Last semester, I had the privilege to study abroad for three months in Seville, Spain. It was always a dream of mine to visit Spain, and when I started applying to colleges, I was always keeping in mind my goal of being able to spend a semester abroad. Finally, my dream has been fulfilled. I learned so much about all the different countries and cities I had the privilege of visiting, and I also learned a bit more about myself.
However, the whole experience was bittersweet as I knew it would come to an end one day. Now here I am, back in snowy St. Bonaventure, with nothing but my phone filled with photos of warmer days spent hopping all over Europe. I tell myself I’ll go back one day, my attempt at manifestation, but as I bide my time until then, I’ll just have to keep reminiscing with my photos app. Nostalgia will be the death of me.
Since coming back, one of the most common things I’m asked is, “What was your favorite place you traveled to?” So, to curb my study abroad withdrawals, I’ve decided to make a little “travel wrapped” for my favorite places I’ve visited.
In the three months I spent abroad, I traveled to seven different countries, with eighteen different destinations within those countries. I visited four different beaches along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts, roughly eight major cities across Europe and Africa, and one island (technically). Each of these places hold fond memories worthy of long rants, but for the sake of time, I’ve narrowed down my top five places I visited.
#5: Seville
Starting off strong. I loved my home base city. Going into it, I knew very little about Seville. I originally wanted to stay in one of the two major Spanish cities, Madrid or Barcelona, but my finances were not lining up. So, I ended up in Seville, a southern city just an hour bus ride from Spain’s Costa del Sol, and a city I ended up learning was one of Spain’s most historically and culturally rich.
The city itself is one of the country’s oldest, predating that of Madrid and Barcelona, and even the Roman Empire. The southern region of Spain changed hands between Iberians, Romans, Muslim dynasties, and later the development of the Catholic Spanish state. The buildings of the city always left me in awe, with remnants of Islamic architecture, with ornate archways and embellished carvings in historic buildings such as the Royal Alcazar Palace and the Cathedral of Seville (one of the biggest Gothic Cathedrals in the world).
One of my favorite things about the city was how accessible it was for me. Buying groceries and even eating out were relatively cheap. The public transport system was incredibly affordable, with the subway only costing about 40 cents to ride! Many of my fondest memories of the city were spent just wandering around with my friends, getting a tinto de verano and sitting along the riverbank, or reading in the picturesque Maria Luisa Park. When it came time to leave, Seville’s iconic orange trees that line many streets in the city were beginning to ripen, the weather was still well above 60 degrees, and every street corner had a stand making fresh churros daily for the holiday season. It was, indeed, hard for me to say goodbye.
#4 Amsterdam
Amsterdam was one of the last places I visited before I left, and I’m so glad I made the trip. By this point, I had done lots of traveling to places in Southern Europe, especially within Spain, and all the architecture, shared history, and culture were beginning to blend together. So, I wanted to make a trip up north, especially as the holidays came around, as I wanted to see some of those classic Christmas markets they’re known for. Also I really wanted to experience riding a bike around Amsterdam like I hear so many people do.
When I first arrived in the city, I immediately fell in love with it. Amsterdam is basically built on a canal system, like Venice, but not completely removed from the mainland. The buildings lining the streets and canals were so cute, I couldn’t help but be in a good mood. Just walking to the hostel I was staying at, I passed by so many iconic things like the Rijksmuseum (which houses iconic paintings by Rembrandt and Vermeer), the picturesque neighborhood of Jordaan, and—of course—the Miffy store. One of the “must-dos” of the city, though, is the Van Gogh museum. This was one of my FAVORITE museums I’ve ever been to. So many iconic works, and not just by Van Gogh himself, but also those by his peers and those later inspired by him. Right outside the museum was the ice skating rink and Christmas market as well. Though I’m not the best skater, I still had a blast hobbling around on the ice. One of my favorite souvenirs is also from here (a small wooden Dutch clog keychain—so cute!).
#3 Nerja
I had the privilege of making multiple trips to the beaches of southern Spain (and Portugal), but my favorite beach trip by far was in the tiny town of Nerja. I went with two friends whom I met at my university in Seville, and it was probably one of my most relaxing weekends. However, starting off, it was a little rough for me as I missed the 8 a.m. Flixbus I was supposed to take with my friends to the town.
I woke up that morning slightly disoriented with a plethora of notifications and missed calls on my phone alerting me that I slept through my alarms. I have to give myself credit, though. I kept it cool and quickly was able to purchase a new ticket for the next bus out that left in an hour. When I finally made it to Nerja, I was completely cut off from both my friends and where exactly I was, as I was getting very little cell reception. After wandering around like the lost American I was, I finally found the hostel I was staying at, only to find out check-in wasn’t until 3 p.m. and the reception desk was closed. So, I did the only thing I could think of at the moment: I went to the beach. One trip to a disgusting public restroom later, and I was tanning on one of the most picturesque beaches I’d ever been to with my big backpack and a relatively useless cellphone. Eventually, I did reconnect with my friends, but lying there on the beach with the sound of the waves to calm me down was honestly just what I needed at that moment, and it was pretty much what the rest of my trip there looked like.
Aside from the suntanning and swimming, my friends and I kayaked to a small waterfall, spent the night playing cards at a Flamenco bar, and people-watched along the pier at sunset. The town of Nerja is very small, but incredibly beautiful. It’s about an hour away from Malaga, the birthplace of Picasso, and it’s very quiet compared to the other coastal cities I had visited, which were often more crowded. If you’re looking for nice, hidden beaches along the Mediterranean with cliffs populated with pretty white buildings and tropical flowers, Nerja is right up your alley.
#2 Venice
Ah, Venice, how I loved you so. This trip is probably one that I look back at the most, as it was the one I was most looking forward to. Partly because I had been dreaming about visiting Venice for a while, and partly because one of my close friends from home came to visit me that weekend. Venice was probably one of the most beautiful places I visited while abroad, if not the most. I’ll never forget the moment when my friend and I walked out of the Santa Lucia Train Station and were immediately met with one of most amazing views of the Grand Canal. I’m not joking when I say my breath was taken away; it was literally like a scene straight from a movie. There were no sounds of cars, no one was rushing to get anywhere, and I felt like I was transported to another time.
Of course, the food in Venice was also great. I probably had the best carbonara of my life at a restaurant called Puppa, which was also one of the most emotional evenings of my travels after the restaurant started playing “Our Last Summer” by ABBA, and my friend and I promptly started crying. We were young and in Venice together, who can blame us? The whole trip was just surreal. Yes, we took a Gondola ride, and took an evening walk across the Rialto Bridge, and sat along the Grand Canal talking for hours, Hugo Spritz in hand. We also experienced a wonderful Jazz show at the Venice Jazz Club—highly recommend, they were amazing.
When I look back on this trip, however, I find myself reminiscing on our last morning there when my friend dragged me out of bed at the crack of dawn to watch the sun rise along the canals. After some grumbling, I was convinced to walk out to one of the bridges along the edge of the island (still in my pjs, mind you). I will forever be thankful that she made me go see that sunrise that morning. It was one of the prettiest ones I’ve ever seen, and looking back at those pictures now always makes me a little emotional. Venice, one day we will be back.
#1 Paris
Okay, okay, this seems so cliché, but Paris is that girl. There’s too much history and so much to do that there’s no way you could not like this place. Maybe it’s because I don’t mind super busy cities, but Paris was genuinely so magical. Even the subway system in Paris was cool. I don’t understand the hate. Paris was not smelly, nor was it super dirty. I think some people have just never been to functioning cities before. Since I had a student visa, iconic landmarks like the Louvre and Versailles were completely free for me. Everything you could want to see in the city was also relatively centered around each other. Walking along the Seine, you can see the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Louvre, and so many other amazing landmarks and museums. The architecture was so classy, too. America could never. One of my favorite memories was eating some of the most scrumptious macaroons I’ve ever had while overlooking the city from the Sacre Coeur in Montmartre (one of Paris’ most iconic artistic neighborhoods). If I could live in Montmartre, I would be happy for the rest of my life. Seriously, it was so beautiful.
I was also very grateful that I went with a great group of friends. When you travel with the right people, even an ordinary evening spent chatting in your hotel lobby is filled with good memories. One night we all went to Caveau de la Huchette, the popular jazz bar in a “cave” across from Notre Dame, and another night we frolicked around the city as it began to snow in Paris for the first time that year. Sometimes we would split up and go on side quests and then reconvene for dinner and chat about everything we experienced apart. The whole trip just felt like a movie. I’ll never forget that I was 20 and in Paris, how iconic is that!