¡Hola!
One of my favorite parts of the study abroad program has been the opportunity to go outside of Barcelona to further my knowledge of the culture of Spain. While I didn’t really have the chance to travel to farther parts of Spain such as Seville or Valencia, I chose to travel to smaller areas that are located only about 30 minutes to 2 hours away from Barcelona by train. This allowed me to get super familiar with the Spanish train system and with the other regions of Catalonia that aren’t heard about as often as Barcelona. Among the places I visited with my friends are Tarragona, Sitges, Girona, and Toledo, which is actually outside of Madrid. I found that these areas usually have a lot less English speakers because there are less tourists and come off as a lot more authentic. Although Barcelona has numerous impressive cultural aspects, some parts of the city feel like a spectacle created for the tourists; these other places typically remain true to their culture,
making them more enjoyable to explore and appreciate. This is also where I think the importance of being a respectful tourist comes in; it is important to treat another culture with respect and behave properly among the locals and the new setting, especially in areas in which tourism is not prevalent. By doing so, my friends and I were able to meet some amazing locals and have insightful conversations with them as they were usually eager to speak with us despite our lack of fluency in Spanish.
Some of my best memories are from these day trips outside of Barcelona (which consisted of being on our feet for 12 hours to make the most of the day). Each trip included different styles of architecture, foods, art, landscapes, views, and people. While I have yet to visit the rest of Spain, I think I can say that I have most of Catalonia covered and it was one of the most rewarding decisions I made during the program.
A Roman arena in Tarragona
My friends and I in Toledo
The beautiful view from a bridge in Girona