Colombo to Madrid Flights

  About Colombo

Colombo is the largest city and the commercial capital of Sri Lanka. It is one of the holiday destinations that you must add to your travel list. It is also known for its eclectic dining scene and its nightlife. It is also a great place to shop for clothes, wedding invitations and indulge in spa treatments. Sri Lanka is also known for its wildlife and elephant sanctuaries. It is the perfect place to go to if you want to club your luxurious, relaxing holiday plans with adventures. You can either volunteer to help out at an Elephant Sanctuary or sign up for a walking tour. Do try the ayurvedic spas in the city to relieve yourself of all the stress. You can book a hotel in Colombo at an affordable price. While it is not exactly the cheapest holiday destination in Asia, it is worth every money spent. The city is also known for its temples and no matter which religion you follow, you will find a temple of your choice of deity/religion here.

Best Time to Visit Colombo

January to March is ideal for taking off to Colombo on a trip since they are the driest months of the year. The best season to visit, however, is winter from November to March. Winters are quite chilly, and it is the best time to go sightseeing, too. The rainfall does not affect any of your sightseeing plans or any other outdoor activities. It is also an ideal time to head to the beaches and indulges in a few water activities. Colombo also has a very vibrant nightlife that is best experienced in winter when there is barely any rainfall. You can book a hotel in Colombo that is either close to the beach or the nightclubs, depending on how you intend to spend your holiday. The temperature ranges from 25 to 30 degree Celsius. January to March is the high tourist season in Colombo, and a lot of attractions will be filled with tourists. Colombo is also filled with festive spirit during these months as they celebrate festivals like Thai Pongal, Independence Day of Sri Lanka, New Year and Duruthu Perahera Festival. Make sure you book your flight tickets to Colombo well in advance if you are on a budget. If you are planning to go to Colombo on your honeymoon, this is the best time to go.

Colombo experiences summer from May to October, and it is considered as an off-season for tourists. Not only is it unbearably hot in the city, but it is also quite humid, so much that you won't feel like stepping out of your hotel at all. The temperature ranges from 28 to 32 degrees and will only make you uncomfortable. However, since it is offseason, you will get great flight deals to Colombo online. It also rains during this season and might lead to a hailstorm sometimes. If you are not an outdoorsy person and prefer indoor activities, this might be the best time for you to head to Colombo. You will also get really good hotels at a reasonable price during this time since it is offseason and the demand is low. You can sip cocktails by the pool in your hotel or indulge in relaxing spa treatments. You can also explore the Pettah market during this time without being hassled by the tourist crowd. It starts raining from May to August, and it rains intermittently in September and October. The temperature ranges around 28 degree Celsius during this time.

Places to Visit in Colombo

Galle Face Green is a popular beach park in Colombo that you can visit. You can also indulge in a lot of water activities at the beach. Pettah Market is another popular destination where you can go on a shopping spree and walk away with high-end luxury items at the lowest prices. Fort-Colombo is an important tourist attraction in the capital of Sri Lanka. It is the political and cultural heritage of the country and is also known for its vibrant nightlife. A major part is shut because of the turbulence caused by the Civil War. You will also find a lot of casinos here. The National Museum of Colombo is the largest one in Sri Lanka. It was founded by the British Governor of Ceylon from 1872 to 1877, William Henry Gregory. You will find artwork that dates back to the British Colonial and Portuguese era, along with a lot of artefacts. The Gangaramaya temple is famous for its blend of culture and architectural styles from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Chinese and India. It was built in the 19th century and is a place of Buddhist worship and learning. Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara is another Buddhist temple that was built in the 5th century, which holds a lot of historical importance. The temple sees a lot of tourists and devotees during the Duruthu Maha Perehera every January and on full moon days of every month. The paintings and sculptures in the temple will tell you tales from Lord Buddha's life and the Jataka Tales.

Beira Lake is another popular landmark in the city where you can head to if you want to relax and soak in the beautiful views. It is also a highly recommended place for couples to head to in Colombo. Colombo Zoo also called the National Zoological Garden of Sri Lanka, houses over 300 different species of animals, birds, marine life and reptiles from all over the world. Casino Marina started in 2013 and is usually filled with elite tourists in the evenings. You can gamble away till wee hours of the night or enjoy the view of the sea from here. World Trade Centre is one of the most famous colonial buildings that you will find in the Old Fort area. St Lucia's Cathedral got its name after the saint martyr, St Lucia, who is believed to have protected everyone with eye problems in Colombo. It was built in 1760, and the Gothic style architecture draws tourists to it every year. Panadura and Crow Island Beaches are quite popular in the city and the best spots to indulge in recreational activities. You will find a lot of beach parks and temples in the city that are worth a visit.

Things to do in Colombo

Sign up for a city tour of Colombo and indulge in all the activities that come with your tour package. You can also get a customised tour of places that are of interest to you and activities that you have listed in your itinerary. Sri Lanka is known for its seafood and treating yourself to fresh seafood at Mt Lavinia Beach is highly recommended. While you can always rent a taxi for the entire day to get around the city, you can also enjoy a tuk-tuk ride, which is a popular way for locals to get around the city. Pettah Market, Good Market, Paradise Road are some of the popular places in the city for you to go on a shopping spree. You can also indulge in rejuvenating massage therapies at the spas in Colombo. The city also offers scuba diving at certain locations. If you want to give water sports a try, make sure you try this one. Most beaches also have boating, surfing and other water activities for you to try.

Food and Restaurants in Colombo

Seafood, especially prawns, is popular in Colombo since it is a coastal city. Curry Leaf and Seafood's Cove are some of the popular restaurants for you to binge on seafood or other types of meat. The city also has a lot of Indian restaurants; a lot of them have a vegetarian menu, too. Spice Coast is known for its biryani, Chana's for delicious North Indian cuisine and Shanmugas for its vegetarian menu. While you are trying seafood in the city, make sure you also try the chilli crabs. Paradise Road Gallery Cafe is a lovely cafe that is set in a walled garden and also has rotating exhibitions by local artists. It is considered as one of the most romantic restaurants in Colombo and is popular for its cakes. Rare is a chic and modern restaurant in Colombo with wonderful service. The restaurant uses organic produce to cook their unique, delicious cuisines and also boast of a wine cellar with over 150 labels. The lagoon is one of the best seafood restaurants in Colombo, and the fish curries, lobster Thermidor and raw sashimi are their speciality dishes.

How to reach Colombo (Transportation)

Bandaranaike International Airport, also called Colombo International Airport, is about 32 km north of Colombo. The flight connectivity to Colombo from India is excellent. While there are only a few direct flights to Colombo from India, most of the flights have layovers in Chennai or Bangalore. GoAir, Indigo and Spicejet have the maximum number of flights from India. However, Vistara and Srilankan Airlines have direct flights that help you reach the city in 2-3 hours instead of 6 hours. It is also quite easy to get cheap flight tickets to Colombo from India.

  About Madrid

Madrid is one of the hottest holiday destinations in Spain and no, and we are not talking about the weather here. It's not as popular as Barcelona, but it is definitely a city that you must visit. Spain is one of the cheapest holiday destinations in Europe compared to other countries and is worth every penny spent. Madrid is an architectural marvel and is also known for its rich culture. You will occasionally run into an old Spanish Grandma or another local who is all excited to help you with directions or hand you a list of the best attractions to visit in the city. There are high chances of you befriending a lot of locals and staying in touch with them later on through social media. Not to mention, the city is musically inclined, and you will find yourself attending quite a few music festivals here. Of course, Madrid is also popular for its food, and you will want to visit the city again just for the gastronomic experience.

Best Time to Visit Madrid

Summer is one of the most popular times for tourists to plan a vacation to Madrid. However, a lot of local shops are shut during this time since the owners also take a vacation. If you don't mind the scorching heat, this is the best time to fly to Madrid. The temperature ranges from 15 to 31 degree Celsius in summer. You might also want to book your hotel in Madrid well in advance if you are planning to visit the city in summer. You can attend quite a few festivals and events during summers like the International Gay Pride, Mad Cool Festival, Feria del Libro and Veranos de la Villa. Tourists also prefer taking a taxi to get around the city instead of walking around to avoid the heat.

September to November is the autumn season in Madrid and quite pleasant, too. The temperature ranges from 6 to 26 degree Celsius, and this is also when most locals return from their vacations. The shops remain open, and you get to enjoy the highlights of the city at its best. You can also attend the Autumn Festival that happens in October and November. December to February are the coldest months in Madrid. The temperature ranges from 2 to 12 degree Celsius, January being the coldest month. This is also the best time to book a hotel in Madrid or get cheap flight tickets to Madrid since it is not a high season.

Spring season is from March to May and is a pleasant time to head to Madrid. It is right before the high season, so the locals are preparing to welcome a lot of tourists. The hotel prices are low this season and flight tickets are also pretty cheap. The temperature ranges from 5 to 21 degree Celsius and a lot of tourist spots are also open. The best part is that you get to hog the city to yourself since it is not very crowded.

Places to Visit in Madrid

Plaza Mayor, originally called Plaza del Arrabal, is a major tourist attraction in Madrid. You will find yourself admiring the architecture of the place and take lots of pictures. Royal Palace of Madrid is yet another tourist spot that has a lot of historical importance. It was built right where the Moorish Castle was destroyed in 1734 after a tragic fire broke out. It is one of the most important tourist spots in the city. You can also visit the National Museum of History, called the Museo Nacional Del Prado. It houses some of the best masterpieces by renowned artists like Van Dyck, Goya, El Greco, Rembrandt and so on. You will find paintings that date back to the 11th and 18th century. The Temple of Debod was a gift to the city by former Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser. Catch the best of artist Francisco Goya's paintings at the Royal Chapel of St Anthony of La Florida. The church also has the remains of the artist who was buried in front of the altar.

Teatro Real, or the Royal Theatre, is considered to be one of the best opera houses in all of Europe. It has a seating capacity of 1745 people, and you can even get a guide to take you through the theatre. You can also visit the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, a monument that took approximately 20 years to construct. Watch some of the most beautiful fountains at the Plaza de Cibeles. It is also home to the bank of Spain, Linares Palace and Buenavista Palace. Madrid also has a happening nightlife scene. You can head to Barrio de La Latina for some delectable tapas, go dancing and have some amazing beer. However, if crowded places are a deal-breaker for you, you might want to steer clear of visiting the place on weekends.

Things to do in Madrid

You can go on a guided tour of the city. Reserve a day for museums, another day for art tours and a few days to sit back, relax and party. Madrid's nightlife scene is quite exciting. Make sure you visit museums like Museo del Prado, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Museo Sorolla and Museo Reina Sofia. It would be advisable to hire a guide for your museum tour. You'll get to know a lot more interesting facts about the city. You will find yourself appreciating the architecture, and you will be amazed at everything that you see in the museums. If you want to spend your evening relaxing at El Retiro, one of the most beautiful parks in Madrid. You can either plan a picnic on the grass or go boating around the lake in the park. If you are at Plaza Mayor, make sure you try the squid roll here. You will find a lot of restaurants here that serve delicious squid rolls. It is one of the most popular dishes to try here. You can head to Gran Via for a shopping spree and to La Latina for some tapas. Madrid is also easily accessible to other cities in Spain, and you can also cover other major cities in Spain like Barcelona, Seville, Granada, Ibiza and more. Madrid is a place you can visit with your family or your friends. You can also pack your bags and head for a solo trip to Madrid.

Food and Restaurants in Madrid

Traditional Madrid food consists of meat, bread and cheese. It's best tasted in tapas, samples of small plates of Spanish dishes. They come free with the drinks that you order at the bars. Mercado de San Miguel, a popular market that is located right outside Plaza Mayor, offers tapas along with cocktails, dessert, coffee and produce stalls. You can head over to El Tigre if you want to try some complimentary tapas along with your favourite cocktail. The restaurant serves a large plate of tapas, and even though the place is quite loud, you will enjoy your time here. You can also try paella (which is rice with fish), croquetas (fried breadcrumb rolls dish that is filled with mashed potatoes, meat and cheese), Espanola (potato omelette that you will fall in love with) and gazpacho, which is cold soup. You cannot leave Madrid without trying the famous jamón Iberico, one of the most expensive hams in the world. You will also find a lot of Indian, Asian, Chinese and Latin American cuisine in Madrid. Kathmandu Tandoori House Nepali serves the best Indian and Nepali cuisine. You can head to Antonio of Italia a Tavola for authentic Italian food. If you want to try street food that's also healthy, you can try Azotea Forus Barcelo and to Empanadas Malvon Retiro for Argentinean cuisine. Gramabar is a popular spot for everyone who is in the mood for American, Caribbean and Venezuelan cuisine.

How to reach Madrid (Transportation)

Madrid International Airport is called Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport and is situated in the Barajas district. It is about 12 km away from the city centre. The flight connectivity to Madrid from India is excellent. Turkish Airlines, EgyptAir, Lufthansa, Air France are some of the airlines that fly to Madrid quite frequently with layovers at Istanbul, Cairo, Munich and Paris; these are the most popular routes to Madrid by air. If you book in advance, there are high chances that you get cheap flight tickets to Madrid. You will also come across decent flight deals to Madrid online. Madrid Airport is well-equipped with WiFi, lounges and also has a sleeping room in case you want to reach the airport early and wait for your flight. There are lots of taxi and bus services from the airport to your hotel. If you are on a Europe trip and Madrid is on your itinerary, you can also take the Eurail that connects to France and Italy as well. Though you can reach Madrid by rail and road from any other European country, taking a flight to Madrid is one of the most convenient ways to travel.

  About Colombo Airport

Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport, popularly known as Bandaranaike International Airport is the international hub that serves Sri Lanka. The airport is situated at Negombo and has been named after SWRD Bandaranaike, the former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.

About Airport Terminals

Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport stretches about 32.5 km at Katunayake. The airport accommodates three passenger terminals with Terminal 1 being reserved for international airlines and flight activity. Terminal 2 also caters to international activities while Terminal 3 is set for domestic airline functions. Terminal 1 is the oldest and largest terminal in the Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport with 12 gates. It opened back in 1967. Departure and arrival are also located in the same terminal and separated horizontally. Currently, all the international operations take place from this terminal. The terminal is connected to one concourse which has all the 12 gates. The terminal also has two lounges with Srilankan Airlines' famous Serendib Lounge being installed. Along with this, the Palm Spirit lounge is also located in proximity. Terminal 1 also has a dedicated cafeteria, day-rooms, showers, duty-free shops and a smoking lounge.

Terminal 2 has been constructed and opened much recently. It has eight gates and accommodates departure and arrival areas which are separated vertically. As per expansion plans, the airport plans to build an extension to Terminal 2 which will be built in stages and phases. The new terminal is set to have eight boarding gates along with 14 passenger boarding bridges. The proposed development plan also has bridge accommodations for Airbus A380. Terminal 3 came into existence in 2012 and has since been used for domestic operations. The departure and arrival zones are strategically separated in a horizontal manner. There is a dedicated Cargo Terminal that takes care of all cargo airline activities. The arrival and departure are separated in the same way as terminal 1, horizontally.

About Airport Authority

Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport is owned by the Government of Sri Lanka while it is operated by Airport and Aviation Services Limited (AASL). AASL is a government body that has statutory powers to administer, manage and work on the development of the airport. The statutory body is also known to be a big contributor to Sri Lanka's economy as the civil aviation industry has witnessed tremendous financial revenues from the airport. Other airports that also fall under the AASL umbrella are Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, Ratmalana Airport, Batticaloa Airport and Jaffna International Airport.

The airport has been going through some tremendous expansion plans and developments with a view to accommodating more airlines and flights. A split-level passenger terminal building is being constructed which would be separating both the departures as well as the arrivals vertically. Further on the same, there are constructions for a passenger boarding bridges that would directly connect to the new Airbus A380. Adding to the infrastructure would be a remote apron along with nine parking bays to facilitate air traffic movement. Stage II of the expansion seeks to acquiesce 600 hectares of land for construction of a new runway that can accommodate newer airplanes as well as aircraft maintenance and repair centre.

Top airlines flying from Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport

Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport accommodates various airlines as it is recognized to be one of the best tourist destinations. With its proximity to India, the airport sees a good amount of flights flying to Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport from the Indian cities. Some of the biggest Indian airlines operate from Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport are Air India, GoAir, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Vistara. These airlines have dedicated direct flights to Sri Lanka. Indian cities such as Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Madurai, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Kochi, to name a few, have provisions of direct flight connections to Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport.

Similarly, various international airlines are also linked to Sri Lanka. In fact, some of the international airlines that operate from Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport are Air Arabia, AirAsia, Air China, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern Airlines, Cinnamon Air, Edelweiss Air, Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai, Gulf Air, Korean Air, Kuwait Airways, LOT Polish Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Malindo Air, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Salam Air, Saudia, Silkair, Singapore Airlines, Srilankan Airlines, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines and SCAT Airlines. A majority of the flight activities come from the Middle East and Southeast Asian countries. A handful of cargo carriers also fly in and out of the airport. These include Cathay Pacific Cargo, Turkish Airlines Cargo, SriLankan Cargo and Etihad Cargo.

Facilities at Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport

ATM, banks and currency exchange - The airport has a bunch of local banks and ATM services available. If you need to make the currency exchange for travelling within Sri Lanka or if you need some cash in hand for your destination outside the country, it can be arranged at the airport's premise.

Communication services - If you are in need of a local SIM service for your trip, you can get hold of the same at the airport itself. There are booths at the arrivals where they have telecommunication services. With necessary identification documents, you can get hold of the SIM.

Free WiFI - There are free WiFi services available at the airport. You will need to go to the website of Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport to avail the same. Or you can visit the information desk to learn more about how to work around it.

Medical services - To ensure that medical emergencies at the airport are resolved quickly, the airport has also installed designated medical rooms and services. You can find them as well as pharmacies also at the airport. In case you are unable to find them, you can visit the nearest information desk and get more details. The airport paramedic services are known to be of good quality.

Baggage - With respect to baggage services, the airport offers a slew of facilities that would be beneficial. You can get hold of services ranging from wrapping plastic on the luggage, trolleys, storage facilities for the luggage, delivering luggage to the specified destination and more.

Pet assistance - There is room for pet services at the airport too. In case you are travelling with pets, there are professional staff who can take care of your pets as well as their needs. They would require authorized papers and documents from the Department of Animal Production and Health.

Porter service - You can avail porter services at the airport. Basically, you will have to inform your airlines well in advance to book a porter service. The airport staff will escort you through the terminals and take care of your luggage. This would include a security check of the bags, wrapping services, etc.

Airport lounge - There are three lounges at the airport, namely, Lotus, Araliya and Executive. The lounges have been designed in a way to enhance tranquillity and excellent hospitality. You can relax in the lounge, and at the same time, you can avail their services too. These include rich culinary delights, good resting space and complimentary showers and spa.

Restaurants and cafe - Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport has many restaurants and cafes available. The departures and arrivals have good food establishments located perfectly to cater to passengers. Along with restaurants, the airport also as dedicated food courts that is in proximity to the lounge area.

Smoking zone - Smoking in public space is prohibited in Sri Lanka. Hence, the airport has also reserved a space for a smoking lounge. You can make purchases for cigarette boxes at nearby shops within the airport premise.

Transit Hotel - The airport's transit hotel is named Serendiva and offers world-class contemporary decor, aesthetic construction, modern amenities and top-notch hospitality. The interiors are known to bring about the rich culture of Sri Lanka. It is situated on the main pier of the Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport's arrival/departure zone. The hotel is also surrounded by duty-free shops, lounges, immigration counters, cafes and more.

How to reach Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport

The airport offers exemplary transport services and is well-connected to the main city. Although you would be required to travel a little depending on your itinerary and which part of the country you'll be visiting. But you will be able to reach the Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport from different parts of the country. There are public buses, transport services and taxicabs available.

Buses

Express public buses are available within the city that can reach you to Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport. It would only take about 25 mins to reach Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport from Colombo (Pettah) bus stand. From here, you can traverse through all parts of the country without any hassle. You will need to get used to the crowd because the buses are always packed.

Taxicab services

The city is well-connected by taxicab services that can be availed to reach the Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport. In fact, the airport also sees counters and lanes with taxi services outside the airport's arrival section. The arrival porch allows a fleet of 600 vehicles with fixed rates. With the taxicab, you can reach any part of the country, but it might get expensive depending on the distance from Colombo-Bandaranaike International Airport.