My Favorite Travel Spots from Studying Abroad

I studied abroad in Spain last year, and it was one of the best decisions I have made in my college career. I got to live in a city for the first time, practice using my second language, make great friends and become close with my host family.

Most importantly, I traveled a lot. 

I know that when many people study abroad in Europe, they immediately get excited with how easy it is to travel, especially since traveling in the U.S. is so much harder and more expensive.

I decided to seize the opportunity and saved up my money all summer so that I could spend it last semester, and it sure paid off.

I was able to visit a whole bunch of places, such as Morocco, Northern Italy, Amsterdam, Spain, France, and Portugal. Here are my four favorite spots:

Portugal

When I first saw Lisbon, I was amazed. Although one of the largest cities in Portugal, it is so charming and smaller than I thought. Every building had a touch of the colonial-style architecture, and there were so many hills that my Apple Watch thought I was working out every day. 

The sights were beautiful, and although I was only in the country for three days, it was more than enough time to spend checking out the newer and older parts of the city, as well as taking day trips to nearby places, such as Cascais and Porto.

The public transport was fantastic, the food was amazing, the prices were not too expensive and the people were always so nice. 

The weather was also fantastic, which for me was the cherry on top. If you are thinking about a European vacation, go to Portugal. If you go, please get a Pastel de Nata.

morocco

My friends and I spent the weekend in Tangier, where you can see the southern coast of Spain right outside your window. The culture was so different; credit cards basically did not exist, you had to use cash, almost no one spoke English. Additionally, the country is Muslim, which influenced the architecture, the food and the way people dressed. 

We spent one of our days on a bus tour that went around the coast, where we got to see some caves and some of the richer homes, ride some camels and visit a mosque. On the second day, we traveled to “The Blue City,” or Chefchaouen, which was just a tourist trap but still cool to visit. 

I think that experiencing a culture that is very different from what you are used to is a great way to get out of your comfort zone, and for me that meant going to Morocco. 

Paris

I fully went to Paris expecting to be underwhelmed, like all of those viral videos of tourists with “Paris Syndrome.” However, it was exactly the opposite. 

I met my friend who lives there two weekends in a row, and still have things on my to-do list. I was able to eat so much delicious French food, see many of the tourist spots such as the Eiffel Tower and the Arc du Triomphe and did some of the less touristy things as well. I got to go to a Brazilian bookshop and the Museum of Perfume. 

Even though Paris was expensive, it was definitely worth it. If you are a student studying abroad, you can use your visa to do many things for free, which I highly recommend. I did not pay for a single attraction this way, and was able to do so much.

The only downside of Paris is that it is so much bigger than I thought. Be prepared for a lot of walking and don’t be afraid to take the metro as it’s incredibly efficient. 

Spain

I may be biased talking about Spain since that is where I went to study abroad, but I loved it nonetheless. I lived in Valencia, which is on the eastern coast of Spain.

For me, Spain was just the right mix of warm weather, fantastic food, great prices and the beach. When I went to southern Spain, I was also able to see the Muslim influence that was left behind in the architecture, and try the most delicious food. 

The beaches in Spain were also fantastic. In Valencia, it was easy to take the bus or metro straight there, and then you could just walk on and claim a spot. My friends and I even snuck into a nice hotel several times to wash off afterwards.

I really lucked out in deciding to go to Valencia. I loved the mix of city and beach, and all of the green areas that the city has. The food was fantastic and cheap, it was easily walkable, and had many fun attractions. 

My mom and sister both visited and we had a plethora of things to do. We went to the cathedral, walked around the old town, tried tapas and so much more. During my four months there, I loved the aquarium so much that I visited three times. 

If you are going to Europe, please do not pass on Spain. It is such a wonderful country with so much to offer. 

Safe travels everyone!

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