February is usually a perfect month to enjoy Madrid with fewer crowds, combining cultural activities, gastronomic tours, artistic events and activities for all tastes.
Take a look and don’t miss out. Let’s go!
🎭 Festivals and shows for everyone
Throughout the month, venues such as Matadero Madrid, Centro Cultural Conde Duque and Teatros del Canal host dance performances, theatre shows and concerts that blend tradition with avant-garde ideas. On the other hand, if music is your thing, keep an eye on the weekly programme of activities at venues such as El Sol, La Riviera or the city’s jazz clubs.
- Madrid Carnival (13-17 February): Madrid celebrates Carnival with parades, music, dance troupes and themed activities in neighbourhoods such as Malasaña, Lavapiés and Chamberí. Create and wear your best costume and join the party.
- International Magic Festival (12 February – 15 March): The Teatro Circo Price will host the International Magic Festival, bringing together artists from all over the world to impress and thrill audiences.
- World Indoor Tour Gold Madrid (6 February): Sporting events also feature in February. Madrid will host one of the world’s must-see short-track athletics events at the Gallur Municipal Sports Centre (Latina district).
💘 Plans for Valentine’s Day
February the 14th is one of the most special dates for couples. But don’t worry, not everything has to be done with someone else. Whether you want to celebrate love, heartbreak or self-love, the city is full of worthwhile plans.
Classic romantic plans:
- Boat trip on the Retiro Pond.
- Themed dinner in restaurants with a special atmosphere.
- Spa or wellness sessions for couples in hotels.
🐉 Chinese New Year: Year of the Horse
February 17th marks the start of the Chinese New Year, which this year corresponds to the Year of the Horse. Usera, the Madrid neighbourhood known as Madrid’s Chinatown, will be the venue for the Chinese celebrations, as always. Don’t miss the fireworks display in Pradolongo Park or the spectacular Chinese New Year Parade, which fills Usera with costumes brought from China, giant dragons and lions, lanterns made by children and live music.
❄️ Skiing and snow activities
The ski season is already underway and most of the slopes have opened their doors to welcome snow lovers. Madrid has the advantage of having several places just over an hour’s drive away, making any day off the perfect getaway. El Puerto de Navacerrada, in the heart of the Sierra de Guadarrama, is one of the most popular options, while Valdesquí, located in Rascafría, stands out for its natural surroundings and excellent conditions for winter sports.
🎬 Cinema and Music
February is the perfect month to enjoy cinema with special offerings. Highlights include family film festivals and retrospectives of great classics screened at cinemas such as Cine Doré and Cineteca Madrid. Here are some of the films coming to theatres this month:
- Marty Supreme (premiered January 30th): One of the most talked-about films of the season arrives in Madrid. It has been critically acclaimed and nominated for multiple awards, and you can now see it in cinemas.
- La fiera (February 6th): New spanish release directed by Salvador Calvo, starring Carlos Cuevas, Miguel Bernardeau and Miguel Ángel Silvestre, focusing on base jumping and friendship.
- Wuthering Heights (February 13th): New film adaptation of Emily Brontë’s romantic classic.
🖼️ Exhibitions you can’t miss
- Avatar: The Experience (all month long): The Espacio Delicias will host the exhibition of James Cameron’s film. Immersive settings, original pieces and technology that expands the imagination of Pandora beyond the screen.
- Madrid Design Festival (5 February – 8 March): Over 200 activities throughout the city focusing on design, showrooms and exhibitions — ideal if you’re into urban creativity and new visual ideas.
- Exhibition ‘Hammershøi: The Listening Eye’ (from 17 February): A major retrospective of the Danish painter at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, perfect for lovers of painting and Nordic light.
- Banksy Museum (all month long): Exhibition featuring reproductions of iconic works by the urban artist, an urban and visual plan in the heart of Arganzuela.
🍲 Taste Madrid in February
- Cocido madrileño: Cold weather calls for warm, traditional stews. Cocido is a dish that has absolutely everything you need to warm your body and soul.
- Chocolate with churros at San Ginés: Never dissapoints. The classic Madrid plan for cold winter afternoons.
- Food markets and fairs: The capital has a huge range and variety of markets to discover. The Mercado de San Miguel and Mercado de Vallehermoso markets are prime examples: here you can enjoy tastings, workshops and cooking shows that transform February into a culinary experience.
🌿 Getaways and places to relax
- Navacerrada and La Pedriza: Less than an hour from Madrid, hiking trails with snowy views are the perfect plan for an active winter day.
- El Retiro Park, Sabatini Gardens and Casa de Campo: If you like green, open spaces but don’t want to leave Madrid, the Retiro and Casa de Campo parks are your best bet for a stroll through the capital’s urban “forests”.
- Bosque de la Herrería and Felipe II‘s Chair: If you are a fan of hiking, snowy landscapes and nature, this plan is for you. Near El Escorial, you will find this natural space, ideal for an easy walk through the western mountains of Madrid.
February is the perfect month to continue discovering Madrid without any stress: great plans, lively neighbourhoods and a thousand excuses to leave the house. Whatever you choose to do, the city always has something in store for you.
