Madrid – For Free!

Museums in Madrid have free
visiting hours so that everyone
can enjoy the works of art!

The holiday season has drawn to a close and 2014 is now in full swing… But after spending reckless sums of money on novelty Christmas jumpers, a Roscón de Reyes that could feed a small army and frankly dangerous amounts of chocolate, everyone seems to be complaining that they have no money - you may hear the Spanish saying "la cuesta de enero"! This should be the month of restrictions… But not in Madrid! Here having no money is no barrier to enjoying what this city has to offer. You can enjoy some of the best attractions of Madrid for free all year round.  

The Art of Madrid – all for free!

Madrid, replete with museums and cultural centres, is a top destination for art lovers from all over the world. But the cost of taking in all the resplendent treasures dotted around the city shouldn’t be prohibitive – indeed, you can do it all for free! This is a city where art is appreciated and accessible for everyone – all of the museums have free opening hours so that anyone can come and see the fine works of art without spending a cent. Simply check out the opening hours of the museums you want to see – the Reina Sofía, the Prado, the Thyssen, whatever takes your fancy, and head over there!  

Enjoy the green spaces of Madrid for free!

Did you know that Madrid has more square kilometres of green space and trees per inhabitant that any other European city? The parks of Madrid are renowned - one of Madrid’s most remarkable features is its balance between an urban landscape and beautiful green spaces – and there is something for everyone! Not only does it boast the “lung of Madrid”, Buen Retiro Park (which was literally built for a King: Philip IV, to be precise), and the Campo del Moro, it has also enjoyed recent developments such as the Madrid Rio. Regardless of the season, it is something that can and should be enjoyed by everyone visiting Madrid – in summer, take a picnic and enjoy the glorious sunshine, or in winter, feel the crisp breeze on your cheeks and feel the fallen leaves underfoot. Anyone will tell you, it’s hard to believe that you can have all this in the middle of a city!

Casa del Campo - cost free!

Speaking of beautiful green spaces in Madrid, if you head to the west of the city you will find the sprawling Casa de Campo. A haven for wildlife in the big city and popular with tourists and Madrileños alike, you will be hard pushed to find its equal in another city. But there is more than one way to explore this beautiful place – the Casa de Campo has many dedicated cycling trails and places to rent a bike. It’s a perfect way to see more of the city in a shorter space of time (and atone for some for the indulgences of the Christmas period!) 

Learning Spanish in Madrid – Free, fun, flexible!

Intercambio - practice your Spanish for free!

If you’ve come to Madrid to learn Spanish then you couldn’t have made a better decision! Not only will you absorb some of the language simply by being immersed in the local language every day, but you can also dedicate a few hours of your week to practicing Spanish for nothing at all at an Intercambio event! There are many to choose from, so no matter what your schedule, there is something to suit you! A sure-fire way to make Spanish friends, find some of the best places in the city and of course, keep your Spanish up, the events are all free to enter – you only need to buy your drinks! What better way to learn Spanish on a budget?

Conventional wisdom states that travelling around a capital city is a pricey business. AIL Madrid is happy to dispel the myth and promise you that there are a wealth of activities to enjoy for no cost at all in Madrid. The Spanish capital is historic and beautiful, full of treasures to enjoy at will. There is so much for free on offer in Madrid that there is even a fantastic website MadridFree dedicated to spreading the word about the free activities in Madrid. We can safely promise you – Madrid is priceless in every sense of the word!