With the Christmas holidays drawing to a close, Madrid returns to its routine and reinvents itself with a cultural and leisure agenda that invites residents and visitors to enjoy the city throughout January. The festive carols and lights may be gone, but the capital is brimming with proposals that embrace art, creativity, and nostalgia, demonstrating that winter in Madrid is synonymous with unique experiences. Museums, galleries, cinemas, and thematic fairs transform the start of the year into an opportunity to explore new trends, revisit classics, and rediscover corners that spark curiosity.
Pop Art and Collective Memory in Carabanchel
In the Carabanchel neighborhood, artist Coco Dávez celebrates a decade of her ‘Faceless’ project with an exhibition featuring 36 original works. These pieces portray iconic figures such as David Bowie, Amy Winehouse, and Yayoi Kusama without facial features, yet with striking visual power. The artist’s studio transforms into a pop-up gallery until March 15, allowing the public to delve into the psychology of color and collective memory through recognizable silhouettes. This is an essential plan for those seeking innovative proposals and a fresh approach to contemporary art.
Victoria Eugenia de Battenberg: The Queen Who Modernized Spain
The life of Victoria Eugenia de Battenberg, Spain’s last great queen, is revisited at the Royal Collections Gallery through an exhibition open until April 5, 2026, following its inauguration this weekend. Over 350 items, including legendary dresses, jewels, personal letters, documents, and portraits, reconstruct various stages of her life, from her British roots to her role as Alfonso XIII’s consort and her exile.
The exhibition is organized into eight thematic spaces, highlighting episodes such as her arrival in Spain, the assassination attempt during her wedding, her promotion of social work, and her relationship with fashion. Among the most emblematic objects on display are the wedding carriage and the Fleur de Lis tiara, pieces usually kept from public view. The tour offers a glimpse into both official history and the queen’s private life, with tickets starting from 14 euros.
FLOW: An Immersive Journey on the Banks of the Moldava
The Friedenskirche, located on Paseo de la Castellana, opens its doors from January 10 to February 22 to host FLOW, an immersive video mapping experience that has captivated audiences in cities like Lyon and Liverpool. The audience is immersed in the course of the Moldava River through a fusion of Bedřich Smetana’s symphonic music with electronic sounds. This spectacle of lights, images, and sound transforms the perception of space. This proposal invites a sensory and enveloping experience of art and music, ideal for those seeking new emotions in the heart of winter.
The 21st Century Quijote at the Cervantes Institute
The Cervantes Institute reinterprets ‘El Quijote’ with the free exhibition ‘Aeolia,’ available until March 8. Artist Solimán López offers a revision of the classic from ecological, feminist, and dystopian perspectives, utilizing audiovisual installations, animations, and artificial intelligence. The central piece, an interactive sculpture, allows attendees to create collaborative narratives by modifying the original text and adapting it to contemporary issues such as sustainability, equality, and pacifism. This is an opportunity to engage with literary tradition and the digital future.
Free Saturday at the Thyssen Museum
One of the week’s surprises is the free night at the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza on Saturday, as part of the ‘Thyssen Nights’ series. From 9 PM to 11 PM, the public can enjoy free access to the temporary exhibitions on the ground floor and basement, a tour featuring over 100 works outside conventional hours. Among the main attractions is the exhibition ‘Warhol, Pollock and other American spaces,’ which analyzes different approaches to the concept of space and how artists like Warhol and Pollock represented their vision of the world, moving between the margins of the abstract and the figurative.
Spanish Cinema and Nostalgia at Sala Berlanga
Cinema and Christmas come together at Sala Berlanga, which bids farewell to the holidays with its ‘Christmas Cinema’ series until January 10. For just 3.50 euros, viewers can enjoy five of the most talked-about Spanish films of the year, such as ‘Los domingos,’ ‘Romería,’ or ‘Maspalomas.’ Each title offers a distinct perspective on family relationships, memory, or moral dilemmas, solidifying the venue as a reference point for those who appreciate auteur cinema and national productions.
MercaJuguete: The Nostalgia Fair in the Sierra
Lovers of antique toys and collecting have an appointment on January 10 at MercaJuguete, a fair held at the Planetocio Shopping Center in Collado Villalba. Free access and parking facilitate visits to an exhibition featuring over 15 exhibitors and thousands of pieces, from electric trains and classic dolls like Nancy or Geyperman to current icons such as Star Wars, Funko, Playmobil, and Hot Wheels. The event, from 10 AM to 10 PM, is an invitation to relive childhood and discover rare items, ideal for all audiences and budgets.
Source: infobae.com
