Madrid City Break Information
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This page will help you to compare a Madrid city break to city breaks in other European cities. You can see an overview dealing with the pros and cons of staying in each city, so you can see more easily which city is best suited to your likes and dislikes, and your budget. You can read about some similar features of other cities to Madrid, so that if you've visited one of them before, and enjoyed it, you may find it useful to know about similar attractions that a Madrid city break has to offer.
A Madrid City Break Compared To London
London can offer you a myriad of things to do, but you will pay. Most surveys out this year say that London is the 3rd most expensive city in the world. Whereas Madrid falls round about 46th. Also, the weather is more reliable in Madrid, so choosing a Madrid city break will be kinder to your bank balance and you are much less likely to need your umbrella.
See our page on the climate in Madrid.
London has majestic buildings like Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. Madrid has the beautiful, Borbon, Plaza Mayor, which is one of its central squares. You can enjoy sitting out at one of the many cafes in the square and soaking up the atmosphere. You'll find the pace in Madrid somewhat slower than in London, and as the shops stay open until 20:00 or 21:00 at night - why rush?
With regards to nightlife, Madrid is a fairly safe city, especially in the centre. The bars stay open until about 03:00 and the clubs carry on until 07:00 and beyond. Be aware that measures of spirits are larger in Madrid - almost three times that given in the UK. This makes the nightlife a lot cheaper in comparison.
Madrid is home to many theatres, and there is always somewhere to see opera, ballet, and musicals. It is also the new centre for Flamenco, and you'll be able to find jazz venues, dance clubs and live performances.
See depth our page on entertainment in Madrid
Staying In Paris, Compared To A Madrid City Break
In comparison to Paris, Madrid can gain a few points with the fact that its hotel rooms generally offer air-conditioning, which is essential in the summer. A colleague of mine remarked not long ago that many of the rooms she had stayed in, in Paris, didn't have this facility.
Choosing a Madrid city break means that the weather will be more reliable from around April until the end of September, as it is further south.
Prices are less in Madrid. My French friend has reliably informed me of this, every time we are out shopping. In-particularly, going to the cinema in Madrid, which is on average only €6.00.
If you've been to Paris to visit the museums and galleries, then you'll love a Madrid city break. Madrid is highly cultured and you'll find over 44 museums in the centre. Any art lover will love a visit to the famous 'Golden Triangle' of galleries, all within walking distance of each other: The Prado, the Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Reina- Sofia. To get to these galleries you can take the metro.
Metro: Banco de Espana (Red Line, L2) and 10 minutes walk to the Thyssen- Bornemisza.
If you would like to find out see our pae on Madrid art galleries.
A Madrid City Break Compared To Break In Rome
For a city break, Madrid can offer you an all round experience of everything from culture, and cuisine to sports and theme parks. Rome is for lovers of ancient architecture, which you won't find in the same form in Madrid.
The town hall of Madrid and the tourist information service have come together to offer a programme of guided walks around the city. If you are interested in architecture and the history of Madrid, then this is an excellent way to learn all about some of Madrid's secrets. I've taken a few of the tours and I also think that they help you to get your bearings. For more information you can visit the main Tourist Information Office in the Plaza Mayor. Metro: Sol (Red Line, L2) and 5 minutes walk.
If I Liked Prague, Would I Enjoy A Madrid City Break?
Prague is a city of 1.2 million inhabitants, so you'll find it a lot smaller than Madrid, which has over 3 million permanent residents. It's a quaint, medieval city and if you've visited it, you were probably attracted either because you were curious to see it now that it has emerged from under the Communist rule, or you were interested in its beautiful architecture.
A Madrid city break not only gives you the chance to glimpse into medieval times by taking a walking tour round its medieval quarter, but you can also hop back into the 21st century quite easily and visit the numerous shops, bars and attractions.
According to the latest surveys, Madrid ranks as a cheaper city than Prague, so if you have a budget to consider, this is worth taking into account.
Although you might think that as Madrid has such a big population, that it is big - this is not the case. Most of the main attractions, like the museums, galleries, bars and restaurants are well sign-posted and all within easy walking distance of each other. Everything that you will want to see is reachable either on foot, by bus, or by metro.
A Madrid City Break Is Good Value
Staying in Madrid can be done cheaply. Madrid is a lot cheaper than London for example. In Madrid you can see historical buildings, find lots of shops, bars and restaurants, and there are many attractions for all the family, couples, the young and the old.