Madrid's mega-week: Pope Leo XIV, Bad Bunny, and elections converge

Madrid is experiencing an unprecedented convergence of major events this week, with Pope Leo XIV, Bad Bunny, and Colombian presidential elections drawing massive crowds. Bad Bunny, the most streamed male artist on Spotify, began a 10-concert residency at the Metropolitano Stadium on June 1, performing to about 50,000 fans nightly until June 15. Ticket sales are expected to exceed €75 million, with an additional €28 million in hospitality spending. The Pope arrives on Saturday for three days, including a mass at Plaza de Cibeles expected to attract 1.5 million devotees and a gala at the Bernabéu Stadium on Monday. The papal visit costs around €15 million but is projected to generate €100 million. Over 300,000 Colombian voters in Spain cast ballots in their presidential election's first round last weekend. The security operation has forced Real Madrid CF's snap elections to relocate to Valdebebas. Hotel bookings have surged, with Room's two Madrid locations seeing 73% and 103% increases year-on-year. The city's infrastructure is strained but the dynamism has made Madrid feel alive, drawing comparisons to Miami.