1. Do I get Euros before I fly to Europe or upon landing?
2. Will my phone work? (Verizon iPhone paid for by my company)
3. Any places you recommend to eat or see in the area?
4. Am I supposed to sleep on the flight there to avoid jet lag? Any tips?
We just went to Madrid for Spring Break and LOVED it!
1. Check with your bank before you leave. Both my bank and my husband's bank (Wells Fargo and Chase) would have exchanged for euros with no fees *if* we had given them enough time to do so. It's definitely cheaper than exchanging over there and you don't have to worry about what that particular vendor's markup is.
2. I have Sprint and was able to get text messages for free. I could call without having to switch my plan but it was something like $.25/minute. Helpful for the rare occasion when we needed to talk to someone. There's also plenty of free wifi if you're worried about internet service.
3. Eat churros con chocolate at Los Artesanos 1902 Chocolate (don't worry about going to San Gines). If you have a morning free, take the Devor tour that goes through the Huertas neighborhood. You'll have plenty of food, see a local market, and go to a great tapas bar (which I can't remember the name of now). We plotted out where we wanted to eat beforehand, but we were never in the right place at the right time so we just saw a menu that we liked and stopped in. Definitely go for the prix fixe lunch menu, it'll be all inclusive of appetizer, lunch, bread and beverage. I did not find that we were charged for everything. We always got bread for free, and once we learned to ask for "agua del grifo," we got water for free as well.
4. I agree with ag07. Just nap as you can on the plane but DON'T stop when you get to Madrid. Hop off the plane and go about the day as if it were a normal "day," then you'll be able to crash hard when it is their nighttime.