New Year in Madrid

By James Stone

The Spanish capital Madrid is a great location to spend New Year's Eve, with scores of events taking place across the city and a lively, party spirit on display. Book a flight now with UK Net Guide's Flight Search to Madrid or any other destination!

In Madrid, New Year is rung in with the chimes of the city's main clock at midnight and we gathered with the crowds in Puerta del Sol Square, taking with us a couple of bottles of fizzy Spanish cava, some snacks and a bag of grapes.

We decided to throw ourselves into celebrating the New Year in Spanish style and partook in the traditional custom of eating 12 grapes on each of the chimes of the clock at midnight. This was harder than it looked by I was determined to finish as each grape is supposed to represent good luck for each month of the year.

After wishing Feliz Ano Nuevo, or Happy New Year, to hoards of total strangers, revelling in the chaotic partying, bursts of firecrackers and drinking our fill of cava, we left the still-smiling crowds and headed back to our hotel in the early hours of the morning.

We managed to find somewhere to stay that was just far enough away from the main square to be relatively quiet, but close enough to be a short amble away. The accommodation was bright, clean and inviting and the staff were polite, spoke very good English and were very patient with our efforts to master Spanish.

The days either side of New Year's Eve during our break in Madrid we spent wandering around the stunning Spanish city, admiring the cultural sights and snacking on tapas in pleasant bars and cafes.

Walking around admiring the palaces and ornate 19th century buildings in the mild winter weather was a pleasure after the cold and rain of England, lifting our spirits for the New Year and we found the bars to be particularly friendly, open late and very relaxed.

We shopped for outfits to wear for the new year in the city's stylish boutiques, particularly those around Puerta del Sol, and picked up trinkets, jewellery, shoes and traditional ceramics.

While in Madrid, do not miss the fabulous Museo del Prado, with its dazzling collection of art, the parks, mansions, the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia and the Plaza Mayor.

Madrid's restaurants are particularly good, with family-owned venues serving delicious Spanish cuisine in traditional surroundings and stylish places offering delicious fresh seafood to fashionable clientele.

A short break taking in the New Year in stylish Madrid was an excellent way to start 2007 and we managed to avoid the storms that blighted parties across the UK. The festive season was in full swing and Madrid itself is a busy, exotic, exiting city, with a great deal to offer travellers.