Recently, the blog Uniplaces created a Best Erasmus City competition for students to rate their host city. To my great delight, my own home-away-from-home came out on top- the amazing Madrid! The survey took into consideration factors such as cost of living, nightlife and culture among others, and it was no real surprise that Madrid aced most of them.
Here’s my very own top 10 reasons why the Spanish capital is the best Erasmus city:
1) Student city
Madrid is home to several universities meaning it has links with many other European universities and, more importantly, there is a huge student population. Studying in any of these universities offers you the best of both worlds as you can easily meet both local Spanish students and many other Erasmus students from all over Europe, making this a truly international experience! From my experience, most Erasmus students came from Italy (often due to similarities between the languages) or Germany (often due to the perceived reputation as Spain as a sunny party hub, which, truth be told, it generally is!). There are also significant numbers of French and British students as well as those coming from further afield, for example I made friends from South Korea and the USA.
Tip: For an even better Erasmus experience- think language and cultural exchanges, salsa classes, trips around Spain, and making friends from all over the world- make sure to sign up to your host university’s ESN Madrid (Erasmus Student Network).
2) Heart of Spain
Madrid is often overshadowed by its Catalan counterpart, Barcelona, perhaps because the latter is home to beautiful beaches and many tourists feel there is more to see. Whilst I think Barcelona is a gorgeous city, Madrid has many of its own charms and advantages. One such perk is its location; the capital is the geographical centre of Spain which means that, paired with its super efficient transport networks, you can get from Madrid to pretty much anywhere else in Spain in 6-8 hours depending on whether you go by car, train (RENFE, AVE) or bus (ALSA, Socibus). It is also very easy to get to other places on mainland Europe, for instance I took a bus with ESN from Madrid to Lisbon and took advantage of cheap flights to Morocco, Italy, Germany, and Mallorca- since I come from a tiny island in the Atlantic ocean, the accessibility of these countries from Madrid was like a dream come true for me!
Tip: make the most of Madrid’s central location by exploring other parts of Spain and its neighbouring countries. I recommend using BlaBlaCar (carsharing) as it’s hugely popular in Spain, often faster and more comfortable than going by bus or train, great value for money, and a good way to meet Spanish people.
3) Nightlife
For many students, myself included, one of the most important factors in choosing an Erasmus city is the quality of its nightlife. Madrid certainly doesn’t disappoint in this regard. The Spanish capital really comes to life when the sun goes down with clubs opening until 6am. As most of us already know, Spaniards eat dinner late in the evening and generally go out later than most of their European neighbours, certainly when compared to Northern Ireland where pre-drinks can start as early as 8pm and clubs and bars close when most Spanish parties are only getting started! There is no shortage of bars and clubs in Madrid and there’s something for everyone: Irish pubs (of course) with live music, quirky bars with sand-floors or shishas in the alternative Malasaña and La Latina districts, club nights targetted specifically at Erasmus students, gay bars in Chueca, former theatres-turned-nightclubs, and the famous seven-storey megaclub Kapital which offers a different kind of music and ambiance on each floor. If you want to fit in with the locals after dancing into the small hours of the morning, grab some churros con chocolate at one of the city’s churrerias, the oldest and most famous of which is Chocolatería de San Ginés. Prefer something savoury after a night out? Follow my example and pick up a burrito or tacos from good old Tako Away- there’s nearly always one nearby!
4) Culture and architecture
Madrid is often referred to as home to the Golden Triangle of Art thanks to its three most important art museums: the Prado Museum, the Reina Sofía Museum and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, all of which are situated within walking distance of each other. Between them, they house classical, modern and contemporary art, so there’s something for all art-lovers. My personal favourite is the Prado as it contains some beautiful pre-20th-century paintings, but a trip to the Reina Sofía is essential, if only to see Picasso’s impressively immense Guernica, one of the most moving and symbolic anti-war paintings in history.
In many ways Madrid is a typical cosmopolitan European city, but it has its own special charm. For instance. near the museums is one of the most beautiful buildings I’ve ever laid eyes on: the Palacio de Cibeles (City Hall). As well as being an architectural gem, the building is open to the public for exhibitions and for anyone wishing to get an incredible rooftop view over the city from the observation deck. Another of Madrid’s treasures is the Templo de Debod, a temple given as a gift to Spain from Egypt and the g0-to place for watching some of the most stunning sunsets.
5) Climate
This is an obvious one as Spain is famed for its sunny climate. That being said, it would be false to say that the entire country is sunny all year round and unfortunately, Madrid is no exception. It gets quite cold in Winter, especially in January and February and in the evenings. However, during the rest of the year, the capital has a mild to hot climate, especially from April-September, and it rains very little, which is a more than we can ask for in the UK and Ireland! In Summer, temperatures start to soar into the 30s and 40s which can be uncomfortable at times, especially since Madrid isn’t near the sea. However, overall I, as someone from rainy and 4-seasons-in-one-day Northern Ireland, loved the weather in Madrid- I didn’t even mind the few days when it did rain as I knew it wasn’t going to last long before the sun made a reappearance! Probably one of the things I miss most about living in Spain is feeling the sun on my face almost everyday…
6) Food and alcohol
Another bonus point for Madrid is its diverse foods and cheap alcoholic beverages. From traditional Spanish and Madrileño dishes like tapas, tortilla española and cocido madrileño (a delicious chickpea-based stew from Madrid) to Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, and Indian specialities, as well as a range of vegetarian and vegan restaurants (see https://jazminternational.com/?p=109), Madrid is a food-lover’s paradise. Pair these dishes with a fruity sangria or refreshing tinto de verano with friends on a restaurant terrace for the perfect Spanish food experience.
7) Shopping
Madrid’s main shopping streets can be found in the centre along Gran Vía and Fuencarral. They offer everything from designer labels and highstreet brands to more alternative clothes stores. My personal favourites were H&M as well as stores we don’t yet have in Belfast like Bershka and Stravidarius. For something really unique, wander around the Malasaña district which is laden with cute charity shops and other quirky stores.
Tip: Don’t miss the recently-opened Gran Vía Primark store, which is the biggest in mainland Europe!
8) Teaching jobs
If you fancy making a bit of money in your free time, there is no shortage of demand for private languages tutors in the Spanish capital, especially for English- and German-speakers. During my Erasmus in Madrid, I taught children between the ages of 6 and 15 in one-on-one classes in their homes and made 15 euros per hour. Depending on how much teaching exeperience you have, you could be making from 10 to over 20 euros an hour as well as being able to add valuable skills to your CV.
Tip: Check Facebook groups with names like ‘Auxiliares de conversación en Madrid’ for people looking for private tutors. Also, once you get your first tutoring job, families are often more than happy to pass on your contact to their friends, meaning you can teach more and earn more.
9) Leisure activities
It’s hard to get bored in a city as lively as Madrid. Be it a boat ride in the stunning Retiro Park or a stroll along the Manzanares River away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre, or a day at the amusement park in Casa del Campo, or even a trip to one of the many theatres on Gran Vía, there’s something to do everyday in this exciting city.
10) Football
Football fans will know that Madrid is home to fierce rivals Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid and the city really comes alive when either team has a match, and especially when they play against each other. On top of that, the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium is easily accessible from the city centre. Even I was starstruck when I saw the Real Madrid players coming off their bus in Sol, so true football fans will be in their element here!
See the Uniplaces Best Erasmus City results here: http://blog.uniplaces.com/best-erasmus-city/
