Then there’s the food. Granada is easily one of the cheapest destinations in Spain to eat, drink and be merry — a tradition of complimentary tapas and a large population of university students (around 80,000) may have something to do with it.

Related: How to buy tickets to Alhambra in Granada

Here are five tips for a fun Granada escape on a budget.

1. Visit during the week to save on hotels

Hotels in Granada are already pretty cheap, which some running as low as €35-70 a night. However, many are even cheaper in the middle of the week. Private rooms at hostels are even more economically priced, ranging from €30-50 a night.

Looking for a place to stay? Search our Granada hotel listings.

Order a sherry at Bodegas Espadafor and get a plate of delicious (and free!) tapas. Photo: Craig Nelson

2. Free meals! Take a culinary journey through tapas

Tapas are the way to go in Granada. In most bars, custom still dictates that when you order a drink (alcoholic or otherwise) a small bar snack is included. That’s right, you can fill up on free food all over town.

Whereas, elsewhere in Spain, this tends to mean olives, popcorn or a bowl of peanuts, in Granada it means actual food — spicy sausages dipped in cognac and lit on fire, stewed garbanzos, meatballs, Spanish omelet— all kinds of tasty eats come free with your beverage. Best of all, the more drinks you order at any one bar, the better the free tapas get (and the stronger the drinks tend to become along the way).

Try Bar Reca (Plaza de la Trinidad 11) or hop from bar to bar on Calle Elvira, known locally as the “Tapas” street. You can also find a variety of tapas cuisine from seafood to North African specialties.

If you’re really, really hungry go out to a restaurant for lunch, not dinner. At the midday meal, fixed-price menus include wine and bread and start at €7.

Or, for a cheap snack, stop off for Moroccan tea and pastries in the Albaicín neighborhood at bakeries like Casa Pasteles.

Wandering through the famous Medieval streets of El Albayzín. Photo: bruchez

3. Travel by foot

Granada is easy to explore by foot. It’s a small and compact city that’s easy to navigate with a good map. It can be hilly, but that means you get a lot of scenic views. Wander the narrow streets and historic Moorish buildings of the Albaicín, an enchanting district and UNESCO World Heritage site,. This is a highlight of a visit to Granada that won’t cost you a dime.

For transportation during your stay, don’t waste your money on the bus anywhere but to and from the airport. Just invest in a good pair of walking shoes and you can get around with ease.

A passionate Flamenco show in Granada. Photo: whertha

4. After Alhambra, focus on Flamenco and free attractions

Save your spare cash for the Alhambra — the Moorish citadel, palace and gardens is the one paid entry attraction in town that you simply must see. (Check out guide to getting tickets to Alhambra.)

With your leftover euros, look into seeing an authentic Flamenco show at Peña Flamenca La Platería (Placeta de Toqueros, 7) — the oldest flamenco club in Spain. The Thursday night shows are legendary and €8 buy you a show and a bottle of Manzanilla fortified wine.

Spend the rest of your time on free, open-air sights. See the ruins of the historic Arab baths at Banuelo. Walk along the River Darro at Paseo de los Tristes. Browse the wares at the Saturday morning flea market in Zaidín. Listen to buskers at the Mirador de San Nicolas while you watch the sun set behind the Alhambra.

Alhambra is one of the tourism treasures of Europe. Photo: RaMaOrLi

5. Arrive in Granada for less

Budget airlines like Ryanair and Vueling fly to the Granada Airport from big cities in Spain and elsewhere in Europe for less you’d pay to check a second bag on a major airline. More often than not, budget flights are even cheaper than Spain’s national rail, RENFE. Book your tickets as far in advance as possible and don’t check a bag for added savings.

Search for a flight on EuroCheapo.

The post Granada: 5 ways to save big on your trip appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Searching out these inexpensive bites is half the fun of traveling through the Iberian Peninsula and the islands. But how do you know what to order? We’ve made your culinary mission a lot easier by coming up with seven top tastes sorted by city and region.

Related: The perfect 10-day itinerary in Spain

Madrid: Bocadillo de calamares

When visiting the big capital city of Madrid, you will have lots of food choices including tapas, Spanish rice, traditional sweets, and even international fare. For a low-cost snack on the go, order like the locals and get a calamari sandwich, or bocadillo de calamares. You can find them in almost any bar in town.

You may be thinking, “Did I just read squid sandwich?” Yep! Madrid’s most famous sub is little more than deep-fried squid on a bun with a touch of olive oil — the perfect accompaniment to a cold beer.

Barcelona: Pa amb tomàquet

Granted, pa amb tomàquet, or bread with tomato, does not sound like an exciting snack. Think of it more as the definitive base to any meal in Catalonia and Barcelona. Pile Catalan charcuterie high on pa amb tomàquet or spread pungent goat cheese over thick slices for a satisfying afternoon bite.

Pa amb tomàquet may be served already prepared, or you might just get the fixings to make it yourself. If the latter is the case, you’ll have to rub toasted bread with halved tomatoes, and then drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt on it. Sometimes raw garlic is also offered, and if so, you should peel it, and then rub it gently on the toasted bread.

Related: 18 tips for eating like a local in Barcelona

Canary Islands: Papas arrugadas and mojo picón

As its located closer to Africa than to Spain, the Canary Islands boast a number of dishes that are quite different to those in the rest of the country. One of the most popular side dishes on the islands is papas arrugadas, or “wrinkled potatoes”. Small potatoes are cooked with a massive amount of salt to create a savory spud, usually served alongside fresh fish from the Atlantic or meat.

While the papas are tasty on their own, the real draw is the red and green mojo picón sauce they are always served with. Mojo picón is spicy and garlicky, so smother your papas in it or use it sparingly, depending on how much of a kick you want.

Don’t leave Mallorca without getting a few of the famous pastries known as ensaïmadas. Photo: pocketcultures

Mallorca: Ensaïmadas

Don’t be surprised to see travelers stuffing stacks of boxes into the overhead luggage bin on your return flight from the island of Mallorca. These round boxes contain ensaïmadas, the island’s most popular pastry. Served for breakfast, but also as an afternoon snack in cafes, locals have been producing the simple sugar-covered bread since the 17th century. Budget-friendly and delicious, try an ensaïmada with a cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.

A local bar in San Sebastian with a typical spread of pintxos. Photo: Jonathan Hood

San Sebastian: Pintxos

There is a difference between tapas and pintxos, although both are similar to “appetizers” and both make a delectable afternoon or evening nibble. While tapas are small dishes featuring all sorts of ingredients, pintxos usually consist of a slice of bread topped with cheese, seafood, omelet, or any of a number of other ingredients, all skewered together with a toothpick.

In San Sebastian and throughout the Basque Country, pintxos abound in bars and restaurants. Normally, customers are given a plate and can then peruse a buffet of pintxos, snagging the ones that look most tempting. At the end of the meal, the waiter will count up the toothpicks on a plate and charge the customer accordingly. This is the honor system at its best, so don’t abuse it. Furthermore, at €1.50 to €3 a pop, pintxos are not going to break your bank.

Seville: Tapas

You can find tapas all over Spain, but for many, the region of Andalusia is the top spot to chow down on these small dishes. Seville’s many bars offer long lists of tapas which include everything from elaborate seafood and meat dishes to simple plates of cheese and ham. On menus in Seville, you’ll see raciones offered, and these are larger portions than the smaller tapa.

While in some areas of Spain (like Granada), tapas are free whenever you order a drink, this is not often the case in bigger cities. In Seville the tapas are plentiful, delicious, and inexpensive, making them a good dinner option, especially when washed down with a €3 glass of Spanish red wine.

Valencia: Paella

Spanish rice, or paella, is found all over the country including Barcelona, but the best place to eat it is in Valencia (in either the city or the region of the same name). Paella originated in this part of Spain, and locals are experts in creating the slow-cooked rice with seafood, rabbit, pork, and chicken.

Note that paella is a lunch dish, and Spaniards almost never order it for dinner. It’s so rich, you need the rest of the day to digest this tasty feast! Also, in many restaurants, there is a two-person minimum for ordering paella, so if you’re traveling solo, you might need to find a friend before trying this quintessential dish.

Related: Taking the ferry to Valencia from Barcelona (via Mallorca)

What’s your favorite Spanish Dish?

So many more types of food and drink could be added to this list. In Galicia you should try a slice of empanada, in Menorca you can’t go wrong with the gin, and don’t miss the hard cider of Asturias.

Of course, Spanish wine will be good almost wherever you go, but be sure to order sherry in the south and a vermouth in Barcelona. When in doubt, ask the waiter for tips on what’s in season and if there any specials on the menu. Avoid tourist trap restaurants with neon paellas and enormous photos of the food, and you should eat well across Spain.

Tell us your favorite dishes and tips for finding the best food!

The post The best food in Spain? Here are 7 top contenders appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

La Fabula
Calle Ruiz, 20

The outside looks like any taberna in the city, but inside the decor is a mix of cultures. Paintings by a Russian artist, hand-carved Mexican furniture, painted tables flown in from India, and the list goes on. Besides stopping in to see what this place looks like, you should also take a seat in the gorgeous dining area and order some Galician style pintxos (tapas). The dishes here start at €1.80. To wash the Boquerones en Vinagre down, try one of dozens of types of wines. There’s also a good beer selection and the bartender here makes excellent cocktails.

El Sur
Calle Torrecilla del Leal, 12

For Spanish film buffs out there, this tapas joint has got the goods. If you’re up on your movie trivia, you might try naming the director of each movie poster plastered to the wall. Walk to the back where there are wooden tables, large enough for groups, and browse through the savory menu. At El Sur you’ll find a mix of Raciones: spinach quiche with raisons (a larger plate at only €2.50), scrambled eggs with mushrooms, chorizo, and Jamón Serrano, the Tortilla Española, plus a a bunch of daily specials.

Bar Automåtico
Calle de Argumosa, 17

Posters and old framed photographs adorn the light blue walls of this popular bar-cum-restaurant. The vibe here is 50s chic mixed with a local Lavapiés-neighborhood flavor. During warmer months, Automåtico is the place for sipping Tinto de Verano and other refreshing concoctions outdoors. All year long, though, this place is chock-a-block full of patrons. Put simply, the tapas some of the best in the ‘hood. The Salmorejo is rich and fresh, croquetas pack a punch, and the prices are reasonable.

The post Three cheap and tasty tapas spots in Madrid appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.