Madrid to Budapest 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 Budapest

Budapest, in Hungary, is one of the most beautiful places to go on vacation. You can head to Budapest with your family, your friends or even on a solo backpacking trip. The city has nightclubs for the party animal in you, and it also has architectural marvels that date back to the Renaissance, neo-Gothic, Ottoman and Roman times. Not to mention, you also have a lot of castles to visit and learn all about Budapest's history. The city is also known for its Jewish heritage and Danube river. It is an exciting European destination to visit, and the city does not bore you one bit. You will constantly find yourself admiring the beautiful buildings or learning more about the city without burying yourself in books or the internet. There is always something you can do in Budapest, and you will never want your holiday to end.

Best Time to Visit Budapest

March to May and May September to November are considered to be the best months to plan a trip to Budapest. March to May is the spring season, and the weather remains quite pleasant. You will get cheap flight tickets to Budapest during this time as compared to the rates in summer. You can also book a hotel in Budapest at a minimal price. The temperature ranges from 2 to 21 degree Celsius during these months. There are chances of mild rains at the end of spring, though. If you are planning a spring vacation to Budapest, you can also attend a lot of events and festivals held in the city like the Budapest Dance Festival, Budapest Spring Festival, Rosalia Festival and Budapest Beer Week. There will be a lesser tourist crowd during this time, making it ideal to go sightseeing or take up other activities that you might find restrictive otherwise, owing to a larger tourist crowd.

September to November is fall season, and it is ideal because it is right after summer. The number of tourists reduces, and hotel prices drop yet again. There are quite a few interesting festivals and events during this time that make it the best time to go to Budapest. You can attend events like the Jewish Cultural Festival, Budapest Wine Festival, Oktoberfest Budapest, Design Week Budapest and a ton of Christmassy things that happen before the big day.

Summer hits Budapest from June through August, and it is also a popular time for tourists to head to the city. You might want to book your flight tickets to Budapest in advance along with your accommodations since the prices increase in summer. Not to mention, do check the hotel facilities before booking one because not every hotel has air conditioning. It is also expected to rain in summer in Budapest. If you are taking off to Budapest in summer, you can attend a couple of festivals and events during this time like the Budapest Summer Festival, Danube Carnival, Budapest Pride (highly recommended), Sziget Festival and Festival of Folk Arts. The temperature ranges from 13 to 26 degree Celsius in summer. The climate will not be intolerable, but the increase in tourists will only make your plans difficult to execute.

The city sees snowfall from December to February and though it's not the worst times to take a trip to Budapest, the other seasons are much better. Budapest sees a major dip in the number of tourists during this time.

Places to Visit in Budapest

Buda Castles is one of the most important tourist attractions in the city. It is the perfect blend of Gothic, Roman and Baroque architectures. The castle looks far beautiful and spectacular at night. It is also a UNESCO Heritage site. Underneath the castle, you will find Hospital In The Rock, which was created during World War 2 and the Cold War as a shelter. It is recommended that you hire a guide for this one to know more about the hardships faced by people of that era. This section only opened to the public in 2008 and is one of the many exceptional places to visit in the city. Matthias Church is another popular tourist spot in Budapest and dates back to 1014. You will find peace here and be marvelled at the stunning architecture. The Hungarian State Opera is another masterpiece in the city that you must visit, even for sightseeing. Fisherman Bastion, near Matthias Church, is another place in Budapest rich with history. The complex has seven towers, several courtyards and colonnades that represent the Magyar tribes. It is named after the group of fishermen since they were the ones who saved Buda Castle from this part of the city during the middle ages. Not to mention, you will also catch a scenic view of the Danube river from up top.

Gellert Spa is one of the most popular thermal spas in the city. Spending some time here will only help you rejuvenate your body, and water also has healing properties. This is a highly recommended place in the city and a very relaxing one, too. Heroes Square was built in 1896 to celebrate Hungary's 1000th anniversary and is one of the most popular places in Budapest.

Things to do in Budapest

Take a walking tour at Castle Hill that is right above the Danube river. You can also visit Buda Castle, an activity that is not to be missed in the city. A lot of tourists also take a cruise at the Danube river, which you won't regret one bit. Try to go for a cruise around sunset and the beautiful view will leave an imprint in your mind. Budapest has a lot of different tours that you can take. You can opt for a guided historical tour or just plain sightseeing. You can also take up hiking or other activities in the city. Thermal baths are a rage in Budapest, and it would be a shame not to experience it here. The city is also known for its nightlife and has several nightclubs. You can also spend a day or two to just party till you drop. It will not burn a hole in your pocket at all. If you are taking a cruise, make it romantic by opting for a candlelit dinner cruise. You can visit the Museum of Fine Arts if you want to take a break from exploring the old parts of the city. Head over to Hungarian State Opera House, and while you are at it, you can also book tickets to a show and enjoy the musical experience.

Food and Restaurants in Budapest

While Budapest has a place for all different kinds of taste buds, you can also give Hungarian food and the local street food a try. Cupákos is popular among meat lovers and is quite affordable, too. A lot of food critics recommend that you use your hands to eat instead of a fork and knife. Be it sausages, ribs, pork or duck, and this restaurant serves the best of everything. Bable is known for its Romanian and Hungarian cuisine. It's a Michelin-star restaurant and a popular one, so you might have to reserve a table before entering. The restaurant also has a seven-course meal for vegans. Két Szerecsen is a great place for a cup of coffee or breakfast. The bistro is open all day and has a great ambience. TOPRUM Rooftop Bar, which is on the seventh floor of Hotel Rum Budapest, is where you go for a couple of drinks and food, of course. You will also experience the best views of the city from the bar. Mazel Tov is known for its Israeli and Mediterranean cuisine. It is a glass-roof restaurant that also has a huge courtyard. Do try the chicken shawarma here. You will find a lot of restaurants and cafes here that serve delectable Hungarian food.

How to reach Budapest (Transportation)

The Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport is the largest one in Hungary and is well-connected to the rest of the world as much as to Europe. The flight connectivity to Budapest from India is excellent. While there are no direct flights to Budapest, there are several airlines that fly to the city and have layovers in their home cities. Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways and Lufthansa fly to Budapest quite frequently with layovers at Istanbul, Doha and Munich. Cheap flight tickets to Budapest are available from Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai as compared to Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi or Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru. Budapest is also connected to other international cities like Paris, Dubai, Zurich, Ibiza, Vienna, Cairo and so on. However, if you are travelling to Budapest during winter, there are possibilities of flight delays and cancellations since the city experiences high snowfall during this time. December and January see the most snowfall in Budapest. Like most airports, Budapest airport also has VIP lounges, children's play areas, shopping areas, a prayer room, smoking room and restaurants. If you have to wait some more to board your flight, you won't get bored here.