Madrid travel chaos – Icelandic Volcano
April 17, 2010 by admin
Filed under Latest Madrid happenings
Those visitors who had enjoyed the sun in Madrid this week have found their onward travel plans severly disrupted due to the volcanic Ash that has grounded most flights in Europe. Whilst the Madrid airport has remained open Spanish national carrier Iberia airlines has suspened all european flights except to neighbouring Portugal and, as yet, unaffected Greece. Little comfort to the tens of thousands of people who fly daily from Barajas!
There’s little consolation for travellers in Madrid trying alternative means of transport as most high speed train services to Barcelona and the Night train Madrid Paris have become fully booked in no time. Add into the mix that the Spanish train operator Renfe is due to suffer from strikes starting today and the situation is fast becoming one of “wait and see”. A number of trains still have space on routes Spains northern coast from which it is possible to either take a ferry to the UK or drive directly to France. Details for going about booking tickets for these seervices can be found here: Madrid trains
Bus and coach routes in Spain are coping with the additional numbers of travellers but the situation is far from ideal with International long haul routes offering little availability. One way out for the exasperated traveller is to take intra regional services to points on the French border and then use Frances internal rail network where although crowded it still has capacity for those desperate to get home!
For all the different travel options from Madrid we recomend our Onward travel from Madrid section.
For those with a few days to spare… time to sit back, relax and hope the sun comes out!
New article – Internet in Madrid
March 21, 2010 by admin
Filed under Latest Madrid happenings
On the informative Madrid guide website we have just added an article on the differing ways to stay online whilst visiting Spains capital. Check out the fact that its now possible to get free Wifi all over the city allowing you to anything from reserving tickets to checking directions whilst out and about!
Champions League final 2010 – Madrid
March 21, 2010 by admin
Filed under Latest Madrid happenings, Sport / Football
2010 Champions League final in Madrid
This years Champions League final will be played on May 22nd in the Santiago Bernabeu. Unfortunately this showpiece occasion will not feature either of the Madrid teams as Real Madrid followed Atletico Madrid out of the competition before the quarter final stage.
For fans wishing to attend the champions league final 2010 they needed to have registered their interest via the Uefa website before the 19th March. A long time before the finalists are even known…
Whilst European football is over for another year for Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid have been steadily progressing in Europes second football tournament, The Europa League, and have now reached the quarter final stage where fate has paired them against the only other Spanish team in the competition, FC Valencia. Most fans of both clubs lament the draw as an all Spanish final was their wish!
For the Champions league finalists they’ll find that the Santiago Bernabeu offers some of the best views of the pitch of any stadium. Unfortunately the 3rd and 4th tiers also offer some of the worst and for fans on the losing side in the final that paid out a hefty amount for these seats the combination will be a bitter pill to swallow. Just as well then that Madrid offers 24hr drinking for those wishing to celebrate or simply drown their sorrows!
Madrid Carnival
February 12, 2010 by admin
Filed under Latest Madrid happenings
The 2010 Madrid Carnival takes place this weekend on saturday the 13th February with the main
procession due to begin its route along Gran Via at 1700. This year Madrids Gran Via celebrates
its centenary and as such the carnival has taken on an historic theme of “Black and white” this
reference is to the stars of stage and screen of the old black and white movies and fits with
Gran Vias status as the stage and screen capital of Spain.
The 2010 Madrid carnival procession is due to be comprised of imitations of screen greats such as Marilyn Monroe and Charlie Chaplin alongside rela and imitation stars of early Spanish film. A parade of more than
twenty historic vehicles, some more than 50 years old, will complete the line up. Complete that
is except for the obligatory Carnival queen!
After the procession the center of Madrid beomes a large party in which fancy dress costumes, although
not obligatory, become the norm. Visitors to Madrid are advised to get out and enjoy the festivities even if theres a nip in the air!
Madrid players – Haiti benefit theater
January 29, 2010 by admin
Filed under Latest Madrid happenings
THE MADRID PLAYERS with CENTRO GALLEGO de MADRID
PRESENT
“A THREESOME “
THREE SHORT PLAYS PRESENTED AS DRAMATIC READINGS
in aid of Haiti Disaster Relief
- Celebration by Harold Pinter
Expect strong language from the start
- Sorry, Wrong Number by Lucille Fletcher
Expect extreme tension throughout
- Melissa McWhale by Walter Wykes
Expect…something rather unusual
- Open to the public only on sat and sunday.
- Cost was 8€ per person in 2010
- Normally held in the 3rd week of January each year
- Be prepared to walk… over 600 stands to visit!!
- Fitur provides disabled and child friendly access and facilities
- Real Madrid manager receive a object thrown from the stands in the face
- Commentators positions bombarded with plastic drinks bottles
- Various flares and smoke cartridges let off within the ground
- All manner of objects thrown on the pitch
- Pre match riot police firing rubber bullets at the Atletico Madrid Ultras
- Travel websites that specialize in Madrid weekend breaks are finding that although the economic climate is lowering their per booking revenue the number of breaks sold is increasing and more than offsetting the revenue drop.
- Cheaper hotel accommodation is being welcomed gladly by those who didn’t book their rooms back at the beginning of 2009.
- Backpackers – Normally an extremely cost conscious market these visitors to Madrid are able to enjoy a higher standard of accommodation, ie hotel room, at the same price for which they had budgeted for a hostel.
Location:
At Centro Gallego, C/ de las Carretas 14.
On 5th and 6th February at 20:30
Price only €5 per person
All profits go to Intermón Oxfam in aid of Haiti Disaster Relief
For reservations email vic@shipsandoil.com
or telephone 918575064
Fitur – Madrids travel Expo
January 29, 2010 by admin
Filed under Latest Madrid happenings
On a wet and cold Saturday morning in January each year one can visit the “IFEMA” exhibition and conference center in Madrid and wash away those winter blues. FITUR is a 30 year old, week long, annual exhibition and trade conference for the travel industry with the doors thrown open on the weekends to the general public.
Whilst originally a strictly “industry professionals only” affair the weekends now see the exhibitors catering to the public with free gifts, exhibitions and special travel offers valid only for the duration of FITUR. For those living in Madrid the opportunity to have exotic locations such as the Maldives and Thailand explained by natives of those countries offers new horizons when planning the annual vacation. Once very much a Spain only exhibition nowadays over 100 countries send representatives with everything from Morrocan wood carvers to Pacific Island dancers to keep visitors amussed!
If you are interested in visiting FITUR 2011 then bear in mind the following:
Spanish airport passenger numbers down
November 12, 2009 by admin
Filed under Latest Madrid happenings
Year on year passenger traffic through the airports operated in Spain by national holding company Aena are showing a massive 9.3% drop for the year to the end of October. For a country where tourism forms almost 10% of the economy these figures make bleak reading for what has been a battered sector this summer.
One bright spot is the performace of Madrids Barajas airport which, for the second month in a row, increased the number of passengers passing through its 4 terminals.
2009 Madrid derby
November 11, 2009 by admin
Filed under Latest Madrid happenings, Sport / Football
As an Atletico abonado the visit of Real Madrid to the Vicente Calderon is always awaited with great expectation but not a little trepidation. Whilst the match always seems to co-incide with Atletico on the “up” and Real Madrid on a “downer” the results this last decade have always favoured the Whites from the north of the city.
Atletico Madrid Ultras in the Fondo Sur
Unfortunately the 2009/10 derby was no different!
From a fans perspective the occasion is sometimes an anti climax as for all the bluster, hype and tension Real Madrid always score an early goal. This year it wasn’t until the 4th minute that Madrid went 1-0 up but instead of the optimism that prevaded amongst Atletico fans in previous years there was a sigh of resignation as if to say “yet again?” By the time the second half was 10 minutes old Atletico were 3-0 down and looking at receiving a hiding!
Cue the entrance of one Sergio “Kun” Aguero.
This “pint sized” Argentinian center forward is Atletico Madrids only saving grace in what has been an awful season so far but injury problems mean that his appearances are limited to “half matches” for the foreseable future. What he lacks in inches or minutes on the field “Kun” more than makes up for with his impact on matches. Minutes after coming on Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos was shown a red card for denying a goalscoring opportunity and Real Madrid were down to ten men with 30 minutes remaining on the clock….
Atletico went over to the attack instantly but it wasn’t until the 82nd minute that Kun grabed a goal to reduce the deficite to 3-1. Four minutes later veteran and golden boat winner Diego Forlan scored a second for Atletico but for all their huffing and puffiong Real Madrid held out for a 3-2 win and maintain their record of ten years without being defeated in the Calderon!
Sanctions against Atletico?
Smoke and flares in the Vicente Calderon
The Madrid derby never passes without incident and this years event saw:
Despite all the above the ground is a safe place to visit and Real Madrid supporters had no problem getting to or from the stadium unmolested! Just wish they didn’t take the 3 points back to the Santiago Bernabeu with them!
Long Weekend In Lanzarote
November 8, 2009 by admin
Filed under Latest Madrid happenings, Madrid travel
One of Lanzarotes famous coastlines
The small Canary Island of Lanzarote is a just a two and a half hour flight from Madrid. But a world away in terms of weather conditions – especially during the winter months. Thanks to its location just 79 miles off the coast of southern Morocco on a similar line of longitude to parts of Mexico and Florida.
As a result Lanzarote enjoys average temperatures of around 21 Celsius even during the depths of December. Making it an ideal getaway for sun starved Madrileños and expatriates alike. With direct flights to the island available from low cost specialists Ryanair and easyJet – as well as Spanish carriers Iberia and Spanair. Both of whom offer hefty travel discounts for anyone in posession of Spanish residency. Making Lanzarote an ideal candidate for a long weekend or full on winter break.
Unlike some of the other Canary Islands Lanzarote´s landscape hasn’t been scarred by high rise hotels and advertising hoardings. As these were all banned during the 1970´s. Whilst strict planning laws ensure against the sort of over development that has blighted some other Spanish sunspots.
As a result Lanzarote has been left largely as nature intended – especially away fro the three main resorts. Which is just as well – as the island boasts more than its fair share of natural – if unconventional – beauty.
This is most evident in and around the volcanic region, which occupies around one third of Lanzarote´s interior. A surreal, lunar like landscape created by a huge chain of eruptions in the 1730s which lasted for around six years. Wiping out villages, farmland and livelihoods and leaving lava fields and burn out volcanoes in its wake.
Flora and fauna at Timanfaya
The whole region was declared a National Park in 1974 today welcomes close to one million visitors every year.
Away from the twisted terrain of the islands interior Lanzarote boasts close to 100 spectacular beaches. Some of which, such as the set of coves and bays at Pagagayo in the south, are regarded as amongst the best in the whole of the Canarian archipelago.
During the winter months visitors are best advised to follow the swallows and head south. As even on an island measuring just 60km by 40km there’s still a pronounced mircoclimate at work. Making Playa Blanca at the bottom tip of the island the most reliable resort for decent weather.
Playa Blanca also offers an excellent selection of accommodation and is home to the bulk of the best hotels and villas in Lanzarote . Such as the five star Gran Melia Volcan, located right next to the stylish Rubicon Marina development. Which provides mooring for luxury yachts from around the world.
Madrid weekend breaks becoming more affordable?
August 31, 2009 by admin
Filed under Latest Madrid happenings
Is your romantic Madrid weekend break about to become substantially cheaper? Following on from our earlier piece on the Spain tourism: effects of the financial crisis its only logical that today we take things one step closer and explain how visiting Madrid has become cheaper for one class of tourists and how they’ve been enjoying some rather unexpected benefits.
The weekend break becomes cheap?
Figures from the UK airports authority for July 2009 (figures) how that the number of passengers in the peak summer season is down from 2008. If one adds into the equation that in 2008 most airline executives were thinking of how to add capacity for 2009 it quickly becomes apparent that there are a considerable number of seats that are not being sold on each flight.
Whilst those travelers visiting Madrid from the USA will typically reserve their vacation months in advance the traveler visiting Madrid from UK shores can leave things that bit later. If the visit is only for a weekend and there are no pressures for it to be a certain weekend, eg: “any weekend in September”, then last minute holiday deals are available at very good rates. This includes flights from the major airlines such as British Airways and Iberia and not just the low cost outfits such as Ryanair and Easyjet.
Why?
Well it all comes down to the capacity surplus in the flight market. This feeds through into lower airfares as airlines try to stimulate demand and fill their planes. As its impossible to change the number of seats available on an aircraft its considered better to fill all seats at slightly less than normal fares rather than to fly half empty.
Why travel now?
The present situation is one of the airlines cutting fares to stimulate demand. The hotels are also doing the same due to the reduced number of visitors and this combination is where the majority of a Madrid weekend break costs come from. This situation won’t last past two or three months as the effects of the lower fares will fill the capacity gap at which point airfares and hotel rates can be increased.
So who’s benefiting?
Whats missing
All that’s needed now is that the tourist attractions, restaurants, taxis and transport services in Madrid drop their prices as well!
