ARCO is a massive fair, filling the Feria de Madrid with more than 200 galleries. It's also only a short drive from the airport. It would be easy, then, to spend a full week at the convention center and skip the rest of the Spanish capital. Don't make that mistake. Outside the Feria's halls, Madrid — the center of Spain's art market — is filled with gorgeous boutique hotels, fine restaurants, and remarkable galleries.

Go:

ARCO MADRID 2010
WHAT: The 29th edition of Spain’s leading contemporary art fair sports 221 galleries from 25 countries. Organizers estimate that work by 3,000 artists will be on display, far more than even the most eager collector will be able to examine.
WHEN: February 17–21, 2010 (Open to the public February 19–21, 2010)
WHERE: The Feria de Madrid Convention Center
HIGHLIGHTS: Rather than welcome a guest country to spotlight this year, organizers opted to celebrate the city of Los Angeles. Curators Kris Kiramitsu and Christopher Miles have selected 17 sterling names, including Susanne Vielmetter, who will fill her booth with Edgar Arceneaux and Stanya Kahn works; Peres Projects, which is bringing work by John Kleckner and Dean Sameshima; and 1301PE, which will show work by Jorge Pardo, Diana Thater, and Kirsten Everberg. • Despite a large field of exhibitors, organizers have boldly introduced special curated sections devoted to single-artist shows (called Solo Projects), film and video (Cinema Loop), and performance (Performing ARCO). • Exhibition spaces around the city have joined the party for Los Angeles. For example, the new contemporary art space Matadero Madrid, a former slaughterhouse, will be graced by performances from Los Angeles collective My Barbarian, and will house a new installation by L.A. artist Doug Aitken. For more information, see the “Do” section below.

GALLERY-HOPPING
WHAT: Madrid is the center of Spain's art market, harboring an impressive array of commercial galleries.
WHERE: The hip Chueca district and around the Reina Sofía museum
HIGHLIGHTS: You can start your journey on the Calle Orfila, where a branch of the mighty Marlborough empire (Orfila 5; 34/913–191–414; galeriamarlborough.com) shares an address with Galería Soledad Lorenzo (Orfila 5; 34/913–082–887, ext. 8; soledadlorenzo.com), which is showing new work from Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle. • Venturing south into the Chueca district, Travesia Cuatro (San Mateo 16; 34/913-100–098; travesiacuatro.com) has recently made a name for itself by showing the work of impressive emerging artists. Around the corner on Calle San Lorenzo, Luz & Suárez del Villar (San Lorenzo 3; 34/913–100–557; luzysuarezdelvillar.com) also shows an ambitious, young program. Down the street and tucked in a courtyard are the galleries of Heinrich Ehrhardt (San Lorenzo 11; 34/913–104–415; heinrichehrhardt.com) and Elba Benítez (San Lorenzo 11; 34/913–080–468; elbabenitez.com). The latter has a group show called "Objetos para un rato de inercia" (Objects for a Moment of Inertia) on display, featuring the work of David Askevold, Alighiero e Boetti, Luis Camnitzer, Barry Le Va, Francesc Torres. End your trip to the area with a quick jaunt over to Galería Oliva Arauna (Barquillo 29; 34/914–351–808; olivarauna.com) to see the bright, monochromatic paintings and sculptures of Rosa Brun and stop by the typically adventurous Galería Moriarty (Libertad 22; 34/915–314–365; galeriamoriarty.com). • The street near the Reina Sofía museum are also lined with galleries. Galería Helga de Alvear (Doctor Fourquet 12; 34/914–680–506; helgadealvear.com) is showing the quirky work of Brooklyn artist Marcel Dzama, while Maisterravalbuena Galería (just up the street at Doctor Fourquet 1; 34/915–307–889; maisterravalbuena.com) has the humorous work of Karmelo Bermejo on display, which, rather fittingly, takes the modern art fair as its subject. A worthwhile final stop is the idiosyncratic Galería Salvador Díaz (Sánchez Bustillo 7; 34/915–274–000; salvadordiaz.net), just across the plaza from the Reina Sofía.