I will not be taking a laptop computer to Spain with me in June. I will be gone 2 weeks and I would like to send and received emails to and from my family in California. Are there internet cafes in Madrid and Barcelona where I can access email? Where? How much does it cost? Thanks. Catalina

Have no fear, Catalina Ciriza! There are probably between 50 - 100 cybercafes in BOTH Madrid and Barcelona. You probably won't need your laptop at all unless you want it for work while there.

It will be difficult, I believe, to write the email on your laptop and "upload" that email at a cybercafe FROM your laptop. Maybe I'm wrong and maybe things have changed since I used the Madrid cybercafes last (in October 2000).

I know that easyEverything has 2 cafés in Barcelona and one in Madrid. View their website @ http://www.easyeverything.com . Most all the cybercafes are pretty cheap.

You might do well to set up a free web-based email account with either Yahoo or Hotmail and set your POP settings to receive your home/work email through that same account while traveling. This is what I do.

Have a great time! Saludos, MadridMan

Thanks, MM. I just printed the maps for the easyinternet cafe locations in both Madrid and Barcelona. I'll miss your help on this site while you're gone. Have a GREAT Time! You deserve it! :p

Catalina --

Apart from what MM mentioned, there are tons of other internet cafés and internet access.

Many VIPS (a chain restaurant noted for its red signage) offer internet connections from its cafes. Another place is called Workcenter which is also a 24hr. chain throughout Madrid, Barcelona, and many other Spanish cities.

Then there are many independent places throughout both cities.

Happy cybering!

The interesting thing, to me, is how many of the cyber-cafes change the hourly price by how busy they are... as of this January, you can expect to pay about 1 euro/hour to a high of 3 euros/hour during peak times... any case it is cheap and easy because so many bars and cafes offer access... nothing like a cold beer while you are getting those important updates... btw make some effort to get a "USA" style keyboard the european are confusing until you have used them for a while

The majority of the "Locutorios" here have internet access now. In case you don't know what that is (and I didn't before I got here) - they're places where you can make long distance phone calls for cheap. Usually they're aimed at immigrants from South America, so they have a bunch of signs in the windows for "special" prices to call Brazil or Argentina for example. But almost all I've seen lately have a couple computers in the corner with DSL access in addition to the rows of phone booths.

Before I got my ADSL (which I finally did after 3 months wait) I used to walk across the street to one of the small locutorios in my neighborhood (I had a choice of 3 within a block of my apartment in the Tetuan district). I used to bring my laptop and there was no problem with me just taking the network out of one of the computers they have and plugging it into my computer. You'll have to know a (small) bit about networking though - I had to browse the "TCP/IP Preferences" of their computer for the IP Address and DNS stuff - and copy the settings into my laptop and reboot in order to use it.

A couple hours downloading would cost me 3 Euros. Obviously, I'm in one of the 'hoods outside the center, where things are going to be relaxed and cheaper. I wouldn't try this at an Easy cafe in Sol, for example... I'm sure they'll say no. But if you really need to use your laptop, there's definitely options.

-Russ

hey gang, I agree that the changing of prices depending on how busy the place is is annoying and EasyEverything is the king of that. It is really only worht going there between like 3am and 8am since that is when you get a good amount of time for your Euro.

The best cyber cafe for the money these days in Madrid is a place calles 3w.com Madrid ( www.portatil.net ) and is on Calle Tetuan, just behind the Puerta del Sol (on the North side). 1.20 Euros per hour and super fast fiber optic conection. Minimum 30 minutes for .60 Euros. Best thing is you get what you pay for, no fluctuating prices.

Saludos & happy surfing,
jer...

this is a resource I happened to find a while back while wondering how I'd do the same as you from the Camino de Santiago in May. This link also has a couple in MAD and BCN...although the information may be a little dated, it may help you start...

http://www.intercom.es/mediaint/santiago/cibercafes.htm

Happy Cyberhunting!

Thanks to all of you for the (as usual) exact and perfect answers to my question.
Hey, Jer, I didn't know you helped out on MM's website, too. I tried to post this same question on your site, multimadrid, but for some reason, it wouldn't "take" so I'm glad you visited this site. :p

Jer doesn't help out here, he just enjoys a little shameless self-promotion... :p :p