Taking in a movie, Madrid summer-style — Photo courtesy of Javier Lastras 

When Madrid is scorching by day, the city becomes even more vibrant at night, and for the whole family, too! Even at midnight, don’t be surprised to see groups of friends and families sipping cool drinks on terraces or going for walks in public parks, kids and their parents socializing on playgrounds, or couples and whole families taking in a movie with Madrid’s cine de verano – summer film festivals.

Madrid’s traditional nighttime outdoor film festivals, like open-air terraces, provide an entertaining refuge from the heat and are another reason to look forward to a Madrid summer (ticket prices are also more economical than those at commercial movie theaters). While different local governments and institutions host their own open-air film festivals in and around Madrid, one of the biggest in the Spanish capital is Fescinal in Bombilla Park.

At Fescinal, there are two showings a day on two screens. Each of the 200 films to be shown during this 2012’s festival are recent releases. Like all of Madrid’s summer film festivals, you can buy sandwiches and snacks to munch on during the movie, or (unlike regular movie theaters) you can bring your own.

While most films are in Spanish, some films, like The Tree of Life and Shame, are in English. Madrid’s Fescinal in Bombilla Park, beside West Park (Parque del Oeste), is on now until September 2.