Spanish in Barcelona

Come tour the Barrio Gotico with us, Wednesday | Photo: Tom Walton

The social program for our Spanish students in Barcelona this week…

• Tuesday 27th | We're going down to the Plaza España this afternoon to visit the CaixaForum, Barcelona's most-visited art museum, and itself a wonderful example of Modernista architecture. Of what's currently on, we particularly like the two photography exhibitions that are on — Jacques Henri Lartigue and Isabel Muñoz (16.00).
• Wednesday 28th | Come and explore some of the hidden corners of the Barrio Gótico with us this afternoon. It's a great way to start to discover Barcelona (16.00).
• Thursday 29th | Our walk this afternoon takes us to see some of Barcelona's amazing Modernista buildings. Come along and find out what else there is in Barcelona, as well as Gaudí (16.00).
• Friday 30th | Join us in the bar/on the terrace this evening at our Friday Club language exchange — it's a great place to kick off the weekend (19.00-21.00).

Meet in Reception ("C" floor), unless otherwise stated, at the times given above…

Your social program in Barcelona this week…

• Tuesday 20th | Our walk this afternoon takes us to see the Joyas del Gótico, the "Gothic jewels" of Barcelona — the Cathedral and the wonderful churches Santa María del Pí and Santa María del Mar, the latter with its recent restoration work completed and the tarpaulins removed (16.00).
• Wednesday 21st | First laid out in 1791, the Laberinto de Horta is one of the most romantic of the hidden corners of Barcelona (as well as being one of the settings for Tom Tykwer's 2006 film Perfume: The Story of a Murderer!). Come along and see it with us today (16.00).
• Thursday 22nd | Our "Barcelona y el mar" walk today takes us down to the port and the seafront, for a different perspective on the city (16.00).
• Friday 23rd | Come get yourself some extra Spanish practice at our Friday Club language exchange (in the bar/on the terrace, 19.00-21.00).

Meet in Reception ("C" floor), unless otherwise stated, at the times given above…

Your social program in Barcelona this week..

• Tuesday 13th | We're going to the Palacio Real today, a trip which also takes us to one of the less well-known works by Gaudí, the gatehouse at the Pabellones Güell, with its magnificent dragon (16.00).
• Wednesday 14th | Just a short distance away from IH is one of Barcelona's most popular museums: come with us this afternoon to the Picasso Museum (16.00).
• Thursday 15th | Note the change from the usual time today: this evening we're going to the spectacular light and sound show of the Magic Fountains of Montjuic (20.30).
• Friday 16th | Join us on the terrace and in the bar after class today for our very popular Friday Club language exchange (19.00-21.00).

Meet in Reception ("C" floor), unless otherwise stated, at the times given above…

Your social program in Barcelona this week…

• Monday 6th | Join us this afternoon on our walk round the Barrio Gótico, the old part of the city of Barcelona. You could and will go on your own — but come with us and you'll discover a little more (16.00).
• Tuesday 7th | We're going to one of Barcelona's many must-see places today: Gaudí's Park Güell, for many visitors to Barcelona their favourite place in the city (16.00).
• Wednesday 8th | No trip to Barcelona would be complete without seeing the Sagrada Familia, the Gaudí cathedral. This afternoon we'll also be going just up the road from the Sagrada Familia to the equally magificent Hospital de Sant Pau (16.00).
• Friday 11th | You've got to start your Barcelona weekend somewhere. Why not start it with us at our Friday Club language exchange, where you can practise all the languages you know? In the bar/on the terrace, 19.00-21.00.

Meet in Reception ("C" floor), unless otherwise stated, at the times given above…

Somewhere quiet and cool in Barcelona… | Photo: Katharina

Our photo is from our recent trip to the Parque de la Ciudadela (full gallery coming soon) and is of the interior of the Umbracle (roughly, "the place of shadow").

The Umbracle (1883-1887) was designed by Josep Fontseré and completed by Josep Amargós in time for Barcelona's first Universal Exhibition, in 1888. The wooden slats of its construction were designed to create the effect of shadow and light to be found in tropical forests, the purpose of the Umbracle being the cultivation of tropical plants.

Today, it's perhaps not as well kept as it might be, but it's a lovely spot to sit and read a book…

See also >> Previous picture of the Umbracle

Parlament de Catalunya: come with us Tuesday | Photo: Katharina

Your social program in Barcelona this week..

• Tuesday 29th | This afternoon we'll be visiting the Parlament de Catalunya. Ironically housed in what was originally the arsenal of the fortress built to dominate the city after the 1713-14 siege, inside the building itself is a lovely one, the visit an interesting one also to discover how the Parlament works (16.00).
• Wednesday 30th | First laid out in 1791, the Laberinto de Horta is one of the most romantic of the hidden corners of Barcelona (as well as being one of the settings for Tom Tykwer's 2006 film Perfume: The Story of a Murderer!). Come along and see it with us today (16.00).
• Thursday 6th | Our walk this afternoon takes us to visit the lovely Parque de la Ciudadela. We'll also be going to the Eiffel-Tower-inspired Estación de Francia. If you're interested in architecture, and the history of Barcelona, there are some fascinating things to see on today's trip (16.00).
• Friday 2nd | Join us in the bar/on the terrace this evening at our Friday Club language exchange — it's a great place to kick off the weekend (19.00-21.00).

Meet in Reception ("C" floor), unless otherwise stated, at the times given above…

La Cascada, Parque de la Ciudadela | Photo: Tom Walton

One from this week's social program, our photowalking tour, which took us round one of the most attractive of Barcelona's parks…

The park occupies the former site of the Ciudadela, the fortress built on the orders of Felipe V to dominate the city after the siege of Barcelona in 1713-14. Very little of the structure of the fort — in its day Europe's largest — remains, as it was eventually torn down in the late nineteenth century, to make way for the park.

The monumental fountain (by Josep Fontseré), inaugurated in 1881, counted a young Antoni Gaudí among its different architects.

Parc de la Ciutadella, Barcelona: come along with us, Wednesday | Photo: Tom Walton

Your social program in Barcelona this week (and don't forget that Thursday is a holiday!)

• Monday 21st | Our walk this afternoon takes us to see some of Barcelona's amazing Modernista buildings. Come along and find out what else there is in Barcelona, as well as Gaudí (16.00).
• Tuesday 22nd | We're going down to the Plaza España this afternoon to visit the CaixaForum, Barcelona's most-visited art museum, and itself a wonderful example of Modernista architecture. Of what's currently on, we particularly like the two photography exhibitions that are on — Jacques Henri Lartigue and Isabel Muñoz (16.00).
• Wednesday 23rd | Our photowalking trip this afternoon takes us to the Parc de la Ciutadella, and some of the historically fascinating things to be found close by. Don't forget your camera (16.00)!
• Thursday 24th | Fiesta
• Friday 25th | Our film today stars Oscar-winner Javier Bardem in the excellent Los lunes al sol. Come along and put your listening comprehension to the test (16.00)!
• Friday 25th | If you came to our film, you got the listening practice; now get yourself some extra speaking practice by staying on for our Friday Club language exchange (in the bar/on the terrace, 19.00-21.00).

Meet in Reception ("C" floor), unless otherwise stated, at the times given above…

Your social program in Barcelona this week…

• Tuesday 15th | Join us this afternoon on our walk round the Barrio Gótico, the old part of the city of Barcelona. You could and will go on your own — but come with us and you'll discover a little more (16.00).
• Wednesday 16th | Just a short distance away from IH is one of Barcelona's most popular museums: come with us this afternoon to the Picasso Museum (16.00).
• Thursday 17th | We're going to the Palacio Real today, a trip which also takes us to one of the less well-known works by Gaudí, the gatehouse at the Pabellones Güell, with its magnificent dragon (16.00).
• Friday 18th | Our Friday Club language exchange is one of the most popular events on our social program. Why not give yourself a break from the football and join us on the terrace and in the bar after class this evening (19.00-21.00)?

Meet in Reception ("C" floor), unless otherwise stated, at the times given above…

Volver: this week's film

Your social and cultural program in Barcelona for this week…

• Tuesday 8th | We're going to one of Barcelona's must-see places today: Gaudí's Park Güell, for many visitors to Barcelona their favourite place in the city (16.00).
• Wednesday 9th | This afternoon's trip takes us to the foot of the Ramblas, to the Centre d'Art Santa Mònica, where there are a couple of great exhibitions on (16.00).
• Thursday 10th | It's film time this afternoon, with Oscar-winning Penelope Cruz in Volver [clubcultura.com's synopsis, etc.]. Come and put your Spanish to the test (16.15)!
• Friday 11th | You've got to start the weekend somewhere. Why not start it with us at our Friday Club language exchange, where you can practise all the languages you know? In the bar/on the terrace, 19.00-21.00.

Join us in Reception ("C" floor), unless otherwise stated, at the times given above.