BEST Autumn Course 2009: Race with the wind!
BEST Autumn Course 2009: Race with the wind!
You have to be aware that you won't have a lot of free time, especially in Madrid, almost all day is full of activities that will help you to get to now each other and also to discover Madrid.
Some activities are widespread in many LBGs, others are only made by ourselves, and others are totally new. We hope you enjoy all of them.
The first step will be some games. After that, we can continue with the city rally, the most typical (and the fastest) way to have a first impression of Madrid. You will also have some free time to walk around the city, but it might not be enough. Anyway we will show you more special places in Madrid: Retiro, museums...
But don't worry, you will see more of Madrid by night. We'll make a pub crawl, and go out some nights to enjoy the nice autumn nights in different pubs, and discos. And of course, don't forget about the "International party", actually dinner and party, because you will have to cook (or at least prepare) a typical dish from your country, and serve your national drink. So don't forget to bring the ingredients and a bottle of your typical drink.
What do you think? Wait, we still have more. Maybe you will have to show your singing abilities, your engineering abilities, your survival abilities or even your flirting abilities (optional) and much more in other activities we are not telling you know... because we just want to surprise you!
It is evident that this will be a nonstop event. You have to be prepared, bring all your BEST spirit. We will make our BEST to make you enjoy these days and make them unforgettable.
| LINKS OF THIS PAGE: |
OTHER LINKS: |
Madrid, Europe's highest capital (646m), stands in the foothills of the Sierra de Guadarrama in the middle of the Meseta, right in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula.
You will have the time to discover our city in different activities such as the City Rally, but you will also have free time to enjoy Madrid. We will visit the Royal Palace and there will be also time to enjoy some time at the Retiro Park.
ROYAL PALACE
One of the best views of the palace, which overlooks the Manzanares river, is from the Campo del Moro gardens.
This palace, built by the Bourbons, was the royal family residence until 1931. Today, it is run by the National trust and used by the king for state receptions.
On Christmas Day in 1734, while the royal family was staying at the Retiro Palace a fire burnt the old Habsburg Alcazar to the ground. Philipe V replaced it with the building shown in the picture. It was finished in the reign of Charles III (1756-1789).
The north façade overlooks the Sabatini Gardens and the Campo del Moro lies on the west side. The Plaza de la Armería stands between the west and east wings of the palace. The east façade overlooks the Plaza de Oriente on which the Royal Theatre and the statues of Visigothic kings presided by Philip IV equestrian statue stand. Keep in mind the number of statues, you migth have to count them in the City Rally.
This was built during the reign of Philip III (1619) and forms the
arquitectural centre of Habsburg Madrid. The vast square was setting
for autos-de-fe, bull-fights, and the procamations of kings Philip V,
Ferdinand VI and Charles IV. The shops around the square, haters and
restaurants mainly, have retained their look of yesteryear.
Cocido Madrileño is a typical food which
you can
have in these restaurants, sometimes we ask for its ingredients in the
City Rally.
Located between the Gran Vía and the Calle de la Princesa, the Plaza de España is a testament to Spain's grandeur, both past and present. The Cervantes monument, erected in 1928, features a stone likeness of the author and bronze statues of Don Quijote and Sancho Panza. The site of the Plaza de España was once Leganitos Meadow, actually mentioned in Cervantes' Don Quijote.
One of the things you can do during your free time is to visit the famous Prado Museum, the Reina Sofía Modern Art Museum, or any other of the cultural offerings that you can find in Madrid.
PRADO MUSEUM
The Prado is the greatest gallery of classical paintings in the world. The neo-classical building was designed under Charles III reign to house the Natural Science Museum. The Prado contains the collections of Habsburg and Bourbon kings as well as Flemish and Italian paintings. Given the large amount of artworks in stock some paintings are only shown in temporary exhibitions.
San Carlos Hospital building founded by Charles III houses the Reina Sofia Art Museum. This granite building has been modified and now has modern glass lifts at the façade. On the second floor the modern art collection is presented around the works of Picasso, Miró, Dalí and Juan Gris. Here you will find the Guernica, one of Picasso's masterpieces, painted after the bombing of Guernica in 1937.
The nearly 800 paintings in this facility are exhibited according to history and chronology. A suggested order for touring the many rooms is posted, taking visitors through several centuries of images from the medieval era to the 20th century. The Dutch paintings are a key part of the permanent collection, along with a large group of Italianate works and those of realists such as Max Beckmann.
Around Madrid you can find cities as beautiful as Toledo, Segovia or El Escorial.
TOLEDO
It is rich in history, buildings and art; every corner has a tale to be told, every aspect reflects a brilliant period of Spanish history when the cultures of east and west flourished and fused. One becomes constantly aware of this imprint of Christian, Jewish and Moorish cultures which, as in Granada, productively co-existed during the Middle Ages.
Segovia was an important military town in Roman times; under the Moors in the Middle Ages it became a woollen industrial centre, by the 15C it numbered 60.000 citizens and had entered its golden age. Nowadays it is known for its Roman aqueduct, which crosses the city, and its cathedral which was built in the 16C, among others.
El Escorial, just 50 km. from Madrid, was the center of power of the Spanish empire under King Philip II. It is famous for its monastery and basilica, which contains the Pantheon of the Kings, where many members of the Spanish royal family are buried. The architecture, decorations, art and setting are spectacular and beautiful.
Night life in Madrid during the first stages of autumn means a lot of people in the streets enjoying the still warm nights.
We will show you around Madrid all of the districts where the night life happens, but private parties, like the famous International Party, will also take place in the university! Don't forget to bring with you the specialities of your country.