In my first post, I shared how my host sister gave me a list of places that were must-sees while I am here in Spain. I have only been in Spain for a month and I’m already starting to check some things off my bucket list. This weekend and last weekend, I’ve gone on a few excursions to Madrid, Ronda, and I am currently on the bus to Aracena.
MADRID
One of my closest friends is studying abroad in Madrid. My friend, Jo, and I went to go visit her for the weekend and she was kind enough to house us which helped us save a lot of money. However, I noticed that prices in Madrid were generally higher than what I’m used to paying here in Sevilla. Madrid is highly populated with tourism which means that more people know English and the consequence is that the level of Spanish immersion decreases. Overall, I enjoyed my weekend away in Madrid. I visited Plaza Mayor, Museo Prado, Palacio Real, Catedral de Alumenda, Mercado de San Miguel, Retiro park, and so much more. Of all of these incredible places, my favorite stop was, believe it or not, at a Mexican restaurant. Jo found a spot online with great reviews so we walked over to it only to find an extremely long line. In all seriousness, I really thought the line was for some sort of nightclub at first until we turned the corner and saw the sign for 1 euro tacos. When we finally decided to join the line to see why these tacos were worth the wait, the woman in line in front of us proceeded to explain, for about 30 minutes, how these are the best tacos we will ever eat. She was absolutely right.
C. de la Abada, 2, 28013 Madrid
RONDA
Yesterday, I went to Ronda which is located in between Sevilla and Malaga. I wasn’t sure what to expect initially, but when we arrived I was blown away. Sevilla is known for having very flat land which makes the city very walkable. Ronda is the opposite. The city is extremely mountainous and the ground is made out of uneven stones for military purposes, which makes walking quite difficult. Still, the walk was absolutely worthwhile; being able to see the city from above was breathtaking. Take a look:
ARACENA
The full name of the site we visited is La Gruta de las Maravillas (the Cave of Wonders) and it is a cave in the town center of Aracena. When I came home from Ronda yesterday, I told my host mom that it was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. Her reply? “Just wait until you see Las Maravillas tomorrow”. We should arrive in one hour and I am so excited. We will not be allowed to take photos inside the caves in Aracena, but from the images I’ve seen online, it looks absolutely incredible. Check it out here.
In the end, I’m biased towards Sevilla and really believe it just cannot be beaten. However, I have loved traveling, especially because prices are much cheaper to travel from the south of Spain to different areas in Europe than from the United States. There’s no better time than now for me to see this part of the world! With some upcoming trips to Lisbon, Ibiza, and Rome, I’m so excited to share what’s to come.