Spain has so many problems. Many government officials are corrupt, the unemployment rate is still high ten years after the crisis, and the banks run the economy. Yet for some reason, so many of flock to Spain and want to stay. There have to be SOME redeeming qualities. Actually, there are tons. I recently talked about what boggles my mind about Madrid, but now I think it’s time to talking about what makes it amazing.

1. Good coffee is incredibly cheap … and good.

Back home, I’m not a coffee drinker. I never understood why people felt the need to have a cup or two or three in the morning. Here, it’s more of a culture. I feel the need to fit in. Here in Madrid. I’ve never paid more than €1.50 for a cup of coffee. There’s one shop near me that charges €1.40 and I don’t even have to order anymore. Even the Italian café with the smooth coffee and beautiful guys only charge €2.40 for a coffee and croissant.

2. Transportation is quick, semi-reliable, and easy.

Since I am under 26 (for a few more months, at least), for only €20 a month, I have access to any region in the Comunidad de Madrid and even parts of the Castillas. I can go by train, metro, or bus. I take the train to work and school every day, and for the most part, they are reliable. The only times there are any heavy problems are when there’s a strike or an electrical malfunction.

3. So many, sunny, sunny days.

When I first arrived in Madrid back in August, there hadn’t been a drop of rain since May. Even until the end of the year, I think there may have been one or two rainy days. This March, it has rained a lot, but most of the winter has been incredibly sunny. It may still be cold, but at least I can break out the sunglasses.

4. The cost of living is very affordable.

I live in the fancier part of town and pay less than €600 a month for an apartment with a huge room and utilities included. Much cheaper than what I could get back in the states, especially in a large city.

5. I’m always meeting people from around the world.

Madrid is a pretty international city, especially with all the English-speaking foreigners coming in droves to live in Spain. I often play soccer games with people from all over South America, the US, UK, and Europe. It creates a weird mix of Spanglish, while also being able to meet people who come from a different background.

6. The shopping is top notch.

If you’re like me, you get all mouth-watery seeing Michael Kors, Jimmy Choo, Cartier, Tiffany …… If you’re also like me, you can’t afford to just go out and buy from all these stores. Spain is still full of great, affordable fashion. Amancio Ortega is the fourth-richest man in the world and the founder and owner of the top retail stores in the country. Stores like Zara, Berksha, Pull and Bear are all affordable and fashionable. Then you have other stores like Mango and H&M. These are world-recognized names and all extremely popular in Spain. Word of warning: stay away from Gran Vía.

7. El Corte Inglés

Does it need any further explanation? This is one-stop shopping at it’s finest. It is a little pricer, but I love it. I mean, Asian tourist groups get dropped off here!

8. You can get cultured in art.

In the heart of the city is the art triangle: the Prado, the Reina Sofia, and the Thyssen. I’ve been to the first two. The Prado houses incredibly famous art pieces, including my favorite: Las Meninas. The Prado is more for the art traditionalist. The Reina Sofia is a modern art museum. It’s crowning jewel is Guernica by Pablo Picasso. I’ve yet to go to the Thyssen, but I hear it is also worth it. There’s a portrait of Henry VIII by Hans Holbein that I’m dying to see.

9. Churros on the street.

I love me some churros. I actually prefer Spanish churros now to the churros I can get at theme parks across the US. They’re smaller, more fried, and are made to be dipped in chocolate. All around Madrid you can find stands that cook these babies hot and fresh. They usually never cost more than €2 or €3 for six.

10. Supporting my favorite team.

I am a Real Madrid fan. I’ve been a fan since before I visited Spain. Back when soccer was unpopular in the States, David Beckham was all I knew and thus Real Madrid was the chosen team. Now, I live a 20 minute walk to the Santiago Bernabéu. I’ve seen them play three Champions League games (and am waiting to buy tickets for the game vs. Juventus!) and a Copa del Rey match. Sometimes on my runs, I run past the stadium. There’s so much history in this stadium and it’s amazing to visit.

11. Things are actually open on Sundays.

Need something to make for dinner? No problem, there are stores open. Bored and want to go shopping? No problem, Zara is open. Most of the time, everything except maybe hair salons and family-run cafés are open on Sundays. No more sitting in the house twiddling my thumbs, although I admit, sometimes that is nice to do.

12. Uber is legal here.

There’s been some problem in Spain with the taxi drivers vs. Uber drivers. Well taxi drivers, if you were upfront about your prices and didn’t take shady ways, maybe we’d use you more. Uber and UberEats are both used here, which makes it easy to get around and easy to be lazy when I don’t want to make dinner.

13. So many cute dogs.

Madrid is a very dog-friendly city. I have so many pictures on my phone of random dogs that I think are cute and I take pictures of them. Their owners often put them in little jackets so they don’t get cold. Sometimes owner even take their dogs into restaurants and stores. I really just want to play with your dogs.

14. Famous people actually come here.

There are so good concerts that come here, but I haven’t seen any for myself. Shakir was here back in November, Harry Styles will be here in a week, Bruno Mars will be here in June … Besides concerts, there’s also many sports stars that come here for soccer or tennis. I really want to try to see Rafa play in the Madrid Open in May.

15. Madrid is just a fun city.

There’s always people exercising whether it’s 6 AM or 10 PM. There are many restaurants, discos, cafés and there are always people around. I get a sense of freedom walking down the street, like I can do whatever I want. I can go to the bakeries and drink a café con leche. I’m right in the middle of Spain, which means not only is it full of internationals, but also with people from around the country. Madrid might not have the laid-back feeling of Barcelona, but it’s giant historical past will wow you.