Online Program

Adventures Online: Spanish Art History, Flamenco & More in Madrid

Program No. 24186RJ
Welcome to Madrid! Discover this city known for its rich history and modern cultural renaissance, during an online learning adventure filled with virtual field trips, lectures and more.

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At a Glance

Whether you’ve been fascinated with Spanish art and history or wish you more about the Flamenco, you’ll experience Madrid like never before — live, from your own home! — during this cutting-edge online learning adventure. With local experts who share their love for the city, enjoy virtual field trips to learn about art and food in the La Latina and Lavapiés neighborhoods. You’ll also enjoy a chance to thrill in the offerings of Madrid’s many museums, from the Prado to the Reina Sofia and many more, and explore the Royal Palace, Opera House and Botanical Garden. Daily lectures offer a look into Madrid’s history, giving insight into topics from Spain’s colonial past to the Spanish Civil War. Throughout your learning adventure, enjoy in-depth Q&A sessions and an opportunity to get to know your fellow Road Scholars. By the end of the week, we think you’ll have just one thing to say: “Ole!”

What You'll Learn

  • Join art historian and anthropologist Teresa de La Vega for virtual field trips and lively presentations on Madrid’s most iconic landmarks and museums, from the Prado to the Reina Sofia.
  • Through online lectures, meetings with locals and presentations, trace the history of Madrid, the only European capital city founded by Muslims, through the Spanish Civil War to today’s creative renaissance.
  • Experience the joy of Flamenco with a live demonstration from a local singer and musician.

General Notes

You’ll enjoy 2-3 hours of daily instruction, discussion and/or field trips, which includes sufficient breaks throughout the program. This online program is through Zoom, an easy-to-use web video service that includes closed captioning. All you need is an Internet connection and your computer. We’ll provide a how-to guide to make sure you’ll have a hassle-free experience. This session is offered live only and will not be available on demand. Please review the daily itinerary for start and end times to ensure you won’t miss a minute of this live experience. All times are listed in the EASTERN time zone. If you live in a different time zone, please adjust your schedule accordingly.
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You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
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DAY
1
Introduction to Spain & Madrid, Three Cultures
From the comfort of your own home.

Activity note: All times noted are Eastern Time. Today’s session will begin at 11:00 a.m. and end at 2:30 p.m. The day before each session, the instructor will send a handout by email that will accompany the lecture and will also recommend any extra reading or background research to complement the day’s themes.

Morning: 11:00 a.m. Welcome Meeting (45 minutes). We will convene for an orientation to the program and introductions. 11:45 a.m. Lecture (35 minutes). Madrid is the only European capital that was founded by Muslims. We will examine Madrid’s early history in the wider context of Spain’s past, starting with prehistoric times on the Iberian peninsula up to the capture of Madrid by an 11th century Christian king. Next, we’ll have an interactive Question-and-Answer session (15 minutes).

Afternoon: 12:35p.m. Break (10 minutes). 12:45 p.m. Virtual field trip (30 minutes). We’ll start with an overview of the city’s Archeological Museum. Later we’ll stroll through two of the oldest and most atmospheric quarters of the city: La Latina, packed with tapas bars, and Lavapiés, considered one of the most “happening” districts in Europe. Both offer a great combination of ethnic restaurants, traditional taverns, artisans, cutting-edge galleries, night haunts for visitors as well as “gatos” and “gatas” alike — cats, that’s how we call someone who is third generation from Madrid. We are indeed nocturnal creatures. 1:15 p.m. Q&A. 1:30 p.m. Break (10 minutes). 1:40 p.m. Open discussion (40 minutes). Although the physical remains of Moorish-Islamic and Jewish culture are virtually non-existent in our city today, we will try to imagine daily life during the Middle Ages and how the three main cultures of the time — Muslims, Jews, Christians — managed to coexist and how coexistence among the three main cultures came to an end. 2:20 p.m. Wrap-up and notes for tomorrow. 2:30 p.m. Today’s online session ends.

DAY
2
Hapsburg Dynasty, Art & Velázquez, Meet with Madrileños
From the comfort of your own home.

Activity note: All times noted are Eastern Time. Today’s session will begin at 11:00 a.m. and end at 2:05 p.m.

Morning: 11:00 a.m. Review of the day (5 minutes). 11:05 a.m. Lecture (60 minutes). Everything changed when mighty King Philip II decided in 1561 to settle his capital in Madrid. Why did he choose Madrid? Nobody knows for sure. Good weather, lots of greenery, central location could be some of the reasons. It was at this time that Spanish culture reached its peak, especially in literature and painting. We’ll trace the history of the Hapsburg dynasty, from its moment of glory to its downfall, through key works of the magnificent 17th century collection in the Museo del Prado — Prado Museum — considered one of the finest in the world. We will focus specifically on Velázquez, regarded as the painter’s painter, and discuss his renowned “Las Meninas” — one of the most complex, mysterious, and important paintings in art history. This session will include a Q&A.

Afternoon: 12:05 p.m. Break (10 minutes). 12:15 p.m. Virtual field trip (50 minutes). Madrid de los Austrias, or Hapsburg Madrid, is the heart of the city. From there, we will explore Barrio de las Letras; the literary district, through lovely squares including Plaza de la Villa, Plaza Mayor, and Plaza de Santa Ana; secluded monasteries; narrow alleyways; secret gardens; and busy markets. Miguel de Cervantes, the author of “Don Quixote,” lived here and roamed these same streets. 1:05 p.m. Break (10 minutes). 1:15 p.m. Meeting Madrileños and open discussion (45 minutes). We will be joined by some local professionals for a discussion focusing on life today in Spain. All will be invited to ask questions. 2:00 p.m. Wrap-up (5 minutes) and notes for tomorrow. 2:05 p.m. Today’s online session ends.

DAY
3
Royal Palace, Bourbon Dynasty, Spanish Colonialism
From the comfort of your own home.

Activity note: All times noted are Eastern Time. Today’s session will begin at 11:00 a.m. and end at 2:00 p.m.

Morning: 11:00 a.m. Review of the day (5 minutes). 11:05 a.m. Lecture (35 minutes). At the beginning of the 18th century, a new dynasty — the Bourbons — came to power, bringing with it a strong French influence, as we will see in the magnificent royal palace and some of the sumptuous residences, gardens and hunting lodges that surround Madrid. Charles III, who had previously been King of Naples and Sicily, ascended the Spanish throne in 1759. He was an enlightened monarch and instituted numerous reforms as well as promoting new architectural developments, especially in Madrid, earning him the honorary sobriquet “Madrid’s best mayor.” He is regarded as having done the most for the well-being of his subjects and the embellishment of the capital. We will end our session with some images of the people of Madrid as depicted by artists such as Lorenzo Tiepolo and Francisco de Goya. 11:40 a.m. Q&A (15 minutes). 11:55 a.m. Break (10 minutes).

Afternoon: 12:05 p.m. Virtual field trip (40 minutes). We will go from the Royal Palace and the Opera House, we’ll see Goya’s frescoes at the Church of San Antonio de la Florida and continue to the Prado Walk, the Botanical Garden, and peaceful Retiro Park. We’ll finish our stroll in front of the Puerta de Alcalá — Alcalá Gate — a triumphal arch that became a symbol of Madrid. 12:45 p.m. Q&A (15 minutes). 1:00 p.m. Break (10 minutes). 1:10 p.m. Open discussion (40 minutes). Spanish colonialism. During a short introduction, we’ll see Madrid’s Museum of the Americas, a unique collection encompassing pre-history to the present with special emphasis in pre-Columbian Archaeology, Ethnography, and Colonial Art. We will discuss the arrival of Christopher Columbus to the Americas, and the controversy surrounding this topic. How did a handful of Spaniards manage to conquer such a huge territory? What were the causes of the huge drop in the number of autochthonous inhabitants? The intentions of the conquerors can be summarized in their motto of “Gold, Glory, God.” We will also discuss the resistance movements, those who denounced the cruelty and abuse, and those who tried to legislate against exploitation. 1:55 p.m. Wrap-up (5 minutes) and notes for tomorrow. 2:00 p.m. Today’s online session ends.

DAY
4
19th Century Madrid, Turmoil & Civil War, Goya at El Prado
From the comfort of your own home.

Activity note: All times noted are Eastern Time. Today’s session will begin at 11:00 a.m. and end at 2:10 p.m.

Morning: 11:00 a.m. Review of the day (5 minutes). 11:05 a.m. Lecture (40 minutes). In spite of efforts to modernize Spain, the 19th century turned out to be quite tragic, starting with the Napoleonic invasion and ending in political turmoil that eventually led to Civil War in 1936. It will also be remembered as a very interesting time thanks to artists such as Goya, the most important Spanish painter of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, whose work is a poignant chronicle of this era. As he claimed in his series of sketches “Los Caprichos,” his aim was to depict “the innumerable foibles and follies to be found in any civilized society, and the common prejudices and deceitful practices which custom, ignorance, or self-interest have made usual.” His works — most of them in the Prado Museum — will guide us through this troubled period of Spanish history. 11:45 a.m. Q&A (15 minutes).

Afternoon: 12:00 Noon. Break (10 minutes). 12:10 p.m. Virtual field trip (40 minutes). In addition to the must-see Prado, Madrid is full of marvelous museums; most of them housed in 19th or early 20th century buildings. We will take a look at some of them, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection, the charming Sorolla, and the private Lázaro-Galdiano collection. 12:50 p.m. Q&A (15 minutes). 1:05 p.m. Break (10 minutes). 1:15 p.m. Open discussion (50 minutes). Spain’s Civil War (1936-1939): remembrance or oblivion? This is one of our most sensitive discussions, related to the topic of the “two Spains” — referring to political and social divisions — that even today many Spaniards find difficult to broach. 2:05 p.m. Wrap-up (5 minutes) and notes for tomorrow. 2:10 p.m. Today’s online session ends.

DAY
5
Post-War, Dictatorship, Picasso & Reina Sofia, Flamenco
From the comfort of your own home.

Activity note: All times noted are Eastern Time. Today’s session will begin at 11:00 a.m. and end at 2.30 p.m.

Morning: 11:00 a.m. Review of the day (5 minutes). 11:05 a.m. Lecture (30 minutes). We will learn about Madrid’s post-war metamorphosis. Following the destruction caused by the Civil War, Madrid struggled to reconstruct itself. After Franco’s dictatorship ended in 1975, the 1980s ushered in an explosion of talent known as “La Movida” with a thriving art, music, and culture scene. Nowadays Madrid is an appealing combination of tradition and avant-garde. It has managed to retain some of its old-world charm while buzzing with cultural activity. 11:35 a.m. Q&A (15 minutes). 11:50 a.m. Break (10 minutes).

Afternoon: 12:00 Noon. Virtual field trip with Q&A (45 minutes): We will set off on a virtual exploration that will take us to some of the most striking architectural landmarks, starting at the Puerta del Sol – the geographical center of Spain – and ending with Reina Sofía Museum, where Picasso’s masterpiece “Guernica” is exhibited. Regarded by many as the most powerful anti-war icon, and one of the most important artworks of modernity, its safekeeping was entrusted by the artist to the MOMA until democracy had been established in the country. In 1981, it came to Madrid. 12:45 p.m. Break (30 minutes.) 1:15 p.m. We will wrap up our online educational adventure with a live session on the art of Flamenco with a local “cantaor” as we learn about the origins of this musical tradition and enjoy a short performance. Anguish and pain, happiness and joy — Flamenco singers express all this and more with passionate intensity. 2:20 p.m. Wrap-up and farewells (10 minutes). 2:30 p.m. This concludes our program






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