Being in Madrid, Spain has been an incredible experience so far and I am so fortunate to be able to share my experience with all of you! Of course, no city is perfect and Madrid still has its list of things that need improvement. Nevertheless, the majority of my experience exploring the city has been incredible! Here are just a few things I love about Madrid :)
1. Metro
I thought people were kidding when they said that Madrid has one of the best metro systems in Europe. Before I arrived, I was so scared about having to commute every day because not only am I from the suburbs, but I also go to school in the suburbs as well. Turns out, they weren’t lying. The Metro de Madrid comprises subways and buses that take you pretty much everywhere from the city center all the way to the airport. The buses and trains come approximately every 4 minutes and they are always quick and clean. Also, did I mention that there is a special pass for people who are younger than 25 that can ride an unlimited amount of times for a whole month? The best part is that it's only about 8 euros! Needless to say, I love the Madrid metro.
2. Weather
Weather and location were some very important factors for me in deciding where to study abroad. Madrid in the winter and spring is relatively temperate so it’s not too hot and not too cold. Although it didn’t snow this winter, Madrid was still cool and refreshing. As we’re starting to get into spring, I’ve been told that it does not get too hot and that summers are (relatively) tolerable. As a bonus, it’s rained only 3 of the days that I’ve been here!
3. Spanish
This may be a personal one, but I love being in a Spanish-speaking city! As a Spanish and Linguistics major, I knew that Madrid would be perfect to help work on my accent and to learn colloquial expressions. Even though a handful of people will speak in English to me once I reveal my American accent, the vast majority of people will speak only Spanish. Being a capital city, there are many varieties of Spanish and other languages from around the world spoken here but it is true that Spanish is the main language.
4. Location
Being the capital of Spain, Madrid is very much an international city. You can easily find stores, people, and cuisines from various countries in most parts of the city. Not only is Madrid an exciting city in and of itself, but it’s also in the center of Spain which makes travel relatively easy to different cities across the country such as Barcelona, Seville or Valencia.
5. Food
To be completely honest, Spanish cuisine is not my favorite. However, I do have to say that croquetas as well as churros con chocolate have my heart. With that being said, Madrid’s restaurant scene is incredibly diverse. Not only is there an abundance of restaurants from different regions in Spain, but there’s also a plethora of cuisines from around the world too that can be found throughout the city.
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Jacob Chan
My name is Jacob and I am a current junior at Haverford College. I love all things related to learning about different cultures whether it be food, language, customs, etc. In my free time, you can typically find me playing video games, listening to music, or just spending time with friends!
