Cheap flights to Madrid, Spain from $648

Barcelona may have the reputation as the capital of cool, but Madrid has plenty for travellers to “ooh” and “aah” at. Every year, millions of tourists take cheap flights to Madrid to gawp at the magnificent, treasure-stuffed Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza and Reina Sofia galleries.

The streets of Madrid, Spain’s capital and largest city, are almost open-air museums so stately and grand are the public buildings. King Philip II set up his court in Madrid in 1561 and he and later kings added grander and grander palaces, cathedrals and monuments.

Madrid is one of Europe’s greenest cities; there are more than 40 parks. The Retiro is Madrid’s best known. Other popular parks are the Casa de Campo and Parque Quinta de la Fuente del Berro.

As for food, the cuisine offers the best of Spain’s regional dishes. The stews, hotpots, and most famously, tapas, provide the fuel for long, raucous nights. Madrilenos head out late and stay out even later. A Friday night out in Madrid may only end with a late breakfast on Saturday or later.

Madrid climate

Madrid’s climate is temperate Mediterranean. The summer months, when most travellers take cheap flights to Madrid, are very hot with temperatures of about 30 degrees Celsius. Sometimes, temperatures soar to 40 degrees. It’s a dry heat; humidity is not a problem in Madrid. Winters are cold; average temperatures hit the 9-degree mark.

Getting around Madrid

Walking: you could see most of Madrid’s must-see monuments in about two hours, but if you get tired, the metro (underground) is clean, fast and cheap. The bus system is great too – day buses run from 6am-1.30am and night buses (buhos) run from 11.30pm to 5.30am.

Taxis are white with a red stripe. Flag them down on the street, pick one up at a taxi rank or order them by telephone.

What is good to know if travelling to Madrid?

• There are several ways to save some money while visiting Madrid. The tourist pass and the Madrid Card gives unlimited use of public transport during a specified period. 
• See Madrid by cable car. You can catch the cable car from Pintor Rosales Avenue, in the Parque del Oeste, and glide along to the Casa de Campo Park. The fare is about €4 return. 
• El Rastro is the most popular open-air flea market in Madrid. It’s held every Sunday and public holiday. Location: between Plaza Mayor, La Latina and Puerta de Toledo. 
• Bull-fighting – Madrid attracts the best matadors in Spain. If you are interested, try to time cheap flights to Madrid during May and June. The San Isidro bullfight festival starts on May 15. San Isidro is the male patron saint of Madrid. His day is marked with local pilgrimages, fairs and bullfights. 
• The Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales is a lesser-known jewel in a city of world-class museums and galleries. The monastery was built in the 16th century for aristocratic nuns. As young girls entered the convent they brought with them a dowry that often included works of art. Works by Breughel, Rubens and Titian adorn the walls. 
• The Church of San Nicolás de los Servitas is the oldest church in Madrid, parts of which date back to the 11th century. An exhibition in the small chapel tells the story of Madrid’s early history when the Moors ruled. 
• Corral de la Moreria is one of the best places to see flamenco.