Moving to a new city is a fantastic experience. How can you make the most of it? We offer you 10 simple, practical tips that can help you. You will find basic information on transport, culture, sport, health, administrative procedures, housing, language, integration, education and work. We hope you enjoy the city as much as we do.
Welcome to Barcelona!
Getting about
Easy transport: from here to there!
Tour the city on foot or take a plane to explore the world. Barcelona airport is one of the best-connected in Europe and is a mere 20 minutes from the city centre. Given Barcelona’s human-scale size and good climate, you’ll likely prefer to get about on foot or by bike. Otherwise, you can use the metro, tram, bus or train networks for a speedy journey to any part
of the city and its outskirts.
Admire
Wonders of nature and culture Barcelona is a beautiful, splendid city that glitters in the sun. You can contemplate Gaudí’s marvels and the city’s Gothic architecture, drop by its beaches or explore the Collserola nature park. Enjoy the city’s vibrant cultural and culinary scene: art galleries, festivals, concerts, theatres and dance shows. You can try out the
delicious fresh food from the city’s municipal markets or sample the haute cuisine of its acclaimed Michelin-star restaurants.
Get in shape
Run, jump, swim!
Barcelona has been a nerve centre of sport ever since the 1992 Olympic Games, playing host to a large number of sports events throughout the year. The seat of the famous FC Barcelona, the city has incredible infrastructures and facilities for athletes, professional and amateur alike. Each neighbourhood has its own municipal sports centre along with numerous private clubs offering swimming pools, gyms and facilities for a wide range of sports. And a whole host of possibilities for doing outdoor sport!
Heal
Outstanding medical staff
Even if you fall ill, you’re in luck: Spain has one of the best public health systems in the world, offering universal care for its citizens. If you need basic assistance, you can go to one of the city’s CAPs (Centre d’Atenció Primària), public primary healthcare centres, which can be found throughout the city. Barcelona also has high-quality private healthcare services. When you move here, remember to register with the Social Security system or take out a private insurance policy for medical cover.
Register
A bit of patience and lots of smiling!
If you live in Barcelona, you will need to register as a resident (empadronament) if you wish to enjoy citizen rights such as
medical care and schooling. The procedure is free and can be carried out online or face to face. It takes some time, but the administrative staff are friendly. Consider it an opportunity for immersing yourself in the local culture!
Settle
Neighbourhood diversity
Living in the centre or in the metropolitan area? There are so many options! You have ten districts to choose from, depending on your lifestyle: the old quarter, the seafront, the Collserola mountain range, peaceful residential areas or fashionable neighbourhoods. Outside Barcelona, you’ll also and interesting places to live in, well connected, with peaceful urbanisations, green areas and a unique charm.
Speak
Hola! Adeu!
Barcelona has two official languages: Catalan and Spanish. Learn one or both! What better way to understand local culture and succeed in integrating it into the city’s life? Practise your new language in a supermarket, gym, bar or shop. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to speak and how friendly people are! Many other languages are spoken in Barcelona and the younger generations are speaking more and more in English.
Meet
Globalise yourself… locally!
Rub shoulders with international and local communities. You will learn a lot from those already living over here. It’s essential you share your experiences with the local population, with people from your country and with people from
around the world. Barcelona is an open and diverse city and its newcomers, wherever they hail from, and their place to live here and their own social network to help them integrate into Catalan society with equal rights
Learn
A school for everyone
The whole world can study in Barcelona, children and adults alike! There are lots of schools, business schools and universities. Children have plenty of options. State schools offer quality teaching and are a good option for speedy integration. There is also a wide range of international schools on offer (North American, British, French, German,
Italian, Swiss etc., school curricula). For higher studies, you will and over 500 university and other higher academic-centre master’s degrees, public and private alike
Work
Starting up in Barcelona!
Barcelona awaits you! Whether as a source of inspiration and creativity, a research and technological development centre, a social-economy laboratory or a centre for starting up new businesses. Find the help you need from Barcelona Activa, which will accompany you throughout your company’s investment and creation process and in the development of your own professional project in Barcelona.
This piece of information has been taken form 10 tips Barcelona
10 tips to feel at home in
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