Language holidays are one of the most authentic and fun ways to slow travel. I take a look at some of the best schools in Barcelona for learning Spanish, so that you can combine class time with fun times…
Whether you want a crash course in Spanish, while exploring everything Barcelona has to offer (which is a LOT!), or your goal is to become fluent in castellano, learning a foreign language in its native country is one of the most rewarding adventures you can have, in my experience.
In fact, whenever I plan to spend a long time in a country, I always start with a 2-4 week course in the local language. And while mastery of a language can take years, it generally doesn’t take long to become conversational – and you might find that in a few weeks you can “survive” in your new environment, without relying on your English.
Meanwhile, I found that my understanding of a country and its culture deepened when I studied the language…. in a way that casual tourists will likely never understand! Words are powerful after all, and they shape the way we think and behave. So to truly know Spain, I’d argue that you need to know (at least some) Spanish.
Aside from the intellectual and cultural pleasures of learning a new language, through my studies I’ve gained many friends… some of which stayed in Barcelona, as I did, becoming lifelong amigos.
Signing up for a Spanish course is a great way to meet a bunch of other like-minded people, and a lot of your best memories from a language learning holiday will be from hanging out outside of the classroom: eating paella and tapas, playing volleyball at the beach, or exploring the local nightlife and street fiestas.
“But don’t they speak Catalan in Barcelona?” I hear you cry! Yes, indeed they do, along with Spanish (both are the region’s official languages), but the capital of Catalonia is a very cosmopolitan place.
With a large expat population, made up of mostly of Latin Americans, and historic immigration from other parts of Spain (immigrants who thankfully brought the art of flamenco and the paella with them!), the lingua franca of Barcelona is most definitely Spanish. It’s the language that 98% of residents speak (as opposed to Catalan, which is far less widely understood… only around 55% are estimated to speak it), and it’s the language that the vast majority of new arrivals learn first.
Meanwhile Catalan is spoken more widely in the smaller towns and villages outside of the capital, and is favoured in certain local districts like Gracia. Similar to castellano, català is also derived from latin, and is spoken by a good 9 million people worldwide, and is definitely worth digging into if you’re planning to permanently relocate to BCN.
Where to Study Spanish in BCN?
Here is a list of academies to put on your shortlist if you’re planning to learn Spanish in BCN this year…
1. Camino Barcelona
A great language school with onsite accommodation, Camino Barcelona has 10 fully-fitted student apartments at its central location; and like most schools it can also place you with a Spanish-speaking host family, or in shared student apartment, depending which option suits you best. Recently awarded the highest possible rating from the Cervantes institute, all of Camino’s teachers are native speakers with a university degree in teaching Spanish as a foreign language, so you can be confident you’re getting the best possible tuition. In terms of course options, it is easy to customise how many hours a week you wish to study and you can also choose between morning or afternoon / evening classes. Camino is also one of the more socially active schools with daily cultural activities and meet ups, including walks, tours and day trips, as well as meals on one of their three gorgeous terraces. In fact, I studied here myself for a short while and had a great time in doing so.
2. World Class BCN
World Class BCN is a friendly language school, accredited by the Instituto Cervantes, which is based in the Raval district and prides itself on its flexibility, transparency and adaptability. What does that mean? In terms of flexibility, you can start any day of the week (most schools insist on starting on a Monday) and you can switch between groups if you find yourself ahead or behind your fellow students. Their transparency means there’s no hidden registration fees, and if classes fall on a bank holiday you don’t get charged for them. Adaptability means you can freeze your course and jet off to Ibiza, Seville or wherever, and come back and only pay for the classes you actually attend. Meanwhile their prices are very fair indeed, and you even can take a free trial class to check your level and assure yourself you’re in a world class language school!
3. Linguaschools Barcelona
With schools across Spain and Latin America, Linguaschools has helped thousands of students get to grips with Spanish since it was founded in 2005. Their Barcelona school is a great option for adult learners who want a friendly, international atmosphere, small-group classes and a central location. Linguaschools Barcelona has two buildings in the city centre: one on the elegant Passatge Permanyer, close to Plaça Catalunya, and another on Carrer del Bruc, in the Eixample area near the Sagrada Família side of town. Each has bright classrooms and some unusually nice outdoor spaces for a central language school, including private garden and rooftop terrace areas, for relaxing between classes. Available courses include intensive, semi-intensive and evening classes (as well as private lessons, DELE/SIELE preparation, university pathway options and long-term study programmes). Classes are taught in small groups by qualified native speakers, with a communicative approach that gets students speaking as much Spanish as possible. The school can also help with accommodation, and they run cultural activities throughout the year to help students bond and experience the local culture.
4. Speakeasy BCN
Founded in 2001, Speakeasy is one of the most reputable language schools in Barcelona, conveniently located just a few minutes from Plaça Catalunya. Like most academies, they offer a mix of courses of different intensities (i.e. you choose the number of classes you want per week, be it 12, 20, 24 or 30 hrs) but they also offer ‘immersive’ courses where classroom hours are supplemented with Spanish speaking workshops, cultural activities and interactive games – perfect if you were that kid that could never concentrate in school! Their native speaking teachers are passionate and friendly, as are the helpful support staff who can help you with accommodation, visas, medical insurance and anything else you need for your Barcelona stay. I took extensive classes here when I first moved to the city, and the great teachers and light-filled classrooms made learning a pleasure. (My advice: if I could go back in time, I would have dedicated myself to an intensive course instead as daily immersion really helps!).
Student Perspective 2026
I spoke to Mia Salinas, from Texas, about her experience studying at Speakeasy. She signed up for an accelerated long term course in Sept 2025, and is still at the school in 2026:
“I really like the spontaneity of the classes, and I genuinely like all my teachers. Speakeasy is also where I’ve made some of my closest friends. I’ve never really been able to communicate with my grandparents, who are all of Mexican origin. But the last time I went to Texas for my grandmother’s 90th birthday, I was able to have a full conversation with her in Spanish, so I think I’m doing pretty well!”
5. Expanish
Expanish is an award-winning Spanish language school offering immersive learning experiences in Spain (Barcelona, Madrid, Málaga) and Argentina (Buenos Aires). Accredited by the Instituto Cervantes, it focuses on small classes, native teachers, and practical communication through real-life interaction. Beyond lessons, Expanish provides cultural activities, local excursions, and housing options like homestays to help students fully live the language. With its strong reputation for quality teaching, modern facilities, and personalised support, I recommend putting Expanish on your shortlist of academies to check out. The school is based in a wonderful pastel-pink villa, with courtyards and plenty of natural light, on a quiet street just off the central Passeig de Gracia, recently refurbished with modern facilities.
6. BLAU Student Housing & Academy
Opening not long ago, in 2024, BLAU is a stunning modern student residence that offers on-site Spanish classes, making it perfect for any travellers looking to spend a few weeks in Barcelona brushing up on their language skills – or for anyone arriving on an ERASMUS or international student programme and in need of somewhere to stay! Aside from the onsite Spanish school, BLAU offers a range of facilities like a rooftop pool, gaming room, study lounge, two gyms (interior and exterior), cinema room, restaurant and cafe. Plus you’re only a few blocks from the beach, once study time is over. In order to book you need to reserve your room, which comes with 1 hr of Spanish a day (after which you can add more tuition!). Plus they’ve offered our readers a discount, so be sure to use the code below or quote it in any correspondence with them.
Save €10 Per Night (Discount!) when you use the code URBANTRAVELBLOG. Just enter the code, when entering the dates of your stay, when booking on their website!
7. Dinamo Language Academy
Enjoy the personal treatment at this ’boutique’ language school, in Barcelona’s beautiful El Born district, where the friendly staff will be glad to meet you and assess your needs, to help you select which of their four Spanish learning programmes works best for you. The four courses include part-time, intensive, 1 to 1, and ‘duo’. The latter is a 1 to 2 ratio of teachers to students and perfect for couples and friends who want to learn fast, but want to share the costs of private tuition (it’s also easier on the brain!). The academy’s dynamic style of teaching is designed to get you speaking asap, and tailored towards getting you confident at dealing with everyday situations in Spanish. They also offer online lessons, so you don’t even to be in Barcelona… you can start right away!
Advice For Students
Choosing a great school is obviously your first step in having a great learning experience in Barcelona, after which your most important decision is about your accommodation.
i. Choosing The Right Accommodation
Barcelona can be an expensive place to stay if you’re a tourist (hotels, hostels and Airbnb apartments can make the eyes water, especially in summer!), but luckily the local schools work hard to find affordable option for their students.
Homestays are especially good value, and in these cases you are placed with a local Spanish family, so that you can continue your language learning at home after class.
Obviously, if you plan to party as hard as you plan to study then it’s probably better to opt for a shared student apartment, where you will stay with other students from the same school. Realistically this means talking more English than Spanish at home, but not everyone enjoys the mental strain of full immersion anyhow!
As you may have noticed, a couple of schools on this list offer onsite student apartments, and these are perfect if you want to minimise your travel time getting to and from class, and you’re keen to engage in a lot of the student activities that take place in and around the school.
ii. How Long To Stay for?
Another big question you might ask is how long to stay for. This mostly depends on your language goals, and your budget. Speakeasy have a good table at the bottom of their Spanish Courses page on how many weeks of study it takes to reach the next level of language proficiency (obviously factoring in how many hours a week you are studying!). If you go for an intensive course (20 hrs a week), you can reach Intermediate Spanish in just 8 weeks!
In general, I would recommend a stay of at least 4 to 8 weeks, not only for language reasons but to get a real taste of life in Barcelona. Which brings me to my next section…
iii. Why Barcelona in Particular?
I am confident you can have a good time in any Spanish or Latin American city… learning a language by choice is so much more fun than sitting in school classes you were forced to attend. (The dynamic is totally different and its satisfying to see your own progress!). But, it’s hard to look past Barcelona as the best place to study, because it’s simply one of the best cities in the world in terms of culture, lifestyle and nightlife.
Thanks to Gaudi and friends it’s definitely the best looking city in Spain, and having the beach is fantastic for cooling off and relaxing, giving it a distinct advantage over Madrid, Sevilla and Salamanca for example, especially in summer.
Speaking about summer, while the weather is reliably sunny in Barcelona, it is not quite as swelteringly hot as in the south… and there’s still plenty of life in Barcelona during summer, when other Spanish cities tend to empty out. I once studied Spanish in Valencia for 4 weeks during summer, and, while I had an epic time, it was stiflingly hot and the city felt lifeless at times, as locals had left town to spend August, in particular, in their summer houses. While many locals leave Barcelona too, there’s still massive street festivals like Festa Major de Gracia and Festa Major de Sants, while visiting tourists give a boost to the city’s bustle and nightlife.
More Language Holidays…
Dip into our archives to find out what happened when Urban Travel Blogger Sam Howe went to San Sebastian to learn Spanish, or when our very own editor decided to pick up some Portuguese in Rio de Janeiro’s legendary Ipanema district.