Cultural events calendar
The year's events and the official box offices where to buy tickets.
The essentials
- This calendar gathers the big events that repeat every year and the official box offices where you can buy tickets.
- Exact dates change from year to year: always confirm them on the organiser's website.
- To buy, use only the official box office of the theatre, museum or festival; avoid resale.
- Many museums have free-entry hours: see Free Madrid.
Cultural events of the year
Madrid combines a stable season of opera, theatre and music with festivals that return in the same weeks each year. This is the approximate calendar.
| When | Event | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| January–February | ARCOmadrid | International contemporary art fair at IFEMA. Official website. |
| May | Night of the Museums and International Museum Day | Special and free openings around 18 May. Dates on each museum's website. |
| May–June | PHotoESPAÑA | International photography festival with exhibitions across the city. |
| June–July | Veranos de la Villa and Pride (MADO) | Open-air concerts, dance and theatre; Pride fills the centre in early July. |
| July | Mad Cool and summer series | Live music at open-air venues. |
| September–October | Festival de Otoño, Madrid Fashion Week | Performing arts and fashion. |
| November | Madrid Jazz Festival | Concerts at auditoriums and clubs. Confirm dates on the festival's website. |
| December | Cultural Christmas | Concerts, zarzuela and markets in squares. |
Dates are approximate. Organisers publish the programme months in advance on their websites.
Where to buy tickets
Buying directly from the official box office avoids surcharges and fake tickets. These are the links to the main venues.
- Teatro Real (opera and dance): teatroreal.es
- Teatro de la Zarzuela and National Auditorium: entradasinaem.es
- Teatros del Canal: teatroscanal.com
- Teatro Español and Matadero: teatroespanol.es, mataderomadrid.org
- Las Ventas bullring: las-ventas.com
- Prado Museum: museodelprado.es
- Reina Sofía Museum: museoreinasofia.es
- Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum: museothyssen.org
- Royal Palace: patrimonionacional.es
- Wizink Center (concerts and sport): wizinkcenter.es
Major sporting events
Madrid is also a sports capital. These events draw thousands of visitors:
- 2027 Champions League finalPlayed on 5 June 2027 at the Estadio Metropolitano. Tickets only through UEFA.
- Spanish Formula 1 Grand PrixSince 2026 it is held at the Madring circuit, at the IFEMA fairgrounds next to the airport. In 2026 it ran from 11 to 13 September; dates and tickets at madring.com.
- Mutua Madrid OpenA spring tennis tournament at the Caja Mágica, next to Madrid Río.
- Madrid MarathonIn spring, running through the centre and the Retiro.
- Real Madrid and Atlético de MadridLeague and Champions League at the Santiago Bernabéu and the Metropolitano. Buy on their official websites; see also the stadium tours.
When is the season
The opera, dance and symphonic season runs, broadly, from September to June. In summer the programme moves to gardens and squares with open-air series. The Gran Vía theatres keep musicals running almost all year.
If you are looking for a specific plan for your dates, see the trip planner and the festivals guide.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I buy tickets safely?
On the official box office of each theatre, museum or festival. The links are on this page.