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Trip Report
Studying in Salamanca, Spain
One month in Salamanca, Spain for a study abroad with The University of Massachusetts. Lived with host family but only for housing and food. Everything else was with school program.
Highs & Lows
Meeting up at The Plaza Mayor and going out with my friends. Also, witnessing the sunset at the Templo de Debod.
COVID-19 changed my itinerary. Could not go to Portugal or Seville.
Itinerary Overview
Salamanca Study abroad, practice Spanish
Most of my time in Spain was spent in Salamanca. My class schedule went a little something like this: 8 am-2 pm classes, siesta from 2-3 pm, free time from 3-7 pm, dinner and drinks 8-10 pm. I had to adjust to this schedule but after a while, I enjoyed it because it made the day seem longer and it didn't feel like I wasted any time. It was also interesting that Sunday was a day of rest which meant everything was closed including grocery stores and restaurants. The city itself was quaint and had a lot of history. I appreciated that it was also less touristy than some other Spanish cities. My only complaint is that the food consisted of only meats, cheeses, and bread. It would not be impossible to find vegetables or fruits, but it was not directly offered.
Royal Palace of Madrid For tourism
After studying in Salamanca, a few of my friends and I decided to stay a bit longer in Madrid before heading home since we were already in the country. We visited the Prado museum, as well as the Reina Sofia museum. We also signed up for a flamenco show which was one of the highlights of Madrid. Finally, we managed to squeeze a day trip in to take a train into Toledo, which reminded me a lot of Italian streets.
Toledo Tourism
Toledo was an hour or so train ride from Madrid, but we had to wake up at 7am to make most of the trip. When we arrived, we had to hike up to the actual city. The streets were very narrow, and we had to stand against the building surfaces when cars passed by because there was not enough space for both people and cars. Overall, a beautiful city that reminded me of Itay with its own flair.
Q & A
What would you have changed?
I would have changed parts of the day when in Madrid. We did a lot but we had no time for breaks in between which was incredibly draining.Anything go wrong during the trip?
COVID-19 affected my first host family of twelve members. Eventually, I had to move to another host family household but it was fine.Restaurant recommendations?
The food was very meat and cheese based. Delicious, but I eventually felt like I needed a change of diet which included vegetables or fruits.Tips you would give a friend?
I would tell a friend to take a siesta when given the chance. It helped boost my energy in between school and going out.Packing tips?
Pack moisturizer because it gets really dry in Salamancan heat. Also, comfortable walking shoes is so important because you will be walking every single day.Transportation Tips?
Walking is really the best mode of transportation, unless traveling to a different city. In which case, utilize the trains. But I ended up walking 11,000 steps each day which I didn't even notice.Any surprises?
What surprised me was that bars and clubs opened until about 3am following Spanish customs of eating dinner at around 10pm and drinking until late.Booking details?
In terms of housing, everything was done through the program.
Lodging
Host family provided by UMASS (through the API program)
Central Palace hotel - I cannot recommend this hotel more, it faced the Palacio Real and was in a great location where we could walk to any attraction. The manager was very accommodating to our every needs. It was also surprisingly on the cheaper side. One of the best hotel experiences I've ever had!