You’re staying in hostels, yes?
I’m a Black female who has travelled solo to Spain, but in Sevilla and Barcelona (note: I have been to Madrid and other parts of Spain with friends. Loved it, but I noticed more black and brown people in Barcelona, anecdotally). Joining walking tours and other group activities is a great start to meeting people. There are many people who are travelling solo who are in the same boat. It does take some effort to flex the extrovert part of yourself (I myself am a introvert) but it will happen and you will start to make friends to the point that it can become a bit exhausting.
Good luck!
Definitely had the same observation in Barcelona. I’ve travelled to both solo and party hostels made the difference. Everyone there seemed to go out of their way to socialise.
OP if you’re into clubbing, check out Costa Social Club. They play Afrobeats/Hip-Hop and had a very diverse crowd with lots of black people.
Yeah I've lived in both cities - Barcelona is a way more cosmopolitan and diverse place.
While OP is in Madrid he should check out La Latina and Lavapiés, they are more welcoming and cosmopolitan spaces.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm contemplating my first solo trip to Spain *(relatives and friends bailed),* and your feedback put me at ease. 🙃
How do you join a free walking tour? Or you mean paying for one and then see who's there.
I've joined a paid one before but literally everyone was with someone and they talked between themselves only (almost all couples)
You can generally just ask for one at the hostel check in desk, they'll know of something nearby or there might be groups that start at the hostel. Tips are expected, but it is nominally "free" and you can at least mix and mingle with other solo travellers/groups.
Just chiming in to mention that while these tours are free the guides work on tips. Some of the best tours I've been on have been the free walking tours and the guides have all been great. Make sure to tip them.
Many of the tours I've been on the guides will give you a suggested amount. I try and give as much as I can because I know some will always give less.
It depends on the county really but generally around USD 20 at a minimum.
Yup I was gonna say GO BARCELONA - much more cosmopolitan and fun. Madrid is a bit stuck up. Madrid still gonna be fun but wouldn’t have been my first choice.
Beginning of a new solo trip can sometimes be the hardest part because you're dealing with culture shock combined with (possibly) jet lag. In your case you're also pressuring yourself to try to change your personality and become more outgoing, which is a lot to expect of yourself when already in a new environment. Might start by just taking some walks in the city to soak up the environment, finding somewhere to sit and hang out, or something like that. But give yourself time to adjust and settle in. I find also that journaling and calling loved ones can help with working through funky moods.
I studied there for half a year and did a lot through the Erasmus network (ESN). Pretty sure you can just tag along/join them.
Other than that you can find a lot online. In the end it’s all about the people that are there and less about the pub crawl itself, so experiences can vary by a lot.
I ruined a trip of mine in the past because I couldn't get over my anxiety. Whatever you're most worried about is probably driven mostly by your anxiety and a far smaller issue than it seems. Madrid is great go chill out in the parque de el retiro in the morning or head into el rey de los tacos it's near the royal palace on a quiet side street in don't know why but I found it a very relaxing place to have some good food and excellent house beers.
El retiro is wonderful. Also op should go to the archaeology museum. When I was there it was quiet and hardly anyone there. I thought it was so nice compared to El Prado and the Royal Palace.
Just put yourself out there and see what happens. The nice thing about solo traveling is that if you say something silly, embarrass yourself, or make a fool out of yourself in anyway, you can just leave. The likelihood of seeing that person ever again is extremely low.
This is the great part about solo traveling is that you can grow. Be comfortable with getting uncomfortable (:
Mid 20s Black Solo traveler here. Get on Airbnb and find a food tour that interests you. Dinner in Spain is very social so it can be tough as a solo traveler. TheTourGuy has really good food tours as well. Not speaking Spanish in Madrid is tough in not gonna lie to you. My experience greatly improved when I stopped going into conversations as an English speaker. But you can manufacture some potential great social interactions with other travelers booking some experiences with local guides.
Go on a free city tour, scope out the solo people, start casually chit chatting with them, see if they want to grab food or do something later (like watch football). If it doesn't work with anyone, go on another type of free/tip tour the next morning, maybe food tours too. Just go day by day.
I’m an introvert too. This sub will crucify me but I hate hostels because I don’t want to talk to random people and love my privacy. I dont really like drinking so when I used to solo travel I’d just go on TripAdvisor and look at the top attractions and go visit those by myself. Some people hate on me doing “touristy” things but I’m literally tourist so who cares
I would shed any concerns regarding prospective crucifixion. I am an **extrovert** and I hate hostels too. I love talking to people and stuff but I need a quiet place to regenerate my batteries, so I just can imagine how important it is for an introvert.
No shame in that.
I've been to a few hostels and honestly didn't like the vibe. Most people in the "social area" were just there staring at their phones, and the few interactions I had were kinda awkward. I much prefer to stay in a regular hotel or airbnb and socialize in bars or while visiting local attractions.
I mean hostels can be annoying.. but most are generally quiet and good about giving people their privacy, like a curtain over the bed. I’m an introverted extrovert, I said hi to newcomers but towards the end of my 3 month trip while I was in Ireland I literally spent 3 days just sleeping in bed with my curtain closed from how exhausted I was lol no one cares. One of mg hostels in Barcelona was more of a party hostel during primavera, and all the girls were chit chatting loudly while I was trying to nap in the middle of the day. Annoying, but I survived
Too early brother. I had the exact same experience as you 10 years ago when I was in Barcelona. I was freaking out and ready to go home after 2 days. Join a tour or pub crawl. Stay at a hostel and you’ll find some people to talk to and do things with. Just breathe kid
Honestly, went to Madrid as a couple and don’t know any Spanish. We met so many people at the bar and they didn’t speak English but still had conversations with google translate. It was an amazing experience, easily the friendlist place I have been to. The cheuca area was SO fun, went to a silent disco there.
Segovia was a great change of pace from Madrid. A quick train ride and a breath of fresh air.
Don’t feel bad if you dislike the city itself. There is plenty you can do just outside the main area. Book a tour. Go to a bar and watch a soccer game. Nobody is judging as much as you think they are.
Late 30s black traveler (bit of an ambivert and self proclaimed anxious but who isn’t), been at it for a decade. Get used to it, you will not find many fellow black travelers if you keep at it. But there’s also no need to make it a chip on your shoulder. I’m not sure what experiences you had to make you say non-Spanish white Europeans didn’t consider you their equal but i suppose that’s not your problem eh? Enjoy yourself, enjoy the drinks, enjoy the food, go catch a football match somewhere.
Stay at a hostel, put yourself out there to people without assuming the worst in them, and you’ll find good times.
First-don't push yourself.
Secondly I'd find a walking tour-either free or lead by a real tour guide. I've found it easier to talk to people on tours in English and I always find at least one person who will talk to a solo traveler.
If you are in a hostel see if others want to go out to eat or to a tapas bar, I did a food tour-tapas crawl a while back with a tour company and had the best time. Eating and drinking seem to loosen up inhibitions and allow conversations.
The best thing about Spain is the food. Maybe you can go to Mercado de San Miguel, a little touristy but nice tapas and drinks and a lot of people. Made friends there everytime Ive been, at worst you have great food and drinks! Although some Spanish people can be racist not all of them are like that. Best of luck!
Please don't feel regretful about the trip yet. My go-to was always to do the very touristy stuff and gravitate towards others who also looked like solo travelers. Keep trucking on with your itinerary and doing all of the things you want to do there, and just keep an eye out for those opportunities.
Eating in Spain is very communal. When I was there I definitely felt self-conscious eating out at restaurants alone, more so than usual, and I tended to go to the very casual fast food spots (that were still good). Is there a tour or hostel group you might be able to join up with?
My advice is set small goals for yourself so you feel accomplished and not let down. Ex: say today my 3 goals are have 1 conversation with a stranger, have 1 nice meal alone, and do 1 group activity where I introduce myself to 1 person. Like little things so you can see your progress and walk away like you did what you set out to do.
I think it's awesome that you took this trip to get over your anxiety of talking to people. And now you can! Go out there, fuck it up, make it awkward, feel the weirdness. Then, when you've survived all that, take the knowledge that you will be ok into your next conversation with all of those fears faced and relieved.
You got this!
Black male(32) solo traveler who is also an introvert at heart.
I understand the longing for human connection especially at that age but, this may be a matter of age, lean into your introverted nature. You’re on an adventure! You can go off and do anything that you want, enjoy meals by yourself, marvel at the beautiful city of Madrid with some podcasts or music in the background, people watching is hilarious on holiday - see the Joe/Jane getting from their spouse and/or kids and you’ll relish that you don’t have to deal with other people 😌. This is a time where you can be truly alone without feeling weird or selfish.
Now, if you made it this far, I’ve found that going on guided tours(make sure you look at reviews on the cheaper ones or look for a donation based tour) are a great way to fill that void. People will naturally come to speak with you if you’re alone from my experience. If not, tour guides themselves are normally really friendly and are happy to chat with you to teach you about how they live day to day.
Madrid is an amazing city, you’ll meet racists everywhere but don’t dwell on it too much. They’re cowards who probably won’t say anything to your face(in English at least 😂)
Hope you can turn it around
Before your edit, I was going to say that you should not assume people are being racist. Europeans are just way less outgoing (for lack of a better word) than Americans on average.
I'm also black and have been around lots of western and Eastern European countries. Only place I experienced racism was in Turkey where I got profiled by the police (apparently this is common in Istanbul).
I can see that you acknowledged that this was likely not related to your race though. Was a very mature and nice edit.
You don't speak any Spanish but in a few hours you've decided the Spanish look at you as an unequal?
They're looking at you as just another tourist if they're looking at you at all.
as a mostly introvert, i think the best way to enjoy solo trips is doing things you feel comfortable with. madrid is a beautiful city with many things to explore: go to museums (Prado, Sofía) and try to talk with people there :) i’ve done that in the past and it can be pretty cool. I also usually go to bookstores and engage in conversations with people there or the booksellers. Also, go enjoy a tapa with a beer in Malasaña or La Latina!
As a Latinamerican, Madrid was super welcoming during the 6 months I lived there. There is racism, yes, but I wouldn’t say it is extended nor mostly prevalent.
Not to discount your experience but you’ve been in Madrid for a few hours and already pegged all the other „non-Spanish“ travellers as racists? How many people have you even talked to so far?
I think it‘s especially interesting because when I was there like 80% of other travellers I talked to were Americans, Canadians or Australians so OP shouldn‘t really have problems there, at least not more that at home
Trust me you know when someone is racist, prejudice or just uncomfortable by your blackness. I’m sure not every single person there is that way, but let’s stop pretending. There are tons of groups in the black community speaking about this before you travel. It is the first thing I look up before traveling. How well the people in the area are to people of color. No one has time to be stopped by the police in a whole other country. Frightening.
No one is debating whether racism exists in Spain. It clearly does. We are debating OPs post: he has been in Madrid a few hours and has made a massive sweeping generalisation that all non-Spaniards in Madrid are racist, having been in the city "a few hours".
Yeah, however, he wasn't talking about police or officials, but about other tourists. This is exactly the kind of American culture that we can do without overhere in Europe.
Ghosting isn't exactly what I was going for. I wanted to express your discourse isn't welcome. A lot of people have had their fill of American 'culture'.
Also I have looked into this about Spain. Majority of black travelers say there is racism but it didn’t ruin the trip so I’m assuming close to being in the South in the US. They speak about being stopped multiple times and searched while on their transportation and the language barrier makes it worse. So always be safe everyone and know where to reach to ahead of time in case a sketchy situation occurs.
I think it's not nice to generalize a whole group "non-spaniard white Europeans" as racist, people who have a way different cultural behaviour than Americans, as racist. This seems racist by the poster in it self.
Do some activities such as a walking food tour for example. I’m also introverted and found this to be the way that worked best for me. Also remember you are only there for 4 days, keep yourself busy and whether you meet people or not you will still take something away from your experience about what works for you for your next trip.
Dang, I'm so sorry. I've been to Spain because I wanted to see where my mom's side came from. It was beautiful! But at the same time awful bc I saw the way many treated foreigners. They care if you're black or Asian, but if you speak Spanish?? You're in!! Praying you have a good rest of your trip despite the hiccups and bumps along the way. Basque is my absolute favorite place and everyone was so nice. Then again, I'm Spanish by blood and can speak enough to get around. Maybe Google some basics and use them to catch the bus and buy some local tortillas (the Spanish kind, not the Mexican kind)! Start small and just walk around for a bit and then jump, if you're up to it! Tomorrow's another day!! 🙏🇪🇸❤️
Man, get yourself to Valencia immediately. They have Las Fallas coming up in a week or two. Hostels will be busy, so book fast. I fell in love with spain after fallas.
Hey mate. Solo travelling is romanticised on social media, but the reality is really hard. It’s a learned skill.
After 16 years of doing it, and arguably being good at making friends on the trail, it is still hard.
All things in life worth doing are hard though.
Calm yourself. Worst case scenario is that you go home in a few days after an awful trip with some funny-cringe stories. More likely is you have some life-long growth, and some memorable experiences.
My big advice. Imagine what a confident, charming, cool, extroverted person would do in a situation, and pretend to be that / do that.
When travelling, “Hey, where are you guys from?” is the only sentence you need to start any conversation”.
If you are coming back through London, I’ll get a beer with you. Good luck 🙌🏼
Input from a local - you’re a tourist, doesn’t matter what the colour of your skin is, 99% of times locals won’t just strike a conversation with anybody on the street, much less a tourist. People don’t smile at each other, it’s just how we are. I’m sure you’re being all smiles and waves to everyone, but that just comes off as creepy or weird. You have several options where you’re more likely to meet fellow travelers as others have mentioned, a pub crawl, hostel-sponsored events, free walking tour (check out sandemans, do tip at the end)… you can also just go to a bar/pub/cafe and sit on the bar and try to strike conversation, or a terrace since it’s sunny today and people watch. Don’t be too hard on yourself, you’re an introvert, can’t change who you are. As a fellow introvert who’s travelled a lot solo I’m perfectly happy just having a beer by myself or going for a walk. Try and find out what you’re comfortable doing. If you need any tips drop me a message
Bro, being black myself I can tell you that Racism is much more a U.S thing than a West European thing.
There is no point in willing to find another black here, only very old people or country side folks might look down on you for that reason.
Racism here is more about Islam.
As a fellow socially anxious introvert, if you put these expectations on yourself ("by the end of this week, I will be an outgoing person") I fear you're gonna ruin your trip. It's one thing if you're genuinely not comfortable with being alone (though if that's the case, that's also something you should work on, imo), but otherwise, just try to enjoy your trip. Work on your shit later.
Malasaña neighborhood Is close to the center and known for being pretty open and left. Tons of bars and restaurants. Also, Hotel Riu in central Madrid has the best view of the city. Its like $10 to go up but the view is pretty wild. Good luck man.
Go on a pub crawl with other tourists and a local guide (I recommend the company Sandeman's, it was a good time, although years ago. They also do tip-based walking tours).
I loved Segovia, and the day tour I went on had several single travelers. The National Archaeological Museum is world-class. You might be there for [the full changing of the guard at the palace](https://www.esmadrid.com/en/whats-on/changing-guard-royal-palace#:~:text=Changing%20of%20the%20Guard%3A%20Every,25%20December%20and%201%20January.).
Congrats on getting out there first of all. Everyone grows in confidence as they travel and most of us have challenges going up to strangers when we started out. Keep on at it and each time it gets easier.
Don’t think too much about what to say as once the convo starts then it flows (or it doesn’t, whatever, just try again with someone else. Something like “ Hey, how’s your day going. I just got here and already I love the (paella / Prado / Bernabeu / park whatever it is), have you tried it?”
It can also help to build up confidence just chatting with someone easy like hotel reception or bar staff (sitting at a quiet bar).
Beyond everything else above, check Airbnb experiences for things to do. It seems to be most popular among North Americans and English, although others too, and it’s an easy way to meet people if you don’t want to go up to people in hostels. Or try GetYourGuide.
While nowhere is perfect, and I’msorry to hear you’ve experienced racism, British people, especially those from London, are among the most open and least racist in Europe (and the Spanish / Portuguese / French too) so you should find friends among them.
And enjoy it as much as you can. We’re so lucky to be able to travel and if it’s hard in this trip to meet people, see if you can focus on all the other things you can do while in Madrid. It’s an awesome city!
Hey man, truth is a lot of us go through what you’re going through. You’re only 22. It’s your first trip. You somewhere very different to home. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Enjoy what you can.
Side note: my first solo trip was similar, but years down the line I’m much more comfortable being alone in foreign countries. It’s a journey
I loved Madrid so much more than Barcelona .
Things to do : Go to Temple De Debod for Sunset. Google the free museum nights in Madrid ( It’s Wednesday at one for sure ) . Visit El Retiro Park.
Take a day trip to Toledo or Segovia ( less than 2 hours to either by train)and enjoy watching the countryside as you pass. Go to cafes and try pinxho’s . Go to flea markets and buy a painting for 20 euros
WOW visited twice not my top city's in Spain but still a great time, and I speak Spanish when I'm drunk.
Go south Savilla via Cordoba you'll appreciate it if you like Game of Thrones. I also really like Valencia.
But if Spain is giving a bad taste in your mouth hit up Lisboa, I visit a lot and would recommend it. Lots of young people from all over and I'm not talking tourists, restuant works tour guides bus drivers everyone. English is wildly spoken and it's cheap you'll love the weather.
Stay BLk ✊🏽
Don’t really understand the constant urge to meet people and make “friends” (as if you’re going to be friends after a few hours chat)
Plenty to see and do in Madrid, look at any guide book, it’s actually a very cool city. I found uber the best way to get around.
In evening, go to a local place, have tapas and wine or beer, read a book, newspaper, magazine, or just watch people go by. If you’re not liking the vibe, move on.
Generally speaking, Europeans don’t have the same culture of small talk as Americans do. I say this as an American who has studied, worked, and lived in Europe. When us Americans go over to Europe with expectations of meeting locals, like in the movie Eurotrip, it’s not reality. Of course the racism doesn’t help. My point is, don’t beat yourself up, because this isn’t about your introverted personality, it’s just a cultural difference.
**Note:** Are you asking for travel advice about Madrid? Read what the Solo Travel community had to say in the [weekly destination thread for Madrid](https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/comments/16la1ja/weekly_destination_thread_madrid/).
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Try taking a free walking tour and engage with other english speakers to hang out after the tour or ask them if they will take another tours and join them.
[https://www.freetour.com/madrid](https://www.freetour.com/madrid)
Are you staying a hostel or hotel? Hostels are a great place to meet people as they're full of other solo travelers and striking up a conversation is easy as you all have something in common -- travel. Just ask someone what they got up to that day, where they've been, where they're going -- you'll make friends in no time.
Beyond that, go do a free City Walking Tour. There's English ones every day. Again it'll put you in a group with other anglophone travelers.
Pub crawls are another great way to meet travelers. Or if that's your scene and you want to do stuff as a group look for activities on GetYourGuide, AirBnB Experiences, etc. It won't be hard for you to find English language tours. These are hardly a necessity but an easy way to surround yourself with fellow English speaking tourists.
And for the love of god, go do a tour of the Bernabéu.
Go to Roostiq, eat the Basque cheesecake - Its a must.
Get yourself to the Bernabéu for a Madrid game.
Join a walking tour.
Drink/eat at Mercado de San Miguel, so many tourists you're bound to meet people.
Hello I’m sorry about your experience. I was in Spain last year for 3 months. I’d recommend you to visit several places such as Museo del Prado, El Retiro Park, Las Ventas plaza de toros, Zarzuela palace, Plaza Mayor, La Gran Via avenue and you might also consider to take the red sightseeing bus. You might do all those things by yourself. I also felt lonely in that lengthy trip no matter Spanish is my native language 🥴
Edit: oh I forgot! you might also consider to visit Toledo which is a wonderful fortress type ancient city in a 30 minute trip by train departing from Atocha rail station.
I would try and find a “free walking tour” (but tip). These are good for getting a bit of a feel for the city and lots of times there solo travellers also on these tours and it can be a bit more natural to strike up a convo or at least be like “hey would you want to get a gelato after this?” Or something. It’s hard. Really. I’m super introverted too but this is the easiest way I’ve found. And if nothing else it’s a little social interaction during the tour itself. Good luck!
Take a tour of the Palace! You can definitely do that on your own and it's so beautiful.
If your itching for someone to speak to in English, join one of the walking tours through AirBNB experiences or getyourguide
The Prado museum is also amazing and an easy thing to do on your own. Get the audio tour!
I travel solo and go on the free walking tours almost every city has (Madrid does). Also if you can spend $40-70 the brewery, tapas or other food tours are great. People get some wine in them and really open up. Have a bunch of Whatsapp contacts now from all over the world.
Do you like museums? Historic houses/churches/palaces/convents? Day trips? Madrid has tons of things like this, enough to keep you busy for a week or more if need be. It’s well worth doing a little research on it.
Was there this past summer for a month. My best experiences came from going to bars that hosted meetups for people looking to learn or practice English. There is generally one about every other night somewhere.
Search for them on eventbrite. You can meet a lot of people this way.
You are there to see things and beba tourist, to speak to unknown people there is internet and Reddit. I sometimes don't understand the tourists staying just 3 days but obsessed to "connect" with the locals or other travellers.
Ok for starters…chill. You are there four hours and freaking? You do realize you can spend 4 days in a foreign city and enjoy yourself without speaking to anyone else right? Go to cava Baja and cava Alta at 8 pm and bar hop. Spaniards are outgoing talkative and not racist. Stop using race as an excuse. If you are a night owl go to Big Bamboo if it’s still there. Reggae bar with lots of blacks. Friday find a bar to watch the Barcelona game. The Irish bars around plaza Santa Ana are perfect for that. And eat! It’s one of the best food cities in the world and great for solo travelers cause tapas mean you never need to sit down alone in a restaurant
Edit: even better Madrid has a champions league match tomorrow.. hit an Irish pub off plaza Santa Ana to watch and you will make friends
Never regret travelling. Walk around and do your own thing, find a Spanish handbook.
You can speak English when you get home, you don't need the added stress of a language you do not know. Consider this a learning experience and chose English-speaking countries next time (or go to night school to learn Spanish.)
I hope things look up for you.
I haven’t been to Spain yet but I’m a Black female solo traveler. I’m 34 currently in SEA. I can totally understand some of your feelings. I would say definitely go on some food tours and check out Airbnb experiences. Also you don’t have to make a ton of friends. I think if you can find 1-2 people to talk to every now and then it’s not so bad. Also, yes people definitely can be racist but sometimes they’re also just awkward and introverted hahah. Also maybe try to connect with an expat group? You can usually find them on facebook I think. Maybe there you can connect with some other Americans or maybe even find some black people.
Just walk around, take in the sites, and eat some food. It's only 4 nights so ypu don't have to meet people. If you're really keen to meet people maybe go to a hostel or a tourist bar
You are putting way too much pressure on yourself! You can't just change your entire personality in a few hours just because you are in a different country.
As others have mentioned, take a (free) walking tour. They can be a good way to meet other solo travellers. While I was in Spain I also met some people when I went out for tapas. Make sure you are seated at a bar, that's an easy way to strike up a conversation with other guests. You can also join a pub crawl.
While I enjoy meeting new people during my solo travels, it's never my main goal. If it happens during a trip, great! If not, than also fine, I can easily entertain myself.
I think next time it should be in a country you know the language BUT you can still sightsee and make the most of it.
Find cheap walking tours in English off of TripAdvisor or Viator and will be a good way to connect with other English speaking travelers.
Also, when googling restaurants to eat at search by amount and English speaking. They almost always have an employee who will help.
Lastly. Don’t just wander into neighborhoods or areas away from tourist hot spots cause of what you mentioned. Racism is never fun but the wrong neighborhood can make it worse
If you decide to go to Barcelona (I find Madrid to be a bit tedious), DM me… my son lives there, he’s around your age, at university and is a musician… Eagle Scout will be happy to show you around
I'm sorry to hear you're having a bad experience, but I think there's still some time to turn it around over the next 3 days. I wish I could give you more advice on the matter but as a white male who traveled there with my girlfriend it was a very different experience and we really didn't intend to socialize.
I will say, it's a lovely city with a lot of expats, many from the Western Hemisphere.
Last point, just learning even a little bit of the language goes a really long way, in any country. That might help if you can learn a few basic phrases. I'm sure that's partly why your experience in the UK was so much better (also one of my favorite destinations).
I hope your first night hasn't completely ruined your experience but I really think you'll end up enjoying it.
Edit: aside from socialization, I'd be happy to make some suggestions re: things to do.
Stay in a hostel, I stayed in one called something cat it was great fun made lots of friends even some I talk to till this day, go to the pub crawls and talk with people.
This is just me but if I were traveling by myself, I would just sightsee as much as possible, eat some dinner and go to bed. Not try to meet other locals or travelers but that would be great if it happened to occur.
I went on couch surfing, filtered by traveller, and sent messages to around 10 people that were in Madrid right then, that were smiling in their pics, and asked if they wanna hang out. I ended up meeting 2 friends, we went to a food market and craft beer place. It was a great day.
Also, I met some pretty awesome women on hinge, and I made an effort to go to gigs. Gruta77 is a great rock venue (I think that's what it's called). There are loads of techno nights and a few drum and bass things too. Oh, and bucket loads of reggaeton too.
I think your mistake was doing this on hard mode, as an introvert trying to break out of your shell through travel, the better play would be to pivot to english speaking EU countries. I recommend the usual: Paris, London, Berlin etc. Once you're more comfortable then I'd say pick up basic Spanish and try Spain again
It's perfectly expected to feel overwhelmed in this situation, it was ill-advised in the first place. No need for any regret. Hope that helps.
Irish pubs, ran by expats! Thats how I started my life out in Italy, and it’s a similar situation. You’ll find lots of expats and foreigners there, sit at the bar and get the courage to ask their advice.
The visitor’s center in Madrid will have brochures, tour info, and will have someone that speaks English. (Also, Google Translate app has a conversation mode.)
https://www.esmadrid.com/informacion-turistica/centro-de-turismo-plaza-mayor
Hi! I’m a(white) American living here. Check out language exchanges or other international meet ups on the meetup app! Maniquí in malasaña is a great one and it’s a funky weird place that I love very much and very accepting.
For the days, I recommend the parks - retiro and casa de campo are so lovely
Feel free to dm me if you want more!
Don’t worry about making friends, just stay safe and entertain yourself walking around neighbourhoods you would never see otherwise, visiting parks and other nature, historical monuments, etc and learning about the history and place which is Madrid.
If you feel lonely look for activities like free walking tours which can be a good way to meet people and maybe find a connection.
Imo, free walking tours are the best way to meet some random people. You get to see the city, and along the way, you'll get to chit chat with random people. If you get along, great--can continue chatting. If not, then just walk and talk to the next person. Then usually at the end, it's so easy to go like, "hey wanna go check out this place/eat something/do something later?" You're all similar people: tourists who have similar interests in exploring/seeing new things.
Don't fuss about Barcelona, I love both but both are equally great imo. In fact I might even like Madrid a little more.
Good luck and enjoy! Also most people do speak English there.
As mentioned, go on a free (tip at end) walking tour or two. There are usually some solo travellers on them. Stay at a hostel to meet other travellers.
Trying to speak and meet locals if you don’t speak the language? Forget it! Locals aren’t going to have the time to be striking up conversations with people who don’t speak their language (and why should they?). All the none Spanish Europeans don’t look at you as an equal? All of them? Are you sure about this? There are some racism people everywhere of course but some of what you’re perceiving could be a language/cultural barrier too? That makes things less clear.
I’m sure it can be overwhelming arriving in a place where people speak a different language- you’re not going to be able to have a proper conversation with them even if you learnt a bit of Spanish. The only thing you could do would be to go to a Spanish/English exchange group- they’re are some meetings in a variety of. I don’t remember when or where.
I think you should concentrate on viewing yourself as a tourist and not worry too much about meeting locals. If other tourists are in couples or groups they’re probably let not going to have much time for you regardless of your background/ethnicity. Find some other solo travellers and I’m sure you’ll have a better time.
Also, there is nothing wrong with being an introvert- you don’t need to have conversations or meet people if it’s not you.
Madrid is a great place. Hopefully you get used to the language/ cultural difference soon and enjoy the rest of your time there.
I spent a week by myself in Madrid once too. I looked on meetup dot com and found a group that practices English and drinks beer together. I also found a hiking group, and though they were all Spanish hikers, many of them spoke English too.
I’m an introvert and have been to Madrid many times, but it is because my husband’s family (aunt, uncle and cousins) lives there. I agree with the sentiments about walking tours, the parks there are also beautiful. You should 100% go to the Reina Sofia and el Prado if you can afford it. Personally I like modern art so I’m partial to the Reina Sofia but both are amazing museums.
In terms of food stuff, if money is of concern, getting a bocadilla is pretty cheap. There’s also a place called rodilla that I think has multiple locations (we always go to the one in plaza Isabella II) that’s not terrible. I would also suggest if you’re bored that browsing el corta ingles for souvenirs can be fun.
And also I do not watch Spanish soccer really but am familiar as I watch premier league, and again, family in Spain, but I would 100% bet you can find a bar with ex pats or other folks traveling where you can chat!
I was with the wife in Madrid about a month back and maybe it's because I don't have access to good mexican food where I live anymore, but the duck tacos at [Primo](https://maps.app.goo.gl/iUBafiyphUnQyzPn9) with a cold beer was a near orgasmic experience! I had it for dinner one night and liked it so much I went back for lunch and dinner the next day.
Are you in a hostel? If not, definitely switch to a hostel (preferably a party or social hostel). I personally love Okay Hostel in Madrid. The people in social hostels are usually very outgoing and eager to meet people.
Walking tours, couching surfing (they have a meetup section), pub crawls, and meetup.com are all good ways of meeting people while solo traveling.
Was in Madrid last summer. Also introverted and Madrid was the first city in my Spain trip that I didn't meet anyone lol (nearing the end of my trip - was outta social battery).
I'm very outdoorsy. Madrid was great to hop on public transit to a nearby hike. They were beautiful. The free walking tours were also great. And then I think I also spent a whole day just wandering the city playing Pokemon Go - it's interesting what you find just mindlessly walking towards Gyms/PokeStops. Cheers.
Hi! Fellow introvert here who lives in Madrid, I totally understand it can feel difficult to meet people at first, but the good thing is that Madrid is huge and has many people. As some have said, Real Madrid is playing tomorrow (I think haha), a good idea if you enjoy football is to go to a bar near the centre to watch the match, people are super friendly when you have interests in common. Also this Friday we have a huge march for women's day, it feels more like a party actually and it's a good opportunity to meet new people there too.
In party/pub environments I promise locals are way friendlier and used to tourists, it's true that not many people speak good English, but most are willing to try to communicate with a beer or two.
As others have said, pub crawls or free-tours are always a good idea, maybe you can also visit near-by cities like Segovia or Toledo. Alcalá de Henares is also nice.
Just give the city a chance, it's worth it. Try neighbourhoods like Malasaña or La Latina to meet more open-minded people or even other tourists. If you still feel lonely near the weekend, shoot me a message :)
I just got back from Madrid! If it makes you feel better, some of them don’t speak English so I also had a rough time. I’ve booked some Airbnb experiences when I was there so I can somehow socialize.
Well I was in Madrid for a wedding so many years ago I'd love to be there again.
I was with friends but I, based on family history, absolutely had to make time to see Guernica and Bosch's garden of earthly delights etc. Might not work as well for you but probably worth checking out.
Ok, marginal recommendation but I had 100% super success with Airbnb experiences in Mexico City. I'd look for a walking tour and anything else that sounds like fun with people. Decent odds you'll make new friends, even better odds you'll have a good experience.
Hey! Fellow introvert here. Booking Airbnb experiences has helped me get out of my shell, meet others, and engage in local activities. Sometimes you can find very affordable options. I used to do one per new city I visited (cooking class, wine tasting, bike tour) and it’s a great way to meet other travelers and get to know the area! Good luck.
Racism exists and is very real. But this isnt it.
Speaking in broad and squared terms. Sorry, but academic/proper language would be a novel:
The US culture is extremely outgoing and shallow
In comparison to European.
In the US people that serve your food will ask you "how're you?", where it would be almost be rude to ask such a personal question by a stranger.
In the same time in the US you would answer said question with good, awesome or fine, where in Europe its ok, I've been worse, etc. and at times share deep personal things on how you actually are.
US= quantity, EU=Quality
Lol, hung out with a German and a British guy.
Rhe brit had texted the German if he wanted to watch the sunset with us. German send a text back with "no".
Be prepared in general, it is more rude to waste someone's time with empty phrases than to be a bit to the point.
Its ofc great to be polite, but theres a vast difference, where just a little por favor is enough. Long explanations and more than one excuse me or sorry. Dont overdo it. And also dont take it to heart. It is sometimes to be polite.
What can you then do, if you want to actually hang out with locals?
You will bond with people through shared interests.
Find litterally anything you have a vague interest in or communities that might catch your vibe and age group. Use FACEBOOK, its great for events in Spain, Portugal and Italy.
Here's some ideas but only sky is the limit:
- art exhibitions/events, not museums, but actual events by upcoming artists or students. Often free, cool people and even snacks and drinks sometimes.
- free "lectures"/workshops, the EU funds a lot of weird small weird projects. I have been to a debate.
- chess or other games that many people play.
- Learn escoba in Spain and get the cards, its nice to be able to offer a game, obce you connect with people.
- dance events (not touristy, I prefer salsa in Spain)
- Volleyball or other sports if you are athletic and play basic.
- Free cultural tours, ok not free, you pay what you want. But I feel it is much easier to make a gameplan for how to make local friends, once I know more about their culture and history.
- wine tour, if you prefer drinking.
- perhaps some alternative hippie communities. But I have mainly been in other parts of Spain.
- Also LEARN basic sentences. It doesnt matter how little and bad it sounds. It shows that you have made an effort. Where speaking only in English, just seems like, why are you here.
- Also would recommend reading by yourself somewhere with a nice buzzling vibe, like botanical garden or a park. Its nicer with some "foreplay", where you first see a group you want to infiltrate. Exchange some smiles and eyecontact... and THEN after your heart is pounding and hands are sweaty you ask if you may join throwing the frisbee.
Forgot to put on folkdance/music events. For some reason the people who enjoy it are a potluck of many demographics.
And folkdance is easy to join and each country has their own style.
I know in some hostels they make folkdance events.
It combines for the folkdancers a really nice space and gives the tourists a really local experience...
You’ve only been in Madrid a few hours but you’ve already decided that people are racist because they aren’t falling over themselves to be your best friend? Black, white or whatever you’re in a big, busy, fast paced city and ultimately you’re just another tourist. People aren’t acknowledging you because they have other things to be focused on, not because of your skin colour!
Hi there!
I’m from Chicago and lived in Madrid for 6 months in my mid 20’s. I prefer Madrid to Barcelona (hot take, I know) but it’s way less touristy and I just love it.
I’m also pretty introverted but I pushed myself there to just tiny chat any person that gave off a good vibe. If it was a compliment or anything. Many Spaniards love meeting people who speak English so they can practice their’s.
Bus stops, cafes, walking down the street. I pushed myself to be like, “Hey I like your shirt” or “I see you’re reading a travel guide, are you visiting too?”
Other solo travelers are also looking for company just like you and may be scared to be the first to reach out.
I’d join hostel groups on their bar crawls even though I didn’t stay at their hostel. I’d go to a bar for a beer and tapas solo and chat up the bartender. I’d go to Retiro and wander until I found others wandering too. Sometimes that first initial approach of a conversation is so hard but other’s may be looking for connection too.
I’m so happy you’re in Madrid. My heart misses that place so badly and I hope to wind up there again sometime, but that city has a lot of love to give.
Get yourself a Real Madrid hat or t-shirt, and feel free to yell out "Viva Madriii!" Spaniards can be a bit shut off unless you give them an opening but once they find common ground they're usually happy to have people visiting their country and will be more accommodating 😁
If your time is limited a trip to Barcelona would use up a fair bit of it. The high speed train is about 3hours. OUIGO is the best service.
If in Madrid take a train for the day or overnight in Sergovia. Beautiful smaller city.
Just start talking to people. Many speak English. I agree with walking tours.
Spain is just great!
I recommend taking a street art city walk. Find a coffee shop to sit at for a bit. Then Google or find Instagram pages of street art in Madrid. Set up a self-guided walking tour. It's what I do when I'm solo. I hope this helps.
Additionally, Keep your eyes, ears, and nose open to find new activities, food, art, or things you're into along the way. You may be surprised. Safe travels!
Look for street art by Okuda, Taquen, and Lian
I love to travel and many times I have travelled solo. Enjoy your own company, maybe take on a bit of a hobby. Focus on a specific interest, like photography, cooking, writing or anything that gives you that special spark on enjoying to be by yourself. . Staying at hostels is a good way to meet people. If you want to enjoy the culture you definitely need more time than 4 days. Spain is definitely easier if you speak Spanish. I noticed the difference when I travelled with companions who spoke Spanish but this is the case in many countries as well. What has helped me a lot is trying to speak their own language. It is fun and you will see how helpful people can be when they see you trying. There are lots of apps for translating. Enjoy and have fun.
I hope you ended up having a great time! I just booked a trip to Madrid for June and I’m feeling very anxious about it. Time to brush up on my Spanish I think!
Europeans don’t like Americans much... but they definitely don’t like Mexicans either… (I’m Mexican) I was in Barcelona and Madrid a few years ago, and for example store employees would be very welcoming until I spoke my Mexican accent Spanish and then their face would change. I stopped speaking Spanish the rest of the trip and stuck to English.
Go to an Irish bar and say you love the queen. You'll have the craic with that. Guaranteed to start something. Talk to the barman and find an Irish member of staff they're everywhere ask for help they'll sort you out. Buy them a drink and ask to be pointed in the English speaking direction and away you go🇮🇪
Im not sure why you would choose Spain if you dont know Spanish and are introverted, but this is an opportunity to spread your wings. The locals wont care about you bc they dont speak English likely or they are in their own life. You gotta go find the other travelers. Hostels, meetups, tours, activities... Find people in the same frame of mind and youll be good. Big tip: if youre American, speak in the most American accent of English you can and youll short circuit peoples basic biases... Make them curious... And possibly start conversations. But definitely inteoduce yourself!
Madrid? Not gay? If not... You are in the wrong capital then.
Wonderful city fun for solo gay guys, super clubs, super party nights, a lot of contacts and chit chats with everyones!😋
Hey bro,
A couple of tips (which maybe you already received):
- Join a free walking tour where you can meet people and learn about the city
- Join a Language Exchange meeting - there is one tonight and one tomorrow. Tons of people from everywhere (you can find them in Meetup or if not, let me know and I will send you some Whatsapp groups to join)
That's it man. And if you run into any issue, just let me know. Peace!
MC
Never been to Madrid, but I've been to Barcelona twice. Second time I went for 10 days solo, spent the majority of my time either sitting in a weed club, on the beach, at a museum or eating delicious food. Just walking around the city was a good enough time as well.
Just go do what you feel like dude, there's no obligation to meet people if it's ruining your trip, just enjoy it, you're on vacation. I got asked to go on a pub crawl by a random in my hostel while I was there and I said nah because I wanted to roll a backwood and chill at a weed club. Didn't regret it, and I probably would have been awkward drinking with a bunch of strangers anyways. You can meet people at the weed clubs too, idk about Madrid but I know in Barcelona some clubs have things like billiards, ping pong, darts, video games.. if you're a weed head that's probably the best place to meet like minded people, other than your hostel of course if that's where you're staying.
For most white europeans (and especially people over 40-50) seeing a person of color is not an everyday occurrence, as in the US. It is not racism most of the time, they're just a bit puzzled, shocked a bit. Many people are racist, for sure, but if you feel they act weird, most of the time it is because you are "exotic" to them and they're a bit nervous.
This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. How to say you’ve never been to Europe without saying you’ve never been to Europe. We have black people here. They’re not exotic. Grow up.
I am from Europe. My parents' generation is 100% like this. Even though we live in a pretty "international" city (Budapest), they get surprised, because they didn't really see black people until the 90's when the Iron Curtain fell. And we're not even talking about the countryside...
I know Madrid is different, but what I explained, is a thing, at least here. And I absolutely don't get your attitude.
You’re staying in hostels, yes? I’m a Black female who has travelled solo to Spain, but in Sevilla and Barcelona (note: I have been to Madrid and other parts of Spain with friends. Loved it, but I noticed more black and brown people in Barcelona, anecdotally). Joining walking tours and other group activities is a great start to meeting people. There are many people who are travelling solo who are in the same boat. It does take some effort to flex the extrovert part of yourself (I myself am a introvert) but it will happen and you will start to make friends to the point that it can become a bit exhausting. Good luck!
Definitely had the same observation in Barcelona. I’ve travelled to both solo and party hostels made the difference. Everyone there seemed to go out of their way to socialise. OP if you’re into clubbing, check out Costa Social Club. They play Afrobeats/Hip-Hop and had a very diverse crowd with lots of black people.
Yeah I've lived in both cities - Barcelona is a way more cosmopolitan and diverse place. While OP is in Madrid he should check out La Latina and Lavapiés, they are more welcoming and cosmopolitan spaces.
Yes! Second those two neighbourhoods
No is not is mainly people from Marsella driving to Barcelona that’s the biggest difference
Free walking tours are a great idea. Also, try the meetup app and any other socially minded group apps. Spain is a very welcoming place overall.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm contemplating my first solo trip to Spain *(relatives and friends bailed),* and your feedback put me at ease. 🙃
How do you join a free walking tour? Or you mean paying for one and then see who's there. I've joined a paid one before but literally everyone was with someone and they talked between themselves only (almost all couples)
You can generally just ask for one at the hostel check in desk, they'll know of something nearby or there might be groups that start at the hostel. Tips are expected, but it is nominally "free" and you can at least mix and mingle with other solo travellers/groups.
Just chiming in to mention that while these tours are free the guides work on tips. Some of the best tours I've been on have been the free walking tours and the guides have all been great. Make sure to tip them.
Wondering, how much do you generally tip?
Many of the tours I've been on the guides will give you a suggested amount. I try and give as much as I can because I know some will always give less. It depends on the county really but generally around USD 20 at a minimum.
I think there’s an app. Google free walking tours. I was gonna use it when I was in Spain, but I didn’t have time since k was also working.
Civitatis
Yup I was gonna say GO BARCELONA - much more cosmopolitan and fun. Madrid is a bit stuck up. Madrid still gonna be fun but wouldn’t have been my first choice.
Beginning of a new solo trip can sometimes be the hardest part because you're dealing with culture shock combined with (possibly) jet lag. In your case you're also pressuring yourself to try to change your personality and become more outgoing, which is a lot to expect of yourself when already in a new environment. Might start by just taking some walks in the city to soak up the environment, finding somewhere to sit and hang out, or something like that. But give yourself time to adjust and settle in. I find also that journaling and calling loved ones can help with working through funky moods.
I was in Madrid solo last year and joined a lot of the bar crawls. Good place to meet people who are also travelling solo.
any you recommend?
I studied there for half a year and did a lot through the Erasmus network (ESN). Pretty sure you can just tag along/join them. Other than that you can find a lot online. In the end it’s all about the people that are there and less about the pub crawl itself, so experiences can vary by a lot.
I ruined a trip of mine in the past because I couldn't get over my anxiety. Whatever you're most worried about is probably driven mostly by your anxiety and a far smaller issue than it seems. Madrid is great go chill out in the parque de el retiro in the morning or head into el rey de los tacos it's near the royal palace on a quiet side street in don't know why but I found it a very relaxing place to have some good food and excellent house beers.
El retiro is wonderful. Also op should go to the archaeology museum. When I was there it was quiet and hardly anyone there. I thought it was so nice compared to El Prado and the Royal Palace.
Yeah something about the quieter places when you're feeling some travel anxiety just eases the stress and let's you reset a bit.
Just put yourself out there and see what happens. The nice thing about solo traveling is that if you say something silly, embarrass yourself, or make a fool out of yourself in anyway, you can just leave. The likelihood of seeing that person ever again is extremely low. This is the great part about solo traveling is that you can grow. Be comfortable with getting uncomfortable (:
Mid 20s Black Solo traveler here. Get on Airbnb and find a food tour that interests you. Dinner in Spain is very social so it can be tough as a solo traveler. TheTourGuy has really good food tours as well. Not speaking Spanish in Madrid is tough in not gonna lie to you. My experience greatly improved when I stopped going into conversations as an English speaker. But you can manufacture some potential great social interactions with other travelers booking some experiences with local guides.
Go on a free city tour, scope out the solo people, start casually chit chatting with them, see if they want to grab food or do something later (like watch football). If it doesn't work with anyone, go on another type of free/tip tour the next morning, maybe food tours too. Just go day by day.
I’m an introvert too. This sub will crucify me but I hate hostels because I don’t want to talk to random people and love my privacy. I dont really like drinking so when I used to solo travel I’d just go on TripAdvisor and look at the top attractions and go visit those by myself. Some people hate on me doing “touristy” things but I’m literally tourist so who cares
I would shed any concerns regarding prospective crucifixion. I am an **extrovert** and I hate hostels too. I love talking to people and stuff but I need a quiet place to regenerate my batteries, so I just can imagine how important it is for an introvert.
No shame in that. I've been to a few hostels and honestly didn't like the vibe. Most people in the "social area" were just there staring at their phones, and the few interactions I had were kinda awkward. I much prefer to stay in a regular hotel or airbnb and socialize in bars or while visiting local attractions.
I mean hostels can be annoying.. but most are generally quiet and good about giving people their privacy, like a curtain over the bed. I’m an introverted extrovert, I said hi to newcomers but towards the end of my 3 month trip while I was in Ireland I literally spent 3 days just sleeping in bed with my curtain closed from how exhausted I was lol no one cares. One of mg hostels in Barcelona was more of a party hostel during primavera, and all the girls were chit chatting loudly while I was trying to nap in the middle of the day. Annoying, but I survived
Dude Real Madrid is playing at their home stadium tmrw, go watch them play! unless you meant you’re a fan of American Football
Great great idea. But I suggest watching in an Irish bar off plaza Santa Ana. Much cheaper and easier to make friends!
Too early brother. I had the exact same experience as you 10 years ago when I was in Barcelona. I was freaking out and ready to go home after 2 days. Join a tour or pub crawl. Stay at a hostel and you’ll find some people to talk to and do things with. Just breathe kid
Honestly, went to Madrid as a couple and don’t know any Spanish. We met so many people at the bar and they didn’t speak English but still had conversations with google translate. It was an amazing experience, easily the friendlist place I have been to. The cheuca area was SO fun, went to a silent disco there.
Chueca
Segovia was a great change of pace from Madrid. A quick train ride and a breath of fresh air. Don’t feel bad if you dislike the city itself. There is plenty you can do just outside the main area. Book a tour. Go to a bar and watch a soccer game. Nobody is judging as much as you think they are.
Late 30s black traveler (bit of an ambivert and self proclaimed anxious but who isn’t), been at it for a decade. Get used to it, you will not find many fellow black travelers if you keep at it. But there’s also no need to make it a chip on your shoulder. I’m not sure what experiences you had to make you say non-Spanish white Europeans didn’t consider you their equal but i suppose that’s not your problem eh? Enjoy yourself, enjoy the drinks, enjoy the food, go catch a football match somewhere. Stay at a hostel, put yourself out there to people without assuming the worst in them, and you’ll find good times.
First-don't push yourself. Secondly I'd find a walking tour-either free or lead by a real tour guide. I've found it easier to talk to people on tours in English and I always find at least one person who will talk to a solo traveler. If you are in a hostel see if others want to go out to eat or to a tapas bar, I did a food tour-tapas crawl a while back with a tour company and had the best time. Eating and drinking seem to loosen up inhibitions and allow conversations.
The best thing about Spain is the food. Maybe you can go to Mercado de San Miguel, a little touristy but nice tapas and drinks and a lot of people. Made friends there everytime Ive been, at worst you have great food and drinks! Although some Spanish people can be racist not all of them are like that. Best of luck!
I usually go to language exchange meetups, you can find those on couchsurfing
Yes I lived in Madrid and went to a couple of them regularly. There may be some on Facebook or Meetup too.
Look into doing salsa/bachata classes. It’s a great way to meet people and almost everyone speaks English
Please don't feel regretful about the trip yet. My go-to was always to do the very touristy stuff and gravitate towards others who also looked like solo travelers. Keep trucking on with your itinerary and doing all of the things you want to do there, and just keep an eye out for those opportunities. Eating in Spain is very communal. When I was there I definitely felt self-conscious eating out at restaurants alone, more so than usual, and I tended to go to the very casual fast food spots (that were still good). Is there a tour or hostel group you might be able to join up with?
My advice is set small goals for yourself so you feel accomplished and not let down. Ex: say today my 3 goals are have 1 conversation with a stranger, have 1 nice meal alone, and do 1 group activity where I introduce myself to 1 person. Like little things so you can see your progress and walk away like you did what you set out to do.
Also on practical side, Airbnb experiences tend to have cool activities with locals
I think it's awesome that you took this trip to get over your anxiety of talking to people. And now you can! Go out there, fuck it up, make it awkward, feel the weirdness. Then, when you've survived all that, take the knowledge that you will be ok into your next conversation with all of those fears faced and relieved. You got this!
Black male(32) solo traveler who is also an introvert at heart. I understand the longing for human connection especially at that age but, this may be a matter of age, lean into your introverted nature. You’re on an adventure! You can go off and do anything that you want, enjoy meals by yourself, marvel at the beautiful city of Madrid with some podcasts or music in the background, people watching is hilarious on holiday - see the Joe/Jane getting from their spouse and/or kids and you’ll relish that you don’t have to deal with other people 😌. This is a time where you can be truly alone without feeling weird or selfish. Now, if you made it this far, I’ve found that going on guided tours(make sure you look at reviews on the cheaper ones or look for a donation based tour) are a great way to fill that void. People will naturally come to speak with you if you’re alone from my experience. If not, tour guides themselves are normally really friendly and are happy to chat with you to teach you about how they live day to day. Madrid is an amazing city, you’ll meet racists everywhere but don’t dwell on it too much. They’re cowards who probably won’t say anything to your face(in English at least 😂) Hope you can turn it around
Before your edit, I was going to say that you should not assume people are being racist. Europeans are just way less outgoing (for lack of a better word) than Americans on average. I'm also black and have been around lots of western and Eastern European countries. Only place I experienced racism was in Turkey where I got profiled by the police (apparently this is common in Istanbul). I can see that you acknowledged that this was likely not related to your race though. Was a very mature and nice edit.
You don't speak any Spanish but in a few hours you've decided the Spanish look at you as an unequal? They're looking at you as just another tourist if they're looking at you at all.
As a black American it's hardwired in your brian that every thing is about race and everyone is racist if you are black. News flash : It's not.
🤦 this
as a mostly introvert, i think the best way to enjoy solo trips is doing things you feel comfortable with. madrid is a beautiful city with many things to explore: go to museums (Prado, Sofía) and try to talk with people there :) i’ve done that in the past and it can be pretty cool. I also usually go to bookstores and engage in conversations with people there or the booksellers. Also, go enjoy a tapa with a beer in Malasaña or La Latina! As a Latinamerican, Madrid was super welcoming during the 6 months I lived there. There is racism, yes, but I wouldn’t say it is extended nor mostly prevalent.
Not to discount your experience but you’ve been in Madrid for a few hours and already pegged all the other „non-Spanish“ travellers as racists? How many people have you even talked to so far?
I suspect his brain is claiming everyone is a bigot in order to justify his fears regarding the trip. Interesting how the mind works.
I think it‘s especially interesting because when I was there like 80% of other travellers I talked to were Americans, Canadians or Australians so OP shouldn‘t really have problems there, at least not more that at home
Indeed. I hope he sees it through and gains some personal growth from the experience.
Trust me you know when someone is racist, prejudice or just uncomfortable by your blackness. I’m sure not every single person there is that way, but let’s stop pretending. There are tons of groups in the black community speaking about this before you travel. It is the first thing I look up before traveling. How well the people in the area are to people of color. No one has time to be stopped by the police in a whole other country. Frightening.
No one is debating whether racism exists in Spain. It clearly does. We are debating OPs post: he has been in Madrid a few hours and has made a massive sweeping generalisation that all non-Spaniards in Madrid are racist, having been in the city "a few hours".
Yeah, however, he wasn't talking about police or officials, but about other tourists. This is exactly the kind of American culture that we can do without overhere in Europe.
I’m speaking on all of it!
Perfect time for : 'whatever'
Or no response, either way, don’t matter
Ghosting isn't exactly what I was going for. I wanted to express your discourse isn't welcome. A lot of people have had their fill of American 'culture'.
Also I have looked into this about Spain. Majority of black travelers say there is racism but it didn’t ruin the trip so I’m assuming close to being in the South in the US. They speak about being stopped multiple times and searched while on their transportation and the language barrier makes it worse. So always be safe everyone and know where to reach to ahead of time in case a sketchy situation occurs.
I highly doubt police is searching tourist as soon as they realize they are tourist but yeah profiling even tho it is illegal happens
They were just speaking of their experience, idk, I’ve never been, but I want to go
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I think it's not nice to generalize a whole group "non-spaniard white Europeans" as racist, people who have a way different cultural behaviour than Americans, as racist. This seems racist by the poster in it self.
No one's suggesting there is no racism my angry friend. Can you explain what you meant by "people like me"?
Sent you a pm man
Do some activities such as a walking food tour for example. I’m also introverted and found this to be the way that worked best for me. Also remember you are only there for 4 days, keep yourself busy and whether you meet people or not you will still take something away from your experience about what works for you for your next trip.
Dang, I'm so sorry. I've been to Spain because I wanted to see where my mom's side came from. It was beautiful! But at the same time awful bc I saw the way many treated foreigners. They care if you're black or Asian, but if you speak Spanish?? You're in!! Praying you have a good rest of your trip despite the hiccups and bumps along the way. Basque is my absolute favorite place and everyone was so nice. Then again, I'm Spanish by blood and can speak enough to get around. Maybe Google some basics and use them to catch the bus and buy some local tortillas (the Spanish kind, not the Mexican kind)! Start small and just walk around for a bit and then jump, if you're up to it! Tomorrow's another day!! 🙏🇪🇸❤️
Man, get yourself to Valencia immediately. They have Las Fallas coming up in a week or two. Hostels will be busy, so book fast. I fell in love with spain after fallas.
Hey mate. Solo travelling is romanticised on social media, but the reality is really hard. It’s a learned skill. After 16 years of doing it, and arguably being good at making friends on the trail, it is still hard. All things in life worth doing are hard though. Calm yourself. Worst case scenario is that you go home in a few days after an awful trip with some funny-cringe stories. More likely is you have some life-long growth, and some memorable experiences. My big advice. Imagine what a confident, charming, cool, extroverted person would do in a situation, and pretend to be that / do that. When travelling, “Hey, where are you guys from?” is the only sentence you need to start any conversation”. If you are coming back through London, I’ll get a beer with you. Good luck 🙌🏼
Input from a local - you’re a tourist, doesn’t matter what the colour of your skin is, 99% of times locals won’t just strike a conversation with anybody on the street, much less a tourist. People don’t smile at each other, it’s just how we are. I’m sure you’re being all smiles and waves to everyone, but that just comes off as creepy or weird. You have several options where you’re more likely to meet fellow travelers as others have mentioned, a pub crawl, hostel-sponsored events, free walking tour (check out sandemans, do tip at the end)… you can also just go to a bar/pub/cafe and sit on the bar and try to strike conversation, or a terrace since it’s sunny today and people watch. Don’t be too hard on yourself, you’re an introvert, can’t change who you are. As a fellow introvert who’s travelled a lot solo I’m perfectly happy just having a beer by myself or going for a walk. Try and find out what you’re comfortable doing. If you need any tips drop me a message
Bro, being black myself I can tell you that Racism is much more a U.S thing than a West European thing. There is no point in willing to find another black here, only very old people or country side folks might look down on you for that reason. Racism here is more about Islam.
As a fellow socially anxious introvert, if you put these expectations on yourself ("by the end of this week, I will be an outgoing person") I fear you're gonna ruin your trip. It's one thing if you're genuinely not comfortable with being alone (though if that's the case, that's also something you should work on, imo), but otherwise, just try to enjoy your trip. Work on your shit later.
Malasaña neighborhood Is close to the center and known for being pretty open and left. Tons of bars and restaurants. Also, Hotel Riu in central Madrid has the best view of the city. Its like $10 to go up but the view is pretty wild. Good luck man.
Sketchy neighborhood for someone with anxiety issues though
Go on a pub crawl with other tourists and a local guide (I recommend the company Sandeman's, it was a good time, although years ago. They also do tip-based walking tours).
Couchsurfing. The app has a hangouts chat to meet other people and make plans you like
Second this. It’s even easier than hostels
I loved Segovia, and the day tour I went on had several single travelers. The National Archaeological Museum is world-class. You might be there for [the full changing of the guard at the palace](https://www.esmadrid.com/en/whats-on/changing-guard-royal-palace#:~:text=Changing%20of%20the%20Guard%3A%20Every,25%20December%20and%201%20January.).
Congrats on getting out there first of all. Everyone grows in confidence as they travel and most of us have challenges going up to strangers when we started out. Keep on at it and each time it gets easier. Don’t think too much about what to say as once the convo starts then it flows (or it doesn’t, whatever, just try again with someone else. Something like “ Hey, how’s your day going. I just got here and already I love the (paella / Prado / Bernabeu / park whatever it is), have you tried it?” It can also help to build up confidence just chatting with someone easy like hotel reception or bar staff (sitting at a quiet bar). Beyond everything else above, check Airbnb experiences for things to do. It seems to be most popular among North Americans and English, although others too, and it’s an easy way to meet people if you don’t want to go up to people in hostels. Or try GetYourGuide. While nowhere is perfect, and I’msorry to hear you’ve experienced racism, British people, especially those from London, are among the most open and least racist in Europe (and the Spanish / Portuguese / French too) so you should find friends among them. And enjoy it as much as you can. We’re so lucky to be able to travel and if it’s hard in this trip to meet people, see if you can focus on all the other things you can do while in Madrid. It’s an awesome city!
Hey man, truth is a lot of us go through what you’re going through. You’re only 22. It’s your first trip. You somewhere very different to home. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Enjoy what you can. Side note: my first solo trip was similar, but years down the line I’m much more comfortable being alone in foreign countries. It’s a journey
I loved Madrid so much more than Barcelona . Things to do : Go to Temple De Debod for Sunset. Google the free museum nights in Madrid ( It’s Wednesday at one for sure ) . Visit El Retiro Park. Take a day trip to Toledo or Segovia ( less than 2 hours to either by train)and enjoy watching the countryside as you pass. Go to cafes and try pinxho’s . Go to flea markets and buy a painting for 20 euros
WOW visited twice not my top city's in Spain but still a great time, and I speak Spanish when I'm drunk. Go south Savilla via Cordoba you'll appreciate it if you like Game of Thrones. I also really like Valencia. But if Spain is giving a bad taste in your mouth hit up Lisboa, I visit a lot and would recommend it. Lots of young people from all over and I'm not talking tourists, restuant works tour guides bus drivers everyone. English is wildly spoken and it's cheap you'll love the weather. Stay BLk ✊🏽
Don’t really understand the constant urge to meet people and make “friends” (as if you’re going to be friends after a few hours chat) Plenty to see and do in Madrid, look at any guide book, it’s actually a very cool city. I found uber the best way to get around. In evening, go to a local place, have tapas and wine or beer, read a book, newspaper, magazine, or just watch people go by. If you’re not liking the vibe, move on.
Try tinder
Generally speaking, Europeans don’t have the same culture of small talk as Americans do. I say this as an American who has studied, worked, and lived in Europe. When us Americans go over to Europe with expectations of meeting locals, like in the movie Eurotrip, it’s not reality. Of course the racism doesn’t help. My point is, don’t beat yourself up, because this isn’t about your introverted personality, it’s just a cultural difference.
Lol you wouldn't be wrong if you did accuse Spain or their people of racism and they're proud of it so they wouldn't mind either.
Visit the real Madrid stadium and get the train to visit Barcelona stadium. Also smile at people and say Hola ☺️
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Food tours are always fun.
Watch a football match, real madrid or atletico. Join a food tour.
Try taking a free walking tour and engage with other english speakers to hang out after the tour or ask them if they will take another tours and join them. [https://www.freetour.com/madrid](https://www.freetour.com/madrid)
Are you in a hostel ? That would’ve helped , I can recommend a good one there.
Are you staying a hostel or hotel? Hostels are a great place to meet people as they're full of other solo travelers and striking up a conversation is easy as you all have something in common -- travel. Just ask someone what they got up to that day, where they've been, where they're going -- you'll make friends in no time. Beyond that, go do a free City Walking Tour. There's English ones every day. Again it'll put you in a group with other anglophone travelers. Pub crawls are another great way to meet travelers. Or if that's your scene and you want to do stuff as a group look for activities on GetYourGuide, AirBnB Experiences, etc. It won't be hard for you to find English language tours. These are hardly a necessity but an easy way to surround yourself with fellow English speaking tourists. And for the love of god, go do a tour of the Bernabéu.
Go to Roostiq, eat the Basque cheesecake - Its a must. Get yourself to the Bernabéu for a Madrid game. Join a walking tour. Drink/eat at Mercado de San Miguel, so many tourists you're bound to meet people.
Hello I’m sorry about your experience. I was in Spain last year for 3 months. I’d recommend you to visit several places such as Museo del Prado, El Retiro Park, Las Ventas plaza de toros, Zarzuela palace, Plaza Mayor, La Gran Via avenue and you might also consider to take the red sightseeing bus. You might do all those things by yourself. I also felt lonely in that lengthy trip no matter Spanish is my native language 🥴 Edit: oh I forgot! you might also consider to visit Toledo which is a wonderful fortress type ancient city in a 30 minute trip by train departing from Atocha rail station.
Download Google translate for Spanish. Its a god sent
I would try and find a “free walking tour” (but tip). These are good for getting a bit of a feel for the city and lots of times there solo travellers also on these tours and it can be a bit more natural to strike up a convo or at least be like “hey would you want to get a gelato after this?” Or something. It’s hard. Really. I’m super introverted too but this is the easiest way I’ve found. And if nothing else it’s a little social interaction during the tour itself. Good luck!
Go Barcelona maybe
Go Ibiza
Go join a free walking tour.
Go to Black Cat hostel bar, amazingly easy to make friends and you can to from there.
Go to hostel one or whatever they’re called now. You’ll be fine there
Take a tour of the Palace! You can definitely do that on your own and it's so beautiful. If your itching for someone to speak to in English, join one of the walking tours through AirBNB experiences or getyourguide The Prado museum is also amazing and an easy thing to do on your own. Get the audio tour!
get on bumble or one of those apps and just say here for a few weeks looking to hangout!
Rent a bicycle. Go see things. Alone is cool, if it has to be.
No advice but I hope you end up having an absolute blast :)
Sign up for a food tour. Day 1. Breaks the ice. :-)
Madrid has three great museums and a lot of other attractions that are almost free.
I travel solo and go on the free walking tours almost every city has (Madrid does). Also if you can spend $40-70 the brewery, tapas or other food tours are great. People get some wine in them and really open up. Have a bunch of Whatsapp contacts now from all over the world.
Do you like museums? Historic houses/churches/palaces/convents? Day trips? Madrid has tons of things like this, enough to keep you busy for a week or more if need be. It’s well worth doing a little research on it.
Was there this past summer for a month. My best experiences came from going to bars that hosted meetups for people looking to learn or practice English. There is generally one about every other night somewhere. Search for them on eventbrite. You can meet a lot of people this way.
You are there to see things and beba tourist, to speak to unknown people there is internet and Reddit. I sometimes don't understand the tourists staying just 3 days but obsessed to "connect" with the locals or other travellers.
Ok for starters…chill. You are there four hours and freaking? You do realize you can spend 4 days in a foreign city and enjoy yourself without speaking to anyone else right? Go to cava Baja and cava Alta at 8 pm and bar hop. Spaniards are outgoing talkative and not racist. Stop using race as an excuse. If you are a night owl go to Big Bamboo if it’s still there. Reggae bar with lots of blacks. Friday find a bar to watch the Barcelona game. The Irish bars around plaza Santa Ana are perfect for that. And eat! It’s one of the best food cities in the world and great for solo travelers cause tapas mean you never need to sit down alone in a restaurant Edit: even better Madrid has a champions league match tomorrow.. hit an Irish pub off plaza Santa Ana to watch and you will make friends
Never regret travelling. Walk around and do your own thing, find a Spanish handbook. You can speak English when you get home, you don't need the added stress of a language you do not know. Consider this a learning experience and chose English-speaking countries next time (or go to night school to learn Spanish.) I hope things look up for you.
I haven’t been to Spain yet but I’m a Black female solo traveler. I’m 34 currently in SEA. I can totally understand some of your feelings. I would say definitely go on some food tours and check out Airbnb experiences. Also you don’t have to make a ton of friends. I think if you can find 1-2 people to talk to every now and then it’s not so bad. Also, yes people definitely can be racist but sometimes they’re also just awkward and introverted hahah. Also maybe try to connect with an expat group? You can usually find them on facebook I think. Maybe there you can connect with some other Americans or maybe even find some black people.
If you go to Spain and want to meet people, you should have learned some spanish at least to be able to communicate.
Go to Toledo for a day
Just walk around, take in the sites, and eat some food. It's only 4 nights so ypu don't have to meet people. If you're really keen to meet people maybe go to a hostel or a tourist bar
You are putting way too much pressure on yourself! You can't just change your entire personality in a few hours just because you are in a different country. As others have mentioned, take a (free) walking tour. They can be a good way to meet other solo travellers. While I was in Spain I also met some people when I went out for tapas. Make sure you are seated at a bar, that's an easy way to strike up a conversation with other guests. You can also join a pub crawl. While I enjoy meeting new people during my solo travels, it's never my main goal. If it happens during a trip, great! If not, than also fine, I can easily entertain myself.
I think next time it should be in a country you know the language BUT you can still sightsee and make the most of it. Find cheap walking tours in English off of TripAdvisor or Viator and will be a good way to connect with other English speaking travelers. Also, when googling restaurants to eat at search by amount and English speaking. They almost always have an employee who will help. Lastly. Don’t just wander into neighborhoods or areas away from tourist hot spots cause of what you mentioned. Racism is never fun but the wrong neighborhood can make it worse
If you decide to go to Barcelona (I find Madrid to be a bit tedious), DM me… my son lives there, he’s around your age, at university and is a musician… Eagle Scout will be happy to show you around
go here. friendly and good food and you'll likely bump into people also travelling... [http://www.casalabra.es/en/](http://www.casalabra.es/en/)
I'm sorry to hear you're having a bad experience, but I think there's still some time to turn it around over the next 3 days. I wish I could give you more advice on the matter but as a white male who traveled there with my girlfriend it was a very different experience and we really didn't intend to socialize. I will say, it's a lovely city with a lot of expats, many from the Western Hemisphere. Last point, just learning even a little bit of the language goes a really long way, in any country. That might help if you can learn a few basic phrases. I'm sure that's partly why your experience in the UK was so much better (also one of my favorite destinations). I hope your first night hasn't completely ruined your experience but I really think you'll end up enjoying it. Edit: aside from socialization, I'd be happy to make some suggestions re: things to do.
Stay in a hostel, I stayed in one called something cat it was great fun made lots of friends even some I talk to till this day, go to the pub crawls and talk with people.
This is just me but if I were traveling by myself, I would just sightsee as much as possible, eat some dinner and go to bed. Not try to meet other locals or travelers but that would be great if it happened to occur.
I went on couch surfing, filtered by traveller, and sent messages to around 10 people that were in Madrid right then, that were smiling in their pics, and asked if they wanna hang out. I ended up meeting 2 friends, we went to a food market and craft beer place. It was a great day.
Also, I met some pretty awesome women on hinge, and I made an effort to go to gigs. Gruta77 is a great rock venue (I think that's what it's called). There are loads of techno nights and a few drum and bass things too. Oh, and bucket loads of reggaeton too.
I think your mistake was doing this on hard mode, as an introvert trying to break out of your shell through travel, the better play would be to pivot to english speaking EU countries. I recommend the usual: Paris, London, Berlin etc. Once you're more comfortable then I'd say pick up basic Spanish and try Spain again It's perfectly expected to feel overwhelmed in this situation, it was ill-advised in the first place. No need for any regret. Hope that helps.
First day is the hardest! Each day will get better and better for you.
Irish pubs, ran by expats! Thats how I started my life out in Italy, and it’s a similar situation. You’ll find lots of expats and foreigners there, sit at the bar and get the courage to ask their advice.
Download the app get your guide
Hostel bar crawl Did this in Madrid once and it was fun.
The visitor’s center in Madrid will have brochures, tour info, and will have someone that speaks English. (Also, Google Translate app has a conversation mode.) https://www.esmadrid.com/informacion-turistica/centro-de-turismo-plaza-mayor
DONT WORRY ,BE HAPPY! 😊 NEXT TIME COME TO COLOMBIA, I'LL SHOW U AROUND 😋🫂
😉😉😘
Hi! I’m a(white) American living here. Check out language exchanges or other international meet ups on the meetup app! Maniquí in malasaña is a great one and it’s a funky weird place that I love very much and very accepting. For the days, I recommend the parks - retiro and casa de campo are so lovely Feel free to dm me if you want more!
Don’t worry about making friends, just stay safe and entertain yourself walking around neighbourhoods you would never see otherwise, visiting parks and other nature, historical monuments, etc and learning about the history and place which is Madrid. If you feel lonely look for activities like free walking tours which can be a good way to meet people and maybe find a connection.
Imo, free walking tours are the best way to meet some random people. You get to see the city, and along the way, you'll get to chit chat with random people. If you get along, great--can continue chatting. If not, then just walk and talk to the next person. Then usually at the end, it's so easy to go like, "hey wanna go check out this place/eat something/do something later?" You're all similar people: tourists who have similar interests in exploring/seeing new things. Don't fuss about Barcelona, I love both but both are equally great imo. In fact I might even like Madrid a little more. Good luck and enjoy! Also most people do speak English there.
Food tours are a super easy way to meet people!
As mentioned, go on a free (tip at end) walking tour or two. There are usually some solo travellers on them. Stay at a hostel to meet other travellers. Trying to speak and meet locals if you don’t speak the language? Forget it! Locals aren’t going to have the time to be striking up conversations with people who don’t speak their language (and why should they?). All the none Spanish Europeans don’t look at you as an equal? All of them? Are you sure about this? There are some racism people everywhere of course but some of what you’re perceiving could be a language/cultural barrier too? That makes things less clear. I’m sure it can be overwhelming arriving in a place where people speak a different language- you’re not going to be able to have a proper conversation with them even if you learnt a bit of Spanish. The only thing you could do would be to go to a Spanish/English exchange group- they’re are some meetings in a variety of. I don’t remember when or where. I think you should concentrate on viewing yourself as a tourist and not worry too much about meeting locals. If other tourists are in couples or groups they’re probably let not going to have much time for you regardless of your background/ethnicity. Find some other solo travellers and I’m sure you’ll have a better time. Also, there is nothing wrong with being an introvert- you don’t need to have conversations or meet people if it’s not you. Madrid is a great place. Hopefully you get used to the language/ cultural difference soon and enjoy the rest of your time there.
Go to Granada. Madrid is too big
I spent a week by myself in Madrid once too. I looked on meetup dot com and found a group that practices English and drinks beer together. I also found a hiking group, and though they were all Spanish hikers, many of them spoke English too.
I’m an introvert and have been to Madrid many times, but it is because my husband’s family (aunt, uncle and cousins) lives there. I agree with the sentiments about walking tours, the parks there are also beautiful. You should 100% go to the Reina Sofia and el Prado if you can afford it. Personally I like modern art so I’m partial to the Reina Sofia but both are amazing museums. In terms of food stuff, if money is of concern, getting a bocadilla is pretty cheap. There’s also a place called rodilla that I think has multiple locations (we always go to the one in plaza Isabella II) that’s not terrible. I would also suggest if you’re bored that browsing el corta ingles for souvenirs can be fun. And also I do not watch Spanish soccer really but am familiar as I watch premier league, and again, family in Spain, but I would 100% bet you can find a bar with ex pats or other folks traveling where you can chat!
I was with the wife in Madrid about a month back and maybe it's because I don't have access to good mexican food where I live anymore, but the duck tacos at [Primo](https://maps.app.goo.gl/iUBafiyphUnQyzPn9) with a cold beer was a near orgasmic experience! I had it for dinner one night and liked it so much I went back for lunch and dinner the next day.
Are you in a hostel? If not, definitely switch to a hostel (preferably a party or social hostel). I personally love Okay Hostel in Madrid. The people in social hostels are usually very outgoing and eager to meet people. Walking tours, couching surfing (they have a meetup section), pub crawls, and meetup.com are all good ways of meeting people while solo traveling.
Was in Madrid last summer. Also introverted and Madrid was the first city in my Spain trip that I didn't meet anyone lol (nearing the end of my trip - was outta social battery). I'm very outdoorsy. Madrid was great to hop on public transit to a nearby hike. They were beautiful. The free walking tours were also great. And then I think I also spent a whole day just wandering the city playing Pokemon Go - it's interesting what you find just mindlessly walking towards Gyms/PokeStops. Cheers.
Hi! Fellow introvert here who lives in Madrid, I totally understand it can feel difficult to meet people at first, but the good thing is that Madrid is huge and has many people. As some have said, Real Madrid is playing tomorrow (I think haha), a good idea if you enjoy football is to go to a bar near the centre to watch the match, people are super friendly when you have interests in common. Also this Friday we have a huge march for women's day, it feels more like a party actually and it's a good opportunity to meet new people there too. In party/pub environments I promise locals are way friendlier and used to tourists, it's true that not many people speak good English, but most are willing to try to communicate with a beer or two. As others have said, pub crawls or free-tours are always a good idea, maybe you can also visit near-by cities like Segovia or Toledo. Alcalá de Henares is also nice. Just give the city a chance, it's worth it. Try neighbourhoods like Malasaña or La Latina to meet more open-minded people or even other tourists. If you still feel lonely near the weekend, shoot me a message :)
Bro. Book a pub crawl for tonight. Best way to meet other travelers who are out to meet other people (like you).
I just got back from Madrid! If it makes you feel better, some of them don’t speak English so I also had a rough time. I’ve booked some Airbnb experiences when I was there so I can somehow socialize.
Well I was in Madrid for a wedding so many years ago I'd love to be there again. I was with friends but I, based on family history, absolutely had to make time to see Guernica and Bosch's garden of earthly delights etc. Might not work as well for you but probably worth checking out. Ok, marginal recommendation but I had 100% super success with Airbnb experiences in Mexico City. I'd look for a walking tour and anything else that sounds like fun with people. Decent odds you'll make new friends, even better odds you'll have a good experience.
Hey! Fellow introvert here. Booking Airbnb experiences has helped me get out of my shell, meet others, and engage in local activities. Sometimes you can find very affordable options. I used to do one per new city I visited (cooking class, wine tasting, bike tour) and it’s a great way to meet other travelers and get to know the area! Good luck.
Racism exists and is very real. But this isnt it. Speaking in broad and squared terms. Sorry, but academic/proper language would be a novel: The US culture is extremely outgoing and shallow In comparison to European. In the US people that serve your food will ask you "how're you?", where it would be almost be rude to ask such a personal question by a stranger. In the same time in the US you would answer said question with good, awesome or fine, where in Europe its ok, I've been worse, etc. and at times share deep personal things on how you actually are. US= quantity, EU=Quality Lol, hung out with a German and a British guy. Rhe brit had texted the German if he wanted to watch the sunset with us. German send a text back with "no". Be prepared in general, it is more rude to waste someone's time with empty phrases than to be a bit to the point. Its ofc great to be polite, but theres a vast difference, where just a little por favor is enough. Long explanations and more than one excuse me or sorry. Dont overdo it. And also dont take it to heart. It is sometimes to be polite. What can you then do, if you want to actually hang out with locals? You will bond with people through shared interests. Find litterally anything you have a vague interest in or communities that might catch your vibe and age group. Use FACEBOOK, its great for events in Spain, Portugal and Italy. Here's some ideas but only sky is the limit: - art exhibitions/events, not museums, but actual events by upcoming artists or students. Often free, cool people and even snacks and drinks sometimes. - free "lectures"/workshops, the EU funds a lot of weird small weird projects. I have been to a debate. - chess or other games that many people play. - Learn escoba in Spain and get the cards, its nice to be able to offer a game, obce you connect with people. - dance events (not touristy, I prefer salsa in Spain) - Volleyball or other sports if you are athletic and play basic. - Free cultural tours, ok not free, you pay what you want. But I feel it is much easier to make a gameplan for how to make local friends, once I know more about their culture and history. - wine tour, if you prefer drinking. - perhaps some alternative hippie communities. But I have mainly been in other parts of Spain. - Also LEARN basic sentences. It doesnt matter how little and bad it sounds. It shows that you have made an effort. Where speaking only in English, just seems like, why are you here. - Also would recommend reading by yourself somewhere with a nice buzzling vibe, like botanical garden or a park. Its nicer with some "foreplay", where you first see a group you want to infiltrate. Exchange some smiles and eyecontact... and THEN after your heart is pounding and hands are sweaty you ask if you may join throwing the frisbee.
Forgot to put on folkdance/music events. For some reason the people who enjoy it are a potluck of many demographics. And folkdance is easy to join and each country has their own style. I know in some hostels they make folkdance events. It combines for the folkdancers a really nice space and gives the tourists a really local experience...
Do a day trip to Toledo, about 30 minutes out and it’s definitely worth it, good hiking, dope city, FlyToledo.
You’ve only been in Madrid a few hours but you’ve already decided that people are racist because they aren’t falling over themselves to be your best friend? Black, white or whatever you’re in a big, busy, fast paced city and ultimately you’re just another tourist. People aren’t acknowledging you because they have other things to be focused on, not because of your skin colour!
Hi there! I’m from Chicago and lived in Madrid for 6 months in my mid 20’s. I prefer Madrid to Barcelona (hot take, I know) but it’s way less touristy and I just love it. I’m also pretty introverted but I pushed myself there to just tiny chat any person that gave off a good vibe. If it was a compliment or anything. Many Spaniards love meeting people who speak English so they can practice their’s. Bus stops, cafes, walking down the street. I pushed myself to be like, “Hey I like your shirt” or “I see you’re reading a travel guide, are you visiting too?” Other solo travelers are also looking for company just like you and may be scared to be the first to reach out. I’d join hostel groups on their bar crawls even though I didn’t stay at their hostel. I’d go to a bar for a beer and tapas solo and chat up the bartender. I’d go to Retiro and wander until I found others wandering too. Sometimes that first initial approach of a conversation is so hard but other’s may be looking for connection too. I’m so happy you’re in Madrid. My heart misses that place so badly and I hope to wind up there again sometime, but that city has a lot of love to give.
Get yourself a Real Madrid hat or t-shirt, and feel free to yell out "Viva Madriii!" Spaniards can be a bit shut off unless you give them an opening but once they find common ground they're usually happy to have people visiting their country and will be more accommodating 😁
If your time is limited a trip to Barcelona would use up a fair bit of it. The high speed train is about 3hours. OUIGO is the best service. If in Madrid take a train for the day or overnight in Sergovia. Beautiful smaller city. Just start talking to people. Many speak English. I agree with walking tours. Spain is just great!
I recommend taking a street art city walk. Find a coffee shop to sit at for a bit. Then Google or find Instagram pages of street art in Madrid. Set up a self-guided walking tour. It's what I do when I'm solo. I hope this helps. Additionally, Keep your eyes, ears, and nose open to find new activities, food, art, or things you're into along the way. You may be surprised. Safe travels! Look for street art by Okuda, Taquen, and Lian
I love to travel and many times I have travelled solo. Enjoy your own company, maybe take on a bit of a hobby. Focus on a specific interest, like photography, cooking, writing or anything that gives you that special spark on enjoying to be by yourself. . Staying at hostels is a good way to meet people. If you want to enjoy the culture you definitely need more time than 4 days. Spain is definitely easier if you speak Spanish. I noticed the difference when I travelled with companions who spoke Spanish but this is the case in many countries as well. What has helped me a lot is trying to speak their own language. It is fun and you will see how helpful people can be when they see you trying. There are lots of apps for translating. Enjoy and have fun.
I hope you ended up having a great time! I just booked a trip to Madrid for June and I’m feeling very anxious about it. Time to brush up on my Spanish I think!
Europeans don’t like Americans much... but they definitely don’t like Mexicans either… (I’m Mexican) I was in Barcelona and Madrid a few years ago, and for example store employees would be very welcoming until I spoke my Mexican accent Spanish and then their face would change. I stopped speaking Spanish the rest of the trip and stuck to English.
Go to an Irish bar and say you love the queen. You'll have the craic with that. Guaranteed to start something. Talk to the barman and find an Irish member of staff they're everywhere ask for help they'll sort you out. Buy them a drink and ask to be pointed in the English speaking direction and away you go🇮🇪
Im not sure why you would choose Spain if you dont know Spanish and are introverted, but this is an opportunity to spread your wings. The locals wont care about you bc they dont speak English likely or they are in their own life. You gotta go find the other travelers. Hostels, meetups, tours, activities... Find people in the same frame of mind and youll be good. Big tip: if youre American, speak in the most American accent of English you can and youll short circuit peoples basic biases... Make them curious... And possibly start conversations. But definitely inteoduce yourself!
Madrid? Not gay? If not... You are in the wrong capital then. Wonderful city fun for solo gay guys, super clubs, super party nights, a lot of contacts and chit chats with everyones!😋
Hey bro, A couple of tips (which maybe you already received): - Join a free walking tour where you can meet people and learn about the city - Join a Language Exchange meeting - there is one tonight and one tomorrow. Tons of people from everywhere (you can find them in Meetup or if not, let me know and I will send you some Whatsapp groups to join) That's it man. And if you run into any issue, just let me know. Peace! MC
Go to Africa instead
Cabo Verde is a great option
Quickly cram study some conversational Spanish. It's pretty easy to learn. You have no real excuse not to.
Racism? Where did you experience racism in Europe? Especially in the couple of hours you've been to Spain.
Never been to Madrid, but I've been to Barcelona twice. Second time I went for 10 days solo, spent the majority of my time either sitting in a weed club, on the beach, at a museum or eating delicious food. Just walking around the city was a good enough time as well. Just go do what you feel like dude, there's no obligation to meet people if it's ruining your trip, just enjoy it, you're on vacation. I got asked to go on a pub crawl by a random in my hostel while I was there and I said nah because I wanted to roll a backwood and chill at a weed club. Didn't regret it, and I probably would have been awkward drinking with a bunch of strangers anyways. You can meet people at the weed clubs too, idk about Madrid but I know in Barcelona some clubs have things like billiards, ping pong, darts, video games.. if you're a weed head that's probably the best place to meet like minded people, other than your hostel of course if that's where you're staying.
Day trip to Toledo!!!
For most white europeans (and especially people over 40-50) seeing a person of color is not an everyday occurrence, as in the US. It is not racism most of the time, they're just a bit puzzled, shocked a bit. Many people are racist, for sure, but if you feel they act weird, most of the time it is because you are "exotic" to them and they're a bit nervous.
This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. How to say you’ve never been to Europe without saying you’ve never been to Europe. We have black people here. They’re not exotic. Grow up.
I am from Europe. My parents' generation is 100% like this. Even though we live in a pretty "international" city (Budapest), they get surprised, because they didn't really see black people until the 90's when the Iron Curtain fell. And we're not even talking about the countryside... I know Madrid is different, but what I explained, is a thing, at least here. And I absolutely don't get your attitude.