Iberia Flights from Madrid, Spain (MAD) to Chicago (ORD)
As part of booking roundtrip flights which depart from US airports,
Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on Iberia, which operates a non-stop flight everyday except Monday from Madrid, Spain (MAD) to Chicago (ORD), regularly scheduled to depart at 12:00pm and arrive at 2:25pm. Usually an Airbus A340 is flown for this route. Generally, a movie is offered on this route. The average travel time from Madrid, Spain to Chicago, IL is 9 hours and 25 minutes.
During your Chicago vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Museum of Contemporary Photography
Ensconced in a ground-floor space at Columbia College -- a progressive arts- and media-oriented institution that boasts the country's largest undergraduate film department and a highly respected photojournalism-slanted photography department -- the Museum of Contemporary Photography is the only museum in the Midwest of its ilk. As the name indicates, it exhibits, collects, and promotes modern photography, with a special focus on American works from 1959 to present. Rotating exhibitions showcase images by both nationally recognized and "undiscovered" regional artists. Related lectures and special programs are scheduled during the year. Allow 1 hour.
Museum of Contemporary Art
The MCA claims to be the largest contemporary art museum in the country, emphasizing experimentation in a variety of media -- painting, sculpture, photography, video and film, dance, music, and performance. But much of the space seems to be taken up with theaters and hallways; seeing the actual art won't take you long. Sitting on a front-row piece of property between the lake and the historic Water Tower, the gloomy, imposing building (designed by Berlin's Josef Paul Kleihues) looks like something out of Communist Russia, but the interior spaces are more vibrant, with a sun-drenched two-story central corridor, elliptical staircases, and three floors of exhibition space. The MCA has tried to raise its national profile to the level of New York's Museum of Modern Art by hosting major touring retrospectives of working artists such as Cindy Sherman and Chuck Close.You can see the MCA's highlights in about an hour, although art lovers will want more time to wander (especially if a high-profile exhibit is in town). Your first stop should be the handsome barrel-vaulted galleries on the top floor, dedicated to pieces from the permanent collection. For visitors who'd like a little guidance for making sense of the rather challenging works found here, there is an audio tour for rent as well as a free tour (1 and 6pm Tues; 1pm Wed-Fri; 11am, noon, 1, and 2pm Sat-Sun). In addition to a range of special activities and educational programming, including films, performances, and a lecture series in a 300-seat theater, the museum features Puck's at the MCA, a cafe operated by Wolfgang Puck of Spago restaurant fame, with seating that overlooks a 1-acre terraced sculpture garden. There's also a store, Culturecounter, with one-of-a-kind gift items, that's worth a stop even if you don't make it into the museum. The museum's First Fridays program, featuring after-hours performances, live music, and food and drink, takes place the first Friday of every month. Allow 1 to 2 hours.
City Council Chambers at City Hall
The public meetings of the volatile Chicago City Council make great theater for political junkies. The council meets in a massive building that takes up an entire city block, encompassing both City Hall and the County Building. (You can't miss it: Its columns are probably the most massive of any city building -- 75 ft. high and crowned by Corinthian capitals the height of an entire floor.) Although politics aren't quite as colorful under Mayor Richard M. Daley as they were under his dad, when a hot-button issue is being debated, factions can still get down and dirty, and the political posturing of the 50 aldermen (the name given to the city council members) can make for the best kind of theatrics. Call ahead to find out when the council is in session. City Hall tours also can be arranged for groups; call to make a reservation. Allow 1 hour.
Le Méridien
Tucked into the Westfield North Bridge mall, Le Méridien is a fairly recent addition to the competitive high-end Chicago hotel market, and it seems that the general public has yet to discover it. Le Méridien touts its design philosophy as "European with a French accent," which, in this case, means marble floors, vaguely 18th-century-inspired furniture, and some whimsical artwork (a large painting of a Napoleonic figure with the head of a dog hangs in the lobby). A terrace offers outdoor seating, and a casual bistro is hidden away in the back of the lobby (depending on your perspective, it's either pleasantly secluded or isolated). Rooms are a bit small (especially the least expensive ones on the north side), but the amenities are top of the line: The safes come with chargers for cellphones and laptop computers, and the in-room phones are cordless. High rollers will want to book one of the suites overlooking Michigan Avenue; a few even come with private terraces, something few hotels in this city offer. Le Méridien can't compete with the Park Hyatt or the Peninsula in the glamour department, but its cozy style should appeal to travelers looking for some place a little more personal. It also makes a good base for anyone visiting during frigid winter weather; with a whole mall just a few steps away, you can get out without even putting on your coat.
The Claridge
If a modest, cost-effective option in a lovely setting within walking distance of Michigan Avenue, Division Street, Old Town's nightlife, and Lincoln Park's many attractions sounds pretty good to you, don't dismiss The Claridge. Ask for a room above the eighth floor that overlooks the tree-lined street (kings and double-doubles are spacious and sunny); avoid at all cost the dark "king superior" rooms, which look onto the fire escape. Some deluxe accommodations have sitting areas, and three executive suites on the 14th floor have working fireplaces.The Claridge won't overwhelm you with facilities; the hotel's restaurant and bar are both quite small. Where this hotel really wins its Brownie points is for the very pleasant staff and nice touches such as freshly baked cookies at turndown. In the lobby, there's a cozy sitting area where you can linger over your complimentary continental breakfast. The surrounding neighborhood of elegant town houses makes a great place for a stroll -- without the traffic and noise of other downtown neighborhoods.
Fairmont Hotel
The Fairmont is easily one of the city's most luxurious hotels, offering an array of deluxe amenities and services and regularly hosting high-level politicians and high-profile fundraisers. Open since the mid-1980s, its overall effect is chic but a bit impersonal. The entrance faces anonymous office towers, and you're likely to wander the circular lobby awhile before finding the check-in desk. Still, the rooms are large and decorated in a comfortable, upscale style (ask for one with a lake view, although city-view rooms aren't bad either). The posh bathrooms feature extra-large tubs, separate vanity areas, and swivel TVs. The windows open (a rarity in high-rise hotels), so you can enjoy the breeze drifting off Lake Michigan. Suites have one or two bedrooms, a living room, a dining area, and a built-in bar -- and all come with lake views. The hotel is connected to the city's underground "pedway" system, through which you can walk all the way to Marshall Field's on State Street -- a bonus on inclement days (a florist, pharmacy, and salon are conveniently located in an adjoining building).Facilities: Restaurant (American/eclectic); lounge; access to Lakeshore Athletic Club, one of the top health clubs in the city (with full-court basketball, climbing wall, pool, and spa); concierge; business center; 24-hr. room service; babysitting; laundry service; 24-hr. dry cleaning.
