Emilia had access to a broad range of reading material in her father's library, later stating that among her favorites were "Don Quijote de la Mancha," the Bible and the "Iliad". Other early readings included "La conquista de México" by Antonio de Solís and "Parallel Lives" by Plutarch. She was fascinated by books about the French revolution. Her family would spend their winters in Madrid, where Emilia attended a French school sponsored by the Royal Family, and where she was introduced to the work of La Fontaine and Jean Racine. Her frequent visits to France would prove to be especially useful later in her life by helping her connect with the literary world of Europe and become familiar with important authors like Victor Hugo. When she was twelve her family decided to stop their winter visits to Madrid, staying in A Coruña where she studied with private tutors. She refused to follow the rules that limited women to just learning about music and home economics. She received formal education on all types of subjects, with an emphasis on the humanities and languages. She became fluent in French, English, and German. She was not permitted to attend college. Women were forbidden to study science and philosophy, but she became familiar with those subjects by reading and talking with friends of her father.