Summer is drawing to a close, and with it comes Madrid’s “rentrée.” So as September gets underway, it’s a good idea to stay up to date on the changes coming to the city: the Puerta de Alcalá will no longer be isolated in its roundabout before the end of the year, and you can now walk under its arches thanks to the restoration work that is returning the monument to its pre-1960s appearance.
As for transportation, the Metro is returning to normal just in time for the start of the school year: this Tuesday, September 1, Line 6 reopens between Argüelles and Ciudad Universitaria, with the Moncloa station back in operation. And on the cultural heritage front, the Royal Palace is preparing to reopen the Royal Pharmacy at the end of the year, after twelve years closed to the public, offering access to its herb collections, spice cabinets, and the Art Deco laboratory where, among other items, Queen Isabella II’s travel first-aid kit is kept.
To wrap up this introduction, here’s the guide to September exhibitions and the list of free things to do in Madrid. Without further ado, here’severything happening in Madrid this weekend:
Engines are roaring again in Madrid. From September 11 to 13, Madrid will host the Spanish Grand Prix for the first time in 45 years , featuring a 5.47-kilometer track, 22 turns , and a banked curve known as La Monumental.
Carlos Sainz will be racing on home turf, though he won’t be the only star: drivers like Fernando Alonso and Lando Norris will also be on the grid. Tickets are already nearing 90% capacity, so it’s best not to wait until the last minute.
La Elipa Festival
The Ciudad Lineal neighborhood is in a festive mood through Monday, September 14 , with the fairgrounds at the intersection of Avenida de las Trece Rosas and Calle de Santa Genoveva serving as the epicenter. Concerts by Cepeda, Nacha Pop, La Década Prodigiosa, and Michael Jackson Xperience will liven up the evenings.
The festivities are rounded out with local clubs, parades, workshops, and children’s activities, as well as the traditional Fun Run, which marks its 47th edition this year.
In Alcorcón, Spark Island has brought to Spain the Swedish concept that’s already a hit around the world. Prison Island offers a next-generation escape game experience with 27 cells full of physical and mental challenges.
Teams, consisting of two to five players, are free to decide which challenges to tackle and in what order, so there’s no single path to victory.
Many of us think they don’t make music like they did in the ’90s anymore. For all of us—and for anyone who wants to (re)discover a historic decade—La Vaguada is hosting this show, a retrospective of the greatest hits from that era performed by a cast of incredible voices. From pop to rock, electronic to dance, *Back to the ’90s* offers nearly two hours of hit songs that will keep you dancing nonstop. And to ensure a complete immersion in those years, the show also includes a pre-show and post-show with a bar serving themed drinks, arcade machines, a DJ, and ’90s-themed decor.
Candlelight’s candlelit concerts have already illuminated countless venues across the city. Historic buildings such as the Ateneo de Madrid and the Círculo de Bellas Artes, hotels like the Wellington and the Four Seasons, and new venues such as the Ilustre Colegio Oficial de Médicos and the Galería de las Colecciones Reales are just a few of the many settings hosting these events.
This weekend, like almost every other, these venues and many others are hosting Candlelight concerts for all tastes and ages. From tributes to classical composers to contemporary artists, including homages to the most spine-chilling horror movies or TV series like *Bridgerton* or *Game of Thrones*. A unique show that will make your weekend shine even brighter.
The “Madrid on Screen” Routes
Madrid en la Pantalla is a series of free outdoor tours organized by the City Council through the Madrid Film Office. These are routes designed to explore and discover part of Madrid’s history by revisiting some of the most iconic scenes from Madrid-based films, discovering locations from TV series, and learning anecdotes from film shoots.
The selection ranges from Almodóvar’s filmography to TV series such as *Paquita Salas* and *Poquita fe*. All available tours (and free ticket reservations) can be found on the Madrid Film Office website.
“I Went to EGB” Exhibition
From Duralex tableware to cassette tapes: this free, immersive exhibition (part of the “Veranos de la Villa” program) brings together everyday objects from the lives of those who grew up during the years of the General Basic Education (EGB) system and recreates some of the spaces that shaped their childhood.
This exhibition invites visitors to reminisce about a bygone era and share those memories through an intergenerational dialogue that allows younger generations to gain insight into what that period was like in the lives of their parents or grandparents—and perhaps even brings a tear or two to the elders’ eyes.
An exhibition that transforms an entire floor of a museum into a contemporary altar
If you’re looking for a unique cultural outing this weekend, the National Museum of Decorative Arts is hosting one of the most intriguing events of PHotoESPAÑA 2026.
Valencian artist Gema Polanco transforms the museum’s second floor into a sort of domestic sanctuary where tapestries, amulets, collages, masks, and textile pieces—inspired by both traditional craftsmanship and punk aesthetics—coexist. An immersive exhibition that invites visitors to look at everyday objects as if they were hiding something magical. On view through October 25.
La Escopeta Nacional
This weekend, the Teatro Español brings back the comic bite of *La escopeta nacional*, Berlanga and Azcona’s satire on power, favors, public funds, and men with too much influence.
Juan Echanove directs this theatrical adaptation that brings to the stage that absurd pursuit by Franco’s elite, in which a Catalan businessman attempts to do business and ends up caught up in a web of interests, appearances, and corruption that, half a century later, still sounds all too familiar.
Performances are Tuesday through Sunday at 7:00 p.m., with tickets ranging from €6 to €22.
Just half an hour from Madrid, the fountain at Parque Europa in Torrejón de Ardoz kicks off its summer season with three different shows depending on the day: “Happiness” on Fridays, “Crazy ’80s” on Sundays, and—new this year—a show inspired by Eurovision on Saturdays. All shows start at 10:30 p.m., with a capacity of 700 people at the Teatro Griego.
PHotoESPAÑA 2026 has already kicked off in Madrid and is once again transforming the city into a route of exhibitions, photography, and installations throughout the summer. This edition focuses on the most experimental photography, reinterpreted archives, and the fusion of image and technology, with exhibitions spread across museums and cultural centers throughout the city.
Among the most notable exhibitions are the retrospectives of Robert Frank and Richard Avedon, as well as contemporary installations and projects at venues such as Serrería Belga and the Telefónica Foundation.
“La Tempestad” by Avelino Sala at CentroCentro
The exhibition *The Tempest: The Garden of Forking Paths*, by artist Avelino Sala, unfolds as a journey through symbols and tensions where books, words, and maps become living matter to speak of the present. Straddling the poetic and the political, the works invite viewers to pause and consider what is often left out of the spotlight: the cracks in power, collective memory, and the narratives that seek to rewrite themselves from the margins.
It will be open to visitors from April 16 to September 20, 2026, on Level 3 (closed during the month of May for maintenance), Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Admission is free, and guided tours are available on specific dates, including meet-and-greets with the artist and the curator.
The river metaphor speaks for itself. The Museo de las Falúas Reales has followed the Guadiana’s example: it disappeared for nine months and has reappeared. On the banks of the Tagus River lies one of Madrid’s least-known art galleries.
This museum is located inside the Royal Palace of Aranjuez, and during your visit you can see vessels such as a golden gondola from 1683 or a falúa that belonged to Alfonso XII.
The work of art covering the Palacio de Cristal
The iconic building in the Retiro Park is taking advantage of its restoration process to showcase a new look thanks to artist Andrea Canepa. The installation, inspired by pre-Columbian culture, envelops the Retiro’s Crystal Palace with 1,000 square meters of printed fabric that creates a circular visual narrative. This artistic intervention transforms the construction scaffolding into a gigantic urban “bundle” that will remain visible throughout 2026. It is an immersive experience that invites citizens to walk around the monument to discover the piece’s vibrant display of colors.