Fiestas de San Isidro
The San Isidro Festival honours Madrid's patron saint every 15 May with a pilgrimage to the Pradera de Carabanchel, beside the hermitage and the Manzanares river. Free and open to all, it brings together more than 100 activities: street dances, chotis performances, rosquillas pastries and the great Feria Taurina de Las Ventas running alongside.
A medieval farmhand and his meadow
Isidro was a Madrid farmhand and well-digger born around 1082, working for the Vargas family in Carabanchel. Devotion to him surged in 1212 when his body was found incorrupt, and was cemented by papal beatification (decree of Paul V, 14 June 1619) setting his feast on 15 May, followed by canonisation in 1622. Empress Isabel of Portugal ordered the first hermitage built beside the Manzanares in 1528; the current one dates from 1725. The pilgrimage to the Pradera de San Isidro reached its peak in the 18th century — Goya painted it in 1788 — when Madrileños crossed the Segovia and Toledo bridges to get there. In 2021 the Comunidad de Madrid declared it an Intangible Cultural Heritage asset. Tip: the hermitage is tiny and long queues form on the 15th to venerate the relic; go early in the morning if the devotional side interests you.
Chotis, chulapos and rosquillas
Old Madrid character seeps through everything: chulapo and chulapa costumes (popularised from the mid-19th century as a rejection of French-influenced fashion) and the chotis, a Bohemian dance that arrived in 1850 in which the man spins on a single floor tile while the woman circles him. Displays take place in Plaza Mayor, Las Vistillas, Puerta del Sol and the Pradera itself. On the sweet side, the stars are rosquillas in four versions: tontas (unglazed), listas (lemon and sugar), de Santa Clara (meringue) and francesas (almond). They are sold at historic bakeries such as San Onofre and Viena Capellanes, as well as stalls near the hermitage. You will also find barquillos wafers, garrapiñadas candied almonds and limonada madrileña (wine with fruit and cinnamon). Honest note: popcorn is not a San Isidro tradition; if you want the real thing, go for rosquillas. And at the fairground stalls, prices rise and queues stretch endlessly on the big day.
Las Ventas, the world's premier bullring
Running alongside the festival, the Feria de San Isidro turns the Plaza de Las Ventas (Neo-Mudéjar, inaugurated 1931, BIC since 1994, 23,798 seats) into the most prestigious bullfighting cycle on the planet: around a month of near-daily events between May and early June, with dozens of corridas, novilladas and rejones bouts. Appearing on its bills or leaving through the Puerta Grande — between stands 7 and 8, after cutting two ears — is the highest recognition in the ranking; 'El Viti' holds the record for exits as matador with 14. Prices vary widely depending on location and sun or shade, and the top-billed events sell out. Check the programme, dates and tickets on the official Las Ventas website before you go. Tip: if you book, the shade side is considerably more expensive but in May the sun on the open stands beats down hard all afternoon.
When to go and how to get there without the crush
The core runs from 7 to 17 May, with the 15th as the central day: solemn Mass at the Real Colegiata (10:00), procession at 19:00 and the all-day pilgrimage at the Pradera. The 2026 edition drew more than 2.5 million people across all activities, so the big day and the preceding weekend get extremely crowded. Entry to the Pradera is free until capacity is reached: for the evening concerts (which fill up) arrive before the performance begins. Metro: Marqués de Vadillo (L5), about an 11-minute walk; Oporto (L5) is also an option. Critical tip: pickpockets operate in the crowds — the municipal security operation includes plain-clothes police — so keep a close eye on your belongings. For a relaxed family atmosphere, go in the morning or early afternoon. Wear light clothing (highs around 25 °C) and bring a jacket for the evening, when temperatures drop noticeably.
Frequently asked questions
When does the San Isidro Festival take place?
Is entry to the Pradera de San Isidro free?
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What do people eat at San Isidro?
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