My Honest Thoughts on Living in Barcelona: Housing, Classes & Daily Routine

When I was preparing to study abroad, I remember reading through different blogs, forums, and student review sites to better understand what my living situation and class schedule would be like. While I had control over what time I wanted to start and end my day, hearing from actual students about the commute to the IES Abroad center and local university campuses as well as what it was like to live in IESAbroad Student Housing was so helpful. 

For most students, classes are split between Monday/Wednesday and Tuesday/Thursday blocks. I structured my semester by taking my three IES Abroad classes on Mondays and Wednesdays, and my two Universitat de Barcelona courses on Tuesdays and Thursdays. 

I start all my days around 9:30 A.M. I don’t typically eat a huge breakfast, most days it was yogurt with granola and a cup of coffee so I can afford the luxury of getting up close to my departure time. I live in Aparto Cristobal de Moura so my commute to the IES Abroad center is usually around 30-minutes (including the walk to and from the station). My first class on Mondays is at 10:45 A.M., so my roommates and I typically head out around 10:10 A.M. to catch the L4 train. Luckily, our building is located close to two metro stations, so transportation is never an issue. Coming from a city with limited public transit, I found Barcelona’s metro system to be exceptional. We rarely experienced delays, and with the T-Jove card, you can get almost anywhere in the city using the bus, tram, or train.

After my Human Development class, I head to my Catalan Cultural Studies class at 11:30 A.M. at the Monday Center, one of the secondary teaching locations near Plaça Catalunya. This class is unlike anything I’ve taken (especially considering I am a Biology major) and is always filled with really interesting discussion. After class ends at 2:05 A.M., I usually meet up with my friends back at the main IES Abroad center for lunch. I typically bring my own lunch during the week since I tend to eat out while traveling on weekends. However, when I’m feeling a bit lazy, Honest Greens and TKO Tacos are some of our favorite nearby spots.

After a two-hour break, I return for my final class of the day at 4:00 P.M.: Spanish. I absolutely love this class. With only 13 students, we’ve all gotten to know each other well, and the atmosphere is always lively. I usually catch the train home around 5:40 P.M.unless I decide to do some shopping around the plaza. There’s an Asian supermarket right around the corner from the IES Abroad Center, and I often stop by to pick up ingredients for dinner.

Once I get home, usually around 6:15 P.M., I make dinner so the kitchen is free when my roommates return around 7 P.M.. I also try to get started on homework during this time, since I know I’m less productive once everyone is home. Over the past few weeks, my roommates and I have grown incredibly close, and we often spend Monday nights catching up about our weekends if we weren’t traveling together. Our living room has become a real source of comfort, and I love spending my free time sitting around the table with them. One of my favorite things about living in Aparto is that we each have our own rooms and bathrooms, while still being able to gather in the common space to talk, laugh, and cook together. Though it’s located outside the city center, the apartment layout is great, the staff are incredibly kind and helpful, and the shared spaces truly make it feel like a student community.

Depending on our plans, we might head back out into the city after dinner or relax on the couch and watch a show. Lately, Gossip Girl has been our go-to (thank you, Aparto, for Netflix), and I usually call it a night around midnight. Then it’s back up at 9:00 A.M. the next day for my longer commute to the UB CETT campus, where I take classes as part of the UB Food Program.

I love the routine I’ve built in Barcelona, and I’m honestly sad at the thought of leaving it behind soon. I’ve truly loved living in Aparto, and I would highly recommend it to anyone considering studying abroad in Barcelona.