12 Things to Do in Madrid in October

The heat is definitely behind us and the capital offers its terraces and viewpoints for locals and visitors. A month to enjoy outdoor events, visit museums, go on gastronomic tours and make the most of Madrid's nightlife.

Take note of these October must-sees and organise your itinerary with the best things to see and do in Madrid.

If you happen to visit Madrid on this date, you can find an agenda of commemorative events such as concerts, street theatre, exhibitions and film screenings, which aim to highlight the value of the Hispanic-American community.

One of the activities is the Concierto de la Hispanidad, which includes an agenda with entertainment shows, children's theatre, dance and concerts by Hispanic-American artists. During October it is possible to find different concerts and open-air shows in Madrid's squares and parks, as the programme is available throughout the month. In addition, many museums, galleries and study centres in the city offer conferences, workshops and exhibitions to learn more about this encounter between two worlds.

Also on 12 October, the Paseo de la Castellana hosts the military parade of Spain's National Day to commemorate this cultural and linguistic expansion of the country outside Europe.

The beautiful Retiro Park, full of paths, fountains, vegetation and with its wonderful lake with boats, takes on a special tone at this time of the year, like any natural landscape in autumn. Its greenish colours give way to the chestnut tones that herald the arrival of winter.

This park is home to more than 15,000 trees and its 125,000 hectares are a haven of peace in the bustling city of Madrid. It is also recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

If you want to learn about its history and not miss its most special spots, I recommend you take a tour of the Retiro Park with an expert guide. This way you can fall in love not only with its beauty, but also with its past. And if you prefer to visit it on your own, don't forget that in autumn the park is open from 6am to 10pm.

Autumn in Madrid is starting to get cooler, so as well as being the perfect time to start taking shelter in some of its historic cafés, it is also the perfect time to visit some of its important museums. Here are what I consider to be the most important museums in the city and the ones you can't miss:

• Prado Museum: it is the most famous art gallery in Spain and one of the most visited in the world. It houses a large collection of works by artists such as Goya, Velázquez, Rubens, Bosch, El Greco and Titian, among others.
• Thyssen Museum: it houses works by both ancient and modern artists and, together with the Prado and the one mentioned below, forms part of Madrid's Art Triangle.
• Reina Sofía Museum: it conserves contemporary and 20th century Spanish works. It has a permanent art collection that houses works by Dalí, Miró and Picasso, among others. It is also known for its surrealist art.
• Museo de Bellas Artes de San Fernando: lastly, located on Calle Alcalá, although this museum is not as well known as the previous three, it is worth walking through its corridors to see other works of Spanish art by well-known artists such as Murillo, Sorolla and Romero de Torres, among others.

In October, the doors of more than one hundred places of cultural and heritage interest in Madrid open their doors as part of the Madrid Otra Mirada event, which promotes the protection and conservation of the city' s iconic places.

Not only will you have the opportunity to get to know buildings that are usually closed to the public, but you will also have access to more than 200 free activities.

Exhibitions, conferences, workshops, concerts, children's activities, among other proposals, can be enjoyed in museums, theatres, churches, parks, gardens, libraries, cultural centres, palaces and historic buildings throughout Madrid.

Useful information

• This activity requires you to book your tickets in advance. Madrid City Council normally provides a web platform for registering visitors, as tickets are free but seating is limited.
• You may also find it useful to buy a ticket for a tourist bus, which will speed up transfers from one point to another so that you can make the most of this great architectural and heritage festival that the city has to offer.

Autumn is here and soups often become an excellent option to warm up a little. Cocido madrileño, caldo de mariscos, sopa castellana, a la San Antón or a consomé gallego, are a fantastic option to comfort the soul after a good walk and to face the cold night that envelops Madrid's autumn nights.

I want to tell you that the city holds a place in the Guinness Book of Records as the home of the oldest restaurant in the world. Founded in 1725, Casa Botín is one of the most prized exponents of traditional Spanish cuisine and the perfect place to sample not only soups, but also a variety of mouth-watering roasts, desserts and seafood.

And if you like to try new foods during your travels, the plan to take a gastronomic tour of Madrid to discover the best tapas, wines and food in Spain would not go amiss.

If you are visiting Madrid for 4 days or more, it can be a great idea to take a guided tour to nearby places like Toledo, located just an hour away from Madrid.

In Toledo you can visit its cathedral, one of its main attractions, walk through its stone streets and explore more of this city, where Christian, Jewish and Muslim cultures converge. All year round you can find excursions available to Toledo, which include transport and guided tours.

You can also visit the beautiful Segovia, which is worth visiting to enjoy its diversity of cultural, historical, gastronomic and architectural options.

From the Palacio Real palace to the Puerta de Alcalá, passing through the streets of Arenal and Mayor, as well as Puerta del Sol and Cibeles, October is the month to enjoy the Madrid International Light Festival throughout the city.

This event also takes place in other European cities such as Lyon, Brussels, Lisbon and Turin. Madrid's night in October is filled with light to celebrate art and creativity with illuminated installations, light performances and laser projections on Madrid's symbols.

An additional alternative to everything else you can enjoy at night in Madrid.

Although it is not a traditional holiday celebrated in Spain, if you are in Madrid towards the end of October, you can join in the wide repertoire of Halloween celebrations you will find in the city.

All Saints' Day is also celebrated in many Catholic and Spanish-speaking countries, an ancient tradition that honours the memory of those who have passed on, and what better way to get in the spirit than with a walk through the Almudena Cemetery, where the remains of prominent figures from Spanish history lie, a walk that may well end with a concert or open-air show.

You can also get a taste of Mexico with the intriguing and mysterious festival of Todos Los Muertos, which is also commemorated with an event held at the Casa de México every year, where you can sample skull and bone-shaped pastries, pan de muerto and watch parades of calacas. Highly recommended.

The autumn scenery is perfect for a visit to a place like the Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid, a box of surprises that houses the scientific legacy of more than 200 years of natural history.

Here you will find a complete collection of plants and herbs from all over the world, which are carefully preserved in beautiful and extensive gardens. Audio guides in several languages are available on request at the entrance, as well as temporary exhibitions and much more.

If you are visiting Madrid in October I recommend you plan your visit, especially if you are travelling with children and are looking for plans for them.

Useful information

• Price: 4€ to visit the garden, 6€ including the exhibitions in the Villanueva Pavilion. Free admission every Tuesday from 2pm.
• Opening hours: in October from 10:00 to 19:00.
• Address: Real Jardín Botánico, Plaza de Murillo, 2. 28014 Madrid

Since 1991, the Madrid Film Festival has graced the beginning of autumn. For two weeks the city showcases the best of Spanish independent cinema and the world film industry.

Great Spanish directors have had their debut in this space that every year serves as a springboard for new filmmakers, playing a crucial role in the promotion of emerging independent European and Latin American productions.

With programmes in cinemas all over the city, workshops and meetings with the participation of renowned directors and actors from the world independent circuit, this event will allow you to get closer to the bohemian and avant-garde life that characterises Madrid and enjoy a day of film in the Spanish capital.

If you happen to be in Madrid in October, what better experience than to visit the Madrid Games Week fair, the annual meeting that brings together the video games industry, professionals and fans, to share the latest news, launches and technological advances in the sector.

One of the most famous pavilions at this fair is the one dedicated to virtual reality, where you can experience the most innovative trends in simulators, arcade areas, sports games, cosplay and digital interaction.

There are also live competitions and a huge fair with specialised shops, where you can find curious souvenirs, books, virtual reality games and much more, all inspired by Manga Comics, E-Sports or the traditional characters of this pixel world.

Marathons have become a way to raise awareness about many problems that afflict society. This race, better known as the Perrotón, promotes the adoption and responsible ownership of pets. A solidarity activity that has the support of public figures in the city, organisations dedicated to animal rescue, the veterinary industry and civil society.

The race is approximately four kilometres long and has a participation cost of 15€ for runners - human and furry. Along the route, which starts in Plaza de Colón and ends in the Jardines del Descubrimiento, there are also improvised adoption centres, where participants can, why not, find the four-legged love of their lives.

Check out the event's official website to find out all about how to sign up and the requirements for participation.

Carolina's Traveller Tip

If you are a woman, you like running and marathons are your thing, you can sign up for the Women's Half Marathon, which also takes place in October and is approximately six kilometres long.