I will be in Madrid Friday, May 30 - Sun Jun 1.

I want to make the most of my 3 days and the bullfight issue is the last to be resolved.

I feel like it would be ridiculous to go to Spain and not see a bullfight. My best friend isn't jazzed about it at all. She said she would go if I wanted to but I don't wan to drag her there against her will. The animal cruelty thing and the possible human endangerment bother her some.

Any insight would be helpful. All of our advice so far has come from friends over here in the US that wwent to Spain and did not go to a fight because they thought it was cruel to the bulls, or from friends ovder here that went over and attended a fight and thought it was the best thing they have ever seen.

You see my dilema here - 2 extreme views - no real information. All input would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Tara

You're opening a "can of worms" here, Taralee. You're going to get opinions from both sides leaving you more confused than you were before you asked.

I say if you're curious then go. If not, then don't. Just keep it simple. Maybe if you go you'll get sick and maybe you won't. Maybe if you go you'll want to go again or maybe you'll become an animal rights activist. Maybe if you don't go you'll always wonder what it would have been like had you gone. But if you don't go and have no interest you won't feel like you missed anything by not going. Really. It all depends on you.

But whatever you do, please enjoy your time in Spain - and DON'T bring home a HUGE, fuzzy-balled Mexican sombrero like I saw one teenager carrying on the plane from Madrid to Philadelphia.

Saludos, MadridMan

My advice is as follow:
Go during the San Isidro period only,all the people in the bullring are natives and you can see(with luck) a goog work and in that case you will love the bullfights.But NEVER go during summer sundays the events are very bad with empty bullring (only tourists).

It is very difficult to see a good work (San Isidro have 30 bullfights = 180 bulls and only in 3 or 4 times there are triumphant).

ABP

I think Madrid Man gives great advice on this issue. One other option: sit in just about any bar and watch the bullfights on TV. Then decide if it is something you want to see in person.

If you have a decent internet connection, you may be able to watch them live on canal sur's website before you go.

Melinda

Read Hemingway's "Death in the Afternoon" and "The Dangerous Summer" before you go--then if you think you won't like it, please don't go. Whatever you do, I entreat you, remember that this is a nation's national ritual of honor and art...and deserves to be respected.

For any muti-culturalists out there: How come it's PC to insist that we should honor other peoples' cultures...until you don't want to honor their culture? -OhMike

Here is my experience with this. Out of pure curiosity, I did go to a bullfight while studying abroad in spain. Did I like it? No not at all (I realize this could have had something to do with the horse that was gored to death and the mess that they made of the entire ordeal...it was at a small town in then north, Haro, and not one of the best im sure). It made me sick and I left after the third bull . However, I am still glad that I went. Why? Before I went I did not have any idea of what it was about, or any point of view on the issue. After see it, I at least feel that I have an opinion and am not left wondering or curious. So I say go and check it out. The worst that will happen is that you wont like it and will leave.
Good Luck!
Kelly

I would def go to a Bullfight... Its a part of the cluture, and you def don't want to get home and wish you had gone.. My girl and I went to one last summer in Marbella, def a good, cultural experience!!! My girl really didn't like it, but I was taking pics and enjoying it... Go for one or 2 fights to see what actaually happens in a bull fight.. When you get home, everyone will ask if you attended a bullfight, and you can reply yes.. Its as old as the Spanish culture..!!

We went to an evening (Sunday?) of bulfighting in Madrid last summer. Very interesting, but very bloody. I'm no vegetarian so I don't mind animals being killed as the beginning part of the eating process, but there's quite a bit of torture going on in the bullring. However, if you think you can stomach it, I'd recommend going. It's historic, cultural and entertaining. I wasn't sure why or when to cheer, so I just followed the lead of the guy next to me. Also -- pay the extra couple of euros and get seats in the shade! You can save a couple by not being in the first few rows. That's a bit too close to the action.

Don't go to a bullfight just to go and say that you went. That's not the point. If you decide to go- I suggest you read up on it a bit and try to get a basic understanding of what it is, what it means. Bullfighting in NOT a sport. To someone who doesn't understand it, as well as foreign to the culture it may seem like animal cruelty- it is not. It takes some study and knowledge to understand why its not but that's a much longer discussion than what one can get into on a message board. There is much to learn to understand what it is about including learning the nature of the bull and their intelligence- which is much greater than you may think.

Like it or don't like it- everyone it entitiled to their opinion. Personally I don't like it, but I know what its about and I respect it and accept it as part of my culture- and yes I do love animals!

Bullfighting is not a sport, its an artform. It is the fight of man against beast and trust me- even with all of the people in the ring- the bull still has the advantage! (I know that's hard to believe so I refer back again- its something you need to learn something about and gain some understanding on it before you blindly subject yourself to it) It also won't be a cultural experience unless you have some prior knowledge about it.