(UPDATED OCTOBER 2019)
How to celebrate Halloween in Madrid or maybe I should say Día de los Muertos? You see, up until a few years ago Halloween was just a foreign festivity for us. Traditionally, the 1st of November is the Day of the Dead (Día de los Difuntos) and that’s what we celebrate in Spain but nowadays Halloween is everywhere… As an ESL teacher I have to teach my students about it, but I’m not fond of it. I don’t like zombies, graveyards or anything of the sort. However, there are some interesting activities going on in Madrid that I want to tell you about.
Today’s post is about Halloween related events all around Madrid but first of all I want to tell you about the two different traditions.
Halloween vs First of November
As I said, what we celebrate here is Día de todos los Santos or Día de los Difuntos which takes place the day after Halloween. On this day, we honor those who have passed on. People visit cemeteries and leave flowers on the graves of loved ones. Later in the day families gather and have traditional sweets like huesos de santo (bone-shaped marzipan) and panellets (made from almond and pine nuts).
Those who celebrate Halloween here have kept the scariest side of it. I’ve seen Halloween in Ireland and California while I was living there and I remember seeing people dressing up in both scary and non-scary costumes whereas in Spain you will see most people dressed up as something dead or horrific. That’s probably because we have another festivity to dress up Carnaval (carnival). Trick or treating is not very popular but more and more kids are doing it every year.
How to celebrate Halloween in Madrid
Personally, I’m going to make these delicious chocolate peanut butter bars and watch a movie -but not a horror one- with my husband at home. Now, I know that some of you feel like me about Halloween but others love it so here you will find something for everyone.
- Casa de Mexico in Madrid was inaugurated in October 2018 and they promoted it with these beautiful sculptures of Catrinas, an icon of the Mexican Día de Muertos, in Plaza Mayor. Let’s see what they have in store for us this year! You can also visit Casa de Mexico -they also did a wonderful job decorating the building- to see the altar and check out their activities for Halloween this year. Casa de Mexico is in Calle Alberto Aguilera, 20.
- My favorite healthy restaurant, Elektra offers a Halloween themed girls night out plan: manicure, cocktail and cake for 15€ from 7pm to 10pm on the 31st. Reservations: +34 912 54 59 11.
- Dinner + Escape Room with Enigmatium Room. The game starts during the meal where you have to find answers to some questions which will be the clues to leave the room. You have to be quick, you only get 60 minutes.
- See Madrid in a different way with a ghost tour: La Noche de los Espíritus. Find out about murders, haunted places and paranormal activity in different palaces, manors and streets of the city.
- If you don’t mind leaving the city, Warner Bros Park offers lots of Halloween activities until November 3 including scar zones and terrifying passages. Parque de Atracciones and the Madrid Zoo will also be hosting multiple Halloween themed events.
- Día de los Muertos (day of the death) in Palacio de Linares. A housekeeper, a butler and a marquis will guide you in this nocturnal visit to a magnificent 19th century palace. An hour of mystery, secrets and legends told by characters coming from the afterlife. The palace is actually believed to be haunted and the dramatized visit takes place the first Saturday of every month all year round -apart from the Halloween special performance- and it’s totally worth it. I went with some friends a few months ago and we had so much fun!
- Time Out suggests visiting these abandoned historical buildings which sounds like a great plan.
- Go on a photography tour. Well, this one is my own suggestion. I took these photos walking around Madrid searching for Halloween decor. Taking my camera and exploring the city is one of my favorite things to do. Madrid has so much to offer for photography lovers!
It sounds amazing. It's been a long time since I've visited Madrid, but very tempted to see it at this time of year now! 🙂 #mondayescapes
So cute!!! #MondayEscapes
That is so cool. Thanks for sharing it with us,.
What fun, lots of Halloween goodness in Madrid and those PB bars sound delicious!
What quirky decorations! Really like Madrid's Halloween style! #citytripping
I love the idea of Dia de los Muertos or All Soul's Day as we call it in the UK far more than Halloween – it's a good way to remember our dead loved ones. It's interesting how the American Halloween celebrations are spreading all over the globe now. Thanks for sharing these activities on #FarawayFiles
Wow that looks cool. Just like dia de las muertas in Mexico. Halloween is kind of none existent in Sweden. They honor the dead also Nov. 1 but nothing like that! So much color.
I like the sound of Day of the Dead so much better than Halloween. Your photos are amazing, so much colour. I have a five-year-old who is obsessed with Halloween but is cross because I won't let her trick or treat (it's not that big where we live). #farawayfiles
It looks cool. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. Unfortunately, I live in a country where it's not very popular. So, late night scary movie marathon is my usual activity – yet I look forward to it yearly, lol.
#MondayEscapes
Thanks for sharing what Halloween is like in Madrid! I think it's similar to Hong Kong in that we also have a separate day (not Halloween) to honour our ancestors and visit their graves, but people do dress up and go partying on actual Halloween!
How fun! I've been in Madrid a very long time ago, so I recognized Plaza Mayor from your pictures. I'd love to return around Halloween sometime and see the celebrations. #TheWeeklyPostcard
I have visited Madrid but it was long ago and not during Halloween. How the Spaniards are interpreting this "imported" holiday these days is interesting. I can imagine how it's catching on with children because dressing up in costumes and eating treats is fun no matter where you are in the world. #TheWeeklyPostcard
So fascinating to read about traditions in other countries. We love Halloween in our family, but not anything too scary. We really enjoy carving pumpkins every year and dressing up, but don't tend to go the scary route. Love the giant skeletons and other decorations in your photos. #farawayfiles
It's interesting to see how Halloween is spreading around the world! I am not that big a fan either but I do like going to the pumpkin patch to get a pumpkin, carving it, and then roasting the seeds. Thanks for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard
What a great opportunity to celebrate Dia de Los Muertos in Madrid! I've founds lots of fun events in the Bay Area, but I'd love to hop on a plain to Spain and see of these events for myself.
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Did you know that Halloween started in the Celtic countries, Scotland and Ireland? I remember celebrating Halloween when I was a little girl. All witches and turnips! No equivalent of All Saints day however.Having spent the last 15 years in the states slightly bemused by their Halloween traditions. Interesting post and thanks for sharing on #farawayfiles
Fantastic shots of this festival in Spain.
Thank you for taking part in the Travel Tuesday meme.
This is probably the cutest and coolest way to celebrate the Halloween. Really awesome installations.
Jessica | notjessfashion.com
I love seeing how different countries celebrate holidays! It's always a fun and unique experience. Thank you for sharing your Halloween in Madrid! #TheWeeklyPostcard
I’ve never been to Spain so it was really interesting to see how they do halloween. A lot of countries have different traditions so it is pretty cool to see theirs.
Your costumes are so much fun, Lor!
Thanks so much, Tara!
It's so interesting to see how this day is celebrated in different parts of the world, ins't it?
Love to hear how Spain does Halloween and I love the sound of a manicure, cocktail and cake!!!!! 🙂 Thanks for linking up to Monday Escapes
Delightful, colorful display!
We celebrate Halloween AND Do a de
Los Muertos here! Come visit my blog.
http://hootin–anni.blogspot.com
Love it! How creative!
I love your photography tour of Madrid. Looks like it was a fun adventure!
One day I want to take a fall trip to Europe. Visit Spain for Day of the Dead and see the catacombs in Paris. It seems like a fun way to do "Halloween" European style. 🙂
Madrid certainly looks great … I think Halloween has been very commercialised, and more and more countries are doing the same things. When I was young it was a much smaller celebration, a few games, like trying to eat an apple in a bucket of water, and eating lots of monkey nuts!! #DreamTeam
So colorful and happening. Nice to know how the holiday is celebrated over there in Madrid. 🙂
What clever and colorful displays! Thanks for sharing!
Your post on 'My Corner of the World' is much appreciated!
My Corner of the World
Such wonderful fun!
Thanks for linking up at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2019/10/toothless-carnivores.html
This is such an interesting post. I guess Halloween really is a very American holiday. I much prefer the Day of the Dead to Halloween because it has much more significance. I was never very much into Halloween festivities, but once I had kids, you can’t really escape it. I do not like horror at all, but I can have fun with the children doing other activities. Thanks so much for sharing your traditions and linking up!
Shelbee
http://www.shelbeeontheedge.com
How fab I love Madrid. Thanks for sharing with the #DreamTeam
I would love to see Dia de los Muertos in Madrid – I'm sure it's amazing! Halloween here in Denmark is also the same – with it being translated from American holiday as something super gory, gross and horror related. They also have a pre-Lenten costume holiday known as Fastelavn where kids dress in more "tame" costumes. It's interesting to see, but I miss American halloween to be honest. I love the tradition of All Saints day to honor your loved ones who have passed and wish they adopted that here in Denmark too! Cheers and thanks for sharing your perspective with #FarawayFiles
Thanks, Shelbee! I'm not a fan of horror either but being an ESL teacher, I can't escape it either 😉
Thank you!
Sounds amazing, Mandy! I hope you get to do it 🙂
Sounds like it was much better before. I don't like commercialised festivities
Thanks, Erin! I'm so glad you enjoyed the post
Thanks, Kirsty!
Thank you for hosting!