Rizal traveled to Europe to study and prepare to liberate the Filipino people from Spanish tyranny. He lived in Madrid where he studied medicine and other subjects. He wrote articles criticizing the Spanish rule in the Philippines. Rizal then took a grand tour of Europe with a friend, visiting places like Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy. He had a romantic relationship in Japan before traveling to the United States and London, where he continued writing and researching to support the Filipino cause.