By GETTING THERE
It took about 5 hours to get from Granada to Madrid by bus. If you’re traveling this route, consider Alsa bus.
WHERE TO LAY YOUR HEAD ON A PILLOW
Three words — OK Hostel Madrid. Definitely one of my favorite hostels to date, top three for sure. Located in Barrio La Latina, OK Hostel Madrid is the perfect choice for travelers looking for convenience, comfort, and fun. Grab a drink at the bar, chill in the lounge, save some coins by preparing a meal in the kitchen…whatever floats your boat, I can’t recommend OK Hostel Madrid enough.
GETTING AROUND MADRID
One day, I had an option of taking a taxi for about 15 €, or partaking in a 30-minute walk for free. Well, I wanted to get some steps in for the day, so I decided to walk. Who am I kidding? I walked because I’m frugal. I got lost, so that 30-minute walk turned into an hour. All that to say, you can hop in a taxi or walk. If you walk, I hope your sense of direction is better than mine.
WHERE TO EAT
Let me start by saying that I did not get churros con chocolate. So, I will just have to look at pictures from my first trip to Madrid and live vicariously through those.
I didn’t get churros, but I did visit Mercado de San Miguel. Steps away from Plaza Mayor, this market has tons of options, from tapas to more substantial dishes. So, walk around Plaza Mayor, work up an appetite, then head to the market.
THINGS TO DO
Madrid was my first international trip years ago. I was a true tourist at that time, so I decided to chill during this visit. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t point out some of the major attractions to check out — Puerta del Sol, Museo del Prado, Reina Sofía, and Plaza Mayor, just to name a few.
This time around, I chilled and did things off the beaten path. I spent quite a bit of time at the Parque del Buen Retiro, also known as El Retiro. Warm weather, amazing scenery, a big blanket, good reads…just what I needed for nice, relaxing afternoons.
One night, I took a break from chilling in the park and ventured to a club. I went to Sala Juglar in Lavapies to check out Afrojam, which can best be described as an underground jam session. Shoutout to Melan Madrid (more on that in a future post) for the suggestion. If you happen to be in Madrid on a Wednesday night and want to hear good music, dance, and be surrounded by good vibes, be sure to check out Afrojam…definitely worth the 6 € entry fee.
BUDGET
Here’s a breakdown of my budget for four days in Madrid.
| Item | Cost |
| Granada → Madrid | 21 € = 25 USD |
| Accommodations | 64 € = 77 USD |
| Getting Around | Walked, aimlessly |
| Food and Drinks | 63 € = 76 USD |
| Activities | 6 € = 7 USD |
| Total | 154 € = 185 USD |
*I used an exchange rate of 1 € = 1.2 USD
Ciao for now,
Marissa
I love this post, it brings me right back to my time spent in Madrid!
Thanks! I can’t wait to get back to Madrid!
What a fun trip! I love how nice some of the hostels are these days!
Yes, nice and affordable! Some of the hostels were nicer than some hotels I’ve visited.
This looks like an awesome place to visit!
Yes, Madrid is amazing!
This looks beautiful and the food looks so good! I can’t believe you were able to spend so little!
The food was so good!! I shocked myself with the amount of money I spent in Madrid. I’m guessing it stayed so low because I spent so much time chilling in the park.
This looks amazing! I can’t believe you were able to spend that long there for that amount of money!
Yes, I love to travel on a budget!
Wow, Madrid is beautiful! I think I would definitely go CRAZY and exceed my budget on the food – haha 🙂
Hahah, right?! One downside of solo travel is the fact that it can be hard to eat as much as you’d like. My first trip to Madrid was with my best friend…we ate sooo much that week because we shared the dishes.
I can’t believe you didn’t get any churros, churros are my favorite! I have been to Madrid two years ago but would totally visit again! 🙂 And thanks for sharing the hostel – seems really cool!
I can’t believe it either! The day that I make it back to Madrid, churros will be the first thing on my list.
I like your post! Thank you for your tips!
Hi I live and work in Madrid you have a good web site
Thanks, Kamal! That made my day! I bet living in Madrid is amazing!!