A woman from York has revealed how she flew to Madrid for an eight-hour birthday celebration with her sister, spending less than the cost of a typical day trip to London. Michelle Ingram, a 43-year-old pet supply business owner, embarked on this extreme day adventure in January, escaping the wintry storms of England for the sunny skies of the Spanish capital.
Affordable adventures across Europe
Michelle Ingram is a passionate traveller who regularly embarks on international day trips to destinations like Berlin and Prague. With her children now grown up, she has embraced these brief escapes as an affordable way to explore new places. Her recent journey to Madrid, undertaken to celebrate her older sister Victoria's birthday, cost her just under £100 in total.
Sunshine and savings in the Spanish capital
Despite spending only eight hours in Madrid, Michelle describes the city as one of her favourites, praising its cleanliness, beautiful architecture, and vibrant atmosphere. She enjoyed strolling through El Retiro park, sipping coffee in the sunshine, and admiring street art and performers—all while basking in blue skies and temperatures around eight degrees Celsius, a welcome contrast to the snow back home in the UK.
Michelle said: 'I love extreme day trips because they're an affordable way to travel and see different places, and things that aren't the everyday norm. I absolutely loved Madrid—it's up there with one of my favourite cities. Everything's so clean, the buildings are just so beautiful.'
Seamless travel without language barriers
The trip was remarkably smooth, with Michelle noting that the city is well-signposted and that English is widely spoken, minimising any language difficulties. Although her sister Victoria is fluent in Spanish, Michelle found that communication was effortless throughout their visit. She reflected: 'Everything went so smoothly. It was a fairly cheap day out, and I feel like eight hours was plenty of time for us to explore the city.'
A detailed timeline of the Madrid dash
Michelle's day began early, with a 1am wake-up call after going to bed at 9pm the previous evening. She drove to Manchester Airport, arriving by 4am, and caught a 6.15am flight that landed in Madrid at 9.30am. Despite the early start, she felt energised by the excitement of the adventure.
Upon arrival, Michelle and her younger sister Bethany explored the bustling streets, enjoyed coffee, and did some clothes shopping before meeting Victoria, who had flown in from Malaga. The trio then shared tapas, wandered through El Retiro park, and had another coffee before heading back to the airport for their 9.15pm return flight to Manchester.
Breaking down the £100 budget
The entire excursion was meticulously budgeted:
- Return flight: £49
- Airport parking: £10 each
- Lunch: £30
- Snacks: approximately £11
Michelle was back in her bed in York by 2am, having spent eight hours in Madrid. She emphasised that this cost was less than what she might spend on a day out in London, making it an economical alternative for travel enthusiasts.
Future plans for more extreme day trips
Michelle, a mother of three, prefers day trips over longer holidays due to their affordability and convenience. Last year, she visited Poland, Germany, Ireland, and Italy for the day, and she has already lined up more adventures for the coming months. These include a trip to Prague next week and a visit to Albania in May, continuing her trend of squeezing maximum experience into minimal time.
She concluded: 'I'd definitely recommend Madrid as a day trip for people. It's an incredible way to see a new city without breaking the bank.'
