How to rest in Spain and not go broke
Travels / / December 19, 2019
Julia Mom
travel design specialist Andalusiaguide.
It's no secret that independent travel to Europe can be much cheaper than ready-made tour. One only has to approach the matter with the mind and life hacking to know a few saving features. This short guide will help the budget to go to Spain and relax in comfort.
Flight
To save on the flight to Spain, it is necessary to consider options with a change in one of the European capitals as an alternative to direct flights. If you select a flight with a longer transfer time (and cheaper cost), then you will be able to more and explore one of the cities in Europe - Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris or Munich. Yes, these flights take longer. But not every day get the chance to walk for several hours through the streets of Paris.
If you are flying is not in mainland Spain and the islands, then to Mallorca will be cheaper to get a transplant in Barcelona, the Canary Islands - with a connection in Madrid. So you can save up to 4-5 thousand rubles, depending on the season.
Travel around the country
Railway transport
Despite the general high cost of rail transport in Europe, in Spain, travel by train is one of the cheapest. Book tickets at the right direction on the official website of the Spanish railways Renfe.
If you plan to travel a lot around the country, will help train travel tickets Interrail One Country Pass, which must be ordered in advance. If you use they give the right of unlimited travel on trains in Spain during the selected time period. Learn about the types of tickets on our website Interrail.
Car
We should not forget about the car rental. This service is in demand among tourists, so finding a rental in Spain can be in any major (and not) of the country town. Typically, the cost of rent at the local distributors below, but it is necessary to carefully read the terms of the contract for hidden fees.
Gasoline prices in Spain are among the lowest in Europe and are in the range of 1.2-1.3 euros per liter. Current gasoline prices across countries can always be tracked on the website GlobalPetrolPrices.
It should also be remembered that part of the high-speed lines in Spain - are paid. Avoid additional costs, you can, if you choose the substitute road. Speed of movement on such roads below, but you can enjoy the beauty of the Spanish countryside and stop off without any problems in the settlements along the way.
Accommodation
Prices for accommodation in hotels in Spain is lower than in Western Europe. Yet it does not neglect such a simple rule as early booking. The sooner you stop to think about the choice hotel, So will be more likely to find a really low cost options.
The most economical mode of accommodation in Spain, considered the type of hotel Hostal. They are like hostels, which does not pay for the room, and for a place. If you want to have your own space, it is best to rent a studio apartment, which is particularly common in the towns by the sea. The disadvantage of this placement is that the issue of power will have to take on.
Another way to save on accommodation - come to Spain in the low season, when demand and house prices are falling.
low season
Most tourists consider Spain a country with endless possibilities for beach holidays. And rightly so. But if you are going to Spain with sightseeing objectives, the trip in high season you may be seriously disappointed.
In July and August in some regions of Spain the air temperature reaches +40 ° C, and most of the tourist places close to the midday siesta. In addition, the crowds can confuse you. As a result, you will not get the desired pleasure from the beauty of Spain.
During low season, the situation is quite different. From November to March in Spain is quite warm, clear and sunny weather without precipitation. Walking tour and visit in this weather can be infinitely long. The only exception is the very north of Spain, where even in summer, damp, moist and fresh.
Tourists in this period is much less, then, it will not be crowding and queues for the main attractions. Low season - the perfect time to visit with excursion goals regions such as Castilla (route Madrid - Toledo - Salamanca - Segovia) and Andalusia (route Málaga - Granada - Cordoba - Sevilla - Cadiz).
Food
In Spain, the common system of tapas bars. Their work is that ordering a drink, you get more and a plate with a few tapas free. Tapas - this is something like small sandwiches or canapés with various fillings, which are considered traditional Spanish snack. Therefore, to spend the evening, not necessarily pay.
The traditional way to save on food - is to buy products at supermarkets or at markets. On the covered food market in Spain can find a large variety of fresh products, such as freshly caught fish and seafood. No wonder the locals prefer to buy there.
sights
When visiting the attractions, entertainment complexes, theme parks worth pre-buy tickets online on the official websites. The most obvious advantage - it is an opportunity to avoid the queues at the box office. In addition, some tourist facilities offer a discount of 2-3 euros when booking online. So the Spaniards are fighting to reduce the number of queues for the most popular and most visited sites.
In every major city in Spain sold complex tourist maps, such as Madrid City Card or Barcelona City Pass, that give discounts at various attractions, museums, cultural events and travel on public transport. The drawback of these cards is a time limit - it is unlikely that one or two days, you can visit dozens of museums and monuments. Nevertheless, the tourist map is in demand, and allows you to save while visiting iconic locations of a city.
Tours
If you are in the city for the first time and want to go on a sightseeing tour, you can do so free of charge thanks to hiking tours (free walking tours). Organize them in every capital of Europe, it is necessary only to know the place and time of meeting with the guide.
The disadvantage of these tours is that they are often held in English or the local languages. If a foreign language - is not an obstacle for you, such a walk with a professional guide will reveal the city in a new way.
Entertainment
Behind the scenes, the two main attractions in Spain are considered bullfights and flamenco. Cheap tickets for the bullfight can be purchased on the day of presentation.
See authentic flamenco dance will come out only in the local bars and cafes where zahazhivayut Spaniards. Enough to buy a drink and you can enjoy the evening live performances. Organized tourist show programs are usually expensive and far from the real art.
beaches
One of the main advantages of holiday in Spain - are free beaches. Unlike other European countries, famous for their beach holiday in Spain there is no such thing as a private beach area belonging to a particular hotel. In this case, the cleanliness are closely watching the local authorities, so the beach in Spain - it is clean and equipped with everything you need a place to rest.
Covering most of the sandy beaches. There are two longest open space, there are small secluded coves. Stones and pebbles are extremely rare. Beach season lasts from May to October.
Budget rest in Spain possible if you remember a few simple tips and stick with them on their journey. But the main thing - it's good planning the trip, which will save you from a headache on the spot and allow to save considerably.
see also
- The guide is not necessary: how to plan your trip →
- How to obtain a Schengen visa by yourself →
- 19 effective tips for packing luggage →