Courtesy of Jessica Goodwin

So you’re about to go abroad, maybe for a semester, maybe for a year. You can read all you want in the travel guides about where to eat, drink and what to do, but to get the real experience, talking to locals is the way to go. After studying in Madrid, Spain for a year, I compiled a journal full of business cards from hostels and restaurants from the cities where I traveled. I have selected a few of my favorites to share with you from some of the most memorable places in Europe. I wish you all a pleasant and safe journey and I hope you enjoy some of these secret gems.

Madrid

Even after living there for a year, I would roam the streets every day for hours, stumbling upon new bars, shops and mercados I had never seen before. There is so much to do and see in such a lively city, but there are a few local spots that stand out in my mind as “must-sees” if you’re living there or simply passing through.

Metro: Noviciado

With live reggae music every Thursday night, this little bar is always full of locals. Drinks are relatively inexpensive, the music is live and the dance floor is always full.

Metro: Ópera

Traditional Asturian tapas bar and restaurant, this place fills to the brim with locals almost every night. You might have to push through the local Madrileño crowd to get a spot at the bar, but it is well worth it. Try the cidra, queso de cueva, morcilla and the tortilla española. The bartenders are friendly once they recognize you.

Lisbon, Portugal

This city is beautiful and underrated. The hostels were the cleanest and nicest, the city is not excessively touristy and it is relatively inexpensive. Rossio Hostel was very clean and comfortable, and located in the center of the city. Try the local Azeitão cheese that usually comes as an appetizer before meals. As for the food in Lisbon, the seafood is especially delicious, specifically the cod.

Chaouen, Morocco

If you get the opportunity to make it to Morocco, be sure to visit Marrakech, which is an amazing city. Equally amazing is Chauen, a smaller village in the mountains where all the buildings are painted different shades of blue and where many Spaniards go for vacation. It’s very rustic and doesn’t have an active nightlife or many amenities, but the medina is beautiful, the food is exquisite and it is so different from what Americans are used to. A hostel called Dar Meziana looks similar to Disney Princess Jasmine’s palace.

Cinque Terre, Italy:

Flying into Milan, Italy is usually affordable, around 40 euros on EasyJet, and from Milan you can catch a train to this incredible place for about 20 euros. It is touristy, but amazingly beautiful and quaint.

8212;Jessica Goodwin is a journalism senior.