Summer and verbena are two words that go hand in hand like Madrid and Madrid and chulapa or chulapo. During the first two weeks of August, Madrid celebrates consecutively its three major summer festivals (San Cayetano, San Lorenzo and La Paloma).
Throughout these days, which run from August 2 to 17, there is an opportunity to exalt all the spirit of Madrid without feeling judged: the parpusa is part of the dress code, gallinejas is the street food, the twerk makes a little room to the chotis and whoever wants can buy accessories like this dove bag.
It has been almost ten days of celebrations and the culmination, the Paloma, requires a practical guide to enjoy it and not fail in the attempt.
where and when is it?
The dyslexia of the festivities contributes to not knowing how to differentiate between the festive verbeneros. San Cayetano is celebrated from August 6 to 9, San Lorenzo is celebrated from 10 to 13 and La Paloma starts on Wednesday until the 17th.
While the main stage for the St. Lawrence celebration is Lavapiés (and specifically Arturo Barea), La Paloma is celebrated in the Vistillas and in the Plaza de la Paja. There is, however, a whole deployment of means along areas such as the Plaza de la Cebada, the Plaza de San Francisco or the Puerta de Moros.
Concert Program
There is no better attraction than a free plan and the proof of this is to see how the tickets for free concerts are saturated in other festivals such as San Isidro. In La Paloma has transcended the concert of Burning or Kiki Morente, but there are so many other concerts (such as the one of Olga Maria Ramos) really interesting.
Here is the complete Program we will give you a summary of the most important concerts:
- Kiki Morente. Friday, August 16 at 00h. Vistillas Gardens.
- Burning. Saturday, August 17 at 23:30h. Vistillas Gardens.
- Dangerous Friendships. Saturday, August 17 at 22h. Plaza de la Paja.
- Cool Nenas DJ x Mahou. Friday, August 16 at 00:15h. Plaza de la Paja.
what typical things do I have to try?
August verbenas are also an ideal time to try some of the most popular typical dishes and products of Madrid the casticismo is not only present in the decoration of the streets or in the popular music that encourages Madrilenians and visitors of all ages to dance: it is also present (and very present) in the food stalls that are set up during those days.
Among them, you can taste the entresijos and gallinejas, offal dishes whose smell fills these holidays (and others such as San Isidro) although there are less and less of them left historical fried foods where they are prepared. In addition to these dishes, there are the typical calamari, either as a portion or in the form of snack.
And when it comes to refreshment, the same thing happens: you can’t go to a verbena and not try limoná, the drink par excellence of Madrid’s verbenas and that we could compare (saving the distances) with a sangria. In addition, in most of them the neighbors themselves prepare popular lemonade for everyone who comes to the party, in exchange for the will.
Other practical advice
Madrid is expecting highs of 37ºC during some parts of this weekend. The recommendations, if necessary, are the same as those that a family member would give you: hydrate yourself and carry a fan with you. If you can avoid the hottest hours, avoid them. During the night is when there are more people on the street.
Another common tip for the absent-minded: a mini is not a smaller than normal glass, but rather the opposite.