Madrid: Bus Tours, Train Rides, and Taking It Easy

Madrid (with a Base in Getafe)

By the time we got to Madrid, we were both a bit worn down. My wife’s cold/flu came back, so she ended up seeing a doctor just to be safe. And my own bug still wasn’t going anywhere ...one of those annoying things that never fully hits you but never leaves either.

We kept things easy. We did the open‑top bus tour, sat back, let the city roll by, and hopped off a couple times to see the big sights. Prices in 2024 were actually pretty reasonable:

• A normal meal was usually €10–€15

• A sit‑down dinner ran about €15–€25

• Beer was €2–€3

• Coffee €1.50–€2.50

Nothing crazy — you can eat well without feeling like you’re getting gouged.

We were originally going to stay right in Madrid, but the traffic was brutal. Total chaos. So we based ourselves in Getafe, about 15 km out, and just took the train in each day. Cheap, simple, no stress. Funny enough, on our last day we didn’t even bother going back into the city — we just stayed in Getafe, relaxed, wandered around, and took it slow. After the way the trip started, a quiet day was exactly what we needed.

Madrid

Practical Tips for Madrid

1. Use the Metro or Train like we did , don’t even bother driving because

traffic in Madrid is chaos , an absolute gong show.

The metro and Cercanías trains are cheap, fast, clean, and way less stressful. If you’re staying outside the city (like Getafe), the train is perfect.

2. Eat where locals eat — prices are way better

Skip the big tourist squares unless you want to pay double.

In normal neighbourhood cafés you’ll find:

• Menu del día: €10–€15

• Beer: €2–€3

• Coffee: €1.50–€2.50

• Dinner: €15–€25

Madrid looks expensive from the outside, but it doesn’t have to be.

3. Do the hop‑on hop‑off bus if you’re tired or short on time

It’s touristy, sure — but it’s also easy.

You sit, you look around, you hop off when something catches your eye. Perfect if you’re fighting a cold, jet‑lagged, or just not in the mood to walk 20,000 steps.

Our take

Madrid hit us at a time when we weren’t exactly firing on all cylinders, so we kept things pretty relaxed. No big checklists, no rushing around — just taking the city in at a pace that actually felt right.

It’s a big, busy place, full of energy, but we didn’t try to tackle it all. We picked a few things that looked interesting, wandered a bit, and let the rest go. Madrid can be overwhelming if you try to do everything, but when you slow it down, it’s a lot more enjoyable.

By the end, we were glad we didn’t force a “big city” experience. A quieter, low‑key version of Madrid ended up being exactly what we needed at that point in the trip.