Course description
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
In Barcelona you will live in modern, upscale student apartments, a 10 min walk from the popular beaches of Barceloneta and right around the corner from a popular local plaza. Here are some highlights:
Live in your own private studio with a private bathroom, AC and fast-speed Internet
Spend time by the rooftop pool or in our own private gym
Enjoy fresh authentic food prepared by our culinary staff and local chefs
Learn in a fun, interactive way, outside of the classroom (hence our Experiential Learning Method!)
Be a savvy, sophisticated traveler. Go above and beyond the standard tourist checklist!
Meet young people from Barcelona and make new friends from all over the world
Option to receive college credit, studying with our local partner institutions
Included trips to Figueres, Montserrat, Tarragona, Girona, Cadaques and Tossa de Mar
All inclusive 3.5 week session
Option to go on a travel extension to Paris!
Pre-Summer Language Courses and Tutoring Online (get an early start on practicing your Spanish!)
FOOD
Our culinary staff will buy daily fresh food for breakfast and lunch from the local markets and shops. Some evenings our staff and students will make delicious meals together, armed with fresh ingredients and our own Spanish & Catalonian recipe book. These culinary adventures quickly become a favorite bonding and cultural activity among our students and staff. We will also enjoy authentic local cuisine during outings to local restaurants.
Our staff will provide you with daily groceries (bread, pasta, cereal, water, olive oil, etc.) and house supplies. If you need more food or house supplies – just tell us. We will get them for you.
RESIDENTIAL LIFE
You will live in upscale, comfortable student studio-apartments, in the very center of the city, near the popular El Born neighborhood. Each student will have a private bedroom and a private bathroom, the kitchens are shared with one other student next door. Our staff members live in their own studios down the hall. Additional housing in upscale apartment suites may be provided upon request.
You will be part of our Abbey Road family, making new friends, learning to be independent and self-reliant, to share responsibilities with your peers, manage your time, and getting ready for college years!
DAILY SCHEDULE
Every student on the program chooses two classes as their academic focus in Barcelona: a major and an elective. Major classes meet every morning Monday to Friday, while electives meet three afternoons a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Major: Spanish Language, Business & Marketing, Digital Photography
Electives and Workshops: Art History, Photography, Spanish Conversation, Fashion Design, Digital Marketing, Spanish Literature & Creative Writing, Drawing, Spanish Cuisine, Sports
This frees up two afternoons per week for you to attend the many workshops, excursions and fun activities, such as kayaking or sailing at the local beaches, visiting museums, practicing your Spanish with the locals, and so on. We will always give you at least two to three options to choose from just to make sure there is something for everyone.
Important note: Curfew and Free Time
The students will have approximately 2 – 3 hours of free time per day, subject to our safety rules and guidelines. The curfew is at 11 pm on weekdays and 11.30 – 12 midnight on weekends, subject to change at program director’s discretion.
Some of our students’ favorites are:
parasailing over the beaches of Barceloneta
admiring Gaudi’s masterpieces at Casa Batllo and Casa Mila
tapas tasting in the fashionable El Born district
Spanish conversation over coffee and churros
sushi night by the Arc de Triomf
dance night with the local youth
outdoor soccer match in Park Ciutadel
flamenco dance workshop with local experts
paying tribute to the local soccer shrine, the FC Barcelona museum
enjoying a fun ride and in incredible view at the popular Tibidado park
shopping at the outdoor market in spectacular Plaza Real
Magic Fountain show at Plaza Espagna
picnic in Gaudi’s Park Guell
WEEKEND DAY TRIPS
In addition to all the local sites in Barcelona, we will help you discover many more amazing sites in Catalonia.
Some of the students’ favorites include:
sailing and beach volleyball in Cadaques and Tossa de Mar
an excursion to Dali’s museum in Figueres
reliving Roman history in Tarragona
discovering the awe-inspiring peaks of Montserrat and its Benedictine abbey
a trip to Girona, with its beautiful architecture and rich Jewish heritage
Class schedule may change depending on availability and season.
