Free walking tours
in Spain

When temperatures rise past 30 degrees, finding water in landlocked Madrid becomes a daily necessity rather than a luxury. While the city famously lacks a coastline, its massive municipal sports complexes and mountain rivers offer immediate relief from the dry heat. From the vast grassy lawns of Casa de Campo to the cold mountain waters of Las Presillas, cooling off just requires knowing exactly where to look.

Before the towering spires of the Sagrada Família or the undulating stone of Casa Milà, Antoni Gaudí was a young architect tasked with designing a single summer home. The resulting structure relied on straight lines, rich Moorish influences, and geometric ceramic tiles, laying the groundwork for Catalan Modernisme. As Barcelona commemorates the centenary of his death, we take a closer look at some of his most iconic works to celebrate the extraordinary architectural heritage he left behind in the city.

Late nights at Intruso Bar and Thursday Afrobeat sets at El Sótano anchor the improvisational live music circuit in Madrid. Across the city, basement stages and historic jazz clubs provide spaces where musicians collaborate without a setlist. Navigating these open-stage events simply requires knowing which venues host specific genres on any given night.