Madrid: The Start of the Erasmus Year

Hey guys! How's everyone doing? So yeah, almost 3 weeks here in Madrid. It's starting to get a bit colder, much to most peoples dismay. I mean, you can still go through your day with 20-25 degrees, which, for an Irish person, is our summer. It's about the second week of university too and still I'm confused about where I'm going and stuff like that, but I'm taking it all in stride. So, being in Madrid this far, I've discovered some things that I think are worth sharing for those of you who are considering visiting this beautiful city. Things that are must tries and must sees.

Here are a few things that I found interesting and want to share with you guys!

1. The Amazing Palacio de Cibiles: On my first few days here in Madrid, I walked through the Plaza de Cibiles numerous times, gazing at the sheer size of this incredible building. The Palacio de Cibiles is an emblem of Madrid. One of its incredible landmarks and something worth seeings. On one particular afternoon, on the first Wednesday of September, a couple of my friends and I took the opportunity to climb to the top terrace of the Palacio de Cibiles and gaze out over the city of Madrid. The view was absolutely one of a kind. The hustle of the people down below as they went about their business, the statue of Nike on top of the Metropolis building clouded by shadow, giving light to a massive Rolex logo and a 360 degree
   
   panoramic view of the city and sometimes its surrounding communes. Another cool sight to see once on top of the Palacio de Cibilies is the amount of Spanish flags, billowing gently with the breeze. On a separate occasion, whilst going through Madrid after the sun had set, I walked through the Plaza de Cibiles and past the Banco de España and the Palacio de Cibilies was illuminated and basking in a purple glow, making the building look extra extravagant and super eye-catching. Another amazing thing about the Palacio de Cibiles is that you can also dine there too. Personally, I have not eaten there, but I have yet to try it out (And when I do, you guys will be the first to know!). According to some reviews, the terrace on the 6th floor of the Palacio serves high
   
   quality food which isn't too expensive and the glow from the sun gives an amazing atmosphere. If there is one thing I recommend you seeing whilst staying in Madrid, its checking out the Palacio and its amazing views. They are really one of a kind!
2. Walking Madrid at Night: I highly recommend this one! One one particular day last week, my roommate and I decided to go and see what the center of Madrid was like during that night, whether it was quite, or there was something on, but mostly to try and take pictures in the
   
   moonlight. We started by getting out at Banco de España metro station (Line 2) and decided to start out night with a nice drink. Feeling slightly homesick, our choice ended up being The James Joyce Irish Bar, the same place I visited with my family back at the beginning of this adventure. I always enjoy going into The James Joyce Bar, the staff are friendly, the drinks are on point, the food always hits the spot and the atmosphere actually gives an Irish feel to it. We sat and drank our drinks for a little while until it was starting to get late. So off we went back towards Banco de España, looking at all the buildings glowing in florescence. It was really cool to see and it was a quieter time of evening also. The metro stations were lit up, the evening crowd were sitting and enjoying their drinks while in conversation. The evening has a nice feeling to it in Madrid. As we walked up, passing Sevilla station and getting on to the Gran Via, the night was coming alive. We made our way towards Sol and took pictures along the way. The Gran Via was electric with the sound of people. The streets were glowing from the lit up buildings and were alive with activity. We then continued through Gran Via and down towards Sol. I love Sol at night. It's busy. There are always a nice crowd around, give or take the promoters trying to get you into their nightclubs, but it's never
   
   
   dull in Sol. The infamous Tío Pepe sign looms over the square, which is quite cool too. On towards Opera, the street towards the Palacio Real is always such a nice street. There is so much to see and nice shops along the way. And then it opens up into the Opera plaza where the Teatro Real is. People sit around the square and it, as well, is a great atmosphere. I do highly recommend walking Madrid in the evening between sunset and nighttime as it gives the best authentic atmosphere to your Madrid experience. Amazing buildings, amazing activity and never a dull night. 
3. Gastronomy: It wouldn't be a Student Traveller blog post without a mention of food. And as I write this, my stomach is speaking to me. "Hurry up and feed me", I assume. But here in Madrid, I find the range of cuisine and gastro-outlets to be something magnificent. I'm a lover of food. It's an emotional experience for me. From tapas bars, to paella restaurants, Latin
   
   American bistros, European eateries and many many more. I am always happy to try some place new in Madrid. But some places leave such a lasting impression that you can't forget. And some places are good and are a good value for money. One of my legit favorite places in Madrid to eat right now is "100 Montaditos". Especially on Wednesday and Sundays! 100 Montaditos offers a variety of different foods, they come the size of tapas, they fill you and are an amazing value for money. Walking in to a Montaditos with €5, you can eat and drink a good amount of food and be full afterwards. Their chicken bocadillos are amazing, if you want a recommendation. The order system is pretty fantastic and quick. The service is speedy and the quality is quite good for the value of money.It's a great place to go between shopping, studying, to hang out with friends, generally I hang out there with my housemates, my classmates or my Finnish friends and to drink a nice beer. And the best part is, Montaditos is a massive chain in Madrid, so you're never too far away! Apart from Montaditos, one place that I love a lot in Madrid is "Venta el Buscon" (C/ Victoria 5-7). This place is so friendly, you could walk in super hungry and leave super full, guaranteed. Their steak is TO DIE FOR! Once I saw the beef last Wednesday (My birthday, just throwing that out there), I thought that my eyes were bigger than my belly. But no way, I devoured the beef. It was sizzling hot, it was cooked perfectly and it tasted phenomenal. My friends ordered: The Buscon Burger, my friend Wille looked super happy with his choice, which I have also tasted and it is amazing. And some of their Jamon Iberica tapas. Which looked incredible. I highly recommend eating in "Venta el Buscon". As for other places, I will try out more bistros and eateries to give you a list of where to go in Madrid. This place has so much food experiences to offer. 

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So those are three things I recommend in Madrid so far and some of the things I've experiences in Madrid up to this point! The more experiences I have, the more I'll share, I still have more to tell you guys! So stay tuned for more!

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