The month of August is the month many Spaniards plan their holidays. They choose this month for a moment of rest and pure relaxation, and a lot of companies do exactly the same. So this is a month not everything functions for the full 100%. In addition to this, August 15 is a holiday due to the commemoration of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary into Heaven, being one of the most celebrated festivities in Spanish towns and municipalities, together with Christmas and New Year’s Day. Today, this article by ShMadrid will give you some ideas for this bridge holiday in August or a any long weekend in the Community of Madrid.
Related article: Summer Activities in Madrid
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Enjoy your long weekend in August in Madrid
We would like to recommend a few options in the capital of Spain, that you might want to consider if you will be staying in Madrid this August, or if you are already living in the capital and want to explore the city further.
Visit the Monastery of Santamaría del Paular
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At the moment the monks of Paular are mainly dedicated to saving and maintaining the monastery. They take care of the monastery and show it to people who come to visit. Besides visiting the monastery, you can also buy products or souvenirs, that are made by the monks and nuns themselves, from not only this, but also other monasteries.
As Benedictine tradition dictates, they also open their monastery to guests who would like to spend one or more nights in their guest rooms. You can also attend a pastoral liturgy, or celebrate a wedding in the church of the monastery.
Apart from doing their work at the monastery, the monks devote much of their time to the important task of the Divine Office and its preparations, which usually consists of music, singing and Lectio Divina (Divine Reading). They live their life following the well-known Benedictine motto: “Ora et labora”.
The landscape around El Paular is very privileged from a natural point of view, thanks to its magnificent location. The monastery is surrounded by mountains of over 2000 metres high, and a variety of greenery covers the bottom of the valley, which includes deciduous trees, such as oaks, ashes and poplars.
Related article: Post-Vacation Plans in Madrid
Playa de Parla
The artificial beach called Playa de Parla consists of several saltwater pools, surrounded by sand and grass lands, inviting you to relax and enjoy your summer days without actually having to travel to the beach. Playa de Parla is located in the city of Parla, which is only 16.4 km south of Madrid.
The park was designed by architect Manuel Canalda, and it is part of a sports and leisure complex. It is accessible to everyone, as it has an access for handicapped people.
Playa de Parla has a swimming pool for adults, that gradually reaches a depth of 1.60 metres. There is another pool for children and a third pool with a slide of 25 metres long. All together, the terrain is almost 4,000 square metres big.
Evening visits to Almudena cemetery
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From July 18 to September 21 you can take part in theatrical evening visits at the Cementerio de la Almudena. Not only will you visit an already impressive location, but you will also witness a balanced mix of tourist guide experiences with other performances, featuring music and other interpretations.
On Monday July 15 700 free tickets will be divided for this moonlight excursion, so if visiting the cemetery at this special time during the day sounds appealing to you, you had better make sure you get one of these tickets!
Do you have other ideas for spending a nice long weekend in Madrid?
