# Moving to Barcelona



## swhite (Jul 16, 2010)

Hello, 

My husband and I are due to move to Barcelona in 3 weeks. Our main issue is deciding where in Barcelona to live. We have a 3.5 month old baby and 2 cats. We want somewhere that is family friendly but at the same time not too far from anywhere. We have considered renting property in castelldefelss but am concerned that this may be too far out?


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Assuming that you or your husband have a job/jobs in Barcelona, I guess it depends where they'll be, how you're planning to get there (train, car, walk) and what your daily needs are!! I dont know Barcelona, but I know its very busy traffic wise. Its something you need to come over and look at cos we all have our own criterias. 

However, we have a few forum members who live down that way who I'm sure will help you 

Jo xxx


----------



## swhite (Jul 16, 2010)

jojo said:


> Assuming that you or your husband have a job/jobs in Barcelona, I guess it depends where they'll be, how you're planning to get there (train, car, walk) and what your daily needs are!! I dont know Barcelona, but I know its very busy traffic wise. Its something you need to come over and look at cos we all have our own criterias.
> 
> However, we have a few forum members who live down that way who I'm sure will help you
> 
> Jo xxx


Hi Jo, 

Yes we are moving to Barcelona because of my husbands job which is at Cornellà de Llobregat near the airport?? We are driving our car over with the cats so that will be our main method of transport I expect. I don't speak Spanish (hopefully I will learn when I'm there) so if there are any areas which are more ex pat then that would be good and obviously meeting other mums would be ideal.


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

swhite said:


> Hello,
> 
> My husband and I are due to move to Barcelona in 3 weeks. Our main issue is deciding where in Barcelona to live. We have a 3.5 month old baby and 2 cats. We want somewhere that is family friendly but at the same time not too far from anywhere. We have considered renting property in castelldefelss but am concerned that this may be too far out?


Do a search on this site for castelldefels, sitges, barclona etc and you'l find some threads like this one
http://www.expatforum.com/expats/sp...in/52125-info-about-sitges-castelldefels.html


----------



## millington (Jul 17, 2010)

Hi,

I am a young Irish teacher, turning 22 soon. I have a job in a bi-lingual school in Barcelona which begins in September and so i am prepering to move there at the end of August.

I am aware about getting an NIE which my school will be helping me to get and I also know that loquo ig a good place to find somewhere to live. 

But is there any advice anyone can give me about any aspect of moving over?!
I am very excited about moving over and imersing myself in a new culture and am lucky becaue I have a good job secured already.

However I am making the move alone and will not know anyone over there so any advice that can be offered would be very much apreciated!!

Hope you can offer me some advice and tips!!


----------



## Guest (Jul 18, 2010)

millington said:


> Hi,
> 
> I am a young Irish teacher, turning 22 soon. I have a job in a bi-lingual school in Barcelona which begins in September and so i am prepering to move there at the end of August.
> 
> ...


Millington, 

May I be so rude as to ask if you've been hired directly by the school or if you're coming over as part of a program? If you're an _auxiliar_ I can definitely fill you in on life as a program participant. 

Either way, congratulations and I hope you have a great time in Spain!!


----------



## millington (Jul 17, 2010)

halydia said:


> Millington,
> 
> May I be so rude as to ask if you've been hired directly by the school or if you're coming over as part of a program? If you're an _auxiliar_ I can definitely fill you in on life as a program participant.
> 
> Either way, congratulations and I hope you have a great time in Spain!!




Well I was introduced to the school through my College, where I studied teaching in Dublin, and did my first of 2 interviews with the school in my College. So I have been hired directly by the School itself.

So while life about being a program participant might not apply I am sure you might have some other tips or Info I might find useful...

Thanks for the reply by the way!


----------



## Guest (Jul 18, 2010)

millington said:


> Well I was introduced to the school through my College, where I studied teaching in Dublin, and did my first of 2 interviews with the school in my College. So I have been hired directly by the School itself.
> 
> So while life about being a program participant might not apply I am sure you might have some other tips or Info I might find useful...
> 
> Thanks for the reply by the way!


That's neat, congratulations!! I'll send you a private message later today when I've got a bit more time to sit and type.


----------



## millington (Jul 17, 2010)

Thank you, will be much appreciated!!


----------



## Guest (Jul 18, 2010)

millington said:


> Thank you, will be much appreciated!!


Oops - can't send you a PM if you've got less than 5 posts. 

Anyhow, this information could be useful to anyone who is coming over here as a young teacher and/or auxiliar de conversación...

I think the most important thing for a successful and enjoyable stay is to do your best to make *local* friends, and don't limit yourself to only socializing with other foreigners. My first year here, I was invited to a coworker's house for Christmas dinner and I think it was the coolest experience that I had that year. Sitting with her family, understanding about 50% of the things said, eating for five straight hours, and trying foods I had never even thought about eating was amazing. I would never have done that if I didn't get to know my non-English department coworkers. Even if your Spanish is not all that great right now, throw yourself in headfirst and just try to communicate. If you've got a good sense of humor and don't care about making mistakes (case in point, when I chose the wrong vowel and said "_tulipenes_" for tulips) people will really appreciate your effort. 

That being said, there is something comforting about having friends from your homeland or friends who at least speak your language. My hardest day is always Thanksgiving. It's always nice to get together with some fellow countrymen and celebrate on those days where, otherwise, you can feel pretty low. If you don't have any Irish coworkers, look for local ERASMUS groups or Auxiliares de Conversacion groups on facebook. Often, they'll hold get togethers where you can get to know who is in town. Just remember, however, that after a semester or year, the vast majority of these folks head back home. Where will you be? 

Another good way to get to know people is through sports or cultural activities. My city has cheap arts classes in their "casa de cultura." There's a number of activities at the polideportivo (sports center.) Also, don't shun the local universities. I know a lot of the auxiliares in my region have teamed up with students at the local Uni to create an ultimate frisbee team. They seem like a tight crew! 

Another option could be taking a course at the local public language school: EOIBD.cat - Escola Oficial d'Idiomes de Barcelona - Drassanes They offer a TON of languages in Barcelona. I'm quite jealous! 

You're young, and that'll really work to your advantage. Here's Barcelona's website for young people: Centre d'Informació i Assessorament per a Joves (CIAJ) It looks like they offer some interesting activities! 

I was able to get a very cheap bus pass because I was under 25. Also, look into the carnet joven, although I'm sure it has another name in Catalan. That CAN help you get some discounts, although I didn't end up using mine all that much. 

I think you'll do quite well in Barcelona. You have SO much available to you there! 

Best of luck, and again, CONGRATS! :clap2:


----------



## millington (Jul 17, 2010)

Wow, I cannot thank you enough that is great advice and to be honest that is the thing I was hoping to get advice on most. I am nervous about the face that I am moving over there and don't know a single soul there but that has really made me think I can do this!! 

Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!!!


----------



## Guest (Jul 18, 2010)

millington said:


> Wow, I cannot thank you enough that is great advice and to be honest that is the thing I was hoping to get advice on most. I am nervous about the face that I am moving over there and don't know a single soul there but that has really made me think I can do this!!
> 
> Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!!!


You can very definitely do this. Sure, it's terrifying at first but I have found that as long as you're willing to make an effort that people here are amazing. And again, use your school as a good starting point. I've found my younger coworkers to be a really good source of information. Pick their brains about local events, places to visit, concerts to see, etc. 

Heck, do what I did and be a sneaky teacher. "Students, what is your favorite place in <insert comunidad autonoma here>? Why?" Assignment: Make a tourist brochure/poster for said location. Easy lesson plan, and the teacher gets inside information!!!!!

I forgot to post this link in my first post. Here is the blog for Auxiliares in Catalunya: http://blocs.xtec.cat/auxiliarsdeconversa/auxilars-corner/ 
They've got some neat lesson plans in the "Activitats" section, and you might find other information there that can help. Let me know if you need lesson plan websites, I have a bunch that I've used.


----------



## millington (Jul 17, 2010)

You are the most helpful person, thank you!!!

Yes I a, ,pre excited than nervous really, i spemt the month of June in Milan teaching in an English Summer school there and went knowing noone bu left with many friends so I know Barcelona will be the same! 

Any links would be great.

I have already recieved my class groups, I will have 6 year olds for science and english lessons, and will teach music to 11 year olds, all through English. If any of the links will help with those it would be great. And great tip about the lesson, great way to learn something myself while I teach!


----------



## Guest (Jul 18, 2010)

millington said:


> You are the most helpful person, thank you!!!
> 
> Yes I a, ,pre excited than nervous really, i spemt the month of June in Milan teaching in an English Summer school there and went knowing noone bu left with many friends so I know Barcelona will be the same!
> 
> ...



Not a problem at all. I've been in your shoes and I'm most happy to help! 

Good places to start:
Isabel's ESL Site: English as a Foreign/Second Language in Secondary Education
Pete's Power Point Station - A Collection of FREE Presentations in PowerPoint format for K-12 Teachers and Students
Aprender ingls gratis con Canciones Subtituladas, cursos de ingles online, listening, videos, msica, subtitulos, letras, karaoke
home | LearnEnglish Kids | British Council
Aulas Bilingües DNL
Woodlands Junior School, Tonbridge, Kent UK


----------



## laulah (Mar 30, 2010)

*Sitges or Castelldefedes*



swhite said:


> Hi Jo,
> 
> Yes we are moving to Barcelona because of my husbands job which is at Cornellà de Llobregat near the airport?? We are driving our car over with the cats so that will be our main method of transport I expect. I don't speak Spanish (hopefully I will learn when I'm there) so if there are any areas which are more ex pat then that would be good and obviously meeting other mums would be ideal.


Hello there,

I would say Castelldefedes and Sitges would be great options for you, since you have a car and a baby, + cats. Sitges is a bit more pricey but extremely cute little town. In case you don´t want to use car, you can take the train to Barcelona, takes about 20 mins and costs approximatly 4 euros return. Castelldefedes is a bit closer. Both have fantastic beaches. In Sitges there are probably more non-Spanish habitants, at least what I have observed.

Barcelona might not be the best option since it's relatively busy and noisy, and property prices are higher. Also with the car it's sometimes difficult, you need to find a place for it and driving in the chaotic traffic every morning is not the best way to start your day.

Let me know if you need more help 

Laura


----------



## m1beswick (Oct 1, 2009)

I moved to Barcelona last September, and live near Cornella. Castelldefels is a short drive and doable. My advice would be try to manage by public transport if you can - there is a lot of traffic, and the metro and trains are very cheap. The T10 ticket is the best way to get around - one journey costs 78 cents, and you can use any combination of the train, metro, tram or bus within 1.25hrs for that one cost. A friend of mine lives in beautiful Castelldefells, but did find it a bit isolated in the winter (a lot of second homes).

Millington
Congratulations on your new job!

Main piece of advice has already been given about communicating! For me, the biggest challenge still remains the language barrier. This is immensely better after 10 months, but I still have a long way to go, and haven't even begun to learn Catalan as yet. Outside of school, and the centre of Barcelona, very few people speak English, and I find people much prefer my poor attempts at Spanish than me trying to communicate in English.
Also, making friends. I met some people that I couldn't have coped without. Take every opportunity to meet people.
Good luck!


----------



## Irishgirl (Sep 26, 2008)

*Moving*



swhite said:


> Hello,
> 
> My husband and I are due to move to Barcelona in 3 weeks. Our main issue is deciding where in Barcelona to live. We have a 3.5 month old baby and 2 cats. We want somewhere that is family friendly but at the same time not too far from anywhere. We have considered renting property in castelldefelss but am concerned that this may be too far out?


Hi there,
Im living in Sitges and it is a fab town but the rental properties can be expensive. But its a great place to live, only thing is the toll road which is €5.40 each way or you can take the costas but that is an extra 20 mins onto your journey. 
The train service is excellent from here every 15 mins to Bcn and is €6 return. If you hubby is working near the airport then both Castelldefells and Sitges are on the right side of the city for his work.

If you choose to live in Castelldefells it is really nice there also but better to live near the town as it gets very quiet in the wintertime in playa Castelldefells. For me I would not like to live in Barcelona at all it is very busy noisy and HOT at the moment anyway, and can be over whelming if you were to move there if your not used to a big city, Also for the cats you will need a balcony or outside space and not sure youll get that in the city (I also have 2 cats) thats my opinion any how. 
If you need any more advice or need a friend let me know 
Ni


----------



## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

I am in Barcelona also. First of all, having lived in Ireland 3 years before, the cultural difference IMO is very small. Europe is very monocultural, we talk about regional accents more than different cultures IMO. This may be due to having lived in Turkey as well, that made me realise how small the differences between Western European countries are. (that said, as long as you stick to the big cities, even in Turkey it's not such a huge difference in attitude). So don't worry about the cultural differences. Just imagine you're moving to another UK/Irish town but with a different language and less rain 


Barcelona has an amazing lot to offer but it comes with a price tag. This city is expensive, both in terms of rent, going out to a restaurant, ... The local shops (locutorios) and public transport are luckily quite cheap, and the social healthcare is quite good so medication is amazingly cheap.

Within Barcelona, the best places if you have kids and pets, might be the more residential and less touristic areas. I think of some places in Poblenou or Gracia for example. The average flat large enough for a family will not be below 1000 euro in a month though and even higher is not uncommon. Chepeast areas of the city to rent are the barrios (quarters) of Ciutat Vella, where rent starts from 700 euro/month onwards or maybe even a bit below if you're lucky. But in all honesty the flats are too small for more than 2 people, they tend to be quite old, and I doubt the alleys of the Raval are a safe place for young children. I live in the city itself but even while I live alone I sometimes find the affordable flats on the small side...

Sitges and Casteldefells are both very idyllic and (outside of tourism season) calm. But they are at least as expensive or even more expensive as the more expensive areas of Barcelona proper. If you have the money for it though, they are a good option: safe, idyllic, and very well connected to Barcelona with the train. Gava may be another option, also very close to the airport and (as I've heard) cheaper than the other places named.

Have you considered Cornellà itself? Rentals are a lot cheaper than at the coast or in the city, the town is quiet but that may be beneficial for a couple with children and pets, and the train and metro take you to downtown Barcelona very rapidly and smoothly.

Best of luck with it all. It's an amazing city with a lot to offer!  Be prepared that not many locals speak English well though (but see that as a motivation to learn some basic Spanish at least)


----------



## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

Oh, a PS on Cornellà: it's a bit of a "new town", during Franco's reign he built a lot of social housing there and the town kept growing both in size and population numbers. So while it is and remains a suburb of the big city with lot of commuters living there, it isn't exactly a very tiny town itself neither. El Prat is another option and even closer to the airport, but I don't dare to comment on rental prices there ; both towns are away from the shore but I'm not sure if that's anything important for you? L`Hospitalet is another option, also very close to the airport but off-shore.


----------



## Carloz (Aug 5, 2010)

SWhite, Castelldefels is a pretty nice place and is not far from Cornella. Sitges is a bit farther, but a bit nicer, too, and is full of expats. If you wanted to live in Barcelona proper, the Sants neighborhood is not far from Cornella.

Millington, I just wrote a post about Barcelona on another thread that might have some info you'd find helpful. Here's the link: http://www.expatforum.com/expats/sp...54382-new-barcelona-help-work.html#post346867


----------



## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

Sants is however not too close to the city center and isn't a cheap area. The cheapest areas in BCN proper are the ones in Ciutat Vella, hence why there's so many immigrants there. I live there myself, I pay a bit over 700€ a month which is still significantly lower than I would have paid in for example Eixample or Gracia (that said: the fact that houses are old and have flaws, no elevators etc is something you gotta accept - if you want it modern and flashy it comes with a price tag)

Cornella itself has plenty of nice modern housing, all built by Franco but modernised (and all traces to Franco are removed) ; and lot cheaper than BCN proper. Downside : you're not in the city, you're not at the sea, so for any event you need to take the car or metro/train. Not much to do in the town itself unless you consider a pub a nice evening out. Not sure about El Prat or Hospitalet but I'd expect the same as Cornella: cheaper but not much to do.


----------



## Jeannine Hoffmann (Nov 6, 2013)

How is everything going in and around Barcelona area? We have been living in Catalunya for two years want to move below Barcelona. Looking for people with more experience in that neighborhood.


----------



## elisa31bcn (Jan 23, 2013)

I think you have to be more specific where you are thinking of living, "Below Barcelona " is a little vague.


----------



## Jeannine Hoffmann (Nov 6, 2013)

elisa31bcn said:


> I think you have to be more specific where you are thinking of living, "Below Barcelona " is a little vague.


Right below Barcelona like Castelldefels. Or something just outside of Barca in a children friendly environment


----------



## peter3 (Jul 22, 2014)

*Moving to Barcelona area*

Buenos dias!
no, I haven't learnt Spanish, yet, but I will. I'm 65 yrs old, retired, single and have lived the last 3 years on a boat in France. I've had enough of boating and intend to go and buy somewhere to live in the Barcelona area. 

I'm most interested in a British/German/Dutch/Scandinavian community in Barcelona and would be grateful for any thoughts you may have. Also, I'm used to moving around Europe and speak German and French. Living in Barcelona looks relatively expensive. Somewhere just outside, ideally in the hills/countryside near Barcelona would be great.

I'll be driving down to have a look soon and am keen to find the right place. I'm not interested in being by the sea or shopping or restaurants. Hasta luego,

Peter


----------



## elisa31bcn (Jan 23, 2013)

The best thing is come and have a look, but a few thoughts...
There is no British/Dutch/German neighborhood in Barcelona. Really there are no neighborhoods where one expat group dominates. Plenty of foreigners, but spread out all over the city. Outside Barcelona there are a few places where expats are more
visible, Sitges comes to mind, but they are exceptions.
Basically Barcelona is no pricier than the surroundings. Everything depends on your lifestyle. Recently prices for flats, both renting and buying , have been dropping.
And since public transport is so cheap inside the city, it can be less expensive if you add in car costs, tolls, gas, etc.
Good luck!


----------



## peter3 (Jul 22, 2014)

Hi Elisa, many thanks for your advice. I'm looking for people who can speak one of the languages I can speak - English, German, French. I'll look at Sitges as well as Barcelona. I'm keen on cycling. Any idea how cycle-friendly Barcelona is?

Peter


----------



## elisa31bcn (Jan 23, 2013)

Look for expat groups to join. Try meetup Barcelona. They have get togethers, activities, language exchanges, all ages and nationalities.
Barcelona is very bicycle friendly. There is a program called Bicing, bike stations all over the city. Sign up is cheap, around 50 euros a year, and use the bikes as you want.


----------



## peter3 (Jul 22, 2014)

I'm now in Northern France and will move to Barcelona soon. I'll come down by car - 1,000 kms to have a look round and find a property to buy. I'm transporting all my goods by car. I know I can do this in 2 carloads - I've done it before!

So when I come down soon to have a look round it makes sense to fill my car with luggage and make less car trips for later. Just one thing, I haven't got anywhere to put it, because I haven't bought somewhere to live yet. 

So I'm looking for a temporary lock-up to hire for a month. Most grateful for your thoughts and perhaps what the Spanish for "lock up" is. Don't need much space at all, just enough for a carload of belongings.

Peter S


----------



## elisa31bcn (Jan 23, 2013)

It's trastero or guardamuebles. Check out City Self-Storage, Barcelona.


----------



## peter3 (Jul 22, 2014)

Many thanks for your help.


----------



## kimuyen (Aug 8, 2013)

swhite said:


> Hello,
> 
> My husband and I are due to move to Barcelona in 3 weeks. Our main issue is deciding where in Barcelona to live. We have a 3.5 month old baby and 2 cats. We want somewhere that is family friendly but at the same time not too far from anywhere. We have considered renting property in castelldefelss but am concerned that this may be too far out?


We just recently landed in Barcelona. We considered both Castelldefels and Barcelona when we were doing our homework. We have a 5-yr old boy so we focused on the British International School in Castelldefels and the American International School in Barcelona. We don't speak much Spanish. We made 3 fact finding trips to visit the areas (Castelldefels, Sitges, Gava and Barcelona) and the schools. At the end we chose Barcelona and think we made the right decision.

Because we don't speak much Spanish, we really need help, especially from those who speak English, to settle in. Finding a sworn translator, a person to help us find a flat, residency, etc. is easier in Barcelona as it is a larger area with more resources. Taking Spanish lessons and many other administrative tasks seem to be easier in Barcelona. We are finalizing a rental contract and the place we chose is away from the city center. We may get more space or pay less living in Castelldefels but there are a trade offs for having more resources in Barcelona.

We love the small town feel of Castelldefels and in a couple of years when we are sufficiently good with our Spanish, we may move to Castelldefels but at the moment as new comers, we find Barcelona having more resources, which help us with the transition. We moved from the US so lots of things here are new to us. 

Hope this helps.


----------



## peter3 (Jul 22, 2014)

hi swhite,
I haven't got to Barcelona, yet, but will soon. I've been learning Spanish with the BBC online course "mi vida loca." It's great. The BBC have excellent language courses and it's free and you can learn whenever you feel like it instead of sitting behind a desk when somebody else wants to teach you.

Mi vida loca is for beginners. Enter "languages spanish" on the homepage BBC - Homepage and it'll come up. 

Buena suerte,

Peter


----------

