Are you a student looking for the best cities in Spain to study abroad?
Read on for my top picks for the best Spanish cities to study abroad! These are the top cities in the country with large student populations and multiple universities and programs to choose from. You’ll find large and small cities in diverse regions all across the country.
Spain is a great place to study abroad if you want to discover a new culture and improve your foreign language skills.
I’ve spent a lot of time traveling in Spain and I’ve also studied Spanish in Spain, so these are my top recommendations for where to go.
1. Barcelona
Barcelona is one of the best cities in Spain to study abroad. It’s the second-largest city after the capital Madrid, with a population of 1.6 million. And it’s also a bit cheaper than Madrid.
Being located on the coast, Barcelona has several beaches right in the city! You’re also not far from the Costa Brava, one of the best beach regions in Spain. The Catalonian culture is strong in Barcelona, and you’ll hear and see the Catalan language in addition to Spanish.
For students, Barcelona is a fun and lively place to live. The city is known for its nightlife and partying, yes, but it’s also a major cultural hub with incredible museums and fabulous architecture from Antoni Gaudí.
This is by far one of the best places to study abroad in Spain if you’re looking for an unforgettable experience.
2. Seville
Seville is another one of the best cities in Spain to study abroad. Located in the southern region of Andalucia, Seville is famous for its Moorish-influenced architecture and for being the home to Spanish traditions like flamenco and bullfighting.
It’s the fourth-largest city in Spain with a population of around 685,000. This is where I spent several weeks studying Spanish and I absolutely loved it!
I would highly recommend studying abroad in Seville (just not during the summer — it’s over 100° F almost every day!) It’s a beautiful and fun city where you’ll never get bored. The city has a huge student population and lots of universities.
It’s also one of the more affordable big cities in Spain, so your money will go a lot further here than it would in Madrid or Barcelona.
3. Salamanca
If you’re looking for a smaller city to study abroad in, consider Salamanca. This has historically been a college town ever since medieval times! Even today, Salamanca is a very popular destination to study abroad and it’s filled with students.
With a population of under 150,000 people, this is definitely a smaller and more compact place, which is great if you don’t want to live in a big city.
However, it’s large enough that there’s always plenty going on and you will never get bored in Salamanca — it’s also very well known for its nightlife!
Being located in the northwestern part of Spain, Salamanca is also only 1 hour and 15 minutes from Madrid by train.
4. Granada
Granada is another smaller city that is amazing for study abroad students. This Andalucian city in southern Spain has a population of 240,000.
One of the most iconic sites in Granada is the Alhambra, a historic Moorish fortress. Like Seville, Granada is a city that was heavily influenced by the Islamic Moors, and you can still see remnants of that today.
It’s a beautiful city surrounded by the Sierra Nevada mountains and full of dramatic viewpoints. With multiple universities and a large student population, Granada is a fun place to study abroad. It’s also one of the more affordable cities on this list.
5. Madrid
Madrid is the lively, bustling capital of Spain. This is the top place to study abroad if you want to be in the center of all the action. With a population of 3.3 million, Madrid is a thriving metropolis where it’s impossible to get bored.
The city is home to world-class museums, palaces, and parks. It’s also known for its amazing nightlife where staying out until 7 AM is the norm.
Being the capital, Madrid is home to the most universities in Spain and has the largest student population, even though it’s more spread out.
Madrid is an exciting place to study abroad, but keep in mind that it’s the most expensive city in Spain. However, it may be worth the cost if you have your heart set on this city. Madrid’s central location also makes it a great base for exploring more of Spain.
6. Valencia
If you want to be close to the coast, Valencia is an amazing city to study abroad in Spain. This sprawling city is the third-largest in Spain, with a population of over 800,000 people.
It’s a major hub for students and it’s known for being a very fun and lively city. If you love the beach, there are plenty of nice ones nearby. You’re also only a 45-minute flight to Ibiza, Spain’s biggest party island, and flights can be found for as little as $30 round-trip.
Valencia is also more affordable than Madrid and Barcelona, so this is a good city to live in if you want to get more for your money.
7. San Sebastian
San Sebastian is a super unique place to study abroad. Located on the northern coast of Spain in the Basque Country, San Sebastian has a very distinctive culture.
You’ll hear the Basque language, also called Euskara, spoken alongside Spanish here. It’s a smaller city, with a population of 180,000, so this is a good choice if you don’t want to live in a huge city and prefer a closer-knit community.
San Sebastian is a major student city, so you can have a good social life here. It’s also known for having cooler, more mild weather than the rest of Spain (and it gets downright chilly here during the winter months!)
Best Cities In Spain To Study Abroad
These are the best cities in Spain to study abroad.
Studying abroad in Spain is a great way to immerse yourself in a new culture, explore new destinations, meet new people, improve your Spanish, and have a once-in-a-lifetime experience as a college student.
Hopefully this list gave you an idea of the best Spanish cities for studying abroad!
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