Why It Is Important To Travel Outside of Your Host City

Ariana Palmer is a student at Rider University and an ISA Photo Blogger. She is currently studying abroad with ISA in Malaga, Spain.

When choosing where to study abroad, many students tend to focus on the one city that they have always longed to travel to. While this is ideal, you may want to consider how close your chosen city is to its surrounding cities, or even another city you may want to travel to. Why, you ask? Whether you are studying for a month, semester, or even a year, you will have time to travel as you please. You may wake up one day and say “Hey! I want to go to Paris for the weekend” and it may only be a 40€, 3 hour train ride away.

Below are some of my weekend adventures that were made possible because Málaga is so close to many great historic and modern cities.

  1. Barcelona, Spain

Gaudi House

Walking down the streets of Barcelona, you will be able to see and admire the architecture of Antoni Gaudi.
Walking down the streets of Barcelona, you will be able to see and admire the architecture of Antoni Gaudi.

Gaudi House, Barcelona, Spain, Palmer, Photo 2

Parc Montjuic

Situated on top of a large hill, Parc Montjuic has a castle and impressive landscaping, not seen in the city of Barcelona.
Situated on top of a large hill, Parc Montjuic has a castle and impressive landscaping, not seen in the city of Barcelona.

La Sagrada Familia

La Sagrada Familia was by far my favorite part of my Barcelona trip. I have never seen a building so magnificent and beautiful.
La Sagrada Familia was by far my favorite part of my Barcelona trip. I have never seen a building so magnificent and beautiful.

Park Güell

As I walked through the park, I wondered how Gaudi was able to do it all. (I thought the lizard was the cutest thing ever).
As I walked through the park, I wondered how Gaudi was able to do it all. (I thought the lizard was the cutest thing ever).

  1. Toledo, Spain

The view of Toledo was breathtaking.
The view of Toledo was breathtaking.

Monastery of San Juan de Los Reyes

The courtyard in the monastery was very colorful and the monastery had very symmetrical architecture.
The courtyard in the monastery was very colorful and the monastery had very symmetrical architecture.

  1. Madrid, Spain

Sobrino de Martin

Sobrino de Martin, Madrid, Spain, Palmer, Photo 8
This is the oldest restaurant in the world. It even has the Guinness World Record certificate in the window.

Puente de San Martin (San Martin Bridge), Toledo, Spain, Palmer, Photo 7

Palacio Real de Madrid (Royal Palace of Madrid)

This palace has more than 2,000 decorated rooms.
This palace has more than 2,000 decorated rooms.

Street View

This is a street view of the cityscape from our hotel during an ISA excursion.
This is a street view of the cityscape from our hotel during an ISA excursion.

With that being said, I am sure you will pick a host city close to cultural and historical enriching cities!