Spring Break in Madrid

"Good bye Cancun and hello Madrid for spring break!"

Are you looking for affordable student vacations for your spring break this year? In the past, it seemed everyone partied in Cancun, Mexico or Panama City, Florida. These places will continue to soak up tourist dollars, yet there are many other hot locales that are budget-friendly for college students looking to have a good time and see the world beyond North America. Forget Hawaii and Australia: the best travel packages will take you to Madrid, Las Vegas and Buenos Aires.

Spring Break Travel Deals Abound

The economic recession may have made planning vacations tougher, although it's also brought the price of airline tickets and some of the world's most popular hotels down considerably. Now you can fly to Madrid, Spain for the price of flying from New York City to San Francisco. Travel deals abound to some of the earth's most exciting corners -- Madrid, Las Vegas and Buenos Aires, to name a few. If you're feeling adventurous and have a couple grand lying around, then why not see what the travel companies have to offer?

How did this last semester treat you? Do you feel repressed and ready to go wild and party... or completely worn out and ready to relax? Depending on what you're looking for, there are many affordable spring break vacations and travel packages to choose from. For 2009, some of the hottest destinations with nice weather, budget accommodations and a thriving nightlife included America's Las Vegas, Spain's Madrid and South America's Buenos Aires. No matter where you go or what you do, you'll return home feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

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Naturally, every college student pines to spend that week of spring break in some far away, exotic place, having a blast with friends and experiencing the world. Unfortunately, many of us resort to staying home, working at our jobs and studying some more because we feel we can't afford to take week-long vacations. Yet travel prices have plummeted over the last few years, offering ample opportunities to get away for less than $1,000. Did you know you could fly to Vegas for less than $50, or stay a night in Madrid for $19? Check out some of the latest travel deals to see if a spring break vacation may be in your near future.

Siesta by Afternoon and Party All Night in Madrid

Madrid vacations are rewarding for students who've had a hard semester that involved more libraries than wild parties. You'll find many of the daily traditions appealing in Spain. For instance, there are afternoon "siestas," where the cafes fill up with locals who need a break for lunch, conversation and resting. Later, after dinner, the Spanish like to stroll through the streets on evening "paseos" (walks). The heart of the city, Puerta Del Sol, is filled with diverse shops and world-renowned restaurants. While in town, you can visit the Prado Museum, the El Escorial Palace and the Museum of Natural Sciences. Madrid travel within the city is easy using the inexpensive and efficient metro line. Hostels can be found for as low as $19/night, which will help you meet other travelers and have the best spring break possible. Even though Madrid is 3 1/2 hours from the nearest beach, which is in Valencia, you will find much to do in this metropolitan playground.

Los Vegas Deals For Spring Break

Another one of the surprisingly affordable spring break vacations is Las Vegas. They're well-known for all-inclusive vacation packages that offer travelers a 10-15% savings. If you can believe it, there is a hostel in Vegas on Fremont Street with a swimming pool and a hot tub! USA Hostels offers all-you-can-eat pancake breakfasts, wireless internet, Sunday barbecues, day trips to the Grand Canyon and numerous activities for as low as $19/night. Another great bet for Vegas discount hotels is the Sin City hostel, which caters specifically to spring breakers with a young and rowdy crowd and starts at $17/night. There are also many Las Vegas hotels for under $50 if you're looking for a little more privacy. While in town, you're not relegated to just spending tons of money gambling. In fact, you can walk through just about any hotel/casino and marvel at the architecture, catch a host of free shows and soak up the excitement of the city that never sleeps.

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The first thing that comes to mind when someone says "Las Vegas" is usually expensive gambling vacations and glamorous luxury hotels. However, college students can find quite a deal when it comes to Vegas travel. First of all, flights to Vegas can be found for as low as $49 at www.lowfares.com! Secondly, hotels can be found for as low as $22, offering all the usual amenities. Often the big, impressive hotels will offer flight and extended stay vacation packages at rock-bottom prices. Once you're there, they're confident you'll spend, although there are a number of free things to do too. Take a stroll through New York, New York or watch the performers at Circus Circus. You can even see lions at MGM Grand, tropical animals at The Flamingo and a 20,000 gallon aquarium at The Mirage. There are free shows at Caesars Palace, the Bellagio, Planet Hollywood, the Mirage and Sam's Town Hotel, and all offer atmospheric fun at no cost to you.

One of the most inexpensive and popular spring break vacations is to Las Vegas, Nevada. The "City That Never Sleeps" is known for its midnight buffets, bottomless drinks and 24/7 gambling. Vegas is a place for older spring breakers who are of legal drinking age, but there is so much to do for students of all ages. Themed luxury hotels give you a little of everything -- from the Romanesque Caesars Palace and the Venetian, to the glamorous New York New York and European Eiffel Tower. Walking through the casinos and hotel lobbies alone could easily keep you busy for a week, but you can also catch a number of free shows. The Mirage's waterfalls and nightly volcano eruptions greet the frugal, while the high rollers pay to see Sigfried and Roy's world-famous white tigers. You can also see pirates battling at Treasure Island, knights jousting at Excalibur and cowboys in a shoot-out at Sam's Town. Remember, all Vegas hotels have free offerings along with your stay, so be sure to find out what perks you can get before making your final decision.

If you like to dance to Latin music, soak up the rays on the beach and party, then Buenos Aires, Argentina is the place to go! Luxurious hotels and historic architecture greet you in La Boca, but Buenos Aires is known for its inexpensive discount hotels. You'll have many choices in lodging, including quality hostels as low as $6.50 (at www.hostelworld.com). You can walk the Palermo gardens for free, watch a football game or tango dance in La Boca, or visit some of the area's great pubs and clubs. Vacations to Buenos Aires have much culture to offer, which makes it a favorite for curious travelers.

Spring Break in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is one of the best vacations for students because of the rich culture and ample amenities within this Argentinean city. First off, the food is excellent, with delicious beef barbecues at parrilla restaurants, healthy vegetarian dishes in Palermo, crispy crust pizza downtown and fresh-baked cookies in the cafes. Shopping is sensible, as three pesos are equal to one US dollar, so be sure to visit Florida and Lavalle Street in MicroCentro or the Palermo Viejo in Palermo. For nightlife, this South American city is full of pub crawls, rock concerts, Latin dance clubs, discos and 24/7 bars. With a legal drinking age of 18, any college student can party up a storm here!

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One last place to look for great travel deals and vacations is Buenos Aires, which is located in Argentina. There are a number of special spring break travel packages at www.toursgonewild.com, which will help you see and do everything in the short time that you're there. Well, okay, maybe you can't do everything... but you'll see a number of famous attractions and participate in a great deal of diverse activities, at the very least! Buenos Aires packages start at $1,749 and include round-trip airline tickets, hotel accommodations, nightclub entry with VIP/front-of-the-line access, transportation to and from the clubs, a half-day tour of the city, daily breakfast buffets, as well as all taxes and fees.