What to see & do
There is just too much to do in this region that a day or two would not be enough, but for budget conscious travellers who want a complete and 360-degree taste of a Spanish-flavoured trip with a shot of Madrid, here are are some of the places that shouldn't be missed:
Madrid (city) – A city that encompasses what everything Spain is all about, Madrid is not your average metropolitan and world city. It is a beguiling place that is highly vibrant and energetic, and on its own, it tells a story of how people should live: adventurously. The city is altogether an artistic place, a culinary capital, and a night life destination, with establishments housed in opulent architecture – also known as palaces or grand villas. The buildings here are not skyscrapers, but the sheer artistry playing hand in hand with the rich history of the place creates a rather unique vibe worth noting – and copying – as seen in the many off-shoots of life in this city in places such as Cuba, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico (South America), and at a time France and Italy (Europe), and the Philippines (Asia), whose name was taken from King Philip II of Spain.
Henares or Alcala de Henares – The city is well known as the birthplace of Miguel de Cervantes, famed for his work, the Misadventures of Don Quixote de la Mancha, but more so known as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to the fact that the city is rich in culture and love for art. The city's establishments are also tainted with other influences from neighbouring European countries, particularly Italy.
Aranjuez – Known as the second residence of Spanish royalties, this historic municipality boasts of intricately designed palaces and estates that have been home to the rich and note-worthy in Spain. The Aranjuez Royal Palace, as well as the Jardin de la Isla and the Jardin de la Principe, are sights to see, as well as the Mariblanca, the Palacios Principe de la Paz, the Plaza de la Constitucion, and the Bull Ring or Plaza de Toros, the first bull ring made in Spain.
Toledo – Just outside of Madrid lies this picturesque gem in Castilla La Mancha, Spain. Toledo will bask tourists with its old world charm, complete with hundreds of museums and palaces sitting together and forming an architectural labyrinth that is beautiful from the inside out.
Chinchon – To get to know Spain in the raw, visit the city of Chinchon. A medieval town located close to Madrid in Spain, the city is well known for its plaza which doubles as a bull fighting arena.
How to get around within Madrid
The Community of Madrid boasts of its extensive public transportation network that is well known to be one of the best in the world. The metro network is a marvel – the second largest network in Europe next to London's stations. Buses and subways also form an integrated network, working with the same tickets, and are highly tourist friendly. Whatever the metro doesn't cover, the buses cover, so there will be no problem in going from destination to destination. Taxis are also available in the city, although they are quite hard to find during the weekends when everybody is going out and doing their rounds on this spectacular city. Cars can be problematic though, as cities like Madrid and Aranjuez suffer from heavy traffic flows.
How to get there
The Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport is one of the largest airports in Europe and is the main hub when planning to go to Spain and to the Madrid region. With four terminals and services from many airlines such as Thai Airways, Alitalia, Emirates, Qantas, Cathay Pacific, Iberia, Qatar Airways, China Southern, and many others, it is very easy to access this beautiful city. Cheap flights can be booked using the online reliable resource of the cheapest flights, Skyscanner.