Backpacking tourism is growing every year, especially among young people who cannot afford expensive hotels and big events. According to the study by Cotswold Outdoor, there are more than 44 million backpacking trips each year, spending on average around €3,800. In the report for 2023, Madrid is in the world's top five most attractive cities for young Britons out of the 80 cities analysed.
The study has considered the cost of accommodation, flights, and other factors such as public transport, fuel or the price of local activities. Madrid ranked fifth when including flights in the equation and not, followed by Budapest, Warsaw, Prague, Lisbon and Bucharest. Excluding the cost of air travel, Yerevan (Armenia), Baku (Azerbaijan), Bangkok (Thailand), Hanoi (Vietnam) and Seoul (South Korea) stand out alongside the Spanish capital.
According to the company, flights from London to Madrid can be found for less than €15, which also ranks fourth in the ranking of free activities (498). Madrid also has a good choice of hostels.
The city is rated the 26th safest city in the world but loses out on internet speed and the average cost of public transport.
