How To Plan A Bargain Holiday To Madrid For Less Than €350.00
Here you can find information to help you plan a bargain holiday to Madrid. There's lots of money saving tips so that you can put together a cheap weekend break for under €350.00. Madrid has lots to do, and you can benefit from the fact that it is one of Europe's best value for money cities. See the ideas below for information about how and where to get hold of discounts on attractions and cheap accommodation.
Use The Madrid Card
If you're coming to Madrid to visit attractions like museums and theme parks, then this is the card to get. The key to a bargain holiday to Madrid is to pick up the Madrid Card. This is available from the tourist information office in the Plaza Mayor. The card gives you discounts or free entry at 40 museums, attractions including:
Faunia nature park
Zoo aquarium
Real Madrid stadium tour
You can buy a card that lasts for either 1,2 or 3 days depending on your stay, and it comes with two handy pocket sized guide books that give full details of all the places you can go to obtain your discounts. I'd make sure you plan your time well before you use the card for the first time because the clock starts ticking the minute you use it!
If you're buying the Madrid Card in the tourist information centre then make sure you take a credit card with you as they don't accept cash. If you want to buy it with cash, the tourist information can tell you of other places to get hold of it.
The Madrid Card Costs
3-day pass -
€59.00
2-day pass -
€49.00
1-day pass -
€39.00
Budget so far: €104.00 (for two people)
Saving Money On Transport
The best thing to help you save money on transport is the Tourist Travel Pass. Buying this will ensure that you have a bargain holiday to Madrid, whatever the length of your stay as it is valid for anything between 1 and 7 days. (But for some reason, you can't get a pass for 4 or 6 days!)
It means you can have unlimited travel on any public transport within not only the city centre, but the entire community of Madrid. There are no limits on the number of trips made, and the bonus of being able to travel throughout the community means that you can head off to some of the sights at the foot of the mountains like El Escorial palace, which has been dubbed 'The 8th Wonder of the World'.
Click here to purchase the Tourist Travel Pass either online
Or, you can pick one up when you arrive in Madrid from tourist information offices, travel agencies and also in the airport.
The Tourist travel pass is priced as follows for travel throughout the whole Community of Madrid:
1 day pass - €12.00.
2 day pass - €20.00.
3 day pass - €25.00.
5 day pass - €36.00.
7 day pass - €50.00.
Click here if you would like to puchase your tourist travel pass
You can also get a cheaper pass if you are just travelling in the centre, which is classed as zone A. If you are staying for any period of time up to a week, I would say that this cheaper, zone A pass is the one you want, as you will have access to all the main attractions, and there are more than enough to keep you busy for a week!
Budget so far for two people: €104.00 + €50.00 = €154.00
Finding A Budget Airline
The best way to cut costs and enjoy a bargain holiday to Madrid is to get a cheap flight to Madrid, therefore try looking for a budget airline. There are more and more routes opening up. Here are some of the airlines that currently offer the best value flights.
Iberia, the Spanish airline, offer some good value flights to Madrid from Manchester, Dublin, Birmingham and Glasgow. Some of their flights stop in Barcelona, so unless this is what you want, be sure to check that the flight is direct.
Vueling are a recently established airline, and they have some excellent bargains to Madrid from European countries such as Rome or Paris.
Airlines that offer cheap flights to Madrid
I've seen flights as cheap as €55.00 return from London Heathrow to Madrid with these airlines!
Budget so far for 2 people: €104.00 + €50.00 + €110.00 = €264.00
Getting Hold Of Cheap Accommodation
 |
| Hostals in Madrid provide a cheap means of accommodation |
There are some excellent value and centrally located hostals in Madrid. You can get hold of a modern, clean room with its own bathroom for €50.00 a night.
Budget so far for 2 people: €104.00 + €50.00 + €110.00 + €50.00 = €314.00
Eating On A Budget
If you've taken note of some of the ideas I've put together to help you find a bargain holiday to Madrid, for under €350.00, then you should have some funds left over for a bit of dining out!
For the cheapest food shopping if you are staying self-catering, try local markets for fresh produce. If you are eating out you can head for the many 'Cervezarias' (literally 'beer houses' although they serve other drinks too!), as they will usually give you a free tapa with your drink.
Otherwise, at lunch time, look for restaurants offering the 'Menu del Dia' (Menu of the Day). Which consists of three courses and wine, and you can find it for as little as €8.00.
There Are Lots Of Ways To Enjoy A Bargain Holiday To Madrid
The tips on this page will help you to enjoy a bargain holiday in Madrid for 2 people for under 350 for the weekend. There's information here that tells you how to get discounted entry into attractions, and the cheapest ways to travel about the city. There are many types of cheap accommodation if you want to save money. Youth hostels, which offer very cheap beds
