Madrid to Beijing 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 Beijing

Beijing is China's political and cultural hub with a lot of tourist attractions. It is also where the famous Great Wall of China is. It is one of the most important tourist spots in China. The city also boasts of a very happening nightlife that will give you nasty hangovers but fun night. Imperial Palace, Coal Hill Park, Beihai Park and Heavenly Temple are some of the popular tourist attractions. It also has amazing places to go shopping and dining. Beijing also has a rich history and historical sites that you just cannot miss when you visit the city. You can also head to the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and the National Museum of China to get to know the city better. While you are at it, you can even learn a few words in Mandarin. It will certainly spice things up during your vacation. China is also known for its diverse and unique cuisines, although it will be quite a task to find restaurants that serve vegetarian food.

Best Time to Visit Beijing

It would be best if you kept a lot of things in mind before you plan a trip to Beijing. If you are on a budget, it is best to avoid festival days and national holidays since booking a hotel in Beijing during this time will only burn a hole in your pocket. However, summer is the most popular tourist season in the city. June to August is the summer and peak season for travellers to fly to Beijing. The flight tickets to Beijing will be considerably higher if not booked in advance. The city also experiences heavy rainfall in July and August so make sure you also carry an umbrella with you. If you are planning your trip to Beijing in June, do not miss the Dragon Boat Festival. The temperature ranges from 18 to 31 degree Celsius during summer. If you are ready to bear with the scorching heat along with the rains, you can choose to travel to the city in summer.

September and October are also great months to plan your trip to Beijing. The hotel prices drop a little bit, and the weather is quite pleasant, owing to the disappearing humidity. You might want to steer clear of travelling to Beijing on the National Day if you are on a budget. But if you are already in the city, head over to the Great Wall of China to catch the festivities and celebration. The temperature ranges from 7 to 26 degree Celsius.

The city sees a dip in the number of tourists during winter, from November to February. This is a great time to fly to Beijing if you are on a tight budget. You will get cheap flight tickets to Beijing, and you can also book a hotel in Beijing at a lower cost. Not to mention, since there are fewer tourists in the city, you won't have to wait in queues or suffer the inconveniences that you might get with a lot of tourists buzzing around. While the temperature is quite pleasant during the day, it drops considerably at night. January-February is also Chinese New Year, and the celebrations are grand in the city. The temperature ranges from -9.4 to 4 degree Celsius in winters so pack all of your warm clothes and some more to fight the cold weather.

The temperature ranges from 7 to 26 degree Celsius in April and May. It's quite the relief from the extremely cold winter in Beijing. The hotel prices also start increasing as the months are inching closer to summer. You can also catch the Beijing International Film Festival if you are planning to visit in April.

Places to Visit in Beijing

The Imperial Palace, also called Forbidden City, dates back to the Yuan dynasty of the 13th century and is one of the most important tourist attractions in Beijing. Until a long time, the palace was not open to ordinary citizens at all, which is how it got its name, Forbidden City. A guided tour of this beautiful palace is highly recommended on your trip to Beijing. The Great Wall of China is about an hour away from Beijing and a historical monument. It is a popular tourist destination in all of China. It was ideally built for military reasons and went on to become one of the most visited tourist attractions. Since it is not possible to cover the entire thing, it is recommended that you see certain parts of it, just for the experience. Summer Palace is another tourist attraction that you cannot miss at all. It has one of the biggest imperial gardens in China and is accessible to the Kunming Lake. Make sure you go early in the day to explore the palace before the tourist crowd kicks in.

Tiananmen Square is another tourist spot that sees a lot of tourists. It's closer to attractions like The Great Hall of the People, National Museum of China, Forbidden City and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong. It was initially built to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Chinese Republic back in 1958. Don't miss the Gate of Heavenly Peace while you are here. Beihai Park is close to the Imperial Palace and a must-visit if you are here. It was created in 1166 AD. If you want to know more about China's history and culture, head over to the National Museum of China, which is quite close to Tiananmen Square. The Temple of Heaven is one of the most sacred buildings in Beijing that dates back to 1420. The rectangular and semi-circular shrines and temples together symbolise the earth, and you will find a lot of peace in the temples here. Beijing National Stadium is popular for hosting the Summer Olympics in 2008 and is also called Bird's Nest. You can opt for a guided tour of the stadium and everything near it. Beijing Zoo is another highlight of the city that houses approximately 15,000 animals of 1000 species. You will find pandas here along with snow leopards, South China tigers, red-crowned cranes and so on. The Zoo also has an aquarium if you want to witness marine life.

Things to do in Beijing

You can take a tour of the museums and palaces by going for one of the tour packages, or you can make your itinerary on your own. Beijing has quite a few palaces and Chinese temples of great significance that you must visit. It is recommended that you hire a guide to most of the palaces and museums so you can know more about the history and importance of the city. If you want to add a little bit of an adventure on your visit to the Great Wall of China, you can hike to the place. There are quite a few tourists and tour groups that can help you arrange for a hiking trip. Try to catch the sunset from the Great Wall of China. It will be the experience of a lifetime. Beijing is also known for its vibrant nightlife, and you can certainly go clubbing if you want to let loose and have fun a little bit.

Food and Restaurants in Beijing

Since Beijing is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country, it offers a plethora of different kinds of cuisines for tourists. Peking Duck is a very popular dish in Beijing that you must try. You can also try the dumplings that are sold at local street stalls or fancy restaurants. Zhajiangmian is a Beijing speciality that is made with wheat noodles and has radish, cucumbers, a special sauce made of pork belly and sweet bean paste. The View 3912 is a popular restaurant that serves French, European and Fusion food. You can also try F Bistronome - FB or TRB Forbidden City for authentic French and European cuisines. Alice's Tea House also specialises in Asian and Beijing cuisine along with serving healthy fast food. Head over to King's Joy for some delicious Chinese food and The Lounge at Renaissance Beijing Capital Hotel for the vibrant nightlife experience.

How to reach Beijing (Transportation)

Beijing Capital International Airport is one of the largest airports in China and 32 km away from the city centre. The flight connectivity to Beijing from India is excellent. Cathay Pacific and Dragonair fly quite frequently to and from Beijing with layovers in Beijing. If you book in advance, you might come across great flight deals to Beijing online. If you are lucky, you will even get cheap flight tickets to Beijing. The Beijing airport is well-equipped with lounges for passengers, decent waiting areas, dressing rooms, duty-free shopping areas, currency exchange, restaurants and cafes. You will also get taxis, buses and shuttle services right from the airport to your hotel and vice versa. The staff is quite helpful, and you will also find a couple of tour packages at the airport, in case you haven't made your itinerary or want to add more attractions to it.