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Advice gained from first-hand experience of moving
to Barcelona from the UK and of living in Spain. Your Barcelona guide, to help you find somewhere to live, register at the town hall and find a job.
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Accommodation and long-term flats for rent in Barcelona
Barcelona accommodation: recommended rental agencies (or finques); websites that advertise flats for rent from owners and agents; and the best classified ads if you're looking for rooms to rent or shared accommodation.
Long-term Flats in Barcelona >> continues |
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Hotel Neri is located in one of Barcelona's most beautiful and tranquil squares – Plaça Sant Felip Neri –, one minute walk from the cathedral and in the heart of the Barrio Gotico.
The hotel has a total of 22 tastefully decorated rooms and suites (which all have wi-fi), 24 hour room service, a stunning rooftop terrace, and restaurant. See more 5 star hotels in Barcelona >>
Two new accommodation services have been added for those on a budget who want cheap short-term accommodation in Barcelona. Barcelona-Home and BarcelonaRoom both rent rooms in shared flats in Barcelona (from one day to weeks and months).
Both sites have comprehensive details on each room available including a good selection of photos and the facilities of the flat. It's a great way to find cheap short-term accommodation in Barcelona. Both sites are in English as well as several other languages. Rent a Room in Barcelona continues here…
A new bed and breakfast in Barcelona has been added to our list of B&Bs that we recommend. Nisia Bed and Breakfast is in Gracia (just north of the city centre, but with easy access by metro to the centre). Prices start at €60 per night for a double room with ensuite, and of course breakfast is included. Read a full review of Nisia Bed and Breakfast here >>
The Santander Zero Credit Card could save you a lot of money. It's a UK credit card which has no foreign exchange fee, so you can use it freely when abroad without worrying about additional costs on currency exchange. There is also no immediate interest charged on cash withdrawn from a cash machine when abroad. More about the Santander Zero Credit Card >>
There is now a new flat finding service for Barcelona and the surrounding area. This service is aimed at people living outside Spain or Barcelona and who need to find a property here either to live in or for a holiday home.
The service includes arranging viewings of properties at a time when you are in Barcelona, driving you to viewings, recommending locations and translating, and it can save you a good deal of time and money. Barcelona Property Finding Service continues here >>
Legal requirements for driving in Spain; including having a valid driving license, why you should apply for a Spanish driving licence if you're a resident in Spain, passing your driving test in Spain and taking lessons in English, and how to import a car to Spain. Driving in Spain continues here >>
If you want to work as a freelancer in Barcelona, then read our article on how to become self-employed (autonimo/a) in Spain – what you are required to do legally and how to do it... How To Be Self-employed in Spain >> continues...
 The recently opened luxury Mandarin Hotel on Barcelona's Passeig de Gracia has now employed one of Spain's top chefs for it's Moments gourmet restaurant.
Carme Ruscalleda has won Michelin stars for her cuisine and owns the acclaimed Sant Pau restaurant outside of Barcelona as well as a restaurant in Tokyo. The new Moments restaurant can accommodate up to 50 diners and specialises in traditional Catalan dishes. More about Moments restaurant and other Barcelona restaurants...
Information on shuttle bus transfers from Barcelona city centre to Barcelona airport (El Prat), airport train service, and the bus service from Girona Airport to Barcelona. Includes Reus airport information too.
If you're from another EU member state you don't need a work visa
in order to work in Spain but you do need an NIE (Numero de Identificatión de Extranjero). Go to your local Oficina de Extranjeros (Foreigner's Office)
to collect an application form: ex14 (or you can download the form). You also need:
- two photocopies of your passport
- three passport
photographs with your name written on the back
- three copies
of the completed application form.
- documentation supporting your reason for applying (this
can be the tricky one).
How To Get Your NIE >> continues...
 Halifax in Spain gives customers banking in English. If you also have (or set up) a bank account with the Halifax in the UK, it's FREE to transfer money between your Halifax UK account and your Spanish Halifax bank account.
The Halifax Xtra account offers free banking, with an annual fee of €25 and a minimum opening balance of €600. The account comes with a Visa Electron, which you can use to withdraw money free of charge at most ATMs, a cheque book, guaranteed bank cheques and free direct debits. Available to non-residents and residents. Free Banking in Spain in English >> continues...
 Finding work in Barcelona is not so easy if you don't speak Spanish, and a lot of the Catalan companies also prefer their employees to speak Catalan.
Having said that, it is possible to find work in Barcelona, even with the current credit crunch affecting jobs here too. There are many international companies based in Barcelona as well as those small to medium-sized businesses set up by expatriates, many of which need employees who speak English. Top Six Ways to Find Work in Barcelona >> continues...
 Barcelona is such a compact city that one of the best ways to explore it is by walking, particularly through the narrow streets of the old town. Whilst you can buy a map and set off on your own, by taking a walking tour you can concentrate on the alleyways, architecture and history rather than studying the map, and a tour guide will take you to all the best places and point out objects of interest that you might otherwise miss. Barcelona Walking Tours >> continues...
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Barcelona is a great city and there are so many beautiful buildings, museums, parks and locations to visit that it can seem rather overwhelming if you only have a few days to spare and if you're travelling on a budget.
