Budget Tips
1. Package Deals
If you choose carefully, making sure that you end up in a fairly pleasant part of the coast or near the sights you want to see, all-inclusive packages can be excellent value. They are particularly appealing if all you mainly want is to be handily situated for the beach and have most of your meals covered into the bargain.
2. Picnicking
Given the wealth of natural beauty here, much of it now given over to parks and reserves, there are excellent picnicking opportunities everywhere. There are also plenty of grocers for all that you’ll need to put together a memorable repast, with settings and views thrown in. Be sure to pick up your litter afterwards.
3. Self-Catering
You’ll certainly need to book very much in advance to secure one of the less expensive self-catering apartments. But it’s worth it, not only for the money you’ll save but also for the freedom you’ll enjoy in doing the region entirely your own way.
4. Partying
Some of the most happening bars and clubs are free to enter and require nothing of you but to have a good time. No cover charges or minimum charges is a reality here – most of the bars are so busy that no one will notice that you’re nursing your brew all night long. Beer, wine and tinto de verano are the cheapest options, while mixed drinks can be quite pricey.
5. Camping
There are some 130 authorized campsites in the region, mostly along the coast. Camping rough is legal, although not particularly encouraged. It’s prohibited within 1 km (half a mile) of an official campsite, in urban areas, and in zones prohibited for military or ecological reasons. Get permission from the landowner first.
6. IVA
If you buy anything that has a hefty sales tax tacked onto it and you are a non-EU citizen, keep the receipt, fill out the paperwork, then when you leave you can get a portion of it reimbursed at the airport. Another option for avoiding the 21 per cent IVA tax is to have your purchases shipped directly home.
7. Menu del Dia
The daily lunch menu in most restaurants can save you a great deal – as much as 75 per cent of the regular à la carte cost. Portions are generally generous, too, so you can make this your major meal of the day. It’s also a great way to savour the cuisine of some of the top restaurants without forking out over-the-top prices.
8. Laundromats
A few lavanderías automáticas can be found in cities, but don’t bother looking anywhere else. Regular laundries and tintorerías (dry-cleaners) are quite expensive, and hotel services are even more exorbitant. Bring a packet of travel washing detergent with you.
9. Reduced Admissions
Coupons for reduced group admissions to various attractions can help a lot when you’ve got a whole family to pay for. You’ll find them in various magazines, weekly papers, flyers, brochures and handed out on the street in busy areas. Tourist offices also often have stacks of them lying around as promotional lures.
10. Off-Season Travel
This is by far the best way to make your money go further. Prices plummet as the throngs of July and August become a faint memory. Low-season prices for everything can delight the budget-minded traveller, plus you have the luxury of being one of only a few, rather than amid vast hordes.
