Experience in Madrid

What's it like to live in Madrid? Do you recommend it? How is the city?

Madrid is a really fantastic city. I'm lucky to have been born, lived and worked there for several summers and I have to admit that it's undoubtedly my favourite Spanish city. It is the typical city that never sleeps and for students there are always things to do. The cultural offer is very wide, since there are a lot of museums and if you are a student you always have discounts and advantages. For foreign people I think it is a fantastic city, with very good communications both within the city and with other nearby cities. I believe that if I were a foreigner and wanted to live in Spain, I would certainly live in Madrid.

Students in Madrid

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Of course I recommend it!

If you are looking for something and can't find it in Madrid... it can't be found anywhere, Barcelona is the most similar to Madrid in that sense, and naturally by size and population, but Madrid for me has something that Barcelona does not, it is a matter of the "feeling" or something like that, I would not know how to give many good reasons. I have lived in both cities (in fact I now live in Barcelona) and I prefer Madrid without a doubt.

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Madrid is a world-class city, it has everything and whenever you want it. Parties, culture, good universities, sport, the selection of exhibitions and concerts is superb... Going out for a few beers in the center of Madrid is something so Spanish... In size it is the largest in Spain with more than 3 million people, well ahead of the others.

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How's student life in Madrid?

In Madrid there are environments of all kinds and of course there is a great student atmosphere. You can find people of all nationalities, and are sure to find people like you, with the same tastes and interests. In Spain, they go to grab a bite to eat or drink after class and the Spanish people will of course welcome you, doesn't matter which university you go to. To the Spanish people (just like everyone else), they like to talk about their food and especially about how beautiful Spain is, if you do this with your Spanish classmates you will earn them as friends, and once you have friends I assure you that you will want to spend time with Spaniards.

What's the cost of living like in Madrid?

Life in Madrid is expensive, it is still the capital and prices are high as well as salaries, but if you look hard you can always find something near the center or your area of choice that doesn't cost too much. For less than 350 euros a month I doubt very much that you can find a room, since a simple place usually comes to 1. 000 or 1, 200 euros per month. And of course the cheapest option is to flatshare. Compared with most of Europe, food shopping is not very expensive, but it will also set you back another 40-50 euros a week, which a month adds up to another 200 euros or so. After that you have to add the public transport, living costs (clothes, bills, Internet, telephone... ) and of course the one big dent into your budget... "social life", which is very important for students and amongst young people. In total you can get by on 700 euros a month, taking into account all the expenses you have. If you are one of those who will be moving house... your Erasmus will be expensive.

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The good thing about Madrid and Spain as a whole, is that the prices are generally lower than the rest of Europe, so foreign students won't have money problems.

Was it hard to find accommodation in Madrid? Do you have any advice?

I never struggled to find a flat in Madrid, because when I'm in the capital I go home to my parents, so I can not give much advice about it. But I know many friends who have found a flat with no problem, especially when it comes to finding flats to share. There are many rooms free, the case is to find one that fits your needs at a price that you are willing to pay.

How is the country's food? What are your favourite dishes?

To me, Spanish food is the best, with many dishes and traditional products which are different to what is available in the rest of Europe and the world. Off the top of my head, some of them include serrano ham, Spanish omelette, paella or a good Madrid-style stew.

Paella

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Serrano ham

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What places do you recommend visiting in Madrid?

There are many corners of Madrid to discover, but I will tell you the most important and unmissable of those; Retiro Park, the Royal Palace, of course Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol square, Debod Temple, the Prado Museum, Plaza Cibeles, the San Miguel Market, Puerta Alcalá, and the Santiago Bernabeu football stadium.

Puerta del Sol

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A picture of Debod temple, one of Madrid's more surprising landmarks.

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What about eating out in Madrid? Can you tell us your favourite places?

There is no better way to eat in Madrid than going for tapas in one of the many bars in the capital. I especially like 'El Tigre' and 'La Llama', which are both tapas bars where it is difficult to get in and almost impossible to sit down. You have to go with patience and time to spare, but the quality / quantity / price ratio is practically unmatched. A basic thing, go to Madrid and eat at a McDonald's or in a Burger King, having the Plaza Mayor where you'll find the best squid sandwiches... Visit the bar 'La Campana'.

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La Campana

What places do you recommend for a night out in Madrid?

I've never been a fan of large nightclubs. If this is what you're after you could go to 'Kapital', 'Fabric' and others like that, but I don't think this is the kind of vibe that an Erasmus student looks for in Madrid or anywhere else in the world. Later on I'm going to write an entry about the best areas to go out in in Madrid and there I'll talk about the capital's bars, but for now I'll just say that in the Chueca neighbourhood, you'll find loads of foreigners.

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Or the Princesas area, where all the younger people go. Anyway, going out in Madrid until the small hours of the morning does not interest me, but to each their own.

It's not so much partying, instead it's more drinking, but going to some of the bars / rooftops in downtown Madrid are worth it.

Do you have any advice for student's coming to Madrid?

You can't know all of Madrid within a week, and anyone who says this really does not know anything about the capital. It is one of those cities where you have to know how to find the right place, away from the big monuments that everyone visits and wants to photograph. It is a lively city, yes, live, so try to experience it to the fullest. Do not stay at home, even if it rains or is cold, because there is always something to do and if you are going to host visitors, take advantage of that to discover new bars, new terraces, new tapas, new corners or the city and new people. I hope you enjoy Madrid to the fullest, I hope to be able to live there in the near future.

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Photo gallery