Learn Spanish in Barcelona with Expanish: Here’s My Honest Review of the Immersion Spanish School

Thinking about trying to learn Spanish in Barcelona? My honest Expanish Barcelona review covers the school, classes, cost, and if it’s worth it.

Most people take a holiday to relax and yet I …? I took a holiday to do homework (!).

This summer I spent two weeks in Barcelona doing something a little different than my usual whirlwind sightseeing trips – I went back to school! I’d heard that the BEST way to learn a new language is to fully immerse yourself, and especially as a solo traveler, I wanted to be able to get around easier and actually connect with locals in Spanish-speaking countries. 

I’d been wanting to learn Spanish for so many years, but learning something new like this as an adult felt pretty intimidating, and honestly, I didn’t know where to start. So this year, I finally took the leap and fully immersed myself – I signed up for Expanish Barcelona, an immersive Spanish language school, figuring it would be the perfect push and structure to learn something new as an adult. It might genuinely be one of the best travel decisions I’ve made. If you’ve been dreaming about how to learn Spanish in Barcelona while actually living like a local (not just checking off tourist boxes), this Expanish Barcelona review is for you!

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📍 Quick Facts: Expanish Barcelona

📚 What: Group Spanish classes (with private lesson add-ons) for teens through adults 50+

🌍 Where: Barcelona, Madrid, Málaga, Buenos Aires, Costa Rica

⏳ Course length: From 1 week up to 44 weeks – I did 2, would recommend 4

🗓️ Class schedule: Monday-Friday, 9:30am-1:30pm (with two breaks built in)

👥 Class size: Small groups, mine had 6-8 students

🏠 Housing: Homestay, student shared apartment (I had an apartment with my own room), or student residence

🎉 Activities: Weekly cultural excursions – most free, some optional paid add-ons

What Is Expanish?

Expanish is a Spanish language school with locations across Spain and Latin America, offering group classes, private lessons, and long-term immersion programs for students of literally every age – from teenagers to retirees. They’ve been running Spanish courses in Barcelona since 2017, and the school is accredited by the Instituto Cervantes and authorized as a SIELE exam center, so this isn’t some fly-by-night language app – it’s a real academic institution with serious credentials behind it. What sets Expanish apart, in my opinion, is that it’s not just “sit in a classroom and conjugate verbs.” Their whole philosophy is built around immersion – you’re learning the language IN the city where it’s spoken, with cultural activities woven directly into your course. Classes are taught by native Spanish-speaking teachers in small groups, so you’re actually speaking from day one instead of just memorizing flashcards.

Who Is Expanish For?

Honestly? Almost anyone who wants to learn Spanish in Barcelona (or one of their other locations). One last note that surprised people the most when I shared this trip: this program is for young adults AND adults of all ages – Expanish runs separate program tracks by age group, including a 30+ program and a 50+ program, so you’re always learning alongside people at a similar life stage. This was one of my favorite things going in, because I wasn’t sure what to expect walking into a “language school” as a full-grown adult, and it turned out to be exactly the right fit. Whether you’re a total beginner who’s never said “hola” out loud, or you’re brushing up before a move abroad, or – like me – you just want a trust me, worth-every-penny excuse to spend a few weeks living in one of the most incredible cities in Europe while actually building a real skill, Expanish has a course level for you. Their levels run from A1 (complete beginner) all the way to C2 (fluent), following the official CEFR framework.

Where Does Expanish Offer Spanish Learning Schools?

Expanish currently has schools in five destinations:

  • Barcelona, Spain
  • Madrid, Spain
  • Málaga, Spain
  • Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • Costa Rica

I chose Barcelona because it’s one of my favorite cities in Europe, and it sounded to me like the perfect Euro summer destination; the combination of beach, mountains, incredible architecture, and a ridiculously good food scene (so it made it an easy pick for me!). But if you’re chasing a different vibe (tango and steak in Buenos Aires, anyone?), it’s worth checking out their other locations too. 

Another key piece in my decision is that Barcelona has a TON of English speakers (versus other areas of Spain) so it was ideal for me as an A1 beginner. While I always tried to speak in Spanish, it was nice to have English as a backup just in case I needed it. 

Compare that to Málaga, Spain or Buenos Aires, Argentina, where Spanish dominates and you won’t find as much English spoken. So if you are more advanced in Spanish, I think either Buenos Aires or Málaga would be a great pick. Málaga also has a lot more small-town vibes so that could be another reason to select there instead of Barcelona. And some people just prefer Madrid to Barcelona so you really can’t go wrong!

One fun part about choosing Costa Rica is that it is a combo Spanish language school AND surf school so if you are an active or adventurous traveler and want to challenge both your brain and your body, Costa Rica would be a perfect pick.

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How Long Are Expanish Courses?

This is one of the most flexible parts of the whole program – courses range from just one week all the way up to 44 weeks. I did two weeks, starting from absolute scratch (zero Spanish!) and I was genuinely stunned by how much progress I made – I went from 0 to about halfway through the A1 level, and the teachers told me four weeks is typically enough to fully complete A1. It was enough to genuinely improve my conversational confidence and walk away with real, usable skills. But if I’m being honest with you, my top tip is this: if you can swing it, do four weeks instead of two. Two weeks flies by, and I found myself wishing I had just a little more time to keep building momentum right as I was hitting my groove. And if you really want to commit? You can do a few months (!). Expanish offers long-term programs for anyone who wants to go all-in on fluency, which I’m now seriously eyeing for a future trip (more on that below).

What Does Expanish Cost and What’s Included?

Pricing varies depending on your course length and how many lessons per week you choose (Expanish offers 20, 24, or 30 lessons a week, plus combined group + private lesson packages), so I’d recommend requesting a quote directly for exact numbers based on your dates.

What I can tell you is what’s included in the price:

  • Spanish lessons (group classes, small group sizes)
  • Student orientation
  • A Spanish level placement exam
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • A welcome pack
  • 24/7 emergency support line
  • Weekly cultural activities
  • A course completion certificate (as long as you hit 80% attendance)

There’s typically a small separate materials fee added on top of tuition, so keep that in mind when you’re budgeting, but overall I felt like the value was fantastic for everything packed into the course.

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My Experience and My Expanish Barcelona Review

Okay, here’s the part you’re really here for – what it was ACTUALLY like.

The Accommodation

Expanish offers a few housing options: homestay (living with a local family – highly recommended if full immersion is your goal), a student shared apartment, or a student residence. I went with the apartment Expanish arranged for me, and it was clean, comfortable, had air-conditioning (an absolute must for summer in Spain) and an easy walk and short metro ride from the school. I had a room and bathroom to myself (but you can opt for a shared room to save money!). My apartment also had a little kitchen, which meant I got to do my own grocery runs at the local market and practice ordering things in Spanish – a small win, but it added up over two weeks!

If I do this again, I’m seriously considering trying the homestay option next time, purely because living with a Spanish-speaking family means you’re forced to practice constantly, even outside of class hours. But if you want a bit more independence (and don’t mind cooking for yourself), the apartment route is a fantastic choice too.

the school

The school itself is located in Eixample, tucked onto a quiet street just minutes from Plaza Cataluña – which meant I got the best of both worlds: peaceful classrooms away from city noise, but still walking distance to basically everything. My subway stop literally came out right at the base of Casa Batlló, one of the most STUNNING Gaudí buildings (would HIGHLY recommend a tour – book it in advance!).  From there it was less than a five minute walk to the school. And can I just say – I’m truly obsessed with how STUNNING the facilities are – bright, modern, and with a great communal common area where students hung out between classes to review vocab or just chat (in Spanish, of course). And yes – there was AC (yay!). Not going to lie, I was nervous walking in on day one, especially when the professors immediately started speaking entirely in Spanish. But they make it so easy to follow, even as a beginner, and that nervousness faded fast once I realized everyone else in the room felt exactly the same way.
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A Day in the Life – How Long Are Classes?

Classes ran Monday through Friday from 9:30am to 1:30pm, broken into 50-minute lesson blocks (with two breaks built in) that mixed general Spanish grammar and vocabulary with more interactive “Spanish in Action” sessions (an optional add-on!) where you’re actually using the language in real scenarios instead of just studying it on paper. On the days I added an optional Spanish in the City lesson, my afternoons got even busier – in the best way.

Here’s what an actual day looked like for me:

8:55-9:15am: Head to the Expanish school

9:30-11am: Spanish lessons, session one

11-11:20am: Break (got coffee & croissants nearby!)

11:20am-1:30pm (with a 10-minute break): Spanish lessons, session two

1:30-2:30pm: Lunch in Barcelona

2:30-4:30pm: Spanish in the City lesson

4:30-4:50pm: Head back to my apartment

5-6pm: Workout

6-7:30pm: Explore the city

7:30-9pm: Tapas dinner with friends from class

9-11pm: Post-sunset beach time with friends

I packed a LOT into my days (in the best way) – between the actual classroom hours, an optional afternoon immersion lesson, and then an entire evening of exploring, working out, and tapas with new friends, I never once felt like I was “just” sitting in a classroom. My Spanish was getting practiced from the moment I woke up to the moment I fell asleep. That being said, if you’re more of a laid back traveler you can absolutely go to class, get some food, and relax at the beach for the rest of the day too – I love how much freedom you get in the afternoon to make it your own.

Class Size

Do not miss this detail if small-group learning matters to you – my class had only 6-8 students! This made a HUGE difference. Everyone got individual attention from our teacher, there was no hiding in the back of the room, and it created a genuinely supportive space to practice speaking out loud without feeling embarrassed.

My Classmates

My classmates were honestly one of the best parts of the whole experience. Everyone was supportive, warm, and encouraging – we were all there for the same reason, fumbling through the same verb conjugations together, and cheering each other on. My group included people from multiple countries all over the world, which meant our shared language for figuring things out was, appropriately, broken Spanish (with a little English mixed in when we really got stuck). What I thought was so amazing too was that multiple students from around the world were here to learn Spanish so they could actually live and work in Spain after this, so it was cool to speak to students who were in Expanish for the long haul.

I also quickly became friends with my classmates and it was incredible to have shared experiences both inside and outside the classroom (getting tapas, watching soccer games at a bar, and having beach time together). It meant more opportunities not only to practice Spanish, but to help each other out when we forgot a certain word while ordering (we love a hive mind).

Is This Only for Students, or Can Adults Do This Too?

This is a question that came up a lot when I shared about my experience on Instagram. And I’m happy to report that absolutely, adults can (and should) do this. I was in the 30+ group, and it was honestly perfect. Everyone in my class was there by choice, genuinely invested in learning, and at a similar stage of life. If you’ve been picturing a classroom full of 19-year-old backpackers, throw that image out – Expanish has dedicated program tracks for 30+ and 50+ students specifically so you’re learning alongside your peers.

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Outside-of-Classroom Activities

Here’s something I loved: the cultural activities are included in your course, and most of them are completely free. Expanish offers activities like guided walking tours through the Gothic Quarter, flamenco classes, a croquette and paella tastings (such a fun way to get immersed in another side of Spanish culture!), and even a big daytrip out to the national park in Catalonia. A few activities that involve extra transportation or entrance fees do have a small optional cost, but these are never mandatory – you can pick and choose based on your budget and interest.
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What I Did Outside of Class

Beyond the organized activities, my afternoons and weekends were packed. I visited the Sagrada Família (obviously – do not miss this one, even if you’ve seen a hundred photos of it, nothing prepares you for seeing it in person), wandered through Park Güell, and spent more evenings than I can count getting tapas with my classmates while we practiced ordering entirely in Spanish. Some of my favorite memories from this whole trip weren’t even in the classroom – they were sitting around a table with new friends from four different countries, laughing over broken sentences and shared plates of patatas bravas.

My Final Rating of Expanish: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I’m giving Expanish Barcelona a full 5 out of 5 stars. Full immersion is, hands down, the BEST way to learn a language, and Expanish nails it – combining real academic structure with genuine cultural immersion and a built-in community of classmates who are cheering you on.

Is It Worth It???

YES. A thousand times yes. Even though two weeks is only the very beginning of the road to fluency, I was honestly surprised by just how much I learned and how much I could understand by the end – this was exactly the push and structure I needed. If you’re on the fence about whether to learn Spanish in Barcelona through a program like this, let me save you the deliberation – book it.

My top tip, though: I’d highly recommend adding on the Spanish in the City sessions if your course offers them, since getting out into real neighborhoods to practice with actual locals took my confidence to a whole new level. Plus one of my sessions was at a gelateria where all the activities were all gelato themed – it was SO fun and legitimately helpful as I ordered a TON of gelato throughout my summery trip!

 I would absolutely do this again, and I’m seriously considering signing up for a longer program in the future to keep building my skills. Two weeks gave me a taste – but now I’m hooked. Looking at you, Buenos Aires 👀

Book it here

If you’re ready to learn Spanish in Barcelona, book your trip with Expanish here – and my bonus to my Roam Free Fam is that you’ll actually get a discount if you use my link! 🙌

Tips for Visiting Barcelona, Spain with Expanish

When to Visit Barcelona

Barcelona is fantastic nearly year-round, but I’d recommend spring (April-May) or fall (September-October) if you want warm weather without the peak summer crowds and heat. Summer is incredible for beach days but the city gets packed and prices climb, so keep that in mind when picking your course dates.

How to Get Around Barcelona

The metro system is clean, affordable, and incredibly easy to navigate – my top tip is to grab a T-Casual multi-trip card right away, since it’ll save you money over buying single tickets every time. The metro also doesn’t use contactless cards yet, so you’ll need this transit card anyway (but the buses do take both the transit card and contactless cards!). Most Expanish housing options are also walkable or a short metro ride from the school, which made my daily commute a breeze.

A Few More Tips

  • Learn basic Catalan greetings too – Barcelona is in Catalonia, and locals appreciate even a small effort with “bon dia” alongside your Spanish.
  • Do your homework in a café, not your apartment – some of my best vocabulary retention happened people-watching over a cortado (officially my favorite espresso drink ever).
  • Say yes to the optional activities – even the ones with a small fee were worth every euro for the local access and connections they gave me.
  • Pack layers in spring and fall – Barcelona weather can shift throughout the day, especially near the coast. But pack a fan in summer – obviously Barcelona is hot, but I was caught off guard by how HUMID it was too.
  • Bring a reusable water bottle – tap water is safe to drink, and you’ll want to stay hydrated between classes and city exploring.
  • Try the orange juice! Cafes make it fresh and it’s hands-down the BEST orange juice I’ve EVER had in my life (!).
  • Book any outside of classroom activities WELL in advance of your trip, especially in summer because they DO sell out and I legitimately almost missed some popular attractions like the Sagrada Família.
  • Pack a phone leash – unfortunately pick-pocketers do exist, especially in high touristed areas, and I would hate for you to lose your valuables, so no putting things in your back pockets!

Signing up for Expanish Barcelona wasn’t like any other trip I’ve taken, and that’s exactly what made it so special. Between the small classes, the incredible classmates, the immersive activities, and getting to explore one of my favorite cities in the world with a genuine purpose, this was hands-down one of the best travel investments I’ve made. If you’ve been thinking about how to actually learn Spanish in Barcelona instead of just visiting as a tourist, I cannot recommend Expanish enough.

Have you ever taken a language immersion course while traveling? I’d love to hear about your experience – drop a comment below or come find me on Instagram @roamfreerebecca and let’s chat!

Plan Your Barcelona Trip

✈️ Flights: I’d recommend using Google Flights or Skyscanner to compare fares into Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) and set up price alerts before you book. 🏠️ Accommodation: f you’re going the Expanish route, your housing (apartment, homestay, or student residence) is arranged for you as part of the program – one less thing to plan! If you’re extending your trip before or after your course, I’d highly recommend booking a hotel or Airbnb in the Eixample or Gràcia neighborhoods for easy access to the city.  🎒 What to Pack: Layers are your best friend in Barcelona, along with comfortable walking shoes for all that city exploring between classes. 🚌Transport: Public transit is easy in Barcelona – the metro, bus, and train will get you pretty much anywhere you need to go. From there the city is super walkable too! 🎫 Activities: Beyond the activities included with Expanish, I’d recommend booking your Sagrada Família tickets in advance (they sell out!) and looking into a Park Güell skip-the-line tour for a good reason – both spots get busy fast. Always book early so they don’t sell out – I love using GetYourGuide for their 24-hour free cancellation policy. 🌍 Travel Insurance: do not miss travel insurance for a trip like this – I always recommend World Nomads for adventure travelers and SafetyWing for digital nomads. 📱 eSIM: Always stay connected by using an eSIM! You’ll have access to data WITHOUT having to spend a ton on your at-home plan, change your number, or buy a physical sim. My favorites are Airalo for affordable plans (save with my code “REBECCA3” for $3 off your first eSIM) and Holafly for unlimited data (use my code “ROAMFREEREBECCA” to save 5% on any plan!).

Jul 21, 2026 | Destinations, Europe, Spain

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RoamFreeRebecca content creator photographer
Hey I’m Rebecca!

I’m a travel & outdoors photographer, blogger, and content greator living in the US but you can find me adventuring around the globe! On this blog I share tips to help you improve your photography, inspiration and advice to explore the outdoors, destination guides, travel tips, and more to plan your own adventures!

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