Total Expenses: My Midrange Weekend Getaway in Madrid

I reside in Lisbon, Portugal, and recently felt the urge to explore more of my neighboring country. So, I planned a long weekend in Madrid, Spain.

As a food writer and photographer, I don’t like to compromise on dining and drinks. To manage my budget, I chose to engage in low-cost or free activities, such as visiting free museums, exploring open-air markets, and joining tips-only guided tours.

Since I wasn’t in a hurry, I opted to travel by train. This choice isn’t necessarily cheaper than flying (and requires at least two transfers along with a full day of travel) – but it gives me time to read, listen to podcasts, and enjoy the beautiful Portuguese countryside as well as a lesser-known part of Spain.

Accommodation was the only challenging aspect of my budget. Hotels in Madrid can be quite pricey, and since I booked relatively late, I had limited options, which forced me to pay a higher rate for a small, though centrally located, room.

As Madrid’s taxis are also quite costly, I purchased a metro pass that allowed for 10 rides. In the end, I walked so much – another free delight in Madrid – that I didn’t even use all the trips.

Ultimately, I spent more than one might on a comparable weekend in Lisbon. However, Madrid didn’t feel overly expensive and offered good value, particularly in terms of food and drinks.

Pre-trip expenses

Train tickets: €77.70 for round-trip travel from Lisbon

Accommodation: €249 for three nights in a cozy room in the central Chueca neighborhood

Total: €326.70

On the Ground

Friday

Snacks: I arrive at Madrid’s Atocha Train Station, where I purchase a 10-ride metro pass for €8.60. After checking in at my hotel, I make my way to the historic vermouth bar Taberna de Ángel Sierra for a Galician-style tuna empanada and a couple of glasses of vermouth, costing €6.50. The bar follows the Spanish custom of providing a complimentary salty snack – olives, chips, or a few slices of ham – with every drink, which helps stretch my dining budget a bit.

Total: €34.85

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Saturday

Breakfast: I start my day with churros and rich hot chocolate at the iconic Chocolatería San Ginés for €5.50. Afterward, I take the subway just north of the city center to Estación de Chamberí (free), a decommissioned subway station from 1919 that has been beautifully restored and is now accessible through guided tours. I wrap up this visit with a café con leche (€2.50) at a nearby café.

Lunch: I enjoy lunch by bar-hopping in the Chamberí neighborhood. First, I savor boquerones, cured anchovies, along with a caña (a small glass of beer) at the famous seafood bar El Doble for €15.50, followed by four pintxos (Basque-style tapas) and a couple of glasses of txakoli, a slightly sparkling white wine, at the Basque restaurant Sagaretxe for €15.40.

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Activities: I hop on the metro and return to the city center for a bit of shopping. I pick up a pair of alpargatas (€9.75), traditional rope-soled shoes, at the charming Casa Hernanz; a Spanish cookbook for €9.95 at Casa del Libro; and a couple of bottles of Spanish vermouth along with some culinary ingredients for €35.55 at the supermarket connected to El Corte Inglés department store.

The Centro de Arte Reina Sofía offers free admission on Saturdays from 7–9pm, so I balanced my spending by enjoying a budget-friendly visit to one of my favorite museums in Europe.

Dinner: For dinner, I enjoyed pimientos de padrón along with a dish of scrambled eggs mixed with mushrooms and shrimp, complemented by a glass of red wine for €20.10 at Casa Toni, located on the lively Calle de La Cruz, which has an almost red-light district vibe.

Total: €114.25

Sunday

Breakfast: I start my day with a pastry and a coffee for €3.80 at the iconic La Mallorquina. A short walk leads me to El Rastro (free), touted as Europe’s largest flea market, where I spend a couple of hours browsing through everything from flamenco dresses to vintage furniture, and exploring secondhand bookstores.

Lunch and wine: During the hora del aperitivo, that delightful time between snacks and lunch, I enjoy a couple of glasses of Manzanilla with olives and a salted anchovy tapa for €7.50 at the nostalgic sherry bar La Venencia. For a proper lunch, I indulge in a bowl of callos, Madrid-style tripe served with chickpeas, accompanied by a glass of red wine at the renowned Casa Camacho for €12.

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Activities: I choose to spend my afternoon at the vast Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza for €13, marking my only paid museum visit during this trip.

Dinner: My indulgent dinner consists of cured anchovies drizzled with olive oil, accompanied by bread, a bottle of Asturian cider, and an extraordinary flan made with fresh cheese for €28.70 at Los Asturianos, a fantastic Asturian restaurant located just outside the city center.

Total: €65

Monday

Breakfast: I savor one last serving of churros and hot chocolate for €4.80, this time at Las Farolas, before heading back to Lisbon on my train(s).

Total: €4.80

Final total: €448.15

Overall expenses: on the ground (€199.15) + accommodation (€249) Note: This does not include train tickets totaling €77.70