The Girl Who Goes

independent, intentional travel

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The 5 Best Places for Scenic Views of Madrid

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One of the best views of Madrid.

I’m always looking for scenic views. Not only do they make great pics for Instagram, but there’s just something about seeing a place from a different perspective. Especially in a big city like Madrid, it’s hard to fully appreciate the sheer size of the city when you’re simply walking the streets. So, if you like good views like I do — and assuming you’re not afraid of heights — I’ve put together a list of the 5 best places for scenic views of Madrid. [Read more…]

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Top 5 Things to Do in Valencia, Spain

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Plaza de Arzobispo, Valencia

Hi, friends! Do you ever lay in bed, late at night, when you’re supposed to be sleeping… and decide to creep on your own Instagram? Like scroll way back? Well, I was doing that a few days ago — looking through all my posts since I got to Spain. And I came across a post from Valencia! And then it hit me… I never wrote a post about my time in Valencia.

It was in April, on the same trip I went to Palma de Mallorca with my friend Morgan, but it’s not hard to remember! Valencia was a great city, so I thought it would be fun to finally write about it now. Better late than never, right?

So… here are 5 of the best things to do in Valencia. [Read more…]

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Day Trip: Bilbao to San Sebastián, Spain

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One of San Sebastián’s islands

When I visited Bilbao for the first time in November 2019, it wasn’t the only place I went. At the suggestion of friends — and the fact that I always want to visit more places in Spain — I decided to spend a day in San Sebastián. Though this city is relatively small, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to visit a coastal city in the north. And it’s only 15 miles from the French border! I was curious if/how that would factor into the city’s culture.

I arrived in San Sebastián in the evening and spent the night so I’d have all of the next day there. But if you have a little less time, I think you could arrive early in the morning and leave late at night and still have a good experience. Anyway, if you want to go from Bilbao to San Sebastián, here’s what you need to know!

[Read more…]

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Top 7 Things to Do in Bilbao, Spain

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After living in Spain for a year and visiting lots of different regions, I finally made it up north for the first time! I had always heard from others that País Vasco — Basque Country — was different from the other parts of Spain that I was used to, so I was really excited to visit. I based my trip in the largest Basque city, Bilbao, with a day trip to San Sebastián.

So after my time in Bilbao, here are 7 things you have to do when you visit! [Read more…]

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Auxiliares de Conversacion Guide – Madrid 2019 (Part III)

Hi all! We’re t-minus 6 days away from the start of the auxiliar school year now… and I’ll be arriving back in Madrid on Monday! First, I’m going to a wedding in New Hampshire this weekend, which is going to be a great reunion with a bunch of friends I don’t get to see enough. And I’ll head straight to Madrid (via London) from Boston, and straight to work the next day 😉

I’ve had an amazing couple of months at home, but part of me is itching to get back to my constant jet-setting life and the stability of my daily life. Also, I’ve missed the kids A TON. I can’t wait to see how much they’ve grown! [Read more…]

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Auxiliares de Conversacion Guide – Madrid 2019 (Part II): TIE Application and Empadronamiento

When the bureaucracy makes you want to SCREAM (and it will), try to remember why you moved to this beautiful, maddening, country in the first place.

Here it is – the continuation of last week’s post about getting settled in Madrid as an auxiliar de conversación for the upcoming school year.

(Side note: I left for Spain one year ago tomorrow! That’s loco.) But anyway, let’s keep rolling with the need-to-knows.

All right, once the apartment search is done, you’ll need to start working on establishing your legal status in Spain. Disclaimer: this is a total pain in the ass, and it will continue to be one for the entire duration of your time in Madrid. But it needs to be done. [Read more…]

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Auxiliares de Conversacion Guide – Madrid 2019 (Part I)

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I’m about halfway into my “summer break” here in the U.S., but the start of the school year in Spain is fast approaching. It’s crazy to think: one year ago at this time, I was a week away from the big move to Madrid. With nowhere to live and no idea what I was really getting myself into, I couldn’t be happier with how my first year turned out.

But it got me thinking about the newest round of auxiliares who are starting to arrive in Spain right about now. Especially in the big cities, it’s crucial to get a head start on the apartment hunt before the droves of university students start moving in. So I thought I could put together a little “survival guide” for new auxiliares. [Read more…]

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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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7 Questions I Still Have After Living in Madrid for 10 Months

My most frequent question: WHY?

In keeping with the theme I’ve had going – 7 Things I’ve Learned from Living in Madrid for 10 Days and 7 Things I’ve Learned from Living in Madrid for 10 Weeks – I have a special edition of this post to commemorate the 10-month mark.

Instead of focusing on things I’ve learned, I want to focus on the questions I still have. Questions that, apparently, almost a year in Spain could not answer. [Read more…]

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The 7 Best European Summer Drinks

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It may have only been “officially” summer for a week, but here in Spain and most of Western Europe, we’re already in the middle of a bad heatwave. Temperatures of 102°F (39°C) for days on end may be normal in Missouri and other parts of the U.S., but it’s so much worse without one key American luxury: home air conditioning.

With a high of 109°F, I’ve spent the last 5 days bouncing from one air-conditioned cafe to another, chugging iced coffee by the gallon where I could find it and trying to avoid my stifling 4th-floor piso. Iced coffee isn’t a particularly Spanish drink, though. But it got me thinking about the summer drinks that are popular throughout different European countries. So if you’re visiting Europe this summer, hopefully these European summer drinks can help keep you cool — air conditioning or not. [Read more…]