).
📍 Location: Círculo de Bellas Artes, at 42 Alcalá St. (downtown).
Madrid Otra Mirada (from October 16 to 19)
With the theme on the 25th anniversary of the European Landscape Convention, 200 activities are planned for these days in which buildings in Madrid that cannot normally be visited will open their doors to the public. And free of charge
📍Where? Several locations.
Tapapiés (October 16-26)
More than 100 bars and restaurants in the neighborhood of Lavapiés (and more than a hundred national and international tapas) will participate in this new edition of Tapapiés. A unique opportunity to taste dishes as well as enjoy thirty live concerts throughout the neighborhood. The price of the tapa plus beer or bottle (El Águila beer), will be 3’50€; only the tapa, 2’5€; and a combo without gluten tapa + third El Águila Dorada for 4€.
In addition to the bars and restaurants in the neighborhood, there will also be stalls in the San Fernando and Antón Martín markets.
📍Where? Lavapiés neighborhood
Suma Flamenca (from October 14)
Ángeles Toledano, Dorantes, Olga Pericet, Sara Calero, Arcángel, Pino Losada, Gregorio Moya, José Mercé… are some of the artists that this year complete the program of Suma Flamenca, the great festival that bets on the genre in the vicinity of the Teatros del Canal.
📍Where? 1 Cea Bermúdez Street (Chamberí)
Perrotón (October 19)
On October 19, from 10.00 am at Plaza Colón, will start the great race for the adoption of abandoned animals, Perrotón. This is the fourteenth Solidarity Race to be held in Madrid, this 2025 with the claim #YoCorroContraelAbandono.
📍 Where will it take place? From Plaza de Colón
Ballet of Lights (October 25)
Lights, ballet, and action! Ballet of Lights is an ode to classical dance with glow-in-the-dark costumes. A show created by María Farelo and Cristian Pérez (from Luma Artistas) in which Sleeping Beauty will be interpreted among lights and fantasy.
📍 Location: Círculo de Bellas Artes
Tickets: from 24€.
The Jazz Room: a trip to the heart of New Orleans (October 26)
Sala Clamores will host an event by and for jazz, that free music, chaotic at times but ordered in its message: there is nothing freer than letting yourself go. A tribute to the cultural legacy of jazz with musicians who will perform classics by Irving Mills, Jimmy McHugh, Spencer Williams and Louis Armstrong.
📍 Location: Sala Clamores, at Calle de Alburquerque, 14 (Chamberí).
Tickets: from 25€.