Expat Trips Calendar, detailed: Spring 2012

Page evolving...  check back to see things added.

This page gives you information about upcoming trips, separated by categories.  Click on the category name to go to the section you want to see

Click HERE to see trips by date. 

Part-day activities in or near Madrid, walking or cultural, timed so you can get back home for afternoon obligations.

Day trips, cultural, walking or a mix. These trips are usually some distance from the city and take a more than a half day - sometimes up to a full day.

Multi-day trips, now showing Road of St James 2012

Future trips, usually multi-day, some ideas....

To sign up for these activities   contact Anne,  email   anne.expattrips (at) yahoo.es  (to send message, delete (at) and add @ .  Sorry for the inconveniece of this method, but not putting exact email on websites reduces spam).

To go to home page for Expat Trips  click HERE

Part-day trips (city walks, country walks)

Friday

April 13

Navacerrada's Pine Forests   Mostly downhill walk from Navacerrada pass to Cercedilla town. Lots in a pretty pine forest with views of Siete Picos mountain, partly following a babbling stream. This walk is not the classic Camino Schmit, but something shorter and easier, appropriate for kids and beginning walkers who are not entirely sedentary.

Country walk

Details: TBA, probably bus to pass and back from town. If you must drive let me know and I'll explain how to arrange.
 Wednesday,   April 18

 

Discover Moncloa-Arguelles A little newer than other neighborhoods we've explored, but still with lots of personality. This walk has so many food-related shops that it's almost a Food Lovers: cheese, Italian, takeaway, wine shop..... plus other shops, history and people watching! City walk
Details: Meet at 10.00AM near Quevedo ready to walk.  End about 1.30PM near Moncloa.  Minimum 6 / maximum 10 people. Price: 12 euros

Friday

Apr 20

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Who's Who in Spanish history - 2: As seen through paintings in the Prado. On this tour we'll meet many members of the Bourbon dynasty (on canvas!) and get enough of a historical framework to know how everyone fits together. Mostly paintings by Goya. Tour is in English with our favorite guide.

Prado Museum visit

Details: Meet 10.45am, end around 1.45pm. Group minimum 17, maximum 20 people. Price: 26 euros for tour with headphones, museum entrance.

Tuesday

April 24

Food Lovers - Center   Bread, pastries, cookies, cheese, and some very typical places to eat: come discover the treats near the Plaza Mayor!

City walk

Details: Meet at 10.00AM nearish Plaza Mayor, ready to walk.  End about 1.30PM near Sol.  Minimum 6 / maximum 10 people. Price: 12 euros

Wednesday

April 25

Artistic glass museum - and make a pendant Yes, this is a repeat of activity from the end of February. Several people missed it, and others didn't know how fun it would be - and how nice our pendants would come out! The museum was a big surprise for everyone, come see for yourself! FULL BUT TAKING A FEW PEOPLE ON WAITLIST IN CASE OF CANCELLATIONS

Crafts cycle

Details: meet 10.15, end about 1.30. Minimum 15, maximum 20 people. Price iNC members 7 euros, non members 10 euros.

Tuesday

May 8

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Discover San Isidro. Come learn about Madrid's patron saint, just a week from his day! San Isidro was a mozarabe (Christian living in Muslim Madrid). We'll see come of his haunts and learn about the upcoming fiestas, the unofficial kickoff for Madrid's street party season.

City walk

 

Details: meet 10.00AM ready to walk, end about 1.30. Minimum 6, maximum 10 people. people. Price 12 euros / person.
Wednesday

May 30

 

Old Shops - Plaza Mayor: Madrid's main square began as a market square just outside the medieval walls, thus the long commercial tradition of the area. While many older shops have disappeared, we can still discover small shops with traditional products and learn their history. Not a “shopping trip”, though you will probably want to return for candles, herbs, cork products or rope-soled "alpargatas". Great way to find unusual souvenirs! City walk
Details: Meet near the Plaza Mayor at 10AM ready to walk, end Plaza Mayor 1-1.30pm. Group: minimum 6, maximum 10 people.  Price: 12 euros / person.

Friday

June 1

El Escorial for Walkers:  Pretty walk through forests and across pastures, partly between stone drywalls. Good views of the Monastery and of the mountains. This walk is below town (near the Silla de Felipe II), not the walk above town that goes near a small reservoir. Mostly on good dirt road, some trail, about 12 kilometers / 7.5 miles, some hills. Circular, so driving is an option

Country walk

Details: Meet in San Lorenzo de El Escorial (near the Monastery), end at El Escorial train station. Maximum 15 people. Price: 12 euros.

Tuesday

June 5

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Discover a neighborhood: Conde Duque! Last of the "triplets", the three neighborhoods between the Gran Via and the Boulevards. If you did Chueca and / or Dos de Mayo, come discover how this area is alike and how it's different. Great shop for leather handbags, lots of restaurants, and a quirky market at the end.

City walk

Details: Meet near Plaza de España 10 AM, end 1-1.30 PM. Group: minimum 6, maximum 10 people.  Price: 12 euros / person
to be announced

 

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Tapa Crawls 101 Introduction to traditional tapa crawls in one of Madrid's best tapa areas. Later events will explore this oh-so-Spanish activity in more depth: vegetarian tapa crawls, designer-ish tapas, etc. This is a work in progress - groups will be small, spouses invited, but will need to know about allergies and level of food pickiness - promise no ear, brains, or tripe on this first experience, but if you don't like garlic, fried food, onions or other Spanish classics this activity may not be right for you.   Cultural activity
Details: if you're interested, please contact me, will let you know as this firms up.

To be re-scheduled

 

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Gear Up! Want to know more about buying walking shoes or day packs? We'll visit several sports stores in the center of the city to learn about making these purchases. Not a "shopping trip" but you'll end up with enough information to make an educated purchase later on, as well as seeing some stores where they're usually helpful, even if you're not a twenty-something man. 

Learning experience

Details: meet 10 AM  / end at 1.30PM.  Group: Minimum 6, maximum 10 people.

Watch this calendar - things may be added

For a preview of dates farther in the future click    HERE

CLICK    HERE    TO LEARN ABOUT  ROAD OF ST. JAMES - 

May 2012 is full, now firming up September.

 

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Cultural Day Trips - and multi day trips

 

Olive harvest? That so-delayed spa trip?  Villages in Segovia, Guadalajara or Salamanca? Wine? Cheese? Turron? Ancient churches and castles? Natural sights - wetlands, mountains, praries, birds & beasts? Typical crafts?

Check back every now and then!

 

 
 

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To sign up for these activities   contact Anne,  email   anne.expattrips (at) yahoo.es  (to send message, delete (at) and add @ .  Sorry for the inconveniece of this method, but not putting exact email on websites reduces spam).

To go to home page for Expat Trips  click HERE