<p>My daughter leaves in a week for her semester abroad in Madrid. As my family has never really been out of the country, we are a bit naive when it comes to traveling. Any suggestions as to what my daughter should pack-anything that is a must have? </p>
<p>She will be staying with a host family and her program takes them on weekend trips; she will also travel to meet up with friends in other programs on her own. We are on the lookout for a good weekender bag that she can carry on when she travels as what she has not is not great. She also want a new bag to use for class and travel on the Metro that might not scream tourist.</p>
<p>We both have been reading what we can to get a feel as to what she should bring with her. I know she will mostly need winter clothing, but she will be in Madrid through May, so spring clothing will also need to be packed. This is not my light packer; I am worried about her getting in what she needs and wants in the allotted luggage! Her biggest problem will be limiting the shoes she takes; she loves shoes!!</p>
<p>You can post your question here [Madrid</a> Forum - TripAdvisor](<a href=“http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g187514-i126-Madrid.html]Madrid”>http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g187514-i126-Madrid.html) BTW, you can ship some of her spring clothes & shoes by an international carrier like DHL.</p>
<p>Madrid is a beautiful and vibrant city with many fine museums and one of the nicest urban parks on the continent. Nightlife is lively and do not expect restaurants to open much before 9pm and the club scene extends into the wee am hours. Tapas bars are open all day however. I felt very safe in Madrid and on the modern subway. However we were did not venture out of centre city and into the residential neighborhoods.The ACELA(?) is a high speed train that puts many other areas of Spain with easy reach and departs from Atocha Station.</p>
<p>One of my favorite cities is Segovia, a short distance north of the city. And of course a trip to Spain would not be complete without a visit to Barcelona. The only place in Spain that I am not as fond of is Sevilla because the people did not seem as friendly as elsewhere.</p>
<p>If hiking is of interest, Ordessa Parque Nationale in the Spanish Pyrannese(?) is simply spectacular.</p>
<p>Like most of Europe, Spanirds are better dressed that a typical American. Students can get by with a more informal wardrobe however. And while it will not be important to a student, the Spanish are very, very good drivers. I am not kidding. They are polar opposites of Italians.</p>
<p>We love Trip Advisor and have used the forums often. </p>
<p>I thought shipping to Spain was very expensive so we figured we could not ship anything to her. I was told it could cost $200 or more for a small package. I will check with each shopping company and see if I was told correctly.</p>
<p>I have a bag from Kukuxumusu, which I bought from amazon.com (far cheaper than from the official online store) and I love. (It’s covered in sheep!) The company is Spanish, so perhaps something from there wouldn’t stick out - it definitely sticks out as quirky in the US, though.</p>
<p>Another option for heavy packers are the spacebags. We used these when our daughter went to Madrid last year. The upside is that you can fit a lot more in a suitcase. The downside is that you may have to pay a fee to the airline for an overweight bag. Luckily, she didn’t go over the limit.</p>
<p>Another weight/space saver is to only bring a minimum of toiletries. Your D will be able to shop for those things when she get there.</p>
<p>When I tried to ship a package last spring I found it ridiculously expensive. If I am remembering correctly, I think they wanted around $100 for a box that was approximately 14x10x4 in. We were going over for spring break so she just had to wait to get the things she had forgotten.</p>
<p>My daughter loved her time in Madrid. The Metro system is great, the people were friendly, and we all felt very safe there. It’s a great city with so much to see. Retiro Park is a must, especially on a Sunday afternoon. </p>
<p>We got Skype so we could talk through the computer. Instant messaging is also a great way to keep in touch.</p>
<p>While students dress casually, others do dress nicely. I was amazed at the women who could run on cobblestone in 4-inch heels!</p>
<p>Does your D know which neighborhood she will be living in yet?</p>
<p>I found Madrid to be the most formal city in Spain. People dress nicely there- men in suits even on the hottest days. The women were also well-dressed. Whereas in Barcelona I found the dress to be more casual, shorts, sandals, etc…<br>
Before I went to Madrid I found quite a bit of usual info at madridman.com Very informative site. </p>
<p>A day side trip to Toledo is also worth it. That was just about an hour away via train. While in Madrid, I stayed in the center of the city and found it easy to walk to just about everywhere I wanted to go. The Royal Palace and Plaza Mayor were nice sites to visit in the city. </p>
<p>There is a very tiny shop called La Violeta that sells violet flavored candies. Sounds weird, but they were good. You will only find these in Madrid and I bought several little boxes of the candies to give to friends when I got home.</p>
<p>The only two things I can tell you for sure is that Madrid cab drivers are thieves, and that you won’t find a place to eat after 2 or before 9pm. Have fun, it’s a nice place.</p>
<p>Washdad, the tapas bars are delightful and open all day. In Granada we went to a place near our B&B in the Albaicin district where they served a free tapa with every drink order.</p>