How To Meet New People In Barcelona – FAST
Wondering how to encounter other students and make friends when you’re new in town? This article will help you get the job done! You’ll discover some useful tips and tricks on how to make your stay in ‘the city of prodigies’ the most memorable time of your life. Whether you are studying, working or living there. Ready to find out how to meet new people in Barcelona? Let’s have a look!
6 best ways to form friendships in Barcelona
Establishing new relationships requires quite a bit of effort. It can be hard to come up with ideas to tackle the challenge. Luckily, we’re here to help! These 6 ways will kick-start your adventure abroad if you are trying to meet new people in Barcelona. Say goodbye to those lonely times!
- Attend local cultural activities
- Go to the gym
- Use mobile apps and online forums
- Visit the city’s highlights
- Spend time at the beach
- Hang out in bars
1. Attend local cultural activities
Attending activities in places where a lot of people gather is always a good idea. Local music festivals, art exhibitions, food markets, outdoor concerts, …. The list goes on. All communal activities where having fun is priority number one, are eligible. In no time, you’ll have met a lot of new people!
Lacking inspiration? Here is a list of some local activities in Barcelona:
- Las Festes Majors: Barcelona’s District Festivals
- Music festivals: Primavera Sound, Sónar, Barcelona Beach Festival, Cruïlla, Festival Jardins de Pedralbes, International Jazz Festival,…
- Tibidabo: amusement park
- Mercado de La Boqueria: Food market
- CAGE – Contemporary Art Gallery Exhibitions
Struggling to stay on top of upcoming events? Be sure to check out the website of your city or the local newspaper for a calendar of events. Pick an event to your liking and don’t hesitate to shoot your shot!
2. Go to the gym
Not the first place you would think of? Fair. However going to the gym is an efficient way to meet new people in a city. Participating in group classes, in particular, will have a major impact on your social life.
Not so sure of our proposal? We’re not here to judge. Take matters into own hands and try it out. You’ll see for yourself how your network thrives after just one gym session. Not jumping to conclusions here, but we are sure that the gym will become your regular “meet-new-faces-in no time” spot. Best-case scenario, you’ll end up with a loyal workout partner. Not too bad, is it?
Are you currently studying in Barcelona and looking for a good gym? Then don’t forget to read this article. You’ll find out about the most popular gyms for students. In addition, you’ll get an insight into the monthly subscription price, location and opening hours of the gyms. Convenient, right?
3. Use mobile apps and online forums
This method is very suitable for people who experience more difficulty with socializing in real life. Numerous mobile apps and online forums will help to lower your barrier for taking action and finding new friends. Some recommendations:
- MeetUp works across thousands of cities and helps you find local people to befriend.
- Local Facebook Groups are probably one of the best ways to meet friends in a new city. Search for results by using the name of your city. Select ‘groups’ to refine if necessary. You’ll be amazed by the number of results that will pop up!
- Bumble BFF provides an easy way to connect with new people and build friendships in any place.
But to be honest, nothing is more helpful than an officially organized event to meet up with other international students.
Attending one of our Erasmus meetings? That means having a good time and walking away with a ton of new friends afterwards! Definitely a huge recommendation!
4. Visit the city’s highlights
City highlights attract all kinds of people. So get out and go explore what the city has to offer. Visit local museums, zoos, monuments and other places of interest. While doing so, try to strike up a conversation with someone who seems to be sharing a common interest.
Our recommendations:
- Picasso museum, Dalí Theatre-Museum
- Barcelona Zoo
- La Sagrada Familia
- Camp Nou: football stadium of FC Barcelona
- Casa Milà, Casa Batlló
- Park Güell
- La Rambla
- Parc de la Ciutadella
City tours also offer a perfect occurrence. It’s a coming together of all people who are new in town. It doesn’t get any better than that, does it? Since everyone is eager to getting to know other people, you will be making connections like never before.
Looking for awesome trips in and around Spain? No need to look further! Take a peek at our trips here and get yourself ready to socialize.
5. Spend time at the beach
No one is in a better mood than people at a beach. Therefore it’s one of the best places to meet groups of people. Feeling anxious about approaching a group on your own? Bring a friend. You will notice you’ll be more relaxed. Try to pick a spot in a crowded area to get that small talk with strangers going. Before you know, you’ll be completely absorbed in the conversations with your soon-to-be-friends!
Does Barceloneta beach no longer hold any secrets for you? Explore these 4 other popular beaches in Barcelona!
6. Hang out in bars
This one, of course, we can’t forget. As cliché as it might sound, a bar is one of the most popular places to meet new people quickly. All it takes is open body language and a friendly smile. Whereas in most places, this wouldn’t be enough, in a bar you’ll have to knock the conversations off of you. Can’t wait? Go ahead. Bars are crowded with different kind of people any time of the day!
Popular bars where you’ll find lots of people and Erasmus students:
- Sonora Sports Tavern
- Carrer de Pamplona, 96, 08018 Barcelona
- Espit Chupitos
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- Carrer d’Aribau, 77, 08032 Barcelona
- Dow Jones
- Carrer del Bruc, 97, 08009 Barcelona
- L’ovella Negra
- Carrer de les Sitges 5, 08001 Barcelona
- Carrer de Zamora, 78, 08018 Barcelona
- Pippermint
- Carrer de Bori i Fontestà, 20, 08021 Barcelona
- George Payne
- d’Urquinaona, 5, 08010 Barcelona
Is beer pong totally your cup of tea? We completely agree! Every Tuesday, beer pong tournaments are held at Sonora Sports Tavern. Check out our upcoming tournaments in the calendar here. Be sure to sign up and save your spot!
See? Forming friendships as a ‘newbie’ isn’t that hard. With these handy tips and tricks up your sleeve you’ll know where to go to next time when you feel like socializing. You might just encounter your future best friend in one of these places! Who knows? Goodluck!
Keep a close eye on our website in order to stay tuned for upcoming events. Prefer social media? All the better! Thanks to our Instagram and Facebook, you won’t miss a single trip or activity. Hope to see you soon at one of our events!
