Experience in Madrid, Spain by Alejandra

What is it like to live in Madrid? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

Madrid is a fantastic city to live in. It is a cosmopolitan city where you can find the perfect mix of international environment, an interesting history behind the city but also the country (Spain) and many places to visit; I would highly recommend living in Madrid at least for a few months.

What is the student lifestyle like in Madrid?

You can't leave without travelling around. Start with the Spanish cities such as Sevilla, Toledo, Barcelona, Salamanca and Granada.

How much does it cost to live in Madrid?

Public transportation is very good so if you don't mind the time that you are going to spend on it everyday to go to classes, and also there is a public transport card which costs 20 euros per month and allows you to travel by bus, train or metro for the 30 days.

Regarding the food, it depends on the places you go to eat, but if you look at the internet it is easy to find cheap tapas/ restaurants with excellent food.

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Madrid? Is there any advice you can give?

When looking for housing, you can either rent una habitación (a bedroom) from people who already have the piso (apartment), or rent a whole piso with others. The habitación might be in an apartment of students or workers, I would recommend it if you are a student.

I would also suggest using the interwebs to enhance your search, there are many webs on the Internet. And also a good way to find accommodation is the Erasmus account where you can find exchange students in the same situation as you who are also looking for apartaments to share or even roommates.

What places would you recommend visiting in Madrid?

Whether you want to explore historic sites, gourmet restaurants, world-renown artworks, a heart-pumping nightlight or boutique shops, Madrid has it all. Here’s a guide to the best places to visit and top things to do in Madrid; to visit the Museo del Prado, Parque del Retito, Gran via stores, Plaza Mayor de Madrid, Templo de Debod, Puerta del sol, Madrid cathedral, Plaza de Oriente, Parque Europa, Mercado San Miguel, Queen Sofia art center, eating and drinking in Tapas restaurants, Rastro flea market and also visting the Bernabeu Stadium.

Source

Is it good to eat out in Madrid? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

Going out for lunch or dinner in Madrid without spending a fortune is possible when you know where to find the deals; the streets of Malasaña and La Latina are perfect for cheap prices and good tapas combination.

Source

Is the nightlife good in Madrid? Where is good to go?

The nightlife in Madrid is awesome; if a night out dancing is more your thing, you're also spoiled for choice. You'll hear a lot of talk about Kapital pumping out house and dance music in its seven floors and also Gabana club specially for its famous djs. And indie kids won't be disappointed at Independance Club or Ocho y Medio.

If you are not into the disco life there are many bars with music at the streets of the Malasaña neighbourhood and la Latina. When you talk about Madrid's gay centre, you're talking about Chueca, where the bars, shops, clubs, and shops mostly focus on the gay community living in the area and always welcome the respectfully visitants.