Andrea Brillantes reflects on solo Spain trip, grateful for 'healing' 2023

MANILA, Philippines — Young actress Andrea Brillantes reflected on the loaded past year she had highlighted by solo soul-searching trip to Spain last May.

Andrea uploaded her Spain trip vlog on the last day of 2023 though she had gone much earlier in the year, citing hours of footage that required voiceover narration instead for a faster edit.

The actress was initially going to be accompanied by her close friend Bea Borres but instead opted to travel on her own.

"Experiencing solo travel had always been a dream of mine so I decided this was the perfect time to do it. I needed this time to myself kasi nga may pinagdadaanan ako at that time," Andrea said, referencing her break-up to basketball player Ricci Rivero on the same month.

Andrea had a tearful flight to Madrid (with a quick layover in Abu Dhabi) as she admitted to being afraid of planes, heights and turbulence, as well as experiencing nervousness in travelling alone.

The actress went on guided trips to Granada — her first time commuting alone — where she misplaced her passport and wallet (but managed to get them back), Seville, Toledo and Madrid.

On her free day in Madrid, Andrea visited the Bank of Spain, a nearby market, Mercado de San Miguel, and Plaza Mayor where she encountered several Filipinos, and at night partied at a famous club.

"I went home by myself — oo na may mga naga-assume! — I didn't bring anyone with me to my hotel," Andrea adamantly clarified.

The clarification likely comes after fans pointed out that fellow Kapamilya Daniel Padilla had also visited Spain in the same areas and their individual photos went viral following Daniel's break-up with longtime partner Kathryn Bernardo.

Andrea was tipped as the reason for the split, however it should be noted that Andrea and Daniel's Spain trips were several weeks apart.

During another free night in Madrid Andrea managed to drop by the 360º Sky Bar without a reservation because a teenage Filipina invited her to join her table, spending the rest of the evening with her and a friend, and in another watched a flamenco show.

A post shared by Andrea Brillantes (@blythe)

Towards the end of her trip while visiting the Royal Palace of Madrid, Andrea