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Tips for a long-term stay in Barcelona

This is a guest post by Maria Climent, a 26-year-old Catalan lady. After studying translation, she decided her life was odd enough to become a humor scriptwriter and by default, a blogger. This is how she’s now a mother of no-one and a better person. She also cooks her meals.

Have you ever been to Barcelona? Even if the answer is yes, you travelers know better than anyone that it’s not the same to go on holidays for a week or to live in a new city for more than a month. There is no comparison.

When you spend more than two weeks in a city, you start to pay attention to different things. You pay more attention to where to find a pharmacy, laundromat or a bakery close to the place you are staying at which, by the way, you are starting to call home.

So, if you have thought of moving to Barcelona and don’t want to spend a year living like a tourist or a crazy Erasmus student, but instead you really want to be a citizen of the city feeling just like any other native, here are some tips:

Find a short-term apartment rental

Of course, you can search for a good youth hostel (anything under 20€/night is not a good one, believe me) to spend the first week, so that you can meet people who probably are in the same situation. However, if you prefer more intimacy and autonomy, you can rent one of the short-term apartments in Barcelona, so that you can thoroughly “explore” the area during the first week.

Rent a shared flat

But, after this first week, after you already know someone to go out with and stop getting lost all the time, I recommend you to rent a shared flat. There are a lot of flats young people share, because living alone is too expensive and they don’t have a partner to live with.  A room for a middle or long-term period will cost you between 250 and 450€/month. Moreover, this way you’ll be with people who know the city well, maybe even some natives who’ll show you interesting things and introduce you people.

Start cooking!

There is nothing like the whole process of cooking to feel like you are part of a place: you have to go to the supermarket (though if you’re new in the city you must go shopping at the Boqueria market at least once. You’ll be amazed by all the things  you can find there),  then come home with all your bags and face the kitchen – the cleaning after a good meal will also  help  to make you feel at home, as you don’t clean at hotels!)

Other Tips

  • If you’ve got an European permit, and need the money, you can look for a  part-time job.
  • Try to learn the languages, both Spanish and Catalan . People from here appreciate it so much when foreigners speak Catalan!
  • Oops! I nearly forget about this! Start enjoying FC Barcelona matches, football really unites people. Furthermore, they always win.

Xavi, Messi & Iniesta - Barcelona FC

So,  there is nothing better to  help you decide if you’ll stay for a longer period in this awesome city than spending a few days in some of the Barcelona accommodation and let the city pervade you with its atmosphere.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.

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