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Top 10 Madrid Photo Spots

Alyssa Ramos

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If you’re looking for the top Madrid photo spots, check out these amazing recommendations by a local! Madrid is a city mostly known to be a cultural location but it is also a beautiful and funny one, with amazing views and incredible places.

Whether you like baroque style, gothic one or street art, you will find the perfect spot for you! And if you are more of a romantic spirit or nature lover, there is always a place made for you which will let you take your best poses and pictures. 

  1. RIU Hotel
gran via hotel madrid

The first most incredible of the Madrid photo spots in the capital is the RIU Hotel. On top of this luxury hotel, you will have access to its rooftop offering an amazing view over the city and its surroundings. But the exact place to take your photos is for sure the glass walkway which links two of the buildings. I just hope that you are not afraid of heights because you will see the whole city right underneath your feet!

  1. Temple of Debod
temple of debod best madrid photo spots

The temple of debod is located next to the Plaza Mayor in the West Park of the city. This monument was initially built in Egypt where it had to be relocated because of the Aswan High Dam construction. That is why in the late 60’s, the building was transferred in Madrid. It is the perfect place when the night comes to take amazing sunset pictures. You will see when the light reflects on the stone, it creates beautiful and harmonious colors.

  1. Salvador Bachiller

This restaurant offers a cosy and intimate atmosphere, both terrace and indoor spaces are designed with trees, flowers and others natural elements, it is a real haven of peace in the middle of the bustling city. It is a sunny and perfect place for a nice brunch or dinner between friends or in couple. They are 3 different locations in the city, each one with a specific theme.

The first one called the “Rincon secreto” is more of a coffee shop designed to create intimate corners to gather between friends and have a nice talk around a drink. The second is the “Invernadero” which is like a tropical jungle in the heart of the city, where you can enjoy exotic and original cocktails. It is designed with plants, green chairs and platters, mirrors and big windows making you feel like in a little comfy greenhouse. And finally the “Jardin” which is the one located in a terrace, surrounded by solar lights and flowers, like a real garden in the city centre.

  1. Santiago Bernabeu Stadium
best madrid photo spots

For all the football lovers and especially the Real Madrid Club fans, the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium is the place you must go for! The view on top of the bleachers is simply amazing and by visiting the stadium more in depth with the changing rooms or the trophy rooms you will instantly be transported into a match day!

  1. The Lake in Retiro Park
Retiro Park best photo spots in Madrid

In the Retiro Park, you will encounter a big lake were you can rent a little wood boat or a solar one to navigate on it. Perfect place to take photos of the Alfonso XII monument and also perfect activity to benefit from the sun surrounded by the birds chirping. 

  1. Crystal Palace
crystal palace madrid best photo spots

The Crystal Palace is a very luminous building located in the Retiro Park.

Completely made of glass and iron, it was initially designed to be a greenhouse.

It now welcomes exhibitions from the Reina Sofia allowing you to take outdoor pictures from amazing work of art.

You will see, the reflects are beautiful when the sun shines through the glass.

It is even prettier in autumn when the trees turn into their brownish and orange shades creating a beautiful contrast with the light structure of the building. 

  1. The Royal Palace
royal palace madrid

Want to feel like a queen or king just for one day? Then go visit the Royal Palace where you will be able to take your best photos at the main entrance on the Plaza de Oriente.

From one side you will be able to take amazing shots in front of its stunning baroque architecture. And on the other side you will be facing the Almudena Cathedral, decorated with gold and statues in a gothic style. Both of these building are masterpieces and incredibly good looking on photos.

  1. Malasana graffiti
Madrid Grafiti

The Malasana neighborhood is one of the most colorful place of the city. You will find amazing and diverse graffitis. The most famous one are the turquoise walls of the Tompai shop decorated with opened eyes and the beautiful black and white streets arts in the shape of a heart called “Respira” or “Ama”. 

  1. Plaza mayor 
plaza mayor madrid

The Plaza Mayor is also on of the best Madrid photo spots. The walls which surround you are all made of red bricks, the color is even more vibrant when the sun shines, which is rarely not the case in Madrid. You can also choose to pose under the arches at the entrance of the place.

  1. Campo del Moro 
Campo de Moro

The Campo del Moro is one of the Royal Palace garden. At the back of the Palace, you will have access to this huge garden but the more appreciated spot is located on the left when climbing the stairs. You will have a beautiful view over the garden and the back facade of the palace, simply amazing! 

About the author: Juliette Smith

Passionate about travelling. I’ve already been pretty everywhere in Europe and experienced different travelling types from backpacks to luxury ones, from a leisure and relaxing trip to more adventurous ones. But Spain is where my heart is! 

Link to my website: https://madrid-discovery.com/

Ten of the best Madrid photo spots recommended by a local! Includes secret locations of the best hotel rooftop for those IG-worthy shots when you're in Madrid, Spain!
Ten of the best Madrid photo spots recommended by a local! Includes secret locations of the best hotel rooftop for those IG-worthy shots when you're in Madrid, Spain!

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Alyssa Ramos is one of the first original travel blogger/influencers who helped normalize solo female travel. She’s been to 146 countries so far, plus Antarctica 4x, and all of her tips are on this blog!

@mylifesatravelmovie
Alyssa Ramos MyLifesATravelMovie

@mylifesatravelmovie

Living like My Life’s a Travel Movie ✈️ 146 countries (solo) & counting, all my tips on MyLifesAMovie.com! GroupTrips: @mylifesatraveltribe
  • As I approach my 150th country and 12 years of continuous travel, I’ve decided it’s time to start reflecting back on all of these extraordinary places and experiences, and what better way than to finally answer the top question I get, “What’s been your favorite country?”

My answer is usually, “The next one!”

But now it’s time to go more in depth! Every week I’ll be posting what my favorites have (and have not) been, but in a variety of topics!

Please read the caption of each for the country and why it shattered my expectations! 

My passion has and always will be photography and writing, so please let me know if you enjoy posts like this one, and also any “best or worst” topics you’d like me to cover! 

Thank you, as always, I appreciate each and every one of you who has followed my journey around the world!

—————

For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos, one of this generations’ most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far, and Antarctica 4x over 12 years, with a passion for shattering negative stereotypes about women, animals, cultures, and countries. My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path. Follow me @mylifesatravelmovie for expert tips and inspiration! 

BURUNDI — This has been one of my favorite “hidden gems” in Africa, and it completely shattered my expectations (even though I got off the plane in the wrong country trying to get there)! I was shown around by locals, who took me to an incredible waterfall, a drum ceremony, and then they invited me to a wedding!! It’s been one of the most real, unique experiences I’ve had, and I’d love to talk more about it!

CHINA — My current fascination is exploring as much of China as I can! After a bad experience in my early travels, I finally returned with a lot more travel experience, and absolutely fell in love. China is truly ahead of the curve, and as they say “living in the future”, but I also loved that I could still experience a lot of their traditional past!

SAUDI ARABIA — before I got stuck in the woarzone earlier this year, I traveled solo to Saudi expecting difficulties and judgement. Instead, I was treated with respect, and I
  • Am I afraid of Orcas? More like obsessed with them. I WISH they’d pop up when I’ve done the Polar Plunge, but so far they’ve only ever approached our small boat in Mexico, where we were permitted to follow regulations and swim with them!

I’ve done the Polar Plunge in Antarctica 3x and once in the Arctic, Orcas are always possibly present, but I know that humans are NOT part of their diet. We probably have too many toxins, chemicals, and damaged livers for them. 😁

I’ll be repeating both activities soon, so if you’d like more info on solo travel to Antarctica, the Arctic, or swimming with Orcas in Mexico, (OR joining one of my community’s expeditions there) drop me a comment and I’ll answer, 

Or check out the links on my profile for all of my global travel tips from over 143 countries and 12 years of traveling!
  • I’ve climbed Kilimanjaro and Everest Basecamp with no fear of heights issues at all, then I got to China and suddenly developed jelly legs and vertigo 😳😂

Out of the 145 countries I’ve been to so far, China by far wins for most extreme adrenaline activities, especially at extreme heights!

Everyone does them so casually there too, even in dresses like me, so maybe I’ve found my adventure people!!

I’m already planning to go back to China. I love it that much. Have you been? Wanna join us?

————-

For anyone new here: hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos of @mylifesatravelmovie - one of the most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far over 12 years, and love rare destinations, and my goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path. Follow me for expert tips and inspiration!
  • I bought a new phone in China bc you get a decent tax refund, but soon after, it started talking to me in Chinese, and then people started calling it and sending text messages!

I honestly felt like I was in a movie, where you find a phone and then suddenly you’re forced to carry out some crazy mission or something! 

Turns out, for some reason, the girl who sold me the phone put her own SIM card in it to activate it (no idea why), and it was all her friends calling her. 😂

Anyway, FYI you’re NOT supposed to open any tax refund products from their boxes before you leave the country! And you have to get the papers signed/approved BEFORE and after customs! Makes a few hundred dolla difference!

————

New here? Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos @mylifesatravelmovie, one of the world’s most experienced solo female travelers who has been to 146 countries plus Antarctica 4x. Follow here for bucketlist and  peculiar travel destinations and encounters!
  • True story: I did not speak any Italian (besides ciao, grazie, and vino) and my husband didn’t speak any English when we first met!!

We used translation apps and some Spanish (he understands because Sardinian sounds similar) but when I first moved here, to a small traditional town where not many people speak English, it was very, very evident that I needed to learn Italian.

Knowing Spanish didn’t help me. The conjugations are completely different and so are most words (dislike when ppl assume I learned bc of that).

And full immersion didn’t force me to learn either, bc my ADHD would just tune out. Apps also easily bored me.

So I looked up online tutors and found Preply, which has thousands of real humans to teach you face to face online, and they can customize your lessons to your learning style and needs.

I’ve been doing Italian lessons twice a week for almost 3 years now, and the online tutors are the main reason why I can speak conversational Italian now!

So if you dream of meeting your partner randomly in another country, or planning to move abroad, and you want to learn the language (or just want to learn one for fun), check out my blog post and please use my link on there for a discount and affil for me! Mylifesamovie.com !

My current tutor Lara is amazing, she does my Italian lessons also in English and Spanish so I don’t forget my native tongue! Also doubles as an unofficial therapist 😂😂

Last, let this bring some hope and inspo to my fellow solo female travelers! If you haven’t found your partner yet, he may be waiting for you in another country!!

If you’d like to see what my life is like, married and living on a vineyard in Sardinia, tap the account at the top that I shared this post with!

———-
This post is about:
Moving to Italy, learning Italian, living in Italy, married in Italy, life in Sardinia
  • A pod of 15 Orcas surrounded our small boat in La Ventana, Mexico… my reaction was squealing like a child and I even cried a few tears (don’t tell anyone). 

Then, after careful behavioral assessment by our marine biologist guide, we were given permission to swim with them for about 2 minutes!

I cried even more after that, it was one of the most magical moments of my life!

This was an ethical Sea Safari trip with an experienced, animals-first, women-run company. Orca tours do not exist since you cannot predict when they will show up.

There are also many rules and regulations to keep this safe and ethical, so please check out my other posts about it, and for info on how to book this trip, search “orcas” on my blog - mylifesamovie.com!

Is this anyone else’s dream?

——————-

For anyone new: Hi! I’m Alyssa! I am one of the first OG solo female travel blogger/influencers who started traveling 14 years ago and hasn’t stopped! I’ve been to 146 countries solo so far, Antarctica 4x, climbed Kilimanjaro and Everest Basecamp, and my hobby is swimming with apex predators. I’m from the U.S. but moved abroad many years ago, now I live part time on a vineyard in Sardinia, and Tulum!

Please follow me here for expert travel tips and wild stories from the most unique places on earth!
  • Everyone raves about the viral Storm Spa in Chongqing China being so cool but meanwhile I was on the verge of a panic attack in there feeling like I fell overboard during the Drake Passage 😳

I am still unsure why an extreme storm was chosen for a spa…but I can at least say the beginning where it’s sunny, and the end where there’s randomly northern lights, was nice!

The ROOMS of the hotel where this spa is at are incredible though! They’re the also-viral ones where there’s a huge clear pool in the rooms!

But fun fact.. it’s not a full sized hotel…they only own a few floors of a skyscraper, which is genius bc they can spend less on maxxing out the rooms and still get booked out! 

Oh and the Storm Spa session (30 mins) is included with the room! And the sister hotel includes a photoshoot 🤩

Should I post room tours of them?

All of the information for these viral Chongqing hotels and also Chongqing cyberpunk city in general are on my blog, including the CORRECT links to each hotel (online it’s very confusing bc they all have the same name!)

Also I need to know who would love this and who would hate it, am I the only one?? 😂
  • 10/10 the best self defense lesson and stress relief retreat ever in Fukushima, Japan 🥷🏼😂

You can take samurai lessons with a real life samurai (and famous youtuber) and then practice on the cardboard “enemy”, and later go steam it out at the onsen!

Full info and itinerary on my blog, including how to book it! There’s not many tour options here in Fukushima so the best option is to get there by car 😬
  • I hate that IG has changed so much that each of these photos can’t have their own individual post. Or should they? I think they should, but IG literally says to do Carousels and Reels…then I end up not posting so many unique moments, that I once used to post individually almost every day!

I miss those days and I’m so grateful I started all of this when a single photo post was all you did…a thousand words in one photo.

How do I even explain what each of these photos held? I can write it on my blog but 🤖 will just summarize me in the search results. I can spend hours making a reel, only for the system to analyze it’s not interesting enough ugh because not enough people watched past 6 seconds (yes that is the current algorithm)

So I guess I’ll just keep my memories in my mind and share the tips and pretty photos!

And keep trying to add in those BTS moments, like the last one, which is what we were actually doing most of the time 😂

Definitely a major highlight of this #fukushima trip was the Samurai class and the onsen town, I’d go back there for both! All of I was very stress relieving!

Anyone missing the one photo post days? Or wishing they could take a Samurai class right now? 😬

#japan #samuraiclass #japantips #mylifesatravelmovie
As I approach my 150th country and 12 years of continuous travel, I’ve decided it’s time to start reflecting back on all of these extraordinary places and experiences, and what better way than to finally answer the top question I get, “What’s been your favorite country?”

My answer is usually, “The next one!”

But now it’s time to go more in depth! Every week I’ll be posting what my favorites have (and have not) been, but in a variety of topics!

Please read the caption of each for the country and why it shattered my expectations! 

My passion has and always will be photography and writing, so please let me know if you enjoy posts like this one, and also any “best or worst” topics you’d like me to cover! 

Thank you, as always, I appreciate each and every one of you who has followed my journey around the world!

—————

For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos, one of this generations’ most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far, and Antarctica 4x over 12 years, with a passion for shattering negative stereotypes about women, animals, cultures, and countries. My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path. Follow me @mylifesatravelmovie for expert tips and inspiration! 

BURUNDI — This has been one of my favorite “hidden gems” in Africa, and it completely shattered my expectations (even though I got off the plane in the wrong country trying to get there)! I was shown around by locals, who took me to an incredible waterfall, a drum ceremony, and then they invited me to a wedding!! It’s been one of the most real, unique experiences I’ve had, and I’d love to talk more about it!

CHINA — My current fascination is exploring as much of China as I can! After a bad experience in my early travels, I finally returned with a lot more travel experience, and absolutely fell in love. China is truly ahead of the curve, and as they say “living in the future”, but I also loved that I could still experience a lot of their traditional past!

SAUDI ARABIA — before I got stuck in the woarzone earlier this year, I traveled solo to Saudi expecting difficulties and judgement. Instead, I was treated with respect, and I
As I approach my 150th country and 12 years of continuous travel, I’ve decided it’s time to start reflecting back on all of these extraordinary places and experiences, and what better way than to finally answer the top question I get, “What’s been your favorite country?”

My answer is usually, “The next one!”

But now it’s time to go more in depth! Every week I’ll be posting what my favorites have (and have not) been, but in a variety of topics!

Please read the caption of each for the country and why it shattered my expectations! 

My passion has and always will be photography and writing, so please let me know if you enjoy posts like this one, and also any “best or worst” topics you’d like me to cover! 

Thank you, as always, I appreciate each and every one of you who has followed my journey around the world!

—————

For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos, one of this generations’ most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far, and Antarctica 4x over 12 years, with a passion for shattering negative stereotypes about women, animals, cultures, and countries. My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path. Follow me @mylifesatravelmovie for expert tips and inspiration! 

BURUNDI — This has been one of my favorite “hidden gems” in Africa, and it completely shattered my expectations (even though I got off the plane in the wrong country trying to get there)! I was shown around by locals, who took me to an incredible waterfall, a drum ceremony, and then they invited me to a wedding!! It’s been one of the most real, unique experiences I’ve had, and I’d love to talk more about it!

CHINA — My current fascination is exploring as much of China as I can! After a bad experience in my early travels, I finally returned with a lot more travel experience, and absolutely fell in love. China is truly ahead of the curve, and as they say “living in the future”, but I also loved that I could still experience a lot of their traditional past!

SAUDI ARABIA — before I got stuck in the woarzone earlier this year, I traveled solo to Saudi expecting difficulties and judgement. Instead, I was treated with respect, and I
As I approach my 150th country and 12 years of continuous travel, I’ve decided it’s time to start reflecting back on all of these extraordinary places and experiences, and what better way than to finally answer the top question I get, “What’s been your favorite country?”

My answer is usually, “The next one!”

But now it’s time to go more in depth! Every week I’ll be posting what my favorites have (and have not) been, but in a variety of topics!

Please read the caption of each for the country and why it shattered my expectations! 

My passion has and always will be photography and writing, so please let me know if you enjoy posts like this one, and also any “best or worst” topics you’d like me to cover! 

Thank you, as always, I appreciate each and every one of you who has followed my journey around the world!

—————

For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos, one of this generations’ most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far, and Antarctica 4x over 12 years, with a passion for shattering negative stereotypes about women, animals, cultures, and countries. My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path. Follow me @mylifesatravelmovie for expert tips and inspiration! 

BURUNDI — This has been one of my favorite “hidden gems” in Africa, and it completely shattered my expectations (even though I got off the plane in the wrong country trying to get there)! I was shown around by locals, who took me to an incredible waterfall, a drum ceremony, and then they invited me to a wedding!! It’s been one of the most real, unique experiences I’ve had, and I’d love to talk more about it!

CHINA — My current fascination is exploring as much of China as I can! After a bad experience in my early travels, I finally returned with a lot more travel experience, and absolutely fell in love. China is truly ahead of the curve, and as they say “living in the future”, but I also loved that I could still experience a lot of their traditional past!

SAUDI ARABIA — before I got stuck in the woarzone earlier this year, I traveled solo to Saudi expecting difficulties and judgement. Instead, I was treated with respect, and I
As I approach my 150th country and 12 years of continuous travel, I’ve decided it’s time to start reflecting back on all of these extraordinary places and experiences, and what better way than to finally answer the top question I get, “What’s been your favorite country?”

My answer is usually, “The next one!”

But now it’s time to go more in depth! Every week I’ll be posting what my favorites have (and have not) been, but in a variety of topics!

Please read the caption of each for the country and why it shattered my expectations! 

My passion has and always will be photography and writing, so please let me know if you enjoy posts like this one, and also any “best or worst” topics you’d like me to cover! 

Thank you, as always, I appreciate each and every one of you who has followed my journey around the world!

—————

For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos, one of this generations’ most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far, and Antarctica 4x over 12 years, with a passion for shattering negative stereotypes about women, animals, cultures, and countries. My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path. Follow me @mylifesatravelmovie for expert tips and inspiration! 

BURUNDI — This has been one of my favorite “hidden gems” in Africa, and it completely shattered my expectations (even though I got off the plane in the wrong country trying to get there)! I was shown around by locals, who took me to an incredible waterfall, a drum ceremony, and then they invited me to a wedding!! It’s been one of the most real, unique experiences I’ve had, and I’d love to talk more about it!

CHINA — My current fascination is exploring as much of China as I can! After a bad experience in my early travels, I finally returned with a lot more travel experience, and absolutely fell in love. China is truly ahead of the curve, and as they say “living in the future”, but I also loved that I could still experience a lot of their traditional past!

SAUDI ARABIA — before I got stuck in the woarzone earlier this year, I traveled solo to Saudi expecting difficulties and judgement. Instead, I was treated with respect, and I
As I approach my 150th country and 12 years of continuous travel, I’ve decided it’s time to start reflecting back on all of these extraordinary places and experiences, and what better way than to finally answer the top question I get, “What’s been your favorite country?”

My answer is usually, “The next one!”

But now it’s time to go more in depth! Every week I’ll be posting what my favorites have (and have not) been, but in a variety of topics!

Please read the caption of each for the country and why it shattered my expectations! 

My passion has and always will be photography and writing, so please let me know if you enjoy posts like this one, and also any “best or worst” topics you’d like me to cover! 

Thank you, as always, I appreciate each and every one of you who has followed my journey around the world!

—————

For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos, one of this generations’ most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far, and Antarctica 4x over 12 years, with a passion for shattering negative stereotypes about women, animals, cultures, and countries. My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path. Follow me @mylifesatravelmovie for expert tips and inspiration! 

BURUNDI — This has been one of my favorite “hidden gems” in Africa, and it completely shattered my expectations (even though I got off the plane in the wrong country trying to get there)! I was shown around by locals, who took me to an incredible waterfall, a drum ceremony, and then they invited me to a wedding!! It’s been one of the most real, unique experiences I’ve had, and I’d love to talk more about it!

CHINA — My current fascination is exploring as much of China as I can! After a bad experience in my early travels, I finally returned with a lot more travel experience, and absolutely fell in love. China is truly ahead of the curve, and as they say “living in the future”, but I also loved that I could still experience a lot of their traditional past!

SAUDI ARABIA — before I got stuck in the woarzone earlier this year, I traveled solo to Saudi expecting difficulties and judgement. Instead, I was treated with respect, and I
As I approach my 150th country and 12 years of continuous travel, I’ve decided it’s time to start reflecting back on all of these extraordinary places and experiences, and what better way than to finally answer the top question I get, “What’s been your favorite country?”

My answer is usually, “The next one!”

But now it’s time to go more in depth! Every week I’ll be posting what my favorites have (and have not) been, but in a variety of topics!

Please read the caption of each for the country and why it shattered my expectations! 

My passion has and always will be photography and writing, so please let me know if you enjoy posts like this one, and also any “best or worst” topics you’d like me to cover! 

Thank you, as always, I appreciate each and every one of you who has followed my journey around the world!

—————

For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos, one of this generations’ most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far, and Antarctica 4x over 12 years, with a passion for shattering negative stereotypes about women, animals, cultures, and countries. My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path. Follow me @mylifesatravelmovie for expert tips and inspiration! 

BURUNDI — This has been one of my favorite “hidden gems” in Africa, and it completely shattered my expectations (even though I got off the plane in the wrong country trying to get there)! I was shown around by locals, who took me to an incredible waterfall, a drum ceremony, and then they invited me to a wedding!! It’s been one of the most real, unique experiences I’ve had, and I’d love to talk more about it!

CHINA — My current fascination is exploring as much of China as I can! After a bad experience in my early travels, I finally returned with a lot more travel experience, and absolutely fell in love. China is truly ahead of the curve, and as they say “living in the future”, but I also loved that I could still experience a lot of their traditional past!

SAUDI ARABIA — before I got stuck in the woarzone earlier this year, I traveled solo to Saudi expecting difficulties and judgement. Instead, I was treated with respect, and I
As I approach my 150th country and 12 years of continuous travel, I’ve decided it’s time to start reflecting back on all of these extraordinary places and experiences, and what better way than to finally answer the top question I get, “What’s been your favorite country?”

My answer is usually, “The next one!”

But now it’s time to go more in depth! Every week I’ll be posting what my favorites have (and have not) been, but in a variety of topics!

Please read the caption of each for the country and why it shattered my expectations! 

My passion has and always will be photography and writing, so please let me know if you enjoy posts like this one, and also any “best or worst” topics you’d like me to cover! 

Thank you, as always, I appreciate each and every one of you who has followed my journey around the world!

—————

For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos, one of this generations’ most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far, and Antarctica 4x over 12 years, with a passion for shattering negative stereotypes about women, animals, cultures, and countries. My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path. Follow me @mylifesatravelmovie for expert tips and inspiration! 

BURUNDI — This has been one of my favorite “hidden gems” in Africa, and it completely shattered my expectations (even though I got off the plane in the wrong country trying to get there)! I was shown around by locals, who took me to an incredible waterfall, a drum ceremony, and then they invited me to a wedding!! It’s been one of the most real, unique experiences I’ve had, and I’d love to talk more about it!

CHINA — My current fascination is exploring as much of China as I can! After a bad experience in my early travels, I finally returned with a lot more travel experience, and absolutely fell in love. China is truly ahead of the curve, and as they say “living in the future”, but I also loved that I could still experience a lot of their traditional past!

SAUDI ARABIA — before I got stuck in the woarzone earlier this year, I traveled solo to Saudi expecting difficulties and judgement. Instead, I was treated with respect, and I
As I approach my 150th country and 12 years of continuous travel, I’ve decided it’s time to start reflecting back on all of these extraordinary places and experiences, and what better way than to finally answer the top question I get, “What’s been your favorite country?”

My answer is usually, “The next one!”

But now it’s time to go more in depth! Every week I’ll be posting what my favorites have (and have not) been, but in a variety of topics!

Please read the caption of each for the country and why it shattered my expectations! 

My passion has and always will be photography and writing, so please let me know if you enjoy posts like this one, and also any “best or worst” topics you’d like me to cover! 

Thank you, as always, I appreciate each and every one of you who has followed my journey around the world!

—————

For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos, one of this generations’ most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far, and Antarctica 4x over 12 years, with a passion for shattering negative stereotypes about women, animals, cultures, and countries. My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path. Follow me @mylifesatravelmovie for expert tips and inspiration! 

BURUNDI — This has been one of my favorite “hidden gems” in Africa, and it completely shattered my expectations (even though I got off the plane in the wrong country trying to get there)! I was shown around by locals, who took me to an incredible waterfall, a drum ceremony, and then they invited me to a wedding!! It’s been one of the most real, unique experiences I’ve had, and I’d love to talk more about it!

CHINA — My current fascination is exploring as much of China as I can! After a bad experience in my early travels, I finally returned with a lot more travel experience, and absolutely fell in love. China is truly ahead of the curve, and as they say “living in the future”, but I also loved that I could still experience a lot of their traditional past!

SAUDI ARABIA — before I got stuck in the woarzone earlier this year, I traveled solo to Saudi expecting difficulties and judgement. Instead, I was treated with respect, and I
As I approach my 150th country and 12 years of continuous travel, I’ve decided it’s time to start reflecting back on all of these extraordinary places and experiences, and what better way than to finally answer the top question I get, “What’s been your favorite country?” My answer is usually, “The next one!” But now it’s time to go more in depth! Every week I’ll be posting what my favorites have (and have not) been, but in a variety of topics! Please read the caption of each for the country and why it shattered my expectations! My passion has and always will be photography and writing, so please let me know if you enjoy posts like this one, and also any “best or worst” topics you’d like me to cover! Thank you, as always, I appreciate each and every one of you who has followed my journey around the world! ————— For anyone new here: Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos, one of this generations’ most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far, and Antarctica 4x over 12 years, with a passion for shattering negative stereotypes about women, animals, cultures, and countries. My goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path. Follow me @mylifesatravelmovie for expert tips and inspiration! BURUNDI — This has been one of my favorite “hidden gems” in Africa, and it completely shattered my expectations (even though I got off the plane in the wrong country trying to get there)! I was shown around by locals, who took me to an incredible waterfall, a drum ceremony, and then they invited me to a wedding!! It’s been one of the most real, unique experiences I’ve had, and I’d love to talk more about it! CHINA — My current fascination is exploring as much of China as I can! After a bad experience in my early travels, I finally returned with a lot more travel experience, and absolutely fell in love. China is truly ahead of the curve, and as they say “living in the future”, but I also loved that I could still experience a lot of their traditional past! SAUDI ARABIA — before I got stuck in the woarzone earlier this year, I traveled solo to Saudi expecting difficulties and judgement. Instead, I was treated with respect, and I
2 days ago
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1/9
Am I afraid of Orcas? More like obsessed with them. I WISH they’d pop up when I’ve done the Polar Plunge, but so far they’ve only ever approached our small boat in Mexico, where we were permitted to follow regulations and swim with them! I’ve done the Polar Plunge in Antarctica 3x and once in the Arctic, Orcas are always possibly present, but I know that humans are NOT part of their diet. We probably have too many toxins, chemicals, and damaged livers for them. 😁 I’ll be repeating both activities soon, so if you’d like more info on solo travel to Antarctica, the Arctic, or swimming with Orcas in Mexico, (OR joining one of my community’s expeditions there) drop me a comment and I’ll answer, Or check out the links on my profile for all of my global travel tips from over 143 countries and 12 years of traveling!
2 days ago
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2/9
I’ve climbed Kilimanjaro and Everest Basecamp with no fear of heights issues at all, then I got to China and suddenly developed jelly legs and vertigo 😳😂 Out of the 145 countries I’ve been to so far, China by far wins for most extreme adrenaline activities, especially at extreme heights! Everyone does them so casually there too, even in dresses like me, so maybe I’ve found my adventure people!! I’m already planning to go back to China. I love it that much. Have you been? Wanna join us? ————- For anyone new here: hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos of @mylifesatravelmovie - one of the most traveled and most experienced solo travel women in the world! I’ve been to 146 countries so far over 12 years, and love rare destinations, and my goal is to inspire you to travel off the typical path. Follow me for expert tips and inspiration!
2 days ago
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3/9
I bought a new phone in China bc you get a decent tax refund, but soon after, it started talking to me in Chinese, and then people started calling it and sending text messages! I honestly felt like I was in a movie, where you find a phone and then suddenly you’re forced to carry out some crazy mission or something! Turns out, for some reason, the girl who sold me the phone put her own SIM card in it to activate it (no idea why), and it was all her friends calling her. 😂 Anyway, FYI you’re NOT supposed to open any tax refund products from their boxes before you leave the country! And you have to get the papers signed/approved BEFORE and after customs! Makes a few hundred dolla difference! ———— New here? Hi! I’m Alyssa Ramos @mylifesatravelmovie, one of the world’s most experienced solo female travelers who has been to 146 countries plus Antarctica 4x. Follow here for bucketlist and peculiar travel destinations and encounters!
3 days ago
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4/9
True story: I did not speak any Italian (besides ciao, grazie, and vino) and my husband didn’t speak any English when we first met!! We used translation apps and some Spanish (he understands because Sardinian sounds similar) but when I first moved here, to a small traditional town where not many people speak English, it was very, very evident that I needed to learn Italian. Knowing Spanish didn’t help me. The conjugations are completely different and so are most words (dislike when ppl assume I learned bc of that). And full immersion didn’t force me to learn either, bc my ADHD would just tune out. Apps also easily bored me. So I looked up online tutors and found Preply, which has thousands of real humans to teach you face to face online, and they can customize your lessons to your learning style and needs. I’ve been doing Italian lessons twice a week for almost 3 years now, and the online tutors are the main reason why I can speak conversational Italian now! So if you dream of meeting your partner randomly in another country, or planning to move abroad, and you want to learn the language (or just want to learn one for fun), check out my blog post and please use my link on there for a discount and affil for me! Mylifesamovie.com ! My current tutor Lara is amazing, she does my Italian lessons also in English and Spanish so I don’t forget my native tongue! Also doubles as an unofficial therapist 😂😂 Last, let this bring some hope and inspo to my fellow solo female travelers! If you haven’t found your partner yet, he may be waiting for you in another country!! If you’d like to see what my life is like, married and living on a vineyard in Sardinia, tap the account at the top that I shared this post with! ———- This post is about: Moving to Italy, learning Italian, living in Italy, married in Italy, life in Sardinia
1 week ago
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5/9
A pod of 15 Orcas surrounded our small boat in La Ventana, Mexico… my reaction was squealing like a child and I even cried a few tears (don’t tell anyone). Then, after careful behavioral assessment by our marine biologist guide, we were given permission to swim with them for about 2 minutes! I cried even more after that, it was one of the most magical moments of my life! This was an ethical Sea Safari trip with an experienced, animals-first, women-run company. Orca tours do not exist since you cannot predict when they will show up. There are also many rules and regulations to keep this safe and ethical, so please check out my other posts about it, and for info on how to book this trip, search “orcas” on my blog - mylifesamovie.com! Is this anyone else’s dream? ——————- For anyone new: Hi! I’m Alyssa! I am one of the first OG solo female travel blogger/influencers who started traveling 14 years ago and hasn’t stopped! I’ve been to 146 countries solo so far, Antarctica 4x, climbed Kilimanjaro and Everest Basecamp, and my hobby is swimming with apex predators. I’m from the U.S. but moved abroad many years ago, now I live part time on a vineyard in Sardinia, and Tulum! Please follow me here for expert travel tips and wild stories from the most unique places on earth!
1 week ago
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6/9
Everyone raves about the viral Storm Spa in Chongqing China being so cool but meanwhile I was on the verge of a panic attack in there feeling like I fell overboard during the Drake Passage 😳 I am still unsure why an extreme storm was chosen for a spa…but I can at least say the beginning where it’s sunny, and the end where there’s randomly northern lights, was nice! The ROOMS of the hotel where this spa is at are incredible though! They’re the also-viral ones where there’s a huge clear pool in the rooms! But fun fact.. it’s not a full sized hotel…they only own a few floors of a skyscraper, which is genius bc they can spend less on maxxing out the rooms and still get booked out! Oh and the Storm Spa session (30 mins) is included with the room! And the sister hotel includes a photoshoot 🤩 Should I post room tours of them? All of the information for these viral Chongqing hotels and also Chongqing cyberpunk city in general are on my blog, including the CORRECT links to each hotel (online it’s very confusing bc they all have the same name!) Also I need to know who would love this and who would hate it, am I the only one?? 😂
2 weeks ago
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7/9
10/10 the best self defense lesson and stress relief retreat ever in Fukushima, Japan 🥷🏼😂 You can take samurai lessons with a real life samurai (and famous youtuber) and then practice on the cardboard “enemy”, and later go steam it out at the onsen! Full info and itinerary on my blog, including how to book it! There’s not many tour options here in Fukushima so the best option is to get there by car 😬
3 weeks ago
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8/9
I hate that IG has changed so much that each of these photos can’t have their own individual post. Or should they? I think they should, but IG literally says to do Carousels and Reels…then I end up not posting so many unique moments, that I once used to post individually almost every day!

I miss those days and I’m so grateful I started all of this when a single photo post was all you did…a thousand words in one photo.

How do I even explain what each of these photos held? I can write it on my blog but 🤖 will just summarize me in the search results. I can spend hours making a reel, only for the system to analyze it’s not interesting enough ugh because not enough people watched past 6 seconds (yes that is the current algorithm)

So I guess I’ll just keep my memories in my mind and share the tips and pretty photos!

And keep trying to add in those BTS moments, like the last one, which is what we were actually doing most of the time 😂

Definitely a major highlight of this #fukushima trip was the Samurai class and the onsen town, I’d go back there for both! All of I was very stress relieving!

Anyone missing the one photo post days? Or wishing they could take a Samurai class right now? 😬

#japan #samuraiclass #japantips #mylifesatravelmovie
I hate that IG has changed so much that each of these photos can’t have their own individual post. Or should they? I think they should, but IG literally says to do Carousels and Reels…then I end up not posting so many unique moments, that I once used to post individually almost every day!

I miss those days and I’m so grateful I started all of this when a single photo post was all you did…a thousand words in one photo.

How do I even explain what each of these photos held? I can write it on my blog but 🤖 will just summarize me in the search results. I can spend hours making a reel, only for the system to analyze it’s not interesting enough ugh because not enough people watched past 6 seconds (yes that is the current algorithm)

So I guess I’ll just keep my memories in my mind and share the tips and pretty photos!

And keep trying to add in those BTS moments, like the last one, which is what we were actually doing most of the time 😂

Definitely a major highlight of this #fukushima trip was the Samurai class and the onsen town, I’d go back there for both! All of I was very stress relieving!

Anyone missing the one photo post days? Or wishing they could take a Samurai class right now? 😬

#japan #samuraiclass #japantips #mylifesatravelmovie
I hate that IG has changed so much that each of these photos can’t have their own individual post. Or should they? I think they should, but IG literally says to do Carousels and Reels…then I end up not posting so many unique moments, that I once used to post individually almost every day!

I miss those days and I’m so grateful I started all of this when a single photo post was all you did…a thousand words in one photo.

How do I even explain what each of these photos held? I can write it on my blog but 🤖 will just summarize me in the search results. I can spend hours making a reel, only for the system to analyze it’s not interesting enough ugh because not enough people watched past 6 seconds (yes that is the current algorithm)

So I guess I’ll just keep my memories in my mind and share the tips and pretty photos!

And keep trying to add in those BTS moments, like the last one, which is what we were actually doing most of the time 😂

Definitely a major highlight of this #fukushima trip was the Samurai class and the onsen town, I’d go back there for both! All of I was very stress relieving!

Anyone missing the one photo post days? Or wishing they could take a Samurai class right now? 😬

#japan #samuraiclass #japantips #mylifesatravelmovie
I hate that IG has changed so much that each of these photos can’t have their own individual post. Or should they? I think they should, but IG literally says to do Carousels and Reels…then I end up not posting so many unique moments, that I once used to post individually almost every day!

I miss those days and I’m so grateful I started all of this when a single photo post was all you did…a thousand words in one photo.

How do I even explain what each of these photos held? I can write it on my blog but 🤖 will just summarize me in the search results. I can spend hours making a reel, only for the system to analyze it’s not interesting enough ugh because not enough people watched past 6 seconds (yes that is the current algorithm)

So I guess I’ll just keep my memories in my mind and share the tips and pretty photos!

And keep trying to add in those BTS moments, like the last one, which is what we were actually doing most of the time 😂

Definitely a major highlight of this #fukushima trip was the Samurai class and the onsen town, I’d go back there for both! All of I was very stress relieving!

Anyone missing the one photo post days? Or wishing they could take a Samurai class right now? 😬

#japan #samuraiclass #japantips #mylifesatravelmovie
I hate that IG has changed so much that each of these photos can’t have their own individual post. Or should they? I think they should, but IG literally says to do Carousels and Reels…then I end up not posting so many unique moments, that I once used to post individually almost every day!

I miss those days and I’m so grateful I started all of this when a single photo post was all you did…a thousand words in one photo.

How do I even explain what each of these photos held? I can write it on my blog but 🤖 will just summarize me in the search results. I can spend hours making a reel, only for the system to analyze it’s not interesting enough ugh because not enough people watched past 6 seconds (yes that is the current algorithm)

So I guess I’ll just keep my memories in my mind and share the tips and pretty photos!

And keep trying to add in those BTS moments, like the last one, which is what we were actually doing most of the time 😂

Definitely a major highlight of this #fukushima trip was the Samurai class and the onsen town, I’d go back there for both! All of I was very stress relieving!

Anyone missing the one photo post days? Or wishing they could take a Samurai class right now? 😬

#japan #samuraiclass #japantips #mylifesatravelmovie
I hate that IG has changed so much that each of these photos can’t have their own individual post. Or should they? I think they should, but IG literally says to do Carousels and Reels…then I end up not posting so many unique moments, that I once used to post individually almost every day!

I miss those days and I’m so grateful I started all of this when a single photo post was all you did…a thousand words in one photo.

How do I even explain what each of these photos held? I can write it on my blog but 🤖 will just summarize me in the search results. I can spend hours making a reel, only for the system to analyze it’s not interesting enough ugh because not enough people watched past 6 seconds (yes that is the current algorithm)

So I guess I’ll just keep my memories in my mind and share the tips and pretty photos!

And keep trying to add in those BTS moments, like the last one, which is what we were actually doing most of the time 😂

Definitely a major highlight of this #fukushima trip was the Samurai class and the onsen town, I’d go back there for both! All of I was very stress relieving!

Anyone missing the one photo post days? Or wishing they could take a Samurai class right now? 😬

#japan #samuraiclass #japantips #mylifesatravelmovie
I hate that IG has changed so much that each of these photos can’t have their own individual post. Or should they? I think they should, but IG literally says to do Carousels and Reels…then I end up not posting so many unique moments, that I once used to post individually almost every day! I miss those days and I’m so grateful I started all of this when a single photo post was all you did…a thousand words in one photo. How do I even explain what each of these photos held? I can write it on my blog but 🤖 will just summarize me in the search results. I can spend hours making a reel, only for the system to analyze it’s not interesting enough ugh because not enough people watched past 6 seconds (yes that is the current algorithm) So I guess I’ll just keep my memories in my mind and share the tips and pretty photos! And keep trying to add in those BTS moments, like the last one, which is what we were actually doing most of the time 😂 Definitely a major highlight of this #fukushima trip was the Samurai class and the onsen town, I’d go back there for both! All of I was very stress relieving! Anyone missing the one photo post days? Or wishing they could take a Samurai class right now? 😬 #japan #samuraiclass #japantips #mylifesatravelmovie
4 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
9/9

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