Madrid airport
With a few hours to kill at Madrid airport on an upcoming trip, and having never been through there before, I'm just wondering if there are any "distractions", other than the usual duty free shops, on offer. (I am NOT thinking of going into the city!) Anyone ever found anything interesting there?
Roger
Monein, Pyrenees France 11/24/12
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Unfortunately, due to missing a flight & then flight cancellations, my hubby & I spent hours & hours in that airport last March. Didn't see anything out of the ordinary, but the size of it (didn't realize you have to take the freeway to get to the other terminals), you could kill time just walking around.
Wikipedia provides background and some photos http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madrid_Airport
The airport's home site is http://www.aena-aeropuertos.es/csee/Satellite/Aeropuerto-Madrid-Barajas/en/
Plenty can be gleaned by clicking on its rich variety of links. But you are right in thinking that the emphasis is on shopping.
If you stay inside security in Terminal 4, you can stretch your legs for what seems like kilometres under the soaring, cathedral-like arches. The architecture has been much praised by commentators who don't have to carry their own bags.
haha!! Thanks for that -- maybe I'll just take pictures of the people rubber-necking at the ceiling! :-)
Yes, lots of long corridors with intermittant shopping. Several hours may be needed to get from one gate to the other (especially if they are in different terminals). Airports like this are why my wife chooses a roll-on over my convertible carry-on.
Just a warning. Depending on your connection, you may not have any time to "kill." Terminals 1, 2, and 3 are inter-connected, as are terminals 4 and 4S (4S should have been called 5, it's just as big as 4 and is by no means a mere "satellite"). But 1-2-3 and 4-4S are not connected, except by roads, so you'd have to wait for a bus if you are transferring between them.
And yes, the sheer size of the new terminals, and the Habitrail-like feeling of making transfers there, is of some "interest." The marathon walk I had to make to transfer between the extreme end of 4S and the extreme end of 4 is still memorable - 6 years later.
Thanks for the input, but both flights use terminal 1.