We just got back from 2 weeks in Spain (13 nights) and I thought it would be helpful for those of you who are planning trips if I posted our expenses. The dates were October 1-15.
Lodging - $1,085.83 - This was 3 nights in Sevilla, 1 in Ronda, 2 in Granada, 2 in Cordoba, 2 in Toledo, and 3 in Madrid. We stayed in 3 RS-recommended hotels and 3 airbnb apartments. All had balconies or upper level porches with nice (sometimes amazing) views. Averaged $83.53/night.
Food - $779.50 - We mostly ate tapas or 1/2 rationes at outside tables, or sometimes at a bar, and prepared a few meals in the apartments (we were so hungry for salad!). We ate suckling pig in Segovia and venison in Toledo. Only 3 indoor sit-down dinners. Even though we spent less than $30 apiece per day, we weren't pinching pennies. We ordered anything we wanted and had so much delicious food!
Transportation - $419.16, all within Spain. Lucky us, our credit card points paid for our airline tickets. This was train and bus between cities plus some subway in Madrid.
Sightseeing - Lots of churches and palaces, Alhambra, Prado, flamenco.
Total trip cost was $2578.20 (not including flight). I think that is pretty amazing for 2 people for 2 weeks, especially considering the fabulous time that we had!
Also I want to thank everyone who gave me input while I was planning, and I have to say RS's book was invaluable.
And I have to share a trip highlight:
---- In Cordoba we decided to go to a street market which was away from the tourist zone. On the way we saw a churreria that was really crowded with people outside. We walked over and we were a little confused about how to go about ordering. A nice lady showed us that we had to take a ticket and then answered my questions about ordering (using my bad Spanish). The next thing we knew they invited us to their table; she wanted us to speak English to her 2 daughters. We had a fun time, then walked with them to the street market. Before long they invited us to come to their house that afternoon for paella. (Who gets to do that???!!!) Of course we accepted and had a lovely lunch which included a flamenco demonstration and the daughters sang for us, and they sent us home with a fan, 2 bottles of wine, and an invitation to come back. A-mazing!!
Posted by
Washington DC
28100 posts
What a lovely experience. And I congratulate you on managing a great trip at such a reasonable price.
Posted by
Denver, CO
796 posts
Just WOW. That is such a cool experience to have in Cordoba! What a great memory for everyone involved!
Thanks for posting your expenses too. We travel the same way you do. We do whatever we want to do, but just do it in the most economical way possible. We prefer staying in the RS type accommodations as well, and that can definitely save quite a bit of money.
Posted by
California 🦋
5294 posts
Jennie,
It sounds like you had an amazing trip!
Traveling on a budget is definitely doable!
Did you get to the Prado Museum on the 12th & was it free?
Thanks for posting!
Posted by
Midwest
2768 posts
Wonderful information! It is really interesting to add it all up and see how little you can spend on a comfortable trip.
I have friends who spend $$$$$ on beach resort vacations who wonder how I can afford to go toEurope annually or more - there is this misconception that it is very expensive when really I spent more taking my kids to Disney world for 4 days than on 2 weeks in Europe! Thanks for listing it out like this
Posted by
Napa, CA
3580 posts
I just did a rough calculation and arrived at $1600 for one person traveling alone. Lodging would cost almost as much as for a couple, but the other expenses would be half. That's very good for two weeks. I think I want to go back to Spain!
Posted by
OP
63 posts
Priscilla, The Prado was free on the 12th. It opened at 12:30 like you said. After we checked in around noon, the hotel clerk said the parade was just a few blocks away and we might be able to catch the end of it, so we took off (in the rain). We missed the actual parade but just happened to be on the route where the king and queen were exiting. So we got to see some soldiers on horseback and even a band on horseback, and then a glimpse of the king and queen! (Nice birthday present!) Then we headed for the Prado. The sidewalks were filled with parade-goers and umbrellas. By the time we got there, the line was so long that we decided not to go then. We did return later for the free 6-8 time slot and then went again on the 14th with a paid ticket. Thanks for your help!
Posted by
OP
63 posts
Mira, so true! People really do think Europe is too expensive and then spend way more here in the states or in Cancun. What kind of a place can you get here for $85? Maybe a Red Roof Inn? Sometimes even a Motel 6 costs that much. Every place we stayed was charming. We had a balcony over the Ronda gorge (thrilling!) and a balcony where we could look right up the hill and see the Alhambra. I had a delicious meal that was a big plate half filled with grilled trout and half filled with salad for 4,25 euros. For that price I had expected a small tapa-sized portion. And that was in Madrid where things were generally more expensive. Of course it's not all perfect - like when I ordered a squid tapa - not sure what I expected but what I got was a whole cold baby squid (stuffed with something fishy) slapped on a little baguette. Not my favorite, but I ate it anyway because I was on an adventure.
Posted by
Midwest
2768 posts
Exactly! Spain is cheaper than other parts of Europe but I still think you can do it on a budget many places. I like apartments and in Granada we had a 2 bedroom with a huge private roof terrace, views of the mountains and Albayzin - not Alhambra view, but beautiful - for 100 Euros a night. $110. Last week I was driving to Minneapolis to visit my sister and paid almost that much for a Days Inn or something random in Wisconsin somewhere.
Posted by
California 🦋
5294 posts
Hi Jenny,
I'm so glad you enjoyed the Prado Museum more than once on your trip.
Of course it's not all perfect - like when I ordered a squid tapa - not sure what I expected but what I got was a whole cold baby squid (stuffed with something fishy) slapped on a little baguette. Not my favorite, but I ate it anyway because I was on an adventure.
I like your adventurous attitude!
I don't know if I would have ordered a squid tapa!