Are you looking to take a Spanish course abroad and wondering which beautiful city to learn Spanish in? Well… look no further! Here are 10 reasons why Barcelona should be your top choice when it comes to learning Spanish.

Festivals!

There always seems to be something to celebrate in Barcelona. No matter what your tastes and hobbies are there will be something for you to enjoy during your time here, whether it will be one of the many music festivals, film festivals or ‘barrio’ parties. Be daring and get involved in the correfoc or relax in the parcs for the jazz festival. The best thing is that so many of them are FREE, perfect for students. My personal favourite is San Joan, an all night beach party with music and fireworks to celebrate the longest day of the year.

El Gótico

The most historical part of Barcelona is El Gotico. A stunning maze of cobbled streets where you can find a plethora of antiques and independent stores surrounded by beautiful architecture.  Many of the buildings date back to medieval times and some remains of the old roman settlement can also be found. My personal favourite is Carrer del Bisbe Irurita, a beautiful place for a stroll where you will often find musicians playing Spanish guitar or violin. Placa del Pi is the perfect spot for a tapas lunch and the stunning Old Cathedral is a must see!

Art

Salvador Dali was born in Figueres in Catalunya, a train ride away from Barcelona. He has a breathtaking surrealist museum there, which he designed himself. There is also a Dali museum located in El Gótico in Barcelona itself. Pablo Picasso lived and studied in Barcelona for many years. In honour of this you will find the Picasso museum in Barcelona which houses many great works which the painter donated to the museum himself. Joan Miró, surrealist painter and sometime friend of Picasso was born in Barcelona. It was here his greatest works were completed. A museum dedicated to his work, the Fundació Joan Miró, was established in his birth city in 1975 and is a great place to visit. All this and more explains why art lovers love Barcelona.

Salsa

Are you ready to boogie? You will find a somewhat surprising Salsa culture in the city. Many bars and clubs specifically for people who want to learn and dance salsa have arisen. There are also many salsa schools you can attend so don’t worry if you think it will take some time to brush up on your moves before you can spin with the best of them. So if you love Latin music and love to dance the night away and meet new people, come to study in Barcelona.

Gaudí

For those of you that aren’t familiar with the architectural works of Gaudi, you are missing out! Catalan man Antoni Gaudí was born in Reus and moved to the nearby city of Barcelona at aged 16 where he followed his passion for modernist architecture and found fame. His distinctive building and designs can be seen all over the city. His most famous landmarks are Parc Guell, Casa Batlló, Casa Milá and the sublime Basilica; Sagrada Familia, which is also known as the unfinished cathedral. Be sure to visit Sagrada and I also recommend the audio tour which really helps you to see how amazing the building really is.

Mojitos

One thing that there is definitely not a shortage of in Barcelona are cocktail bars and the cocktail of choice is the Mojito. I promise you, you’ll find the best Mojito you’ve ever tasted if you come here to study Spanish. There are a number of places I would recommend to get one of these delicious refreshments. One would be Rabipelao which is located on Carrer de la Mercé near the port. It has a wide range of different mojitos available and they also have a great Happy Hour offer. Also check out Rosa Negra and Rosa de Raval which have amazing Raspberry Mojitos. Perfect on a hot summers day!

Easy access

Barcelona could not be better located. You can drive into the south of France for a spot of culture or even catch a boat or quick flight to the Balearic Islands where you can soak up some rays in Ibiza or Mallorca. Barcelona is also only a short drive away from the foothill of the Pyrenees. Jump in a car and in just over an hour you have beautiful mountains which are perfect for camping and rock climbing. There are many centres that offer kayaking and rafting if hanging from a great height by a rope isn’t your thing. There is also a great ski season and resorts such as La Molina or Vall de Núria are a quick train ride away from Barcelona city centre.

Culture and a Beach!

There are very few cities in Europe that can offer what Barcelona has; an amazing amount of history and culture AND a beach which can be enjoyed in beautiful weather. You can visit a cathedral, a museum or a gallery in the morning and then be bronzing yourself in your Speedos or bikini after lunch. It also means that no matter whether it’s your parents or your friends that come to visit whilst you are learning Spanish, there is sure to be something that will keep them happy!

Gastronomy

When you think of Spanish food you think of Paella, Sangria and tapas, no? Well there’s actually a little more to it than that. The region of Catalonia is famous for a few dishes. Calcots are a favourite in the summer time. They look and taste a little like large spring onions and are best served straight from the BBQ with romesco sauce. Yummmmm! Another delicacy is Butifarra, a Catalan blood sausage. Although I’m not such a fan myself, the locals love it and you have to give it a try! It’s also imperative that you visit some of the wine and cava vineyards that are found close to Barcelona and then of course… you have to taste the wine and cava from the region! It would be rude not to

Barcelona FC

Camp Nou, a 99.000 stadium capacity (largest in Europe) which is located in the centre of the city, a rich history of being home to not only some of the greatest footballers that have ever lived but also home to some of the greatest football ever played, stars like Messi, Xavi, Iniesta and Villa and of course, great, noisy, passionate supporters……could football get any better than this?

So, what are you waiting for? Book your ticket, get on the airplane and come to study Spanish in Barcelona! We are here, Messi is here, where are you?

travel, barcelona, spain, language, tourism