It’s not surprising that Spain has become a popular destination for tourists, one of the most popular in Europe and the world. The country is diverse with changing landscapes from north to south, some of the most delicious food in the world, great beaches and culturally rich cities. While Spain isn’t an expensive country, there are easy ways to reduce the cost of visiting and travelling to Spain, making it accessible to a wider range of people. We’ve explored Spain extensively and want to share our top tips for visiting Spain on a budget without compromising on your Spanish experience. From transport to accommodation, sightseeing and food, here are the best ways to save money on travel in Spain.
When And Where To Go In Spain On A Budget
July and August make up the peak season in Spain, so if you’re looking to save money, try to avoid visiting over these months. Visiting Spain in May, June or September is ideal as you’ll get cooler (but still warm) weather, lower prices and fewer crowds.
Of course, some areas of Spain are suitable for travel year-round. Madrid is great to visit at any time of year and the plethora of museums and inside attractions will keep visitors warm and dry on rainy days. Barcelona is equally suitable year-round. Temperatures in the southern city of Malaga only drop to an average of 17 degrees during the day in December, making it a great place to enjoy some winter sun.
Flights and accommodation can be cheaper in Madrid during the peak summer months as many tourists and locals head for the Spanish beaches. If you’re looking to expand your trip to Spain on a budget, even more, try visiting and staying in smaller towns and villages that are less well connected by flights and trains, as these often have lower accommodation prices.
How To Save Money On Food In Spain
One of the best things about visiting Spain is the delicious food that is on offer everywhere! It can be quite tempting to stop at every opportunity to sample local tapas and delights.
To get the best value local food, have your main meal at lunchtime. Many restaurants and cafes will offer a specially priced lunch menu or a ‘menu del dia’, which translates to a menu of the day. The menu of the day is usually available from 12/1pm – 3/4pm and often includes a starter, main, small dessert and a drink, but can vary from place to place. The menu of the day is generally priced at around €12-€15 ($13-$16). This is an excellent way to sample local dishes for a reasonable price.
Another way to save money on food in Spain is to explore local markets, where you can find local delights for reasonable prices and check out local dishes. For example, in Madrid, it’s very affordable to get a calamari bocadillo, which is a Madrid version of the famous Spanish bocadillo. In Malaga, grilled sardines in one of the many chiringuitos on the beach are often just a few euros for a skewer.
How To Save Money On Transport In Spain
The cheapest way to travel around Spain is by bus. However, this is also the most time-consuming and least comfortable way so it may not suit everyone, particularly if you’re only visiting for a short period. For example, a train from Madrid to Barcelona typically takes around 2h 30m but by bus, the journey takes 7h 30m. You can check bus routes, prices, and journey times and book them on Trainline.
For a more enjoyable experience when visiting Spain, we’d recommend using the train for longer journeys. If you book your train in advance you can potentially save yourself quite some money. Again, we’d recommend using Trainline, which we use for trains in Spain. You can view all the different train options for a route, check prices and book them through the site or app. It saves both time and money. For example, if you were to take a high-speed train one-way from Madrid to Seville and buy your ticket on the day at the station, this would set you back around €93 ($98). If you were to book the same train and journey through Trainline a week in advance, the same ticket would cost you €76 ($80). By booking two weeks in advance the same journey would cost you as low as €50 ($53), almost half the price!
Another option is to take domestic flights, which often are cheaper than trains but entail more hassle and a higher possibility of hidden charges for extra luggage etc. Iberia, Vueling, Air Europa and Ryanair fly some of the most popular domestic flight routes within Spain. Check prices, and journey times and book through Skyscanner.
How To Save Money On Sightseeing In Spain
Chances are that you’ll be wanting to visit at least a few museums, galleries, gardens or historical attractions during your time in Spain. With a colourful past, the country is home to many impressive monuments and palaces and has many museums with world-class collections. However, buying tickets for numerous sightseeing locations can be expensive and set you back large sums of money during your trip to Spain.
The good news is that many of the most popular museums, gardens and historical monuments in Spain have days where entry is free or times of the day where entry is free or reduced. With a small bit of research and planning, you can visit everything you want and save lots of money. If you’re particularly interested in visiting some of Spain’s many museums then it could be a good idea to plan your trip around International Museum Day on the 18th of May, when entry is free to all of the state-run museums in Spain. Some of our favourite examples of free or reduced entry times into popular Spanish attractions are:
Royal Palace of Madrid – Free admission from Monday to Thursday from 17:00 to 19:00 (16:00 to 18:00 in winter) for EU citizens, residents, and holders of work permits in the EU, and citizens of Ibero-American countries
The Prado Museum Madrid – Free entry on Monday – Saturday from 18:00 to 20:00 and Sundays from 17:00 to 19:00. Free entry for all visitors on International Museum Day
Botanical Gardens Malaga – Admission is free on Sundays from 16:30 to 20:30 from April 1 to September 30 and from 14:00 to 17:30 from October 1 to March 31
Picasso Museum Malaga – Free admission for all visitors every Sunday for the last two opening hours (up to 30 minutes before closing time). Free entry for all visitors on Day of Andalusia (28 February), International Museum Day (18 May), World Tourism Day (27 September) and Anniversary of the opening of the museum (October 27).
Real Alcazar Seville – Free admission on Mondays from October through March from 16:00 to 17:00 and from April through September from 18:00 to 19:00. You can reserve a free ticket online (with a small €1 ($1.10) charge) through the official website which is highly recommended
Seville Cathedral – Admission is free on Thursdays from 14:25 but an online reservation is necessary and these sell out fast. Check the official website well in advance of your visit to book your free ticket with a small charge of €1 ($1.10)
How To Save Money On Accommodation In Spain
The best way to avoid paying high prices for accommodation in Spain is to travel outside of peak season. However, aside from this, there are a few ways to save money on accommodation while visiting Spain.
Opt to stay in hostels if possible. Spain has some excellent hostels, especially in larger cities such as Madrid, Barcelona and Malaga and staying in these can save money. Many hostels offer private room options and include amenities such as a shared kitchen, laundry facilities and shared spaces. Apartments can also be cheaper than hotels in some cities and the extra facilities they provide can save some cash. For example, if an apartment includes laundry facilities and cooking facilities then you’ll save money on laundry and maybe even some money on cooking a few meals. Whatever accommodation option you choose, we recommend booking early and being flexible to get the best prices. Check Booking.com to see accommodation options and prices and benefit from discounts if you’re a genius member on their website.
Lastly, you could try to find some free accommodation by pet sitting! If you’re willing to be a bit flexible with where to stay and are happy to look after someone else’s pet then this can be an excellent way to save money. People offer free accommodation at their property in return for you looking after their pet while they’re away, it’s as simple as that. We’ve saved so much money travelling this way and we love cats too, so getting some time with them is a win-win for us. We recommend using TrustedHousesitters. You pay for an annual subscription and get to apply for sits you like. Try to look and apply early for sits in popular areas as they can get lots of applications.
More Top Tips For Visiting Spain On A Budget
- Use free Wi-Fi, which is available in many places, to avoid having to purchase a tourist sim or additional data package
- Avoid eating and drinking in major tourist squares where prices will likely be inflated
- Bring a refillable water bottle and save on buying water when out and about by refilling it where possible
- If you’re going to be taking domestic flights, try packing light with only a carry-on to avoid paying extra charges for hold luggage
Visiting Spain doesn’t have to break the bank and we hope that our suggestions above will help you to save some money while on your holidays. If you have any tips for saving money in Spain then let us know in the comments below. For more information about Spain including the best ways to get there, get around the country and some top tips for a good trip, check out our Spain travel guides collection, where we also have guides for more specific Spanish cities such as Madrid and Seville.
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This blog is very informative. Thanks for sharing these tips, however, does visiting and traveling to Asturias, Spain also a great idea and considered affordable? I would love to see the greenery scene and lush vegetation there.