Madrid and Barcelona Apartments, Spain

Spanish pensioners in particular are discovering how cheap a holiday on the costa can be and are coming to the rescue of struggling resorts such as Benidorm. The Costa Blanca region is Spain's biggest holiday destination after Madrid and Barcelona, with over 2 million visitors a year, roughly 40% of them British. But last year visitor numbers fell by 250,000 visitors, a drop of 14%, much of which has been blamed on a weak pound. Overall the Costa Blanca saw a fall in tourist income of around €700m (£595m) last year.

In May, hotels reported a rise in occupation levels, admittedly barely half a percentage point, but 50% of the occupants were Spanish, while the bulk of the other half were British, a further sign that Spaniards, even more cash-strapped than the Brits, are coming to the rescue.

A similar pattern is emerging in Barcelona, where tourism numbers also slumped last year. Visitors were up 12% in the first three months of this year and credit card spending, which was down 4.3% for the same period last year, rose by nearly 17%. For several years the city has been trying to attract "quality" tourists, amid fears that cheap flights were turning it into a giant beach resort. The figures suggest that Spaniards, who represent over a third of visitors, might be spending money in the city they would otherwise have spent on flights abroad.

Benidorm Apartments

Federico Millet, a representative of restaurateurs in Gandia, Valencia, said: "We have to see the crisis as an opportunity. The difficulties people face in travelling abroad means that second homes are more likely to be occupied by Spanish tourists, people who live in the interior."

There is no question that the Spanish tourist industry has been hit hard by the recession – last year tourism was 10% down on 2008 – but authorities are keen to put a positive gloss on the industry, which is a relative bright spot compared with Spain's credit-crunched property and banking sectors.

Spanish government figures show that tourism last May was up 1.1% on the same month in 2009 – despite the Icelandic volcano – and spending that month was 4% higher.

Even Benidorm is not sitting on its hands, having launched a €200,000 initiative with Air Berlin to attract more Germans to the resort to make up for the missing Brits.

Apartments in Madrid are classified mainly by number of bedrooms from one to four. The quality of the Apartment and the amenities that it offers vary from one apartment to another, usually in more pricey Apartments in Madrid, you can expect some form of luxury accommodation.

Apartments are a relatively a recent addition to the holiday accommodation scene in Madrid. They are essentially a flat that is full equipped for a short or extended stay. As they are an apartment, they offer more space, privacy and freedom than hotel rooms.

Holiday Apartments are available in all districts of Madrid and they are an excellent choice for those who want privacy and space. These are self-catered accommodation options which give you privacy, as well as the chance to get the feel of really living in the city. They are an especially good choice for those people who are coming to Madrid for mid- to long term visits.

If you are a backpacker or you are traveling on a tight budget, you should consider staying in a cheap Apartment in Madrid. It is worthwhile to choose a large apartment where can stay a group of friends so that the daily budget for accommodation per person is very affordable. Even in one of those cheap Madrid Apartments you can expect to find clean linen, security and a general level of cleanliness and hygiene.

There are many different areas to stay in while you are in Madrid. Once you have decided what sort of apartment for holiday accommodation you’d like to stay in, you have to decide where you would like to stay. The center of Madrid is an ideal location if you plan to visit the attractions that the city has to offer.

Gran Via Road is very convenient and central, but is also extremely busy and noisy. Paseo del Prada and its surrounding streets are also central and you will find them to be quieter. Another prime central location is Las Huertas. It boasts some modern classy hotels in an area full of old, interesting buildings. It also has a lively night life for those who would like to see the town at night.

Atocha, behind the station has the cheapest Apartment accommodation options that are available in Madrid. It is not the most pleasant area at night, but is fine for those on a budget who will not be spending too much time in their Apartment.

In Barcelona , you can choose between holiday apartments, hotel accommodation or even a combination of the two called Aparthotels. Few tourists think of renting a holiday apartment but if you are visiting Barcelona in a group of three or more people, then booking an Apartment in Barcelona can work out cheaper than hotel accommodation. Furthermore, who wouldn’t prefer staying in an exclusive apartment, with all the modern conveniences, at the same price as hotel accommodation?

The Aparthotel is a rather new holiday accommodation development in Barcelona. It is a small apartment that is situated within a hotel. It offers a cost-effective alternative for groups or families that want to stay together, or for groups of business colleagues that are spending time in Barcelona. Aparthotels holiday rentals normally have en-suite kitchens that enable you to store and prepare your own food.

Once your holiday accommodation has been booked, look at some of the top tourist attractions that Barcelona has to offer. Most people love Sagrada Familia by Antonio Gaudi (although a minute few hate it). It basically is a giant temple that has been under construction ever since 1882. To top this, they are planning to still be busy for another thirty to eighty years (depending on how much resources and funds will be at their disposal) before it will be finalised.

L’ Aquarium de Barcelona is a popular Barcelona attraction, especially for the kids and young ones. The aquarium is based at the at Port Vell (in the Barcelona Port Area)

The Spanish Village (Poble Espanyol de Montjuic) is a tiny Spanish village with different areas that replicate architecture styles from different districts of Spain. The Spanish Village is also home to a great many workshops and specialist craft shops where visitors can see some traditionally made Spanish goods. The Spanish Village is also where the Famous Flamenco show is held at tablao de Carmen, which may help boost it’s popularity.

La Pedrera (Casa Mila) is another one of the great Antonio Gaudi masterpieces. It is also another one of his designs that forms part of the top 10 most visited sites in town. This building was always called Casa Mila but today it’s more commonly known as La Pedrera, which means literally means “quarry”. Gaudi was instrumental in completing this special building with his characteristic and unique colourful tiles mixed with wavy brickwork.

If you are a beach enthusiast, be sure to book hotel accommodation adjoining one of Barcelona’s 7 beaches, which totals 4.5 kilometers of its coastline. The Sant Sebasti and Barceloneta beaches are both 1.1 kilometers in length, and are the oldest, biggest, and the most visited beaches in Barcelona. Its Olympic port separates it from the other Barcelona beaches: Nova Icria, Mar Bella, Bogatell, Nova Mar Bella and Llevant.

The Spanish holiday rentals Apartments in Madrid and Barcelona have seen a growth during this summer season if compared to the same period last year. It will take a few more months to establish whether a true growth trend is emerging but this is the third consecutive month that the market has experienced growth, suggesting rising confidence in the Spanish holiday apartments sector.

For the first time in over a year, Apartments in Barcelona and Madrid have overtaken hotels in those cities just as they should do in a healthy market. Holiday apartments are currently being driven by Madrid and Barcelona where tourist number have increased considerably on an annual basis.

Barcelona is a beach-front city that, along with its coastal areas, is regularly voted one of the best places to spend holidays in the world. It is a cosmopolitan city and a fantastic place to stay and visit. Everyone is captivated by the city’s urban old world charm. Barcelona is arguably one of the finest of European cities.

The range of Apartments in Barcelona is diverse; from traditional and contemporary city Apartments in Barcelona’s old town to exclusive lofts and modernist flats in Barcelona’s Zona Alta and from sleek modern beach-front apartments.

Madrid is Spain’s capital and a city of cultural, political and economical importance and is the third largest European economic centre. Madrid hosts the head offices of the vast majority of the major Spanish companies, as well as the headquarters of three of the world’s 100 largest companies. Barajas international airport is one of Europe’s major transport hubs and means that the city has excellent access from Europe and the rest of the world.

Madrid offers an incredible lifestyle and fantastic transport links to Europe and the rest of the world. The city is also home for the legendary football club Real Madrid.

The range of Apartments in Madrid is diverse, from traditional and contemporary city apartments for holiday rentals in the best parts of the centre of Madrid city such as Barrio Salamanca; to more affordable and cheap apartments in residential areas such as La Moraleja and Aravaca.

Considering all factors above, it is no surprise that Barcelona and Madrid Apartments are the starting points for the recovery of the Spanish holiday rentals market.

Nowadays, most people are watching their wallets, but a trip to Spain is just a seat sale or mileage award redemption away. Madrid is the perfect gateway for exploring the country, although once you get a taste of this fabulous, multifaceted city you may just want to spend your whole vacation here: there's plenty to do and see, and lots of ways to stretch your euros.

Once you reach Madrid, here are some priceless money-saving tips:

1. Transportation Tip
First and best advice: take the metro! It's cheap, extensive, and extremely easy to navigate, even if you don't speak Spanish. The metro is well connected to the city center, a trip that takes about 45 minutes from the airport. All metro rides are 1 euro, and there's a 1 euro surcharge for airport trips.

2. Major Museums
With several major art institutions, including the world-class Prado, museum-going is a major part of any trip to Madrid. The Paseo del Prado, in central Madrid, is a wide, tree-lined boulevard that's also known as the Art Walk because it passes four of the city's important museums:
The Prado is home to the world's largest collections of artworks by Francisco de Goya and Diego Velázquez, as well as many other European masterpieces. Madrid's modern art museum, The Centro de Arte Reina Sofía houses Picasso's Guernica. The Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza has an ambitious collection of almost 1,000 paintings tracing the history of Western art from 13th-century Italian Gothic through 20th-century American pop art. Madrid's newest art destination, the CaixaForum, is a public art and culture exhibition space.
The CaixaForum is always free but there are several ways to save on entrance fees for the others. A Museo del Paso pass, available for purchase at any of the three museums, costs €17.60, and you don't need to visit all three on the same day. (It would cost €22 for full price adult entry for all three otherwise.) The Prado (€8) and the Reinia Sofia (€6) both have free visit times: The Prado is free Tues.–Sat. 6 pm–8 pm, and Sun., 5 pm–8 pm. The Reina Sofia is free Mon. and Wed.–Fri. from 7 pm–9 pm, Sat. 2:30–9 pm, and all day Sun. The MuseoThyssen-Bornemisza (€8), however, does not have any free visit times.
TIP: Another savings option is the Madrid Card, which, for €47, €60, or €74 (one, two, or three days, respectively) gives you entry to 40 of the city's museums and monuments—including, of course, the ones along the Paseo del Prado—as well as free use of the tourist bus Madrid Visión, and all the guided visits in the Discover Madrid program.

3. More Free Sights
It's definitely worth noting that some of Madrid's top sights are absolutely free: Retiro Park, right behind the Prado, is a gorgeous expanse of path-lined greenery, replete with a man-made lake; the park is especially lively on weekends, when street musicians, jugglers, and sidewalk painters entertain Spanish families out for a stroll. Sunday is also the day of the massive El Rastro flea market, which is, of course, free to wander, though you might be tempted to buy some treasures.

4. Foodie Finds
There are plenty of world-renowned restaurants in Madrid where you can spend your euros—remember to make reservations at Casa Botin for the famed roast suckling pig—but you can certainly keep it inexpensive by making a meal of tapas (small plates). There are tapas spots all over town, but just like restaurants, some are better than others. We list our favorites on our Madrid Tapas Bars listings. Highlights include El Cervantes, a popular spot off the Paseo del Prado for hot and cold tapas, and La Dolores, just a few doors down. Many restaurants also serve tapas in the early evening and afternoon, before dinner service. Mercado de la Reina, on the Gran Vía not far from the Puerta del Sol, has a delicious selection of small plates, and when the weather's nice, the huge front windows open into the sunshine.
Another stellar spot to sample all sorts of gourmet delicacies is at the swanky stalls of the newly made over Mercado de San Miguel indoor market, near the Plaza Mayor. Here, a bustling mix of travelers and madrileños snack on hot and cold tidbits, while sipping glasses of wine, sangria, or sherry.
Churros—fried bread, sprinkled with sugar or dipped in chocolate—are, essentially, the Spanish answer to donuts. Stop in at Chocolatería San Ginés for the quintessential snack, fresh and hot. It's open almost twenty-four hours a day and is especially popular as a last stop before home after a night of partying madrilène-style.

5. Bargains Apartments in Madrid
If you're looking to save money on accommodation but want a fun and funky apartment experience, check out the ApartmentPlan.es website, you will find a large choice of Apartments in Madrid in different districts of the city, with different sizes and number of bedrooms, suitable for couples, families or even groups: One bedroom apartments, Apartments with two bedrooms and also three bedroom apartments in Madrid.

Barcelona is all about the arts. They are at the core of its identity, and not just through the traditional institutions. They are eclectic, often edgy, sometimes outrageous. On the streets. Out there. In your face.

Much of the action, but far from all of it, centers on the famous Las Ramblas, a long, tree-lined shopping/dining/arts boulevard that has few if any peers in the world.

Ramble along Las Ramblas on any day and you will encounter, for example, various living "statues" - gargoyles, bicyclists, "beheaded" ghouls, angels and princesses, perched in their assigned spots, ready to spring to life and coax a little cash out of the tourists who pose with them. You will see musicians, caricature artists, jugglers, acrobats, even the occasional weird mime act.

Such life pervades the city. A classical cellist plays music from "Phantom of the Opera" outside the cathedral walls in the Gothic Quarter. Performers on indescribable, exotic instruments enchant passersby along narrow, winding side streets. Guitarists ply their trade at outdoor cafés, and diners often are in a generous mood, given the vigor of the local sangria.

All this goes on until at least 2 a.m. In Barcelona, you dine late and party long.

Here is clearly a city in which an artist can make a good living independently - and many do. Barcelona nurtures and encourages that.

It's smart for the city's bottom line, because the arts, Barcelona obviously understands, is not just about fun. It is tied to commerce.

Barcelona is the heart of Catalonia, an autonomous and culturally distinct region that is Spain's principal economic engine. Catalans have a reputation as the nation's most businesslike, innovative and savvy people. Noted for its arts, architecture and industrial design, Barcelona is Europe's sixth-richest city, with a per-capita income 44 percent above the continent's average.

And it is one of Europe's most creative, embracing, adapting cities. This is no coincidence.

Barcelona is very good at using what it has.

Local architect Antoni Gaudi's Sagrada Familia church, with its organic-looking spires, may be far from finished, but is the city's iconic attraction. A major museum devoted to Pablo Picasso resides in an ancient palace in the La Ribera district. The ultra-modern Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona also does installations in a medieval convent chapel nearby, and the MACBA plaza is one of the world's prime venues for skateboarders. Somehow, it all works.

Barcelona is much larger than Cincinnati - 1.5 million in the city proper, compared to our population of 300,000 to 400,000 (depending on how heavy Mayor Mark Mallory's thumb is on the scale). Barcelona has densely populated, compact historic neighborhoods with structures that date back many centuries - some even to Roman times. It boasts a robust transportation system - five subway lines, high-speed rail, 900 buses, tram lines and cable cars. Yet the central city is very walkable.

Its modern resurgence started with the 1992 Olympics. Preparing for the Games forced the city to reconnect with its long-neglected waterfront and its rich architecture (sound familiar, Cincinnati?). But it sustained the growth long after the Olympics.

Barcelona's embrace of chaotic creativity and tourism has its downsides. Pickpockets are a chronic and serious problem. Banners on light poles warn against people relieving themselves in the streets.

Qatar Airways has launched daily flights between Doha and the vibrant Spanish city, Barcelona.

Barcelona is Qatar Airways’ second city served in Spain, after Madrid, and is expected to receive great response from leisure and business travellers alike.

As Spain’s second largest city, Barcelona is a popular tourist centre on the Mediterranean coastline. It is home to one of Europe’s main ports and has a thriving economic base due largely to its importance in finance, commerce, media, entertainment, arts and international trade. According to official tourism data, 52 million tourists visit Spain every year, making it one of the most visited countries in the world.

“Barcelona is a vibrant city with incredible appeal among leisure and business travellers, and we are confident that our new daily flights will be equally successful as our daily services to Madrid,” said Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer, Akbar Al Baker. “With 14 flights a week now operating to Spain, this reflects the high demand we have been experiencing in and out of the region, helped by increased economic ties between the Middle East and the Iberian Peninsula.”

Barcelona is the 2,000 year old capital of the Catalunyan region, an excellent year-round destination, offering art, unique architecture, excellent nightlife, sophisticated shopping and gastronomical delights which cater to travellers of all ages and budgets. On the Doha – Barcelona route, Qatar Airways operates an Airbus A319 in a two-class configuration of 8 seats in Business Class and 102 in Economy.

Qatar champions play for charity in Barcelona
Qatar champs Wanderers participated in a charity tournament in Barcelona and rubbed shoulders with the likes of Spanish superstars Santi Frexia, Leonardo and current captain Pol Amat. The tournament was held for the second year and there was a huge turnout with Wanderers from Qatar being the only non-Spanish team participating.

Having conceded a walkover in their first game, drawn their second and winning handsomely their next three games, Wanderers were unlucky not to make the semi-finals of the friendly tournament. However they won over their Spanish counterparts’ hearts with star players Juned Coutinho and Savio Nayak participating in a skills workshop along with Santi Frexia. Wanderers also shared their goalkeeper Shannon George with one of the other participating teams.

Benidorm is one of the most popular destinations, with it’s perfect mix of sun, sea and sand. With numerous attractions, restaurants, shops and Apartments in Benidorm all designed to cater expertly to the needs of kids and adults alike, there is certainly plenty to get excited about.

Families seeking some seaside indulgence while away will have ample opportunity in Benidorm, whether they choose to relax on Poniente Beach in the west or the more lively Levante Beach in the east. A safe place for children, the beaches of Costa Blanca have numerous lifeguard patrols and its waters have consistently been rated for blue flag bathing. What’s more is that this dream lifestyle can be enjoyed almost year-round, as temperatures rarely fall below 18 degrees. Make the most out of your holiday by staying at one of the many Costa Blanca Apartments located directly on the beach. With the weather taken care of the only thing to think about is whether to spend the day sunbathing, parasailing, wind surfing, scuba diving, boating, water skiing or perhaps relaxing in a beachfront cafe while the kids play in the sand.

The seaside isn’t the only reason to visit Benidorm however. You can also find Europe’s largest and most exciting theme park here, Terra Mitica Fun Park. Meanwhile, the thrilling Aqualandia water park is a popular choice on warmer days. For those looking for less thrills but just as much fun, there are numerous wildlife parks, including Terra Natura and Mundomar, where visitors can enjoy interaction with the animals.

Visitors looking for a unique attraction should check out Cactuslandia - a large cactus garden and also home of the natural history museum. Perched on a majestic hilltop, visitors will enjoy the view as much as the attraction itself. If you’re looking to shop until you drop, Benidorm has plenty of flea markets, like the Benidorm Outdoor Market and El Cisne Market where you can purchase just about anything.

Regardless of how families wish to spend their days, they can be sure of returning to a comfortable Benidorm Apartment at night. Benidorm Apartments are used to catering for the needs of families right across the country, with Benidorm being no exception. Visitors can enjoy its warm weather, safe beaches and multiple attractions in comfort and style.

Barcelona is a sexy, seductive city. Like all good courtesans, it will yield up its most treasured secrets to those who can explore beyond the superficial hedonistic image it has acquired since its transformation to celebrate the 1992 Olympic games. Yes, there are phalanxes of drunken hen and stag parties who conga up and down Las Ramblas and in and out of Antoni Gaudí's glorious buildings, but look beyond and you will understand a little of the Catalans' fierce desire to preserve their first city's cultural status. I can't possibly do my favourite European city justice, but here are a few recommendations.

Favourite place to stay
I rarely stay in the same Apartment. I chose an ultra-modern cheap and chic Apartment in Barcelona from ApartmentPlan.es, which manages to flawlessly integrate lime green decor, neon-lit reception areas and minimalist contemporary furniture into two townhouses in the seedy narrow streets of El Raval, the city's old brothel district and favoured stamping ground for the likes of Luis Buñuel, Salvador Dali and Federico García Lorca when they lived and worked there. It has a magnificent rooftop suite with great views of the city. The Banys Orientals is its only rival – more expensive but one of the great boutique hotels of the world.

Favourite restaurant
Café de L'Acadèmia is the best lunchtime restaurant in Europe and has a simple three-course daily table d'hôte lunch menu, for about a tenner – a throwback to a pre-Civil War law requiring restaurants to make a good cheap local midday meal for factory workers. I have never eaten the same meal there – it's always fresh Catalan food – and I love the counter area as much as the outside tables that sprawl across Plaça Sant Just towards a tiny medieval church. It's about two minutes' walk from the ancient Ajuntament, the magnificent City Hall in Plaça de Sant Jaume where Catalans are still battling to peacefully wrench their state from Castilian political and economic control.

Favourite tapas bar
One evening, after a couple of cavas in the faded art deco splendour of the London Bar (frequented by Dali, Picasso and Hemingway) and a long aimless stroll around El Raval's shadowy passages and the city's red-light district, Barri Xinès – backdrop for the seediest and most evocative section of Jean Genet's Journal du Voleur – I came across Mam i Teca, a minuscule bar close to the Palau Güell (currently closed for restoration), arguably Gaudí's most celebrated masterpiece. Run by a charming English-speaking gastronome, the bar has about four tables and three stools and its patron serves exquisitely cooked authentic tapas, light pastas, fresh meats and fish.

Favourite museums
The great art critic Robert Hughes's classic account of the city's cultural history, entitled simply Barcelona, led me up to the National Art Museum of Catalonia, which charts 1,000 years of national cultural heritage. It is surrounded by a faux grandeur of fountains and gardens which are part of the Palau Nacional, built for the 1929 International Exhibition. In particular, this incredibly spacious museum now houses the greatest collection of pre-medieval Romanesque frescoes in the world. These were all but lost to the world until after the first world war, when enlightened Catalans relocated and restored those that had survived years of mutilation and neglect in the tiny villages in the Pyrenees. Also utterly unmissable is the Museum of Contemporary Art, in La Raval.

Favourite festival
On St George's Day, the entire city, from the New Town boulevards of the Eixemple, down the centre of Las Ramblas (and across La Ribera to the fisherman's houses on the Barconeleta) metamorphoses into a magnificent floral literary festival, when the men of Barcelona give their loved ones roses, and the women return the compliment with a book. Appropriately enough it was on St George's Day a few years ago that I was lucky enough to meet Carlos Ruiz Zafón, the Catalan author of The Shadow of the Wind. As a literary introduction to his home town, the novel is unparalleled, and a perfect fictional companion to Robert Hughes's cultural bible.

Favourite cathedral
I have spent hours in La Seu, an amazing example of Gothic architecture, studying the paintings, the side chapels, the tombs, the statues and one of the most beautiful cloisters I have ever seen – 13 white geese have inhabited it for over 400 years. La Seu has been Barcelona's iconic cathedral since the dawn of European Christianity, and the remains of one of the city's patron saints, the teenage girl martyr Santa Eulàlia (Laia is her local name), are interred in the crypt underneath the exquisite altar. She was martyred brutally in the fourth century and was the inspiration for a famous painting by John William Waterhouse, one of the great pre-Raphaelites. Legend has it that she was rolled up the hill close to the cathedral in a wooden barrel filled with broken glass. Plaça de la Seu in front of the Cathedral is the venue for an unmissable ritual performed every Saturday at 6pm – the sardana, which is Catalonia's national dance. If you are there, you will be forced to join in.

Favourite theatre
Barcelona is famous for contemporary dance and vibrant fringe theatre, but it also has a magnificent opera house, the Gran Teatro del Liceu, which runs programmes of opera and classical music performed by leading international singers, musicians and conductors. Lorca and Genet staged their work in this grand auditorium on Las Ramblas. (Lorca called this broad artery "the one street in the world I didn't want to end".) Its stage door is next to the Mercat de La Boqueria, the city's ancient food market, where you can eat tapas and drink solo (espresso) before entering the grandeur of the Liceu.

Favourite cemetery
The setting for a key chapter in my book is the Cementiri del Sud-Ouest, where thousands of graves, tombstones, mausoleums and chapels are literally carved into the stark cliffs that loom above the vast industrial seaport opposite the south face of the little mountain called Montjuic. Thick stone columns guard rows and rows of memorials and coffins encased in carefully marked square sealed cabinets, the final resting place for thousands of Barcelona's dead. Tiny square plaques are neatly sculpted into walls of stone which stretch up and down the undulating hillside like strange vestiges of an ancient civilisation. Dried flowers, faded photos, and effigies of the Holy Virgin sit in small sealed glass protuberances, which give each cubicle, (not unlike the cubicle in a morgue), a poignant idiosyncratic atmosphere – a little personal identity which keeps them from being desperate and uniform. I adore this place, which also overlooks the Mediterranean.

Favourite plaça
Nobody could come to Barcelona and fail to enjoy the experience of sitting at one of the cafes or outside restaurants which surround Plaça Reial. It is surrounded by tall palm trees, and peppered with wrought iron lamps designed by a youthful Gaudí. A fountain in the middle has a statue of the Three Graces, and all of Barcelona at one stage or another passes through this sublime 19th-century square. There are the inevitable street entertainers, refugees from Las Ramblas, which is a minute's walk away, and it is crammed with tourists but as in Venice, its faded elegance survives all this. Within a short walk you can be strolling along the beach of the Barceloneta, stalking El Raval's bars or visiting the eccentricities of the Pipa Club in the corner of the square, where everyone smokes a pipe and drinks late into the night. Life at its most amusing.

Regardless of the type of holiday that you’re after, you’ll need to find some accommodation that is right for you and you’ll have a wide range of Madrid Apartments to select from.

In terms of luxury, the city centre is where the top Apartments in Madrid are found. If money is no object then the five star Apartment are the ones that will be of most interest to you, and you can head online and choose the ideal accommodation for the duration of your break. ApartmentPlan.es offers guests a large choice of apartments in the heart of Madrid. Prices start from over 80 euros a night, but if you’re after a stay to remember then a couple of night’s accommodation is worth every penny.

Luxury is also available on a budget, with the five star Hotel Hesperia available to stay in for just over 100 euros per night. The ultra modern hotel is ideally located on the Paseo de la Castellana Avenue and the hotel’s lounge is the perfect place to relax after a long day of sightseeing. If you’re on a tight budget you’ll still have a wide range of accommodation to choose from, with accommodations such as the Hotel Celuisma Florida Norte and the Hotel Cason del Tormes both offering comfort without having to break the bank.

The Internet is the place to head to find a great deal on accommodation for the duration of your stay in Madrid. A quick browse online from the comfort of your own home can help you save pounds that can go towards your spending money for the trip itself. You can specify your budget so that you don’t overspend, as well as being able to search by city areas so that you can stay exactly where you want and identify the attractions that you wish to visit before you even step on the plane.

You might be wondering where to start in terms of things to do in Madrid. There is so much entertainment on offer and a whole host of different attractions to visit that you may simply be overwhelmed by the choice available. Something that is worth trying to do, whatever city you visit and no different in Madrid, is to soak up the culture of the capital. The city is bursting full of culture and heritage and every direction you turn you’ll find a little piece of Spanish history.

Flamenco and Spain go hand in hand and there is no better place to experience the Spanish dance than in a Madrid bar or restaurant. The best place to head is a tablao, a restaurant with a stage, where authentic flamenco will be performed every night of the week. The star dancers perform long into the night and thus a tablao is the place to go if you’re after an evening full of traditional entertainment, as you can follow an amazing Spanish meal with hours of authentic dancing.

As one of the tourist hotspots in Europe, the Spanish capital is bursting with different styles of accommodation, with a luxurious Madrid Apartment one of the most popular options. When you go on holiday you are more than likely to want to really indulge yourself and a stay in an apartment that has all the facilities and services you could ever want will go down a treat.

There are many restaurants scattered across Madrid that host great flamenco performances. These include eateries such as Corral de la Pacheca where some of the best flamenco dancers are to be found, while El Juglar hosts a flamenco night every Sunday where students are given their chance to shine. If catching a spot of flamenco is one of the main reasons for visiting Madrid then you should visit the Spanish capital at festival time. The renowned Festival de Flamenco Caja Madrid takes place in February and is the perfect time to soak up some Spanish culture.

While watching flamenco will be at the top of many tourists’ to-do lists when they visit Madrid, many other city breakers will be visiting the Spanish capital to catch another central part of Madrid culture, football. Like Barcelona, Madrid lives and breathes the beautiful game and it’s hard to find a place anywhere in the world that shares the same passion.

The Santiago Bernabeu is one of the most impressive football stadiums in the world and a tour of the ground is sure to leave you speechless. If you visit Madrid during the football season then you may be lucky enough to get your hands on some tickets for a Real Madrid home game. The 90 minutes will be an experience in itself regardless of the result, as the atmosphere really is something to behold and you’re likely to lose yourself in the splendour of your surroundings and become immersed in the match.

When it comes to sport football is one of Madrid’s loves, with the other being bull fighting. May is the best time to visit the Spanish capital if you want to experience the adrenaline rush of this most historic of traditions. This is when Madrid’s famous San Isidro festival takes place, when there are bullfights every day for the duration of the spectacle. At seven o’clock every evening thousands of locals descend on the Las Ventas bullring and you could join them and experience bullfighting for yourself.

Madrid can be the perfect city in which to enjoy a sightseeing holiday, but if you’re more interested in soaking up as much Spanish culture as you can during your holiday in the city then there are three activities you simply must experience. Watching flamenco in a restaurant, football in the Bernabeu and bullfighting in a bullring will all leave you with a tingle down your spine. By staying in a traditional Madrid Apartment you can further add to your cultural experience and enjoy an unforgettable Spanish break.