Like many study-abroad kids, I often spent my weekends during my semester abroad traveling around Spain and Europe. However, I made sure to get the most out of my home city, Barcelona, whenever possible. My class schedule abroad was much lighter than my course load at home, so I had plenty of time to explore the city during the week!

I discovered that having a couple of activities I loved to do around the city during the week helped ground me and provided a sense of comfort amidst all of the fun chaos of a semester abroad. So, here are some of my favorite things I did each week in between classes. Another perk…all of these activities are low-cost and perfect if you want to budget for weekend travel.

View from my walk along Barceloneta Beach!

1. Go for a walk along Barceloneta Beach

I’ve always loved going for walks since it helps calm me each day so I knew when I moved to Barcelona I needed to find a good place to walk. Even though there are so many vibrant urban areas of the city to walk around, I loved going for walks along Barceloneta Beach since it combined the scenic nature view of the Mediterranean Sea with the fun city vibe in Barcelona.

There’s a paved path that runs along the beach for miles and miles (I once walked 5 miles down the beach and the path still kept going…) and there are plenty of restaurants and fun shops along the way if you want to stop for some tapas.

2. Explore a new neighborhood

I made it a goal during my time abroad that I would explore a different neighborhood of Barcelona each week…16 weeks later I still had many neighborhoods on my list! Each section of the city has its own vibe and it is so fun to just walk around and explore the different areas. While I’m sure you’ll spend a lot of time in the popular Ramblas and Gothic Quarter, there are so many hidden gems around the city to explore!

Here are some of my favorite neighborhoods to explore:
-Gràcia
-El Born
-Sants
-Barceloneta
-Sant Gervasi
-Sant Antoni

I loved eating a croissant while reading in Ciutadella Park

3. Picnic in Ciutadella Park

I loved Ciutadella Park so much, I came here at least once a week during my time abroad. It was the perfect place to relax in some green space in between classes. I would often bring a book or homework here and I would sit on a picnic blanket and soak up the warm Spanish sun while I worked.

I would sometimes even pick up a pastry at Funky Bakers (one of my favorite bakeries in the city) and take it to enjoy while I read my book. It’s also the perfect park for people-watching and strolling around the ponds and fountains.

My favorite English bookstore in Barcelona, Backstory. The owners are so friendly and they even have a low-cost book rental program!

4. Explore second-hand bookstores

Like many students in my program, we found ourselves with much more free time on our hands during the week. Myself, and many other abroad students, took up reading for fun again. Plus, reading a book is the perfect activity to keep you busy on trains, buses, and metro rides during your time abroad. I also loved bringing a book to the beach and parks!

I loved exploring different second-hand English bookstores around the city. It was the perfect way to choose a good, low-cost book to keep me busy while also exploring new areas of Barcelona.

Here are some of my favorite second-hand bookstores that I found:
-Hibernian Books
-Re-Read (they have multiple locations around the city!)
-Backstory

My friends and I making paella at the Spanish cooking class Viva Experience

5. SAI Viva Experiences!

Take advantage of all the Viva experiences that SAI offers!! They are already included in your program fee and they are often the perfect way to get to know your home city better with others in your program!

Many of the Viva Experiences are offered on weeknights after class. In fact, I did a wine and cheese tasting, watched the sunset from the Bunkers del Carmel, saw a flamenco show, and took a paella cooking class all during the week. It’s the perfect way to get out and explore your city with other SAI members!

Written by: Emma, Spring 2024 UAB student from University of South Carolina