After living and studying in Madrid for a year, I have come to the conclusion that these are the main reasons why you should visit and study at Spain’s capital.

  1. Easy to get around. When I lived in Madrid, I forgot I owned a car. I never missed having one. You can go anywhere you want at any time. The metro and buses are very easy to use and also very cheap.
  2. Madrid’s rich history. Madrid is a city with a lot of history and a lot of things to see and learn. I suggest taking the Hop-on Hop-off bus to have a full day tour around Madrid and see all it’s prominent landmarks.
  3. Nightlife. Being a student in Madrid comes with lots of partying. Spain is well known for its fiestas and clubs. You could either go to a bar downtown or a fancy nightclub. Partying in Madrid start very late so you could start the night at 10 by having dinner and then go to the bars around midnight and finally go to the clubs at 2am.
  4. Tapas and beer. I loved spanish food, specially having tapas with a beer in the afternoon with my friends. I suggest going to the Mercado San Miguel and have them with a glass of wine or beer. Tapas are only 1 euro and are incredibly amazing.
  5. Museums and palaces. There are many cultural activities you can do while in Madrid, like visiting the royal palace (it is beautiful), or going to the Museo del Prado or Reina Sofia. If you show your student ID you can get in free to most places in Madrid.
  6. Affordability. In general, I find that things are a lot cheaper in Madrid than other European cities. Travel, accommodation, restaurants and bars are all more affordable than let’s say Paris or London. If you’re looking for an affordable, budget destination then Madrid is perfect! However, if on the contrary, you’re looking for a luxury destination then don’t shy away because Madrid has plenty of chic hotels to stay in, and high-end shops and restaurants to enjoy.
  7. El Retiro. This park is the main park of the city where everyone goes for a picnic on the hot summer days. It’s a lovely park to walk around in, and you also have the central pond where you can rent a little rowing boat for less than 8€. And it is also home to the beautiful Palacio de Cristal, which is open for exhibitions. I used to buy fruit and wine and sit there with my friends just to hang around.
  8. Walking around the city. Madrid is not a very large city so it is easy to walk around and see places. If you get tired you could either call uber or rent a bike for 5 euros.
  9. Shopping. Madrid is a very fashionable and trendy city. It will be very hard not to buy at least one thing. There are many small shops and boutiques around the districts and also luxury brands along the streets.
  10. It is Madrid. I was doubtful about Madrid before going because I didn’t know if Barcelona was better but I have to say I fell for Madrid. There is something about this city that makes you love it so much. I remember reading an interview to Shakira and she was asked why she wrote “Te dejo Madrid” and she responded: “How can you not write a song about Madrid?”. And it’s funny because no one actually knows how to explain it, you just know how great it is by living there.