How to save money while visiting Madrid
November 15, 2009 by Lost in Europe
Filed under Nightlife
Known for its vibrant nightlife, beautiful Madrid is a lively metropolis that has been the capital of Spain since 1562. There are more bars in the third largest city of Europe (only London and Berlin are larger) than in any other European country. The city does have a friendly vibe, however, in spite of its enormous population. Its warm dry summers and cool winters help make it the popular tourist sensation it is. This city of great monuments, museums of art, and bullfighting events is a fabulous cultural destination that can be toured by vacationers on any size budget. This article should help those on the most meager of budgets discover just how to experience this lively city as inexpensively as possible.
LODGING
As with all European cities I’ve researched, HOSTELS are available in Madrid. These are a clean, safe and inexpensive option. They are usually small, family-run budget hotels that can be found throughout Madrid. Called “hostales” in Spanish, they should not be confused with “albergues juveniles” (youth hostels). Many times, they are located within a downtown apartment building and are clustered close together. Rooms usually only have a sink in the room and there is a shared hall bathroom. Some do have in-room bathrooms with a shower. Hostels generally have a curfew, but you can usually make arrangements to stay out past your curfew.
If you are a person who just have to have a hotel (I’m one of these too) then consider staying in a smaller city within a reasonable distance of Madrid. These are always cheaper than any accommodations you’ll find within the bustling metropolis. If you want to stay within the city itself, do remember that the city becomes most active at night and inner city hotels can become quite noisy. The Plaza Santa Ana has a cluster of budget hotels. Make sure that you request a hotel with air conditioning. That’s right! Not all lodging in Spain will have this luxury.
MEALS
In Madrid, eating at the bar is going to cost you less than dining at a sit-down table. Lunch-time meals will cost less than evening meals. The nightlife is what brings Madrid the most money, so the prices will be hiked up when the streets come alive in the evenings. Do the main thrust of your fine dining and drinking before that time. Go to a food store or market and buy snacks to munch on throughout the day, and try to only eat one sit-down meal a day. If staying in a hotel, find one that offers free breakfast foods.
Stags on Tour – Stag Weekends in Europe
March 4, 2009 by Lost in Europe
Filed under Hotels
Drunken debauchery, lapdancing clubs with strippers galore and naked men chained to railings the night before their wedding! It can only be the most celebrated tradition of the 21st century – The Stag Do!!
The Stag Night Weekends invariably took place over an evening – traditionally the night before the wedding – however, modern day men celebrate the hardcore way with stag weekends celebrated over as many as 3 or 4 days. The elongation of the traditional Stag Night Weekend has the stag and his party jumping for joy, so no wonder some women get just a little apprehensive when their partners announce they are off on a stag weekend with a bunch of testosterone enhanced buddies!
The choice of destination is merely the beginning, with activity centres opening up all over the world, extreme sports is the tip of the iceberg and strip clubs an exciting reality. These days our men not only have it too good, they’re not ashamed to take the bull by the horns and go all out for the party experience of their life! With stag nights and stag weekends drifting abroad, Europe is a top stag destination with places like Reykjavik, Riga, Estonia, Prague and Amsterdam tipping the top of the popularity boards.
Websites such as www.betterweekends.com, promote group activity Stag Night Weekends and stag breaks to these European cities for a long weekends of cheap drinks, Extreme sports, go-karting with strip clubs aplenty.
Foreign embassies are becoming so overwhelmed with Stag Night Parties, who turn to them for help with replacing lost passports or tracking down lost friends, they are going to impose an £84-an-hour charge for consular time.
So what is the key to a safe and successful Stag do?
Firstly and fore mostly, plan ahead and make sure everyone knows where they are going and what the itinerary is before the weekend.
If you can’t be responsible for yourself, nominate someone – it’s generally a good idea if it’s the best man or the person that’s arranged the stag do - to be responsible for planning the itinerary and gathering the group together.
Make sure the passports are valid, photocopied and handed to the group organiser to put in a safe place in the event of passports being lost or stolen – this saves so much time, hassle and money if like in many, many cases they do go awol.
Take down everyone’s mobile number at the start of the stag do and before you leave British soil! Believe it or not, your loved and trusted friends can go missing (a mix of alcohol and ladies is enough to lead any red bloodied man astray whatever his normal good intention are) and this may be hysterically funny at first, however, it can turn into a anxious nightmare, if, at the end of the stag do, they still haven’t reappeared! It sounds extreme, but believe me it happens and it happens a lot!
Be aware that you are in a strange country and bad behaviour is rarely tolerated. Research the area you are travelling to and check out the do’s and don’ts before you go.
Know your alcohol limit – it can impair judgment, lead to accidents and can increase the risk of you becoming a victim of crime.
Finally, have a great time and enjoy the whole experience.
