Charlie Smith
AFTER Liverpool and Tottenham’s historic Champions League semi final wins, everything about the main event in Madrid seems to be boom or bust.
Some 150,000 Reds and Spurs fans will descend on the capital for the all-English final on June 1, which has seen travel and accommodation prices spiral out of control.
Direct UK flights to the city’s Barajas Adolfo Suarez Airport have already hit €1,750 return, with some airlines accused of ‘profiteering’.
Supporters have resorted to trains, flights via Italy, Belgium and Switzerland, and even the 1000-mile road journey.
Tickets for the final itself, at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium, are obviously sold out, and are now only available via touts for a staggering €4,000.
But it is Madrid’s hotel prices have risen most dramatically, with the cost of some rooms hitting €25,000 a night and others skyrocketing by 2,000%.
Over 90% of the city centre is now booked up, with nowhere for two people for a two-night stay over the weekend for under €2,000.
The charming towns of Toledo, Aranjuez or Chinchon surrounding the capital have suffered similar price fates, and Airbnb…forget it!
There is hope however, in Madrid’s campsites.
Here is the Olive Press guide to five Champions League weekend stays out in the sticks, all for less than €50 per person per night:
1. Camping Pico de la Miel
Located near the N-1 motorway, this campsite set back in the idyllic town of La Cabrera, has great access to Madrid.
This mountainous landscape is home to the fascinating San Antonio Monastery, as well as the Atazar Reservoir, a relic built during the General Franco era.
Description: Holiday cabin
Price for two nights: €110.50
Sleeps: Four
Distance from city centre: 67km
Driving time: 1 hour, 3 minutes
Breakfast: No
Amenities: Two bedrooms, full kitchen, bathroom, porch, parking, room service
www.picodelamiel.com
2. Camping Internacional Aranjuez
This camping pitch on the border with Castilla-La Mancha is nestled in a bend of the river Tagus.
Just across, is the stunning French-influenced Royal Palace of Aranjuez, the site of several treaty signings and Spanish monarchy deaths.
Description: Caravan/tent pitch
Price for two nights: €32
Sleeps: Seven
Distance from city centre: 50km
Driving time: 45 minutes
Breakfast: No
Amenities: Plot of 80-100m2, water and drainage system, TV and electricity socket
www.campingaranjuez.com
3. Camping Capfun El Escorial
The Manzanares River river is just nearby this great spot, while the Retiro Park is equally good for a morning walk.
Meanwhile the town of El Escorial with trains into Madrid, has a wealth of bars for Champions League celebrations or commiserations, as well as the monastery, declared a World Heritage Site since 1984.
Description: Holiday cabin
Price for two nights: €80
Sleeps: Three
Distance from city centre: 56km
Driving time: 1 hour, 4 minutes
Breakfast: No
Amenities: One bedroom with two beds, full kitchen, bathroom, porch, parking, room service, TV
http://www.capfun.es/
4. Camping Madrid Monte Holiday
This oak forest campsite at around 1,000m above sea level takes you back to nature, although on-site restaurant El Fogon de Guille serves an array of Spanish cuisine.
An on-site Dia supermarket is pretty much the only civilisation around, unless you trip up to the tiny town of Lozoya, which offers unparalleled views of the mountains.
Description: Tent plot
Price for two nights: €15.20
Sleeps: Four
Distance from city centre: 87km
Driving time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Breakfast: No
Amenities: Plot of 40m2, free wifi
www.campingmonteholiday.com
5. Camping Madrid Arco Iris
Less than an hour to Madrid by bus, this campsite on the edge of the city is a great option for those looking to get in and out quickly, or enjoy a last minute nightcap.
The M-501 road takes you directly into the city, while nearby you are well-catered for with a Mercadona, shopping mall, and slap-up dinner at the onsite Restaurante Abrasador.
More locally, there is the brilliant town of Alcorcon, which is home to home the Municipal Museum of Art in Glass and the amazing castles of Marqueses de Valderas, for those who have time to soak up a bit of culture.
Description: Holiday cabin
Price for two nights: €240
Sleeps: Four
Distance from city centre: 20km
Driving time: 26 minutes
Breakfast: No
Amenities: Two bedrooms, bathroom, dining room, TV, free wifi, air conditioning, heating
www.bungalowsarcoiris.com
