Alicante or Madrid - where should I go?

Question

I'm planning on studying abroad for a semester in Spain, and I'm trying to decide whether I should go to Alicante or Madrid. Especially if you've been to both, let me know where you think I should go!

Answer 1

Alicante is great, for a summer holiday...with plenty of sun and sea...
But if you want to spend a semester defintely go to Madrid...Some of my husbands family live in Madrid, I've been there often...
There are so many things worth seeing you could stay for months and not visit everything...

If you like museums...You have
MUSEO DEL PRADO
MUSEO THYSSEN
MUSEO REINA SOFÍA (modern art)
All within walking distance of each other...

There is a smaller museum dedicated to the painter Sorolla
A Military museum and a Natural Sciences Museum, and another contemporary art museum.
Near the Prado (just next to it) you have the Botanical Gardens
And El Parque del Retiro, with its lake is just behind El Prado...
Then you have the Palacio Real and the Almudena Cathedral (where the crown prince was married 2 years ago)
The Plaza Mayor (if you go on a sunday morning there is a street market with philatelists and others collectors items), there are small restaurants all around the plaza and on the lower level on the streets surrounding, great places for typical spanish food...
On the Gran Via you have the chic shops, and at Callao there is a big department store called "El Corte Inglés", great for shopping. This is within walking distance to the City Hall building in La Puerta del Sol. And the little side streets in this area are interesting with lots of nice shops too. (There is also a great shopping centre called "La Vaguada")
If your spanish is good there are plenty of theaters with excellent shows.
Then there is the zoo, and you have a Warner Bros. Theme park just on the outskirts of the city.
(Watch your purse and mobile phone, there are a lot of eastern european immigrants that have decided that Madrid is a great place to earn a living by purse-snatching. It's not really dangerous, but be careful anyway...)
Then you have nearby towns worth seeing...There is a beautiful palace in Aranjuez, the palace of San Lorenzo del Escorial, the whole of Toledo is magnificent, Segovia with the aqueduct. And many more.
And for side trips to places like Seville, Granada, Valencia or Barcelona (and many other cities), you have great communications by train (the AVE high speed train) and bus and even inexpensive plane fares (visit www.spanair.com)
Enjoy your visit to Spain, and your semester...Madrid is one of the loveliest cities in Europe, a wonderful plaace to be able to spend six months in!

Answer 2

I would first choose by looking at the study abroad programs -- what classes they offer, what language level you need, what housing you will have, what trips are included, etc. If the programs were equal, I'd pick Madrid because you'll have close access to the airports, buses and trains to travel all over Spain. I lived in a suburb of Madrid and traveled every weekend all over Spain and even to Ireland and Portugal! However, I haven't been to Alicante and it could be a very nice city. Look closely at your options and make the choice that best suits your personality and your future goals.

Answer 3

of course madrid, why? he is a wonderfull city for live is expensive if you compareit with others city in spain but with others capitals in the world is cheap. You can get a flat room for 250/300 euros, public transport p.m is 40 euros and the food is cheap and all over the people is open. Then if you want visit others places in spain madrid is in the middle and is perfectly conect.

Answer 4

Madrid

Answer 5

To Madrid, without no shadow of doubt. It's a big city, full of history and culture. You can study, but you can also to see wonderful places and to learn more about Spain.

Answer 6

I appreciate that you specifically mentioned train or Coach, but don't totally rule out a flight. In many cases they can work out cheaper - and certainly quicker. Search on Google for someone like Vueling.