Kristiana Cozort is a student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and an ISA Featured Photo Blogger. She is currently studying abroad with ISA in Valencia, Spain.
Having just completed our last excursion with ISA Valencia (excluding the optional ones), I believe I could convince anyone to not miss out on these amazing experiences. I felt as though I got to experience everything I wanted in every city, all our tours, transportation, and hotels were paid for, and we were given ample free time to explore each city on our own. From making paella, to touring castles, to watching traditional Flamenco dancing in caves, I have a deeper understanding and appreciation for the Spanish culture. The ISA excursions are also the best way to bond with the ISA staff and other students! So, without further ado, here are 12 photos that will convince you to travel with ISA every chance you get:
Madrid:
The Palacio de Cristal, or “Glass Palace,” that some students and I visited in the Retiro Park during some of our free time in Madrid, Spain.
This is a view of both the Almudena Cathedral (left) and the Royal Palace (right) that we learned about during our tour of Madrid, Spain.
This is the famous Monstrance of Arfe, held in the Catedral Primada in Toledo, Spain. It is kept here until the celebration of Corpus Christi when it is paraded around the city.
A view of Toledo from across the river in Toledo, Spain. ISA always makes sure we get the best views!
ISA students helping cook Paella at a farm to the north of Valencia. Best part of the excursion- we all got to eat it after!
Feeding some of the donkeys after picking fresh vegetables from the field!
A view of the Alhambra and the snowy Sierra Nevadas at sunset. Taken from Mirador de San Nicolas, where we took a quick break while climbing the hill to watch Flamenco in the cuevas (caves) of Granada, Spain.
Photo from inside the Alhambra in Granada, Spain- the details on every single wall were so impressive, and we had the privilege of viewing the Alhambra with our own tour guide!
Granada is filled with these colorful stores selling anything from tapestries to lamps to painted tiles. Since Granada is in the South of Spain, it blends many colorful cultures from Morocco, Africa, and other parts of Spain.
A beautiful view of the Mediterranean Sea from the top of the castle in Peñíscola, Spain!
Park Güell is a unique, modernistic park with a great view of Barcelona, Spain (when there’s less fog!).
Taken during our tour of the Sagrada Familia, a church in Barcelona that has been under construction since 1882, and will (hopefully) be completed in 2026!
The world awaits…discover it.