stop posting beautiful vacation spots on mondays...makes me extra depressing. sighhh....

I'll be in Barcelona (first time) this fall....which is exciting enough but this post just made it all the better. :)

You're going to move there, and you've never even visited? That's...interesting.

I live in Spain! (But I am Spanish...)

In Barcelona, try Hotel Neri. It is FABULOUS and right where I want to spend all my time in my favorite city!

http://www.hotelneri.com/home.html

I do think, though, that you should consider a visit before a move.

Wow, how unrealistic.

Last time I visited Spain I was a backpacker making do on $25/day. There are some pretty fab hostels that come in under that amount - I remember a particularly awesome one in Toledo. At the other end was the $8/night place on the beach in Valencia - I'm lucky I managed to come out of it without bed bugs, and I think it was condemned shortly after I left. Next time, I will check out one of these places.

Love the loft in #3. What is it about Spanish wood that looks so...rustic!? (#1) The bleached out appearance, the rough quality of it, not stained, etc. Love it.

re: #3, I've always wanted a two-story bedroom. If you had this in your home, it would give you a second living room that you wouldn't have to keep clean for guests!

I do appreciate luxe interiors, but -- I guess out of necessity -- I prefer discovering cool little hotels that fit my budget while also rocking the style.

Oh, btw, I've been to Spain a couple of times... and when I wanted to splurge, I'd stay in one of the paradores. Some are in castles, others are in old monasteries and most are historically significant. Those that aren't make up for it with incredible views or location. Prices run in the upper mid-range. Totally worth it.

I love the Can Curreu picture. The Grand Hotel Central looks like it's still being decorated. In my mind's eye, the guy with the curtains is coming up in the elevator, just off camera.

Oh Please! Such squares commenting with condescending tone. Life is for LIVING. Its SPAIN the author wants to move to not Antarctica! By all means pick up and move out. Adventure awaits. The only guarantees in life we have are that we can land on our own two feet. Nothing tests this more than moving someplace you've never been. Its exhilarating. Guess what.. if you hate it.. YOU CAN MOVE BACK! Shocking I know.

I hope you speak fluent Spanish. Its a hard place to live if you are an outsider especially if you are an American.
The economy was hit very hard so unless you have plenty of money to live on good luck getting a job and getting a visa is very a involved bureaucratic process. If you don't speak really good Spanish then you won't have any Spanish friends which would make it hard and lonely.

Good luck.

Way to go, you'll not be disappointed. Beware of pickpockets: they abound in places popular among tourists, above all on Las Ramblas. Apart from that, Barcelona is easily the world's most exciting place to live. A stunning city between mountains and the sea, perfect climate, architecture beyond description, excellent cuisine, diverse population, vibrant social life, great educational possibilities, the best football club on the planet, thriving arts scene, direct flights to a huge list of dream destinations: it is amazing in every respect.

I'm with sassylashes. Go. Just. Go. Watch out for pickpockets. The tourism board is SOOOO not kidding about that around Barcelona.

Being immersed in a different country and culture numbs you to the things that would have you hollering at a motel manager in the States. One of my most memorable trips was to Paris. We were there while the entire city was on holiday. We stayed in a super cramped Holiday Inn that was clean but the space was tiny and the rules were ridiculous -- we weren't allowed there during the day. Oh! And we had trouble getting food! And the Burger King boy was unhappy with me because I kept calling them fries. It was so much fun.

And it is ALL a part of the adventure.

Barcelona is a fabulous city, and is one of the most interesting in terms of architecture and design. It's a great place to visit even if you don't end up moving there. Gaudi was one of a kind, that's for sure.

I've been watching the Spain on the Road PBS series with Mario Batali, Gwyeth Paltrow, and friends. Often annoying, and yet also a yummy peek at the country.

Why are these hotels you never want to leave if you've never been there? You should definitely visit, but moving to a place you've never been is sort of odd.

What about work?

http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/living/livingabroadin/living_abroad_in_spain_moving.shtml

I've moved to three cities (albeit in the US) w/o having ever visited. Two I loved, one I hated, but I knew it was only temporary.

I say ditto on the language thing: learn it if you haven't, if only enough to get by until immersion, then you'll start to learn more. I picked up a tremendous amount of Mandarin/Chinese while living in Beijing last summer. It is a much bigger deal, though, to move somewhere w/o knowing the language than to visit it.

And last do heed the advice and research more about the economy in Spain. It is pretty close to terrible right now.

@b77 -- If she moves to Barcelona, shouldn't she learn Catalan as well as Spanish?

rosenatti- Catalan is not that dominate in Barcelona, but I can assure you most everyone speaks Spanish. You hear Catalan in Valencia, obviously Catalonia and other South East parts of Spain. I lived in Barcelona for six months hardly heard Catalan.

b77,

You hear Catalan in Catalonia, but not in Barcelona? I think you need to consult a map.

dangerousmonkey - haha, good one.

i love the catalans for banning bullfighting.

word of advice: don't bother going to la pedrera when it's raining, you won't be allowed to go on the roof!

I really love Spain especially BARCELONA. In fact, I am going back there in soon time for some business matters.

I am finding a good Barcelona Apartments. Can somebody help me find one?