I was fortunate enough to be able to experience the most amazing culture with the help of my high school Spanish teacher. We went just weeks after my junior year ended and I can honestly say that it was the highlight of my high school career! The Spanish culture is entirely different from the United States and I loved every minute of it! I put together a list of everything I think you should know before you dive in!
Be ready to try new foods! Spain sits right on the Mediterranean so they have a variety of fresh caught seafood and an extensive amount of fruits! If you want to try a variety of foods at a decent price, make sure you visit a tapas bar or two. Basically, they have samples or small portions of plates that give you a chance to try lots of new things! We went to one in Madrid and I honestly have no idea what I actually ate, but I remember how amazing it tasted. If you go to a restaurant and have no idea what to order, get paella! It’s a rice dish that can come with a variety of meats and vegetables, but the best part are the traditional Spanish spices that go into it. It’s been a few years since I was there, but I’m still craving their traditional paella. If you’re a chocolate lover like I am, make sure you stop to get some churros con chocolate! You get a handful of churros with a small cup of melted chocolate sauce that taste like heaven in your mouth. When you’ve run out of churros, don’t throw away the left over chocolate. Make like the Spanish and drink it!
Revel in the artwork. If you’re anywhere near Barcelona, make sure you visit the art of Gaudi! Going to Parque Guell is an absolute MUST when you’re in Barcelona. The statues and mosaic artwork are just something you don’t see in the United States. There are so many good photo ops when you’re at the park and you even have a splendid overview of the city! A lot of travel guides will also tell you to visit the Sagrada Familia, which is a church that has been under construction since 1882 and is estimated to continue until around 2030. When you visit, make sure to take your time. There are so many details and things to look at. They even have small replicas of what the finished product should look like. This is yet another amazing work of Gaudi’s art. It’s so incredibly amazing to think that it’s been in construction for 135 years and still has another 10 or so until completion!
Take a break from public transportation. If you’re from a small town like I am, it’s such a cool thing to be able to ride the metro. Not many cities across the United States have a subway system, but it’s a staple in Spain. It’s nice when you’re tired after a long day of exploring and doing touristy things, but it’s not something you should do if your next destination isn’t that far away. Take the time to walk through the cities. I guarantee you’ll stumble upon some amazing opportunities for selfies. If you’re someone that’s really into architecture, I definitely recommend walking so you can admire their beautiful structures up close and personal.
Do NOT rush yourself through sight seeing! We had a week in Spain, three of which were spent in Madrid and three that were spent in Barcelona. The day in between was spent traveling on an eight hour bus ride from Madrid to Barcelona. We definitely didn’t have time to see everything but I wish we would have gotten the chance to spend more time at each location specifically. Even though I was young, I tried to really take in the beauty and the magic that it took to put the cities together so amazingly. Take the time to think of all of the people who have stood in the same spot looking at the same sight. If you’re walking from one destination to the next, don’t be afraid to take the less direct path. You’ll see the real Spain away from the tourism and you won’t regret it. Take photos of everything, but don’t live through your lens. It’s a whole new world in Spain and you don’t want to miss something because you were too absorbed in your phone or camera.
I hope these tips help you to plan out your future trip to Spain! If you’ve already been there, make sure you comment below and tell me all about your favorite things that you’ve done!
With love,
Arianna
Lovely Radiant Life 