Tag: spain

TRAVEL GUIDE: 1 Week in Madrid

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As promised, I’ll now be continuing my blog as more of an informative guide to travel while I’m taking a break for it myself here in Boston. It’s only fitting for me to begin with the place I learned the most about: Madrid.

There is never enough to do in Madrid, and even during my four months there, I still did not get to see or do everything that I’d planned (so I guess I’ll just have to go back!). That being said, there’s definitely a way to see the major highlights of Madrid in a week, in three days, or possibly even in 24 hours if needed.

For a normal, planned vacation to Madrid, I think one week is the perfect amount of time to spend in the city – it’s long enough to see everything you need to, while also getting some time to relax and enjoy some of the more local parts of Madrid without feeling too rushed. To start, I think the best way to get around Madrid is public transportation – it is very easy to figure out, clean, and affordable, and Madrid is a rather walkable city, so there’s no need to take cabs or Uber. You can purchase a weekly pass for around 30€ which allows you to use the metro, bus, and train as many times as you like.

The first area you must visit is Sol. Puerta del Sol is Madrid’s city center, and just close by is the Plaza Mayor. Both are large open plazas, surrounded by restaurants, shops, and lots of street activity. This area is definitely a bit more pricey (it’s a major tourist spot), but one of the most bustling, popular places to visit. Right outside of the metro station is one of Madrid’s most famous bakeries, La Mallorquina, which you’ll definitely be able to smell right away! While in the area, I also recommend grabbing a bite to eat at the Mercado de San Miguel – a large indoor market with a wide variety of Spain’s traditional food items. The Chocolatería San Ginés serves churros with chocolate 24 hours a day, and is one of Madrid’s oldest and most famous chocolaterías. Lastly (and my favorite), you must visit Takos al Pastor at least once. There are two locations just outside Puerta del Sol and the Plaza Mayor, where you can get some of the best tacos I’ve had (and the best in Europe) for 1€ each!

Another great area to walk around is the neighborhood of Mala Saña. This is a much younger area with lots of shopping, so be prepared to spend some time here! You can walk down Gran Via toward Calle Fuencarral, both filled with stores and great restaurants. I would recommend starting at the Plaza de Cibeles, one of the prettiest buildings in Madrid (which you can go inside and up to the roof!), and making your way up Gran Via during the day. Spend some time on Fuencarral, and then find a cool tapas restaurant in Mala Saña for dinner!

While in Madrid, a day must be spent visiting its many museums. There is SO much art history here, so I highly recommend taking the time to explore and appreciate it. If you take the metro to Estación del Arte (also called Atocha), you can access both the Museo del Prado and the Museo Reina Sofia, where you can see Picasso’s Guernica. Two other museums I recommend visiting are the Sorolla and the Thyssen Museums. These visits may take up to a whole day (depending on how many museums you choose to see), so definitely reserve some time for this. One more building I recommend visiting is the Royal Palace of Madrid. It’s especially beautiful from the outside, but worth walking around inside as well. There is so much art and history to see, though the line for tickets is often very long, so be prepared and get there early!

Right by the Prado and the Reina Sofia is Madrid’s Retiro Park, which is another must-see. Not only is this one of the few nature-filled areas of the city, but you can rent boats, visit the Glass Castle, or grab lunch at one of it’s cute outdoor restaurants! Retiro Park is especially beautiful during the fall once the leaves begin to change colors, though it’s always an amazing place to visit and a nice escape from the bustling city once in a while. Also nearby is Madrid’s botanical gardens, another great pocket of nature worth exploring.

If you have another full day free, I definitely would suggest taking a day trip to either Toledo or Segovia, both about 30 minutes to an hour outside of Madrid by train. You would need to purchase a train ticket in advance, but these are only about 20€-30€. Both of these cities are so close and accessible, yet so different from Madrid, that I think it’s definitely worth taking the time to explore and get a deeper feel for Spanish culture. There is a lot more history to be learned from these smaller cities, and as much as I love Madrid, there is A LOT more to Spain! While in the area, try Spain’s traditional seafood paella, or a Tinto de Verano (sparkling sangria)!

Now that your days have mostly been filled up, I have some recommendations for the evenings. Spanish people tend to eat dinner around 9pm, so you have some time to kill before restaurants begin to open up. One area that’s best seen at sunset is the Temple of Debod. You can visit here at any time of day, but I think it’s prettiest while the sun is setting, and you don’t need too much time here, so it’s a good evening activity. Madrid also has lots of rooftop bars and lounges, so I highly suggest visiting at least one, again during sunset. You can see all of Madrid from a glance, and enjoy a drink or two before getting dinner. Some of my favorites are Azotea, and the Hotel RIU (360º view). Definitely plan ahead for both of these, as the lines can be long and you don’t want to miss the sunset! Lastly, if you can, try to get to a soccer game while in Madrid! You will definitely need to purchase tickets in advance, but it’s a great part of the Spanish culture to experience.

For dinner, you can’t go wrong with a local tapas restaurant – for the most part, their menus should all be rather similar, and Madrid is a very affordable city, so you’ll be able to get lots of food for a great price! There are also lots of non-tapas restaurants for when you get sick of all of the fish, ham, and cheese (I did very quickly), so definitely try some of these as well. If you’re still looking for more after dinner, Madrid has a very active nightlife, and you’ll be able to find something going on any night of the week, so younger travelers should definitely check out some of the city’s many nightclubs. These are a much larger part of the culture than most other places I’ve visited, and definitely than the States, just be prepared for a very late night – Spanish people don’t start going home until 4, 5, or even 6am!

There is always more to do and see in such a large city, but I think this is a pretty good overview of the major points to hit in order to truly experience the Spanish culture. In my opinion, you can’t go wrong in Madrid, but these are my favorites and most-visited places during my stay. I hope you’ve enjoyed this guide, and I will be posting lots more content like this in the upcoming months before I begin traveling again. Subscribe below to stay posted, and happy travels!

xx,

Megan

Wrapping Up Abroad

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Welcome back everyone!

It’s now been just over a week since I’ve returned to the States from my four months abroad, and it’s definitely been a crazy transition back to normal life. I’ve been going back and forth the past few weeks between being excited to come home, and not wanting to leave the best and craziest four months of my life. I’m finally beginning to adjust to the time difference, the food changes, and the much slower lifestyle I have here, and it’s been nice to settle in a bit more over the holidays. That being said, I would give anything to go back to Spain and keep living the abroad lifestyle I’d grown to love.

Along with this public blog, I’ve been keeping a personal travel journal throughout the semester to remember my weeks and my trips myself, and to go deeper into how this whole experience has affected me. I hadn’t read back any of my journal entries until last night, and reading through the entire semester at once was definitely enough to make me miss all of the early flights, travel mishaps, and times spent with friends in places I’d never thought I would visit. I want to share a few of my favorite thoughts and memories from this journal:

“When we arrived last Monday I was a little overwhelmed and didn’t quite know what to think of my new home, but now that I’m settled I can definitely see myself falling in love with this place.” – 9.1.2019, first week in Madrid

“I know the next four months will fly by, but I’m so excited for all of the adventures we’re going to take and all we’re going to learn.” – 9.1.2019, first week in Madrid

“To sum up our day trip in Salamanca, we spent the night.” – 9.8.2019, after being stranded in Salamanca, Spain

“Even though I barely have school here and being in Europe is so much fun, it was really nice to have a real beach vacation with nothing to do but relax in the sand. We also have such a good group of people, so I’m really excited to travel with everyone again this weekend.” – 9.15.2019, Palma de Mallorca, Spain

“Saturday was a BIG day. We ate breakfast in Nice, France. Then we got all dressed up and headed to country #2 of the day: Monaco where I gambled in the Casino de Monte Carlo. The day still gets crazier. Dinner? We wanted pasta. So we went to Italy.” – 9.21.2019, our day of 3 countries in the French Riviera

“The more I travel, the more Madrid feels like home, and the more I realize how lucky I am to feel that.” – 9.23.2019, returning to Madrid from Nice, France

“This was probably one of my favorite days abroad – the whole environment was so electric, I ran into so many friends, and the experience itself is something you just can’t miss out on.” – 9.28.2019, Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany

“This was one of those memories that you know is more special than words or photos can describe, even while living it. I hope for many more experiences, connections, and nights like this, for these are the ones that will change you, and that will last a lifetime.” – 10.6.2019, after a dance party in a mountain village of Morocco

“Standing on the Charles Bridge and looking around, it all fell into place. The beauty of the river, the architecture of the buildings, the colorful foliage, the bands playing music, and the children dancing – it hit me just how lucky I am to be here, and how peaceful and empowering this alone time has been.” – 10.10.2019, day 1 of my solo backpacking trip in Prague, Czechia

“You are so aware of how high up you are, standing out on tiny ledges and bridges. I could see the river stretch out in both directions, the top of the Gellert Hill I had just climbed in the distance, and the entire Pest side of the city.” – 10.12.2019, day 3 of my solo backpacking trip in Budapest, Hungary

“It truly hit me that night that I’m meant to be in Madrid right now, and this group of people is meant to be my family.” – 10.13.2019, returning to Madrid after a long weekend backpacking along

“Finally having a visitor and getting to show her what my life is like here was so special. And, after hearing reviews of Lisbon, I’m so glad we chose Porto!” – 10.26.2019, Porto, Portugal with my mom

“This was definitely my favorite part of the weekend – great views with great people.” – 11.1.2019, watching the sunset from the Carmel Bunkers in Barcelona, Spain (the highest point in the city)

“This was a much needed trip for lots of reasons: warmer weather, relaxing, change of scenery, and I’m really glad to have had that as the semester winds down. Being with 30 other people who were strangers 3 months ago and now are some of my closest friends, sitting on a beach in the south of freaking Spain, watching the sunset with absolutely zero responsibility, was so beautiful and magical.” – 11.9.2019, class trip to Málaga, Spain (in Andalucía)

“Standing on a bridge in Paris, France, watching the Eiffel Tower light up at night is something so unbelievably special, I still can’t believe I was there.” – 11.14.2019, Paris, France

“From the second I arrived in Amsterdam, I knew I was going to fall in love with the city.” – 11.15.2019, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

“I really liked spending genuine time with everyone and I’m getting very appreciative of all the connections I’ve made here.” – 11.30.2019, Rome, Italy

“It’s now December, which is so crazy to think about – I have less than 3 weeks left here.” – 12.1.2019, returning to Madrid from Rome, Italy

“I will definitely enjoy the break from flying every weekend, but I’ll always miss how spontaneous, careless, and excitingly special these past four months have been.” – 12.7.2019, returning from my final trip to Copenhagen, Denmark

While living through these four months, although I tried, it was hard to truly take in all that I was doing and realize how incredible it was. After a few weeks, the flights every weekend to new cities and new countries became routine, and it was harder to value living in Europe as much as I would’ve liked. Now, looking back on it all, it’s hitting me just how crazy these past four months have been, and how lucky I am to have experienced all that I did.

I wouldn’t go so far as to say that “abroad changed me,” as many people do, though I definitely think it helped me grow as a person, and it taught me so much about life and how valuable its experiences are. I know see travel as a fairly easy way to learn and explore, rather than an expensive luxury, or a once-a-year thing. I now take fuller advantage of my free time and want to maximize the time that I do have while I’m young to do and learn as much as a can, whether that’s here in Boston or all around the world. Most importantly, I made lifelong friends who now seem more like family, and I already miss though we left just ten days ago.

It’s weird for me to be wrapping up abroad like this, because I can’t completely believe or admit that the whole thing is over, but somehow it’s not August anymore, and instead of telling everyone that I’m going abroad, I now have to say “I went abroad.” Even though I’m sad that it’s now all in the past, I wouldn’t have changed a thing about my four months, and I’m looking forward to everything that’s to come out of this semester and what I’ve learned.

I would highly recommend to anyone thinking about studying abroad to do it – like I said, I wouldn’t have changed a single thing about my time in Spain, and I can honestly say these have been the best four months of my life. I know this is not the end of my travels, I have so much more I want to see in the world! But, for now I need to be in Boston for a bit, and as much as I miss Madrid, Boston will always be “home” for me.

Thank you all for following along with me these past four months, it has been such a pleasure sharing these photos, stories, and experiences with you! I will continue posting as I travel more, along with some tips and tricks I learned while traveling through Europe. For some highlights of the semester, I’ve posted my final abroad video below, I hope you enjoy 🙂

Hasta luego,

Megan

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A Week in My Life Abroad: Madrid to Copenhagen

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Hi, again!

As classes have now finished and I’m in my final weeks here in Spain, I’m doing my best to squeeze in as much activity as I can before I return to the States. This week in Madrid was definitely a busy one, as the next few will likely be as well, and then this weekend I was able to visit my roommate in Copenhagen, Denmark for my last trip of the semester!

Starting out the week was definitely stressful, as I had my last three days of classes Monday through Wednesday, and then immediately began Christmas activities. My friends and I took a bus (called the Navibus) around Madrid on Wednesday night which passes through all of the Christmas lights they’ve set up, and it was so nice to finally be able to really celebrate the holidays. Unfortunately I had my first final exam on Thursday, so it was a busy week of studying, and then I left straight from my exam to the airport.

Spending time with my roommate in Copenhagen was so nice, not only because I haven’t seen her all semester, but it was really nice to have a quick break before buckling down to take my remaining 5 finals back in Madrid. I was only in Denmark for two nights, but we spent our time exploring the city (especially the Christmas markets!), and I took advantage of the amazing food there – I’m starting to get sick of tapas!

Copenhagen was very similar to Amsterdam, which might have been my favorite city so far, so I really liked exploring different neighborhoods and seeing all of the Christmas decorations. The one thing I could’ve done without, though, is the cold weather. I’m definitely a warm weather person, so getting back to Madrid (even though it’s still pretty chilly here) was great.

Now that I’m back, I’ve been hustling to study for the rest of my finals, as I have four on Tuesday and Wednesday, and then my last one the following Monday. On Sunday morning, my friends and I continued to get into the Christmas spirit by running a 5k in Santa suits – so much fun! The suits were far from durable so we lost most of them by the end, but we got to cross the finish line under (fake) snow, so I got a little taste of Boston in my last two weeks here.

This upcoming week will be filled with studying and exams, but once I finish I have some time to spend in Madrid before I leave, so I’m excited to get my last few memories in. I’m so thankful for all the experiences I’ve had these past four months, and I can’t wait to continue traveling the world! Thank you for following along with me on all of my journeys, and I’ll see you next week for my final post of abroad!

xx,

Megan

P.S. Once I’m back in Boston, I’ll be shifting my posts toward more tips and tricks for travel, and itinerary suggestions in some of my favorite places, so please subscribe below for a lot more content coming soon!

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Weekend in Andalucía

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This past weekend was another one spent in Spain, and for once we didn’t have to fly anywhere – a break from the airport was definitely needed! We started out in Málaga on a trip with our study abroad program, and then headed west to Sevilla. Both are cities in the southern region of Andalucía, so it was also nice to have some warmer weather for the weekend.

In Málaga we started off with a quick walking tour around the city, where we visited the Atarazanas food market, the Cathedral, and the Plaza de la Constitución. After a tapas lunch, we then explored the Picasso Museum – he is from Málaga, so a lot of his history and artwork is represented here! We then walked through the Alcazaba, Málaga’s medieval Moorish palace, which overlooked the ocean and was a great way to end our tour.

We had some free time to explore, so we all spent some time sitting on the beach as the sun set. Since Málaga is a much smaller coast city, the beach was so calm and so peaceful. Once it grew dark, our whole program drove over to a dance studio (which happens to be where Antonio Banderas rehearses) for a flamenco class. All I can say is that I now have a new respect for flamenco dancers – this was one of the hardest things I’ve tried to learn!

Saturday morning we started with a huge hotel breakfast and then walked back toward the beach to the Centre Pompidou, a branch of Paris’ contemporary art museum. The art we saw here was definitely different from what we’ve been studying so far, as it was much more modern and utopian. From here, we walked along the coast to a beachfront restaurant where we ended this leg of the trip with an amazing paella lunch.

Most of the program was heading back to Madrid that evening, but while we were already in the south of Spain, my friends and I decided to go to Sevilla for the rest of the weekend. We arrived by train around 7pm, so after checking into our hostel, we immediately found dinner and began to explore the city at night. We were very centrally located, so it was super easy to get around and see the nightlife of Sevilla in the short time we had.

Sunday morning we had to pack in all of our sightseeing, as we were leaving for Madrid at 4pm that day. We started off at the Catedral de Sevilla, which was so beautiful, but since it was Sunday and mass was going on, we were unable to climb up the tower. We also walked by the Royal Alcázar of Sevilla, but the line was so long and we didn’t have tons of time, so we weren’t able to go inside here either. We ended up taking a bus tour through the city for the rest of the day, so we were able to see most major sights in time for our bus ride home.

We spent some time at the Plaza de España, which was one of the largest and most extravagant plazas I’ve seen in Spain so far. We walked around a bit more by the Metropol Parasol, got some lunch and gelato, and then made our way to the bus station for our 6 hour drive back to Madrid.

This weekend was much more relaxed than past trips, so it was really nice to take a break and have more time in Spain. It was also fun to travel with the whole program, since we don’t see everyone else as often. Overall, Sevilla is one of my favorite cities that I’ve traveled to so far, so I’m glad we were able to squeeze that in after our Málaga trip. This upcoming weekend will be VERY busy, so having a weekend to relax was definitely good beforehand.

I’m looking forward to my last month and a half here, so please stay updated for my final adventures! Subscribe below to get email updates when I post new content 🙂

Thank you and see you all next week!

xx,

Megan

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Halloween in Barcelona

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Catching up on another weekend abroad! This past weekend some friends and I went to Barcelona to celebrate Halloween. We spent about three days in the city before returning to Madrid, which was definitely enough to see all of the major sites and enjoy ourselves.

We arrived early on the morning of Thursday the 31st, so we spent most of the day walking around and seeing as much of the city as we could. We passed by the Barcelona Cathedral and walked through Citadel Park before checking into our Airbnb for the weekend. This wasn’t the nicest place to say (we were told that if anyone knocks, we were not to open the door under any circumstances), but it ended up working out for the two nights we were there. After checking in, getting settled, and napping for a bit, we headed back out to walk around some shops and grab tacos for dinner.

Thursday night there was a major Halloween party at one of Barcelona’s main night clubs, so we all dressed up and went as a group. This was definitely a MAJOR Halloween party. The entire club was packed and we only lasted a short while before heading out to the beach, which was right outside the back door. Being right on the beach was definitely a big change from Madrid!

Friday was our main exploring day. We started out with a big brunch at Citizen Café, and good thing we did because we had no idea how much walking we would be doing that day. After brunch, we headed to the Sagrada Familia, which is Barcelona’s unfinished Roman Catholic basilica, designed by Antoni Gaudí. The building is supposed to be completed relatively soon, so it would be really cool to go back one day and see the finished product.

From there we walked a LONG way uphill to Park Güell. We were able to walk around some of the outside paths of the park, but the tickets to get into the museum part were sold out. It was still really pretty outside, and we were able to look over the whole city. After a quick break, we continued the hike uphill to the bunkers at El Carmel. While walking up, we were all questioning whether it was worth it (we had been walking uphill for about 4 hours now). But when we got to the top, we concluded that it was 100% the right choice. We arrived at the top right around sunset, and we could see the entire city of Barcelona. These bunkers are the highest point of the city, and keep in mind we started at sea level that morning, so this break at the top was much needed.

After hiking back down the hill (and taking a bus the rest of the way), we ended back up on level ground and hit up a hole-in-the-wall tapas bar, which we all agreed served the best croquettes we’ve had thus far. The day took a lot out of us, so after napping (again) and trying to get ready, we decided we couldn’t take another late night. We quickly tried the Dow Jones stock exchange bar, which seemed like a cool idea, but was honestly not very well executed once we got there, and then ended up at Burger King to end the night.

Sunday morning we packed up, and before heading to the airport we made a few quick stops at Las Ramblas, la Boquería, and of course, Starbucks. After a rocky flight home (and many more naps), we finally made it back to Madrid early Saturday night. Getting home that early in the weekend was such a nice change – having all day to catch up and get organized on Sunday was amazing.

In conclusion, I’m glad I visited Barcelona, but I’m even more glad that I’m living in Madrid. I can’t quite explain it, but the people, the culture, and just the city itself are more comforting and welcoming, in my opinion, in Madrid. It was definitely a cool experience to see another (very popular) part of Spain, but the more I continue to travel elsewhere, the more I realize I made the right choice coming to Madrid 🙂

It’s crazy to think about, but the months are quickly passing by and I only have a short time left in Europe! I have a few more trips lined up for my last weeks abroad, so I will definitely be posting a LOT in the next couple of months – subscribe below to stay updated!

Thank you again for following me along this AMAZING journey, and I’ll see you all next week!

xx.

Megan

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Semester Abroad – Prep Week

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Good morning!

I am SO excited to share that this week is my last in Boston – on Saturday I leave to study abroad in Madrid! With this will come TONS of blog posts, pictures, and videos, but also lots of prep and packing right now! I figured I’d bring you all along with me as I get myself ready for the next semester, so let’s get started!

So far this summer, I haven’t done too much to prepare, as most things are last minute, like packing. What I have done already is mostly logistical––applying for a student visa, booking my flights, planning my residence, etc. I’ve picked up a few items shopping along the way as well, like an additional suitcase, and some new clothing items. However, this week is the major prep week!

Over the weekend I finally started to really get ready for my trip. I ordered any last items I needed so that they’d come in on time, shopped for any toiletries I still needed, and set a travel notice with my bank. For a trip this long, there is LOTS to do beforehand! Since international shipping can sometimes be difficult (especially when shipping things like medications), I made sure to get everything I needed ahead of time so I won’t have to worry about it once I’m there.

Yesterday I set aside a couple hours to completely empty out my closet and not only pack what I needed, but get rid of what I don’t. I am leaving a few things at home, but for the most part, if I’m not bringing it to Spain, I’m selling it on Poshmark. Since my brother has already moved out, I’m using his bedroom for now to lay out all the things I need to pack (most of the clothes are what I’ll be wearing throughout this week too, so I don’t want to put them in a suitcase just yet!).

I still need to pack all the smaller items, like my electronics, toiletries, and accessories, which I’ll be doing a little bit at a time this week. I also have a couple of things left to buy which I’ll be doing today or tomorrow, like a new backpack. I set aside one day this week for all of my pre-travel appointments as well––nails, eyebrows, and a haircut!

Once the weekend of travel starts, I’ll be vlogging my trip start to finish! I am flying out of NYC with a friend, so will be traveling to her house first and spending a few days there. I can’t wait to share ALL about my experience, and I’m so excited to be wrapping up all the loose ends this week and finally taking off! Next week’s post will be all about my weekend of travel and first impressions on Spain, so stay tuned and I’ll see you next Monday!

xx,

Megan