Cheap Flights to Madrid

Madrid climate

Madrid has a temperate, Mediterranean climate. Summers, when most travellers take cheap flights to Madrid, are hot with temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) or hotter, sometimes up to 40 degrees (104F). The heat is dry, not humid. Winters are cold. Daily average temperatures are about 9 degrees (48F).

When to fly to Madrid

Peak Season:
Summer is peak season, when most travellers take cheap flights to Madrid. If 40-degree days are too hot for you, avoid the month of August. Temperatures are more comfortable between May and mid-July, between 20 and 32 degrees Celsius (68–90F).

Shoulder Season:
Spring and fall are good times to visit. Attractions are less crowded than during the summer months.

Off Season:
Winter is generally off season.

Getting around Madrid

After landing on cheap flights to Madrid, the city is easy to get about on foot. When you get tired of walking taxis can be hailed on the street. There are also several taxi ranks throughout the city.

Madrid also has a fantastic metro system - cheap (fares are about €1) and very efficient. There are 12 metro lines, three tramway lines and the branch line that links Ópera to Principe Pío.

Empresa Municipal de Transporte (EMT) operates the buses. Just like the Metro, bus services are efficient and cheap. A single ticket costs €1.

One of the most wonderful ways of getting around Madrid is by cable car. The cars link terminal on Paseo Pintor Rosales with the Casa de Campo. One-way tickets (adults) cost about €3, round trips are about €5. From the cable car there are views of the Air Transport Ministry, Temple of Debod, Plaza de España skyscrapers, Royal Palace and Cathedral of the Almudena.

Madrid insider information

• El Rastro is a magnet for bargain hunters. It's the most popular open-air flea market in Madrid, held every Sunday and public holiday. You'll find it 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 kicks off on May 15. San Isidro is the male patron saint of Madrid. His day is marked with local pilgrimages, fairs and bullfights.
• Among the world-renowned galleries and museums - the Prado, the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia and the Thyssen- Bornemisza - seek out a lesser-known jewel. The Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales 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. There are works by Breughel, Rubens and Titian.
• 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.
• One of the best places to see flamenco is Corral de la Moreria.