Where are the bullfights held, is it in the city? Is it something I should do while there with my teenagers? I am travelling in the summer. Do I need to get tickets ahead of time.

To clarify for our readers, about what city are you asking? Tell us that and we'll be happy to help.

And welcome to our ALL SPAIN Message Board, joycenj!

Saludos, MadridMan/ BarcelonaMan

Madrid please

Thanks for the clarification. I'll edit your subject line to reflect the city in question.

Madrid bullfights are mainly held in "Las Ventas: Corrida de Toros" - website http://www.Las-Ventas.com - on the edge of downtown. Unless you're arriving during a big festival (doubtful), you should be able to walk up the day of (or the day before) the bullfight and get tickets.

Best of luck! Saludos, MadridMan

one more question. What time of day are the bullfights held??
thanks.

The bullfights are in the early evening, around 7:00 or so, on Sundays only, from March through October. If you are going in May, there is a three-week-long festival called San Isidro during which there are fights every day if I remember correctly.

If you have never been to a bullfight before, I highly recommend reading about it so that you understand a little about what is going on. You may be surprised to know that there are three matadors and each one fights twice. Also, there are three parts to each fight. I could never figure out when they were cheering for a "good bull" or booing at a "bad bull" but it was a fascinating experience. Someone out there may have a good web site or book to recommend.
I noticed on the Las Ventas web site that there are tours offered in Spanish and English of the bullring, which I think might be interesting.

I have been to a bullfight with teenagers before. We were sitting pretty close to the ring, and some kids were really spooked (especially the girls) as for some reason they didn't know the bull is actually killed. I don't know why they didn't know that going into it, but they didn't. If you or your teenagers are easily grossed out, you may not like seeing all the blood, especially six times. That said, some of the kids thought it was interesting.

Esperanza, if you're out there, did you ever take your students to a fight? Maybe you have some additional input.

Thank you so much. You are an invaluable source for information. More questions to come!

I took my son (then 17) to a bullfight in Madrid's las Ventas. He wanted so much to see a real Bulfight. By the third or fourth bull, he was bored to death. We videotaped a complete bullfight and when he showed it to is friends they also were bored.

The first bullfight I saw (20-years earlier), one of Gregorio Sanchez's Cuadrilla was gored and I learned later that he had died. After that, I was no longer an aficionado.

Tickets are cheaper and sometimes the Corridas o Novilladas one sees are better Faenas at Carabanchal's Vista Alegre Bullring.

joycenj, I suggest you try to learn something about the "finer arts" of bullfighting before going so as to appreciate what it is all about. This link may help: http://www.montana.edu/4teachers/instcomp/hunts/social/spanish3/bullfight.html

good advise to know a bit more of what the corridas are. They are an important historical and cultural part of Spain although controversial by some modernists because the bull is kill.
I enjoy them then and always look forward to go to one. DO not missed the museum Taurino behind the plaza monumental its cheap and great info on the fine art of matador:corridas.