Barcelona is a stunning city located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and is known for its delicious food, rolling hills, and distinctive architecture. For those seeking to immerse themselves in the Spanish language and culture, it’s a top destination to learn Spanish. Spanish immersion programs in Barcelona are popular among adults wishing to boost their language skills. These courses provide a unique opportunity to learn and practice Spanish in a real-world environment while exploring one of Spain’s most exciting cities.
Many Spanish language schools and academies offer Spanish immersion programs or courses year-round, and some even provide accommodation options for students coming from other parts of the world. Below is a list of some of the best Spanish language schools in Barcelona that provide Spanish immersion courses for adults. All of the below schools are accredited by the Instituto Cervantes (the main organization that accredits Spanish language schools and certification programs).
Choose from any of the below Spanish language schools in Barcelona, to get started on your Spanish language immersion journey and your exploration of the city of Barcelona. Language immersion is both a fantastic way to accelerate your language learning and to connect more meaningfully with locals in a country for a deeper and more rewarding experience.
1. Camino Barcelona
Camino Barcelona is a Spanish language school located in the heart of Barcelona’s Eixample district, just a few minutes walk from famous sites like Plaça Catalunya, Gaudi’s ‘La Pedrera’, and the ‘Casa Batlló’. They offer weekly super-intensive (25 hours/week), semi-intensive (10-20 hours/week), private classes, and DELE preparation courses as well as on-site or family-stay accommodation options. Sign up for as few or as many weeks as you would like and start any week of the year except holiday weeks.
Camino Barcelona also hosts daily cultural activities to facilitate full Spanish immersion such as guided walking tours to historic neighborhoods and sites, food, and drink experiences hosted at the school. Examples include paella and sangria parties on the school’s terrace, music or theater-related outings, and weekend excursions to nearby sites and attractions (such as a small charming historic city, a 1000+-year-old monastery and winery, or an important nearby city).
2. Don Quijote
Don Quijote is a company that has a network of schools throughout Spain.
Their Barcelona school is located in the center of the city, conveniently located near most of the most popular sites of interest. It has 50 classrooms, many different common areas, and a large private patio. Classes are limited to 8 students per class and start every Monday of the year (excluding holidays). Courses semi-intensive and intensive (20 or 25 hours/week), private lessons, SIELE, and DELE exam preparation courses. Don Quixote also always offers a range of accommodation options including homestays with local families, shared student housing, and student apartments.
3. Expanish Barcelona
Learn quickly and make friends as an Expanish student. Course options include traditional weekly course options like intensive (30 lessons/week), semi-intensive (20 lessons/week), and private but the school also offers combo group/private options and 2x weekly evening conversation meetup packages. Students can also join Expanish’s free social activities to make new friends while learning about the local culture. Visit museums, join workshops, or enjoy the nightlife – there’s something for everyone.
The Expanish classrooms and school space are probably the most gorgeous out of all of the language schools in Barcelona, aesthetically speaking. The spaces are furnished with beautiful modern yet cozy pieces, colors, and textures. We also love how much plant life Expanish has, making the space feel that much fresher and more alive. This is not one of those old, dank, stale buildings with a depressing lack of decor and uncomfortable furniture. It’s a place you’ll truly enjoy spending time.
Additional Expanish school locations
Expanish also has schools located in Madrid, Malaga, and Buenos Aires (Argentina).
4. Linguaschools Barcelona
Linguaschools is a network of boutique language schools offering Spanish immersion programs in Spain. Their Barcelona campus is located in a modernistic late 19th-century building in the heart of the city, just a five-minute walk from Plaza Catalunya. The school features ten small classrooms, a garden, and two rooftop terraces–offering students a variety of places to enjoy a coffee or a snack with new friends.
The Linguaschools network specializes in intensive Spanish courses for adults of 20, 25, or 30 hours per week, providing personalized instruction through small classes, making it easier for students to learn Spanish quickly. In addition to regular intensive and long-term intensive courses, Linguaschools also offers a study program for adults that are 50+ years of age and both DELE and SIELE exam prep courses.
While situated in the heart of a very popular district in the center of the city, Linguaschools Barcelona campus is located on a quiet street with narrow alleys, a few streets removed from the most crowded main avenues–giving it more of a feel of a neighborhood.
The evening and weekend excursions that are organized by Linguaschools Barcelona help students to experience the region of Catalunya, beyond just the most touristic sites. From tapas and paella nights to flamenco or salsa classes, and excursions to destinations like Figueres, Girona, and nearby wine regions.
5. Olé Barcelona Spanish Language School
The Olé Barcelona Spanish School tailor the classes to their students’ needs and have regular cultural activities to help students further immerse themselves in the Spanish language and culture. The school prides itself on offering medium to high-intensity and immersive programs that allow students to learn quickly while also getting to explore the city and discover Spanish culture. The school curriculum follows the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) combined with listening, writing, and conversational exercises.
Olé’s campus (or more accurately, the building that houses its school and classrooms) is located in the center of Barcelona just a few minutes walk from the Arc de Triomf/Arco de Trionfo and just steps from several major metro stations (Passeig de Gracia, Hospital Clinic, and Provenca).
As Spanish immersion programs go, Olé is one of the top-rated options in Barcelona.
Additional Olé School Locations
Olé is part of a network of schools that has campuses located in other regions and cities in Spain including Madrid, Seville, Granada, Valencia, and Salamanca.
6. Speakeasy Barcelona
Speakeasy offers Spanish immersion programs for beginners, intermediate, and advanced-level students. The experienced, native-speaking instructors at Speakeasy provide excellent, patient guidance to help students improve their language skills. The courses are not only great for adults but also for students looking to learn Spanish. Apart from classes, Speakeasy also offers a range of other activities that students can participate in to practice their language skills and explore the city. Some of these include cultural events, guided tours, tapas tours, and much more. The school’s central location also makes it easily accessible on foot from most centrally located neighborhoods or via public transportation.
While Speakeasy does not offer any accommodation options directly, they provide students with recommendations for places to stay including rooms in shared apartments, private apartments, and family stay options.
Visa Requirement Notes
It’s important to note, that north American and U.K. students cannot enroll in any programs longer than three months in length, without applying for a Student Visa. However, enrolling in a course that’s a minimum of 32 weeks, meets the requirements of getting approved for a student Visa. Consult the school you wish to take courses with, to ensure that their courses qualify and whether they offer help with the Visa process if you are interested in studying in Spain for more than 90 days.
Spanish Immersion Questions and Answers
- How long does it take to learn Spanish with immersion?
There is no set amount of time that it takes to learn Spanish, even with immersion as every learner/speaker differs. Some students will learn a lot but speak very little, so it takes them longer to speak with confidence, and get pronunciation down. Other students will start speaking immediately, using everything they learn, and find it easy to quickly rise to the level where they can comfortably converse in Spanish. However, they may not be as good at comprehension, reading, and writing.
In addition to the difference in how each student learns making a difference in how long it takes to learn Spanish, the # of weeks or months that a student is fully immersed makes a big difference. For example, if a student takes a 2-week immersion course and then goes back home and back to speaking English everyday they won’t retain as much or improve as quickly as a student who takes a 2 or 3-month course where they continue to layer onto what they have learned, every week and move farther towards speaking Spanish more of the time.
Tricks and tips to continue learning at home, once a student has completed an immersion course are the following:
-Watch Spanish language series and films
-Change the settings on your phone so that everything is in Spanish
-Continue studying via online Zoom classes or using an online language learning tool such as Babbel.
2. Are there Spanish immersion programs in the US?
Yes, there are some Spanish immersion programs in the U.S. but they are difficult to find online if you’re an adult learner, as most results are for immersive schools for children. It is easier, and normally more affordable (and effective) to attend an immersion program in a nearby Spanish-speaking country like Mexico, Guatemala, etc.
Or, there are also always Spanish courses available at local community colleges, universities, etc. But these don’t count as immersion programs as students won’t hear/speak Spanish 100% of the time outside of class.
3. How to fully immerse yourself in Spanish?
The absolute best way to immerse yourself in Spanish is to travel to a Spanish-speaking country and take courses there. Preceding your trip, it is a good idea to take a class or spend a few months using an online language learning program like Babbel so that you have a base level to start from. Also, watching tv series and movies in Spanish before/during/after your trip and changing the settings on your phone are all helpful to completing the immersion experience.
4. Is there a free Spanish learning program?
It is rare to find a completely free Spanish course, but almost every online language learning course provider offers a Free Trial and some of these even include a free 30-minute live class with a native speaker. It is also possible, that some employers will pay for Spanish language courses for employees who need the language for their job.
More Spanish Language Immersion in Spain articles & Resources:
20+ Spanish Language Immersion Courses in Spain Near the Coast or Beach
7 Online Language Learning Options with Free Trials so you can try before you buy
