Erasmus Experience in Barcelona, Spain by Regina

Why did you choose to go to Barcelona, Spain?

I'd loved the idea of living in a city which is located next to the beach and in addition I'm in love with the Spanish language, music and traditions. Next to this I wanted to live in a bigger city than my home town and Barcelona just fulfills all of it.

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

I went to Barcelona with Erasmus. I got 800€ in the beginning of my 6 months stay and they took care of the study fees, etc.! It was great!

What is the student lifestyle like in Barcelona?

Eat, beach, party, repeat.

The uni I attended was the UPF and the courses and colleagues were great! The courses are aimed to be more practical than in Germany, but it was kind of hard to get a super good grade tho.

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

I would definitely recommend UPF to other students, especially because you have a huge diversity of faculties and competent teachers.

What is the food like?

Awesome! But I gained a little bit of weight :D

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Barcelona?

I firstly found a room in a shared flat via a German platform before my exchange started and this was a mistake because it was way too expensive and super super small. After 6 weeks I could leave this flat and moved in with a friend I met in Barcelona.
So, I recommend to book an Airbnb or hostel first and then look for a room on websites like Uniplaces, idealista when you're already in Barcelona or just to find other people there who are in the same situation!

How much does it cost to live in Barcelona?

Unfortunately Barcelona is an expensive, touristish city but you can find low budget places as well.

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

The main language in Barcelona is Catalan, not Spanish and I took classes in both at the uni, which were to pay extra. The Catalan course helped me to understand what I was actually buying in the supermarket or which was written on the Metro walls, but in my opinion it is hard to learn and not worth the effort to take a higher class then the A1. Although I already knew a bit of Spanish, I was almost always just talking in English, because everybody there is able to speak it.

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

You can almost walk everything because the main spots in Barcelona are well linked. There is the chance to book a bike when you're registered Barcelona officially as your city of residence.
But the best is to buy a 3 month ticket for less than 100€ for the Metro.

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

Definitely Razzmatazz, Opium, Oak, Bling Bling, Bikini, or in Summer the parties at the W Hotel. For clubbing you should get some information about the guest list, because you will save a lot of money with using them!
And you can enjoy the bars best in Barrio Gotico, El Born, Barceloneta or Poblenou.

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

For tapas La Lluna in El Born. For Breakfast the best is Brunch&Cake, Alsur Cafe, Milk Bar, The Benedict, Trópico or Flax&Kale. For Burgers you have to try Bacoa next to Plaça Reial or in Barceloneta, same as Makka Makka.
I highly recommend to do a reservation first at Brunch&Cake, Flax&Kale, Trópico and La Lluna!

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Of course, the beach 5 days a week! The Ramlas are full of living and worth a walk down till you arrive at the harbor and the beach! You have to see Monjuïc with its fountain, Arc de Triomf, the street art of Poblenou, Barrio Gotico and El Raval. Same goes for the Gaudí houses and you should definitely have a picnic at Bunkers or Park Güell with the best view over the city!

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

Come in summer, so you can enjoy the city as its fullest! Bring the motivation to get in touch with people from all around the world. Don't expect to be fluent in Spanish afterwards, but I promise you, your English will improve! And get used to the Spanish spirit, cause everything will be done mañana :D