Alyssa L Media

Hi, everyone!

It’s been a busy few weeks – after the gota fría passed, we resumed classes as usual. We had our midterms, finals, and then midterms again (our coursework is sped up for intensive language immersion), but we took a break recently to visit Las Fuentes del Algar and El Castell de Guadalest. This trip was a fantastic way to see some of the natural and historical beauty of Spain.

We left on a Wednesday afternoon to begin our day trip with Las Fuentes del Algar. Located near Alicante, Las Fuentes are a gorgeous collection of waterfalls secluded by trees and cliff sides. When we arrived, we stopped at a local restaurant for pan con tomate, salad, and paella. Afterwards, we walked up to the falls and swam for a bit. The water was cold, but so refreshing. It was such a cool experience!

After Las Fuentes, we all changed and traveled to Guadalest, a town in the province of Alicante. Historically rich, this town was the perfect place to spend our sunset hours, hiking to the top of the castle and browsing through local shops. We walked through El Castell de Guadalest, and heard the bells tolling while we looked out over the town and the land beyond it. The landscapes in Spain are incredible to see, especially from high up!

This was the first of many trips I’ll be writing about during my time in Europe, and though it was only for one day, I’ll remember it forever. Visiting places like these reminds me that there’s so much natural beauty in the world, and sometimes (though it can be hard) it is so important to stop taking photos and to actually just be present in these moments. I wouldn’t trade my experience here for the world, and each day I wake up ready to learn a little bit more about myself and the cultures I get the chance to explore.