Madrid to Ibiza 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 Ibiza

If you are looking for the right way to get rid of all your stress and go to a lot of beach parties, Ibiza in Spain is the place for you. It is situated off the east coast of Spain and has become quite the party spot. Apart from being a hot party destination, Ibiza also has family-friendly beaches, delicious food, and lush green hills. You will wake up to the beautiful, breathtaking water every day. You can also head to the Formentera beach if you want to take a break from all the partying. You can also go scuba diving with dolphins in Ibiza, apart from the other water activities like snorkelling, paddle surfing and so on. You can either book a hotel in Ibiza with a view of the sea or one that has a view of the beautiful buildings and busy streets. You will even find a lot of luxurious accommodations in Ibiza that you simply cannot ignore.

Best Time to Visit Ibiza

Ibiza is an island city and the best time to visit is from May to October. The temperature ranges from 21 and 29 degree Celsius. Ibiza is known as a party destination, and it only gets crazier during these months. You will have to book a hotel in Ibiza much in advance if you are travelling during the summer. You can also attend music festivals like the International Music Summit and Ibiza Rocks. This is the perfect time to enjoy the turquoise blue water and the water activities that come with it. You will also be among the most polite and helpful people. Since this is also considered a high season, getting cheap flight tickets to Ibiza might be difficult, though you might come across interesting flight deals to Ibiza. Since this is also peak season, a lot of parties are hosted in Ibiza. You can drink and dance until the wee hours and spend the next day treating your hangover.

November to April is the low season in Ibiza, and the party scenes are slightly dimmer than they are in summer. The temperature ranges from 12 to 18 degree Celsius in winter. If you are not too keen on partying, this is the right time for you to visit Ibiza. However, you will not be able to take a boat and go sightseeing during this time. The water is not really favourable for you to get on a boat. A couple of restaurants, hotels and pubs are also shut during this time. You can avoid the crowd and enjoy the weather all by yourself. You will also get a great deal on accommodations and flights during this time. The prices drop because it is offseason. Make sure you book a hotel in Ibiza that has a sea view or is closer to the beach. That way, you will be able to enjoy the Mediterranean weather even better than usual. If you don't want to miss peak season and yet enjoy a great vacation, you can plan your trip in early May or late October.

Places to Visit in Ibiza

Even though Ibiza is known as the crazy party destination in Spain, there are quite a lot of tourist attractions that you can visit without being dragged to a party. The beaches here are simply mesmerizing and catching the sunset from one of the beaches will only leave you awestruck. Apart from sunbathing and soaking in the sun, you can visit the different galleries in the city, historical sites and caves, too. Benirrás Beach and the Sunday Drummers is a part-shingle and part-sand beach. One of the specialities of the beach is its historical significance. On August 18, 1981, a day that later got called as the Day of the Drums, hundreds of people gathered on the beach to protest against the Gulf War. However, the event got banned in 2002. You can also visit the Museu d'Art Contemporani, the Ibiza Museum of Contemporary Art, and look at the marvellous works of Antoni Marí Ribas and other painters.

Visit the Cala Comte beach, a small beach made for everyone who loves beaches but is not too fond of sand. The beach also has three lovely restaurants on the top of the cliff from where you can enjoy yet another view of the sunset. Dalt Vila is Ibiza's old two and on a hill. You can catch a view of the sea from within the ancient walls and magnificent building. You can just walk around the old town, shop from the little shops, visit the Museums and try the little cafes in the town. Es Vedrà is a secluded island and is also the third most magnetic place on earth. There is also a popular local belief that Phoenician Goddess Tanit was born here and it also housed sirens and sea nymphs who tried to lure Ulysses from his ship. The story is what makes the island interesting, but the place itself makes for a wonderful spot to take pictures. Can Marça Caves is a popular tourist spot, and this is also where smugglers used to hide all of their illegal stashes. Make sure you also catch the light show thrown by the authorities.

Things to do in Ibiza

Since it is one of the most happening party destinations, a lot of young tourists only come here for the beach parties during summer. You can also try the water activities here like snorkelling, diving, swimming at the beach, paddle surfing and more. You can also go sightseeing to the nearby islands or beaches and a tour of Ibiza island. Ibiza also has museums and art galleries for you to explore. You can also try the food in Ibiza along with the mind-blowing cocktails. You can also head to the Formentera islands, one of the smallest beaches among the Balearic islands and it is about 20 minutes away from Ibiza by ferry. You can take a break from all the partying and just come here to relax. If you are partying, make sure you head to Elrow at Amnesia for the craziest party that you will ever attend. Spend a day at Dalt Vila that preserves the history of Ibiza. You will also find a lot of spots here to take good pictures. You can also head to Pikes Hotel for a crazy party. It is also where legendary singer Freddie Mercury threw a lot of bashes. If you are in the mood to get adventurous, you can go mountain biking in Ibiza. You can pair up with a lot of other tourists and go for mountain biking. You can also go hiking to the top of Sa Talaia. It is only approximately 2 km walk, and you will get to witness the best view of the city from up here. Make sure you are right in time for the sunset.

Foods and Restaurant in Ibiza

Ibiza is famous for the Ensaimada, which is like a Danish pastry, Arros de Matances, a rice dish combined with meat, Sofrit Pages, a countryside cuisine and Frita de Porc, which is a pork dish like the name suggests. You will also find quite a lot of Indian restaurants in Ibiza like Mumak, Kathmandu, Curry Club and so on. However, finding Jain food might be a little bit of trouble. Bambuddha is a popular place for you to get some Japanese food. Sa Capella is another popular restaurant that used to be a church. The restaurant has an eclectic set of cuisines that haven't changed one bit for the last 15 years. The non-vegetarian food here is a highlight. La Bodega is one of the best places to go to for Spanish food. You can also try local street food or the shacks at the beach, so you enjoy the view of the sunset or the beach for a longer time. Since this is a popular party destination, you will also get the best cocktails here.

How to reach Ibiza

The Ibiza airport is functional within the other cities of Spain but the most popular route to reach Ibiza is to land in Barcelona and take a boat ride to Ibiza from there. But if you do want to land in Ibiza directly, there are a couple of flights that you can take. Lufthansa and British Airways frequently fly to Ibiza and have layovers at Munich and Frankfurt. The flight connectivity to Ibiza is not that bad, but it is always best to take a boat from Barcelona. In fact, you can even spend a day or two in Barcelona before you head to Ibiza. Ibiza airport has quite a lot of facilities like the airport shuffle, VIP lounges, duty-free shopping areas, restaurants and cafes. It is also quite easy to get a taxi or other public transport to your hotel from Ibiza airport. Flight tickets to Ibiza are quite expensive and flying to Barcelona is slightly cheaper. If you book in advance, you will also get decent flight deals to Ibiza online.