You’ve finally made it to Madrid for your internship and you know you have a limited amount of time to explore one of Europe’s best cities. Where do you start?
Here are our top tips to getting the best from Madrid:
1. Walk everywhere. Madrid has so much to see. Between plazas and museums, parks and cathedrals, there is no shortage of cultural experiences. One of the best ways to get to know a city is on foot. There are a lot of great walking tours out there, some of them are even free (for example, check out: http://www.ogotours.com/madrid-free-walking-tour). Doing a walking tour can be the best way to get your bearings in the city and see what places might interest you for a second visit.
2. Read beforehand. Read everything – from the history of Madrid to tourbook guides to the various neighborhoods. Madrid is one of the oldest cities in Europe. Did you know that in the late 10th century, there was a fort established by the Moors in the very location where the Royal Palace is today? Or that the Casa de Correos in the Plaza de Puerta del Sol was built in 1766? There’s so much history to experience. The more you read about this spectacular city before you go, the more the various sites will come alive as you visit them.
3. Go with the flow. Let the city and the people guide you. One of the best things about a cross-cultural internship, is learning from that other culture. Spanish culture is very tranquilo. Be prepared for dinner with your coworkers to take a few hours. No one is in a rush. In fact, you might have to fight for the waiter to bring you the check. The Spanish people enjoy life in a much more relaxed way. They want to talk, to drink sangria, and to live in the moment. So if people from your company invite you out, take them up on the offer, and let yourself enjoy the beauty of Spanish culture.
For some great ideas of what sites you should see in Madrid, check out our blog post here.
And to learn more about our Madrid internships check out the program description here.