<p>Last minute deciding to do a study abroad this spring and need to apply soon!</p>
<p>I am primarily interested in Sevilla, Valencia, and Madrid, and was wondering if you could offer me your advice in choosing a location, although I am open to other locations as well. I am looking to experience authentic Spanish culture and become fluent in Spanish. I would like a lot to do and see, friendly people, good food, beautiful architecture. Pluses for me are museums, the beach, festivals and other celebrations, good weather, a fun nightlife, and access to other cities as well as transit to other counties (whether by train, plane, bus to a city with an airport, whatever as long as it doesn't take excessive amounts of time or money). </p>
<p>Sevilla and Barcelona are the most culturally rich, imho. Are you with a program? Going on your own? How long will you be there? Travelling outside Spain will take a long time and be expensive, there is plenty within for a semester.</p>
<p>Hi there! Those are all great spots, but if Spanish proficiency is a primary goal for you, I’d suggest Seville or a place like Salamanca (home of Castilian Spanish and the oldest university in Spain). I work at a study abroad program provider (API study abroad) and would be happy to tell you more about our programs if you are interested :)</p>
<p>Of your “pluses” which one is Most important to you? </p>
<p>For musemus, it’s Madrid. Madrid also has a great night life!</p>
<p>For the beach, it’s Valencia. (Been there, don’t like it - I would choose Alicante or Malaga for the beach, and Alicante has a great night life - and festivals. In the summer you have Hogueras, and several Moros y Cristianos festivals in and around Alicante)</p>
<p>Seville I haven’t been to, but I know that Seville’s archtectural heritage is almost unbeatable and I have heard good things- if you want to be in “typical Spain” that looks like the pictures you see, Seville would be a great choce. Remember, it’s an oven in the summer time!</p>
<p>(Ok, going to Seville is now on my list of things to do…)</p>
<p>Getting around in Spain is not free, but it is less expensive than in other European countries. Also, you have Ryan Air, which I can’t stand - but I have a friend who has Several times gotten tickets between Germany and Spain for 20 or 50 euros - yes, I swear, she got tickets for that cheap!</p>
<p>But you can’t do it unless you plan ahead…</p>
<p>So, my two cents: choose Madrid or Seville!</p>
<p>I have recently returned from Spain and can tell you that there are many beautiful cities/suburbs. Having stayed in a modest suburban community with a host family, I will tell you that staying in the big city of Madrid or Barcelona will not make your experience any more satisfying. As long as you are surrounded by Spanish 24/7, your language abilities will improve drastically.</p>
<p>Obviously, Madrid is beautiful. It is so culturally and historically rich; you will have no problem finding a bunch of museums or shows that might interest you. The one drawback about Madrid is that there is a lot of tourism, and tourism brings a lot of English influence to the environment. When I went to Madrid, I found that most people could speak some degree of English, and were more willing to speak with a foreigner in English than in Spanish. If you are particularly interested in art, Madrid is great! But I would advise against it.</p>
<p>As previous posters have said, Salamanca is a great place to study! There are a ton of international students at the university that you can get in touch with, if you need a break from the Spanish. It is always good to have a support system like that. It is also a beautiful city architecturally and very historical.</p>
<p>My personal recommendation for you is to study in Burgos. It is a small, yet beautiful and spunky city with a ton of character and a very rich history. I strongly recommend anyone to stay in Burgos, as it is the perfect balance between city and suburb.</p>