The whole group at La Sagrada Familia!
After spending over a week on the road, we are finally back in Madrid and ready to settle into our school schedule! The past week and a half has been spent traveling all around Spain with our awesome abroad group to some of the most beautiful and culturally rich cities I have ever seen. I can’t believe that I am actually getting class credit for this kind of experience!
The first city we visited was Barcelona, which definitely lives up to its reputation! The picture above is from our class trip to La Sagrada Familia, which was one of my favorite sites of the entire trip. I cannot even begin to describe how incredible and beautiful this building is. I was in awe of it the entire time we were there. If I could recommend one thing that you HAVE TO see in Barcelona, this would absolutely be it. We were also able to see Park Güell, and I had my own personal Cheetah Girls moment (Yeah, I know its lame!) and we also went to La Rambla and the beach! Th nightlife was also very fun, and there are some very cool places on the beach to go for a nice night out!
At the pier in Barcelona!
Park Güell, Barcelona
The Mediterranean Sea at the beach in Barcelona!
The second city we visited was beautiful Valencia. I absolutely LOVED this city. The streets were full of cute little stores and restaurants and the food was the best! One day we all went to the beach and had the best paella I have ever tasted. While we were here, we saw the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, which is a much more modern Spanish monument. Unfortunately, most of it was closed because George Clooney was shooting his new movie there! We also saw the Cathedral, the old silk market, and the current market where we learned about the different types of Spanish ham and got to try some fresh fruit! Due to my wild excitement for this city, I only took a single picture. So you’ll just have to use your imagination for the rest! It was so beautiful, pictures wouldn’t do it justice anyway!
Before our perfect lunch!
The next stop on our trip was Grenada. Here, we saw the famous Alhambra and its surrounding gardens. It was absolutely beautiful and I was surprised by how well it has been preserved. Surprisingly, this was the coldest stop on our journey since it is nestled right into the foot of the mountains. I also loved this city because it reminded me so much of home. We also saw a Flamenco show here, which was so much fun and gave us an excuse to get out of the cold! Our last morning, we were also treated to an olive oil tasting, which was amazing! I am obsessed with bread and olive oil (anyone can tell you!) and this was some of the best olive oil I have had in my life! My roommates and I bought some to bring home to our host mom because it was so delicious!
Sunsetting on the Alhambra
At the Alhambra!
View from the guard tower of the Alhambra
View from my hotel!
The last city we visited was Seville! It was gorgeous and so so warm compared to Grenada! Here we saw the Cathedral and the tomb of Christopher Columbus, the Royal Palace, and the Plaza de España. It was sunny and perfect the entire time we were there. We hung out at the river for a while, and even rented bikes to ride around and see the rest of the city! Our first night there was Superbowl Sunday, so naturally all of us Americans huddled into a bar to watch the game that started at 12:30! Even though my team lost (Quite badly, I must say 😦 ) it was still such a fun time!
On the river in Seville!
Plaza de España on a gorgeous day in Seville!
Candid class photo at the Plaza de España
All in all, our trip was a huge success! It was so great to be able to experience so much of Spain with my class. We got to see some of the most important historical sites in Spain, and bonded in the process. After so much traveling, I might have to take a break for a while!
….
Just kidding!!! Because in six days my roommates and I are heading to… (drumroll please)
MOROCCO!!! Camels and castles and couscous here we come!! I can’t wait to continue my study abroad adventure!!
Happy traveling 🙂
Blonde Across the Pond 