bus – The Girl Who Goes

Last Updated on September 1, 2023

Day Trip: Bilbao to San Sebastián, Spain

One of San Sebastián’s islands

You already know that I went to Bilbao for part of the puente at the beginning of November, but it’s not the only place I went. At the suggestion of friends — and the fact that I always want to visit more places in Spain — I decided to spend a day in San Sebastián. Though this city is relatively small, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to visit a coastal city in the north. And it’s only 15 miles from the French border! I was curious if/how that would factor into the city’s culture.

I arrived in San Sebastián in the evening and spent the night so I’d have all of the next day there. But if you have a little less time, I think you could arrive early in the morning and leave late at night and still have a good experience. Anyway, if you want to go from Bilbao to San Sebastián, here’s what you need to know!

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Last Updated on February 10, 2023

Trip Review: Wrocław, Poland

View in Wrocław at Market Square

I had an ulterior motive when it came to visiting Poland. A few years ago, after spending a Christmas in the far northeastern Germany, we’d driven across the border to Szczecin just to say we’d stepped foot there. (And I think we ate pizza.) But since I didn’t spend much time there, I never really felt that I could say I’d *been* to Poland.

In order to alleviate this traveler’s cognitive dissonance, I kept an eye on flights to Poland over the past six months. And finally, a cheap flight to a city called Wrocław aligned with a puente (long weekend) from school. [Read more…]

Last Updated on January 3, 2023

ALSA Bus Review: My Trip from Madrid to Granada, Spain

For better or for worse, Spain’s ALSA buses are a topic I’m all-too familiar with. Every Tuesday and Thursday at 1:15pm, I board a big green ALSA bus from Buitrago del Lozoya, where I work, to get back to Madrid, where I live. Occasionally I have to catch the 6:45am bus to work – but I don’t like to think about that because it is truly the stuff of nightmares.

Anyway, I don’t know what ALSA stands for, but I do know that it’s the largest Spanish bus company for more long-haul trips. So when I went to Granada for the weekend with my friends, that’s what we used. I looked on websites like GoEuro, but nothing I found was as cheap as the good old ALSA bus. Here’s how the experience stacked up. [Read more…]

Last Updated on September 1, 2023

Side Trip: Madrid to Salamanca, Spain

A view of New Cathedral in Salamanca

When my friends invite me to do something, I try to say “yes” as much as I can. You Only Spain Once. (Maybe.) Anyway, my friends Sarah and Ellie decided to plan a trip from Madrid to Salamanca this past weekend. With the high-speed train, it was easy enough to do as a day trip — no need to book a place to stay for the night — so when they invited me, I said yes.

Here’s everything you need to know to plan your own trip to Salamanca, whether you go for the day or the weekend. [Read more…]

Last Updated on September 3, 2023

5 Surprising Things about St. Petersburg, Russia

Singer Building (left) overlooking Nevsky Prospekt

When I stepped off the plane in St. Petersburg, Russia, I really didn’t know what I was getting into. Other than booking transportation and a place to stay, I normally don’t plan or research much in advance when I travel. I prefer to make decisions once I arrive and let things unfold naturally.

That being said, Russia was a place unlike anywhere I’ve been before. Though I know St. Petersburg isn’t fully European, there were so many things that surprised me and were different than what I’ve experienced in any other country. Here are a few of those things! [Read more…]

Last Updated on February 4, 2024

Day Trip: Madrid to Toledo, Spain

While Madrid has plenty to keep you busy, sometimes it’s nice to get out of the city. By taking a short train or bus ride, you can be transported to a different town that will allow you to experience Spanish life in another way. And the best part: You can leave Madrid in the morning or early afternoon and still make it back to your hostel/hotel/home in Madrid by the end of the day.

Toledo is one of the most popular day trips from Madrid, due to its proximity and ease of access. Learn everything you need to know to plan your own trip!
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Last Updated on October 29, 2024

How to Plan a Day Trip to Teotihuacan Without a Tour

teotihuacan without a tour - feature photo

Me at Teotihuacan without a tour in 2018

For those visiting Mexico City, you can’t miss out on a visit to Teotihuacan. This fascinating archaeological site is 25 miles from the city center. As with any day trip, you’ll have to do a bit of planning to get the most out of your experience — especially if you choose to visit Teotihuacan without a tour, like I did for the first time in 2018.

A couple of notes before I get into it. I’ve now been to Teotihuacan twice, with my second visit in 2022 — so as you can imagine, a lot has changed as a result of the pandemic. During my first visit, you could climb the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon, as well as the smaller buildings lining the long avenue. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case, as these are all off-limits due to preservation efforts.

With that in mind, I’m not sure I would recommend visiting Teotihuacan without a tour as highly as I did before these recent developments. That’s because it takes a lot of time and effort to get out to the archaeological site, and if you’re not able to climb, all you can really do is walk around, and it’s a looooong walk from one end to the other. (The pyramids are still really amazing to marvel at, of course!) But I personally feel that, now, it’s more worth it to join a tour — whether that’s a Teotihuacan hot air balloon tour like we did in 2022 (read my review here) or a different guided tour.

Anyway, if you still prefer to go it on your own, here’s how to plan your trip to Teotihuacan without a tour. [Read more…]

Last Updated on April 9, 2024

Trip Planning 101: How to Start Planning Your Trip

My favorite way to start trip planning is with good-old fashioned books.

One day, I was living my life like normal. And then it hit me: my trip to Thailand was suddenly just over a month away. And besides booking my flights, I hadn’t done any trip planning. Considering it was my first time traveling to Asia, I really needed to get things together. Fast.

The good news is that after so many trips, I have the whole trip planning thing down to a science. (Which is great! Because having things officially planned makes it seem so much more real, and super exciting.) So… when you find yourself with a trip sneaking up on you and no plans, here are a few of my favorite trip planning tips. [Read more…]