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Because Spain on the Cheap almost became I mega post, I had to split it up between part I and part II.  As discussed in the previous post, budget travel from getting there, sleeping, and eating in Spain was the topic of the day in Spain on the Cheap Part I.  Without further adieu here is Spain on the Cheap Part 2, what to see and do (probably the most important part of going to Spain).

See and Do

Madrid

Most of the plazas are free (because they are a public space) and the walking tours usually take you to all these places. For the walking tour, you can pay how much you like. Usually you give a few euros (sure beats a 20 euro bike or segway tour for the same sights!).

Parque del Buen Retiro is basically a huge park in the middle of the city. It kind of puts Central Park in New York to shame. Madrid’s oldest tree since the early 1600 also sits in the park.

Museo del Prado- a “must-see” if you visit Madrid. There are over 7000 paintings in this museum. ‘Nuff said. If you are a student under 25 (bring your photo ID and student card) you can get in for free. Same if you are over 65. If you visit between 6-8pm on a Monday to Saturday its also free, but expect long lines. Otherwise, it costs 14 euros.

Opera- If you’re under the age of 30, you can score deeply discounted opera tickets if you show up 30 minutes before the opera starts. Like up to 90% off. Romeo and Juliet was playing in Madrid when I was there.

Seville

La Cathedral and Giralda- this is where Christopher Columbus’ tomb is housed. It is one of the largest cathedrals you will ever see. The Giralda (a big bell tower) has been built between 1184 and 1198 by the Moors and it has withstood multiple earthquakes and the test of time. Unfortunately you can’t get in for free but it only costs about 8 euros for admission. Continue Reading →

Barcelona, one of the world’s most popular and liveliest cities deserves a separate post on how to enjoy it on the cheap. Check out how to save money visiting the rest of Spain’s main cities in this post. If you want a city full of culture, night life, and beach time, this city is it.

Here are some things you can try for saving money in Barcelona :

Stay

Hostels are again, a great way to save money. I stayed at the Casa Gracia near Diagonal Metro station and other than the uber-modern interior design, the other great thing about it was the full-on free full breakfast. Coffee, fruit, juices, ham and cheese, bread, cereal, you name it you got it. It cost about 20 USD a night for a mixed dorm bed. It wasn’t in the central part of town but a quick 15 to 20 min walk (or a two stop metro ride) got you to Plaza Catalunya, which is the central hub of activity of Barcelona.

This hostel had a free walking tour arranged by the Walking with Architects group (a bunch of architect students doing this on the side). The guides give good recommendations for “must-see’s” and must-eats.n Also, their passion for architecture (for a Gaudi architecture rich city) is nice to see!

Related: Travel on the Cheap- Backpacking and Hostels

Eat

Staying away from Las Rambla, you should be fine. Otherwise, expect to pay 18 to 22 euros per person for a bunch of tapas and some drinks. Continue Reading →

As a member of the European Union, Spain isn’t typically considered a cheap travel destination. However, with planning and a little bit of research, you can manage to travel on the cheap in Spain, whatever your itinerary might be. Like most things, the most expensive part of the trip is the airfare, but if you plan ahead and have time on your side (both in terms of amount of time you have for vacation, flexibility of your dates, and how far you book in advance) the cost of the flight doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg.

Spain is absolutely beautiful and is rich with culture and amazing sights (for example, seeing Christopher Columbus’ tomb- who would have thought that this was a sightseeing option?), not to mention rich with delicious food and drink, like tapas and sangria. Fortunately you don’t have to be rich to enjoy Spain. With a little planning, you can do a trip to Spain on the cheap.

Some of the major sights and must-sees are Granada, Seville, Cordoba, Barcelona, and Madrid. A lot of people also check out Valencia an of course Ibiza too (if partying is your kind of thing- though I’m not sure how cheap drugs are, you probably can’t really do Ibiza on the cheap ). This can be easily done in about a 10-14 day itinerary.

Getting There and Get Around

Getting there use your points or use a flight aggregator website to find the best deal. Once you’re in the country, getting around is easy. You can either fly (cheap flights like Ryan Air, Easyjet, and Vueling cost under $100 and even less if you don’t check in any baggage) or take the train. Low-cost tickets for the Renfe trains can be booked online, though you need to check with your credit card company first to make sure they let the transaction go through. Renfe tickets cost about the same as flying but you have the luxury of more time, no delays, and some scenery to look at. If you have a bit more time, book a bus to get from A to B. Even better, book an overnight bus to get to further distances if you’re able to sleep well anywhere (saves you accommodation for one night). Continue Reading →