Viva Los Madrileños

Madrid hat vielen bedeutenden Charakteren in Vergangenheit und Gegenwart enorme Inspiration in Bereichen wie der Kunst, dem Kino, Sport und Politik gegeben. Die Kreativität der Akteure ist heute in den zentralen Stadtteilen der spanischen Hauptstadt präsent. Auch während der Curso/CTR Projekte Reisejournalismus und Spanisch dient uns die große Vergangenheit Madrids immer wieder als hervorragende Quelle der Inspiration. Im Rahmen der Recherche für das Projekt-Buch können unsere Studierenden in Madrid den Spuren der zahlreichen berühmten Persönlichkeiten in der Hauptstadt folgen. Dem kreativen Flair im pulsierenden Madrid folgen. Den ökonomischen Problemen Spaniens zum Trotz ist Madrid eine kreative Besonderheit und Schönheit in Europa geblieben und entwickelt sich jeden Tag weiter. Berühmte Menschen, die tatsächlich in der Stadt geboren wurden, sind gar nicht so zahlreich. Madrid war immer ein Anziehungspunkt für Kreative aus aller Welt. Aber auch geborene Madrileños drücken der Stadt ihren Stempel auf.

Miguel de Cervantes war während des Goldenen Zeitalters der Kultur im sechzehnten und frühen siebzehnten Jahrhundert einer der produktivsten und kreativsten spanischen Schriftsteller. Er wurde eine halbe Autostunde von Madrid entfernt in der alten Hauptstadt Toledo geboren. Wir verdanken ihm zahlreiche Theaterstücke und Gedichte von denen sein wohl berühmtestes Buch Don Quijote de la Mancha, das als erster moderner Roman gilt, noch heute als ultimatives Meisterwerk bewundert wird.

Luis Buñuel war Salvador Dali freundschaftlich sowie künstlerisch eng verbunden. Er war ein besonders kreativer Filmregisseur des zwanzigsten Jahrhunderts. Ursprünglich inspiriert von Dalis surrealistischen Werken schuf Buñuel zahlreichen Surrealismus in bewegten Bildern. Im Laufe seiner Karriere kamen eine Vielzahl von Filmen aus verschiedenen künstlerischen Bereichen hinzu; darunter bedeutende Werke wie Viridiana, Belle de Jour, und Le
Fantôme de la Liberté.

Penelope Cruz ist die wohl bekannteste Leinwandschönheit Spaniens, geboren in Madrid. Hier begann ihre Karriere im Alter von sechzehn Jahren die sie bis nach Hollywood führte. Sie blieb ihrer wundervollen Heimatstadt sehr verbunden.

Redaktion Curso/CTR Madrid-Projekte

Aktuelles zu den Praktikumsprogrammen Reisejournalismus und Spanisch in Madrid

#Berlin

It would be an understatement to say Berlin has “plenty to see and do”; this city rewards even the casual wanderer with a plethora of incredible buildings and monuments. Facing the iconic Brandenburg Gate with the Victory Column behind you, you only have to turn right to see Lord Norman Foster’s magnificent glass-dome atop the Reichstag, whilst further along lies the sobering and haunting Holocaust memorial. Turning around takes you down historical Unter den Linden and if you walk the other way you can get lost in the leafy green acres of Tiergarten. Head-spinning yet? Thought so.

The best sightseeing in Berlin is well planned. Book your tickets for the Reichstag in advance, plan your walk around Checkpoint Charlie in advance and make a list of ‘must sees’ and opening hours to really maximise your time and take it all in. Don’t worry if you don’t have the time to see everything. Berlin isn’t going anywhere, and with a history as diverse as this spanning over ten centuries, it is well worth a second, or even third visit.

Team Curso/CTR Berlin

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Berlin there, done that…36 hours in Berlin

Start your Saturday morning with breakfast at Ana Blume cafe in trendy Prenzlauer Berg before heading to the Brewers Free Walking Tour at 11am to get an initial glimpse of what Berlin has to offer. Afterwards, duck into the metro at Pariser Platz (Brandenburger Tor) and take the S25 to Yorkstraße, where you can change to the U7 to Mehringdamm. Here, indulge your fast food craving with Berlin’s best kebab at the famous Mustafa’s – don’t be put off by the line, it’s worth the wait! Energy restored, you’ll be ready to tackle the East Side Gallery, a short metro ride away at Warschauer Straße. Then, if you’re feeling peckish despite the huge lunch time kebab, wind off your sightseeing tour with dinner at Burgermeister a short 10 minute walk from the Wall in gritty Kreuzberg.

Appetite sated, go home to change into your glad rags and head to the Weinrei for a glass of wine or five before hitting Club der Visionaire to dance the night away. If you wake up feeling not too refreshed, soothe your hangover with a fresh fruit and cream waffle at Kauf Dich Glucklich and recover your senses with a cup of warm Earl Grey.

Blow away the remaining cobwebs with a gentle stroll down the road the Mauerpark flea market and rummage around the hundreds of stalls for some vintage bargains to round off your weekend in Berlin – just make sure they’ll all fit in your suitcase on the way home.

Team CTR Berlin – a guide for young travellers

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Inspired by Edinburgh

City of Literature, city of writers, grey stones reflect the misty sky, behind them tales are woven. Inspiration, imagination find ideas in cobblestoned closes, alluring alleys and streets, intricately intertwined. Get lost in them, disclose stories, hidden behind historic façades.

Writers through the ages have taken inspiration, from plots, history and life in this city of creativity. They are still present, stories float through the air, words, ideas, beautifully crafted. Characters beloved feel so near, not just products of creative minds, of restless writers, but friends, as if they were real.

Scot To Be Fun – Discover Edinburgh

Team Curso/CTR, Franziska Lange

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üBerlin – Sights & Monuments

Berlin is a sightseers dream with an endless list of things to visit and countless photo opportunities. Each district is rich with culture and history – you are never far from something worth visiting. Checkpoint Charlie is usually one of the first stops for tourists, as are the Reichstag and Brandenburg Gate. Throughout the city, parts of the Berlin Wall remain and the art covered surfaces are not to be missed. Whether you are here for two days or two months, there is never a shortage of sights to be seen or monuments to visit.

Team Curso/CTR Berlin – The essential guide 2013

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Berlin

Despite being marked as a “new” city, only founded in the 12th Century, Berlin breathes history, and you can take in its intriguing past by visiting the many sights and attractions that are virtually dotted all around. Not a moment goes by when walking through Berlin without passing another attraction, whether new or old. In the heart of the guide we cover the many churches, famous architecture, attractions and landmarks that make up this once divided city.

Team Curso/CTR Berlin 2013

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Lyon: It’s better than Paris

What to do with a derelict district in the heart of a historical city? Go on a walking tour through the two different sides of Lyon and find out. A no man’s land on the tip of the peninsula between the Saône and Rhône rivers with nothing but factories and the harbour – that’s what Confluence used to be just a few years ago. Now, times are changing: witness the development of a whole new district with life, shopping and culture.
CONTRASTS – Meet the Confluence
Team CTR Lyon

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Madrid No Borders: Music

Music pumps endlessly through the veins of Madrid, providing the atmosphere and cultural diversity that the capital is famous for. Bar the generic pop and dance you’ll suffer in most clubs, Madrid is bursting at the seams with alternative genres. Jazz bars, such as ‘Bogui’ (Chueca) and La Croquette (Opera) are welcome havens of raw goodness, but you could also head to live venues such as Charada and Zanzibar for a glimpse of Spain’s up and coming bands.

If you’re looking for music with a rather more recognisable title, try out ‘la Riviera’. Although it’s quite an intimate venue, it’s attracted big name bands from all over the world, such as Tame Impala and Nirvana, giving lucky Madrileños an opportunity to get so close to their favourite bands, they
could almost stroke them. I highly recommend you scour the gig dates, during your stay in the capital, but beware; the price of drinks here will empty your pockets quicker than Vegas.
Team Curso/CTR Madrid

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Beneath Berlin: A Beginner’s Guide to the German Capital

It may be 10 times the size of Paris, but its key areas are pleasantly compact and the excellent public transport system makes it easy to get from A to B. The open
space and multiple parks make it one of the greenest cities in the world and you
can walk without fear during the night.

We have divided the city into smaller, more digestible areas to make your life easier. Take a stroll through the tranquil and elegant streets of CHARLOTTENBERG. Party hard in FRIEDRICHSHAIN, or hang with the hipsters in KREUZBERG. Sightsee in MITTE and bar-hop in NEUKOLLN. Explore the art scene in PRENZLAUER BERG or shop till you drop in SCHÖNEBERG.
Each one of these neighbourhoods has its own unique charm and atmosphere
and collectively they compose the Berlin that we know and love.

Team Curso/CTR Berlin

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Berlin Bearings

Arrived in Berlin and not sure where to go?
Don’t worry, our Iconic Berlin section guides you around the many unmissable sights the German capital has to offer. Even if you’re restricted to a few days here, pick a couple of our suggestions and jump on the Ubahn. To make you feel like you’ve really arrived in Berlin, head to Brandenburg Tor, Checkpoint Charlie or Potsdamer Platz for the typical tourist experience. History buffs will enjoy the Victory Column and Soviet Memorial and if heights are your thing, see the best views of the city from the Reichstag or the Fernsehturm/TV tower. For fun photo opportunities, go to the East Side Gallery, the longest remaining stretch of the former Berlin Wall. Team Curso/CTR

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