NEWS FROM D&P YOUR DMC FOR SPAIN AND MORE…
Unique Moments:
Between approximately 21 June and 21 September, the temperatures rise, and the long days are prefect for sightseeing. You are sure to have heard about Spain’s incredible beaches. It’s true: we have many hours of sunshine, some of the best beaches in the world and seaside towns complete with brightly coloured houses.
However, in this selection of what’s on offer we also want to inspire you with incredible inland destinations and let you know that summer is a time for fiestas, music festivals and unforgettable nights out. Here are some of Spain’s best summer options.
There are popular festivities in summer, like the famous San Fermín or La Tomatina tomato festival. But if you prefer to dance, there are also many world-renowned festivals. And of course, if you love clubbing you shouldn’t miss going out at night in Ibiza.
The arrival of summer and the warm temperature in Spain brings people out of their houses and into the streets to live life together in the open air. During the summer months, the streets, squares and promenades in Spanish cities come alive with terrace bars and “chiringuitos”: places to enjoy a cool drink, sample local dishes, listen to music or just to have a quiet chat. Whether by day or by night, they are a pleasant place to while away a few hours in summertime.
Highlights of the season in Spain
Some of the best beaches in the world
One ocean – the Atlantic – and two seas – the Cantabrian and the Mediterranean. Spain’s almost 8,000 kilometres of coastline have a lot to offer. Visiting the lighthouses in Galicia, diving on the Costa Brava, sailing the turquoise waters of the Balearic Islands and enjoying coves like Turqueta and Caló des Moro, watching the sunset over bays like the one in San Sebastián, taking in the atmosphere on the Costa del Sol or lying on volcanic beaches in the Canary Islands. Over 600 exceptional beaches await you, as year after year, Spain continues as leading country with most Blue Flag beaches in 2024.
Fiesta season
Summer in Spain is welcomed in with a magical festival: the night of San Juan (from 23 to 24 June) when hundreds of bonfires are lit on the beaches of cities like A Coruña and Alicante, and the daring can jump over them for good luck. After these, the calendar is full of festivals: San Fermín in Pamplona, Moors and Christians in Villajoyosa, Descent of the Sella in Asturias, the Viking procession in Catoira, and a multitude of fiestas in August in almost all the villages of Spain.
The magic of unique settings under the stars
Night falls, the street lights go out and thousands of candles begin to light up the streets, balconies and courtyards of a town. In the background, the sound of music. Someone walks along bewitched by the light of the flame that lights up their pupils. The atmosphere created is magical. It’s not a mirage. There are a number of places in Spain where you can enjoy an experience like this. Here are a few examples: Concerts by candlelight in Pedraza, Candlelit night in Vejer de la Frontera, Brihuega Lavender Festival or Music Festival in Segura.
Special evenings in cities
In summer, we all love to enjoy cool evenings outdoors in the city. Some unique events are organised: the Córdoba Guitar Festival, the Classical Theatre Festival in Mérida in a Roman theatre with 2,000 years of history behind it, evening guided tours to monuments such as the Alhambra Palace in Granada, the performances of the Veranos de la Villa summer festival in Madrid or the Grec in Barcelona, mystery tours around cities such as Toledo…
Welcome festival goers!
Our stages welcome some of the best groups on the national and international music scene every summer. The line-ups get better every year at well-known festivals like Madrid’s Nights at the Botanical Gardens, Nights at the Babel River, Luce Benicàssim, Sonorama and Starlite.
The line-ups get better every year at well-known festivals like Sónar (Barcelona), Mulafest (Madrid), FIB (Benicàssim), BBK Live (Bilbao), San Sebastián Jazz Festival, the Ortigueira Festival of the Celtic World, Arenal Sound (Burriana) and Sonorama (Aranda de Duero). Party animals can also enjoy clubbing season in Ibiza, when the most famous DJs in the world flock to the legendary island nights.
INDUSTRY FLASH NEWS
Venues
Oviedo: 2024 Spanish Gastronomy Capital
This year, the north of Spain becomes a gastronomic hub, specifically the region of Asturias and its capital, Oviedo. Visitors have one whole year to discover why this city is so popular amongst Spaniards with dishes that include fabada, cachopo, its 100 varieties of cheese, its fish and shellfish from the Cantabrian Sea, or its famous cider, to name just of few of its delicacies.
If you have not yet considered visiting Asturias, 2024 is the perfect year to do so, with a calendar packed with events and gastronomic fairs around its capital, in emblematic locations such as its Mercado del Fontán and with all the comforts provided by the recent arrival of the high-speed train to the region.
Valencia: European Green Capital 2024
Valencia’s commitment to sustainability has seen it awarded the title of European Green Capital 2024. This important recognition follows the efforts made by the city to improve the environment and the quality of lives of its residents and visitors as part of projects aligned with the European Green Deal, the EU’s biodiversity strategy for 2030 or the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Valencia has made a pioneering commitment to becoming a climate neutral and smart city by 2030 and has a sustainable urban development model in place. What are you waiting for to find out more?
Spain already has five hotels with the category of three Michelin keys
Spain already has five hotels with the category of three Michelin keys. In the premiere of this hospitality ranking, 97 Spanish establishments will wear this recognition. In addition to the five recognized with the highest position, with three keys, there are another 12 accommodations with two keys and the remaining 80 with one key.
The five new three Michelin keys are: Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine, located in Sardón de Duero, Valladolid; Atrio, in Cáceres; Torre del Marqués, in Teruel; Terra Dominicata, in Escaladei, Girona, and Mandarin Oriental Ritz, in Madrid.
Meanwhile, the 12 hotels that receive two keys are: Cap Rocat, La Residencia and Can Ferrereta, in Mallorca; Casa Beatnik, in La Coruña; Rosewood Villa Magna and Four Seasons, in Madrid; Marbella Club; Pepe Vieira Hotel, in Pontevedra; Mas de Torrent, in Girona; Mandarin Oriental, in Barcelona. In addition to these, there are another 80 from all over Spain that enter the list with a Michelin key.
The award ceremony was held at the Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando, in Madrid. From now on, the communication of the awards will be annual, like the Michelin Guide stars.
Michelin launches its keys with a selection of 6,000 hotels around the world, of which 600 are Spanish. To this end, establishments must meet five criteria established by the Guide: be a door or invitation to discover the destination; provide excellence in architecture and interior design; have consistency in the quality of its service, comfort and maintenance; Offer consistency between experience and price and show off authenticity and personality.
AC Cuzco rebrands to Westin after an investment of 17 million euros
The AC Hotel Cuzco hotel will change brand and become the new The Westin Cuzco Madrid, after the 17 million euro renovation carried out in recent months at the establishment located in the financial center of the capital of Spain, as announced at an informative meeting this Wednesday in Madrid Antonio Catalán, president of ACHM Hotels by Marriott (ACHM).
Following this rebranding, the new The Westin Cuzco joins the long list of more than 90 hotel establishments managed under the different brands of the Marriott International group by ACHM, which operates establishments in southern Europe, Spain, Italy and Portugal.
The Westin Cuzco Madrid, which will become the only hotel of this brand in the capital (there are two others Marbella and Valencia), is located in the financial nerve centre of Madrid.
The new hotel has a total of 287 rooms, including its 44 suites near the recently remodelled Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, one of the city’s largest tourist attractions.
Connections
United Airlines renews the New York-Tenerife route and extends it until March
For the third consecutive year, United Airlines will link New York with Tenerife through a direct flight, and this time, it will also do so during the winter season.
The connection between the International Liberty aerodromes in Newark (New Jersey) and Tenerife South, which will have three weekly frequencies in each direction, will begin operating on June 1 and will last until at least the end of March 2025, with a total of 23,400 seats.
United’s service will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from the United States (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays during the winter season) and Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from Tenerife (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the winter season).
The flight will last approximately seven hours and will be operated with a B757-200 aircraft, with a total of 176 seats: 16 flat-bed seats in United PolarisSM business class and 160 seats in economy class, including 42 Economy PlusSM seats with increased legroom and more personal space.
On the other hand, UA has launched two seasonal routes with Spain since the end of May: it has launched its new direct link between Barcelona-El Prat Airport and San Francisco Airport and has resumed its non-stop connection between Palma de Mallorca Airport and its main hub at Newark Liberty International Airport. located in New Jersey, which serves New York City, the only connection between the Balearic Islands and the United States that for this summer 2024 will offer a 12% increase in available seats.
ART: Madrid and more
Eduardo Chillida Centenary Year
Eduardo Chillida was Spain’s most universal and influential artists of the 20th century. 2024 marks 100 years since his birth and to commemorate the occasion, a wide variety of events have been organised. Exhibitions, concerts, audiovisual and educational projects will be part of a celebration to draw attention to the work of the Basque sculptor among audiences of all ages. The Universo Maeght group exhibition at the Chillida-Leku Museum in Hernani, Guipúzcoa, will be one of the first events on the calendar, together with the exhibition “Eduardo Chillida. Building in the space”, at the Casa de Cultura in Avilés (Asturias). Other important exhibitions include ”Chillida and Balenciaga. Fold the form“ at the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum in Getaria; ”Chillida-Ortega Muñoz“, at the Museum of Fine Arts of Bilbao, or an individual exhibition at the Hauser & Wirth gallery in Menorca, an island where the artist worked and spent many summers with his family.
All of this is in addition to the premiere of ”Chillida elogios“, a classical symphony composed in tribute to the sculptor, to be performed by the Euskadiko Orkestra as part of its concert season, sculptural-musical tours highlighting famous works by the artist in San Sebastián, including the ”Wind Comb“ or the ”Homage to Fleming“.
The Prado in the Feminine Form. Artistic Patrons of the Museum’s Collections (1602-1700)
The Prado Museum is hosting an exhibition that forms part of the second edition of The Prado in the Feminine Form from 6 May to 8 September. This exhibition continues the chronology to focus on new women whose lives revolve around Queen Isabella of Bourbon and Queen Maria Anna of Neuburg (1602 – 1700).
The exhibition presents 41 paintings, divided into four sections, which enable the patronage of Isabella of Bourbon, Maria Anna of Austria, Maria Luisa of Orleans and Maria Anna of Neuburg to be explored. It also shows the work carried out by the women of the House of Austria in the European Courts during the Baroque period, who played a key role as artistic and cultural mediators. The exhibition concludes with an exceptional figure such as Queen Cristina of Sweden, who contributed some of the Prado Museum’s most valuable works, such as Dürer’s Adam and Eve panels.
The exhibition will be accompanied by the release of four audiovisual pieces that are incorporated into the documentary series: The Prado’s Masterpieces and their Artistic Patrons. They will focus on the figures of Cristina of Sweden, Isabella of Bourbon, Maria Anna of Austria, Maria Luisa of Orleans and Maria Anna of Neuburg.
When: from 6th May until 8th September 2024
Where: Prado Museum, Madrid
Robert Nava
The Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum will present this retrospective exhibition on the American artist, Robert Nava, from 11 May to 22 September. The exhibition is part of the programme devoted to the Blanca and Borja Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection.
Curated by Guillermo Solana, this is the first solo exhibition on the artist in a museum. The exhibition includes a selection of 17 large-format works created between 2019 and 2024, among which Castle Back Flyer (2021) stands out, which forms part of the Thyssen-Bornemisza collection.
Robert Nava moves away from academic conventions and develops a markedly individual style associated with “bad painting”, a term used to define works that challenge good taste. Influenced by diverse sources, such as Prehistoric and Egyptian art, Pre-Columbian culture, cartoons and the work of the likes of Jean-Michel Basquiat and Cy Twombly, Nava aims to create a new mythology that reflects the present day.
His works are full of hybrid creatures and zoomorphic monsters that inhabit scenes marked by an element of violence. Using expressive artistic lines, along with a combination of aerosols, acrylics and oils, the artist resident in Brooklyn brings to life universes full of fantasy and imagination.
When: until 22nd September 2024
Where: Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, Madrid
SHOWS: music, theatre, dance, gastronomy, fashion…
Mad Cool Festival
One of the world’s most important music festivals is holding its seventh edition from 10 to 13 July 2024 at Iberdrola Music. Leading groups and artists from the musical scene, such as Dua Lipa, Avril Lavigne, Pearl Jam, Måneskin, The Killers, Sum 41, Tom Odell, Janelle Monáe, Arlo Parks and The Smashing Pumpkins have confirmed their participation in the 2024 edition.
Each edition of the Mad Cool Festival brings together leading figures from the national and international music scene in a large outdoor space that has turned Madrid into a city of reference for large-format live music. It is an event that not only brings together different musical genres, but also focuses on art, gastronomy, the environment and tourism as shared leisure ideas.
The 2024 edition has prepared four days of concerts, bringing together performances by many artists. The first day, scheduled for 10 July, features the British singer and songwriter Dua Lipa, The Smashing Pumpkins, Måneskin, The Killers, Janelle Monáe, Garbage, Rels B, Nothing But Thieves and Tom Odell heading the bill. Pearl Jam, one of the biggest and most influential bands of the Grunge movement, Motxila 21, Greta Van Fleet, Keane and Michael Kiwanuka will be performing on 11 July.
The rock band, Sum 41 and artists such as Jessie Ware, Black Pumas, Tom Morello, The Breeders, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Alvvays, among others, will be on stage on Friday 12 July. The final day, on Saturday 13 July will feature Bring Me the Horizon, Avril Lavigne, The Gaslight Anthem, Arlo Parks, Rema, Nia Archives, Tyla, and Ashnikko.
Throughout its history, Mad Cool Festival has featured performances by major artists, such as The Cure, Neil Young, Arctic Monkeys, Depeche Mode, Green Day, The Who, Lauryn Hill and Foo Fighters. Since opening its doors for the first time in 2016, it has become one of the most popular events in Europe and has won the NME Award for Best Line-up of the Year 2018 by the British magazine NME, one of the most prestigious in the music sector.
When: From 10 to 13 July, 2024
Where: Iberdrola Music, Madrid
Noches del Botánico
The Nights at the Botanical Festival will hold its eighth edition from 7 June to 27 July 2024 at the Alfonso XIII Royal Botanical Garden, located at Madrid Complutense University. It is a cycle of concerts for summer evenings and nights in which a selection of national and international artists, such as PJ Harvey, Status Quo, Queens of the Stone Age, Simple Minds, Take That or James Blunt will participate, presenting their latest albums and hits live in a unique environment.
In June and July, this natural space at Madrid Complutense University’s Botanical Garden will be the venue for the multi-faceted festival in which generations and styles (jazz, Latin, flamenco, rock and pop) will come together, making eclecticism its cover letter and becoming a not to be missed musical event for summer nights.
Not only on the musical side, but also in terms of the connection with nature in a unique setting in the city, as the concerts of your favourite artists can become an unforgettable experience to be enjoyed every day of the programme, from 7pm on summer evenings in Madrid Complutense University’s Botanical Garden.
The 2024 edition has already confirmed the first artists who will be participating in the festival, with names like the English singer, songwriter and poet, PJ Harvey; the British rock band, Status Quo; Simple Minds, one of the most influential rock bands of the 1980s; the popular British pop boy band, Take That which triumphed in the 1990s and is now presenting the album This Life, six years after Wonderland, its previous studio release; and the British singer-songwriter and musician, James Blunt.
Other highlights include the presence of the American funk band, Vulfpeck, which will be performing their only date in Spain as part of the festival, and the American stoner rock and alternative rock group, Queen of Stone Age with a single show in Madrid.
They are joined by other artists, such as the British musician, James Blake; the Spanish indie pop singer, Mikel Izal; the Irish singer-songwriter, Glen Hansard; the St. Paul & The Broken Bones band; the great lady of international Celtic music, Loreena McKennitt; the Mexican-American artist, Julieta Venegas; the British folk rock singer and songwriter, Michael David Rosenberg, better known as Passenger; the Argentinean-American musician, Kevin Johansen; and the American rock band, Toto which was created in 1976 by the keyboard player, David Paich and the drummer, Jeff Porcaro.
When: from 7th June until 27th July, 2024
Where: Botanical Gardens, Complutense University, Madrid
TRADE SHOWS & CONGRESSES
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid (September edition)
Twice a year, the city of Madrid becomes a major catwalk on which the most sought-after creations by established and promising cutting edge fashion designers and visionaries from all over the world are paraded. From 12 to 15 September 2024, the new trends for the spring-summer season 2025 (Spring Summer 25) will be on display, featuring international designers.
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid takes the pulse of the latest fashion tendencies. It is a meeting point for creators, press and fans of this art, in which the major tendencies that will set the style of the forthcoming season will be reviewed.
MBFW will give way to its 80th edition in which leading creators and brands will participate in a show that once more highlights the great creative moment of Spanish fashion. Sustainability will continue to be the key driver for Mercedes-Benz at this year’s edition and it is back with its iconic stand in the Cibelespace.
A total of 16 firms will support this event in which Mercedes-Benz, L’Oréal Paris and INDITEX are once more the main sponsors. Furthermore, various young creators will present their proposals at the Cibelespace’s Allianz EGO Showroom.
When: from 12 to 15 September 2024
Where: Feria de Madrid
SPORTS OF THE SEASON !!!
Motor Racing: Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix
This year, the Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix will be held once again at the Catalonia Circuit, Montmeló, in the province of Barcelona, as part of the World Motor Racing Championship.
On the days running up to the race there will be free training sessions and qualifying laps to decide the line-up on the grid. The Catalonia Circuit has 65,700 seats, set over 14 grandstands, and more than 35,000 tickets for the grass. The unique layout of the circuit makes this race a special challenge for drivers.
When: from 21st to 23rd June, 2024
Where: Circuit de Catalunya – Catalonia motor racing track, Barcelona
Canoe festival. International descent of the Sella River
This sporting event has been held since 1930. It is full of music and colour, and has become one of the most important dates on the international canoeing calendar.
Every year, on the first Saturday in August, canoeists from all over the world come to Asturias to take part in the Sella River race. In order to participate you must have a valid competition license. More than one thousand canoes battle it out to be first home over the 20-kilometre course on the Sella River, which runs from the village of Arriondas to the finish line in Ribadesella. On the shore, thousands of spectators enjoy themselves, shouting and encouraging the participants.
When: 3rd August, 2024
Where: Arriondas, Parres, Asturias (Principality of Asturias)
Sailing: America’s Cup 2024. Barcelona
Barcelona hosts the 37th edition of the most important international sailing competition in the world between the months of August and October 2024.
Six teams from New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Italy, the United States and France will battle it out to win the America’s Cup, a sporting event with 174 years of history.
The regattas can be followed from the beaches located between Port Vell and the Olympic Port of Barcelona free of charge. New this year’s edition will be the Youth America’s Cup and the Women’s Women’s America’s Cup, both with smaller boats.
When: 22 August to 20 October 2024
Where: Port of Barcelona
Cycling: Tour of Spain, La Vuelta
This year sees another edition of the Cycling Tour of Spain, one of the most important stage cycling races on the international calendar.
Participants in the event cover more than 3,200 kilometres divided into 21 stages – flat, against the clock, and mid- and high-mountain. The Tour of Spain passes through a host of towns around the country to finish in Madrid, on a city circuit between Paseo de la Castellana Avenue and Plaza de Cibeles Square. As is traditional, the last stage tends to become a kind of victory lap for the overall winner, with an exciting sprint to the finish.
When: from 17th August to 8th September, 2024
D&P is at your disposal to offer you an attractive program together with your attendance at the events and activities mentioned for your guests and team, just inform us of your objectives and needs, we will design a proposal that matches your expectations and budgets.