Enjoy the Madrid Gay Pride festival – how to stay safe and have a good time
How to make the most of your time at the festival - read our advice for visitors to the Madrid Gay Pride Festival 2-6 July 2014
Image courtesy of www.aegal.es
Every July, Madrid is host to the vibrant celebrations of Gay Pride Week, culminating in an impressive parade which this year will be held on Saturday 5 July. Whilst the vast majority of British festival-goers didn’t have any problems last year, those that did were mainly due to a lost or stolen passport.
This is the last thing you want to deal with - replacing it can be a hassle, is expensive and could cause you loads of stress. Make sure it doesn’t happen to you!
Before you go
Before you set off to Gay Pride Madrid, here are five simple things to do:
- Get travel insurance and check what it covers.
- Apply for a European Health Insurance Card.
- Leave a photocopy of your passport at home and carry one with you.
- Tell family or friends in the UK where you’ll be staying in Madrid.
- Fill in the last page of your passport with your emergency contacts.
- Follow us on Facebook or Twitter.
When you get there
When you arrive, you’ll go out to enjoy the various parties and shows on offer. Make sure you:
- Keep your valuables in a safe place – e.g. locked in the hotel safe.
- Carry a photocopy of your passport with you and leave the original locked away.
- Have one of your cash cards and some cash separate from the rest of your valuables just in case.
- Be extra careful in large crowds, keep your cash and mobile in a zipped pocket or bag.
- Follow the instructions of the event organisers and Spanish Police whenever necessary.
- Hot weather, alcohol or drug use can leave people in a vulnerable state. If you feel unwell, find the nearest local health centre or hospital.
- On the way back to your accommodation after a night out, be extra vigilant. Bear in mind you will be tired, which makes you more vulnerable.
- Avoid walking home on your own; taxis are readily available in the city.
If something goes wrong
The British Consulate-General in Madrid is available to offer help and support if you have been hospitalised, arrested or are a victim of crime:
- If your passport has gone missing, we can issue you with an Emergency Travel Document (ETD). You will have to get a police report and come our office. There is also a Fee for this of £95 payable in local currency.
- If you have been hospitalised let us know. We can contact the hospital and help to ensure you get the information you need. We can also help you to keep your family informed of what is going on.
- If you have been arrested, whenever possible, we will contact you to make sure you are aware of local procedures, although we can’t interfere in them.
- If you have been a victim of crime, call us. We can explain how to get a police report and you can make an emergency call from the Consulate. If the crime has caused you to be hospitalised, or you are a victim of a sexual assault, a consular officer can come to where you are to help and support you.
For more information in English from the Madrid town council, please visit their website
Contact numbers for the Consulate are 902 109 356 or +34 91 334 2194.