I LOVED Barcelona SAE!

This was one of the most memorable adventures I have ever experienced. The program was on the smaller side, roughly 12-15 students, which meant the trips, tours, and dining through the program was intimate and geared toward everyone's tastes. They didn't constantly provide programming, which was great because for the most part we were able to choose our own day-to-day and weekend trips. They provided the pre-planned portion of the schedule in advance so it was easy to decide when we would be travelling solo. The events they did include were tours of the Gothic part of the city, several museum passes, the first few days they made sure to schedule activities so the attendees could get grounded without being overwhelmed by a new city and get to make friends with the other students. They provided us with tips, tricks, and safety advice. About mid-trip (week 3 out of 6 weeks) we took a 3-day weekend tour to 4 cities, with a two-night stay in Costa Brava. It was amazingly beautiful, and not an overly tourist driven city - which was SO cool. The program really encouraged you to not be the average american study abroad participant, they wanted you to experience Barcelona more organically. My friends and I enjoyed the housing they found for us, which was a private 3 bedroom apartment in a residential barrio. This program was one of many that sent students to the larger university, so even if you're looking for a larger program you can still get that vibe when you go to class. The program also schedule cultural events at least once a week (flamenco dancing, tapas dinners out, watching soccer games at the local bars) which was awesome. Seriously, I cannot recommend this program enough!!

TLDR: definitely book through Barcelona SAE. They are AWESOME.