How do you choose the length of your convention?
Length depends less on budget than on two questions: where the group is coming from and what needs to happen during the convention. These are the four core formats:
| Length | Who it suits | What fits in | Programme |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day | Teams based in Madrid or arriving by train that morning | Plenary, breakouts, lunch, awards and a closing dinner or activity | 1-day convention |
| 2 days and 1 night | Teams travelling from other cities | Plenary, welcome dinner, workshops and some time in the city | 2-day convention |
| 3 days and 2 nights | International sales kick-offs and sales conventions | Content, team activity, free time and an awards gala | 3-day convention |
| 4 days or more | Groups from other continents and conventions with an incentive element | Two days of content, a day trip, a gala and experiences in the city | Convention of 4 days or more |
A rule of thumb: if more than half the group has to fly, add at least one night. Madrid has another: if most people arrive by high-speed train, a one-day convention with an early start and an evening return is entirely feasible. And if there are awards, the gala works better on the middle night than the last, when people are already thinking about packing.
Madrid or a destination a short distance away?
Madrid has convention hotels, exhibition centres and unique venues for groups of any size. But leaving the city changes the team's energy, and less than an hour and a half away there are destinations that make this possible without long journeys:
- Toledo. About 33 minutes by high-speed train from Atocha. A World Heritage city above the Tagus, with cigarrales (country estates) and hotels with views for one or two-day conventions.
- Segovia. About 27 minutes by high-speed train from Chamartín. The aqueduct, the Alcázar and Castilian food, with the mountains right next door.
- Sierra de Guadarrama. Mountains, nature and rural hotels just over an hour away by road, for teams who want to switch off and work outdoors.
- Aranjuez and Chinchón. South of Madrid: the Royal Palace and gardens of Aranjuez, and the main square of Chinchón, for conventions with a historic and gastronomic touch.
Many companies combine both worlds: the convention in Madrid and an incentive day outside, or the other way round. We help you weigh up timings and transfers so that the change of scene is worth it.
What all the programmes have in common
Each programme suggests a main venue with data checked against official sources, an hour-by-hour agenda that alternates content, experiences and downtime, what our management includes, possible variations and the questions organisers ask us. None of them publishes prices: we explain what the budget depends on and send you an itemised estimate with the proposal.
Behind all of them is the same method we apply to our company conventions and, when you are looking for a turnkey experiential convention, to [re] Conventions Experience. If your convention includes a reward trip, see also incentive travel, and to choose a hotel, the guide to the best convention hotels in Madrid.
Do you already have dates and numbers? Tell us about your project and within 24 business hours we will send you a proposal with venue, agenda and itemised estimate.