April 2, 2003--Whether you call it "Old Europe" or "New," there are mucho savings to be had, especially in the nation's capital with the new Madrid Card. The card costs you around $30 for one day, more for multiple days and covers your admissions to many attractions, fares for getting around and more.
Here's what you get:
- Free entrance to 40 museums, monasteries and cultural institutions in Madrid and environs
- Free use of public transportation for up to 5 trips
- Unlimited use of the "Madrid Vision" tour bus for a day
- Guided walking tour of Old Madrid on any Saturday
- A guide book and map of the city
- Discounts and reduced prices at a myriad shops, restaurants, nightspots and car rentals agencies
The Madrid Card covers your entrance fees to such standouts as the Prado (I urge you, if you can see only one thing in Madrid, make it the Prado), Centro de Arte Reina National Museum, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, the Royal Palace, the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo el Escorial, the Gallery of the San Fernando Royal Academy of Art, the City Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the museums of anthropology, archaeology, decorative arts, science and technology and many others.
The one-day card is €28 (about $30), a two-day card is €42 (about $45), with all the above perks. A three-day card for €55 (about $59) gets you the above, except that you get ten trips on public transport instead of five.
The card is sold at the Municipal Office of Tourism Information, 3 Plaza Mayor; the regional Office of Tourism Information at 2 Duque de Medinaceli; at Madrid Vision bus sites; and at the kiosk next to the Prado on Calle Felipe IV. Better yet, you can also get it online at www.madridcard.com. At the moment, in Spanish only, though a spokesperson said the English version would be up "in a couple of days."
To get more information, e-mail madridcard@mardridcard.com or phone them in Madrid at 011 34 917-130-444. For more information about Spain and Madrid, contact the Spanish Tourist Office at www.okspain.org, call 212/265-8822, or--of course--do you preliminary research online for free in our coverage of Madrid at www.frommers.com/destinations/madrid.
