Cancel trip to Madrid in 2 weeks?

[FlyingScared]

Can't get a sensible answer from anyone. If I question the sense of cancelling, due to recent events re: immigration in Cuerta, I either get a ridiculously blasé comment or an OTT response.

Yes, I know Cuerta isn't Madrid or on the mainland of Spain. Yes, I understand all of the alleged motivations behind the event. No, I'm not asking about all of that. I just want to know if I should be worried about safety, locked borders or anything else that is unprecedented. I don't want to be in passport control for 9 million days or unable to leave, due to emergency, or as planned.

I'm just looking for some balanced perspective for a trip booked for the end of the month for 7 days.

Well, I don’t know if this will sound too ‘blasé’ but no, I wouldn’t cancel for this reason. We got back from 2 weeks in Spain yesterday (a few days in the north, a few days in Madrid and a week in Valencia) and had a lovely time with no issues. I haven’t seen any reports of the events in Cuerta affecting anything in mainland Spain.

I'm not aware of any reason why events in Cuerta would be affecting flights in and out of Madrid. I thought you were going to be asking about forest fires!

Yes, I meant to add that, too! Thank you for reminding me! 😟

Madrid will be absolutely fine. It's like a Spaniard saying that she may cancel a trip to Edinburgh because of of the channel crossings! Please go and have a good time.

Re. the fires, they were terrible but the area is now fine, thank God. They never affected the city, anyway, which I guess is where you're going.

Well passport control is a slow process now we’re not in the EU, but you seem to have got the collywabbles about going on holiday.

Go, you’ll have a brilliant time, and wonder why you got the ‘FEAR’!
stop watching the news between now and your flight, and make your logical voice louder than your anxiety voice.
one of my siblings is currently in Spain just outside Marbella (which is much closer to Ceuta, than Madrid, but still miles and a body of water away from north Africa!) . It’s been pretty hot, but their family has had and are having a brilliant time.
just make sure you have comprehensive insurance, and then you know you won’t need it!
Regarding the wildfires; I mean this depends where you are staying, if you are based in Madrid, then your fine, but if you’re are in an area where they are burning, then check local advice / foreign office advice. You can check where the fires are burning on google maps.
if your not within 50+ miles of the fires go and enjoy your holiday

I wouldn’t have booked to go to Madrid in August because of the heat. But if I had then I wouldn’t be cancelling either due to passport control queues (which it seems to me is very dependent on the time you arrive anywhere), nor to the events in Ceuta. I wouldn’t be considering cancelling due to this even if I had planned to go to somewhere on the stretch of coast near Gibraltar. I can’t imagine a situation where you wouldn’t be allowed to leave Spain (assuming you have a UK passport).

I don’t know the current situation regarding the wildfires but if there was a situation where it appeared there may be danger to the place I planned to say a lot closer to the time, in that case I may reconsider going, depending on official advice.

Ur sod be more worried about those than what happened right down south, past Gibraltar and over the ocean!

OP I’d be more concerned about your level of anxiety tbh. It’s like people asking if they should visit the UK because of small boats arriving at Dover!

I am not exactly sure what you are expecting to happen to you, a legitimate passport holder from a third country, at Barajas airport due to the situation in Cuerta, especially seeing as most of the migrants have already been returned to Morocco.

OP to put it in to perspective that is like an American worrying about landing at Glasgow airport because of the small boat crossings in the English channel.

Years ago we were on a train from Turin to Paris and at the French border a load of armed police got on, asked to see passports and escorted a few people off.

Never did work out what was going on but it didn't unduly ruin our holiday.

@DelphiniumBlue @Ginmonkeyagain @Gleba @itsgettingweird @Shinyhappyapple @smallgreenandsplitthreeways @YoQuieroVino

Thanks all so much and anyone I missed!

I think the combination of bad news, which is directed at Spain, has me spooked eg fires, smoke, immigration, over-crowding, anger towards tourists etc.

So, I guess I'm worried about potential protests and civil unrest in the centre of Madrid.

I'm glad I checked with sensible people! 😍

Ha! no worries - we've all been there! The bad news does seem relentless right now.

I wouldn't go mainly because going to Madrid in August is crazy. It is so hot day AND night and the city is nearly empty. Most people go away in the summer (lots of people in Spain take a month's holiday during the summer), lots of business close...so you won't be experiencing the real Madrid. I am always surprised when someone tells me they go to Madrid in August!

I live in Spain, 2 weeks in Madrid in August is a crazy idea, not because of the issues you mentioned but because it's about 40c. I live near the coast and that's just manageable with a sea breeze. Don't avoid Spain just Madrid, Seville & any inland cities

Yes as @DreamyRedNewtsays, Madrid in August will be hot as the devils scrotum but given that you booked the trip I am assuming that’s not a concern. Events in Cueto are absolutely not a reason to avoid anywhere on the mainland.

There won't be any civil unrest everyone will be at the beach. Northern Spain is beautiful this time of year

Madrid will be fine, but roasting!!!! The pergola misters in the small streets are a godsend!!

I lived in Madrid for 5 years and we liked it best in August because it was quiet 😁. As long as you mainly hop from bar to bar to air conditioned museum etc it’s fine!

Thanks all! DH booked the holiday and didn't realise the heat issue until I pointed it out, based on internet guides re: travel, but he didn't see that as a reason to cancel due to canx fees etc so we're committed now due to his innocent ignorance re: temps. I'm worried about that, too......but I bought a lot of t-shirts and linens so hoping it will be ok. 🤐

The issue you may encounter will be delays due to the fumbled implementation of the new electronic immigration system, that could delay you on arrival and require you to be at the airport on departure far earlier than ideal, Ceuta won’t be a concern

Oh yeah, Madrid in August. Not for nothing do the Spanish refer to its climate as- nine monhs of winter and three months of hell.

It’s Ceuta

madrid would not be on my list of suitable destinations in August tbh. But you’ll be perfectly safe. Prado museum has good air con and is massive.

Wouldn’t his arsehole be hotter than his scrotum since one’s internal and one’s external? I love a deep philosophical discussion…!
oh and OP post a couple of pics on fancy drinks and alfresco cafe tables would you? So those of us that couldn't get away this year can get envious 3rd party enjoyment!