Recently, Spain has received a lot of attention related to Michele Obama’s trip to Spain, supposedly to visit a grieving friend. While I have a lot to say about it, I think it’s best to recall a few highlights of our trips to Spain and leave the expensive trips for the First Lady and her entourage for others.

Some of us, whether funded by others or not, prefer to take a cheap flight to Spain for sightseeing and some shopping, while sticking to our philosophy of traveling on a budget can also be fun.

Since Spain is blessed with so many landmarks and offers many opportunities for visitors and tourists, we hope that Michele Obama’s trip will inspire you to see something of Spain in the near future.

Madrid is a paradise for art lovers. Explore the three magnificent art museums in the city. The Prado has one of the most remarkable art collections in the world. The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía focuses on modern art and is where Picasso’s famous Guernica is on display. The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum is one of the most important private collections of Western painting in the world. A must-see is the Royal Palace of Madrid, which dates from the mid-18th century and has more than 20 rooms open to the public. Enjoy the atmosphere around Puerta del Sol, the heart of the city, and in Madrid’s most historic and popular square, Plaza Mayor.

Alcalá de Henares, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the birthplace of the writer Miguel de Cervantes and the English queen Catherine of Aragon, is also a must-see in Spain. The main points of interest are the university, founded in the 16th century by Cardinal Cisneros, and the oldest public theater in Europe, as important to Spain as Shakespeare’s Globe is to England. Absorb the lively atmosphere of Barcelona, ​​the second largest city in Spain. A major commercial and industrial center, it is adorned with several of Antoni Gaudí’s architectural masterpieces, the most famous being the still-uncompleted Sagrada Familia church. Visit the Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter), where buildings date from the 14th and 15th centuries. The Seu (old cathedral), the Episcopal Palace, the Palau de la Generalitat and the Plaça del Rei stand out. Frank Gehry’s marvelous Guggenheim Museum has turned Bilbao, the main city of the Basque Country, into a highly successful tourist destination.

Valencia has a new tourist attraction, the City of Arts and the Santiago Calatrava Science Park. The Hemispheric, an amazing glass structure, houses a planetarium, an IMAX dome and a laserium, and the Palace of Arts boasts the largest oceanarium in Europe. While in Valencia, visit the cathedral. Claim possession of the Holy Grail. Las Fallas (March 15-19) is a major festival that culminates in the burning of papier-mâché effigies lampooning famous Spanish figures and a magnificent fireworks display. South of Madrid is the old Spanish capital of Toledo. The city is dominated by the magnificent cathedral and the Alcazar. Toledo is rightly proud of its collection of paintings by El Greco, who lived and painted here. Go see his most famous painting, The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, which is kept in the Church of Santo Tomé. There are more works by El Greco and Goya and other artists in the Santa Cruz Hospital and Museum, a magnificent Renaissance building with a Plateresque façade. Magnificently situated on a plain dominated by the Sierra de Gredos.

While you’re on this relatively cheap flight to Spain, you can’t ignore shopping in Madrid, whether you prefer high-end fashion boutiques or an open-air bazaar. So save some money to splurge.

As you may know, Spain’s capital is home to some 50,000 shops selling everything from trendy clothes, paintings, pottery and guitars. You will find that traveling in Spain is a more relaxed and cheaper affair than in the rest of Europe. Haggling is rampant here and you have a good chance of finding some real bargains.

Madrid offers the best high-end shopping outlets in Spain. Most of the designer fashion stores are located in the Salamanca Este neighborhood. Here, international fashion temples like Prada, Armani and Louis Vuitton share space with popular Spanish designers like Sybilla, Amaya Arzuaga and Victorio & Lucchino.

But if you’re tired of big boutiques, a treat awaits you on Sunday mornings in the form of the El Rastro flea market. For this event, Calle de Ribera de Curtidores closes to traffic and is transformed into this great open-air bazaar that offers everything from live chickens to pirate movies, dubious antiques and erotic postcards. Whether you want to buy something or not, you definitely want to experience this truly Spanish event. But keep a close eye on your wallet and camera.

If you can make it to Barcelona, ​​you will find a vibrant shopping scene.

Here you will find all the big names: Chanel, Max Mara, Loewe, Benetton, Zara and Diesel, vying for your attention and your credit card.

You’ll find boutiques lining the avenues along with futuristic malls and quaint markets. And if you ever tire of fashion, you can head to the multitude of antique shops and art galleries.

The Circuit del Born is the place to go if you want clothes and accessories to transform yourself into a Spaniard. You will find it in the Ribera district of Ciutat Vella. It is home to many small studios and shops that retail the creations of local artisans and artisans. Specialties include silk items and designer shoes and clothing.

For a richer experience and a glimpse into Catalonia’s mercantile past, head to the streets around the Barri Gotic. These streets are full of traditional offerings, from fish, candles and herbs to bullfighter’s capes. I have my own bullfighter’s cape on display for several years. He even made it to the fifth grade classroom.

The opening hours of the shops in Barcelona are around 8 am and they usually close a few hours after sunset.

One only wonders if Michele Obama had so much fun on his multi-million dollar trip to Spain.