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Getting There

All international and domestic flights arrive to Barajas Airport (MAD), 10 miles northeast of the city center. It's the main hub for Iberia (www.iberia.com), Spain's national airline, which offers non-stop flights from New York. Major US carriers like Delta (www.delta.com), American Airlines (www.aa.com) and Continental (www.continental.com) also fly non-stop to Madrid. Count on flight time of about seven hours from New York and 12-13 hours from Los Angeles, with a stop on the East Coast.

If you're coming by train from Europe or elsewhere in Spain, you'll arrive either to Chamartín station in the north of the city (from France and northern Spain) or Atocha station in the south (from Portugal and southern Spain).

Purchasing airfare and hotel together can often save you a bundle, and you should check for package deals on Expedia (http://www.expedia.com), Orbitz (www.orbitz.com) and Travelocity (http://www.travelocity). Better-priced packages can also often be scored through Europe-focused providers like Gate1Travel (www.gate1travel), EuropeASAP (www.europeasap.com), and European Destinations (www.europeandestinations.com).

Getting into Madrid
Reaching the city center from Barajas Airport is fairly simple. Certainly the cheapest way is by Metro, which runs from Terminal 2 and takes 30 to 45 minutes (1€). Catching a taxi into the city center is the easiest but also priciest option; the 30-minute journey will cost you 20€-25€. For more detailed information and schedules of buses from and to the airport, see the Airport and Air Navigation Network website for Spain (www.aena.es).