Our Next Destination and a Practical Packing List for Backpacking!
So… we are finally posting about our new plans and we are so excited to share it with you guys! We are headed to MADRID, SPAIN!!! Not only are we going to be going to Spain… we will be backpacking most of EUROPE! We are super stoked. It was a journey to decide where we wanted to go due to so. Any factors, COVID and the quarantine restrictions made it difficult. As some of you may know, we were originally supposed to go to Japan and South Korea. The restrictions in Asia are still very strict, so we decided to travel to Asia on a later date.
For this post we wanted to share with you guys our trip to Madrid, Spain and a practical packing list for international travel backpackers. (Scroll down to the bottom for the packing list!)
We left to Madrid from the Atlanta airport (ATL). The flight was almost a 9 hours until arrival. There is several different ways to get from the airport to the city center: taxi, metro (subway), renfe (railway), and bus. We took the cheapest rough which is renfe. It is about $3.50 one way per person. We got to the city center and found our hostel. We stayed at the CATS Hostel in Madrid. The location was great and they have great amenities such as: laundry room, kitchen, coffee, and a bar. We would recommend this hostel for people who are extroverts and night owls (party people?). We go to sleep on the earlier side and we would wake up from people getting to bed at around 1-2 am. Everyone was very friendly and helpful!
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| CATS Hostel bar |
The city of Madrid is a bustling city with a lot of history and tasty dishes! It is a home to almost 3.5 million people and is the home to so much rich European art. The mornings are pretty slow and definitely gains popularity during the evening with a huge night life culture. We stayed here for about three days. Why such a short stay in Madrid? The main buildings and squares to see are walking distance and easy to get to and we we’re definitely more small city and town people. We wanted to head towards Portugal.
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| The streets of Madrid We put a short list together of the main points of what we saw and did over the couple of days that are wotrth noting. Not everything we did is on the list and when we go back to Madrid, Spain we will edit this post and add to it! |
Cost of Living: You can easily get by with around 5-10€ per meal and about 15€ a night at a hostel. If you want to enjoy the food scene, be prepared to pay around 50€ per meal per person. We found a good balance of going out for dinner and it was definitely worth it! Accommodations range from 15€ to more than you can imagine. 😉
Highs:food scene, good tasting wine, easy transportation, easy navigation, a rock climbing gym was a bonus for us! There are many!
Lows: very busy, not for the travelers that sleep pretty early
Places to see: Plaza Mayor, Puerta de Sol, Mercado de San Miguel, El Retiro Park, The Royal Palace
Places to eat: Mercado de San Miguel - A covered market offering local food, delicacies & events in an elegant ambiance., San Gines - Founded in 1894, this cafe is known for its chocolate with churros., Sala de Despiece - Upscale tapas in a buzzy bar styled like a market butcher shop, very fun vibe.
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| Mercado de San Miguel |
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| Sala de Despiece |
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| San Gines - chocolate and churros |
**these points are the things we observed. This may or may not apply to everyone and should be taken as an opinion! Also it is very minimal and will add to it as we go.
PACKING LIST FOR BACKPACKING
- 35l - 40l backpack
- rain cover for backpack
- sleep liner
- pack towel
- boots
- tennis shoes
- slippers (to wear in the hostels/showers)
- 1 hat
- 1 beanie
- 1 pair of gloves
- face masks
- 2 short/long sleeve shirts
- 2 shorts or pants
- a pair of jeans
- fleece hoodie
- rain jacket
- down jacket
- 4-5 socks
- 4-5 underwear
- swimsuit
- phone
- phone charger
- power bank
- power adapter
- camera
- camera charger
- iPad/tablet
- iPad/tablet charger
- headlamp
- earphones
- passport
- ID
- covid vaccination certificate
- shampoo
- toothbrush
- toothpaste
- lotion
- razor/trimmer
- triple antibiotic ointment
- face wash/bar soap
- comb/brush