TRAVEL TIPS




Business hours and holidays Meals
Climate Spanish National Tourist Office
Credit cards Telephones
Currency Tipping
Electricity Tours and attractions
Language

Business hours and holidays

In the summer most banks are open from 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and are not open over weekends. Money exchanges at airports and train stations stay open later. Traveller's checks can also be cashed at the El Corte Inglés department stores until 9 p.m. Most museums are open from 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. and from 4-7 p.m., and are usually closed on Mondays, but opening hours vary widely so be sure to double-check before you leave. A few big museums, including the Prado and the Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, do not close at midday.

Almost all shops close at midday for at least three hours, except in the case of departament stores. Store hours are generally 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 5-8 p.m.


Climate

In July, the average temperature in Madrid is 29,5ºC (85ºF).


Credit cards

Most major credit cards are accepted in hotels, restaurants and shops.


Currency

In 2002, the Euro became Spain's official currency, in line with most Western Europe. Bills are 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 Euro notes while coins are 1 and 2 Euros as well as 1, 2, 5, 10 and 50-cent pieces. The Peseta, Spain's long-time currency, is no longer legal tender and is not accepted (or found) anywhere in Spain except amongst collectors.


Electricity

Electric appliances in Spain work with 220 volts, CA. 50 Hz and plugs conform to the European system of round pins with two holes. To use your U.S. or Britrish-purchased electrically-powered equipment, bring a converter and/or adapter.


Language

Generally, many of the people you come in to contact with, speak some English. They may speak the British variety, so do not be surprised if you are told to queue (line up) or take the lift (elevator). All your attempts at Spanish are genuinely appreciated, and Spaniards will not make fun of your mistakes. It's always a good idea to learn a few phrases before you depart. On a whole, the guided tours offered at museums and historic sites are multilingual.


Meals

Food/drink costs vary from place to place depending on location, quality and popularity but generally speaking, all drinks from soft drinks to beer and wine are very affordable in Madrid. Prices in bars and cafés are higher for drinks and food ordered at a table where a waiter/camarero serves you as opposed to standing at the bar.

Lunch expenses can be low if one orders a sandwich and drink at a bar but many choose the Menú del Día ("The Menu of the Day") which allows the customer to choose from a pre-set menu. These can range from €/7-12.

Dinner expenses might either be going for tapas (little dishes of food) at a bar for €/7-10 each or a sit-down meal at a restaurant for €/15-30 each.


Spanish National Tourist Office

For a complete list of the Spanish Tourist Office network, please visit www.spain.info.

Madrid has four provincial tourist offices, but the most important is on the ground floor in the Torre Madrid building, at 1 Princesa street, tel. 91 541 2325. It is open on weekdays 9 am to 7 pm and on Saturdays from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm.

You can also contact the city tourism office at Plaza Mayor, tel.: 91 366 5477. It is open on weekdays 10 am to 8 pm and saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm.

In the United Kingdom, the Spanish National Tourist Office has an information line: 0891 669 920.


Telephones

The country code for Spain is 34. Area codes normally begin with 9X ("X" being some other number depending on the province) and are different for each province. If you are dialling from outside the country, you must use the appropriate area code. One must use the area code as well as the local phone number even when calling within Madrid.


Tipping

In restaurants the law requires menu prices to include service charge, and tipping is a matter of personal choice. Most people leave some small change (5 percent is usually plenty). It is common to leave small change at bar and café tables.


Tours and attractions

Although it is easy enough to find everything in Madrid of your own accord, sometimes it can be beneficial to organize a tour to help you fit in everything that you want to see. The benefit of a tour is that you will often have a tour guide who is very knowledgeable about the city, and who will be able to give you information and titbits on the city's history in several languages.

Tours also provide the opportunity for tourists to miss out the less interesting aspects of sightseeing, and to spend more time on the areas that are of real interest to them. Perhaps the biggest advantage of booking an organized tour is that you don't have to worry about how you are going to get to all the sights you want to see. Quite often, coaches are organized by the tour company.