"Lack of European Travel from Spain"

Can you relate? How is it that I've been in Spain for 4 years now and have ONLY visited Switzerland (several times)? That's just crazy.

Saludos, MadridMan

Ok ... Europe ( as well as Eastern Europe ) .. Go to Slovenia and stay on the banks of Lake Bohinj ... and let all you worries and stress just fade into the distance .. It´s beautiful ! ( And it´s cheap ) . Go to Germany where the people are soooo friendly and love to party . France where the food is astonishing .. and I recommend the small town of Bandol . And even Russia .. St.Petersburg and Moscow are phenomenal . Luxembourg .. an amazing setting with th Ville de Luxembourg set above a gorge . Holland and Amsterdam .. Go for "Queen´s day " when they celebrate the Royal house of Orange ... The city is just a party for a few days . And last but DEFINITELY not least , Portugal .. The most beautiful beaches in places like Tavira in the Eastern Algarve and , of course , Lisboa . Man this is giving me itchy feet !

Phew MM! yesss, ¡that's just crary! Paris, London, Rome, Amsterdam ,..... is a disaster not see them,

I was surprised to hear that many people I had met in Spain had not left the Iberian Peninsula. The lack of European travel has been a puzzle to me, too. Perhaps it is just that Spain has it all and people don't feel the need to leave? But MadridMan, you are an American originally and you need to do more travel in Europe. Isn't it like crossing from Ohio into Michigan (not that you'd want to do that)? Make it your New Year's Resolution to do more travel!

Europe has so much to offer , and with the cheap flights long weekends are so easy. We have loved every place we have been to Munich in Germany . Brussels, Brugge and Ghent in Belguim , an underated country with great food and wonderful beer . Geneva lovely city but can be expensive if you dont search about . Italy more great food and wine and beautiful people.

Italia is the place that I´m ashamed never to have been .. I desperately want to go to Roma , Firenze , Sorrento .. But flights aren´t that cheap from Madrid ! And accommodation in Italy is very expensive .

MM how about going to Dublin. You can start by having a Guinness and some Irish food at the James Joyce Pub in Madrid.
Matt the owner/manager is from Dublin and many of the staff are also from Ireland,the UK,Italy, and other countries. They can give you some recommendations.

Good luck and enjoy your great opportunites to travel.

Also get good German Wheat bear in Irish bars , thats why I goto them .
Easyjet fly to Edinburgh , spend a few days in Edinburgh and Glasgow both great cities .
Steve cant believe you havent been to Italy , Milan is great for shopping for fashion.

European travel from Spain? well, if you don't want to spend a lot of money (plane, hotel...) there are a couple of obvious choices: Portugal and France!
Explore the Pyrenees area, that is the most beautiful scenery in Spain and some of the best in France... you can cross the border several times almost without noticing and compare both sides, their culture, their scenery... it is great! I did so in october and it is to be recommended.
About Portugal: for most spaniards Portugal is a place to go and buy towells but you should know Lisbon and Porto, two great European cities that are as far from Madrid as Barcelona is.

for example, Madrid to Rome, Rome to Madrid, on 8 March to 11 March in ryanair 79,67€ ¡Mmmmm!!!.is this expensive?