Moving to Madrid:4 tips for making new friends!

So! You’ve made it to Madrid. Now what?

Whether you’ve moved here for work or studies, everybody has one thing in common: everything’s new! And, sometimes, it can make you feel a little bit isolated or lonely.

Fortunately, Madrid is also one of the friendliest cities and has infinite opportunities to meet new people!

Continue reading for a few of the best options in our opinion:

Spanish classes! They’re a great way to discover a community of international people who, though from all parts of the world, share your enthusiasm and interest in Spain and Spanish language and culture!

Aside from that, at AIL Madrid we offer really fun cultural activities and host a big party with students and staff alike every Friday (Noche de Copas). In this way, you feel like you have a  friend group and an active schedule from day one.

1. The International Way

2. The Guiri Way

Another way to feel immediately comfortable is to connect with your fellow guiris (foreigners)!

This won’t improve your Spanish as quickly but it will definitely give you confidence and a loving community right here in Madrid.

A few places to meet other guiris are through Facebook groups or at some of the classic guiri hangouts (J&J books, La Bicicleta, and pretty much any bar in Malasaña).

Sharing an apartment with other people can seem great or daunting, depending on who you are, but it will always improve your social life!

This is especially true if you live with Spaniards (try a host family!), who are sure to introduce you to all their friends and adopt you as one of their own.

Long live the Flat Mate Solution!

3. The At-Home Way

Our final suggestion for meeting people is a classic no matter where you live: join the gym!

While not guaranteed to make you friends, this will put you in an energetic environment with lots of other people from your neighborhood.

Overcome your fears and strike up a conversation; you never know where your best friendships might bloom!

4. The Ripped Way