Spanish in Barcelona

Art or vandalism…? Come with us Tuesday and decide for yourself | Photo: Tom Walton

This week's social program in Barcelona…

• Tuesday 27th | Bring your camera with you on our photowalking trip this afternoon. We'll be going into the Barrio Gótico, but not to all the usual places…!
• Wednesday 28th | Bring your camera again this afternoon as we'll be seeing one of Barcelona's many spectacular dragons, this one guarding the gates of the Pabellons Güell, before going on to visit the gardens of the Palau Real (16.00).
• Thursday 29th | Our film this week 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 30th | Come and get some more extra practice for your Spanish at this week's Friday Club language exchange — it's always fun!  In the bar/on the terrace, 19.00-21.00.

South Korean guitar | Photo: Tom Walton

By popular request, Hwan will be back at tonight's Friday Club. Inevitably aka "Juan", South Korea-born Hwan did a Spanish course with us and plays the guitar divinely.

We don't have a karaoke machine at IH Barcelona — but don't actually need one. Come along to the usual place (the bar/terrace) this evening, usual time (7.30, or 7.00 if you want to catch the 2×1 in our "crazy half-hour") for a sing-along. You name it, Hwan will play it…

Except "Copa, Liga, Champions", that is. Think we're probably getting a bit tired of that one…!

Your social program in Barcelona this week:

• Tuesday 5th | 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 (16.30).
• Wednesday 6th | One of the most romantic of the hidden corners of Barcelona is the Laberinto de Horta; come along and see it with us today (16.00).
• Thursday 7th | The Joyas del Gótico, the "Gothic jewels" of Barcelona, are the Cathedral and the lovely churches of Santa María del Mar and Santa María del Pí. Come along with us and discover what else Barcelona has to offer, apart from Gaudí (16.00).!
• Friday 8th | It's Friday: start the weekend with our Friday Club language exchange (and, beforehand, don't miss our "crazy half-hour", 7.00 to 7.30, with the Estrella Dorada 2-for-1!). In the bar/on the terrace (19.00-21.00).
• Saturday 9th | Our excursion this weekend takes us to the amazing Dalí museum at Figueras, and to visit the Costa Brava. Further details in Reception.

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

Your social program in Barcelona this week…

• Tuesday 14th | This afternoon's trip takes us to the CaixaForum, an old textile factory and a fascinating piece of Modernista architecture housing Barcelona's most visited art museum. Of what's currently on, we particularly recommend the Richard Rogers exhibition (16.00).
• Wednesday 15th | We're going to visit the lovely Parque de la Ciudadela and the Estación de Francia today. If you are interested in architecture, you'll see some more fascinating things this afternoon (16.00).
• Thursday 16th | Our film this afternoon is Tesis, an award-winning thriller directed by Alejandro Amenábar. Come along and put your listening comprehension to the test (16.15)!
• Friday 17th | Come practise your Spanish at this week's Friday Club language exchange. This week's theme: Sant Jordi (so you'll know what on earth is happening in Barcelona on April 23).  In the bar/on the terrace, 19.00-21.00.

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

There are two places you just must go when you come to Barcelona: the Park Güell and the Barrio Gótico — and we've got them both on your social program this week…

• Monday 23rd | Join us on the terrace after your class this morning for an Aperitivo de Bienvenida to welcome all those of you starting your Spanish course with us this week (13.45).
• Tuesday 24th | People are fascinated by the unfinished Gaudí church, the Sagrada Familia, but the one most seem to actually like most is the Park Güell. Why not come along with us this afternoon (16.00)?
• Wednesday 25th | 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).
• Thursday 26th | It's just a five-minute walk away from IH, and surely the most picturesque of the districts of the city; and the Barrio Gótico is not just charming to look at, it is also witness to so much of Barcelona's history…
• Friday 27th | Your Spanish class taught you the skills, the grammar and the basic vocab — but what about all that Spanish slang? Now, you'd need the Friday Club language exchange for that ,-)! Come along this Friday, as Spanish slang is this week's theme. In the bar/on the terrace, 19.00-21.00.
• Saturday 28th | This week's day trip is to the Costa Brava and the Dalí Museum at Figueras. Ask in Reception for further details.

Gargoyle, Barrio Gótico | Photo: Tom Walton

The social program in Barcelona this week…

• Tuesday 20th | Our walk today takes around the old part of Barcelona (the Barrio Gótico), to see some of the things that are hidden away, in corners that you might otherwise miss (16.00).
• Wednesday 21st | Come along with us this afternoon to one of the city's most interesting museums — Barcelona's Maritime Museum [previous post; website] (16.00).
• Thursday 22nd | Our excellent film this afternoon is Tesis, an award-winning thriller directed by Alejandro Amenábar. Come along and put your listening comprehension to the test (16.15)!
• Friday 23rd | If you're under the mistaken impression that there's not much more to Spanish cooking than paella, don't miss this week's Friday Club language exchange as La cocina española is this week's theme.  In the bar/on the terrace, 19.00-21.00.

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

Casa Comalat: not Gaudí! | Photo: Tom Walton

Our social program in Barcelona this week…

• Tuesday 9th | Our walk this afternoon takes us to see some of the less-well known Modernista houses — places like the Casa Asia and the Casa Comalat (16.00). Barcelona, as you will discover, is not just Gaudí!
• Wednesday 10th | We're going to one of those places you just must go when you come to Barcelona — the Picasso Museum (16.00).
• Thursday 11th | We've got a great film on this afternoon — Alejandro Amenábar's thriller Tesis. Come and put your Spanish to the test: we guarantee that you'll be duly frightened (16.15)!
• Friday 12th | Our theme for this week's Friday Club language exchange is "Sabías que en Barcelona…". Come along and find out some surprising things about a city that's full of surprises. In the bar/on the terrace, 19.00-21.00.

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

Halloween Friday Club | Photo: Tom Walton

We have a different theme each week for our Friday Club language exchange — and, yes, you can guess what our theme is this week!

Come along: it's always fun and it's a great way to practise your Spanish.

>> The Friday Club meets 19.00 to 21.00 every Friday, in the bar/on the terrace

What exactly does it mean to be Spanish…? Come along Friday and find out! | Photo: Tom Walton

The social program in Barcelona this week…

• Monday 6th | Join us on the terrace after class this morning for an Aperitivo de Bienvenida to welcome all those of you starting your Spanish course with us this week
• Tuesday 7th | We're going to the CaixaForum, this afternoon, a surprising piece of Modernista architecture and Barcelona's most visited art museum. Of what's currently on, we particularly recommend the Art Nouveau exhibition of work by Alphonse Mucha (16.00).
• Wednesday 8th | We're going to visit the Parlament de Catalunya this afternoon, a trip which is also interesting because of its location, in the lovely Parc de la Ciutadella (16.00).
• Thursday 9th | Our walk this afternoon takes you to see some of the hidden corners of the old part of Barcelona (16.00). You can visit some of the other places off the beaten track in Barcelona, here on our blog…
• Friday 10th | With this Sunday (the 12th) being El día de la Hispanidad, there's no prize for guessing what the theme for this week's Friday Club language exchange is. Come along — it's always fun! In the bar/on the terrace, 19.00-21.00.

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

The magic fountains of Montjuic: Come along with us, Thursday | Photo: Constanze Wutke

The social program in Barcelona this week…

• Monday 22nd | Come to the terrace after class this morning for an Aperitivo de Bienvenida for all those of you starting your Spanish course this week (13.45). In the afternoon, join us on our walk round the Barrio Gótico, the old quarter of the city (16.00).
• Tuesday 23rd | This afternoon's walk takes us to the lovely Parque de la Ciutadella, some surprising examples of Modernista architecture, and the Estación de Francia (16.00).
• Wednesday 24th | Fiesta
• Thursday 25th | Come along with us this evening to see the spectacular light and sound show of the Magic Fountains of Montjuic (20.30).
• Friday 26th | You've come to Barcelona for the language and the culture and you can get both at this week's Friday Club language exchange, with the culture being "La Movida". You could check that out on Wikipedia, but it's so much more fun to come along and find out! In the bar/on the terrace, 19.00-21.00.

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