Venues

Official Dinner Reception on 9 November -Museo del Prado

All other parts of the programme - Madrid Marriott Auditorium, Av. de Aragón, 400, 28022 Madrid, Spain

Please note: bus transfers between the Marriott and the Official Dinner Reception on 9 November will be organized by the ALDE Party Secretariat. Buses from the Marriott to the Museo del Prado will leave from 20:00 until 20:45. Buses from the Museo del Prado to the Marriott will start leaving at 22:30 and will run every 15 minutes until all final departures at 23:30. It will not be possible for the buses to stop in between the departure and arrival points.

For access to the Official Dinner Reception, all attendees MUST wear their Congress badges and lanyards, access to the venue will be strictly controlled. There will not be the possibility to reprint badges or receive new lanyards so attendees must be sure to keep their access badge with them.

Please note that at the Marriott parking facilities are available. For the guests of the event, the price per day is € 10. Guests can pay and receive their ticket at the hotel reception.

We look forward to welcoming you to the ALDE Party Congress 2018 in Madrid!

Registration Fee

Please note that following a decision of the ALDE PARTY Council 2018, a Congress registration fee has been introduced this year – all Congress attendees who are not valid Voting Delegates, elected politicians or press will be directed to a payment screen during their registration process. There are three available rates:

• Early Bird (15.00 EUR) available until 1 August 2018
• Regular Ticket (25.00 EUR) available until beginning of the Congress on 8 November 2018
• On-site registration fee is 35.00 EUR

The payment can be done online via the Paypal or via a bank transfer. For any queries related to registration, please contact: Edita Jatulyte, Events Officer [email protected] or +32 2 551 01 69.

Hotels

The ALDE Party Secretariat has negotiated a block of rooms available at preferential rates at the hotel Marriott Madrid Auditorium where the Congress will take place. The Congress venue is not situated in the city centre and can only be reached by road, therefore we strongly recommend delegations to take advantage of the highly favourable rates at the Marriott. Please note that the number of rooms at preferential rates is limited, therefore delegations are encouraged to make their bookings as soon as possible.

Preferential rate prices for a Single room: 146.82 EUR, Double room: 161.82 EUR. The rates don't include 10% VAT tax.

Access to the hotel and the venue

From the Madrid Barajas Airport

The Marriot offers complimentary airport shuttle service for the guests of the hotel. The shuttle runs from 5:00 am until 1:30 am every day. The schedule of the shuttle from the hotel and different airport terminals can be found here: https://www.marriott.com/hotelwebsites/us/m/madad/madad_pdf/Shuttle-Service-2018.pdf

Please note: The shuttle only has 19 seats and provides service on the first come, first served basis. It is impossible to reserve seats in advance.

As an alternative, taking a taxi will take approximately 15 minutes (depending on which terminal you are travelling from) and will cost around 20 EUR. All terminals have clearly signed taxi ranks outside the arrivals area. Official taxis are white with a red stripe and have the Madrid City Council coat-of-arms on their doors.

In Madrid it is also possible to use Uber, which is fast and efficient way to get around the city. Please note that thanks to our mobility partnership with Uber, all Uber trips to and from the Madrid Marriott Auditorium during the ALDE Party Congress 2018 will receive a 30% discount. Simply type in the promotional code ALDEMADRID18 to receive the discounted fare. The discount also applies for trips between the Marriott and Madrid Barajas Airport.

From the City Centre

If you get to the main station of Madrid called Estación Sur de Mendez Álvaro, you have to take the line number 6 of Metro de Madrid and get to Avenida América (it will take you approximately 12 minutes). Once you are at the Exchanger there are several numbers to get to the hotel in around 25-30 minutes: 222, 223, 224, 224A, 226, 227, 229, 229, 281, 282, 283 and 284. The bus stop of the hotel is called Ctra. A2 – Hotel Auditorium. You can buy bus tickets by cash paying to the driver directly, it costs around 2.00-2.60 EUR per trip.

Alternatively, you can take a taxi to the city centre, it will approximately take you 20-30 minutes depending on traffic to get to the main sights such as Museo del Prado, Puerta del Sol, or Plaza Mayor.

Transport in Madrid

Once you reach the city centre, Madrid's excellent transport system allows you to get around the city quickly and efficiently. Boasting over 300 stations, the Madrid Metro currently comprises twelve metro lines that normally run from 6:00 am to 1:30 am. 

The fares cost between 1.50 to 2.50 EUR depending on the length of your journey (when you purchase your single ticket from the ticket machine, simply select your destination and it will automatically calculate the shortest route). For more information, go to the official Madrid Metro site here: https://www.metromadrid.es/en/index.html

Moreover, as mentioned in the section above, in Madrid it is also possible to use Uber, which is fast and efficient way to get around the city.

Travel Reimbursement

In accordance with ALDE Party statutes, partial travel costs will be reimbursed to ALDE Party Council delegates only. To claim your reimbursement, download the form at the bottom of this page and follow the instructions listed on it.

Copying & Printing

In order to comply with ALDE Party commitments to environmental sustainability, the compilation of resolutions & the amendment table will NOT be printed & distributed to delegates. Instead, all registered delegates will receive the aforementioned documents by email, prior to the Congress. It is delegates' responsibility to provide their own paper copies if they wish.

Following the Working Groups, all delegates will receive an email with the draft table of amendments containing the recommendations made by the working groups to Congress. All these documents will also be available via the Congress app.

There is a business center in the Marriott where all delegates are free to use the printer 24/7. Please note that copies can only be made in black and white, and no scanner option is available.

Congress App

The ALDE Party events team are working on the 2018 Congress app which will be available for download shortly via the App Store & Google Play.

The Congress app will give you full access to all information about the Congress, including programme, political documents, up-to-the-minute venue information & news. It will also allow you to create your own personalised event schedule.

Sightseeing in Madrid

With numerous museums and art galleries, Madrid is undoubtedly one of the most important capitals of culture in Europe. The city is also an architectural treasure with beautiful palaces, grand monuments and spacious squares. Below find some recommendations that we have picked out for you, but in case you want to learn more, here is the official tourism website of Madrid: https://www.esmadrid.com/en

Museums and galleries: The Golden Triangle of Art

Museo del Prado is the main Spanish national art museum. It is widely considered to have one of the world's finest collections of European art, dating from the 12th century to the early 20th century. Highlights of the collection are numerous works by Francisco Goya, Hieronymus Bosch, El Greco, Peter Paul Rubens, Titian, Diego Velázquez and many others. To find out more and book tickets, click here: https://www.museodelprado.es/en/visit-the-museum\

If you are more interested in modern and contemporary art of the 20th century, Museo Reina Sofia is certainly a must-see. Boasting of an excellent collection of works by Spain's two greatest 20th-century masters, Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí, the museum is also home to Picasso’s masterpiece Guernica. Other artist on display include Joan Miró, Alexander Calder, Paul Klee, Mark Rothko and many more. For more information, click here: http://www.museoreinasofia.es/en

The third point of the Golden Triangle, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum fills the historical gaps in its counterparts' collections: in the Prado's case this includes Italian primitives and works from the English, Dutch and German schools, while in the case of the Reina Sofia it concerns Impressionists, Expressionists, and European and American paintings from the 20th century. For more information, click here: https://www.museothyssen.org/en

Local tip: You can buy a Paseo del Arte Pass which allows you to visit all three museums with discount. More information here: https://www.esmadrid.com/en/tourist-passes

Architecture: The Royal Metropolitan Gem

Built in the 9th century, the Royal Palace of Madrid over the years was extended and developed into one of the most beautiful royal palaces in the world. The King Felipe VI and the Royal Family do not reside there, that’s why you can visit the royal palace and admire its majestic exterior as well as intricate interior design created by the most prominent Spanish artists. For more information, click here: https://entradas.patrimonionacional.es/en-GB/venta-de-entradas

Located at the roundabout on the Paseo del Prado, Plaza de Cibeles evokes the splendour of imperial Madrid. The jewel in the crown of this stirring celebration of Belle Époque is the Palacio de Cibeles (1917) – built by Antonio Palacios, Madrid’s most prolific architect of the era – which serves as Madrid’s City Hall. The fountain of Cibeles, named after Cybele, the Greek goddess of fertility, lies at the centre of the plaza and is one of Madrid’s most beautiful statues. Address: Plaza Cibeles, 28014 Madrid.

The monumental heart of the city, the Plaza Mayor was completed in 1619 by Juan Gómez de la Mora. It’s built in typical Herrerian style, of which the slate spires are the most obvious expression. Ochre-hued apartments with wrought-iron balconies and 17th-century frescoes overlook the plaza, which has borne witness to bullfights and executions during the Spanish Inquisition.

Dining in Madrid

Eating is more than simply looking after hunger for the Spanish – instead, Spanish cuisine reflects historical processes that shaped culture and society of the country. Influenced by complex history where invasions of the country and conquests of new territories modified culinary traditions, Spanish cuisine offers bursting array of flavors, ingredients and cooking techniques.

From sizzling gambas al ajillo to 18-months-cured jamón, from spicy patatas bravas to sugar-coated churros, in Spain even the most picky eaters will find something to indulge in. Paired with a glass of world-famous Spanish wine, what else one can ask for?

Here are some recommendations for different dining experiences:

If you feel like having a touristy tasting experience, head to the Mercado de San Miguel. Within walking distance from the Plaza Mayor, more than 30 market’s vendors offer variety of freshly prepared gourmet tapas, hams, olives, baked goods and other foods.

If you are after a low-key and more local experience, the La Cava Baja is the place to go. Located in the heart of Madrid, the lively street full of bars over the years has become a synonym for great and affordable tapas. Alternatively, check out La Casa del Abuelo, which is an ageless and popular place which has been around for more than a hundred years. They have a few branches around the city, so you can pick the one which is more convenient to you.

If you are looking for more elevated dining, Madrid has a wide range of restaurants that cater to all tastes. Try Amparito Roca for traditional Spanish cuisine with a modern twist or Restaurante Amazonico if you fancy a fusion cuisine dinner in a beautiful setting. If you are looking for some traditional entertainment, check out Corral de la Moreria where you catch a dinner and flamenco show.

Amparito Roca: http://restauranteamparitoroca.com/
Restaurante Amazonico: https://restauranteamazonico.com/en/
Corral de la Moreria http://www.corraldelamoreria.com/

For any queries related to logistical matters, please contact:

Edita Jatulyte, Events Officer
[email protected] +32 2 551 01 69