Visiting Candelario was my favorite experience in Spain this summer. The mountains and the fresh air were a much needed break from the crowd and energy of Madrid. When we arrived in the town I was surprised how beautiful it was. All of the buildings had inscriptions on the tops of the doors of when they were built, most of them being mid 1800’s. When walking up a street you could see the mountains peeking over the rooftops. The view from our hotel room was amazing as well. The food they cooked for us tasted so fresh every meal. The residents we met were so happy to have us staying there and made us feel very comfortable. The hike was the best experience for me. After hiking up the mountain we found a river and jumped from rock to rock until we reached two huge boulders that seemed to be the start of the river. Being that far away from a city and being able to see a completely different side of Spain was my favorite part of the trip.
While in Madrid I had the best time exploring the city at night. We would try to find an area we hadn’t been before and walk around there until we found a bar or cafe that looked appealing. The best cafés we found were La Bicicleta and Cafe de la Luz. Great coffee and great music and a perfect atmosphere for college students looking to meet cool locals. I really enjoyed my stay in Madrid. I learned a lot about the culture and the people and hope to visit the city again.
