Best Ways to Travel Around Barcelona and Spain
Best Ways to Travel Around Barcelona and Spain
There are many reasons why Barcelona is one of the most popular study abroad locations in the world. For starters, it has one of the best public transportation systems, and trust us when we say you will definitely use it as a student living in the city. Instead of just using it to get to class and back, you should also take advantage of it as a way to see all the sights that Spain has to offer!
Barcelona’s metro system is fast, dependable, and punctual, making it a typically painless way to travel. Want to go somewhere that isn’t on the metro? We recommend looking at trains, and taxis. Barcelona has a very low taxi rate compared to other cities abroad and who doesn’t love saving money?
It’s easy to get wrapped up in the wonders of Barcelona, but don’t forget about the rest of Spain! Each city in Spain is different and offers its own cultural experience. You won’t want to miss the capital, Madrid, which is between a 2.5-3 hour train ride away from Barcelona. For all of you soccer fans reading this, visiting Madrid is the PERFECT opportunity to catch a home game for Real Madrid C.F. with your friends!
Other cities and popular study abroad destinations you may want to visit include Seville, Granada, and Salamanca. When looking to travel to these destinations, it may be more time-effective to fly in some cases. Make sure you do your research if you want to fit a trip into a weekend. For example, a fast train from Barcelona to Sevilla will take you about 6 hours, whereas a flight is only an hour and a half, and only costs slightly more than the train ticket. Make sure to pick the travel itinerary that fits your needs!
If the beach in Barcelona alone isn’t enough for you, you can take a quick trip out to the Balearic Islands, just off Barcelona’s coast. Ibiza is a short, cheap, hour-long flight away on budget airline RyanAir, or you can opt for a 9-hour ferry ride. Again, remember to pick what works for you… there’s no sense in taking a 9-hour ferry ride if you can’t sit still and dislike boats just because it saves you some money.
Palma de Majorca is another great island to visit, just East of Ibiza, and also about a 1 hour plane ride from Barcelona. With fantastic beaches and breathtaking views, you can’t lose while checking out either one of these islands!
Spain has something for everyone, as every region has different experiences to offer. You can climb mountains, lounge on the beach, explore expansive cities, or relax in quiet, quaint towns. Make sure to take advantage of the full Spanish experience during your time abroad, and make use of all the local transportation system Spain has to offer!