It's no secret that an independent trip to European countries can be much cheaper than a ready-made tour. You just have to approach the matter wisely and know a few life hacks that will allow you to save money. This short guide will help you travel to Spain on a budget and relax in comfort.
Flight
To save money on a flight to Spain, it is worth considering options with a transfer in one of the European capitals as an alternative to a direct flight. If you choose a flight with a longer transfer time (and a cheaper cost), then you will also have the opportunity to explore one of the cities of Europe - Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris or Munich. Yes, such flights take more time. But it’s not every day that you have the opportunity to walk for several hours along the streets of Paris.
If you are flying not to mainland Spain, but to the islands, then it will be cheaper to get to Mallorca with a transfer in Barcelona, and to the Canaries with a transfer in Madrid. This way you can save up to 4-5 thousand rubles depending on the season.
Travel around the country
Railway transport
Aleix Cortés/Flickr.comDespite the general high cost of rail transport in Europe, train travel in Spain is one of the cheapest. You can book tickets to the desired destinations on the official website of the Spanish railways Renfe.
If you plan to travel around the country a lot, the Interrail One Country Pass can help, and can be booked in advance. When used, they entitle you to unlimited train travel within Spain for a selected period of time. You can find out about the types of travel tickets on the Interrail website.
Automobile
We must not forget about car rental. This service is in demand among tourists, so you can find rental offices in Spain in any large (and not so large) city in the country. As a rule, rental costs from local rental companies are lower, but you should carefully read the terms of the contract for hidden fees.
Gasoline prices in Spain are among the lowest in Europe and range from 1.2–1.3 euros per liter. Current gasoline prices by country can always be tracked on the GlobalPetrolPrices website.
It is also worth remembering that some of the highways in Spain are toll roads. You can avoid additional costs if you choose a duplicate road. The speed of travel on such roads is slightly lower, but you can enjoy the beauty of Spanish nature and easily visit any settlements along the way.
Accommodation
Albert Torello/Flickr.com Prices for hotel accommodation in Spain are lower than in Western European countries. But still, you should not neglect such a simple rule as early booking. The sooner you think about choosing, the greater the chances of finding truly budget options.
Hostal hotels are considered the most economical type of accommodation in Spain. They are like hostels, where you pay not for the room, but for the space. If you want to have your own space, then it is better to rent studio apartments, which are especially common in towns by the sea. The disadvantage of this placement is that you will have to take care of the issue of food.
Another way to save on accommodation is to come to Spain during the low season, when demand and prices for housing are reduced.
Low season
Madrid in December / Carmelo Peciña/Flickr.com Most tourists consider Spain a country with endless possibilities for a beach holiday. And you can't argue with that. But if you are going to Spain for excursion purposes, then a trip during the high season may seriously disappoint you.
In July and August, in some regions of Spain the temperature reaches +40 °C, and most tourist places close at midday for the siesta. Also, the crowds of tourists can be confusing. As a result, you will not get the desired pleasure from the beauty of Spain.
During the low season the situation is completely different. From November to March in Spain the weather is quite warm, clear and sunny without precipitation. You can walk and go on excursions in such weather for an infinitely long time. The only exception is the very north of Spain, where even in summer it is damp, humid and fresh.
There are significantly fewer tourists during this period, which means there will be no crowds and queues to the main attractions. Low season is an ideal time to visit regions such as Castile (Madrid - Toledo - Salamanca - Segovia route) or Andalusia (Malaga - Granada - Cordoba - Seville - Cadiz route) for excursion purposes.
Food
Tapas / Javi Vte Rejas/Flickr.com The system of tapas bars is widespread in Spain. The principle of their work is this: when you order a drink, you also receive a plate of small tapas for free. Tapas are something like small sandwiches or canapés with various fillings, which are considered a traditional Spanish snack. Therefore, to have a pleasant evening, you don’t have to overpay.
The traditional way is to buy food in supermarkets or markets. Indoor food markets in Spain offer a wide variety of fresh produce, such as freshly caught fish and seafood. No wonder locals prefer to shop there.
Attractions
Almudena Cathedral in Madrid When visiting attractions, entertainment complexes, and amusement parks, you should buy entrance tickets online in advance on official websites. The most obvious advantage is the ability to avoid queues at the checkout counters. In addition, some tourist sites offer a 2-3 euro discount when booking online. This is how the Spaniards are fighting to reduce the number of queues to the most popular and visited objects.
Every major city in Spain sells comprehensive tourist cards, such as the Madrid City Card or the Barcelona City Pass, which give discounts on attractions, museums, cultural events and public transport. The disadvantage of such maps is that they are limited in time - it is unlikely that you can visit dozens of museums and monuments in one or two days. Nevertheless, a tourist card is in demand and allows you to save money when visiting iconic places of a particular city.
Excursions
If you are in the city for the first time and want to go on a sightseeing tour, you can do this for free thanks to free walking tours. They are organized in every capital of Europe, you just need to know the place and time of meeting with the guide.
The disadvantage of such excursions is that they are most often conducted in English or. If a foreign language is not an obstacle for you, then such a walk with a professional guide can reveal the city from a new side.
Entertainment
Behind the scenes, the two main entertainments in Spain are bullfighting and flamenco. Cheap bullfighting tickets can be purchased for daytime shows.
You can see authentic flamenco dance only in local bars and cafes, where the Spaniards themselves frequent. All you have to do is buy a drink and you can enjoy the performances of the artists all evening. Show programs organized for tourists are usually expensive and far from real art.
Beaches
Albert Torello/Flickr.com One of the main advantages of a holiday in Spain is the free beaches. Unlike other European countries famous for their beach holidays, in Spain there is no such thing as a private beach area owned by a specific hotel. At the same time, local authorities closely monitor cleanliness, so the beach in Spain is a clean and equipped place to relax.
Most beaches are sandy. There are long open spaces and small secluded coves. Stones and pebbles are extremely rare. The beach season lasts from May to October.
It is possible to have a budget holiday in Spain if you remember a few simple tips and stick to them while traveling. But the main thing is proper trip planning, which will save you from headaches on the spot and allow you to save a lot.
Do you dream of watching a bullfight, learning the basics of passionate flamenco, or seeing paintings by Goya and Velazquez? Then you should go to Spain!
True, once you open the offers of tour operators, it becomes clear that you can have a good rest at the dacha. After all, the cost of a week-long tour to Spain with accommodation in a regular three-star hotel and without meals starts from 40,000 rubles.
Believe me, you shouldn’t give up on your dreams. BiletyPlus.ru will help you organize your own tour to Spain for only 25,000 rubles, that is, almost half the price than usual. In addition, our holiday option already includes travel around the country, excursions, meals and much more.
Air tickets are always the main expense when planning the budget of any trip. Unlike happy Europeans who can fly to visit each other for a few euros, we have to part with large sums of money.
However, there is a way out of this situation, because on BiletyPlus.ru you can always find the cheapest ticket options for all interesting destinations. In addition, you can subscribe to updated offers and calmly wait for a letter from the site about a discount or promotion for the desired ticket.
For example, now you can go to Barcelona from Moscow for only 13,700 rubles, on a direct flight, spending only 4.5 hours on the flight.
When traveling, the hotel is the place you visit least often. That is why it becomes the very expense item on which you can and should save. So, in Barcelona you can rent a place in a hostel for 800 rubles per day, or a double room in a modest two-star hotel for 1,300 rubles per day.
Of course, you will have to sacrifice something, for example, you most likely should not expect a panoramic view of the square. But at the same time, most hostels are located in the city center, and a hotel of any category is clean, cozy and calm.
By the way, if you are traveling with a group, it is convenient and profitable to rent an apartment rather than stay in a hotel.
As a rule, even modest breakfasts included in the tour price already increase it by a considerable amount. If you eat on your own, you can not only save money, but also try different dishes every day and test the cuisine in dozens of establishments.
In Spain, as in most European cities, it is possible to order a “Menu del dia”, that is, a set lunch. It includes a salad, first and second courses, a soft drink, and sometimes dessert. As you can see, more than enough to fill you up. The cost of such an order ranges from 5 € to 10 €, and the price is indicated on the sign in front of the entrance to the cafe, so the bill will not come as a surprise to you. Eating this way twice a day, you will spend 3,000–4,500 rubles on food during the trip.
The best cafes in Barcelona offering "Menu del dia" are:
- “LaPoste”, JaumeI metro station, Gignàs street, 23 - lunch price 6–7 €;
- “Drassanes”, Drassanes metro station, in the courtyard of the Maritime Museum - lunch price 10 €;
- “ElConvent”, Liceu metro station, Jerusalem street, 3 - lunch price 8 €;
The beauty of large cities in Spain is that you can get into dozens of museums, palaces and parks absolutely free. Even walking tours of the city with experienced English-speaking guides are free of charge.
For example, in Barcelona you can go on tours of Gaudi’s work (Sagrada Familia, Palace Güell, Casa Mila, Casa Batlo) or the ancient quarters and streets of the city. The first tour starts daily at Reial Square at 11:00, the second there at 16:30.
But in Madrid you can visit the Prado Museum, the Reina Sofía Museum, the Bullfighting Museum, the Buen Retiro Park (there is a rose garden, dozens of statues, fairs and performances are organized here, and you can also rent a bicycle for free), the Madrid Planetarium and the Royal Palace ( only on Wednesdays).
Of course, if you do not intend to save money on cultural recreation, then you can always order interesting excursions on the Internet, not only the usual sightseeing tours, but also something more unusual: gastronomic master classes, helicopter and bicycle rides, thematic tours “in the footsteps of cinema” " and many many others.
Active travelers planning to visit several cities in Spain during their vacation should pay attention to buses. Here they are comfortable and quite fast, but the ticket price rarely exceeds 10 €. Of course, there are also hours-long journeys that will take up the whole day and will cost more, but on a week-long vacation it is better to do without them so as not to waste extra time and effort on the road.
By the way, for long-term vacations involving numerous trips around the country, it is better to choose a travel card, for example “kmtriko”. It costs a fixed amount and allows you to move as much as you need.
As you can see, you should not consider the price set by the tour operator to be the ultimate truth. The dream trip is always more accessible than we think. The main thing is not to be afraid to search and use the right services, such as the BiletyPlus.ru metasearch.
Don't be afraid of traveling on your own - it's not very difficult. True, you have to prepare long and carefully!! But it's worth it. You need to start planning an independent trip to Spain by making a decision and having the necessary amount for the trip. And then - booking air tickets and a hotel, because to obtain a visa you will need both. The documents required to obtain a visa to Spain can be found on the Internet. You can send to Embassy of Spain in Moscow, Consulate General of Spain in St. Petersburg.Spain visa centers in Russia. The online visa center is fast and inexpensive.
We did everything ourselves. Since we live in the region, we sent documents by courier service: you can find the list of required documents on the Internet. We sent documents to the Spain Visa Center in Moscow. We did everything ourselves. You can find out the list of required documents by simply typing on the Internet the list of required documents in such and such a year to obtain a Spanish visa. Everything is written there in great detail. I won't copy.
Spain is part of the European Union, so you must have a passport to enter here. What a Schengen visa is, everything is also available and can be easily found on the Internet. So let's not dwell on this. The best option is to open a multiple-entry Schengen visa, with which you can visit European countries for a period of 90 or 180 days. It’s not difficult to get a visa, although Spain often gives a visa for 90 days. So you won’t use it a second time. Only if you go 2 times a year.
So!! To travel to Spain, you need to collect the required documents and submit them to the Spanish Consulate at the earliest three months before the trip. The best option is one and a half months. A response is usually provided within 15-25 days. Before applying for a visa, you should already have: the basics. And you need to look at the full list on the Internet!
1. a valid passport (and it must be valid for at least four more months after returning from Spain);
2. insurance valid for the entire duration of the trip for 30 thousand euros;
3.confirmed hotel reservation and purchased air tickets in both directions. Yes!! To apply for a visa, your accommodation reservation must be documented! To confirm, you can attach an original or fax with a stamp and signature, or a printout from the website indicating the reservation number and the tourist’s last name. Please note. You don't have to pay for a hotel room. The booking date can then be changed or canceled altogether.
4. a bank account in which there must be a minimum amount of money (at the rate of 50 euros per day per person). We also submitted a certificate from our place of work.
So what do you need for independent travel? Money, visa and... a head on your shoulders. Yes!! Another important detail is knowledge of English or Spanish at least at a low level. Especially if you are not having a beach holiday.
So, the first thing is to decide for an independent trip.
Second, start preparing.. If you have all the documents and money too, you can book plane tickets and hotels. This is necessary to obtain a visa.
The most expensive part of traveling to Spain on your own is purchasing air tickets. The main rule here is to start searching for them as early as possible. The sooner you start addressing this issue, the more opportunities you will have to save. We started in 6 months. And we found promotional tickets to Madrid for 550 euros for two. True, at the end of May. But that's what we wanted. So that without crowds and traffic jams, poppies will bloom.
From Moscow there are no problems with how to travel to Spain on your own, since airlines offer direct flights to Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo: Domodedovo: to Alicante (five and a half hours), Barcelona (four hours and forty minutes), Madrid (five half an hour), Tenerife (seven and a half hours);
Sheremetyevo: Tenerife, Madrid, Barcelona; Vnukovo: Alicante. Arrival airports in Madrid are Torrejon Afb (TOJ) or Barajas (MAD) (we arrived in Barajas). Madrid Barajas Airport is huge. Labyrinths of transitions!! The plane from Moscow arrived at Terminal 4. Andrey got his bearings quite well... Train, Terminal 4, bus to the first terminal. AND We need to get ready for the airport!! Madrid is located in the very center of the country, so from here it will be easier to get to the north (Bilbao, San Seastian, Santiago de Compostela, La Coruña), the center (Toledo, Salamanca, Cuenca) and the south of the country (Malaga, Seville, Granada ).. And we wanted to see Aragon, the province of Huesca (poppies in bloom) and Ordesa Park (national park), then go to Montserrat, Figueres, and go down the coast to Valencia through Barcelona.
If you want to go to the Costa Brava, fly to Barcelona. My last visit was a holiday in Playa D'Aro. Wonderful stay at the Galeta Hotel. The sea is amazing - the pine trees are also the whole sea!! Silence. But most of all I liked S'Agaro!! With its charming path along the sea, Its sweetest coves with the purest water!! Oh!! How great it is there. So in this case, I repeat, you need to fly to Barcelona.
Third, we book hotels. Don't be afraid of 2-3 star hotels. In Spain they are rated by European standards and, sometimes, a 3-star hotel can give a head start to a 4-star hotel in Turkey. We always took double rooms in hostels - separate double rooms with amenities in the room.. We booked on Booking.com Yes, cheap accommodation is easy to find in hostels or one-star hotels, although it is not easy to find profitable options. You can, after all, find free housing, but this is for those who know how to use couchsurfing.. (couchsurfing). If you are traveling with a large group, consider renting a guesthouse or villa on Airbnb. Or apartments. Apartments are much cheaper than regular hotels. Here you will have your own kitchen, where you can prepare your own food or at least breakfast. Renting apartments from private owners will be even cheaper. It’s worth taking the time to understand the simple principles of paying and booking online so you don’t regret missing money on your trip. The cost of a room in the same hotel when booking online is at least 30% cheaper. Choose a suitable hotel based on the description, photos, ratings and reviews.
Fourth - Collected documents and sent them to the Visa Center or Consulate..
Decide for yourself whether it’s a beach vacation or an excursion. Or like us, traveling in a rented car. You can also drive your own car from Russia, but why??
Fifth, think about how you will move around the country.
When planning a trip to Spain on your own, make a list of places you want to visit and a schedule for staying there. We did all this clearly. And this is very important!! Serious, almost hourly study of the route - of course, if your goal is not just to stay on the beach. We rented a car!! And that's great!! Yes, it’s more difficult, but you’re your own boss!! Rental office - "Europcar". To register a rental car, we received an international driver’s license in Russia (it seems possible without it?? But if there is an accident, then it’s better with it!!), We bought a navigator so as not to rent it! And in Russia we use it, we filled it with road maps of Spain, and worked out the route. See route map. I liked everything very much. For 10 days, a car with gasoline cost us 550 euros. They were waiting for us at the Europcar (although it was already almost one in the morning). Everything was done quickly. Andrey speaks English. Dali Opel turbo. The class of the car, as expected, is higher than stated (the price is the same). We have full insurance, but it’s still a little scary.
And our whole trip consisted of: Madrid-Guadalajara-55km (well + wandering around Madrid). Guadalajara - Broto 420 km + internal transfers to the National Park and other 20 km. Broto-Montserrat-Vila-300km. Montserrat-Figueres-150km. Figueres-Empuriabrava-18km. Empuria-Barcelona-220km. Barcelona-Burriana-320km. Burriana-Valencia - 70 km (and with a stop in Val de Ujo and wandering around it, all 86). Valencia-Madrid (with a stop in Cuenca) -360 km. Total according to the speedometer is 1949 km. Gasoline 50 was a tank + 42 liters + 15 liters + 10 liters + 5 liters (it was not necessary - 6 liters were returned with the car) = 122 liters-6 = 116 liters. It turned out to be 6 liters per 100 km. The route on the Google map is on big roads, but we drove a lot along provincial tiny two-lane roads..
If you want to travel by public transport, look at websites about it. And in cities it is beneficial to use tourist maps. A detailed description of all tourist maps and the places to which they apply can be read in any guide to Spain. Most often, discount cards entitle you to free travel on public transport, which significantly saves money when actively exploring the city
Sixth, think about how you will eat.. Budget or luxury. Budget is more difficult. Great - no problem!! Of course, we saved on food. We are budget tourists. We ate either from the supermarket or chose the menu of the day - Menu del dia. This menu is not worthy everywhere. We really liked one cafe in Barcelona, but not so much in other places. Menu del dia is about 10-12 euros, on weekends, if I’m not mistaken, 14. Soup or salad, main course (meat, fish, poultry with side dishes), drink and dessert. You can choose from 4-5 items. It's better to eat where there are a lot of locals. This was tested by that cafe in Barcelona.
In Spain it is very rare to find a hotel with all-inclusive meals. Moreover, even “breakfast + dinner” is also rare. (And the last time we lived in Playa d'Aro. At the Galeta Hotel there was half board!! This is such an abundance of delicious food that it’s hard to forget.) Most often, hotels offer either breakfast or nothing at all. And don't be afraid of it! People don’t go to Spain to be tied to four walls for lunch and dinner. We were not going for bread, but for spectacle. All our impressions and routes of our trip can be found in the articles.
Seventh - study the coast and the map of Spain in general and decide how and where to decide on the route. 
All this is now so accessible on the Internet.
Beach holiday season in Spain is June-September. In May it is sunny and warm, but the sea does not have time to warm up enough, so it is still too early to swim. We did not have a beach holiday - late May, early June. September-October is the “velvet season”: the sea is still warm, but the summer heat subsides. In October, however, there is a risk of rain. On the other hand, May and October are a time of low prices and fairly good weather. This is the ideal time for sightseeing trips.
Here is a short description of the coast. Costa Brava belongs to the category of economical resort areas; prices here are much lower than on the popular central and southern coasts of the country. That is why it is so popular among Russians. Costa Brava (“wild, rocky coast”) is the coast of Catalonia from the border with France to the resort town of Blanes, towns that have a well-developed resort infrastructure and have retained their special national flavor. Wild and inaccessible cliffs, covered with pine and fir trees, hide mysterious deep grottoes, and, unexpectedly parting, reveal small secluded coves and quiet bays. The Costa Brava is famous for its amazing sandy beaches, which, along with picturesque rocky areas, occupy a significant part of the coast. In the area of the most extensive beaches there are such famous tourist centers as Tossa de Mar and Lloret de Mar. And I really liked the quiet and wonderful towns of Playa d'Aro and Palamos. 
And I’m generally silent about C agaro!! This is such a beautiful place!!
The center of the resort is the town Salou- a favorite vacation spot for young people and families with children: there is nightlife and a train station, which allows you to get to Barcelona, and very close - Port Aventura. The towns neighboring Salou are no less popular. Cambrils And La Pineda- bus service to Salou and Tarragona. There is no railway near the beach towns of the Costa Brava - Tossa del Mar and already mentioned Lloret, Playa d.Aro and S'Agaro with- exclusively beach hotels. In general, does anyone in Russia know about S'Agaro?? 
Here are just two photos from there - I’ll write about it separately!!
The place is simply charming and no photo can convey all its beauty.
Salou and Blanes - it’s only around them that everything revolves. And this is an elite (!!) resort in Spain.
A small fragment of the coast from the borders of the Costa Brava to Barcelona is a resort area Costa del Maresme. Here are the best places on the Spanish coast in terms of price.
The coast of Spain, stretching 50 km from Barcelona to the city of Cubellas, - Costa de Garraf. Residential and resort areas (sandy beaches) are located in bays formed at the foot of the mountains.
Gold Coast or Costa Dorada. The beaches of this area stretch south of Barcelona from the town of Villanova i la Geltru to Alcanar. The capital of the region is the ancient city of Tarragona. The beaches are sandy. 
The coast of Valencia begins with Costa Azahar– The banks of orange flowers. Photos with oranges from there. 
We drove this entire coastline by car. Beauty. I really liked it. Only our people don’t know him much either. There is sand and small pebbles here. This is a wonderful place somewhere between Oropessa and Benicassim. I don’t remember exactly where. There the Avtovia goes almost to the sea.
Below Valencia- Costa Blanca- Valencian coast of Spain. Now this is the most “western” resort in the country, but not in terms of location, but because of the huge number of Western tourists who have chosen the “white coast” for the cleanliness of the beaches, excellent service and vibrant nightlife, the center of which is Benidorm. In the past - a fishing village, now Benidorm is a real tourist phenomenon in Europe. We were not on the map below. Read reviews on the Internet. And look at the map of the country. 
In mid-September we decided to go to Spain. There were 2 goals: excursions + warm sea. After reading a lot of reviews, I came to the conclusion that we will find 99% of the warm sea in Valencia and nearby resorts. Thus, taking into account the cost of air travel and the planned 11 days of travel, the route turned out to be as follows: Moscow - Barcelona - Valencia - Gandia - Alicante. This was practically our first completely independent trip (I don’t take into account the trips to Riga and Vienna for several days).
So, first of all, we booked air tickets. On the route Moscow - Barcelona we flew a/k Pobeda (the cost for two is about 15 thousand rubles, taking into account one additionally paid suitcase), back from Alicante we flew a/k Vueling (the cost is also about 15 thousand with one suitcase). The next stage of preparation was booking hotels. Because We were flying with five people, we needed to book two double rooms and one single room, at an adequate price for a single. It was not possible to do this in Barcelona; the first rooms were very expensive. As a result, we had to book 2-bed and 3-bed rooms; in Gandia and Alicante we booked 3 rooms, as planned. Then the question arose of how to move between cities. Renting a car was rejected for 2 reasons. Firstly, we wanted to spend at least 5 days on the beach, where we wouldn’t need a car, and secondly, for 5 people (plus 3 suitcases, plus a bunch of sundries in the form of laptops, cameras, etc.) we had to take a car quite large, which, coupled with paid parking, gasoline and toll roads, would hardly be inexpensive. In the end, the choice fell on buses. In advance on the website alsa.es I booked tickets for the following directions: Barcelona - Valencia (14.60 E per person), in Valencia on the same day transfer to the bus Valencia - Gandia (8.33 E per person), Gandia - Alicante (10.38 E per person .). I booked tickets in mid-August. Electronic versions were printed and taken with you. At this point the preparation stage was completed. At the same time, I studied the main attractions. We decided not to buy entrance tickets anywhere in advance, but to navigate the place according to the weather, because... I really wanted to enjoy the sea and the sun.
09/18/2016 flight Moscow – Barcelona. I really want to praise the airline Pobeda, because before the trip I read a lot of negative reviews and were prepared for the worst, but as a result the flight was excellent. Departure is a minute, no problems with luggage or hand luggage. I highly recommend reading the luggage information, which is even on the ticket itself. The fact is that you are only allowed to take a woman’s bag, a laptop, a man’s briefcase, an umbrella, and a bag with things for a small child into the cabin for free (of course, if the child is traveling with you :)). Backpacks, bags, etc. can only be taken for an additional fee. fee. One of our girls had a small backpack instead of a purse (precisely a substitute for a handbag). At check-in, she was warned that upon boarding it was better to take it as a bag in her hands, otherwise they might be asked to pay extra. When approaching the gate, she simply took the backpack in her hands and covered it with a sweatshirt, there were no questions. You can check in a bag up to 10 kg free of charge; you will have to pay for the rest. I also read a lot that if you don’t buy a seat selection in advance, they will specially seat you at different ends of the plane, we chose seats in advance for 149 rubles, I think this is not such a big price. The plane was new. The flight attendants are friendly and polite. You can ask for cold water and boiling water for free. There is nothing else, even for money.
So, 4 hours after departure from Vnukovo we found ourselves at Girona airport. Passport control took about 2 hours, although there were no other flights besides our plane. To the right of the exit from the airport, buses depart to Barcelona, the fare is 16 euros per person, travel time is 1 hour, there is free wi-fi, and arrives at the Arc de Triomf metro station. From the same station we departed for Valencia.
In Barcelona we booked the Laumon Hotel, it is located next to the La Sagrera metro station. We never got to the sights on foot, because... We were constantly running out of time. However, the metro was very convenient to get to the Sagrada Familia, Barceloneta, and Plaza de España. All these places are no more than 15 minutes away. Near the hotel there are eateries run by the Chinese, where you can eat burgers, sandwiches, fried meat, omelettes, etc. The prices are inexpensive and the taste is quite passable. And it’s very convenient to go there instead of breakfast at the hotel. The hotel itself is good, the rooms, although small, are clean and comfortable, the shower has shampoo, shower gel, and a hairdryer. We didn’t need anything more from the hotel, so we were completely satisfied.
After arriving and checking into the hotel, we headed to the Barceloneta area. We took the metro to Marina station, from there it took about 15 minutes to walk to the beach. The sea turned out to be quite cool, however, this did not frighten our men, and the first swim was successful. Until the evening we just walked along the embankment, drank coffee, ate all sorts of goodies, enjoying the warmth and sun. By 21.00 we decided to go to the singing fountains. The performance starts at 20:00 and runs from Thursday to Sunday, and can be reached by metro station Espany. Well, what can I say about the fountains, yes, they are certainly beautiful and spectacular, worth a visit. But I can’t say that it was new and very interesting for me. For example, I liked the fountains in Dubai (of course, it’s difficult to compare them, but still) more. And once back in 2000, I was with my parents in Cyprus, and there we saw the singing fountain show for the first time, and then, yes, there was delight. I haven’t been to Cyprus since then, perhaps if I saw that show now, it wouldn’t impress me. After watching the show for about an hour, we headed to the hotel.
A tourist bus was planned for the second day in Barcelona. At the hotel we were offered to buy a voucher for tickets for 4 euros; immediately at the reception they gave us a route map, a booklet with discounts and a receipt, with which we had to come to any ticket sales point and pay extra. With this scheme we received a 3 euro discount on each ticket. Our plans were to get to the Sagrada Familia, explore the cathedral inside, then take a bus nearby and go sightseeing. The plans were not destined to come true, because... Entrance tickets to the cathedral could only be purchased on site for the evening (we got there around 11 am). It was decided to purchase tickets online the next day. On the same day we immediately went on a bass tourist tour. There are three tourist bus routes in Barcelona (red, blue and green). Now I don’t remember exactly which route covers which attractions, but I know that we didn’t have time to ride on the green route; we explored the city on the blue route without getting off the bus. We really managed to use the red route. Therefore, if time allows, it is better to take a ticket for 2 days. So, what have we done? We got on the bus near the Sagrada and went to Park Güell. We walked in the park for about 2 hours, despite the fact that we didn’t get into the paid part (again, there were no tickets). Therefore, I strongly advise you to still buy tickets to all places of interest in advance on the Internet. In any case, we liked the park, we went up to the panorama there, it was very beautiful. After the park we went to the FC Barcelona stadium. The excursion to the stadium itself cost about 20 Euros (according to the book from the tourist. There was a discount of about 2 Euros on the bus), only our boys went to the stadium; in my opinion, they brought more photos from the excursion than all our other photographs from the entire trip. Their delight knew no bounds; on the tour they show the museum, locker rooms, the chapel (in which the football players pray before the match), the stadium itself, the VIP stand, and you can also go out onto the field. If you, like me, do not share the love of football, there are many cafes near the stadium where the girls and I waited for our fans. It also took about 2 hours to explore the stadium. Therefore, after that we went to transfer to the blue line of buses, and from there we already explored the city without getting off at the stops. We took the blue line to the aquarium, which we decided to visit. The impression from the visit was incomprehensible, probably once about 10 years ago this place was really large-scale and cool, but now, it seems to me, there are a lot of such aquariums everywhere. Perhaps I didn't really like it because I'm not a fan of the underwater world. The entrance ticket price is about 20 euros, there is also a small discount for a booklet from the bus. After visiting the aquarium, we went for a walk around the city, walked to the Rambla, walked around, had dinner and went to bed. In the evening, we bought tickets to the cathedral at the hotel, and they kindly printed them out for us at the reception.
We devoted the third day to visiting the Sagrada Familia. When purchasing tickets you can choose whether you want an audio guide, we took one. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the cost of the ticket, but it was also about 20 Euros. The cathedral is impressive both outside and inside. He is very unique. Moreover, if its appearance is probably familiar to everyone at least from a picture, then inside I was very surprised. Personally, the interior decoration reminded me of a magical forest from a cartoon. Probably, if I didn’t know where I was, I would never have thought that this was a church. Very beautiful stained glass windows, extremely unusual stairs and columns. It’s definitely worth a look, the audio-guided tour is interesting. After the Cathedral, we went for a walk through the Gothic quarter, visiting the Cathedral, beautiful, narrow ancient streets, many tourists and expensive cafes. In general, it is not much different from the center of any other old European city. We walked almost all day, also looked around the outside of Gaudi's houses (Mila and Batllo), then had dinner a little away from the Gothic quarter and returned to the hotel. The next day we were expected to move to Gandia.
By the way, the weather in Barcelona for sightseeing was ideal, in the morning about 15-17 degrees, in the afternoon up to 23-25, sunny, not even the slightest rain.
At 10 am we were already on the bus heading to Valencia. By the way, it was possible to purchase a direct transfer from Barcelona to Gandia, but, to be honest, I overlooked it. And when I found it, it turned out to be significantly more expensive than moving with a transfer, and I didn’t get upset. It takes 4.5 hours to drive from Barcelona to Valencia. The bus has free wi-fi, a tablet is mounted in the backs of all seats, on which you can watch movies (in Spanish and English), listen to songs, play games and surf the Internet. Thanks to the miracle gadget, the move went unnoticed. Closer to Valencia, the landscapes outside the window changed, even through the bus window we felt that it was warmer outside, and our hopes for a warm sea began to revive. Just in case, I took tickets to Gandia taking into account a 2-hour transfer. But our bus arrived on time, so at the ticket office with a minimal additional payment (something about 5 euros for everyone) we changed our tickets for an earlier flight. And an hour later we stood at the station in Gandia. So, Gandia is a resort town, conditionally it is divided into 2 parts (Gandia and Gandia Playa). A circular bus runs between them, the station is in Gandia, the beach and, accordingly, our hotel in Gandia Playa, the ride is about 20-30 minutes. At the bus stop at the tour desk we were given a free map in which all the hotels and bus stops were marked; it was impossible to get lost. Thus, we reached our hotel, Hotel Mavi. The hotel has 2 stars, consists of a reception, rooms and a veranda, there is no territory as such and there is no pool. The rooms are good, compared to a hotel in Barcelona, one might say huge, the room has a shower, bathroom amenities, TV, wardrobe, beds. Keep in mind that with a double bed you are entitled to one, but very long, pillow. This is the first time we have seen this, it is completely inconvenient. In addition, our bed creaked terribly. The next morning we asked to change our room, the girl at the reception said that only rooms with two beds were available, which was good for us, because they had 2 pillows instead of one)) and we gladly moved. The beds, by the way, were pushed together. The hotel is located 5 minutes walk from the beach, sort of on the 3rd street from the promenade. The beach in Gandia is simply amazing. Wide, with soft, fine sand, I have never seen such beaches anywhere in Europe before. There is a promenade along the beach where you can walk, sit on benches, and ride bikes. There are no sunbeds on the beach, but they can be rented for 4.5 euros per day, as well as an umbrella. It is very convenient that this can be done at will. The sea is warm, there are always waves, but they are small, and the depth is also shallow. After relaxing on the beach, we changed clothes and went to dinner. Here we were faced with an unexpected problem: in Gandia no one speaks a bit of English. The menu is only in Spanish, no pictures. Moreover, the waiters don’t try to help you, they just bring you a menu, and when you start speaking English they just make it clear that they don’t understand anything. We passed 3 cafes, and lo and behold, the owner of the 4th one turned out to be an Armenian. Our joy knew no bounds. He told us everything, translated the menu, we remembered the basic words like chicken, fish, pork. He said that Spaniards eat paella only at lunch, and because... This resort is visited mainly by Spaniards (we heard Russian spoken at most 2 times), but in the evening no one cooks it here. This was a discovery for me, because I had been to Spain twice before (in Lloret de Mar and Mallorca), and there and there (as well as in Barcelona) we ate paella in the evenings. In general, our Russian-speaking friend fed us to the fullest, presented us with a salad, an appetizer consisting of grated tomatoes, something like homemade mayonnaise with garlic and toasted bread (simply insanely delicious) and gave us free shots as a farewell. The next day, we learned that at lunch, almost all restaurants have package deals, such as an appetizer, main course, drink and dessert. Cost from 8 to 12 euros. The portions are huge. You can safely take one such lunch for two. But we took one for each and ate ourselves)) I was especially pleased with the cheesecake; there is probably no such chic cheesecake anywhere else.
Gandia cannot boast of evening entertainment. There are several dance bars (two of them are right opposite our hotel), they are open only on Friday and Saturday, we went there once, there are also some discos that work the same way, we did not go there. As we understand, these places are visited mainly by local youth who come to the resort for the weekend. The main contingent of the resort are Spanish pensioners, who care... I’m not afraid to assume that anyone is over 70. Of course, Spanish old men are very pleasing to the eye with their beautiful, well-groomed appearance and desire for relaxation. Many of them move with the help of crutches, walkers, and wheelchairs. However, this does not at all prevent them from enjoying life. Cooler hotels than ours have evening animation in the form of live music and tables near the pool. I liked the hotels of the RH chain.
Out of 6 days of beach holiday, we found one to go to Valencia. You can get to it either by bus or by train from the same station where we arrived. Trains run more often, about every hour, so we took it, the cost is about 6 euros per person, the ride is an hour. In Valencia we were going to explore the city of science and art, as well as the old center. And so it happened. From the station in about 30 minutes we reached the city of NII. We walked along it for about an hour. Beautiful, interesting buildings, swimming pools between them. It looks very contrasting compared to the rest of the city. Entrance to the territory is free, for a fee you can get into the planetarium, cinema, museum (this is what I remember). We didn't go anywhere, we just rode around the pool on a boat. After taking a walk, we walked through the city park to the center. The park is great, well-groomed, beautiful, in the shade of the trees you could probably walk there all day, but we didn’t have much time. In the center we walked along the old streets and reached the Cathedral. Again, nothing new, but everything is incredibly cute and pleasant. In the evening we returned to Gandia.
On the 6th day of our stay we had to leave for Alicante. There was a misunderstanding with the route here. It turns out that you could buy tickets for a bus that goes without stops to other cities for about 1.5 hours. We were traveling 4! My bad, I'll be more careful next time. But on the way we stopped in Benidorm (a more popular resort on the Valencia coast among our compatriots). It is strikingly different from Gandia; it is a large city, where there is certainly much more entertainment, incl. and a water park. But we weren't upset. I think that the number of tourists on the beach there is also many times greater, which is not always a plus. In the end we finally reached Alicante. There was no desire to deal with public transport, so we took a taxi, the cost from the station to our hotel was 5 euros. We had to take 2 cars. The Pension Arena Hotel, without stars, is located in an old building. Consists of a reception and rooms. There was a very nice girl at the reception who told us in detail in English (hurray!!!) where we should go for a walk, what to see, where to eat, etc. The rooms have everything you need, each room is made in its own style, interesting. The only negative of this hotel is the terrible soundproofing (or rather, the lack thereof). Not only can you hear everything thoroughly from the neighboring rooms, but it is very difficult to fall asleep at night, because even with the windows closed, you can constantly hear the sounds of cars (especially garbage cars) driving all night from the street. The feeling that they are driving right in front of your bed. We stayed at this hotel for 2 nights. I wouldn't recommend it anymore. You won't be able to get enough sleep. On the first evening we went to the Santa Barbara Castle, which offers a wonderful view of the sea and the city, got up, walked around, and took good photos. Then we went downstairs and went to dinner. Alicante is very different from Gandia; there are many restaurants (where you can order paella at any time)), bars, and even a casino. We ended up partying for half the night; the bars had great cocktails. It was a lot of fun. So much fun that the next day, in general, fell out of my life. We slept for half a day, lay on the beach a little (the beach we were on was small, there were a lot of people, the sea was not very clean), and in the evening we went shopping. The hotel, by the way, is a 5-minute walk from the old town and the beach.
On the 11th day of the trip we had to go home. About 2 months before departure, Vuelling changed its flight schedule, and our direct Alicante – Moscow was cancelled. We were offered a flight with a connection in Barcelona without additional charges. They also offered to return the tickets, but there were still no other flights, so we left everything as is. The flight from Alicante to Barcelona is less than an hour. Our connection was 1.5 hours. We arrived in Moscow at the same time, as planned. I didn't like Vueling. Firstly, because You can take 10 kg of hand luggage into the cabin; we didn’t have enough space on the shelf. Because most of the people on the plane were Spaniards with small suitcases. When we got on the plane, we put two bags on the shelf (it seemed like our two rightful seats), put our bag and laptop under the seat. As a result, the flight attendant simply took out our bags without asking and stuffed someone else’s suitcase in their place. We spent the flight to Barcelona covered from head to toe with hand luggage. There was very little legroom, the plane was old, drinks and food cost money (well, there are no questions about this, just as a minus in comparison with Pobeda). I didn’t intend to fly to Moscow like that, so I prepared for a scandal. But fortunately, there were mostly Russian passengers on the flight from Barcelona to Moscow, and there was enough room for all hand luggage. By the way, there was also more legroom.
To summarize my story, I would like to say that we really enjoyed the trip. We flew away from home for only 11 days, but it felt like we had been gone for several months. Moscow greeted us with piercing cold and wind. And I immediately wanted to go back on the same flight)))
Hello, dear travelers!
We decided to tell you about our adventure. It began, of course, long before departure. Reservations, hotel selection, routes, tickets, doubts. Luckily I had enough patience. The choice from Montenegro and Germany gradually moved towards Spain. And this is what came out of it.
Summer! July! Arrival in Barcelona at 8 am. The carrier "VUELING" provided a decent plane, everything was fine. Thanks to the video about the exit from the arrival area to the AEROBUS bus stop, watched on the eve of departure, we confidently follow the route to the airbuses. Boarding in 2 doors: the driver pays in cash (5.90 euros). To the center. A girl with an electronic ticket scanner passes the door.
After some 10 minutes we are at Plaza Catalunya. Hot, with fountains, and spacious. Relatively quickly deciding which direction our shelter is going to go to settle in. The Android application “Maps. me." It works offline, build a route and go ahead. I recommend it wholeheartedly.
Hostal "BALMES CENTRO" is quite a decent place, an authentic house in the Eixample area. All hotel bookings were made on Booking.com. The information is completely up-to-date, the photos of the rooms correspond to reality. Wifi is decent. Our room has a nice little patio balcony, a nice spot overlooking the patio. We had breakfast and dinner there, discussing our plans for the day. After discussing all our options with the girl administrator in scanty English and leaving our things in the storage room, we went out for a walk and had a snack. The time difference is +1 hour, we had to adjust it a little.
We arrived on Sunday, so Piazza di Spagna with its magical fountain beckoned to us.
We moved early and didn’t regret it. Because we wanted to decide on the route to the Montserrat monastery that we so desired. Right there on the square, at the information kiosk, we purchased package tickets for this trip called Trans Montserrat. Selected cog railway Cremallera de Montserrat to get to the mountain. The package includes round trip metro travel, a train, and two funiculars from the monastery up and down the mountain itself. Cost 30 euros per person. More than profitable.
But I digress. Plaza de España and adjacent hill Montjuic. The most beautiful place in Barcelona, spacious and cozy, with many cool nooks and vibrant views. After walking around before the show and refusing to let a Russian-speaking woman walk with her to the Jewish cemetery, we sat down on the steps in front of the art museum.
Take some water with you, 0.5 liter costs from 1 to 3.5 euros. After waiting for the show and enjoying it and many other events, we decided to rest for today.
Early rise and here it is, the hot Barna of the high season, fortunately there is air conditioning everywhere, both in transport and in premises. Except for metro stations, unfortunately. Sometimes a couple of minutes at the station was exhausting. The road along the route was interesting and quite fast. I won’t describe the beauty; a lot of photos for memory and a million details await you on Mount Montserrat. A must visit. Indeed. Our friends did not visit this stunning place in the mountains, and Barcelona did not leave a mark on their hearts. You decide;)
In advance, through specialized websites, tickets for the cable car to Montjuic Hill and the Sagrada Familia were ordered and printed. These visits went according to plan and without difficulties. We advise you to buy tickets online, it incredibly speeds up the visiting process.
Viewpoint of the Columbus statue in the port of Barcelona. Do you want to take the elevator to the top for 6 euros and see the city in its very heart? That way. By arriving early, you will save yourself from the queue and will be completely alone at the top. You can figure out what to do next without any prompts.
Having seen the further route from above, we go deep into the pier to “Maremagnum”. Shopping mall. There is everything and even more. Everyone to the Aquarium, it’s not far away. When you leave the store, don’t rush to leave, take a walk around, it’s free and fresh.
Who's hungry? Everything is certain. Networks Carrefour,El Corte Inglés, is everywhere. For those who are not economists, cafes, restaurants and mobile trays with goodies are waiting for you. We went to Carefurs, both in our area and after, to the Glories hypermarket, near the Akbar Tower, found by chance. The Wok buffet restaurant chain pleased us with fresh, delicious food for every taste. True, only in the Barn there is a sign at the distribution point with a reminder “don’t waste food, please.” And the staff, looking tired right from the opening.
And who wants to buy things during the discount season (it’s July here)? C&A, Mango and other worthy brands are at your service. Quite inexpensive and high quality. Our suitcase became quite heavy.
Walk, search, enjoy this city to the fullest. I won't describe our other sightseeing visits, our emotions are a little mixed about the Sagrada. But to each his own, choose Park Guell - wonderful, Sagrada - excellent, Touristik bass city tour - everything is for you.
We didn’t go to the coast, although everything is accessible, the Barcelona beach itself (take the metro). If you want a couple of stops outside the city, 10 euros and you’re at sea. But this is because the second stage of our journey, Pineda de Mar, awaited us. Coastal town towards Blanes. The same 10 euros for two. And we are at the Pineda train station.
Our hotel near the Church of SAINT MARY
Quiet place called "SABBIOTE". It is noisy there only when the Spanish women are cleaning. And because there is no sound insulation, it is noisy. And in terms of the furnishings and contents of the room, this is a strong 3*.
It’s a bit far from the sea, but it has its own charm. Namely, a walk along a crowded street to the coast. Solarium on the roof. By tradition, we only dine outdoors at a table. The chapel opposite rhythmically strikes 10 o'clock. Sangria, jamon, tomatoes, peaches. This is a relaxed and well-deserved rest after running around Barna.
The sea is quite rough (the depth deepens almost immediately), but it is acceptable in the morning and evening. The beach is ok, well maintained, clean and “prickly”. Small pebbles are annoying, but not critical. It is unknown whether there are changing cabins, I couldn’t find them. Having purchased magnets, a couple of days later we find ourselves at a performance by drummer groups. This is something indescribable. And without speakers in the waist area it’s difficult to evaluate. Clean energy. An explosion of feelings.
Well done, Pineda knows how to entertain himself. 5 days flew by like one.
I’ll tell you separately about our trip to the town of Tossa de Mar. Amazing place, rocky and beautiful. For me, the most beautiful and spectacular. Lots of photos and videos. If you stay there, I envy you.
We return to the capital of Catalonia, only to get to the capital of Spain. A couple of hours on the AVE train (50 euros per person) and at a speed of 300 km/h we arrive at Atocha station.
Train "AVE"
Madrid greets us with 40 degree heat and pomp.
This is the imperial capital. This time we live on St. Anna Square. Which is a stone's throw from the Square of the Sun.
We arrived at about 17:00, so when we went out to the strawberry bear we fully verified that the name of the square was correct. The heat of 60 degrees is also provided by the heat from the heated paving stones underfoot. Crowd and liveliness is the definition of a capital. Madrid is no exception.
The room in the MADRID STAR hostal is spacious and bright. The most comfortable and largest bed ever seen. Everything is on the level.
Walking around Madrid is comparable to a mini trip. Around every corner, world-famous masterpieces await you. New emotions and adventures. Being a little familiar with the formation of Spain, I understand where the funds received by the kings from their campaigns were invested. I see. All the pomp, glitter and amazing palaces amaze the imagination.
