The Girl Who Goes

independent, intentional travel

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Day Trip: Madrid to San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain

If you go from Madrid to El Escorial, you’ll be rewarded with this view

During my first visit to Spain in 2016, San Lorenzo de El Escorial was one of my three day trips from Madrid. (Segovia and Toledo were the other ones.) If you’re interested in Spanish or European history — history that certainly goes back further than the United States’ 200-something years — San Lorenzo de El Escorial is a good place to visit. It’s also the starting point for the journey to the Valle de los Caídos, or Valley of the Fallen, if you’re planning to make that trip independent of a tour group.

Learn everything you need to know about this popular — if slightly underrated — day trip. Here’s how to get from Madrid to El Escorial. [Read more…]

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Day Trip: Madrid to Segovia, Spain

Segovia Cathedral

Segovia Cathedral crowning the city

I actually can’t believe I hadn’t written this post yet! The first time I visited Madrid — back in 2016 — Segovia was my first day trip I took out of the capital. I’d learned about this impressive city during one of my college Spanish classes, and I knew I had to see it for myself. Once I moved here in the fall, it was again the first day trip I took. I couldn’t wait to see it again. When Matt came to visit, I took him. And I’m planning to bring some of my future visitors there as well!

Along with Toledo, Segovia is actually one of the fastest and easiest day trips from Madrid. So if you want to plan your own trip from Madrid to Segovia, here’s everything you need to know! [Read more…]

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Side Trip: Madrid to Valladolid, Spain

side street madrid to valladolid spain

A bright side street I saw during my trip from Madrid to Valladolid

Valladolid was a city I’d been hoping to visit, sooner or later. It’s the city where my favorite Spanish professor, Heidi — the one who had the greatest impact on my Spanish history, culture, and language education — had studied abroad during college, and she’d always talked about it during class.

Well, guess what? Heidi’s husband, Tony, also a Spanish professor, is leading a study abroad group in Valladolid this summer! Which meant that Heidi, Tony, and their 5-year-old daughter Rosalie would only be a few hours away from me for the entire month of July. I hadn’t seen Heidi since my graduation 4 years ago, so I knew we needed to meet up. Also, I’d been telling my friend Sarah — who is about to start a Master’s program to become a Spanish teacher — about Heidi all year. Heidi told me she’d be happy to meet the two of us in Valladolid and give us a tour! [Read more…]

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How to Get to Valle de los Caídos, Spain

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A view of Valle de los Caídos

Funny story: a half-baked version of this article about Valle de los Caídos has been sitting in my “drafts” folder since April 29, 2017. That was only a week or two after I started this blog. I knew it was a topic I wanted to cover — it fits well with my theme of independent, intentional travel — but I couldn’t remember all the necessary details from my trip to write the article that I wanted.

So, now that I’m in Spain full-time, I recently had the opportunity to go back to this interesting place. Since I was bringing friends with me this time, I was wishing I’d finished the article two years ago so I could go back and read it. (Didn’t want to get us lost.) But once again, the trip was successful.
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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…]