Siena College
10/27/2025 | News release | Distributed by Public on 10/27/2025 12:23
Saints Around the World: Valencia, Spain
Business Major, School of Science
Oct 27, 2025
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Kara Stallmer '27 has fallen head-over-heels in love with Valencia. Look, it's right there on her shirt.
Estadio de Mestalla (Mestalla Stadium) is the 8th largest stadium in Spain, and ever since its grand opening in 1923, its been home to the venerable fútbol club Valencia. The 100-year-old grounds are famous for the incredibly steep seating section at the north end of the stadium. The pictures barely do it justice, but to be there...
"When walking up the steps to our seats, there was the most beautiful sunset! Truly, the best experience I've had so far in Spain was watching Valencia play in that stadium. The crowd and the energy was amazing! Plus, they won 2-0."
Stallmer loves soccer, not that you'll catch her referring to the sport as "soccer" while she's in Europe. She's played the sport since she was five, and she's a spectator every chance she gets. She'll watch the men's and women's World Cup and the Olympics, and she's be in the stadium for several USA women's national team games. Stallmer even watches top flight European league matches, though she's never had allegiance to a specific team. Until now.
"Yes, after that experience, I am definitely a committed Valencia fan for life!"
Getting the chance to experience fútbol the way they live the game in Spain was a major draw when Stallmer was choosing her study abroad destination. But her biggest pull toward Spain was also the location.
"One of my biggest goals in life is to be able to travel all over the world, and I knew if I studied in Europe, flights would be much cheaper. Spain is central, it's safe, and it has a lot of different cities with their own unique vibes. I'd also like to become more fluent in Spanish, and of course, Spain is a great country for practicing Spanish."
Stallmer has already visited Morocco and the Sahara. She was in Paris last weekend, and trips to Ireland and Switzerland have already been planned. Saints wishing to study in Spain have four different cities to choose from, including Madrid, and all of them feature easy access to favorite European destinations. But Valencia spoke to Stallmer long before she got there.
"Valencia caught my eye because of the beautiful beaches and the architecture. And then to see it in person, everything is even more amazing!"
The business analytics major also raves about the food, specifically the paella. And she's been paddle boarding in the Balearic Sea. That experience, she said, "was so beautiful and relaxing." But the moment she'll never forget was anything but.
"After the fútbol match, me and my friends had to push our way through the doors onto the metro train, and we were on top of people. We couldn't even move. Although it was uncomfortable, it's a really fun memory."
You think you like, soccer? Head to Spain and give fútbol a try.
Siena College published this content on October 27, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 27, 2025 at 18:23 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]