GRANADA ~ A Complete Review

GRANADA, SPAIN

THE BEST PLACE ON EARTH

<3

RESTAURANTS & TAPAS

Bodegas Castañeda

• Sangria is really good; will get you sneaky drunk off three glasses

• Waiters are great and really funny if you talk to them

• More of a locals vibe

• Croquetas are FIRE

• Overall okay

• We’re nostalgic because it’s the first place we went and we were STARVING

*Ibéricos & Alhambra: Bocadillos Bar

• More expensive but good if you’re just going for drinks

• BEST tinto de verano

• Tapas were AMAZING (feel a little more upscale)

• Bread with jamón

• Really good cheese

• Empty on a Monday night

• Heavy pour for wine

La Piccola Carmela

• More expensive but honestly perfect for when you want nicer American Italian good vibes

• Fettuccine was so good

• Got 3 drinks, shared app, and  pasta for $27 (kinda expensive for Granada but not bad at all compared to home)

• Waiters are super nice

• Light pour for wine

La Auténtica Carmela

• Another Carmela location (multiple in the city); owned by the same group

• This location is better if you just want tapas!

• Good tapas, good portions

• Usually meat and bread

Salvaje

• Close to Fuente de las Batallas

• Great spot at like 5-6 when we went (but don’t serve actual food then; just got nuts and chips for tapas)

• No sangria but tinto de verano (which we all liked better anyways)

• Sweet and very good

• Food is expensive

*El Huerto de Juan Ranas

• Best tinto we’d had

• Food is a little more expensive but worth it for the view (STUNNING, especially at sunset)

• Fun place to go a few times for Alhambra views

• The shrimp is delicious (definitely recommend it!)

Zorro Viejo

• Light pours

• Recommended to us by the Spanish girls in our residence

• Really good tapas

• Bread and meat usually

• Like fine; good but nothing special

Balcón de San Nicolas

• Another spot that overlooks the Alhambra

• SO beautiful; better view than the other one

• BUT it’s always really crowded and their food menu hours are weird so I just ended up getting drinks here with my mom

• Definitely worth it to go at least once

Cantina Mejicana del Sur

• Little more expensive but really good food

• Strong margaritas

• Would recommend when you need a home-y American-esque Mexican meal

• Everything that we ordered was great

Pizzeria Mamma Rosa

• Really good pizza

• The red wine (rioja) was also really good

• Not expensive

• Waiters are really nice

• Great place when you’re craving Italian

• Can usually get a big reservation here

• Wine pours are pretty good

*Botillería

• Can get dinner or tapas

• Super close to where we lived

• Amazing tinto

• AMAZING tapas; they were actual good

• Things like sliders w fries, croquetas w salad, etc: incredible!

• Waiters were super nice

• Recommend getting the tomate aliñado; best one I had in Granada!

Bistro del Mundo

• Really good, TONS of options

• Near the Monasterio San Gerónimo

• Lots of different types of food

• They have smoothies!

• Good spot if you want a full meal but also could work to split a bunch of things

Humo

• “Technically” a bar, but we went here for tapas and dinner

• Interesting tapas

• Potatoes, bread with different spreads, etc

• Good food

• Super cool vibe, fun spot

• I never went here for dinner but everyone who did said it was awesome

*Kiosko Las Titas

• LOOOVED this place; one of my absolute favorites

• The dessert is incredible; went here a lot mid-day for dessert and a drink

• Tapas are good and also went for dinner a few times

• Beautiful scenery; lovely views of the hills and it’s right next to the river

• Looks like a greenhouse

• Fun, lively spot; lots of locals

El Sifón

• FAT pours of tinto

• Definitely more wine heavy

• It was really good

• Right by Fuente de las Granadas

• Nothing memorable, we just went there once after a hike

*El Delirio

• Really good Mexican restaurant

• Pretty close to CLM, it was right by our residence

• FANTASTIC margaritas, our fav in the city

• The food is awesome and they give you really good tapas that are like actual food

• Tapas are great too

• Mexican food

• Also little things like samosas (random but good)

Centro de Granada

• LOVED this restaurant

• A little more upscale

• Went here for my bday dinner

• Definitely more expensive but worth it for a special meal

• In Plaza Bib Rambla

• Service is amazing; they’re super attentive and gave us free shots and dessert for my birthday

Rosario Varela

• Super fun vibe tapas place; little younger and more energetic

• More expensive than most places like this

• Best with a small group

• Service is pretty slow but it’s usually busy so that makes sense

• The Guinness cake is TO DIE FOR

Wild Food

• Love this place!

• Definitely a different vibe than any other place we went to in Granada

• The food is really healthy and fresh and a lot of it is vegan/vegetarian

• The dumplings are amazing, and I also loved the edamame and the green curry

• The cocktails are super fun too! I got an amazing gin one that I loved

*Los Manueles

• We LOOOOVED Los Manueles

• Like 3 locations throughout the city

• Our favorite tapas place! Went here so much

• They give you really good tapas and the tinto is one of the best

• The dessert is to-die-for

• Great for just tapas and drinks or for an actual dinner!

• Sometimes you have to wait if you have a bigger group/when it’s busy, but it’s so worth it!

• Special recommendation for the pesto pasta, chocolate fondants, and the croquetas

El Conde

• Went here on one of our last nights and I wish we would’ve gone before!

• Small little place that also has outdoor seating

• Our tapas were really good, more like actual food

• Definitely recommend this one, especially when it’s nice out!

Manigua

• This place is SUPER COOL

• Definitely more expensive, but super worth it to go once or twice

• The dad of the girl I tutored recommended it and he’s super ~worldly~ and is a huge foodie, so he knows all the good spots

• I went here with my mom when she visited and we loved it!

• Everyone was super friendly

• Super cool vibes and a very calm, warm atmosphere

Hotel Terraza Monasterio

• Cool bar that overlooks one of the monasteries

• Usually pretty crowded, but if you go on a weekday you usually can get a spot

• Little more expensive but worth it for the view

• Didn’t have food options when we went, just nuts and chips for tapas

• Go around sunset at least once!

• Sometimes we would get dinner at Bistro del Mundo and then go here for drinks after

*Sitarilla

• SUPER fun vibe and the food was amazing

• Tapas portions were HUGE (like a meal)

• Bread and some delicious meat

• Wine isn’t too expensive

• Super busy all the time but usually worth the wait

• Lots of locals here

Bar Trastienda

• Kind of hidden spot off of Plaza Nueva

• The tapas are meat and amazing cheese

• Not incredible but the wine and tinto were good

• Pretty cheap and not super crowded

Hicuri

• Vegan/vegetarian restaurant right near CLM

• Great option for when you want something healthy

• We would get carry-out sometimes and bring this on our picnics!

~

FOOD STANDS & “QUICK” FOOD

*Empanadas La Buenos Aires

• My FAVORITE food stand

• The empanadas are to-die-for; I still dream about them

• Pollo tradicional is the BEST

• Pretty cheap; great lunch or snack option!

• Would also recommend trying the alfajores (cookies) and buying the dulce de leche spread to put on things

*El Campesino

• FAV kebab place; the best in Granada IMO

• Open super late, is the best after the club

• Chicken shawarma is SO GOOD (pro tip: always add feta)

• Right in Plaza Nueva

• Cheap

Pan y Chocolate (sandwich shop)

• Has the BEST tortilla (kind of like a potato omelet)  sandwiches!

• Super convenient; it was right by my residence, but is also really close to CLM

• We’d always get sandwiches here to bring on hikes/picnics/walks with us

• Lots of sandwich options; great for a quick meal; they have baked goods too

Pad Thai Wok

• Small Thai place that was right across from my residence (also close to CLM then)

• The Pad Thai is sooo good!

• Also good spring rolls and desserts

• Great option for quick meal/when you want something other than Spanish food

La Primavera

• Kebab place that was right by my residence

• Not the best ever admittedly

• I just didn’t love it because it tasted like olives, which I don’t love haha

• Good spot to pick up kebab after bars/clubs if you’re out late

~

CAFÉS

*Sugar Rose

• My FAVORITE café

• The owner is SO nice; recognized me because I went so much, knew my orders, and always said hello and chatted

• Adorable on the inside

• Super close to CLM so it’s super convenient before/between/after classes; I went at least twice a week

• All of the tostadas are DELICIOUS; crepes are great too

• Favorite tostadas: smoked salmon, cream cheese, and avocado | tomato, avocado, and mozzarella | tomato | brie and grape

• They have smoothies! Cafe con leche is really good; I don’t like coffee and I loved it here

*Café Fútbol

• We LOVED Café Fútbol

• They have the best churros in Granada (IMO)

• They also have the BEST tomato tostada in the city

• SO so cheap

• Lots of locals here

• We never went there but some past Granada girls said the upstairs is a great spot to study

Puerto Bernina (PB)

• Super cute inside

• Pastries are a little more expensive but nice and kinda fancy

• Really nice, coffee shop atmosphere; very similar to Tatte

• Great place to study

• No wifi though

• Great for mid-day drink (coffee, beer, etc)

*Nöat

• Loved this café

• We went all the time before/between/after classes! It’s literally 30 seconds from CLM

• Coffee is super good

• The tostadas are delicious!!! The baked goods are also sooo good

• Really small on the inside/not a lot of seating

• We would also grab food and then go sit in/outside CLM if there was no space inside

• I definitely recommend the tomato and cheese tostada, and the brownies and cakes are delicious

Café 4 Gatos

• LOVED this café

• It’s up in the Albaicín and has such a quaint, beautiful view of the Alhambra and the surrounding streets

• Only went here once at the end and which I would’ve gone way more

• The manchego and tomato toast is delicious

• So worth it to wait for a table outside!

• Decently crowded when it’s nice out, but worth it to wait!

Puentezuelas

• The tostada here is really good and super filling

• The avocado and tomato tostada is delicious

• Really cheap coffee and tostada

• Also tried the tomato, cheese, and ham toast and it was really good; they melt the cheese so it was kind of like pizza hahaha

• In a busier area of the city; right down the street from Flying Tiger

Gran Café Bib Rambla

• Went here for dessert once and it was a good spot

• Dessert was really good, wine was also good

• Pretty cheap, not bad

• In Plaza Bib Rambla

• Open decently late on week nights

Café La Alhambra

• Another popular spot for churros

• We liked the Café Fútbol churros the best but this place was also delicious

• In Bib Rambla, so the atmosphere is great and there’s always people around

• One of Amalia’s favorite churro spots that she recommended

Café Ysla Pastelería-Cafetería

• Grabbed some coffee and pastries here with my mom and we really liked them

• Close to Paseo de los Basilios

• They have piononos here that I think are the best in the city

• They’re famous for them!

• Multiple locations throughout the city

I Need Coffee

• I never went but girls in my program went here a bunch

• One of the only places that has iced coffee

• Pretty close to CLM

• Has more American-style drinks that other places don’t normally have

Starbucks

• Yes they have them hahaha

• I only know of one in the city but it was great

• The pastry case is SO GOOD and I came here unashamedly

• The upstairs is the perfect study spot; there’s lots of tables and it still feels like a local European city café

• Especially great for studying at the end of the semester when it’s really hot outside and you need strong AC

• Super convenient location, right in the middle of the city and close to CLM

~

BARS & CLUBS

Chupitería 69

• Euro shots; lots of options

• Very fun but go with a big gorup

• Mix of locals and other abroad people and Americans

• Go mid-late

• Not too early or it’s kinda empty

• Great spot to get cheap alcohol before the club

*Tragofino

• Loved this place!

• Next to Papaya; a bit of an older/classier vibe but still fun

• The mojitos are SO good

• Went here with a big group and got a few tables; definitely the best way to go

*Papaya

• Super fun spot; we went here a lot

• Usually really busy and loud but we always had fun

• Don’t get the sangria or tinto; it’s BIG but not the best

• Really cool decor on the inside

• Lots of young locals here

*Hannigan & Son’s

• Fun Irish pub that we also went to a lot

• They have trivia every week, I think it’s on Thursdays; we never went but I wish we would’ve

• Went here a lot to watch basketball games, etc

• They also have food during the day!

Bar Pöe

• Smaller bar that’s popular with locals who know it well

• Stayed here for like 4 hours one night just talking and it was a lot of fun

• The owner is from the UK and is super cool; chat with him!

• He and his wife own the bar and have tons of cool stories from their lives/traveling

Mae West

• Our favorite club eve n though we only went once hahaha

• We went in January and it wasn’t as busy because all the Spanish students weren’t back yet but we still had a really fun time

• Music is great, a little bit more American than other spots

• Cool venue and great dance floor! I wish we would’ve gone more!

Granada 10 (G10)

• Went to this club the most, we went a lot

• Music is also great here, it’s a lot more Spanish/European music

• Lots of locals here

• We had so much fun

• Definitely would recommend mixing up the clubs you go to because at one point we went here too many times in a row haha

~

DESSERTS & BAKERIES

*Los Italianos

• The BEST gelato in Granada

• Super popular, especially among the locals

• The line is always suuuuper long during peak times, but you’ll learn what the off times are; definitely go then

• We went here so many times I can’t even count

• My favorite was getting half dark chocolate and half raspberry or strawberry in a dish; SO GOOD

• Amalia and Teresa recommended we go here as soon as it opened; pretty sure it opened in March, but definitely in April at the latest

• Open late! We would go a lot at night and after dinner and/or drinks

Llao Llao

• Frozen yogurt spot right in the middle of the city

• LOVED this place and went a lot (I’d get yogurt with strawberries, dark chocolate, and Lotus cookies; it’s the best combo)

• The frozen yogurt is a little different than ours; it actually tastes like yogurt and isn’t as sweet; it was kinda surprising the first time, but I ended up liking it wayyy better

• Also went here so many times that I can’t count

• The perfect thing when it’s super hot out in the spring

La Abuela

• We also went here SO much

• This is a gelato chain; not as good as Italianos but still really good

• They have SO many flavors

• My favorite was half chocobon and half oreo

• The cheesecake flavor is also soooo good; same with mango

• Open throughout the whole year, so we went here mostly when Italianos wasn’t open yet

Cafetería Rey Fernando

• Cute little dessert café in the middle of the city

• Only went here once but my dessert was good

• They have a little seating area inside

• Perfect spot for a quick treat; especially at night because it feels all cozy but you can still look outside

*Croissantería La Blanca Paloma

• My FAVORITE bakery in Granada

• I absolutely looooved this place and went so much

• Favorite things were: chocolate napoleon, spinach and queso fresco empanada, chocolate croissant type thing, and the frosted cookies

• Super convenient spot in Plaza Nueva

• I would always go after our walks and hikes around here

Galletanas

• Cookie and coffee shop along Paseo de los Tristes

• The cookies here are DELICIOUS

• My favorite was the NY chocolate chip because it had sea salt on it and was to-die-for

• I also heard the coffee was pretty good

• Cookies are cheap; I would stop here all the time when I needed a quick snack or dessert

Panadería San Matías

• Adorable little fresh bakery in Realejo; close to CLM

• The absolute BEST chocolate empanadas; the croissants are also amazing

• They’re each 1 euro!

• One of my friends and I would stop here a lot to grab a pastry on our way to class

~

ACTIVITIES

Mirador de San Nicolas

• The most beautiful view of the Alhambra and IMO the most beautiful view in the world

• Up in the Albaicín

• Usually a lot of people but it is SUCH a good vibe

• There’s always someone playing music and it’s just the best

• Come up here at a bunch of different times of day/night for a good view

Alhambra and Generalife

• The absolute BEST place ever

• Truly one of my favorite places in the whole world

• It’s magical in here

• I went to the Alhambra like 4 times and loved every minute of every time

• Plan to take your time in here; there is just so much beauty and SO much to see

• The Generalife gardens are absolutely STUNNING

• Make sure you go towards the end of the semester when everything is in bloom

• Try to go on off times or days during the week so that there’s less people; it makes everything even better

Mirador de San Miguel Alto

• Another FAVORITE spot for us!

• Much higher up than San Nicolas; it’s on a hill and it’s a decent walk up hill but SO worth it

• When it got warmer, we went here for dinner picnics at sunset ALL the time

• We’d get tortilla sandwiches, kebab, or take-out from Hicuri and grab wine, cheese, and chocolate from a grocery store

• One of my all-time favorite memories from abroad was sitting up here with everyone on our picnics; they’re a MUST

Monachil Hike

• The best hike I’ve been on

• Monachil is a little town outside Granada; we took the bus and then walked to the beginning of the hike; the location is technically called “Monachil Los Cahorros”

• Wait til around May when it’s warm and everything is green and in bloom

• This is just such a cool hike! you go through like really lush green areas, a very Mars-looking rocky desert area, and get to walk across a beautiful bridge across a little canyon

• Wear a swimsuit underneath so you can go in the little waterfall!

• We got a little lost and it ended up being fine, but just keep track of where you are!

Cathedral & Capilla Real

• One of my favorite places/activities in Granada and honestly in all of Europe

• The cathedral is absolutely STUNNING

• You’ll probably go with GRIIS, but definitely go at least one more time on your own

• Great spots to bring your family & visitors to

• The Capilla Real means royal chapel and it’s where a Spanish king and queen are buried

• SUCH cool history here really fun to learn about everything; also just so pretty

Parque Federico García Lorca

• Beautiful park in the western part of the city

• Has lovely areas to walk through, lots of benches, and a playground

• We went a good amount; definitely make sure you go in the spring when everything is in bloom

• The playground is actually so much fun

• When it’s nice out just go and read a book here! I never got around to it and so wish I would’ve

Paseo de los Basilios (walk)

• My FAVORITE walking route

• This starts in the city along the Paseo and you get gradually more into nature

• Great spot to walk or run, and you get to see some other parts of the city that you don’t normally see otherwise

• Especially great when it’s nice out and everything starts to bloom

• Right by Fuente de las Granadas, which is a really pretty fountain in honor of the city

Paseo de los Basilios (hike)

• If you just keep walking for a while on the walking trail, it becomes a lot more nature-y and there’s a little stream/swimming area that we would stop at

• We’d just hike in for like an hour or so and then turn around and walk out after swimming and having a picnic

• Can go by yourself or in a group!

• The scenery is beautiful and if you’re like me and need to just be outside away from a city sometimes, this is perfect

Hammam Al Andalus

• One of the Arab baths in Granada; apparently the best one from reviews

• I loved going here!

• You can go into all the different pools and get a massage

• They have tons of different packages to choose from

• My mom and I did the like 90 minute baths soak and then 45 minute massage I think; it was heavenly and sooo relaxing

• Everything was super nice and very clean

Granada FC Game

• We went to a soccer game and had sooooo much fun! I wish we would’ve gone to more

• You have to go at least once

• Really easy to buy tickets and they’re pretty cheap

• If you can, go to a game where they’re playing one of their rivals! Makes it even better

• The locals get super into it and are actually really friendly and would love to talk to you about the team

Carmen de los Mártires

• Lovely garden up near the Alhambra

• Gorgeous views of the city and the scenery is just beautiful

• Lots of fountains, plants, trees, landscaping, etc

• Great spot for pictures and great spot to take visitors to

• I wish I would’ve gone here more; bring a book and just hang out for a bit!

Mirador de San Cristóbal

• Another great mirador spot

• Super close to Mirador de San Nicolas but wayyyy less crowded

• Circular, so you can see a bunch of different sides

• They have little benches up here, so we would bring sandwiches or other quick meals during the week when we know it would be less busy

• Sometimes hard to find a spot to sit on nicer days/right at sunset, but usually fine

Parque de las Ciencias/BioDome

• This is like a science museum and mini zoo all rolled into one

• I think it’s targeted toward kids but we had so much fun here hahaha

• The “Parque de las Ciencias” part is more of a museum, and then the BioDome has a bunch of plants and some animals like birds, monkeys, butterflies etc

• Definitely worth it to go once or twice with a group, and a fun wholesome activity to do

Sacromonte

• A neighborhood in the city that used to be just gitanos (gypsies)

• It is SO beautiful; it’s up in the hills and really winding and old

• We would do the hike up here for amazing views of the city and a change of scenery

• It’s also fun to just go walk up here and/or grab dinner

• This is where most of the flamenco shows are too; pretty sure GRIIS will take you to one because they took us!

• There’s the Abadía del Sacromonte, which is an old abbey; it’s really pretty on the outside and it’s on your way up on the hike

Cueva de los Gitanos

• I never got here but people in my group went and said it was a pretty quick activity and really cool

• Potentially also called Museo Cuevas del Sacromonte

• Also recommended to me by some of the girls who went in Fall 2019

• Bummed I never got to go!

Alcaicería

• Old-style market near the Cathedral; used to be a silks market!

• Lots of stands and little shops with souvenir-style things but you can find some great stuff

• I got some super cute shoes and scarves from different shops

• Fun to walk around!

• Usually kinda busy and can get crowded in the spring but not bad at all

Casa de los Tiros

• Cool little museum that has a bunch of local art and artifacts

• The stuff is just really pretty and perfectly shows the culture of Granada

• Teresa took us here, but worth checking it out again on your own or taking your family here

• It’s in a really cool building that used to be used to shoot cannonballs from

Monasterio Cartuja

• Stunning monastery near UGR’s main campus

• The art and architecture here are absolutely beautiful

• One of my favorite spots in Granada

• We had an optional excursion here; totally worth it to go on your own too!

Plaza de la Trinidad

• Cute little plaza in a different part of the city than we normally went to

• Ibéricos & Alhambra is near here!

• Lots of tapas places and little stores

• Nice area to walk around and explore

Calle Gran Vía del Colón

• One of the main streets of Granada; I put it on here because there’s some really cool cultural statues in the middle on the walkway that represent Granada’s history and culture!

• Definitely worth taking a walk down this street! There’s always lots of locals around too!

Sierra Nevada Mall

• I never went but there’s a big mall a little bit outside of the city

• Some of the girls in my group went quite a few times and said there was great shopping

• There’s also some American fast food restaurants like Five Guys if you’re craving it haha

• Has a bunch of pretty good stores; wish I would’ve gone like once

~

STORES

(seems kind of strange to put this in here but it’s so helpful when you’re trying to figure out where to buy certain things that you might want/need)

Grocery Stores

• Carrefour

• Mercadona

• Rapid Eroski

• El Corte Inglés (basement level)

Home & Décor

• Zara Home

• Flying Tiger

• El Corte Inglés (department store like a cross between Macy’s and Bloomingdales)

• Any random corner store will have other things you need too!

Clothes

• Zara

• Mango

• Pull & Bear

• Bershka

• Mosaico (thrift store)

Santorini Travel Guide

SUMMARY

Restaurants

Vanilia Mediterranean Cuisine

Remvi

Oia Gefsis

Gyro place (unsure of actual name)

Sights

Famous Blue Church

Port

Black Sand Beach

Red Sand Beach

Green Sand Beach

Activities

Catamaran Outing

Akrotiri Museum & Archaeological Site

Hotel

Belvedere Suites

COMMENTARY

Restaurants

Vanilia Mediterranean Cuisine

·      We went here for dinner on our first night and it was really good!

·      It’s like a three-season porch vibe; not completely inside, but enclosed and with space heaters

·      Loved the atmosphere! If it was lighter out we would’ve had a lovely view of the water, but we still could see the lights of the villages and it was such a pretty view

·      I got a mac and cheese that was definitely fancier and more like pasta with a cheese sauce and breadcrumbs

o   I wanted like thick American mac and cheese so I wasn’t as pleased but it was actually super good and not too heavy which was nice

·      We got some sort of olive oil ice cream I think that was interesting and actually really tasty; definitely unique but I really liked it!

Remvi

·      Also loved this restaurant! Technically in Firostefani (one of the village), but really close to Thira, which was where our hotel was; we walked!

·      I don’t remember what I got for dinner but I’m pretty sure I split some seafood with my mom and I remember it being good! (I think we got scallops maybe)

·      Classic little Santorini building in Greek island style; I loved the aesthetic and it felt cozy but also breezy, island-style

·      We had lovely views of the lights of villages on the cliff; there’s some outdoor seating but it was chilly so we sat inside

·      The fried rice pudding dessert was delicious; surprised that I did but I loved it!

Oia Gefsis

·      We went here on our last night; it was a rooftop restaurant and we were expecting to be right on the edge of the cliff, but we weren’t so that was a bit of a let-down

·      There were still pretty views at sunset, but they weren’t like stunning or anything so just keep that in mind!

·      I don’t remember what I ate but the food was good and the atmosphere was good too

·      There were some pretty spots close by to walk around and see which was my favorite part of the night!

Gyro place (unsure of actual name)

·      I don’t know what this place is called but my gyro was DELICIOUS

·      I was starving and this totally hit the spot while sitting by the pool

·      If you find any little gyro stand it’s bound to be delicious!

o   a must-find in Santorini!

Sights

Famous Blue Church

·      I don’t know what this is actually called, but a little searching could yield the name

·      It’s the most famous scenic blue church on the island and you’ve probably seen it in a bunch of pictures

·      It was literally right above our hotel so my mom and I strolled up once during the day and it actually wasn’t too crowded!

·      So so beautiful and worth it just for the view and iconic photo op!

Port

·      We didn’t go all the way down to sea level to the port, but it was still cool to see from up high

·      It’s along one of the main walkways/paths, so worth it to walk by and also see the gondolas going up the side of the cliff

·      When I went here when I was 13 we came in through the port and it was such a cool experience to go up in the gondolas

o   Plus there’s some old cute tiny buildings down on the port

Black Sand Beach & Red Sand Beach & Green Sand Beach

·      We passed all of these on our catamaran cruise and they were super cool to see

·      We didn’t actually go up on the beaches but do so if you have the chance!

·      I’ve heard really good things about the black sand beach specifically!

Activities

Catamaran Outing

·      This was my FAVORITE thing we did in Santorini

·      We did the morning slot from 9 to 2 and it was the perfect time

·      Literally one of my best days abroad and honestly of my life hahaha

·      We cruised through the sea and to a few different spots and got to swim a few times

o   Stopped off of a few different beaches, and a sulfurous area where swimming is supposed to be good for the skin!

·      They also served us lunch on the boat, which was a Greek style barbecue and it was phenomenal; it was also open bar all day (mostly wine to serve)

·      I think the company was called Sunset cruises or something like that

·      We got picked up at a certain spot, which was SUPER convenient; the company arranged to pick everyone up

·      Try to book a smaller boat with less people; it’s worth it to do a more personal, smaller cruise where you don’t feel as “commercial” and get to actually chat with everyone

o   We met a lovely group of British ladies who were fantastic and just so much fun and hung out with them all day!

·      ABSOLUTELY would recommend doing something like this; a must-do for sure!

Akrotiri Museum & Archaeological Site

·      I didn’t end up going here but we met some wonderful British ladies who went here and said it was the coolest thing and loved it

·      I WISH we would’ve had time to go, it sounded SO COOL

·      Absolutely go here if you can! Check the hours because they can be kind of weird depending on the season

Hotel

Belvedere Suites

·      We loved this hotel!

·      The receptionist upgraded us to a nicer suite because it was my mom’s birthday so it’s worth asking!

·      This hotel is actually featured in a bunch of touristy and views photos of Santorini that I’ve seen randomly

·      The pool and its views were literally unbeatable

·      Our room was nice and clean and just simple Greek style! We had views of the water and the cliff; they were STUNNING

o   We could even see the wildflowers at the cliff’s base; SO beautiful!

·      They had a great menu during the day by the pool and I had a simple but incredible sandwich one day: just feta and tomato on a baguette… SO good omg

·      There was a poolside bar open practically all day; the wine especially was fantastic

·      They had included all-you-can-eat breakfast every morning and it was also DELICIOUS; everything was so good and we ordered so many things; wish I had room to eat more!!!!

·      The hotel provided transportation to and from our catamaran cruise pick-up spot and to dinner when we went to a different village for like 20 euros! Super helpful and it was so much easier to have safe, reliable transportation than finding a cab

OVERALL ADVICE

Transportation

·      We walked almost everywhere besides going between villages and to our cruise

·      You’ll also definitely need a cab to and from the airport, you can’t walk

Island Itself

·      Make sure you set aside substantial time to just explore the island! It’s really walkable and part of the magic of the island is just walking around and taking in the breathtaking views and soaking it all in!

·      Wear shoes you can walk in! the paths are pretty uneven and there’s tons of steps on the island

o   Aka if you wear super tall impractical wedges before dinner and walk around like me, be careful!!!

·      Layer, layer, layer! It gets chilly especially at night because it’s super windy here; we also went in April which isn’t super warm, but there’s a good amount of wind pretty much all year round

·      Keep in mind that there are two main bigger villages: Oia (which is the typical picturesque one you see) and Thira (the larger of the two which has more restaurants, hotels, etc)

o   You can walk between the two of them but that’s not typical, so keep in mind that if you go between them you’ll probably have to take a taxi!

·      The airport is located on a flatter part of the island and more inland; the main spots and tourist areas are on the other side of the island on the side of the cliff

·      So this is kind of TMI, but it’s important… bring tampons if you’ll need them!

o   There’s minimal pharmacies and I stopped in one of them to grab tampons… turns out in Santorini (and I think in most of Greece) they don’t have tampons with applicators so they’re kinda uncomfortable

o   Not a huge deal but worth it to bring some tampons of your own if you have room

Athens Travel Guide

SUMMARY

Restaurants

Elia Ermou Rooftop

Athina

In Town Restaurant

Dia Tafta

Sights

Monastiraki Square

Aristotle’s Lyceum

National Garden

Hadrian’s Arch

Temple of Zeus the Olympian (Olympieion)

Roman Baths

Hadrian’s Library

Activities

Acropolis

Acropolis Museum

Panathenaic Stadium

Ancient Agora

·      Temple of Hephaestus

·      Agora of Athens Museum

Agora Museum

Stands/Cafés

Street corn stand

Da Vinci (gelato)

Hotel

Elia Ermou

COMMENTARY

Restaurants

Elia Ermou Rooftop

·      The view here was truly UNMATCHED; we had dinner with sunset view of the whole Acropolis

·      Guests get the preferred dining room with a better view, but the non-guest tables still have beautiful views

·      Lovely restaurant; really pretty aesthetic on the inside and you have amazing views!!

·      I got a pasta dish for my main with a Greek cheese and braised meat; it was really good, but pretty rich and I was kinda full already, so not my favorite thing ever

·      The saganaki (flaming cheese) was DELICIOUS; a must-get

·      The chocolate cake I got for dessert was delicious, would definitely recommend

·      They gave us free shots at the end! (well, I thought it was a shot and took it like one, but it turns out I think you were actually supposed to sip it)

·       

Athina

·      This was one of my BEST meals abroad; My FAVORITE restaurant we went to in Greece

·       

·      The food was amazing and we had an perfect, up-close view of the Acropolis from ground level; we sat outside and could see the Parthenon and the whole Acropolis hill

·      We split three things: feta block with olive oil, pita with tzatziki and a chicken gyro (but it’s “deconstructed” in Greece, they serve the chicken, pita, fries, sauce, and extras separately and you make your own bite); they were all delicious and the feta was the best feta I’ve ever had, I still dream about it

·      The prosecco was also great; would totally recommend

·      Absolutely a must-visit lunch (or dinner) spot if you’re in the area; we went in between the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum; it was the perfect break and super close to both!

In Town Restaurant

·      This was a last-minute place we had dinner at after our other reservation fell through (at a restaurant called Ella that my mom’s friend recommended to us; it was closed for renovations, but if it’s open I’d recommend it based on what they said!)

·      Not the best meal ever, but it was still pretty good and the décor was eclectic and really cool

·      I got a seafood pasta with red sauce that was good and just would’ve been better if it was served warmer

·      Nothing super special but still a good atmosphere and an overall good meal, especially considering I wasn’t super hungry

Dia Tafta

·      Also loved this restaurant!!

·      It was along some ruins that I think were a part of the Agora; there’s a walkway along ruins and there’s lots of restaurants along it; GREAT spot overall to eat

·      We had really beautiful views of the Acropolis at night and sat outside; the only thing we didn’t like was that the people next to us were feeding the stray cats so they were around our table; don’t feed them or they won’t leave!

·      The food was delicious! We split chicken gyros again and it was really good! I’m sure we split something else, but I can’t remember and don’t have any other pics

·      I also remember the wine being really good here; common theme in Greece

·      Inside of the restaurant was really cool and very ~Greek~ (look at the old photos in the bathroom if you have a chance!)

Sights

Monastiraki Square

·      Main square of Athens

·      Lots of shops and restaurants and souvenirs; super lively and busy with people

·      There’s several old little churches scattered throughout the downtown that they just left in the middle of the street; they’re really pretty and super cool against the newer buildings; one of them was in this square, but there’s several others!

·      Definitely worth a walk through, and it’s in a convenient spot

Aristotle’s Lyceum

·      This is where Aristotle taught and set up a school, so it was cool to see

·      This was included in our historical sites pass

·      It’s ruins now, not a ton is left but they did a good job explaining what everything and every area would’ve been used for

·      The wildflowers and natural plants are also surprisingly super beautiful and really just add to the site; the little wildflowers are so pretty and cute and colorful, and they’re everywhere

·      Scenery is absolutely lovely; you also have a view of the mountains

National Garden

·      Soooo pretty to walk through

·      Also in a convenient spot, so I’d recommend walking through it if you get the chance

·      Lots of different paths and fountains and plants and trees

·      There’s also a zoo in the middle!

·      Free to go/no official “entrance” or “exit”

Hadrian’s Arch

·      This was also included in our historical sites pass and it was really cool, especially if you read about the history of it

·      Right next to the Temple of Zeus, so you might as well hit both

·      Really cool picture opportunity!

Temple of Zeus the Olympian (Olympieion)

·      This was also super cool; included in our historical sites pass

·      Interesting because a lot of it has fallen, so the middle is left standing; gives it a cool vibe

·      Tons of cool history to read about

·      The views are beautiful! You can see the mountains in the distance really well

Roman Baths

·      This is along one of the main roads, we just stumbled upon it

·      We just stopped quickly to read some of the info!

Hadrian’s Library

·      Another historical sites pass location

·      The hours are kinda weird here, but I’d definitely recommend going if you have time

·      Cool to walk through and learn about what use to be there!

·      There’s some little cats that live there and roam around; I don’t love cats but they were pretty cute

Activities

Acropolis

·      AMAZING

·      Absolute must-do in Athens

·      Everything is just SO cool and SO interesting and I could’ve spent all day here

·      The views of the city are stunning and it’s just incredible to be in such a historically significant place

·      The Parthenon is the main part, but there’s tons of other sites on the hall that you should try to visit all of! They’re all different with unique significance

Acropolis Museum

·      Also AMAZING

·      I wish we would’ve done this on a different day than the Acropolis because I just ended up kind of tired after that and wish I would’ve paid more attention/spent more time here

·      You should definitely visit here as well

·      Tons of ancient art, artifacts, and recreations

·      Everything is really interesting to read and look through

Panathenaic Stadium

·      LOVED this place; the first modern Olympic stadium!

·      Awesome spot to go to

·      There’s a great audio tour that I’d definitely recommend doing, it really makes the experience

·      Climb to the top to see amazing views of the Acropolis and most of the city

·      Don’t forget to go through the tunnel to where the locker rooms used to be!

o   It’s a super cool room with all the posters from the modern Olympics; I wish I would’ve had more time to spend in here

Ancient Agora

·      One of my favorite places in Athens

·      This was the ancient marketplace and it’s HUGE

o   Contains different spots like the famous Temple of Hephaestus, etc.

·      The Temple of Hephaestus was my favorite part and it was super iconic; also great photo opportunity here because you can see the Parthenon behind you!

Agora Museum

·      This was included in the Ancient Agora

·      I didn’t have much time to spend in here because they were closing but all the artifacts and art they had were super cool

·      Everything they have is organized by periods of time, so it’s really cool to see all the objects and styles evolve

Stands/Cafés

Street corn stand

·      OH MY GOD this was one of the best things I ate abroad

·      My mom and I found this random stand on one of the main streets downtown

·      They grill/roast the corn right in front of you and then put butter, salt, and lemon juice on it

·      Super cheap and so delicious; I could’ve eaten like 15 of them; I think we went 3 or 4 times in the 3 days we were there

Da Vinci (gelato)

·      This gelato was soooo good

·      More of a modern, new gelato place that also has super cool flavors and some trendy things like big milkshakes, etc

·      Located in a convenient spot downtown that we stopped at twice on our way home from dinner & walking around at night

·      The staff are super friendly!

Hotel

Elia Ermou

·      Looooved this hotel!

·      It was new and modern but was really classy and had older touches with “character”

·      Had the absolute BEST included breakfast; it was outside up on the roof with Acropolis views

·      The food was DELICIOUS… I’m not a huge breakfast eater, but even I stuffed myself every day and wished I could’ve eaten more

o   The fresh fruit was amazing and such a breath of fresh air considering I hadn’t had a ton in Europe; literally everything I ate was phenomenal

o   Niche but they had these delicious homemade granola bars that I took with every day to have as a snack

·      Everything was super clean and pretty and aesthetic; also great views of the city and liveliness around it!

OVERALL ADVICE

Transportation

·      We mostly walked everywhere; we only took cabs to and from the airport

·      Make sure you have cash for the cabs!

o   One of my friends was here the week before us and he had a whole debacle because he didn’t have cash for the cab; so, have cash for the cab! in ours you could’ve paid with card, but based on his experience, have cash to be safe

·      We walked everywhere else, didn’t take any public transportation

·      The airport is a decent distance from the city; like a 35-40 minute taxi ride

o   You can also take the bus or metro, but this is the fastest and it wasn’t very expensive, so it was worth it to us for the ease and not having to figure out public transportation in a completely different language

City Itself

·      My mom and I love love LOVED Athens!

·      If you can get here, it’s one of the best places; and it’s convenient because you pretty much have to stop here en route to the islands

·      It’s a super walkable city and most of the main sights are located relatively close to one another

o   This is a really traffic-heavy city, so walking is usually best!

·      The food here is AMAZING and it’s pretty cheap; try a bunch of stuff and make sure to get your share of Greek food!

·      Even if you visit earlier in the spring, or even in April like we did, the sun is still super strong; I didn’t wear sunscreen our first day and got absolutely ROASTED (seriously, I was a tomato)

o   Also keep that in mind for what you wear: layer, layer, layer! I would’ve gotten cold if I didn’t have an extra layer, but would’ve been so hot in the sun if I didn’t have something underneath

·      Most people that you’ll interact with will know English, especially in restaurants, shops, and tourist areas

o   BUT a lot of things are sometimes only written in Greek

·      Most people are super friendly and nice! Be careful though because apparently pickpocketing is kind of prevalent

Take time to just walk through the city! The architecture is lovely and this is just such a history-rich city that you absolutely have to take it all in:)

Spain Cities Travel Guide

ALMUÑÉCAR

SUMMARY

FOOD & DRINKS

La Tralla

Port of Mar Beach -- Boardwalk

ACTIVITIES & SIGHTS

Castillo (Castle) de San Miguel

Peñones de San Cristobal

Playa Caletilla

Parque el Majuelo

COMMENTARY

FOOD & DRINKS

La Tralla

·      Cute little restaurant right by the beach

·      I got the marinated salmon toast and the avocado and seasoned tomato salad; both were delicious and super fresh

·      Great spot for a quick bite or meal before or after the beach

·      Really convenient spot and it was pretty cheap

·      We went for lunch before we hung out at the beach and since it was February it wasn’t crowded at all; got seated super quickly

Port of Mar Beach – Boardwalk

·      We sat on the boardwalk area of this beach and got drinks from one place and picked up hot dogs for another

·      Since it was like 5 PM when we got drinks, the place wasn’t serving food besides cheese and chips, so we grabbed hot dogs from another carry-out stand

·      Really pretty spot to sit and take in the sights of the beach

·      Lots of locals were out because it was a beautiful day! Super lively

ACTIVITIES & SIGHTS

Castillo (Castle) de San Miguel

·      Really pretty ruins of an Arab castle

·      Most of it is still intact and it has a beautiful view

·      Doesn’t take too long to go through, and the views alone are worth it

·      The walk up to the castle is also really cool; would definitely recommend setting aside time for a stroll up through the city

o   The buildings are super charming and colorful

Peñones de San Cristobal

·      Beautiful lookout spot with gorgeous views of the water, beaches, and the city

·      There’s a giant cross at the top that’s a pretty significant monument in the city

·      Right next to one of the best beaches

Playa Caletilla

·      One of the best beaches in the city!

·      We went in February but it was a beautiful day so we sat here for a few hours and did a lunch picnic and ended up swimming for a bit

·      Water is super blue and pretty

·      There’s a cool rocky outstretch into the water as well

·      Great spot to swim!

Parque el Majuelo

·      This little spot has ruins from a long time ago and a ton of beautiful plants

·      I think technically it’s a garden

·      We stopped here on the way up to the Castillo and I’d definitely recommend doing that before you start the trek up!

~

CÁDIZ

SUMMARY

FOOD & DRINKS

Atxuri

Nëbula

La Tertulia

Charlotte

O’Connell’s

ACTIVITIES & SIGHTS

Playa Santa María del Mar

Cádiz Cathedral

Plaza de San Juan de Dios

Paseo del Vendaval

COMMENTARY

FOOD & DRINKS

Atxuri

·      This was one of the BEST restaurants I went to while abroad

·      It had Basque food and was amazing (technically “Basque-Andalucían fusion on the website)

·      I got the sirloin steak, which was seriously some of the best steak I’ve ever had; they sprinkled it with sea salt and it was to die for; absolutely recommend it!

·      I also got the cheesecake for dessert; very good! I just don’t remember it being like out of this world

·      Atmosphere is great; it’s cozy but upscale, and if it’s warm sit outside!

·      If you go to Cádiz you have to go here

·      We didn’t have a res and had 6 people and got in almost right away! But that was in March so if you’re going later in the spring, make a reservation

Nëbula

·      So, funny story…

·      We went here because they had reservations open and we needed something last minute

·      Turns out it was a Marvel-themed restaurant and a little bit more geared toward kids; we showed up in nice going out clothes and there were literally kids in Marvel costumes hahaha

·      SO we got a quick cheap drink and left to go to Atxuri

·      If you are in dire need of a place to eat, go ahead, but know what you’re getting into lol

La Tertulia

·      Cute little café that we grabbed breakfast at!

·      I was deathly hungover so I think I would’ve appreciated it and liked it more if I wasn’t hahaha; it was super cute anyways and a good spot

·      The avocado and tomato toast was delicious; my croissant was just okay but again, see above point about being hungover

·      Cheap and on the way to the beach! Would recommend this place, especially if there’s seats outside

Charlotte

·      Great place with beautiful outdoor seating right across from the beach

·      Got delicious strawberry daiquiris that really hit the spot! (didn’t taste like there was any alcohol in them though, so they might’ve been virgin hahaha)

·      We also ordered some potatoes which were meh, but the nachos were delicious

·      Perfect spot for some food and drinks after the beach with a pretty view!

O’Connell’s

·      I’m pretty sure that this was the name of the place we went to, but not entirely sure lol

·      Fun Irish pub in the city center!

·      This was a really lively spot and I had enough fun, but probably would’ve had way more fun if I didn’t have a stomach bug that hit right before we got in and that I made worse by doing Jäegerbombs…

·      I’d recommend going here for at least a drink and some fun! They also had karaoke when we went

·      We went to another bar too nearby, but I left too quickly to remember what it’s name was because I felt sick

ACTIVITIES & SIGHTS

Playa Santa María del Mar

·      This beach was BEAUTIFUL

·      The water was super blue and the sand was lovely and white and fine, NOT like the rocky Mediterranean sand in other places I visited (Cádiz is technically on the Atlantic, so that’s why)

·      It was a big beach, so we had lots of room to spread out and be by ourselves; but there was also a good amount of other people because it was a surprisingly really warm day in March

·      We left another, not great beach to come here and were super happy with this one

Cádiz Cathedral

·      We didn’t end up going in but the outside was beautiful and I wish we would’ve, at least to just see it quickly

·      Worth a quick hop in!

·      Located along one of the main stretches of a path along the water

Plaza de San Juan de Dios

·      One of the main town squares in the city center

·      There’s lots of pretty buildings and some lovely fountains

·      Super cute! Definitely walk through

·      Also lots of restaurants, cafés, and souvenir shops located right around here

Paseo del Vendaval

·      I wasn’t exactly sure what this was called, but after a little research, I’m pretty sure this is the name

·      This is a walkway up on street level but right next to the beach!

·      The views were absolutely beautiful with the pretty buildings and the beaches and the water!

·      Definitely take a stroll down here! It was just lovely

~

CÓRDOBA

SUMMARY

FOOD & DRINKS

Empanadas place

Ice cream place

Tapas place

ACTIVITIES & SIGHTS

Medina Azahara

·      Museo Medina Azahara – Madinat Al Zahra

Judería (old Jewish neighborhood)

Córdoba Synagogue

Grand Mosque of Córdoba

COMMENTARY

FOOD & DRINKS

Empanadas place

·      I don’t have the name of this place but it was just a little empanadas restaurant right near the Mosque-Cathedral

·      The empanadas were delicious and it was a really convenient spot to grab food from and then sit outside of the mosque

·      Pretty cheap too!

Ice cream place

·      Again, I don’t remember the name hahaha

·      This was also a place near the Mosque-Cathedral and there were definitely others nearby too!

·      Grab some ice cream after you eat and sit outside

Tapas place

·      We also stopped into a restaurant nearby the Mosque-Cathedral

·      I don’t remember the name, again, hahaha

·      Regardless, stop and grab a tinto! It was delicious here and a great pit stop before more sightseeing

ACTIVITIES & SIGHTS

Medina Azahara (Museo Medina Azahara – Madinat Al Zahra)

·      This place was SO COOL and SO beautiful

·      The ruins of the royal palace/compound where the king ruled from

·      There’s also a museum along with the ruins

·      Super cool and definitely a less-visited spot

·      There’s also a really interesting and informative video that you can watch before you go in that talks about life in the palace

Judería (old Jewish neighborhood)

·      We just walked through here on the way to the synagogue and it was really pretty

·      There’s a bunch of cute, aesthetic walls and vignettes to take photos of too

Córdoba Synagogue

·      One of only 2 synagogues in Spain today

·      It’s really small but a cool spot to swing through!

Grand Mosque of Córdoba

·      Oh my God I LOVED this place

·      It’s technically the “Mosque-Cathedral” because when the Spaniards conquered Córdoba they built a cathedral right in the middle of the mosque (it’s the only cathedral built inside a mosque in the world!)

·      The mosque is also the largest mosque outside of Mecca

·      It is just BEAUTIFUL and all the arches are stunning to see in person

·      My favorite part of the day in Córdoba!

~

MÁLAGA

SUMMARY

FOOD & DRINKS

Taberna Casa Lola (on Calle Strachan)

Bun and Coffee (also potentially just called Bun)

Casa Lola (on Calle Granada)

ACTIVITIES & SIGHTS

Malagueta beach

Museo Picasso Málaga

Centro Histórico

Centre Pompidou

Parque de Málaga

COMMENTARY

FOOD & DRINKS

Taberna Casa Lola (on Calle Strachan)

·      This place was delicious!

·      We got in pretty quickly at prime dinner time on a Thursday without a reservation

·      The “tomate casalola” was really good and the “pinchito gamba” was delicious! The kinder brownie dessert was also delicious

·      The food was really good, we split a bunch of things; I split with one of our guy friends who had a huge appetite and I still had more than enough to eat hahaha, so the portion sizes were good too; great find!!

·      We all got drinks and a bunch of things to share (everything probably made up more than a full dinner for each person) and it was just under 90 euros for 5 people; so a super good deal

Bun and Coffee (also potentially just called Bun)

·      We stopped here for a quick snack during our program trip here and it was good

·      My coffee was nothing special but I don’t remember it being bad

·      They had specialty donuts and mine was pretty good! I got like the salted caramel chocolate pretzel and it was really good, but a little too sweet (even though I’m not one to normally say that)

·      The inside is really cute and it’s a good spot for something quick! Also located in a really convenient spot in the city if you’re walking around and sightseeing

Casa Lola (on Calle Granada)

·      I’m not sure if this place was connected to the other Casa Lola, but the menu was different

·      Also SO good here!

·      The “tomate casa lola” was sooo good, and the “pinchito gamba” was amazing, honestly some of the best shrimp I’ve had, and the aioli with it was to-die-for

·      The tinto was really good too! Not too expensive

ACTIVITIES & SIGHTS

Malagueta beach

·      One of the main beaches in Málaga

·      It was too cold to go in but it seemed like this would be a fun beach!

·      The water isn’t the clearest or prettiest, but it also was cloudy in April when we went

·      Still seems like this would be a good beach!

Museo Picasso Málaga

·      This museum was really cool and also had a lot of history (Picasso was born in Málaga)

·      I really enjoyed it!

·      It didn’t take a super long time to go through, and was definitely worth the visit

·      Near lots of other fun sites too

Centro Histórico

·      We just walked through here in between sightseeing and there was tons of shops, restaurants, cool traditional buildings, etc

·      Hung out here for the majority of our time here; one group did a lot more sightseeing and hit some big spots but I was super tired and hungry and kind of just wanted to hang out and stay around the center where we had to meet later

o   Wish I would’ve seen some of the sights though!

Centre Pompidou

·      This was a pretty cool art museum with more modern art

·      I enjoyed it! The exhibits were unique and it didn’t take too long

·      The art was interesting and I hadn’t seen anything like most of it before

Parque de Málaga

·      Not exactly sure this was the right name hahaha but seems like it is based on my research

·      We just walked through at the end of our trip and it was really pretty! The fountain we were close to was lovely

·      If you’re in the area it’s worth it to walk through

~

NERJA

SUMMARY

FOOD AND DRINKS

Calahonda

Portofino Bar & Restaurant

Vitaliano

ACTIVITIES & SIGHTS

Balcón de Europa

Calahonda Beach

Las Cuevas de Nerja

HOTELS

Hotel Marissal

COMMENTARY

FOOD AND DRINKS

Calahonda

·      Just a little bakery/ice cream shop right up the stairs from the beach

·      I grabbed a smoothie and sandwich from here while on the beach

o   Both were DELICIOUS

o   Surprisingly fresh and just hit the spot

·      Great spot for a quick bite while you’re at the beach

Portofino Bar & Restaurant

·      Italian restaurant right above Calahonda Beach with an absolutely stunning view

·      I got caprese salad which was delicious and then the Bolognese for my entrée; the Bolognese wasn’t super hot when it was served to me but it was still good

·      Great dinner spot!

·      Make a reservation if you can and try to sit outside; it’s just so pretty and such good vibes

Vitaliano

·      Another Italian restaurant that I went to for dinner

·      The food here was delicious and the service was great

·      Really pretty spot; you can’t quite see the beach, but you can see the water and the horizon, and the part of town has some gorgeous views of the water

·      I went here by myself and the wait time was super quick! Like less than 10 minutes without a reservation on a weekend night!

·      Cheap! I got 2 glasses of wine, an appetizer, an entrée, and a dessert for less than 25 euros

ACTIVITIES & SIGHTS

Balcón de Europa

·      Really pretty lookout spot that’s a well-known sight in Nerja

·      It’s right above Calahonda so they’re super convenient

·      There’s also some super cool rocks down below that make such a cool and interesting view/picture op

Calahonda Beach

·      The BEST beach

·      I was in Nerja for 3 full days and I literally just went to this beach all day every day

·      It’s really small but SO beautiful; I was perfectly content here every day

·      The view was literally unbeatable and it was a great spot to swim; also great to explore! You could walk through some rocks/sand and get to another beach

·      Not too crowded, and it felt really safe here; I went in the water and left my stuff and was not remotely worried about it being stolen

Las Cuevas de Nerja

·      I didn’t actually go here but everyone else in our group who went to Nerja did and said it was super cool!

·      Like 30ish years ago some local boys were playing soccer and literally just stumbled into discovering these caves

·      Would definitely recommend going if you have time based on what I heard

HOTELS

Hotel Marissal

·      This was a great find for a little hotel

·      It was literally right next to Balcón de Europa and a 1 minute walk from Calahonda Beach

·      I felt safe by myself and the room was a perfect size; queen bed and a big bathroom and my own balcony that I could see the water and the town square from!

·      My room was clean and the bed was comfy – no complaints!

·      Great spot for a short stay for a few people or even by yourself!

~

SEVILLA

SUMMARY

ACTIVITIES & SIGHTS

Cathedral of Sevilla

Fine Arts Museum

Plaza de España

Las Setas de Sevilla (The Mushrooms)

Royal Alcázar

La Giralda (bell tower)

COMMENTARY

ACTIVITIES & SIGHTS

Cathedral of Sevilla

·      Sevilla’s famous cathedral

·      It’s really pretty and definitely a main spot to see

·      The area outside is also GORGEOUS; there’s a lovely little garden of orange trees that I loved strolling through

·      This is definitely a darker, more baroque style and I liked the Granada cathedral but it was still super pretty and I would definitely recommend going

Fine Arts Museum

·      This place was such a gem!

·      The art was beautiful and there was a great variety

·      Located in the city center so it’s a great spot

·      I’d definitely recommend going!

Plaza de España

·      This place was SO COOL

·      Such a lovely plaza with beautiful views; take photos here!

·      We didn’t have time to do so, but rent one of the row boats if you can!

·      A scene in Star Wars was actually filmed here which is pretty cool

Las Setas de Sevilla (The Mushrooms)

·      I didn’t go up to the top but these are still really cool to see

·      Good photo opportunity and I’ve heard the views from the top are great

·      Might as well go up to the top if you have time

·      Lots of cafés and shops around this area too

Royal Alcázar

·      This place is SO beautiful

·      Former palace where the royals would live

·      The architecture is just so pretty and there’s also outdoor areas that are just picture-perfect

·      Absolutely have to stop here

La Giralda (bell tower)

·      This tower is attached to the cathedral and absolutely worth the climb up

·      The view is STUNNING; you can see the entire city

·      So so pretty and I actually really enjoyed walking up

Rome Travel Guide

SUMMARY

*must-do (honestly everything was a must-do, so it was very hard for me to decide and keep it at 10)

Restaurants

Il Falchetto

*Dar Poeta

La Taverna dei Monti

Vatican Museum outdoor restaurant

Da Tonino

Ristorante La Nuova Piazzetta

Trattoria Papa Re

Sights
*Colosseum

*Roman Forum

*Capital Building

*Trevi Fountain

*Pantheon

St. Ignatius Church (don’t remember the actual Italian name)

Villa Borghese

Piazza di Popolo

John Cabot University (Lexy’s old school)

St. Peter’s Square

Palatine Hill

Castel St. Angelo

*Trastevere (neighborhood!)

Activities

*Vatican Museum

*St. Peter’s Basilica

Colosseum + Roman Forum + Palatine Hill tour

Cafés/Dessert

*Giolitti

Burro e Alici

Caffe Settimiano

Fatamorgana

Hotel

Filomena Arthouse

COMMENTARY

Restaurants

Il Falchetto

·      This place was delicious; would definitely recommend!

o   Sat outside with heat lamps and I LOVED the vibe

·      Really good food and the wine was SO good

o   We splurged a bit on wine and got some chianti that was OH MY GOD so good, some of the best wine I’ve had

·      We split a platter that I know had burrata, some prosciutto, zucchini, bread, and sundried tomatoes; very good and a good amount of food for an appetizer

·      Also split fried meatballs and they were delicious (came with a really good dipping sauce)

·      I got the cacio e pepe and it was really good; I did really like it but I don’t like pepper (didn’t really think that one through HA) so that was the only reason I didn’t LOVE it; still would recommend, it was delicious

·      We split the special they had for dessert, it was some type of dessert from Naples with ricotta and candied orange bits and even though it sounds weird and like something I wouldn’t like, it was DELICIOUS

·      Definitely more of an upscale-ish place but also not too expensive; definitely more expensive though than the typical Rome meal and they have higher end wine

·      I wore a satin dress with a casual button down and booties and felt totally fine!

Dar Poeta

·      LOVED the pizza at this place; went for lunch

·      Was a very highly rated rec (thanks Lex!)

o   She said it had the best pizza ever and that was so true

·      We split a carafe of the house red wine and 1) it was delicious 2) it was a LOT 3) it got both of us sneakily mid-day drunk

·      We also split some bruschetta as an app and it was really good

·      I got the margherita pizza and it was perfect; classic and still SO GOOD

·      Then finally we split the Nutella + ricotta dessert and HOLY SH*T one of the best things I have ever eaten. You HAVE to get it!

·      Casual spot and feels super cozy and authentically Italian

·      Absolutely recommend

La Taverna dei Monti

·      Hanna and I went here for dinner on her first night and she said it was a great first Roman meal

·      We got caprese for an app and it was delicious

·      We got the seafood risotto and the spaghetti Bolognese and shared; very good

·      We got dessert but I honestly do not remember what I got

·      They gave us free shots! I think because we were American

·      I wore a sweater vest, turtle neck, and white flare jeans with black booties and felt appropriately dressed

·      More of a casual family vibe

Vatican Museum outdoor restaurant

·      This restaurant was AMAZING

·      Right in the middle of the Vatican Museum, such a lovely setting

·      I got the spinach + ricotta ravioli in a butter + sage sauce and it was genuinely one of the best things I’ve ever eaten

·      Prosecco is also very good

·      Prices are good

·      SUPER convenient to do lunch here in the middle of your Vatican Museum visit

o   Surprisingly not super busy

o   Much better than the “food court” type thing inside

Da Tonino

·      Again, LOVED this place

·      Rec’d by Hanna’s friend as her favorite restaurant she went to in Rome (thanks Hanna’s friend!)

·      Went for dinner and split prosciutto + mozzarella for an app: it was a must-get: absolutely DELICIOUS

·      I got for my entrée and would recommend

·      This had such a cute, cozy, traditional Italian vibe and I loved the inside

·      No reservations but got in within 10 minutes at normal dinner time

·      I was wearing a pink midi skirt with a tank and button down and felt appropriate

Ristorante La Nuova Piazzetta

·      SUCH a great place; we went here for lunch

·      Absolute 10/10 would recommend

·      We split the fettucine alfredo and gorgonzola pizza and both were delicious

o   Of course got prosciutto + mozz for an app and it was really good

·      This felt like a typical Italian lunch place vibe and it was nice and warm inside which was much appreciated hahaha

Trattoria Papa Re

·      Went here for our last dinner

·      Rec’d by Karen, thank you!!

·      It’s in Trastevere and is so cute and quintessentially Italian inside

·      I wore a sweater and flare jeans and booties and again felt totally appropriate

·      12/10 would recommend the lasagna, which Hanna and I both got and both agreed that it was the best we’ve ever had

·      I got the chocolate mousse and it came in an adorable little mason jar, def recommend! Soooo good

·      Perfect spot that wasn’t too crowded and seemed like more of a locals’ place (there were several families speaking Italian sitting around us who looked like they were out for a typical Saturday din)

Sights
Colosseum

·      Walked by here at night and during the day: both are a must-do

·      It’s located close to a lot of other sites too so it’s easy to see a bunch!

·      Obviously I was awestruck by all the history etc

·      (more details below when I talk about the tour)

Roman Forum

·      Again, walked by here at night and during the day and would recommend doing both

·      (more details below when I talk about the tour)

Capital Building

·      I had never even heard of this building but it was just incredible and beautiful

·      Obviously walk by at night but make SURE you walk by at night too because it is just so cool

·      Wish we would’ve had time to actually go in the building and look around

Trevi Fountain

·      Another MUST of course

·      Again, no surprise, came here at night and during the day

o   It was only mildly less busy at night, so just go whenever you can

·      BUT do both!!!

·      We went on my first night but you couldn’t actually go down to right next to the fountain, but then Hanna and I went at the same time a different night and you could; depends on the day I think

Pantheon

·      SO freaking cool

·      Hadn’t honestly remembered that it was in Rome until right before we got there but it was so amazing to see

·      Unfortunately didn’t get to go in because all of the times were booked but wish I could’ve

·      Definitely make a reservation online if you can

·      Even if you can’t go in, make sure to walk by during the day and at night because it’s just an amazing sight to behold

o   One of my favorite abroad pictures out of everywhere is one of the Pantheon on my first night

St. Ignatius Church (don’t remember the actual Italian name)

·      This church was beautiful

·      Admittedly only went in here because of the name hahaha (the BC hold on me is incredible)

·      Stunning ceiling especially, and seemed like a popular church to see

Villa Borghese

·      Ugh! The actual museum didn’t have any reservations available so I couldn’t see that (BIG bummer), BUT this park was just beautiful

·      I loved walking through the gardens

·      So so beautiful

·      It was nice to stroll through here because it was very relaxing and was a different vibe than the rest of the city

·      Lots of pretty vistas as well, you can see the Vatican!

Piazza di Popolo

·      Cool to see, not super unique, but I enjoyed going

·      Also very cool because you can see Borghese

o   Close to Borghese, super easy to stop here after Borghese

·      Fun fact! There’s an obelisk here that the Romans had taken from Egypt (there’s several others scattered throughout the city)

John Cabot University (Lexy’s old school)

·      I just loved walking through here, felt very full-circle!

·      In Trastevere, so it was an easy spot to see considering I wanted to stroll through the area anyways

·      Didn’t go into any buildings but it was still fun to stroll around

St. Peter’s Square

·      Um STARSTRUCK, this was such a surreal moment, especially because I vividly remember watching footage of of SPS in 6th grade on the smartboard at QP when Pope Francis was chosen

·      Just amazing to see

·      Absolutely a must-do

Palatine Hill

·      We saw this on our Colosseum + Forum tour

·      Didn’t actually go up but it was so beautiful from down below

·      If we had more time I would’ve loved to go here!

·      Fun fact: this is where Romulus + Remus were, by legend, said to have been born

Castel St. Angelo

·      Really beautiful castle in Vatican City

·      We only saw the outside, so very easy to walk by

·      Located on a beautiful bridge that you take over the Tiber from Rome proper to the Vatican

Trastevere (neighborhood!)

·      UGH! SO beautiful and calm and quintessentially Italian

·      Love love LOVED this part of the city

·      Much slower pace and truly felt like the heart of Italy

·      Lots of cute cafés and restaurants, definitely get at LEAST one meal here (my restaurant recs are very good ones)

Activities

*Vatican Museum

·      INCREDIBLE, like I have no words for this place, it was just amazing

·      I’m pretty sure Hanna and I literally spent 7 hours in here (including lunch)

·      There are just SO many amazing things and rooms

·      An absolute MUST

·      TIP: the Sistine Chapel is IN the Vatican Museum

·      TIP: we bought skip-the-line tickets through a third-party seller and it was 1000% worth the money

*St. Peter’s Basilica

·      Breath-taking, like I don’t really have any other words to describe it

·      I cried

·      The inside is just so beautiful and detailed and magnificent and UGH I loved it

·      Free to get in!

·      Another absolute MUST

·      Their “summer” hours say they’re open til 7 but basically they kick people out at 6:30 which was really frustrating

·      I wish I would’ve had hours in here honestly

Colosseum + Roman Forum + Palatine Hill tour

·      If you’re going to splurge on anything for sightseeing, this is it

·      We LOVED our tour!

o   Tour guide was awesome and super informative, but made everything like a big long story

o   Tons of detail (that was actually interesting)

o   He’s an archaeology professor at University of Rome

·      I don’t remember the name of the specific company, but it’s the one on tripadvisor that has like 10,000 reviews

·      Tour is 3 hours, we did 10-1, which was perfect (breakfast before, lunch after)

Cafés/Dessert

*Giolitti

·      My FAV gelato omg I loved it

·      Rec’d by Lexy as her fav when she was in Rome, AND the Pope’s favorite

·      SO DELICIOUS

·      The Stracciatella and chocolate are amazing

·      The Nutella is very good but it’s weirdly not cold..? idk how to describe it but just a heads up

·      Every flavor that I tried of everyone else’s was also good

·      Homemade whipped cream was *chef’s kiss*

·      Would recommend going at night, it wasn’t busy at all when we went

Burro e Alici

·      Cute little café that we grabbed a quick breakfast from

·      I got a delicious tomato + mozz sandwich and a chocolate petit four type thing

·      Cheap and good!

·      Great for a quick meal

Caffe Settimiano

·      Just stopped here for a quick cappuccino and it was delicious!

·      Super convenient spot in Trastevere

·      Adorable outdoor seating and super cute traditional Italian coffee shop vibes

·      Loved it!

Fatamorgana

·      Had one of the best things I’ve ever eaten here: salted chocolate hazelnut gelato! (I still dream about it)

·      More of a “modern” gelato place, not a traditional old one

·      Delicious

·      I liked the vibes of Giolitti better, but the flavor I mentioned was so so good

·      Still a great option

Hotel

Filomena Arthouse

·      SUCH a little gem for college student travelers

·      It was relatively cheap but actually quite nice and very clean

·      Was an actual hotel room which was appreciated (with them making the beds and everything! Luxury!)

·      Pretty good location; 15-20 minute walk from the major sites

There wasn’t a ton right around it, but it was good enough and worked well

Barcelona Travel Guide

SUMMARY

*must-do

Restaurants

Condal Tapas Bar

Can Ramonet

Benzina

Sights

Arc de Triomf

La Barceloneta (Beach)

Parc del Port Olimpic

Citadel Park

*Gothic Quarter

Columbus Statue

*Port

*Parque de Montjuïc

            Palace of Montjuïc

            Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc

            Anella Olimpica

                        Palau Sant Jordi Sports

                        Calatrava Tower

Activities

*Park Güell

*Sagrada Familia

Museu Etnológic i de Cultures del Mon (Ethnological Museum)

*Museu Picasso

Cafés

Cooofe Bar

La Roseta

Boheme

Demasié

Clubs

Razzmatazz

Hotel

Sallés Hotel Ciutat del Prat

COMMENTARY

Restaurants

Condal Tapas Bar

·      Cute tapas bar with mostly outdoor seating right by Sagrada Familia

·      Definitely would recommend it for a quick meal pre- or post- Sagrada Familia

·      We got the shrimp and patatas bravas,  both were good, but the shrimp was AMAZING and the garlic butter sauce was incredible (kind of unexpected hahaha)

·      The sangria comes in a FAT glass, but the tinto is better

·      Not too expensive

Can Ramonet

·      Smaller traditional Catalán food, we loved it!

·      The seafood paella was incredible and comes in a giant pan; you can only order for two people but it honestly could’ve fed 3 or more people

·      Our desserts were delicious!

·      Great atmosphere, more intimate and traditional and cozy

Benzina

·      Cool Italian restaurant with a more modern vibe

·      Cool drink menu as well, I got the Cocaine cocktail and it was delicious

o   I think it was a gin cocktail, with fruity flavors, and a powdered sugar rim

·      I don’t remember what I ordered but the pasta was very good

·      Not too expensive and great option if you want a dinner that feels more upscale but is still pretty cheap

o   Seemed like there were a good amount of locals eating out here

Sights

Arc de Triomf

·      A must see in Barcelona

·      Pretty lane with lots of palm trees leading up to it

·      Easy to stop at on your way to the beach areas

·      Also close to Columbus monument

La Barceloneta (Beach)

·      Really fun to walk along here!

·      It was rainy when Gillian and I went but there were people surfing which was super cool to see

·      Pretty walkway and there’s lots of cool architecture along the water

·      Also in an area with good restaurants

Parc del Port Olimpic

·      Walked here from Barceloneta

·      Nothing especially interesting but might as well walk through

Citadel Park

·      Bummer we didn’t get to actually see the famous pretty fountain

·      BUT enjoyed our walk through nonetheless

·      There’s a cool “castle” in there

·      Lots of little statues and monuments scattered throughout the park so would recommend a nice stroll on a not-rainy day

*Gothic Quarter

·      This was my favorite part of the city, I loooooved it

·      Just take a stroll through and take in the sights

·      The Picasso museum is here

·      There’s also lots of cute little bakeries in this area

Columbus Statue

·      Obviously not a huge fan of the guy but the statue + monument were super cool

·      Close to the harbor and walkable to the beach from here

·      Not too far from the Arc

·      There’s also some pretty buildings right by it

*Port

·      No clue what it’s actually called!

·      But this area was beautiful and I really really enjoyed walking along it

*Parque de Montjuïc

·      OMG one of my FAVES

·      I absolutely loved this place, it was just magical

·      A MUST visit

            Palace of Montjuïc

·      Right at the front, very pretty

·      Easy to see

            Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc

·      Olympic stadium from the ’92 Olympics

·      Just saw the outside but it was still cool

            Anella Olimpica

·      This is just the term for the all-encompassing plaza with lots of buildings/structures

                        Palau Sant Jordi Sports

o   Didn’t go in, but this is still in use!

                        Calatrava Tower

o   This thing is SO cool

o   Good photo opp

Activities

*Park Güell

·      Love love LOVED this place so much!

·      It felt like a little fairytale world

·      It’s a hike to get up there but SO SO worth it!

·      Make sure you set aside lots of time to walk through and see everything

·      Definitely see the little houses, the mosaic lizard, and the cool cavern-like areas

·      Everything is just SO cool

*Sagrada Familia

·      STUNNING

·      Also big fairytale vibes, it’s just so beautiful

·      I just walked through for a while looking up with my mouth open in awe

·      Take advantage of the free audio guide in the app

·      MAKE SURE TO MAKE A RESERVATION AHEAD OF TIME

·      Kind of expensive for a monument but absolutely worth it

Museu Etnológic i de Cultures del Mon (Ethnological Museum)

·      This place was cool, definitely not a must-see

·      BUT we had time to kill before the Picasso Museum

·      Different exhibits on each of the continents besides Europe

·      Loved seeing all the artifacts and art though

*Museu Picasso

·      LOVED the Picasso Museum!

·      One of my favorite museums I’ve been to

·      They do a really awesome job of weaving storytelling through the art

·      Definitely use the audio guide for some insight and good stories

o   Has some of Picasso’s most famous paintings

·      There is a stunning room inside

Cafés

Cooofe Bar

·      Gillian and I stopped here for a quick breakfast, would absolutely recommend for this

·      I got coffee, a croissant, and some fruit

·      The Nutella stuffed croissant was delicious

·      Cheap!

La Roseta

·      Super adorable cozy little bakery near Barceloneta

·      Definitely would recommend!

·      There’s not a lot of seating inside, but everything would be easy enough to take with you

·      The banana bread was amazing and really hit a craving I didn’t know I had

·      We each got a sandwich with avocado, tomato, and mozzarella and both loved them

·      Not expensive! Also great coffee

Boheme

·      Stopped here for a quick lunch pre-Picasso Museum

·      In the Gothic Quarter

·      Nothing super unique but my sandwich and cookie were very good and this provided a much-needed pick-me-up

Demasié

·      Adorable bakery in the Gothic Quarter

·      Staff was extremely friendly and very nice

·      Lots of really cool + extravagant little pastry options

·      We got little pizza flatbreads to-go for dinner and they were delicious

o   The one with mushrooms was soooo good omg (I also just love mushrooms)

·      I also got a Nutella cookie that admittedly was kinda underwhelming but still very good

Clubs

Razzmatazz

·      We had lots of fun here!

·      The club was really cool and big enough but not like overwhelming

·      Different rooms which was great, so you could kinda choose the vibe

·      I was expecting like wild crazy, and it was definitely fun, but I was honestly just a little bit underwhelemed

o   I think maybe if we would’ve gone with a big group it would’ve been more fun..?

Hotel

Sallés Hotel Ciutat del Prat

·      Mom and I stayed in this hotel the night before our flight and it was super nice

·      Great location, like 10 minutes from the airport

·      You can book shuttles to + from the airport!

·      Very nice and new (probably remodeled recently) and clean

OVERALL ADVICE

Transportation

·      The metro is great and super easy to use with Apple maps

o   The grid looks complicated but as long as you plug things in, it’s easy

o   Metro goes basically everywhere

o   It’s a big/spread-out city, so some of your metro rides can be like 20-30 minutes

o   Gillian and I took the 5 euro bus from downtown to the airport, which was super convenient

·      Cabify is the Uber-like app

o   Safe and easy to use

o   Works just like Uber

o   Would definitely recommend this instead of just doing a normal cab

·      Taxis are available but are a little less reliable

o   I taxied in from the airport both times; felt super safe and the fares were pretty fair (ha!)

o   BUT I would recommend Cabify in the city because it’s usually around the same price and just more secure

§  Maddie (who was in Barcelona for the whole sem, hi Maddie!) one time got scammed by a cab driver who tried to make them pay more, was rude, and freaking threw her phone out; also tried to drive off with her friend inside because they didn’t wanna pay his marked-up price

City Itself

·      Most of Barcelona is set up in a grid system which makes every street look basically the same, that’s the less exciting part of the city

·      BUT the Gothic Quarter is beautiful, the areas by the beach + port are so pretty, and I absolutely loved the monuments

·      Be prepared to walk and take the metro because the most popular sights are pretty spread out (ex: Park Güell, Montjuïc, Sagrada Familia, Picasso Museum, beach/port, etc)

·      Take in and enjoy the aspect of the Catalan culture; it’s a really cool cultural aspect of the city that I think really sets it apart from other cities, especially in Spain

·      The city just has a cool, quirky, eclectic vibe and the aesthetics are just very cool

·      I wish I would’ve had time to do this, but make time to see all the cool various “Casas” around the city that the rich + prominent in the city used to use as a way to showcase their wealth through architecture

Also wish I would’ve been able to go into Güell Palace!

London Travel Guide

SUMMARY

RESTAURANTS

Sketch

The Square Pig

The Old Swan

Pataka

SIGHTS/PLACES

St. James’s Palace

St. James’s Park

Big Ben

Westminster Abbey

Buckingham Palace

Hyde Park

Kensington Palace

Embassy Row

Notting Hill

Elgin Crescent

The Battle of Britain Memorial

Sir Winston Churchill Statue

Westminster Chapel

King’s Cross

ACTIVITIES

London Eye

Tower of London

BARS/CLUBS/PUBS

PS Tattershall Castle

Ministry of Sound

Churchill Arms

Keepers Lounge Bar and Kitchen

COFFEES/SNACKS

Starbucks

Pret A Manger

HOSTEL

The Generator 

COMMENTS

RESTAURANTS

Sketch

·      Iconic London spot, you’ve probably seen it on Instagram hahaha

·      The interior is SO SO beautiful; wonderfully decorated

o   (also the bathroom is very cool)

·      Very expensive, but you’re kind of paying for the atmosphere, which is so worth it

·      Worth it for a splurge meal; the food actually is amazing and the service is incredible

·      We split a bottle of champagne, it was delicious

·      They brought us cute little appetizers that were super good, and bread; the butter that they brough with the bread was the best butter I have ever had

·      I got the summer salad, not amazing but still pretty good, I honestly think I didn’t mix it around enough

·      I also got the truffle gnocchi and oh my god, one of the best things I’ve eaten abroad

·      Dress: I wore (non-ripped) jeans, a nice blouse, a belt, and my black booties and felt appropriately dressed

The Square Pig

·      LOVED the food here

·      Would define this as a nicer bar + a restaurant

·      Could just do drinks but the menu is great

·      I got my first fish and chips ever here and it was DELICIOUS

o   I don’t even really like white fish BUT it was incredible here

·      Drinks aren’t too expensive

·      Younger vibe, like people around our age to probably 30-35

The Old Swan

·      Great lunch place in Notting Hill

·      You order on your phone when you’re seated in the restaurant so it’s pretty quick

·      Pretty typical bar food but up a notch

·      I got the blackcurrant soda and would definitely recommend, it was so good and is a typical flavor in the UK

·      I got some chicken ranch burger I think..? it was SO NICE to have ranch and it was very good

Pataka

·      GREAT Indian place, we loved it

·      The inside is perfect, SO cute and well-decorated

·      The food is upscale Indian I’d say; website says “modern and updated Indian”

·      I got butter chicken and a garlicky bread (not naan) that I would 100% recommend

o   The cauliflower is also very good

o   We tried the street corn but it was too spicy for me HA so I gave it to everyone else

·      Not too expensive; definitely reasonable

o   Would recommend splitting a bottle of wine if you want because they’re pretty reasonably priced

SIGHTS/PLACES

St. James’s Palace

·      Just walked by, might as well if it’s on the way

·      It was on our way to Buckingham Palace

St. James’s Park

·      Omg LOVED this park, it was so pretty!

·      Even in early-mid March it was so beautiful and well-manicured

·      Absolutely would recommend walking through!

·      Very central location, we walked through several times

Big Ben

·      Obviously a must-see!

·      It admittedly is smaller in person than you’d think

·      BUT pay attention to the beautiful gold detail at the top: you NEVER see it in famous photos but it’s stunning

·      I loved Big Ben far more than I thought I would

·      Close to Westminster Abbey and London Eye, easy to hit those as well; Buckingham Palace and St. James’s Park are also close by

Westminster Abbey

·      Also a must-see!

·      The inside was closed when we went (I believe it’s only open on weekdays), so that was a bummer

·      BUT the outside was still beautiful and you can go to Big Ben at like the same time

Buckingham Palace

·      Definitely a must-see, especially if you’re obsessed with The Crown like me

·      It was so cool to actually see the place where so many important events/convos have gone on with so many important people!

·      Admittedly though besides the history factor, it was a bit underwhelming; smaller than you’d think and the outside is a bit plain

·      Walk down the road leading to the palace; I had a starstruck moment when I realized we were in THE spot of all those processions (Princess Diana’s funeral stuck in my head)

·      TIP: the changing of the guard does NOT happen on the weekends (we made this mistake haha)

Hyde Park

·      We loved walking through here! Definitely take a stroll

·      The park is HUGE

·      Just let yourself wander

·      You can walk through on your way from the sites like Westminster Abbey etc to Notting Hill, which is what we did

o   A little bit farther but super cool and you’ll see Kensington Palace on the way

Kensington Palace

·      SO cool to see given its famous residents

·      Easy to see when going from Hyde Park to Notting Hill

·      Gates are beautiful, take some time to take in the detail

Embassy Row

·      Really really beautiful street

·      We walked through here on our way from Hyde Park to Notting Hill

·      The houses are just so elegant and I loved the style and classiness of the street

Notting Hill

·      Loved this area!

·      We walked around, got lunch, and took some cute pictures

·      Absolutely would recommend a visit

·      Give yourself more time than you’d think

Elgin Crescent

·      This is the street where we took our cool Notting-Hill-colorful-building pictures

·      Very pretty!

·      Pink, blue, purple etc townhouses

The Battle of Britain Memorial

·      Right along the Thames between the London Eye and Westminster Bridge

·      Really cool to see

·      It’s a lovely small monument and the coloring of the wreaths/flowers they have there is pretty

Sir Winston Churchill Statue

·      Right by Westminster

·      Quick stop, cool to see

Westminster Chapel

·      Again, quick stop and we enjoyed seeing it

King’s Cross

·      I just took a train into here so didn’t get the full Harry Potter-esque experience but it was cool, honestly cooler from the outside!

·      Would recommend spending a bit of time because they have some Harry Potter vibe spots

ACTIVITIES

London Eye

·      Absolute MUST

·      Just a really cool view of London, and you get to see so many different areas

·      It’s a bit expensive but it’s worth it and one of those things you just gotta do in London

·      Try to go on a clear day if possible

·      BUT we did go when it was cloudy and raining a bit and it was still awesome, so don’t let that stop you

o   The sky actually started clearing during our ride so that was amazing to see with all of the sun’s rays peeking through

Tower of London

·      My favorite thing we did (mainly because you get to see the CROWN JEWELS)

·      Besides seeing the typical tourist sites, if I could only pick one thing to recommend doing, it’s this

·      I got the audioguide and would definitely recommend it; very interesting and informational and helps just really draw you into the world of the Tower

·      This is where you see the Crown Jewels but there’s so much more!

o   Plan accordingly, allow yourself a while here

BARS/CLUBS/PUBS

PS Tattershall Castle

·      This is a converted ship on the Thames that’s been turned into a bar; view of the London Eye, you’re right across from it

·      We just stopped for coffee and beer (different people got these separately, don’t worry, hahahaha)

o   I really enjoyed my cappuccino

o   Apparently the beer was good

·      Super cool to sit on the Thames; you can definitely feel the water a bit hahaha

Ministry of Sound

·      Went to this club with all the BC kids and had an awesome time

·      Would definitely recommend!

·      Buy your tickers online AHEAD OF TIME

·      Couple bar areas and a couple different rooms

·      They have food outside if you want drunk food

Churchill Arms

·      The outside of this place is SO adorable

o   Flowers everywhere

o   Good spot for pictures!

·      We didn’t actually eat or drink in here

o   Just went because it’s a place Madeleine’s dad went to a lot when he studied abroad

·      It’s a Thai restaurant and was pretty busy at lunchtime so I’m guessing it was at least decent

o   Seems a bit more upscale Thai but still bar environment

Keepers Lounge Bar and Kitchen

·      Just went here for tea but it was very good! And of course quintessentially London 

·      We went at 6 PM after Tower of London so it’s a good option if you want to go later in the day to somewhere that’s not expensive but is actually very nice

·      I’m pretty sure it was the bottom floor of a hotel

COFFEES/SNACKS

Starbucks

·      The Starbucks in London was FIRE

o   They had my ~brown sugar oat milk shaken iced espresso~ and let me tell you it was a wonderful reunion

·      Pastries were good too! I had a muffin that I loved

·      Great option if you miss home and want some more American-ized Starbucks hahaha

Pret A Manger

·      I got an iced latte (..? I think) with coconut milk and it was delicious

·      Also got a croissant and chocolate cookie and they were also delicious!

·      Would recommend for a quick coffee and pastries or small breakfast

HOSTEL

The Generator 

·      Like 5 of us BC people stayed here and it was fine

·      The bedrooms were very clean but it was definitely the most hostel experience I’ve had

·      Madeleine and I shared a double and it was good; bunk beds but they were pretty comfy and lots of space in the room

·      Bathrooms weren’t the cleanest but they were fine

o   Showers are communal by gender for the floor but have curtains obviously

o   You get a sink in your room

·      Decent location for sightseeing etc; we were still able to walk a lot!

OVERALL ADVICE

Transportation

·      We took the train into the city and it was very easy

o   Plugged it into apple maps and it was simple

o   Bought tickets there

·      They are BIG on no-contact payment

o   If you can’t do contactless payment with your card or your phone you’ll have to buy physical tickets and/or an oyster pass

o   This might make getting on the buses tricky because I didn’t see anywhere to buy physical ones

o   I bought physical tickets at first, bought an Oyster Pass (still has about 10 pounds on it if anyone wants it hahaha), and then just did Apple Pay

·      The tube is super convenient and very easy to figure out as long as you put directions in

·      Take the buses at least once! The double deckers are classic and a great way to see the city

City Itself

·      I LOVED London

o   I didn’t really think I was going to, but I absolutely loved the city

·      It’s a BIG city; be prepared to walk, go lots of places, etc

·      London is expensive so prepare yourself

o   A lot of the sightseeing things that require tickets are more expensive comparatively than all the other cities I've been to

o   BUT there are ways to find restaurants etc that aren’t horrible

·      You HAVE to get fish and chips!

Go for tea if you can!

Copenhagen Travel Guide

SUMMARY

RESTAURANTS

Torvehallerne (market)

Smagsløget

GAO Dumpling Bar

Les Trois Cochons

Italiano

Sunrise Bagel

SIGHTS

Round Tower

City Hall Square

Nyhavn

Det Kongelige Teater (pretty theater we walked by)

Kongens Nytorv (statue with greenery by Nyhavn)

Tivoli

Cool statues outside of Christiansborg

Copenhagen Stock Exchange

Frederik’s Church

Black Diamond (library)

Little Mermaid Statue

ACTIVITIES

Christiansborg Palace

Amalienborg

Copenhagen Business School

Rosenborg Castle

Stromma Canal Tour

Kastellet

Church of Our Savior (tower)

Frederiksborg Castle

CAFÉS/BAKERIES

Lagkagehuset (Frederiksberggade location)

La Glace

Mormors Café 

Hot Dog Stand at Kongens Nytorv (lots of stands around the city)

Espresso House (by Kongens Nytorv and Nyhavn, but not the one in Nyhavn)

BARS

Hornsleth Bar

Floss

Gothersggade

SHOPS

FLYING TIGER (OBVIOUSLY)

HOSTEL

Steel House Copenhagen

COMMENTS

RESTAURANTS

Torvehallerne (market)

·      Loved this place!

·      Tons of options for food

o   I got smørrebrød and a smoothie (much needed nutrition)

·      Keep in mind that there’s two buildings with a farmer’s market in the middle so LOTS of options, look in all of them!

Smagsløget

·      We went here for a quicker/smaller dinner on Friday night and it was SO GOOD

·      Sandwich shop

·      I got something with Spanish in the name and it was SO GOOD

o   To my surprise and dismay it came with a pepper and onion slice but they were easy enough to take out so actually nbd

o   Just ask for the English menu (we couldn’t find it at first so used the Italian using our Spanish, just ask for English)

·      Pretty reasonably priced, especially for Copenhagen

·      Sandwiches were HUGE, could’ve honestly lasted me two meals

o   I ate one half there and then brough the other back to eat post-club

GAO Dumpling Bar

·      SUCH good dumplings

·      I got the pork ones and they were delicious, would definitely recommend

·      I also got the noodle salad and it was fine but too much sauce

·      Might want to get two orders of dumplings if you’re really hungry

·      Again, it’s Copenhagen so it was more expensive but definitely not bad at all compared to the city

·      Good for a quick but still delicious meal

Les Trois Cochons

·      LOVED this brunch place, food is so good and it’s super cute on the inside

·      French style food but still Danish influence

·      Definitely make a reservation, especially if you’re going on a weekend

·      I got the lox, cream cheese, dill, and cucumber bagel and it was SO SO GOOD; definitely satisfied my yearning craving for a bagel

·      Again, Copenhagen prices but not too bad

·      Coffee was really good

Italiano

·      Delicious Italian restaurant that we went to because we were all craving pasta

·      Would recommend the caprese which I split with Becca and JP (better to split with two people especially if you’re hungry; we all loved it but just wanted more)

·      We got dessert and honestly I don’t remember exactly what I got but it was delicious

·      Good wine! I got something red

·      Not too expensive but a bit of a splurge because I split an app, got a drink, got pasta, and got dessert

Sunrise Bagel

·      YUM this place hit the spot

·      (Not as good as the OG Sunrise I love hahahah)

·      I got a cheddar bagel with garlic cream cheese, lox, tomato, avocado, and cucumber and it was really good

·      In the town area by Frederiksborg Castle so technically this is in Hillerød 

·      Would definitely recommend for a pre- or post-castle snack or meal

SIGHTS

Round Tower

·      We didn’t go inside/to the top but it was still cool to see from the outside

·      Easy spot to walk by, definitely give it a go

City Hall Square

·      The City Hall building is really cool and we walked past it multiple times

Nyhavn

·      An absolute MUST in Copenhagen

·      So so so cute and just happy and good vibes

·      Quintessential Copenhagen port; this is probably the one you see all over Instagram

·      Some cute restaurants and cafés that we unfortunately didn’t get to go to but I would’ve gone if I could

Det Kongelige Teater (pretty theater we walked by)

·      Right by Nyhavn so give it a pass by

·      Really pretty

Kongens Nytorv (statue with greenery by Nyhavn)

·      Right across from Nyhavn

·      Pretty spot

Tivoli

·      We couldn’t actually go in because it was closed for the season but it was still cool to see from the outside

·      DEFINITELY go if you can and it’s open/in-season when you’re there

·      There’s also a Tivoli Food Hall that you can go to that’s separate from the park – lots of good looking options

Cool statues outside of Christiansborg

·      One was of Triton and I forget what the other one was of

·      Might as well stop by on your way out/in

Copenhagen Stock Exchange

·      super cool building that you should walk by

·      the spire is two dragons’ tails winded together

Frederik’s Church

·      SO beautiful on the inside (and cool on the outside)

·      Definitely worth stopping in

·      Right across from Amalienborg, so really easy to make a pit stop

Black Diamond (library)

·      Really cool modern building by the water

·      We saw it from the port/canal

Little Mermaid Statue

·      an iconic Copenhagen sight

·      Just don’t expect anything big or spectacular because you’ll be underwhelmed hahaha

·      We saw it from the water

·      Pretty walk along the water/port to go see it if you see it from land

ACTIVITIES

Christiansborg Palace

·      A cool palace

·      DEFINITELY go to the top of the tower for a cool view

·      Not much else to do on the ground besides the tower but going up is definitely worth it

·      There’s also a restaurant in the tower that I would’ve wanted to go to if we had time

Amalienborg

·      LOVED this one!

·      Queen Margrethe’s jewelry collection is here on display – definitely get the audioguide

·      Really really really cool to see

·      Also a Faberge room complete with an egg

·      So beautiful

Copenhagen Business School

·      Mads (Danish friend from Copenhagen who goes here) showed me around so it was actually really cool to see

·      Not a must-do because it’s not tourist-y but if you’re in the area I would definitely recommend a quick walk-through because it’s cool to see another university

·      Keep in mind that a lot of the buildings are closed on the weekend

·      Super easy to get to/from on the Metro

·      Definitely a different and young vibe because there’s lots of students

·      Right by a mall as well that has lots of good stores

Rosenborg Castle

·      My favorite borg!

·      The inside was just STUNNING and I loved every room

·      Would ABSOLUTELY recommend

·      The gardens are so beautiful and I wish we would’ve had more time to walk around in them

·      If you only do one borg, even though I loved the others, this is it

·      Do NOT miss the treasury and the stuff in the basement; that’s where the crown jewels are and they’re stunning

Stromma Canal Tour

·      A MUST in Copenhagen

·      Was not expensive at all, only $16 a person

·      The guide was awesome; super knowledgeable and spoke a bunch of languages

·      Really awesome to see the city from a different perspective, learn some cool new facts, and see different parts of the city

·      I also just love going on boats so I was having the time of my life

·      Totally worth it even if you’re going by sights you’ve already seen like we had

·      Dress WARM especially if you’re going in the winter, and wear hat, gloves, etc

Kastellet

·      Another MUST

·      A really cool star-shaped military fortress that’s right on the water that you can walk around

·      Low key fairytale vibes, it was really pretty

·      We walked around the rim and it was one of my favorite parts of the trip

Church of Our Savior (tower)

·      INCREDIBLE experience

·      Honestly wouldn’t recommend if you’re actually really afraid of heights (and not just kind of like me)

·      The most amazing view of the city, you can see everything; my breath was taken away

·      We went at sunset and it was just so beautiful

·      Have to buy tickets online to climb up

o   You have to select a time but they didn’t check our time when they scanned us in

Frederiksborg Castle

·      SO incredibly beautiful

·      Also doubles as a museum

·      Truly a surreal experience, I felt like I was in a fairytale

·      There’s also a little lake and some beautiful gardens to walk through

·      Technically in Hillerød, you have to take the train to get there but it’s really easy and took us about 40 minutes, so not bad at all and totally worth it

CAFÉS/BAKERIES

Lagkagehuset (Frederiksberggade location)

·      Loved this place for a quick snack

·      Not a ton of seating but still a good amount (we went on a Friday afternoon so it was probably just busy)

·      I got some vanilla cream pastry and it was DELICIOUS

·      Lots of locations around the city

·      Just a heads up: the pastry names are in Danish so you kinda just need to rely on how they look and some cognates

La Glace

·      AMAZING bakery, so incredible

·      The best bakery in the city according to the Danes we talked to

·      Best coffee I’ve ever had and I don’t like coffee

·      I got the vanilla tart and it was simple but SO so good

·      Becca got the ganache éclair and it was divine

·      Also a super cute interior

·      A MUST do

Mormors Café 

·      Such a cute little café, loved the atmosphere

·      We stopped here for a quick lunch

·      They were out of sandwiches:/ but I got a scone that was really good

·      The cappuccino was very good and it was HUGE

·      Decently close to Amalienborg; we went here in between that and Kastellet

Hot Dog Stand at Kongens Nytorv (lots of stands around the city)

·      Pretty good hot dog, I just ordered the wrong kind rip

·      Lots of options

·      Nick and JP got the bacon wrapped one and loved it

·      Would recommend for a quick cheap snack

Espresso House (by Kongens Nytorv and Nyhavn, but not the one in Nyhavn)

·      Perfect place to stop for a coffee and a snack

·      Typical bakery case for a café + sandwiches but very very good

·      Lots of locations around the city, this one was super convenient

·      Copenhagen is famous for cardamom buns and we got them here: SO SO SO GOOD

·      Would recommend for a snack and you have to try the cardamom buns

BARS

Hornsleth Bar

·      We had SO MUCH FUN here!

·      Kind of a nicer bar vibe upstairs, then some tables and dancing downstairs, more of a low key club vibe

·      You “have to be 23” to get in here; we tried to all go in and they said no

o   We met up with Mads (exchange student who was at BC last semester and is from Copenhagen) and his friends, so they bribed the bouncers to get some of us in

o   So apparently it’s bribable if you’re with Danish people or know the city

·      Copenhagen is obviously expensive; we got a table with Mads and his friends and it was like $35 each but that got us more drinks than $35 would’ve gotten us at the bar

·      Absolutely loved this place, lots of locals and we had so much fun dancing, good vibes

Floss

·      Stopped here on our way to the other bar

·      Didn’t love it

·      Weird vibe inside

·      BUT shots are cheap (like $3)

·      So, I wouldn’t recommend actually going to this place, but stopping in for a shot like we did, 10/10 would recommend

Gothersggade

·      This is the street with a lot of bars and nightlife according to the locals

·      The bars we went to weren’t on this street but it was very lively

·      Probably a good spot to check out if you’re looking for bars you can actually get into without being 23 haha

SHOPS

FLYING TIGER (OBVIOUSLY)

·      Flying Tiger was started in Copenhagen so OF COURSE if you have time and you know how obsessed I am with it, you should check it out

·      We went to a pretty central one

·      It was TWO FLOORS which was AWESOME

·      I was so happy in here:)

HOSTEL

Steel House Copenhagen

·      This was the hostel we stayed at, it was great

·      Technically a “luxury” hostel, and it was super nice

·      Not expensive at all, we got a private room for 6

·      Would 100% recommend, depending on your group size

·      There’s a bar on the main floor, a lobby, a hangout area, a pool, a gym, and lots of activities

·      The rooms are very nice and very clean and the beds are super comfy

·      Pretty good location too, took us about 15-20 minutes to walk right to the center of the city; but it still is definitely in the city

OVERALL ADVICE

Transportation

·      The city is VERY walkable; walk when you can, it’s a great way to see the city as well

·      I took the Metro a few times and it was super convenient

o   I recommend it for further distances (ex: I took it from the business school to Nyhavn and it was super quick and easy)

o   We took the metro into the city from the airport, and took a train back to the airport

o   It’s very easy to figure out

o   If you want to go outside the city (like to Hillerød/Frederiksborg), just take the train, very easy

·      If you want to go to Malmö, Sweden for the day, it’s a very easy train ride

City Itself

·      Copenhagen is pretty expensive but not horrible; comparable prices to Boston

·      There are definitely ways to not spend a ton of money

o   But be prepared to pay for the palaces, attractions, etc

·      We LOVED the city, it just had an amazing vibe about it

o   The most laidback but very organized city is how I would describe it

·      You’ll be totally fine with English, basically everyone speaks it, and most people speak it very well

o   Sometimes, like in the cafés, menus are in Danish, but the people speak English, at least minimally

·      Make sure you take some time to just walk around, we loved doing this

·      Pack warm clothes; it was “beautiful, nice” weather, but that was like 40 and sunny

o   It definitely gets colder at night too

·      People eat dinner here at more of a “normal” time, not like southern Europe; we ate at around 7-8 and that was normal/on the later end

·      The going out also happens earlier, usually around 10-11, so very similar to at home

·      Enjoy! One of my favorite cities I’ve been to

Budapest Travel Guide

SUMMARY

RESTAURANTS

Belvárosi Lugas Restaurant

Tuning Bar and Burger

SIGHTS

St. Stephen’s Basilica

St. Gellert Statue

Buda Castle

Fisherman’s Bastion

Shoes on the Danube

Hungarian Parliament Building

ACTIVITIES

Széchnyi Thermal Baths

Market Hall

BARS/CLUBS/PUBS

Publin’s

Szimpla Kert

Instant Club

Budapest Party Boat

HOSTEL

7 x 24 Central Hostel

Hive (BC people)

MEXICAN RESTAURANT AND LUNCH PLACE

COMMENTS

RESTAURANTS

Belvárosi Lugas Restaurant

·      Absolutely LOVED this place

·      Food was AMAZING; traditional Hungarian but upscale

·      Split the goulash and duck (with orange glaze) with Madeleine and we both were obsessed; 1000/10 recommend these two dishes, you HAVE to try them

·      Super cheap as well

·      Had wine with dinner and it was not expensive at all

·      I wore black jeans, black booties, and a going out bodysuit that was black and lacy but felt appropriate; dress is not super formal but I’d dress up a bit

Tuning Bar and Burger

·      Went here for a quicker dinner Saturday night and really enjoyed it

·      I think it might have been seasonal but I got the burger that was called something like the French Dreams burger and it was SO good (had goat cheese, arugula, fig jam, tomato, etc)

·      Wine is cheap and good, I got red

·      Would def recommend if you want a quicker meal and a good, more upscale burger

·      I wore my black silky dress w a turtleneck and black booties here because we were going on the party boat after and def was overdressed; didn’t feel uncomfortable at all, but you just don’t need to dress up for this place

SIGHTS

St. Stephen’s Basilica

·      Super beautiful

·      Just saw the outside but would definitely recommend walking by

·      Would have gone in if we had the time

·      Easy spot to work into a walking loop

St. Gellert Statue

·      You HAVE to go up here because it has such an amazing view that’s a little different from the Bastion and Castle

·      Fun walk up too and there’s some really cool columns at the top

·      Right when you get to the Buda side from the bridge, we went here on our way to the Castle

Buda Castle

·      Okay so not actually a ~castle~ contrary to what I thought

·      Still very cool

·      Would recommend setting aside time here so that you can go into the museum

·      Definitely worth going even if you don’t have time for the museum

Fisherman’s Bastion

·      My FAVORITE thing we did

·      So beautiful and just SO cool-looking along with the beautiful church

·      We didn’t go into the St. Mattias church but would recommend if you have time

·      Took amazing pictures here, set aside some time for that:)

·      Awesome views of the Danube, the city as a whole, and the Parliament building

Shoes on the Danube

·      Definitely a must-see memorial

·      Very somber and sad to see but you really should go

·      Close to the Parliament Building so you can see both in the same go-about

Hungarian Parliament Building

·      SO beautiful

·      We went right at sunset and there were lots of birds flying around so it was so beautiful and almost other worldly

·      I don’t know if you can go in..? we didn’t

ACTIVITIES

Széchnyi Thermal Baths

·      DEFINITELY a must in Budapest

·      Go to this specific bath – it’s the most famous/“main” one and there were lots of locals there so I’m guessing it’s a good one

·      We had a lot of fun here, would definitely recommend it

·      Skip the baths inside, they’re not worth it

·      Just head right outside!

·      BRING YOUR OWN FLIP FLOPS (and towel if you can)

o   They’re so expensive for what you get and you’ll just throw them away when you leave

·      Just leave your phone in your locker or take some pictures quick and then go put it back inside, not worth it to worry about it after you’re doing using it:)

Market Hall

·      We were only here for about 5 minutes because we went right when it closed BUT would’ve gone back if we could’ve

·      Definitely stop by and get something to eat or drink

·      Leave time to just stroll through and take in the sights, sounds, and smells

·      We went right before 3 PM on Saturday and that’s when it closed so be conscious of time when going

BARS/CLUBS/PUBS

Publin’s

·      Super random “Irish pub” that Pat and I found to grab quick drinks at

·      Not the best mojito I’ve had but did the job and was cheap

·      Plus now it’s a funny story to tell

·      Drinks are strong (we had two and that was definitely enough)

Szimpla Kert

·      SUPER fun bar spot!

·      Just a really cool vibe and TONS of young people/abroad students from all over

·      Would definitely recommend going with a group if you can

·      Go upstairs to snag a table and hang out there at some point

Instant Club

·      To be completely honest I didn’t remember that we left Szimpla to go to Instant but I do remember that I had a ton of fun the entire night so would definitely recommend it

·      Decently close to Szimpla Kert so easy to make the move (clearly, because I don’t remember that we were in two different places)

Budapest Party Boat

·      SO MUCH FUN

·      Would recommend going with a group as well because it’s so so so fun

·      We heard Mr. Brightside on the boat as our group of 35-40 BC kids and it was a CORE MEMORY

·      You drive by the Parliament building at night which is SO beautiful, definitely a pinch me moment when it’s all lit up

HOSTEL

7 x 24 Central Hostel

·      Pat and I stayed here and it was good

·      You have to share a bathroom which wasn’t the cleanest one I’ve ever been in but it was fine

·      Tricky to find, so be looking around

o   (also we found it post-2 drinks at Publin’s so maybe it would’ve been easier if we were sober HA)

·      We still joke that they were the most comfortable beds ever

·      Place is really cute and slightly quirky

·      Have full access to a kitchen if you need

·      SUPER cheap ($20 each total for two nights)

·      Booked through Airbnb and great option if you don’t want to stay in a traditional hostel but want a cheap place where you can have your own room

Hive (BC people)

·      Everyone liked the Hive

·      Said it was fun and the beds were nice lols

·      Just know that it’s a PARTY hostel and there’s a bar in the middle

·      Apparently it was loud really late so just keep in mind

·      Almost everyone but Pat and I stayed here and they said it was pretty good

·      Also pretty cheap but a bit more than 7 x 24

GENERAL ADVICE

Transportation

·      We took a bus from the airport into the city and got off at the last stop they offered

o   Super convenient and super cheap

o   Honestly could not tell you which one it was because Pat was super on it and just told me where to go

o   Look it up, we all took it so it has to be easy to find

·      They do NOT use Uber, they have Bolt (download app before you go)

o   Do NOT take any taxi that isn’t Bolt – apparently Budapest can be a hotbed for human trafficking by tricking people with fake taxis (didn’t know this til I left, love)

o   Bolt is safe because they have to be registered

o   Very cheap

·      If you take the metro make SURE to buy tickets because they’ll validate them; sometimes they’ll check your ticket when you get off and if you don’t have one or it isn’t validated, they charge you a SUPER high fee (I think it amounts to something like $50)

City Itself

·      The city is SO CHEAP so really just take advantage of that

o   (the fact that I’m saying that coming from Granada is really something, so it really is cheap)

·      TRY HUNGARIAN FOOD! It is so good, you HAVE to get goulash, it’s amazing

·      The city is super walkable and has lots of things to see, so walk wherever you can

·      Keep in mind that they don’t use euros, they use the Hungarian forint

o   Would recommend getting a bit of cash before you go

o   The metro station we were at only took cash

o   Some places that are more tourist-y and/or central will also take euros but don’t count on it everywhere

·      Mostly everywhere has someone who speaks English which is good because you’re kinda f***ed otherwise because Hungarian is super difficult and SO different than any other language (fun fact it’s the third hardest language to learn, right behind both types of Chinese)

·      The Buda side has more historical sights and landmarks while the Pest side is a lot more modern and “city-like”

·      I didn’t take advantage of the main shopping streets but would definitely recommend doing that

It was a really short trip for me so I didn’t do brunch or breakfast anywhere but lots of other BC people did and loved it

Paris Travel Guide

SUMMARY

RESTAURANTS

L’Imperial Rivoli

Le 17.45 République

Le Marceau

Relais Odeón

CAFES/BAKERIES

Les Deux Magots

Gana Boulangerie

Ladurée

Au Cadran Voltaire

SIGHTS

Notre Dame

Tuileries Gardens

Bastille

Pont Alexandre III

Eiffel Tower

Trocadero

Champs Elysees

Arc de Triomphe

Montparnasse Tower

Garnier Opera House

ACTIVITIES

Musee L’Orangerie

Louvre

Palais de Tokyo

BARS

Yellow Mad Monkey

COMMENTS

Restaurants

L’Imperial Rivoli

·      My first food in Paris!

·      Definitely Paris prices but honestly not too expensive

·      I got the French onion soup and frites, and a cappuccino

·      Super cute, upscale, typical classy Parisian interior

·      Atmosphere is a little more sophisticated but very lively

·      GREAT lunch spot, close to L’Orangerie and Louvre

·      I wore leather pants, turtleneck, scarf, and my black rain booties; dress is upscale casual

Le 17.45 République

·      AMAZING! Can’t recommend this place enough

·      Build-your-own charcuterie board + cocktails/wine

·      SO affordable for Paris, was surprisingly cheap

·      Would recommend the brie, goat cheese, cornichons, smoked ham (everything we got was good, I just can’t remember it all HA)

·      Lively, younger vibe; lots of people our age up til like early 30s

·      Definitely make a reservation because it’s small

Le Marceau

·      Incredible lunch spot

·      In between Eiffel and Champs (good spot to stop on the way)

·      We split camembert with walnuts and a baguette

·      I got creamy salmon pasta with parm and it was SO good

·      Would definitely recommend

·      I wore jeans, turtleneck, sweater vest, and sneakers; felt totally fine, dress is European casual

Relais Odeón

·      One of Paige’s favorite spots in Paris, they’re ~regulars~

·      Loved this place

·      Expensive but like not horrible for Paris I guess

·      I got a chicken Caesar salad and split a charcuterie board and would recommend both (but there are a few weird meats, I just didn’t eat them, the rest was great)

·      There’s some drink that ends with -ita (I think it was Raspberrita) and it was very good, blended

·      Porn star martini is SO good, and everyone will laugh when you order it if you’re as immature as we were🥰

·      My salad, 1/5 of big charcuterie board, and 2 drinks was like $55

·      I was wearing my jeans, turtleneck, sweater, sneakers because we went straight from sightseeing; felt a little underdressed; I was fine but would recommend dressing up just a bit

CAFES/BAKERIES

Les Deux Magots

·      We stopped here for a drink and dessert post-Notre Dame at like 6 PM

·      My wine was really really good (first wine in France!)

·      We got the apple tart with something like mascarpone I think..?

o   Interesting but so delicious

·      Typical Parisian café atmosphere, I LOVED it

·      Older, more sophisticated crowd

·      I wore leather pants, turtleneck, scarf, and black (rain) booties here too and felt totally appropriate; dress is sophisticated casual

Gana Boulangerie

·      Amazing bakery right by Paige’s apartment

·      LOVED the croissant

·      Lots of locations throughout the city

Ladurée

·      OH MY GOD MY FAVORITE PLACE IN THE WORLD

·      So beautiful inside

·      Have to wait for a bit but SO so worth it

·      HAVE to get some macarons

·      Could go to the café/restaurant but would def recommend making a res because it was really busy and the line was long (I mean we were also there on a Saturday late afternoon)

Au Cadran Voltaire

·      Love love loved my croissant and marmalade

·      BEST croissant I have ever had

·      I don’t like jam or marmalade but I ate it with my croissant here and it was so good

·      Cappuccino was very good!

·      Great spot for breakfast

SIGHTS

Notre Dame

·      Obviously a must-see

·      Just saw the outside but was so cool to see and so beautiful

·      Good location for walking by lots of famous sights and convenient location for finding food and cafés

Tuileries Gardens

·      Walked through on way to Louvre/after L’Orangerie

·      It was the first week of February so obviously not the prettiest time ever but I’m sure it’s beautiful when things are in bloom

·      Able to do a quick walk-through, might as well

Bastille

·      Not much to see but cool spot to see/walk by!

·      You can get some really cool pictures too

·      Sooooo I fully thought it was an actual building and was intent on seeing it, it was simply like a tall cool pole with a statue on top and some inscriptions

Pont Alexandre III

·      THE most beautiful bridge in Paris

·      Gorgeous views of Eiffel Tower – great for pictures

·      Easy to work into a loop

·      The bridge itself is also very beautiful and incredibly ornate

Eiffel Tower

·      OBVIOUSLY a MUST

·      So cool and iconic and beautiful

·      Walk to the big open grassy area to take pics – they’re much better from over here and there won’t be anything obstructing the view at all

·      We saw it first from Trocadero and then went as close to the base as we could

·      Didn’t climb to the top but was totally okay w that

Trocadero

·      Super busy

·      Where we first saw Eiffel Tower from

·      Really cool view and would definitely stop here so you can see a view from farther away but still close

·      Don’t need to spend much time here because it was packed, but if it’s less busy a picnic would be cool

Champs Elysees

·      Iconic shopping street

·      Wish I would’ve had more time to go into multiple stores

·      Would recommend getting food on the way here because there’s lots of great spots and it’ll be way more expensive on the actual Champs

·      The Ladurée here is a must even if you only go to see the inside

Arc de Triomphe

·      Obviously also a MUST

·      We went at sunset and it was INCREDIBLE

·      Saw it from the base and took pictures

·      Then we went to the top for sunset and would 10000/10 recommend doing that

o   Especially because we didn’t climb to top of Eiffel

o   Still got to see an amazing city view

o   Arguably better because you can also see Eiffel

o   Awesome for pictures

·      Would recommend buying tickets online/ahead of time if you can so that you don’t have to wait in the long ticket line

Montparnasse Tower

·      Amazing view of Paris

·      Really cool at night because the Eiffel Tower was sparkling

·      Had to pay to go “ice skating” at the top; it was fake ice skating

·      Still worth it though just for the view

Garnier Opera House

·      SO incredibly beautiful on the outside

·      It was closed for tours the day we went so we couldn’t see the inside but I would definitely recommend going in

·      If you can’t go in, walking by the outside and seeing it is still def worth it

ACTIVITIES

Musee L’Orangerie

·      Loved this museum!

·      Had some of Monet’s water lilies, which I love

·      Some other cool art as well, and gift shop has really cool things

·      Smaller, definitely far less overwhelming art museum

·      A great spot to see great art and not be overwhelmed and actually get to see all the art in there

·      Lots of Renoir which I love

·      I love the name too it’s so cute:)

Louvre

·      Well OBVIOUSLY this is a must

·      The museum is absolutely MASSIVE

·      We only had about 1.5 hours in and it definitely wasn’t enough

·      The sculpture garden was one of my favorites if not my fav

·      Have to see the iconic paintings like Mona Lisa, famous French paintings, and the one w the French lady triumphing in the Revolution (I forgot what it’s called but it was AWESOME to see in person)

·      Would recommend setting at least 2 hours aside if you’re kinda into art, and at least 3 if you really want to see it all

Palais de Tokyo

·      Cool spot to see

·      Definitely not a must but worth it if you have the time

·      It was cool to see more of a contemporary and culturally diverse side of Paris and its art

·      I LOVED the Australian plant embroidery exhibition

·      Rotating exhibitions I believe

BARS

Yellow Mad Monkey

·      This place was fun but PACKED and HOT

·      Would recommend going w a big group or at least a few friends because it’s just better

o   Harder to talk to and meet new people because it’s so chaotic

·      Fun though

·      Close to lots of other bars and restaurants as well which was super convenient

·      There’s a crepe place down the street that I forget the name of but it was open late and the crepes we got were FIRE

OVERALL ADVICE

Transportation

·      DEFINITELY utilize the Metro: just plug it into Maps and it’s really easy to figure out

o   Super efficient and the best way to get to places that you can’t walk to

·      Scooters are a cheap, easy, and fun way to get around, but don’t try to use your phone while you’re on them lols

o   You can fit two people if you’re around Paige and I’s size

·      Keep in mind that both Orly and de Gaulle are pretty far outside the city (de Gaulle is 45 minutes – an hour and Orly is about 35)

o   Just bite the bullet, suck it up and pay the taxi if you want to save time

o   I took a taxi from de Gaulle to the 11th and it was 60 euro

o   Ubers to Orly aren’t horribly expensive

o   You can definitely take the metro, but it takes 1.5-2 hours so you can choose to prioritize time or money

§  (I was only there Friday-Sunday so I sucked it up and Ubered and taxied)

City Itself

·      Walk wherever you can! The city is so beautiful and even the most mundane buildings have such beautiful architecture

o   I love love LOVE Parisian style buildings and architecture so I was in heaven

·      Yes it’s expensive but you really can find places that aren’t awful

·      ABSOLUTELY try all the pastries you can… my must-try list that I ate was

o   Baguette

o   Brie

o   Macaron (Ladurée)

o   Éclair

o   Croissant

·      Be aware of your things and keeping them guarded/safe

o   I didn’t have any issues with pick pockets or anything but I held my small backpack on the metro and put it on my side and held it in busy areas

·      Just eat everything you can, the food is incredible

·      Keep in mind the arrondissements (areas) when picking where to stay and what to see

o   They can be pretty similar but some have totally different feels

o   Some are quite far from each other so prioritize what you want to see

I stayed in the 11thbecause that’s where Paige’s homestay was and I enjoyed it BUT would’ve probably stayed in the 3rd(Le Marais) otherwise because it’s quintessentially “Parisian” and has lots of sights/attractions there

My First Week in Granada

Naturally, to go along with my travel day and first day in Granada, I need to accompany it with a “My First Week in Granada” post! Luckily, things only went up after my ~interesting~ travel day! This is going to be pretty long so buckle up, and if you get to the end, I really owe you some type of prize!

MONDAY, JANUARY 10TH

I woke up on the morning of Monday, January 10th in GRANADA a bit tired, but very excited to start a new, and better, day. We had an orientation session from 11:00 – 2:00 or 3:00 so that we could learn some cultural norms and basic logistics about our time in Granada. I also got to meet the rest of the people in the program! There’s 6 of us BC students (me, Gillian, Becca, Nick, Vivian, and JP), 5 University of Delaware students (Kelly, Amanda L, Erica, Matt, and Amanda R (who joined us a week later after quarantining for COVID)), and 1 St. Joseph’s University student (Shadi), but she’s counted technically as a UD student.

Nothing remarkable happened at orientation, but it was very helpful and I knew that I was blessed with amazing people in my program. We followed our long hard day with churros! at a famous Granada location: Café Fútbol! They’re a little different than what we think of as “churros” and they come with mugs of dipping chocolate that you just get to EAT afterwards, much to my delight. We thought that because there were 8 of us girls, we should order 8 portions of churros, right? WRONG! We should’ve taken note of the waiter’s confused look because there were SO MANY CHURROS, WAY TOO MANY. (Now, we’ve figured out that you need 1 order for every 2-3 people.) We felt bad about just wasting them, so we took them in a bag to go, but then didn’t really want any more because we were stuffed, so we tossed them. (We later told JP this anecdote and he was under the impression we kept them, so he was PUMPED that he was getting lots of churros. Then we had to break the news that they were in the trash:/)

We then did some shopping (!!!!!!) at Spanish Zara because I DESPERATELY needed some clothes. Spanish Zara is WAY cheaper than American Zara, so that was amazing. We ended the afternoon with a “paseo” (kind of like a walk, but more relaxed and focused on looking around) with our program director Amalia’s daughter Paula through the area. It was a great way to get ourselves situated and a little more oriented. Everyone kept uttering things like “Oh, now I know where we are!” but I will fully admit I had absolutely no clue where I was at any moment other than when I was at the residence. I had to use maps for EVERYTHING for at least the first 5 days, even to walk to the GRIIS office which is a whole 3 minute walk away from the residence.

After the paseo, Shadi and I made a trip to Zara Home and El Corte Inglés, which is like if Macy’s and the big Nordstrom in Chicago had a baby and then put a grocery store in the bottom level (think Pick N Save or Wegman’s). I needed some things from Zara Home that would make my room feel a lot homier, and I needed pajamas and underwear (how thrilling!). I felt a million times better after the retail therapy and my room was finally starting to feel more like my home away from home. Plus I got a great workout from trekking my heavy bags, so don’t be surprised if I come home looking like the Rock.

I probably should’ve taken some more notes on my first full day sooner because now it’s escaping me. But, I am sure that I was in awe of many of the views, and enjoyed my first dinner in the “dining room” with the Spanish girls and my ~new~ friends~!

We went to tapas at a new spot: Ibéricos y Alhambra. I got some white wine (yay!) and the tapas were INCREDIBLE! The vibe was definitely more sophisticated and we all had a really wonderful time. This was also where we coined the concept of “Nick and his *insert number here* girlfriends” because it was just Nick and 8 of us girls. Very fun night, and with my new clothes I was starting to feel more and more like myself. Here’s the review:

Ibéricos & Alhambra: Bocadillos Bar

•               more expensive but good if you’re just going for drinks

•               empty on a monday night

•               tapas were AMAZING

•               heavy pour for wine

•               BEST tinto (note: tinto de verano is very similar to sangria, but honestly most of the time is better in my opinion; it’s lighter!)

TUESDAY, JANUARY 11TH

I was already feeling even better on Tuesday because I had something very exciting to look forward to… wearing new clothes that I hadn’t been in for upwards of 2 days!!!!!! I put on my tan Zara pants and my white turtleneck sweater and felt amazing. We had some breakfast and were off to our first day of the intensive Spanish course, which I was admittedly very nervous for. 

(My first bit of culture shock: Spanish breakfast is very different than American breakfast. Basically, whenever I go to breakfast at the residence, I get a piece of bread (a baguette and honestly they’re always really fresh so I can’t complain) and then can grab tomato jam-type spread, cream cheese, butter, or jelly to put on top. There’s some other options but this is my typical breakfast. Also, the coffee is actually pretty good at the residence, at least I think it is. As you all know, I’m not a coffee lover, so if it’s not strong, that’s better. And, I really had a lot of trouble falling asleep and sleeping well the first week so I needed coffee every day.)

Our professor for the intensive course was Inma and she was AMAZING! Truly she was a wonderful teacher and just so much fun; she had tons of energy and was super sweet, and just a very, very talented teacher. She made class fun and interesting while making sure we learned a lot, and she kept us AWAKE, which is very remarkable to do for a group of very jet-lagged college students.

After the intensive, us BC kids headed off on an adventure to ACTUALLY see the Alhambra in all its glory, but all 6 of us this time. JP’s host mom, María Carmen, told him about a place to go for exactly this, so we headed off. 

Lots of orange trees lined our path, and we contemplated trying some. The day before, Paula had warned us that they were not for eating because they tasted bad, and if anyone ever tried one, to please send her a video of their reaction. Becca decided to bite the bullet (ha!) and try one. She gave us all sections of her orange and at first they were great! But then they promptly turned SO bitter and we learned why they’re just pretty to look at and not to eat. And of course, we got a video of Becca trying the forbidden fruit.

After a pretty quick walk past some GORGEOUS neighborhoods, we arrived at El Mirador de San Nicolas. And here’s a good time for a little background on the city… Granada consists of 4 main hills: one that has the Albaicín (old neighborhood that is beautiful and is where the majority of Granada’s Muslim residents used to live in the middle ages), one that boasts the Alhambra, one that has the Sacromonte (another old beautiful neighborhood that is home to an abbey, really cool caves, and the old gypsy neighborhood of the city), and then to be completely honest I do not remember what makes the other hill special hahaha.

The Mirador is one of the few best viewpoints of the Alhambra in the city and possesses truly the most beautiful view I have ever seen. I know it’s shocking, but I was so in awe that I admittedly almost shed a tear.  I haven’t been to that many places in my life, but I will forever be convinced that that view is one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful, views in the entire world. Pictures and videos cannot do it justice, so this is my plea for you to visit Granada, if only to see this view, if you ever have the chance. (And OF COURSE I will be doing a post at the end of the semester with all of my recs and my formal plea for everyone to visit the city.)

We took some pictures, naturally, and then wandered around into the less crowded parts of the Albaicín. This is when we also coined our “tour guide Nick” concept, when he pointed out to us two lovely things: bugs that were mating, and dog poop! And, this was when we truly experienced the drastic temperature change in Granada in a day. I started off the morning by wearing a sweater, pants, sneakers, and my puffer, and by the time we reached the top of the Albaicín, my puffer was off and I entertained taking off my sweater in favor of my tank top underneath.

THEN, after parting ways with JP so he could walk home in time for lunch, the 5 of us (Nick, Vivian, Gillian, Becca and I) decided to walk through Parque Federico Garcia Lorca, which is named for a very famous and incredibly talented Spanish writer and poet who was born in Granada. (I actually have gotten to read some of his works in my Spanish classes, and genuinely really enjoyed reading one of his plays; he was incredibly talented.) It was a pretty park of course, but the BEST and most unexpected part was…. the playground equipment! There was a little zipline, a slide, a seesaw of sorts, and some swings. Obviously, we had to sample them and it was SO MUCH FUN. It was some of the purest joy I’ve felt since playing at the park as a kid and it was truly a perfect couple of hours.

After our time at the park, we ventured back home for lunch and rested before our second paseo with Paula, through some different parts of the city that we hadn’t seen yet. I passed numerous bakeries that looked amazing and quickly made it onto my “Granada To Try List” that is currently housed in my Notes app.

And of course, I wasn’t about to let our third night pass without some tapas. Kelly, Gillian, Nick, Matt, and I went to place close to the residences called Los Manueles. The sangria was good and the tapas were AMAZING! There are multiple locations throughout the city, and it’s one of the spots I will definitely be taking my visitors to:)

I got into my OWN pajamas, did my SKINCARE, and crawled into bed with my new comforter and silk pillowcase that arrived with my luggage, which was an INCREDIBLE feeling. Like I mentioned in my first post, I really learned to appreciate all the little things, and even more so than before, crawling into my (home-away-from-home) bed, with my little pajama sets and freshly cared-for face, has come to be one of my favorite feelings (And even as I write this in the airport about to embark on my first trip (!), I’m not already wishing my trip away, but I am excited that this feeling will once again greet me when I return to what really feels like my home in Granada)

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12TH

Wednesday would have to be my favorite day of my first week, and not just because it was my first full day with my luggage (haha!) and I finally got to wear my own clothes that hadn’t been bought out of (almost) necessity in the last few days.

After a hard day’s work in the intensive course, we went on a little snack excursion. Some of my ~friends~ (wow so cute) had to stop by the Orange (phone carrier) store to fix their SIM cards, so we stopped at an empanada stand right across from it, and what a blessing because they are AMAZING. I have gone at least twice every week since that day. I will fully be forcing all my visitors to try the ~pollo tradicional~ because it is one of the best things I have ever tasted. Then, we went to Puerta Bernina, a café that has really amazing pastries. Here’s the review:

Puerto Bernina (PB)

•               super cute inside

•               pastries are a little more expensive but nice and fancy

•               really nice, coffee shop atmosphere; very similar to Tatte

•               great place to study

•               no wifi..? (interesting)

Following our little pit stop, we rested for a while until our walk through the Albaicín with Teresa. This activity really solidified Wednesday as my favorite day of the first week. As most of you probably know, I absolutely LOVE history, and we got lots of it during the walk. It was just genuinely such a FUN activity and we really got to bond as a group and with Teresa, and the views from El Mirador de San Nicolas and the highest point in the Albaicín didn’t hurt. We also visited a church that houses nuns in the adjacent convent. According to Teresa, there’s two things nuns do: pray and bake. She bought us muffins from the little window in the convent and OH MY GOD they were amazing. They had a hint of lemon and were sprinkled with coarse sugar crystals, so obviously I ate multiple. We also took some really cute pictures that I posted on Instagram (my regular account and my Spain account). 

Wednesday was also the day of our first program dinner, awwwww. We went to an Italian place that was amazing and satisfied my pasta cravings (going from eating my various types of pasta usually 3x a week to the not-very-common nature of pasta here has been a struggle, but I think I’ll make it through). It was a very fun dinner and really cemented our bond as a group (yes that sounds ridiculously cheesy I know, I’m cringing, but it’s true). We all laughed a lot and I have two funny stories to report. 1) After much discussion, us BC kids were wondering how many credits the intensive course was worth and if we could declare it pass/fail. After a few cervezas, JP almost drunk-emailed the BC Spain advisor, our man Pat O’Donnell, but Becca and I successfully deterred the sending of that email to a little more ~sober~ of a time. 2) Nick was surprisingly not hungry and just asked the waiter for bread. (Small nod to the first night when he said to the waiter simply, “¿Podemos pan?”, which literally translates to “Can we bread?”). The waiter brought him one TINY breadstick the size of a single chopstick and we lost it. It was hilarious and much to Nick’s delight, they brought him a big plate of actual bread soon after.

Honestly there’s not much else to report on the night/day but it was just a really wonderful day, and I was starting to feel more comfortable in the city and kept feeling more and more like myself.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 13TH

Thursday was a pretty chill day, and I don’t have much to report. We had the intensive course, then a little break, and then had an AMAZING visit to the Cathedral of Granada and La Capilla Real (the Royal Chapel).

The cathedral was so incredibly beautiful and I’m sure I’ll do another post at some point about it, but refer to my pictures on my Spain Instagram because pictures can’t even do it justice, so it’s hard for my ramblings to come close to doing so.

The Capilla Real was so cool and richly filled with history, so it was right up my alley. I enjoyed taking in the aesthetics of the cathedral far more, but I liked learning about the history of the chapel far more. It is where 5 Spanish monarchs are buried: King Ferdinand (el rey Fernando) and Queen Isabel (la reina Ysabel), Juana La Loca (their daughter), her husband, and their son who died at age 5. This was the last time and place that any Spanish monarchs were buried outside of Madrid, so it’s kind of a big deal hahaha. There’s a legend that Queen Isabel was the much smarter spouse, and she absolutely loved the city of Granada. Her burial here was her final great political symbol.

I had to write an essay/short reflection on this visit (and our walk through the Albaicín), so I’m thinking I’ll translate them to English and post them so that you all can have a little more insight into some of my favorite places in Granada

We didn’t do anything on Thursday night because we were all pretty exhausted and needed to be ready for our first ~bar excursion~ on Friday. I made my first trip to purchase snacks at the little grocery store near us (only a 3-5 minute walk, very convenient), and just now realized that I filmed a little taste test (hahaha) but never posted it. I’ll get it up soon!

FRIDAY, JANUARY 14TH

Friday was a BUSY day and it felt like I lived 3 days in one. We of course started our day with the intensive course for a few hours, then had lunch at the residence, and did another quick excursion to Zara, and to visit a new (to us) store, Mango, that’s very popular in Spain.

Then, we were STARVING, so we decided to stop for tapas. Much to our chagrin, and our surprise, we couldn’t get food at 5 PM because the kitches are closed til 8. So, we sucked it up and just got some glasses of tinto and scarfed down the bowl of nuts they gave us in place of tapas. Then, since we were still STARVING, we stopped at a place to get some pizza, and naturally I needed dessert too, so I got a brownie. The place was overall okay, but good for a quick snack-meal, and I felt better before my pre-dinner nap hahaha. (And of course, a review of the tapas place…)

Salvaje

•               close to fuente de las batallas

•               great spot at like 5-6 (when we went)

•               no sangria but tinto de verano

•               sweet and very good

•               food is expensive

•               nice little outdoor seating area with heat lamps 😍

After dinner at the residence, we got ready to go to our first bar! We decided on Chupitería 69 (chupito = shot) based on recommendations of former BC-in-Granada students. It’s a dollar (euro) shot place that has over 100 different kinds of shots, from straight liquor to basically juice-with-a-splash-of-liquor. And you get coupons for every shot that you buy that you can trade in for fun little prizer. 

I don’t have much to report other than we had SO MUCH fun here. It was a mix of abroad students (mostly, if not all, American abroad students) and locals. It was a really fun bonding experience and if you’re reading this far, remind me to tell you the bathroom story HA. It’s quite funny and better if I can tell it on the fly.

Then, some of the girls were tired and wanted to hang out with our new Spanish friends at the residence, so they headed back home. But, Nick, Gillian, JP, and I weren’t ready to go home yet so we went to Papaya, another bar that was conveniently on the way home. I LOVED the vibe of the bar and it was definitely more locals. The bathroom was super cute too hahaha and I just have some funny memories from the bar that just make me laugh, so it’s a fun experience to look back on.

After a bit there, I was suddenly very tired, so we went home at about 4:00, a valiant effort by Americans on our first Spanish night out, sans club.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 15TH

Staying awake til 4:30 wasn’t the absolute best idea considering that we had an excursion at 11 the next morning! But, I struggled out of bed and woke up surprisingly quickly, which didn’t entirely balance out the headache that the ~chupitos~ had given me. (My first Spanish hangover awww)

But, the activity definitely did not disappoint. We went to “Carmen de los Mártires.” A “carmen” is a traditional Muslim house that contains two types of gardens. In Spanish, there are two words for garden: “jardín” is a garden for aesthetic plants, like a flower garden, and “huerto” is a garden. A “carmen” is a house that has both types. Granada has a rich Muslim history, so that’s how this word and concept has become so proliferate in the city. This “carmen” is in honor of Christian (Catholic, specifically) martyrs.

The garden is INCREDIBLY beautiful and boasts amazing views of the city. )Plus, there’s a little lookout spot that has some of the best views of the Sierra Nevadas, especially in contrast with the city and the other hills of Granada.) It’s located on the same hill as the Alhambra and is directly adjacent to the Hotel Alhambra Palace (Mom, we should definitely stay here for at least a night hahaha). I’ll post some photos in the photo blog section when I’m back at the residence so stay tuned!

Since I was just so exhausted from my rough morning of touring a beautiful garden, we went back, ate lunch, hung out on the terrace of our building (pictures to come, the views are incredible and I can’t believe that’s where I LIVE), and then I napped for a good long while.

We were all exhausted from the combination of jet lag and our going out escapade the night before, so the rest of Saturday was pretty chill. After dinner, we played bingo with the Spanish girls and then went to get dessert: these waffle pop type things with melted chocolate as a topping. Overall they were pretty good but a little too much; if even I didn’t finish a dessert, it’s a little much hahaha.

Once we got back, I knew I would probably get a little homesick if I stayed in. No one else really felt like going out, but Nick and JP were at a bar 2 minutes away from the residence so I decided to meet up with them for a bit for a drink (wow I sound like such an adult, it’s amazing what a drinking age of 18 will do). It was a pub, and English was the predominant language (haha finally!) and they were watching football, so I felt it was the perfect thing to cure my looming homesickness. We ended up just talking and hanging out and, probably intelligently, I didn’t end up ordering any drinks, which my still-jet-lagged body was VERY happy about the next morning.

After pretty successfully warding off my homesickness for the night, we headed back around 1:30 (wowww so early that night), and I quickly went to sleep, very excited to sleep in the next morning.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 16TH

Sunday was a no-plans-day, which was amazing. I slept in, tidied up my room, and then met Becca and Vivian at a café (the aforementioned Puerta Bernina) to do some grammar homework, which was also when we found out there wasn’t any wifi. I ordered another chocolate pastry and although I promptly found out there was a layer of raspberry filling (a tragedy), I choked it down and suffered through my (mostly) delicious piece of chocolate cake.

Along with being a no plans day, Sunday was the first day I really started to feel the pang of homesickness. The euphoria had begun to wear off a bit, and that, combined with my still-existent jet lag and my lack of sleep, left the door open for the homesickness to creep in. That was the second time I cried (surprising, I know, and I’m not going to count the two small tear fits about luggage on Monday and Tuesday hahaha). I was feeling a little bit anxious too, so the homesickness just amplified everything else that I could possibly be upset about. And normally, when I’m anxious or upset, I’m in a familiar place and can do my familiar little techniques to feel better. So naturally, in a new and very different place that hadn’t actually started to feel like home yet, I was feeling pretty disoriented.

Not to mention, I’ve literally been fantasizing about my abroad experience since my cousin Lexy stoked my interest when she studied abroad in Rome 8 years ago (hi Lex!), so I felt guilty that I wasn’t just incredibly grateful and happy all the time. Of course, that really is unrealistic, but being abroad presents a unique situation in which it’s SO natural to feel homesick, but you almost feel guilty because you have the blessing to be studying in another amazing country. Also, I was admittedly a little disappointed in myself because why should I be sad?! My dreams of studying abroad are finally coming true, why should I be sad and miss home?!... Luckily, those feelings faded and I knew more and more that what I was feeling was normal. And of course, a long appearance by Milo on FaceTime helped infinitely.

By the end of the day, I felt a lot better, and we decided to go out for tapas to celebrate Amanda R’s arrival! We went to a place nearby called Zorro Viejo and it wasn’t the most amazing place ever, but it was pretty good, and it was good to get out and do something. Review is here of course: 

Zorro Viejo

•               light pours

•               recommended to us by the Spanish girls 

•               really good tapas

•               like fine; good but nothing special

I ended the night feeling a lot better, especially since I knew I had a good night’s sleep ahead of me and the start of my second week in Granada:) Text me if you read all the way til the end, I’ll be forever impressed…

And just like that…

I completed a week in Granada!

Travel Day to Granada!

HELLO! I’m finally sitting down to write about my travel day and first, BIG apologies for not posting until now. I’ve had a crazy first few (almost 4!) weeks and it’s so wonderful to sit down and actually write about my first day in Granada. So without further ado…

My travel day of January 8, 2021 was QUITE hectic, but it started off pretty well. My first flight out of 3 was at 3:45 from O’Hare (Chicago for all my non-midwesterners hahaha) to JFK (NYC). We left home at about 10:45 and got to O’Hare at 1:15. It took a pretty long while to get my boarding passes and baggage tickets printed because an American Airlines employee had to come over and check my passport, visa, and vax card. Then, by some miracle, my bags were 50.5 pounds and 51 pounds, but the nice check-in lady let it go.

Then the big ~goodbye~ came. Up until my departure day, I was convinced I would cry a lot when I said bye to Mom & Dad at the airport. Then, that morning I didn’t think I was going to cry (SHOCKING, I know). But, as soon as it set in a bit and I went to say goodbye, I knew the tears would come. I of course knew my mom would cry (hahaha), but as soon as my dad started crying (haha sorry Dad), I did too. After a few tearful minutes, I wanted to get through security, so I was off.

Getting through security went pretty quickly, then I stopped at Starbucks, and waited at the gate. Everything was going swimmingly until we got to wait for an hour to get de-iced!!! And then they made an announcement that it would be another 25 minutes til takeoff! So naturally with my 2 hour layover in JFK I was a little (re: a LOT) anxious. Luckily we finally took off at about 4:50 and ended up landing in JFK at about 7:30 (only 30 minutes late).

I got lost TWICE in JFK; I started walking towards the other (international) terminal, then thought I was going the wrong way, so I walked all the way back to my arrival gate and finally realized that I was going the right way. I went to give the security agent my boarding pass and she told me that I had to go to the Iberia Airlines desk and get a new boarding pass. The time was about 7:55 at this point, 30 minutes until boarding.

I got to the Iberia desk and the line was AT LEAST AN HOUR LONG. I went to the front and asked a lady if they could just check me in, she nodded and then went to tell another lady who blatantly ignored me:) But, then she told someone else and she helped me right away. She told me that I had to RUN and that I would probably miss my flight, NOT what I wanted to hear.

So I quickly went through security and got to my gate, and grabbed a snack. We sat in that gate FOR FOREVER. We were supposed to board at 8:25 and take off at 9:00. But, we did not even start boarding until 9:45! With my 1 hour 45 minute layover in Madrid looming, I was getting very nervous. Luckily I found some other girls studying abroad going to Granada, and the girl next to me was as well, so we stuck together.

The flight was fine. I was obviously annoyed with Iberia hahaha, and I was so stressed about probably missing my next flight (and possibly that the only other flight that day to Granada would be full) that I couldn’t relax and watch movies:/ I stayed up for dinner, then tried to get some sleep. I slept HORRIBLY and wasn’t asleep for more than 25 minutes at a time.

Near the end of the flight, a super nice flight attendant came over and drew me a little diagram on how to get to my next gate, but that we would need to run. I found another BC girl (Vivian) on my flight too, and the 5 of us in total on our way to Granada got off the plane as fast as possible, at 11:27 (with a 12:00 flight).

As we were SPEED WALKING, an airport employee was yelling about connections and she mentioned Granada. We walked over and I thought maybe we were special, that she’d say “Don’t worry! Come to this separate fast line for customs and security, and we’re holding the plane for all of you!” (9 of us passengers in total at this point). But nope! She told us they canceled our flight for us and rebooked us on the 3:55 flight. Yes I was upset, but at least I had another flight that wasn’t full. 

So, we made our way through the Madrid airport and found our terminal. We just chilled out for a while until our flight, nothing too exciting. We boarded the plane without incident and we were off!

I didn’t do much on the flight, just tried to get my bearings because at this point, I was still pretty stressed. I got some BEAUTIFUL views of the Sierra Nevada mountains on our way into Granada, as well as the landscape. Then… we landed and I was finally there!!!!!

I stepped off into absolutely beautiful weather a little before 5 P.M. We went into the baggage claim, and the next best part of my travel day was…. NO LUGGAGE!!!!! I was about to break down into tears and lose it, but somehow I kept it together. Teresa, one of our program directors, stayed to help me figure everything out, and it was actually really wonderful to talk with her and she talked to the airport employee in Spanish, which was very helpful. They had me give information on my bags and tell them the tracking numbers. (Normally I just don’t pay any attention to my tracking slips, so Mom, thank GOD you told me to make sure I kept them even though I normally toss them. I will definitely be buying air tags for my suitcases before I go home.) And, I got to talk to Teresa in English for once which was awesome because I think she knew I couldn’t take much else hahaha and just needed some English.

We left the airport and I was feeling a bit better. Teresa said that because the planes that fly from Madrid to Granada are so small, sometimes they have too much luggage and not enough space, so they leave the baggage in Madrid and fly it in the next day. She thought that’s what had happened to mine, and she was exactly right. We left the airport and she drove me to my residence (lucky for me hahaha, everyone else had to take the bus into the city).

When we got to my residence after stopping at the GRIIS (program) office, I was pretty nervous. I met some of the ladies who work there and admittedly could barely get out a word of Spanish because I was tired, upset, and super stressed. Not having my luggage was really the nail in the coffin. I also found out I’d be sharing a bathroom with the girls on my floor and when I walked into my room, it seemed SO SMALL, especially compared to my room at home and my room at BC. As soon as Teresa left and after my little tour, I immediately burst into tears. I was very, very upset (and had not been that ~down bad~ in a while). I called and texted some family and friends and felt a little better immediately. But it was a hard hard few hours: I had no luggage, I was in a tiny room, I had been late, I was planning on having the whole afternoon but didn’t get to the residence until about 6:30, my bed was uncomfortable, and I just wanted to change clothes and do my skincare (hahaha) and be at home.

But, I pulled myself together because 4 of us BC kids (Gillian, who lives right next to me and definitely made me feel better!, JP, and Nick) had decided to go out for tapas. Well, I ~thought~ we were going right to tapas. Nick lives in the residence next to Gillian and I, and JP met up with us, so we decided to just stroll and look for a place. As we were strolling around, JP expressed that he REALLY wanted to see a cool view of the Alhambra, so being naïve we thought, “Oh yeah that should be easy! It’s on a hill so we’ll just look for any hill and then we’ll be able to see it.”

Spoiler alert: we were very wrong. We walked around for about 45 minutes and mind you I was STILL in my airport clothes (with a borrowed shirt from Gillian, big round of applause for Gillian), which included my platform supergas: NOT meant for walking. (As some of you may remember, these are the shoes I wore for my first day in NYC in June and didn’t realize that they were a horrible idea to wear until about 5 miles in and about an hour of walking away from the hotel. I was almost in tears because my feet hurt SO BAD, and yes it was my own fault, but I hadn’t imagined I was going to walk ~10 miles~ in them. So, the next morning I promptly bought a new pair of Allbirds and told myself that sadly I would be retiring the platform supergas from walking duties. Until I was in Granada without my luggage…)

After 30 minutes and a funny encounter with some teenage Spanish girls, we found ourselves walking up a hill and thought it was perfect! Turns out, we were actually AT the Alhambra and so we couldn’t get a nice view of it, HA. We cut our losses because my appetite that had been fended off by my travel anxiety had finally returned, and we were STARVING.

We picked a random place after inquiring about a few options and settled on: Bodegas Casteñada. We ordered sangria and some beers (I’ll give you a whole one chance to guess which one I got), and got our first ~tapa~. It came over and looked interesting, so I did the bravest thing I have ever done: I promptly tried a bite and discovered it was octopus!!!!!! Was not a fan sadly. But it’s a good thing I did the sampling because Nick is highly allergic to all shellfish and probably would have gone into anaphylactic shock had he tried it! Anyways, we got some croquettes, little ham and cheese combos, and a tortilla Española (Spanish omelet with potatoes: very delicious).

The sangria was amazing and suddenly I ended up 3 glasses in due to the encouragement of our waiter and many utterances of the “come on! It’s our first night in Spain!” phrase. Overall, it was a really fun time and really made me put my travel struggles into the back of my mind. We’re keeping note of all the places we visit so I’ll give you a little sample. Here’s what I wrote about our first tapas place: 

Bodegas Castañeda

•           sangria will get you sneaky drunk off 3 glasses

•           sangria is really good

•           waiters are great if you talk to them

•           more of a locals vibe

•           croquetas are FIRE

•           overall okay

•           we’re nostalgic bc it’s the first place we went and we were STARVING

As tapas wound down, I was feeling a million times better (probably because I had some more nutrition in my system, even though my appetite still wasn’t too strong), so obviously I texted everyone that I felt better, so that my darling family and friends wouldn’t worry too much. Then it was off to bed in my uncomfortable bed! (Spoiler alert: once I took out the weird mattress cover, it made a world of a difference.)

In all seriousness, it felt very nice to crawl into bed in anticipation of my first full day in Granada. Yes the first few hours were rough and I wasn’t too happy. Between the delays, stress during the flights, exhaustion & lack of sleep, and lost luggage to seal the deal, paired with the small room, uncomfortable bed & pillow, and bathroom situation, I wasn’t feeling too amazing, and it definitely was not what I imagined for my first day in Granada.

BUT, I can confidently say that I’m happy everything happened the way it did. When someone tells me that everything happens for a reason, I often say “But it shouldn’t NEED to happen! If everything just worked out happily, then I would never need to learn those lessons!” My first thought was “Really?! I couldn’t have just gotten my luggage and had a good flying experience?! Just that one thing?! Why did it have to be me?!” (Bonus points x10000 if you remember that that’s the title of my most favorite song from Mamma Mia.) However, this time, I wouldn’t change a thing even if I could. I dealt with all of those things in my first few hours in a foreign country, having to go about most things in a foreign language or with the help of people I had just met. Yes, I broke down and cried and was super upset and anxious and just really sad. But, if I can get to a foreign country with no luggage after a horrid day of travel, I think I can get through a lot more that life throws at me. I laugh to myself and wish I could tell January 9th Olivia that everything was totally fine, and I got some cute new Zara clothes out of it! And of COURSE, a good story to tell. (Also, I hope it was a cautionary tale to some of my abroad friends who hadn’t left yet, and a wonderful reminder to maybe buy some air-tags for my luggage so I can track them next time!)

And, most importantly, I really learned to appreciate everything else that was GOOD that happened. My homesickness and anxiety hit me like a TRUCK on the front end, so I think that lessened the initial shock because I got a big punch, and then less homesickness the next week. I was ELATED to get my luggage (and of course do my skincare) and I knew that I’d be able to overcome more challenges and that everything little thing that happens is still a good thing no matter the situation. I know I sound incredibly cheesy but it really is true.

I think that concludes this travel day post, and I’m feeling very reflective as I’m sitting in the Málaga airport at 1:34 A.M., so I hope I did this long-awaited (I hope at least one of you has been awaiting it!) first post justice. And as for why I’m in the airport at this hour, that, of course, is a story for another time:) …

(P.S. Once I am back in my room, I’ll put a collection of pictures form my travel day up under the “Photo Blog” section of my website. Check back soon!)

Pre-Departure & Housing Update

Housing Update

The housing saga continues… Right before Christmas I got an email from the program that a bunch of host families have been pulling out because of COVID (ugh!), and unfortunately, my host mom opted out. But, there was another option and they found a spot for me in a residence! I think of it as a mix between a dorm and an apartment: I’ll have my own room and then will share a bathroom with Gillian (she’s from BC and we would’ve been in the same homestay!). I still am provided with three meals a day.

Of course I’m bummed because I was so so excited about living with a host family, but I think this is a good option and will let me meet more Spaniards who are my age! (And, it’s not like I’m being thrown out on my own in a solo apartment, which is great.) The residence is called Colegio Mayor Santo Domingo, and it’s super close to my campus. About 15-20 other Spanish women will live there (in their own rooms). The program director described it as a place where Spanish women live when they go to the University of Granada but aren’t from the area. I think this is definitely a good solution, and I’ll add some pictures right below:)

And, if you want to test out your Spanish, here’s the website: https://www.cmsantodomingo.es

Pre-Departure Essentials

At the risk of sounding like an annoying blogger, I figured this next section would be useful for any of my friends who haven’t left for abroad yet (or, idk, my future kids maybe? hahaha). I know that there are normal stores in Spain and Europe of course, but I felt like it would be a good idea to buy a bunch of things that I use a lot that I won’t be able to get (certain brands, products, etc). And, since I’m a BIG ~planner~, it’s just a given that I’ll be bringing ~extras~. My full list is:

Toiletries & Hygiene

extra toothbrush heads: I’ll have to change it in March

ALL of my contacts: obviously I use these every day; I’ll probably have one of my visitors bring my refills:)

contact solution: giant size and travel size for my trips

toothpaste + an extra: yes, I can get toothpaste over there, but surprise surprise, I like a very specific kind

razor refills: again, I like my specific kind and it’s a subscription service, so I had to stockpile

extra floss: same thing as with the toothpaste🤪

HAUL of makeup wipes: these are the only makeup wipes that I like and that don’t irritate my skin, so I STOCKED up

whitening strips: my teeth need to be looking their best for the 1000s of pictures I’ll be showing my children someday

glasses cleaner: my Mimi got me a little device for cleaning glasses that’s super tiny so it’s perfect for traveling (I’m notorious for having super dirty glasses)

Beauty

dry shampoo: I wanted to try out a really good brand for dark hair and figured my hair will get greasy by the time I get there:)

deodorant + extra: again, I like a specific kind and I’ll need it right away

travel size shampoo + conditioner CONTAINERS: I won’t have to rush to a store before I take my first post-flight shower, and I can refill these containers when I go on trips

Burt’s bees x3: my favorite kind of chapstick, and if you know me, you know I will never borrow anyone else’s chapstick so I need to be stocked

extra skincare: I’m almost to the end of 5/6 skincare products, so I bought all new ones so they’ll last me the whole semester and I don’t have to worry about international shipping

Medications

allergy pills: I have RAGING seasonal allergies

multi-vitamins: I didn’t wanna have to deal with finding a multi-vitamin in Spanish and apparently I have multiple vitamin deficiencies so I should probably be taking them immediately❤️

iron supplements: I have about 0 iron in my blood and need extra strength ones that my doctor recommended🤸🏼‍♂️

ibuprofen: I want to make sure I have some, and admittedly just don’t want to have to figure out which Spanish brands are the best

midol: works like a charm, don’t wanna be without it

azo + monistat: honestly wouldn't have thought of these two before I saw them at Target; probably won’t need them but good to have just in case

Electronics Etc.

outlet converters: I’m bringing A LOT (I got the “Europe” kind, and guess I’ll just have to buy some when I go to the UK because apparently they have different outlets..?)

portable charger: figured this would be good for when I’m out and about and can’t really afford to have my phone die

polaroid film in BULK: I don’t know where I’d get film for my polaroid, so I bought Target’s multipack of 60 pieces of film, I hope that’s enough:)

mechanical pencils + lead + erasers: I broke most of my good pencils, so I figured now was the perfect time to get some new ones before I go

eye mask + ear plugs: I’m sure most of you know, but I’m a very light sleeper. and I don’t know what my curtain situation will be. plus, my eye mask is from Lexy’s wedding so Lex, I’ll smile and think of you each night:)

mini stapler: Lexy got me this as a super sweet gift along with some journals. I’ll use it so I can easily keep track of ticket stubs, business cards, little artifacts etc that I want to keep. she also got me a cute little “Cards For Keeps” journal, so I’ll put them in there!

Updates

t-minus 20 days

Since my departure is less than 3 weeks away (eek!), I thought that this would be a perfect time to share some info that I’ve gotten in the last few months. I’ve split this section into a few sections and added some pictures to make everything easy to find.

Housing

Just this week, I received my ~finalized~ housing placements. I’ll be living with a host mom and one other BC student. My host mom’s name is Emilia, she’s a retired teacher, and she has 3 kids. Two of them live in Switzerland, and one of them lives in Granada with his wife and 3 kids; I’m super excited because they come over to visit a lot! I’ll have my own room and then share a bathroom with Gillian, the other BC student who I’m sharing my host mom with. I’ve added some photos below.

The apartment that we’re living in is on the 3rd/top floor of a building located in Plaza Bib Rambla. This plaza is beautiful, with lots of shops and cafés, and it’s located right near the Granada Cathedral, which is absolutely stunning. I live in one of the most central parts of the city, and my walk to school is about 15-20 minutes. But, more importantly, I’m only about a 10 minute walk from the famous street that has lots of bars, and about a 5-10 minute walk from the nearest Zara!

An overview of the area I’m living in. My address is marked in red, and the Cathedral is super close!

The plaza that my apartment is located in!

Departure & Flights

I leave the U.S. on January 8th (Saturday) and arrive the next day on the 9th! The 9th is our official mandatory arrival day because the program officially starts on Monday, January 10th. Because Granada is a smaller city (almost exactly the size of Madison!), it takes a long time to get there. I’m flying out of O’Hare (Chicago), then from Chicago to JFK (New York City), JFK to Madrid, and finally Madrid to Granada, for a total of a 14.5 hour travel day. Here’s a little look at my flight schedule:

Chicago to JFK — 3:45 PM - 7 PM (2 hrs 15 min with time difference)

JFK to Madrid — 9 PM - 10:15 AM (7 hrs 15 min with time difference)

Madrid to Granada — 12 PM - 1:10 PM

Another BC student is on my flight from Madrid to Granada, so if anything goes wrong on the last leg of my journey, at least I’ll have someone to commiserate with hahaha. Once I arrive in Granada, Teresa (one of the directors of our program) picks us up and will drop me off at my host mom’s apartment.

Program

The program that I’m a part of is officially called GRIIS: Granada Institute for International Studies. The cohort is typically made up of 5-10 BC students, 10-15 students from University of Delaware, and 5-10 students from other small schools near Boston. There’s 6 of us total from BC, so I’ll have 5 other BC kids with me. I’ll meet all of the other students from other schools when I get there. (I’ll be posting something soon with links to my Instagram accounts etc. and will include the GRIIS program’s instagram in that post!)

GRIIS operates under Universidad de Granada (University of Granada). The university is the 3rd largest in Spain. There’s of course normal Spanish students that attend the school like I attend BC. There’s a department under the University called the Center for Modern Languages, and this center “houses” all of the programs for US students studying abroad and European students doing their Erasmus program. So, I’ll be taking classes with students from my program and students from the other programs, lots of Americans and lots of Europeans!

A Spanish woman named Amalia is the director of our program, and another woman, Teresa, helps out and goes everywhere with us as well! I got to meet both of them virtually, as well as the other BC Granada students, at our orientation on Zoom a few weeks ago. I’ve talked with quite a few former BC students who were in Granada in 2019 and 2020, and they all said that Amalia and Teresa are the best and act like everyone’s moms, so I’ll be in good hands:)

Classes

Earlier this week I picked my classes for the semester. When I get to Granada, I’ll take a Spanish intensive course for 3 weeks and that’ll be my only class during that time. Then, we start our actual classes in February when all of the students get back to the university. I’ll be taking 5 classes: 1) GRIIS seminar (a seminar with everyone in my program, taught by Amalia, our program director), 2) Speaking Skills and Writing Texts in Spanish (the class I chose to fulfill our mandatory grammar requirement), and 3 electives: Spanish Civilization and Culture, Religious Diversity and Culture in Medieval Spain, and La Transición: From Franco’s Dictatorship to Today’s Democratic Spain. I’ll receive my final class schedule when I get to Granada, so my classes might change a bit, but for now those classes are what I’m hoping for.

The biggest change in my classes is that they’ll all be in Spanish. But, I’m not too worried because I won’t be taking any courses with native Spanish speakers. Every student in all of my classes will have Spanish as their second language, and all of the professors know that. So, they will definitely be understanding and patient, and everyone says that the language isn’t a tough thing to get used to, especially if you’ve been taking Spanish for a long time like I have!

… until January!

I’ll publish a post soon with the usernames of my Instagram account I’m making for abroad and the GRIIS account, and then some other details. I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas, and I’ll be back on here soon with more posts!

xoxo