If you are planning to move to Barcelona, Spain then you will need support from fellow expats who speak your language and have experience in navigating though the Spanish bureaucracy and local culture. There are, of course, many foreigners who have made the move to Spain before you and they have set up reliable and welcoming websites which are packed with useful information. There is a strong expat community in Barcelona and you can find recommendations and chat forums where you can ask questions and get advice about your move to Spain and living in Barcelona in general. Here are a few of the most popular and useful Spanish expat websites.
InterNations – This is a website which has pages dedicated to 390 different cities around the world. Their Barcelona section presents an Expat Guide Barcelona for Working and Living in Barcelona. It is the world’s number one expat community website. You need to register on the website in order to access all the features. The site also gives a list of recommended expat blogs.
Expatica – This website covers an international community of expats in 9 European countries plus Moscow and South Africa. It is for English-speaking expats and provides local news, information about services, living and working in a foreign country. There are in-depth featured articles and a dynamic online community.
ExpatArrivals – The focus on Expat Arrivals is on the moving process for business travelers, holiday makers and expats relocating to over 220 countries internationally. It includes sections on finance, women, work and culture as well as hot tips. There are articles on relocation in general and county specific information.
Barcelona-Life.com – This website is not only for expats but for all English speakers in Barcelona and it has a section for expats. The site is like a travel guide but with information about moving, living and working as well. It includes the kind of city guides you might look at as a tourists with restaurants, shops, places of entertainment and hotels listed. There is a useful map, list of events, gyms, jobs, real estate and service information. The site also has a lively forum where you can get help directly from English-speakers already living in Barcelona.
Expat Info Desk – This international site offers advice and information about many destination cities. It also has a list of useful links, a forum, blog, news section, online store and expat’s manual. There is a focus on being a relocation guide and helping new expats establish themselves. It is possible to purchase a guide to Barcelona (€22). Their Barcelona page includes blog posts, articles, a quiz and useful tips. But to get the benefit of the articles on cost of living, language, tax, safety, medical, worship, pets and more you have to buy the guide.
Meetup – This site brings people with similar interests or circumstances together in many different cities around the world. The Barcelona page is packed with groups of expats meeting for different events. For example there is a BCN Gastronomic Society; Fashion, Dining and Networking in Barcelona; Barcelona New Town Expats; Barcelona Live Music in English; Barcelona Night Life; English Oasis: Language and activities and a general group of Barcelona Expats which has over 3,000 members. You can even start your own group if you want.
