Everywhere I Traveled During My Semester Abroad

One of the reasons I decided on Spain for my semester abroad was so I could take advantage of the short flights and train access to travel around Europe while I was there. It was an incredible opportunity to be somewhere surrounded by so much history and culture, and with so many interesting places I could go, I had to visit a bunch!

Sevilla was the perfect home base for my semester abroad! I loved classes at the University of Sevilla, and I made lots of friends to travel and study with. One of my favorite places in Sevilla was without a doubt the Maria Luisa park. One of my childhood friends studied abroad in Barcelona, and when she came to visit Sevilla, we tried to name a better park that we have ever visited—to no avail.

Sevilla has a perfect balance of Spanish charm and being a walkable, bustling city. I had a great time living in my host home, visiting museums like Bellas Artes and the Flamenco Museum, dining with friends by the river, and walking around the beautiful city as the sun sets. It was also an amazing time period to be in Sevilla, as we got to watch the oranges ripen and fall, the flowers bloom around every street corner, and join in for the holidays like Día de Andalucía, Feria, and Semana Santa.

We did Córdoba and Granada as a weekend trip. On the first leg of the trip in Córdoba, I crossed paths with friends from my class in other programs in the famous Mosque Cathedral, ate delicious authentic falafel, and of course we all touched the statue of Maimonedes for academic luck. Then we took the bus to Granada, where we explored the scenic, beautiful, and deceptively huge Alhambra and hiked to see the view of it under the stars from a lookout atop a mountainside. Quite a surprise hike, but absolutely worth the view!

Gibraltar was an awesome day trip! We got to drive up the side of the Rock of Gibraltar, see wild monkeys, the illuminated cave system, and we could even spy the coast of Africa from the shore. We had fish and chips and even went by the place where John Lennon and Yoko Ono got married. There were U.K. flags all around, and everyone there had a mix of a Spanish-English accent, which was so cool to hear. It was overall so interesting being able to go from one country and back in the same day, and I got to get closer with a lot of my WorldStrides friends!

Our semester has a few longer breaks—opportunities for longer travel! For our first break, my friends and I decided to go to Italy. We spent the first few days in Rome and Vatican City exploring the Colosseum, Pantheon, Roman Forum, sharing an amazing pizza, and even seeing the Pope from afar! Then we took a scenic train ride across Italy and over the water to Venice, where we wandered the streets eating pastries and sightseeing in raincoats. We were sure to catch a quick gondola ride, see the Ponte di Rialto bridge, and the Piazza de San Marco! It was such a special, exciting trip.

Then I had the opportunity to go with WorldStrides to Morocco, my first time in Africa! We toured multiple cities, like Rabat, Fez, Meknes, Erfoud, and Merzouga. In the cities we weaved through packed markets like the Medina of Fez, saw huge storks nesting on the corners of tall buildings, viewed the gates of the Palace, went into stores lined with rugs, smelled traditional herbs and medicines, and even saw a belly-dancing show.

But my favorite parts were probably the times we spent in the desert. We were picked up in off road vehicles to cross sandy dunes to the Berber haima camp in the Sahara. Over meals we got to listen to the locals perform traditional music and dances, receive intricate henna tattoos, and have the experience of a lifetime bundled in scarves scurrying amidst a real sandstorm. I learned a lot from the whole experience. By the end, we all went home with mint tea, fresh cinnamon, colorful rugs, ancient fossils, and plenty of sand in our shoes.

The trip to Portugal was one of my favorites for sure. We adventured through the streets of Lisbon, stopping at countless cute stores owned by friendly small artists and creatives, and as always, stopping in the afternoon for a scoop or two of gelato. We toured the most famous buildings and sites with WorldStrides, like the Belem Tower, the Jeronimos Monastery, and the home of some of the best and oldest pasteis de nata tarts at the Pasteis de Belem bakery. We went to the beach through the gate at the Commerce Square, and jammed with the street performers. We admired the 25th of April bridge over the Tagus River, and watched sailboats speed by the Monument to the Discoveries. Then, in Evora, we saw The Chapel of Bones and enjoyed lunch in the sunny plaza. It was a great time!

For my last long weekend, I was sure to visit Madrid and Barcelona. My friend and I took the train from the Santa Justa station to Madrid first, and it was a beautiful train ride as we watched the sunrise. We spent the day mostly in the Prado museum and the Reina Sofia museum, stopping around for snacks and souvenirs. That night, we hopped back on another train for Barcelona to spend the night in our hostel (which was at the top of a mountain with an amazing view of the city). The next few days we spent at numerous Gaudi museums, tasty brunch spots, and plenty of walking. We really enjoyed the MOCO, MEAM, and the art market in the Gothic Quarter. It was a super fun trip being able to spend time with my friend in the cities, and a bittersweet return to Sevilla, knowing the next time I left it I would be leaving my semester abroad.

I highly recommend that during your trip abroad, you take advantage of where you are and the opportunities that are available to you. There is no rush to immediately travel elsewhere after arriving, and I suggest you take the first couple weeks at least to adjust to your surroundings, school, new friends and new home. Then you can plan to travel with your new buds!

Overall, my semester abroad was incredible and filled with memories of long lasting friendships and once in a lifetime experiences. I am so glad I was able to go to so many amazing places, and I can’t wait for my next travel adventure!