Short stay
Thinking about spending a couple of months in Barcelona and working remotely?
Most passport holders will be able to stay up to 90 days without the need to do any paperwork. You’ll probably be interested in renting an apartment, unless you are travelling on your own, in which case you may prefer shared accommodation or hotel set up for long-stays.
Before you rush into reserving an apartment, check the following:
- Location & transport links
- Heating/Air conditioning
- Price per week
- Services and fees
- Ratings/ Who’s renting?
- Payment process
It’s worth having a good space, where you will feel comfortable. It’s fun eating out, but it’s also great to return to a relaxing apartment.
Serviced apartments
The range of serviced apartments available in Barcelona has expanded in the last couple of years. At the top end of the market, it would be hard to beat the Mandarin Oriental residences at the top end of Passeig de Gracia.
https://www.mandarinoriental.com/en/residences/current/barcelona
The Archie apartments that overlook Arc d’Triomf opened in January 2023. Catering for those staying between 32 days and 11 months, this is a hassle free way of establishing a great base, with the bonus of a rooftop swimming pool.
The Barcelona City Authorities have restricted the short term rental market, so all owners need a special licence for short stay rentals. This has limited the growth of platforms like AirBnb and favoured the development of longer term rentals.
Co-living
Another option when looking for a place to live is to explore the offer of coliving spaces. This attracts a younger age group and sounds a bit like student flat shares, but when you are setting up in a new city you need a place to work, a place to live and the chance to socialise. Coliving sometimes offers all three.
https://coliving.com/barcelona
Staying long-term
Rental contracts
If you plan to stay long term, you will need to work with a local real estate agency, deposit a bond, and a fee to the agency. This is when language barriers can add to the confusion and good apartments might disappear from the market before you had time to make a decision.
Renting through friends
If you know people living in Barcelona, they may know someone in their circle who has an apartment to rent. It is still important to have a rental contract and check market rates for similar places, but otherwise, this can be an ideal solution.
Sharing with others
In a new city, this is sometimes an attractive option. You get to know some other people and reduce your cost base. Unless you know someone living in the apartment, you may find that in practice you feel more like a lodger. It all depends on how the owner/leaseholder sees the arrangement.
