Barcelona Study Abroad Programs: What to Expect

Learn what life would be like while studying in Barcelona

If you are going to spend time and money earning a degree, you might as well do so in style. Barcelona, Spain, a gorgeous city on the northeast coast of Spain, invites you to enjoy stunning architecture, rich culture, and a cool city while earning college-level credit through quality higher education institutions. Through study abroad programs in Barcelona, you will embark on an exciting, stimulating, and influential adventure—one that will affect you personally and academically.

Life in Barcelona

Like many European cities, Barcelona is a walking city meant to be explored, savored, and enjoyed. The city is brimming with beautiful architecture, fascinating points of interest, and breathtaking scenery. Barcelona is well known for its interesting buildings (visit Gaudi’s architectural works of art, but also enjoy the city’s other architectural wonders), quaint and lively neighborhoods, and beautiful vistas. Enjoy all of them by diving into the Barcelona’s energetic, eclectic, and vibrant lifestyle.

When in Barcelona, embrace Barcelonian lifestyle by walking, using public transportation, or driving scooters to get around; cheering for your favorite fútbol team at games (consider cheering for FC Barcelona!); enjoying tapas while looking at the sea; perusing museums, galleries, and musical venues in your spare time; and engaging in lively discourse about art, politics, and other stimulating subjects. Explore Barcelona and breathe in the many wonderful things the city has to offer. Charm, intrigue, adventure, and vivid conversation await you around every corner in Barcelona.

Barcelona Study Abroad Programs

In regards to academia: Barcelona study abroad programs cover an array of subjects and topics. Business, technology, science, humanities, language, art, and many other subjects are available to fit the intentions of students from a variety of academic backgrounds. Most Barcelona study abroad programs are delivered in multi-week, multi-month, or multi-semester increments. Some longer-term opportunities are also available. No matter your field of study or duration of study, Barcelona study abroad programs give you a wonderful opportunity to further your studies while enjoying a wonderful city and culture.

Five Awesome Ways to Enjoy Life While Living and Studying in Barcelona

No matter how much time you have, there are some great things to do to take advantage of your time in Barcelona:

• Walk as often as possible. One of the greatest things about Barcelona is the abundance of really cool stuff to see. Yes, some of it requires you to enter buildings (museums, art galleries, etc.), but so much of it is free for the taking on streets and walkways and in parks and neighborhoods. Walk somewhere every day whether to school, a friend’s house, to get food, or simply to take pictures and wander. Notice as much as possible and let the beautiful city infuse your heart and soul.  
• Be open to meeting new people and spending time with lots of different people. Barcelona is quite diverse and full of people with different perspectives, ideals, and personalities. Allow yourself to get to know lots of different types of people and to accept their invitations to participate in activities and events throughout Barcelona. By doing so, you’ll discover and experience an expansive array of things you never planned or thought to.
• Talk to your professors and ask them to guide you to places, activities, and events connected to your studies. Professors often know of clubs, gatherings, and opportunities to socialize and learn that aren’t always advertised to tourists or even locals. By tapping into your professors’ networks, you’ll enjoy an academically and intellectually stimulating side of Barcelona connected to your studies.
• Do all of the touristy stuff, even if you’re the kind of person who doesn’t do touristy stuff. Let’s face it—stuff is popular for a reason. Give yourself time to be tourist. Devote Saturday mornings or Tuesday afternoons (or any days and times that work) to check touristy landmarks and monuments off your list. As you’re doing so, enjoy your experience and pat yourself on the back for enjoying some of Barcelona’s most well-known and beloved places and spaces.
• Study up. Commit to learning something new about Barcelona every day. Study its history; discover its quirks; understand its political system; uncover locals’ feelings about the place. Connect your experience of the city to knowledge and information about the city for a more dynamic experience and understanding of the place you’re calling home. 

Annie Rose Stathes is a Colorado-based writer, teacher and political scientist. Her background is in international affairs and she holds a Master of Arts degree in Political Science.