My Trip to the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa

The weather has been pretty cold in Germany lately, but it was especially cold this week. The temperature dropped below 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) for the whole week. Luckily for me I had a trip planned to visit Spain, Gibraltar and Morocco during the coldest part of this weekend, so I spent my time in 20 degree Celsius weather (68 degrees Fahrenheit) instead.

It was the first time since November that I did not have to wear a jacket to go outside, and man was that refreshing! Not only was the weather fantastic, but also the beaches were outstanding as well. Seeing the Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea with beaches almost empty was so relaxing.

If only I brought swim trunks to go swimming in the water!

The main part of the trip was a weekend excursion to Gibraltar and Morocco with the organization We Love Spain. They provided gave a good impression on the country of Morocco and a taste of the culture of North Africa. Since the excursion was from Friday to Sunday, and my flights were on Thursday and Monday, I got two days in Málaga, Sain as well to explore and see the city.

Each of the cities I’ve visited I’ll highlight below in the order which I visited them.

Málaga, Spain

I had never really heard of Málaga before I booked this Morocco trip, and I found myself really enjoying the city while I was there. Since it is the middle of February there weren’t many tourist there, leaving the beaches and restaurants relatively empty. This was great for me because I didn’t have to worry about crowds and all the hectic stuff that happens with popular tourist places. I also enjoyed the best paella I’ve ever had in my life and saw numerous Moorish castles and buildings. I highly recommend this city if you’re in southern Spain.

Gibraltar, United Kingdom

Gibraltar always piqued my interest as a place I wanted to travel to. It’s a British overseas territory surrounded by Spain in one of the most busy port passages in the world: the Strait of Gibraltar. When I was there it had such a unique atheistic to it, with the Spanish style buildings combined with British charm. That’s not to mention the monkeys on the top of the mountain, the beautiful views from Europa point, the telephone booths everywhere and the policemen in British uniforms. It was an overall unique experience and someplace I hope to return someday.

Tangier, Morocco

While I did not get to see the old city of Tangier, we did stop at a couple noteworthy spots along the way. We first went to Cape Spartel where the official divide of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic is marked by where the lighthouse sits. Here I enjoyed some panoramic views of the ocean, along with Spain on the other side of the strait. We also stopped at a beach not too far on the Atlantic side of the city and rode camels on the beach — such a cool experience!

Chefchauen, Morocco

Let me be clear when I say this: I had absolutely no expectations for this place at all. I had the least interest in visiting this place … at least until I got there. Once I was there and walking around I absolutely loved it and became my favorite city on this trip by far. Most of the buildings in the city are painted blue and, walking around there, you feel a certain charm to this place. It’s really hard to explain, but it is something you must visit if in Morocco. For sunset we hiked up a hill to get a beautiful panorama of the city and got some amazing photos. If I ever return to Morocco again I will for sure stop here one more time!

Tétouan, Morocco

The last city on my trip was Tétouan, and it was a very great experience. Here we had a fancy Moroccan meal, with a show and some dancing. The next day we also got to walk around the old city to buy spices and other products that are very high quality for a low price.

Now I’m sitting inside the airport in Málaga waiting for my flight back to Germany, and am so happy with how this weekend went!

This weekend was a great way to end my 6 months living in Tübingen. Tomorrow is a day to clean out my entire apartment and kitchen, and Wednesday I begin my second half of the year in Ulm, Germany to start a new chapter in my study abroad experience. Time has flown by so fast and I can’t believe I’m already moving to my new city!

Tschüss, und bis später 😆!

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Brandon Einstoss is an applied mathematics and German junior. He is studying in Germany for a full academic year