Programmes

Studying a Master or MBA in Barcelona, Spain

Life in Barcelona

Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, an autonomous region of Spain. Surrounded by an extensive metropolitan area, it has 1,770,000 inhabitants. Two thousand years of history have left their mark on the city in its architectural, artistic and cultural heritage. Its superb international connections, climate, and cosmopolitan atmosphere make Barcelona the fine city it is.

In Barcelona, as in the rest of Catalonia, Catalan and Spanish (both Latin-based) co-exist as official languages. Everyone speaks Spanish, although most people also use Catalan. The Catalan and Spanish languages live side by side in harmony, and students will have no problem getting around Barcelona with Spanish. As a cosmopolitan city, there are also an increasing number of businesses and services offered in English and other international languages are spoken.

Barcelona is on the Mediterranean coast, and as a coastal city, it has a warm, humid and sunny climate ideal for outdoor activities. Inhabitants can usually swim at the beach from spring to early autumn. Summer sees highs of 30 ° C, and in winter the thermometer can occasionally drop to 5° C.

As of January 2002, the Euro is the official currency of the European Union and is therefore the currency in Spain.

Business in Barcelona

According to Cushman & Wakefield's 2010 survey of international companies, Barcelona ranks among the top five best European cities to locate a business today. Key factors in companys' rating included easy access to customers/clients, availability of quality staff, effective telecommunications networks and transport links with other cities. Barcelona was also ranked the number 1 city in terms of quality of life for employees.

Barcelona has a highly diversified economic structure, in contrast with other major cities that are heavily reliant on one or two sub-sectors. It has specialised industrial sectors that are competitive and focused on exports, including the automotive, consumer electronics, chemical and pharmaceutical, food and energy industries. Corporate services, cultural industries, audio-visual production, information and communication technology (ICT), biotechnology and the aerospace industry are currently on the rise in Barcelona. Meanwhile, trade, logistic services, restaurants and catering, medical services, design and advertising, among others, already boast a long tradition in the city.

Barcelona's economic dynamism, its strategic position in the South of Europe and a clearly-consolidated international projection have turned the economic area of Barcelona into a platform of economic activities, a driving force behind development in Southern Europe, especially oriented towards new, emergent, competitive and international sectors with an uninterrupted growth of their foreign markets.

Getting to and from the airport

There are three transport options between the airport and the city centre (where EADA is located): buses, trains and taxis.

Aerobus (A1)

This comfortable, air-conditioned bus takes you to and from the airport every 11 minutes with stops in Plaça Catalunya and Plaça Espanya. It costs 5.00€ and runs from Monday to Friday from the airport from 06.00h to 01.00h and from Plaça Catalunya from 05.30h to 00.30h.

To reach EADA once in Plaça Catalunya, take Line 1 (red) to Universitat stop. EADA is located at Carrer Aragó, 204, 08011. The telephone number is 93 452 08 44.

Train

The RENFE train service runs approximately every 30 minutes to and from the Barcelona airport to the city centre. You can catch the train from Sants Estació or Plaça Catalunya, which are in the centre of Barcelona. If travelling to the airport from the city, get off at the stop called “Aeropuerto”. If travelling from the airport to the city centre, get off at either “Sants Estació” or “Plaça Catalunya” and transfer to the Barcelona metro underground system. The metro runs directly from both of these stations. Note that Sants Estació is a major railway station that offers train connections to many other destinations outside Barcelona. The airport train costs 2.60€ and runs from the airport from 6.00h to 23.44h and from the city from 5.20h to 22.42h.

To reach EADA once in Plaça Catalunya, take Line 1 (red) to Universitat stop. EADA is located at Carrer Aragó, 204, 08011, three blocks from the metro station.

Taxi

This is a more expensive option, but participants may prefer to take a taxi when they first arrive. The airport taxi rank is on the left-hand side when you leave the main airport exit. There are several hundred taxis in Barcelona and many that operate all night so you don't have to worry about not being able to find one. Expect to pay between 20€ and 25€ to the centre. There will also be a small additional charge for each bag you are carrying. You'll find the rates displayed inside the taxi. All official Barcelona taxis are black and yellow and are legally bound to charge you the value on the meter (plus any surcharge for your baggage and airport fee). The journey to the city centre will take between 20 to 30 minutes depending on road conditions. Tipping is customary, although most passengers simply round up the fare to the nearest Euro.