Erasmus experience in Barcelona, Spain

Why did you choose to go to Barcelona, Spain?

I decided to do my ERASMUS in Barcelona on the basis of my friends' advice and because the city is close to the sea.

How long is the scholarship? How much money do you receive to help you with living costs?

I stayed in Barcelona for 6 months and up to now I 've received 770€ (the second rate is still to be paid).

What is the student lifestyle like in Barcelona?

Cosmopolitan, friendly, proud, sometimes a bit snobbish; )

Would you recommend the city and the University of Barcelona to other students?

Yes, definitely. The city is incredible, it's such a great experience and the Universitat Pompeu Fabra provides more practical classes of my subject (Publicidad y RRPP).

What is the food like?

Dominated by meat and seafood and therefore not really suited for vegetarians like me.

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How did you find your accommodation?

By using loquo.es.

What are the accommodation prices like? What are prices like for other things in general?

Depending on the size and location of the flat from 250€ to 450€. How much you spend depends heavily on your personal lifestyle, if you go out for eating a lot, how often you go out, if you prefer using the taxi to the metro etc.. Personnaly I think that living in BCN does not have to be necessarily expensive.

Is the language easy to get to grips with? Are there language courses available at the University?

I already had some knowledge of Spanish but improved a lot by talking to and working with local people. I also did a Català class and found it quite helpful although it was not sufficient to really learn the language.

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Barcelona from your city?

By plane.

Where would you recommend to go on a night out in Barcelona?

Example, Barceloneta, Clot.

And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Barcelona?

Caramba (Raval), Tapa Tapa (Passeig de Gracia).

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What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Everything built by Gaudí, but it's also nice to leave Barcelona and go to Sitges, Manresa, Montserrat etc.

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Is there any other advice that you could give to students going to Barcelona in the future?

Take your time searching for a room and be patient! Take care of your belongings, don't take valuables with you if it's not really necessary, and don't put all of them into the same bag/pocket/wallet carry them in separate places!... If you have any doubts or questions, feel free to ask me! :)