About the venue:

The GSP workshop will take place in the “URJC Madrid-Arguelles Campus”, in one of the buildings that the King Juan Carlos University has in Madrid Downtown.

The location and street view of the building are shown below:

The building has two main entrances. Either one will work but the one in Calle Ferraz 21, Madrid, will give direct access to the GSP workshop, which will take place in the floors 0 and 1.

For those staying around the Plaza de España area, walking to the conference venue will take between 5 and 10 minutes.

Those staying in other places of the city can use the subway system (locally referred to as “El Metro”). The closest metro stations are Argüelles (Lines 3/4/6) and Ventura Rodríguez (Line 3). The walking distance from any of these two stations to the conference is less than 3 minutes.

About the host city: Madrid

Madrid is the capital of Spain and, with a population of approximately 6.5 million, is the third largest metropolitan area in Europe (only after London and Paris). While its land has been occupied since prehistoric times, the first historical record of Madrid dates to the year 865. The status of the city changed dramatically in 1561, when Philip II of Spain set his court in Madrid and designated Madrid as its capital.

While Madrid possesses modern infrastructure, it has preserved the look and feel of many of its historic neighborhoods and streets. Its landmarks include the Plaza Mayor, the Royal Palace of Madrid; the Royal Theatre (Opera House); the Buen Retiro Park, founded in 1631; the 19th-century National Library building (founded in 1712) containing some of Spain's historical archives; many national museums, and the Golden Triangle of Art, located along the Paseo del Prado and comprising three art museums: Prado Museum, the Reina Sofía Museum, a museum of modern art, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, which complements the holdings of the other two museums. Cibeles Palace and Fountain have become one of the monument symbols of the city. Last but not least, if you have a couple of extra days, Madrid also offers a golden opportunity to visit close-by towns that are less than one-hour away (car/train/bus) and are worth of a one-day trip. Notable examples include Toledo, Segovia, Avila, or San Lorenzo del Escorial.

Nowadays Madrid is a cosmopolitan open city that combines the most modern infrastructures and the status as an economic, financial, administrative and service center of Southern Europe, with a large cultural and artistic heritage, a legacy of centuries of exciting history. Art, traditions, gastronomy and multicultural openness play a key role in Madrid's cultural life.

But if there is one thing that sets Madrid apart, it must be its deep and infectious passion for life that finds its outlet in the friendly and open character of its inhabitants. You will have the opportunity to enjoy a wide range of the best Spanish and international gastronomy, to savor the charms of its tapas bars and taverns (additional information about food can be found next). The lively nightlife is another key attraction of Madrid, due to its variety and the exciting atmosphere to be found in its bars, clubs and (if you like it) even flamenco halls.

For more detailed information, please visit the official Madrid tourism website

Foodies won’t be disappointed. Madrid is home to more than 10000 restaurants, from 3-star Michelin restaurants such as DiverXo to the world’s oldest restaurant, the Sobrino de Botín. Also check out:

• San Miguel Market. Located in the old city of Madrid, next to Plaza Mayor, San Miguel Market describes itself as “the temple of fresh produce where the protagonist is not the chef, but the food”. The building where it is located has been declared a national Monument of Cultural Interest. While this place is nice, we advise you to avoid the restaurants within the Plaza Mayor.

• Platea Madrid. This cutting-edge complex opened in 2014 in the premises formerly occupied by a movie theater, it is the largest gastronomic leisure space in Europe. It offers not only avant-garde cuisine, but also a great variety of shows to entertain the visiting public (music, films, performing arts, magic, cabaret or micro-theatre) and hands-on activities such as workshops or tastings on the stage.

If nouvelle cuisine is your thing, Madrid has dozens of top restaurants to enjoy contemporary food. Those having Michelin stars can be found here. If you are interested, please book a reservation asap.