Madrid to Bangalore Flights

  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 Bangalore

India's very own IT hub, Bangalore, is the centre for the high-tech industry. The city is undoubtedly one of the best places to live in India thanks to the innumerable employment opportunities and development scope. Already known to be one of the biggest cities in India, Bangalore's charm also comes from the crazy nightlife and grand architectural structures. The flight connectivity from Bangalore to the other metro cities in India as well as international locations is top-notch. Although the traffic might be the biggest concerns for residents or even individuals travelling to Bangalore, the city's vibrant spirit continues to attract more and more crowd. Not to mention how pleasant weather further adds more charm to the city.

Best time to visit Bangalore

Bangalore enjoys the most pleasant weather in the whole country. Considering how the city is in the Southern regions of India, which is usually hot in summers, Bangalore doesn't face the pesky heat. Rather it continues to relish a moderate temperature, making it ideal for every season. The summers in the city are between February to May with April and May experiencing peak temperatures. The max the temperatures soar up to is 36 degree Celsius. Luckily though, since the city does not face humidity, it is mostly got and dry during summers.

Monsoons begin early in Bangalore from late May or early June. The city experiences heavy rains, especially between June to August. However, rains bring about a scenic charm to the city as the greenery is amplified.

Winters can get super cold with the temperatures dropping down to 12 degrees Celsius. The peak winter months in Bangalore are from November to January. December is easily the coldest month in the city. In fact, winter mornings can be pretty chilly but romantic at the same time. Interestingly, Bangalore does face erratic weather which could either be a spike or a drop in the temperature. Nevertheless, you can enjoy the city's vibrant atmosphere all-round the year.

Places to see in Bangalore

Vidhana Soudha and Vikasa Soudha - The two structures are government properties with impeccable modern construction and intriguing architecture. Although the Vidhana Soudha and Vikasa Soudha are separated to handle different legislative avenues of the city, the place brings about a rich charm, making it a must-visit place in the city.

Seshadari Iyer Memorial - The distinctive red sandstone used to construct this building in Cubbon Park easily stands tall as a tourist attraction. It's basically a public library as well as the Bangalore High Court. Aside from the lawful activities that take place, the complex is also given a recreational touch with toy trains and theatres to entertain kids.

Bangalore Palace - Constructed by the illustrious Maharajas of Mysore, the Bangalore Palace has yet again found prominence as a tourist attraction and is open to tourists. The place has had to undergo a string of renovations following which, they have been able to bring forth an eclectic palace with interesting historical artefacts. The location is definitely interesting, especially since it sheds light in the life of Tipu Sultan. Not to mention how the embellished walls and archways further give it a royal feel that would only add to your merriment.

The Bull Temple - Nestled in Basavanagudi is this typical Dravidian-styled temple that is famous for the colossal bull statue. What makes the statue so special is the fact that it has been carved out of a single boulder, making the temple just as legendary as the statue. Every year, local farmers flock over to the temple to offer their prayers and seek blessings for a fruitful harvest.

Maha Bodhi Society Temple - This temple is relatively new in the city and is basically a replica of the historic structure at Bodh Gaya. The Buddhist stupa is famous for its spiritual teachings, training and peaceful ambience. The same can be experienced at this temple too. The temple grounds reverberate a serene tone of comfort while the quaint setting makes for a tranquil experience.

Bannerghatta National Park - A little away from the city centre, the Bannerghatta National Park is the perfect escape you can ask for from the city's excessive traffic. The national park plays home to tigers, bears, elephants, lions and many more wild animals. You can actually sign up for a safari, and the tour guides would take you through the various segments of the national park. The park also comes with a zoo where some beautiful birds, leopards, jackals, etc. reside.

The city of Bangalore is surprisingly filled with a tremendous number of temples and spiritual setting. Aside from the ones mentioned above, there are many more artful temples, churches and structures that will blow your mind. Plus, the national park, zoos, gardens and other such expanses of green spaces would further leave you spellbound.

Things to do in Bangalore

Adventure sports - Bangalore's young crowd with a thirst for adrenaline rush makes is a prime hub for adventure sports. Right from cruising through the highway roads on a motorcycle to taking up camping and dirt bike riding, there is a massive market for such outdoor activities which you will definitely enjoy. Kayaking, rock climbing, go-karting, even hiking, are all things that you can do when in Bangalore.

Cave exploration - From the city, you can meet up a bunch of fellow cave explorers and head to Savandurga, Anthargange or Siddarabetta. These caves are not too far from the city and definitely worth the wanderlust.

Hiking and trekking - Bangalore is surrounded by some pristine hills with gorgeous waterfalls. You can probably take a day from your trip to spend on trekking up one of the peaks. Nandi Hills is the closest to the city and can easily be completed in a day. Perhaps you can also set camp and enjoy the cool mountain breeze.

Brewery hopping - One of the best things about the city is the plethora of breweries and clubs. Bangalore certainly has a nightlife that can well be on par with that of Mumbai or Delhi. Toit is one of the famous breweries that seems to be expanding its roots from the IT city to other metropolitan cities.

Food and Restaurants in Bangalore

Just head straight to Indira Nagar and go exploring! Delve into the hip vibe of Indira Nagar as the street with its impeccable dining and dynamic nightlife serenades you. All you've got to do is just walk up 100 Feet Road and let the fancy pubs anAd food hubs entice you with their popularity. Some important names to know though, Arbor, Toit, Windmills, Brewklyn Brewery, while you're in Bangalore.

How to reach Bangalore

By Air

One of the major challenges of Bangalore is the transportation. More like, the excessive traffic that makes travelling to the city and within the city a tad bit difficult. By air, you can reach Kempegowda International Airport, which is located in Devanahalli. The airport is 40 km away from the central city (MG Road); however, due to their terrible traffic, reaching the city from the airport gets challenging. The airport has close to 10 domestic airlines and about 21 international airlines with flights coming in and leaving the city. This has enabled Bangalore's flight connectivity ideal with the rest of the cities in India and the world. Bangalore covers close to 50 destinations, within India as well as internationally. Further, the airport also serves as a focus city for three major domestic airlines , namely, SpiceJet, GoAir and IndiGo.

From the airport, there are numerous ways of transport options that one can choose from. There are regular government-affiliated bus services as well as AC Volvo buses to the city. Plus, cab services De also prevalent, so travelling to the city is not an issue.

By Rail

There are two central railway terminals in Bangalore namely Bangalore City Railway Station and Yeshwantpur Junction. The two railway stations are well-connected with the rest of the country's major cities. Although the travel time by train is a little more as compared to flights, the railway is usually the last resort considered by people. A traveller from Mumbai will spend 24 hours on the train to reach Bangalore whereas if the individual will spend only 18-20 hours if travelling from a bus. You must find out which railway station would be ideal for your trip and accordingly book your tickets to Bangalore on the Indian Railways' website. You can also make your bookings on other platforms or visit the railway station to purchase it from the counter.

By Road

Travelling to Bangalore by road might actually be a fun trip. You can either get your own vehicle out to drive down to the city, or you can opt for public transport such as private or public buses. Cities like Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mangalore, Madurai, Coimbatore, Madgaon have sleeper buses available that could take less of your travel time as opposed to trains. The last stop is the Kempegowda Bus Station, popularly known as KSRTC or Majestic Bus Stand. The vast bus stand has intercity buses as well as transport facilities for interstate travel.

  About Bangalore Airport

The Bangalore Airport, popularly known as the Kempegowda International Airport, is the international airport that serves the city of Bangalore, which is the capital of the state of Karnataka. It has completely replaced the HAL airport which previously served the city of Bangalore. The airport is spread across 4,000 acres and is about 40 km from the Bangalore city centre. In fact, it is close to the Devanahalli village. The airport has been christened after the person who founded the city of Bangalore, Kempe Gowda I. The Kempegowda International Airport is the country's first fully solar-powered airport, which is serviced by CleanMax Solar. The Bangalore Airport is known to be the third busiest airport in India, with respect to passenger traffic. It stands behind Delhi and Mumbai in the race. The Kempegowda International Airport is also the 29th busiest airport, as recorded by Asia. The airport has recorded to accommodate approximately 33 million passengers. There are two runways and a passenger terminal that the Bangalore Airport harbours. The domestic and international services and operations take place at T1 while T2 (second terminal) is in the works for expansion.

About Bangalore Airport Terminals

The airport has an integrated terminal which connects both domestic and international passenger operations. The single integrated terminal can accommodate 20 million passengers on a yearly basis. While the check-in counters and baggage claims are on the ground level, the departure gates are all located on the first level. The gates have been segregated in such a way that one side of the segment is dedicated to domestic departures while the other side is reserved for international departures. The gates 41 and 42 accommodate to serve the world's largest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380. The ground level also has Plaza Premium Lounge and VIP rooms available. The airport also has facilities of a day hotel, in case there are flights or layovers that will take more than 10 hours. Currently, the airport is undergoing expansions for the second phase. They are working to build Terminal 2. The project has been undertaken by a renowned architectural firm, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. The construction of the second phase is being undertaken by Larsen & Toubro. The plan is to extend the airport's capacity to accommodate an additional 20 million passengers in a year.

About airport authority

The Bangalore Airport is owned and operated by Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL), which is a public limited company. BIAL has been granted permission to operate the airport for 30 years by the Government of India. The airport does have the option to work for 30 additional years depending on whether the venture wishes to take it forward. The consortium is co-owned by private and public ventures where the Karnataka State Industrial Investment and Development Corporation (government entity) owns 13 per cent. At the same time, the Airports Authority of India has 13 per cent. Meanwhile, the 74 per cent is taken over by private entities, Fairfax Financial holding 54 per cent and Siemens Projects Ventures with 20 per cent.

Facilities at the Bangalore Airport

WiFi services: The Bangalore airport has good WiFi connectivity, which you can avail from all terminals. The WiFi service is available for 45 minutes, and the procedure to acquire it is quite simple too. There are paid WiFis as well, which you can avail at the airport.

Sleeping lounge: The good thing about the Bangalore airport is how it has a special sleeping lounge. The airport has made sleep pods available which is located close to the arrival check-in hall. If you have flight delays or a lot of time to kill before boarding, you can head to the sleeping lounge and take a power nap. The information desk can guide you to the pods.

Multi-faith rooms: The airport also provisions multi-faith rooms for prayers. You can ask the information desk to direct you to the prayer rooms. They have been strategically located within the terminals to make connectivity easy for passengers.

Smoking zone: There are a few smoking zones in the airport. To keep the terminals smoke-free, the airport has reserved some rooms for smoking. You can also find shops selling cigarette boxes.

Buggy services: The airport has special buggy services to traverse within the terminals. The buggy services are usually for senior citizens, passengers with mobility issues, expectant mothers and more. You might even get to receive some complimentary buggy service which you can find at the departure gates and security check area.

Baby care rooms: For people travelling with children and infants, there are baby care rooms also available. For women who need to tend to their baby's needs and require some privacy for the same, you can visit the child care centre. The place has been maintained perfectly. Not to mention, the services also include a changing table and products to help with infants.

Wheelchair assistance: Aside from buggy services, you can also find wheelchair assistance. These can be found at the gates of all the terminals. A dedicated drop-off zone is also available at specific points in the departure and arrival gates.

Restaurants and cafes: Bangalore airport has many food establishments and joints. From the famous ones such as KFC, Burger King, Subway, Domino's, McDonald's to local restaurants with impeccable food, you can find them at the airport.

Local connectivity: If you are a passenger of foreign descent, you can get hold of local SIM cards and burner phones. The positive of getting hold of a temporary Indian SIM is that you can avail the WiFi services at the airport too. Plus, it would be easy to connect with the required contacts outside of the city as well.

Baggage Services: The airport offers baggage services too ranging from trolleys, luggage porter services and baggage wrapping services. Basically, you wouldn't have to worry about your luggage at Bangalore airport.

VIP lounge: Bangalore airport has reservations for VIP lounges and upscale lounge services. VIP lounges are usually reserved for passengers who have a specific premium membership with airlines. You can get access to some of the other upscale lounge and areas where one can wait and relax. The services in these places are quite top-notch, and the experience is mostly extravagant. VIP rooms and a Plaza Premium lounge is available at the airport. It is reserved for premium travellers with first-class and business class flight tickets.

Top airlines flying from the Bangalore Airport

After New Delhi and Mumbai, Bangalore's Kempegowda airport is the third busiest airport in India, in terms of passenger traffic. Over the year, the airport actually witnesses over 33 million passengers, which explains why the demand is so high. Not to mention how the aircraft movement is close to 658, with domestic and international airlines flying in and out of the city. The airport is divided into two terminals and has domestic and international airlines operating from the airport. The Bangalore airport serves as a pivotal space for domestic airlines such as AirAsia India, Alliance Air and IndiGo operating from the city. The airport also witnesses strong connectivity with airlines such as Air India and SpiceJet, flying in and out of the city. It is their focus city. Cities such as Agatti Island, Gulbarga, Bagdogra, Port Blair, to name a few, have direct flights flying from the Bangalore airport with dedicated airlines. The top domestic airlines operating from the city are Air India, Air Asia, GoAir, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Star Air, TruJet and Vistara.

The city also favours as a hub to various international airlines. There are many airlines that fly in and out of Bangalore airport. The international airlines such as Air Arabia, Air France, Air India Express, Air Mauritius, British Airways, Cathay Dragon, Emirates, Ethiopian Airways, Etihad Airways, Gulf Air, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines, Malindo Air, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Royal Nepal Airlines, Saudia, Silkair, Singapore Airlines, Srilankan Airlines, Air Asia Thai and Thai Airways, operate from the Kempegowda International Airport.

How to reach the Bangalore Airport

Kempegowda International Airport lacks a connection with the main city as it is approximately 40 km away from the city centre. In fact, due to immense traffic on the road, it is quite challenging to reach the airport from the city. Hence, it is essential to book a vehicle or use some of the domestic modes of transport to reach the city. Currently, the road is the only way to reach the Bangalore airport. The government had planned to bring forth a link between the city and the airport with metro stations. Called Namma Metro, the link was supposed to cut down the travel time tremendously and avoid the road traffic. However, the project never took off and was eventually scrapped.

By Road

To reach the Bangalore airport, the city's National Highway 44 is the route to pick. A few years ago, a six-lane flyover was built, which enhanced the connectivity and reduced the travel time too. The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), as well as the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), have reserved buses operating from the city to reach the Kempegowda International airport.