The Girl Who Goes

independent, intentional travel

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Side Trip: Madrid to Salamanca, Spain

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A view of New Cathedral in Salamanca

When my friends invite me to do something, I try to say “yes” as much as I can. You Only Spain Once. (Maybe.) Anyway, my friends Sarah and Ellie decided to plan a trip from Madrid to Salamanca. With the high-speed train, it was easy enough to do as a day trip — no need to book a place to stay for the night — so when they invited me, I said yes.

Here’s everything you need to know to plan your own trip to Salamanca, whether you go for the day or the weekend. [Read more…]

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A Comprehensive Guide to the Madrid Metro

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Learn how to navigate the Madrid Metro!

The idea of public transportation can be daunting, especially if you aren’t accustomed to it. Even if you’re a frequent traveler, every city has its own system, which makes it even more confusing. Madrid is no exception; though I lived in London for a semester, the Madrid Metro is different from the London Underground in a lot of ways.

When I’m with a group of friends, I usually become the official trip navigator. My favorite app, Citymapper, helps with this important job. But I like to think I’ve got a good handle on public transportation in general. (Now, the Barcelona Metro? That’s another story. Despite my mastery of most metro systems, I managed to end up on the wrong train not once, but TWICE in three days.)

For anyone planning a visit to Madrid, I’ve put together a comprehensive guide to the metro. [Read more…]

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Side Trip: Madrid to Zaragoza, Spain

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Plan your own trip from Madrid to Zaragoza and you’ll be rewarded with this view.

Since I didn’t go home to the U.S. for the holidays during my first year living in Madrid, I was lucky enough to spend Christmas in Sardinia and have visitors in Spain for New Years! One of my best friends from college, Carson, and his wife Natalie came to spend a few days with me in Madrid on their European holiday vacation. After starting their trip in Paris, they took a bus to Madrid, and they would then be continuing on to Barcelona by train. Along the way, they decided to go from Madrid to Zaragoza, which is about halfway to Barcelona.

Since I’d never been to Zaragoza before, I went along with them for a day trip. And I’m so glad I did! Here’s everything you’ll need to know if you want to plan your own trip from Madrid to Zaragoza. [Read more…]

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Why Christmas Lasts Longer in Spain

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Part of the Cabalgata de Reyes parade

My first Christmas after moving to Spain, back in winter 2018/2019. I noticed something odd. Through the first days of January, Christmas music was still blasting in all the shops and restaurants I visited — whether it was English classics like Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Last Christmas, and The Little Drummer Boy or Spanish favorites like El Burrito Sabanero. (Which I had only just managed to get out of my head after listening to my third-grade class practice it for weeks before school let out for Christmas break).

And it turned out it wasn’t a case of the shops being too lazy to change their playlists. I was pretty confused at first — for Americans, Christmas ended at 12:00 a.m. on December 26. But in Spain, and some other countries in Europe, Christmas lasts almost two weeks longer. [Read more…]

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Top 3 Things to do in St. Petersburg, Russia

Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood

I’m not sure if you know this – because I didn’t – but St. Petersburg is a huge city. As my plane made its decent into SBP around sunset, I was struck by the sheer size of the city and surrounding areas. This also made it difficult to decide on a place to stay, since there were well-priced hostels all around the city. In the end, my cousin suggested staying near Nevsky Prospekt, which turned out to be a great decision.

Though someone with much more time than me would undoubtedly find many more of the city’s gems, here are the top 3 things to do if you are on a short trip and spending most of your time near Nevsky Prospekt! All of these things are less than a 20-minute walk away. [Read more…]

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5 Surprising Things about St. Petersburg, Russia

Singer Building (left) overlooking Nevsky Prospekt

When I stepped off the plane in St. Petersburg, Russia, I really didn’t know what I was getting into. Other than booking transportation and a place to stay, I normally don’t plan or research much in advance when I travel. I prefer to make decisions once I arrive and let things unfold naturally.

That being said, Russia was a place unlike anywhere I’ve been before. Though I know St. Petersburg isn’t fully European, there were so many things that surprised me and were different than what I’ve experienced in any other country. Here are a few of those things! [Read more…]

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Trip Review: St. Petersburg, Russia

In front of the Hermitage/Winter Palace

In my ultimate quest of traveling as much as possible in my life, I always assumed I’d visit Russia *someday*. I certainly never thought it would be this year – until I found out that my cousin, Gillian, would be spending this semester studying abroad in St. Petersburg. Since I would already be in Madrid, which is quite a bit closer to SPB than the U.S., I figured now was the time. [Read more…]

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Day Trip: Madrid to Toledo, Spain

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Madrid to Toledo: One of the easiest day trips from the Spanish capital

While Madrid has plenty to keep you busy, sometimes it’s nice to get out of the city. By taking a short train or bus ride, you can be transported to a different town that will allow you to experience Spanish life in another way. And the best part: You can leave Madrid in the morning or early afternoon and still make it back to your hostel/hotel/home in Madrid by the end of the day.

Toledo is one of the most popular day trips from Madrid, due to its proximity and ease of access. Learn everything you need to know to plan your own trip!
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Top 5 Museums in Amsterdam to Visit

Amsterdam is famous for a lot of things: legalized prostitution and marijuana culture come to mind. But Amsterdam is more than a place to get high and visit the notorious Red Light District. The Netherlands boasts more museums per square mile than any other country in the world, and 92 of them are in Amsterdam. Yep, there are 92 museums in Amsterdam!

Unfortunately, you probably won’t have time to visit all 92 museums during your trip, but I’ve put together a list of the top 5 most-visited museums in the city. [Read more…]

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Day Trip: Brussels to Bruges, Belgium

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Back in 2018, right after I’d moved to Spain to work as a language assistant, I was trying to choose my first weekend trip. Somehow, I came across a €12 flight from Madrid to Brussels, so that pretty much settled it. When I told my friends and co-workers I was going to visit Brussels, I got only one response: “Make sure you go to Bruges, too.”

I’d heard of Bruges, the capital of the Belgian province of West Flanders, but I wasn’t sure whether I’d have time to visit. I only was going to have two days in Belgium, after all. But in the end, I’m glad I decided to make the trip from Brussels to Bruges. Despite the rainy weather, Bruges was a charming little town.

Here’s why you should plan a day trip from Brussels to Bruges — even if you don’t have much time in Brussels.
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