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Language courses

With its bilingual mix Barcelona may not be the ideal location for embarking on Spanish (Castilian) courses, but there is no shortage of places to do so. The cost of language courses depends on the school, the length of the course and its intensity. Across Catalonia, more than 220 schools teach Catalan. Pick up a list at the Llibreria & Informació Cultural de la ­Generalitat de Catalunya (93 302 64 62; Rambla dels Estudis 118; Liceu).

Non-EU citizens who want to study at a university or language school in Spain should have a study visa. This type of visa is renewable within Spain but only with confirmation of ongoing enrolment and proof that you are able to support yourself.

Some schools worth investigating follow:

Babylon Idiomas (93 488 15 85; www.babylon-idiomas.com; Carrer del Bruc 65; Girona) This small school offers a high degree of flexibility – you can study for a week or enlist for a half-year intensive course in Spanish. The big selling point is class size, with a maximum of eight students per class. A week of tuition (30 hours) costs €267.50.

Escola Oficial d’Idiomes de Barcelona (Map pp76–7; 93 324 93 30; www.eoibd.es; Avinguda de les Drassanes s/n; Drassanes) Part-time courses (around 10 hours a week) in Spanish and Catalan (per semester €175) are offered. Because of the demand for Spanish, there is no guarantee of a place.

International House (93 268 45 11; www.ihes.com/bcn; Carrer de Trafalgar 14; Arc de Triomf) Intensive courses from €390 for two weeks. It can also organise accommodation.

Universitat de Barcelona (93 403 54 78 for Catalan, 93 403 55 19 for Spanish; www.ub.edu/slc for Catalan, www.eh.ub.es for Spanish; Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes 585; Universitat) Intensive courses (40 hours tuition over periods ranging from two weeks to a month €413) in Spanish year-round. Longer Spanish and Catalan courses are also available.

Other courses

Alicianet (93 310 38 78; www.alicianet.net; Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes 432; Rocafort) Offers various levels of flamenco class. Single classes cost €15, or you can enrol in courses (up to 20 hours a week). One-on-one classes cost €50.

Antilla BCN Escuela de Baile (93 451 45 64 or 610 900558; www.antillasalsa.com; Carrer d’Aragó 141; 10 1-hr classes once a week €110; Urgell) The place to learn salsa and other Caribbean dance.

Cook & Taste (93 302 13 20; www.cookandtaste.net; La Rambla 58; half-day workshop €60; Liceu) Learn to whip up a paella or stir a gazpacho in this Spanish cookery school.

Dom’s Gastronom Cookery School (93 674 51 60; Passeig del Roser 43, Valldoreix; 8 hours of classes over 4 days €100) Cordon bleu–trained chef Dominique Heathcoate holds cookery classes in anything from Catalan, Spanish and French cuisine to tapas and autumn mushroom cooking. Valldoreix is about a 30-minute train ride from Plaça de Catalunya on the line to Sabadell and Terrassa, and Dominique can arrange pick-up from the train station. Groups are catered for.

Escuela de Baile José de la Vega (93 454 31 14; Carrer d’Aribau 19; Oct-Jun; per month €55; Universitat) People come from all over town to learn to dance flamenco at this school, which offers classes twice a week.

Venta Flamenco (670 437577; www.flamencobarcelona.com; Carrer del Marquès de Barberà 6; Liceu) This modest flamenco store organises classes in flamenco dancing, singing and music.