Top 5 Best student cities in Spain

Adriaan De Bolle
UNBLND
Published in
6 min readAug 4, 2023

The land of bullfight (Corrida De Toros), Flamenco and Tapas! This time, we will look at the best student cities in Spain. Spain is situated in Southern Europe, surrounded by a vast Mediterranean ocean. Spain has sunny weather and beautiful beaches which attract hundreds of European tourists every year.

best student cities in Spain
Best student cities — Beach in Spain — Photographer: Enes | Source: Unsplash

Spain situates historically famous universities. Therefore, annually two million foreign students visit Spain to fulfill their dynamic academic interests. Which cities are the most popular for students in Spain?

Best 5 Student Cities in Spain:

1) Barcelona

2) Madrid

3) Valencia

4) Salamanca

5) Granada

1. Barcelona

Barcelona is the capital city of Catalunya and people in Barcelona speak a unique language called Catalan. It is the home of FC Barcelona and the home of Gaudi, one of the most famous architects in the world. The city itself is surrounded by fabulous Gaudi’s buildings and parks, such as Sagrada Família, Park Güell, and Casa Mila.

Best student city in Spain Barcelona
Best student cities — Sagrada Familia — Source -Photographer: Ken Cheung | Source: Unsplash

Barcelona is also known for its gorgeous beach. Various seafood restaurants, pubs, and cafes make the beach more special. This environment would spice up your student life in Barcelona. Be prepared to meet new like-minded people and swim, drink together at Barcelona beach!

Best student cities — Barcelona Beach- Source — Photographer: chan lee | Source: Unsplash

University of Barcelona is one of the best universities in Spain, empowered by more than 5,000 researchers and technicians. It was founded in the 15th century and it consists of 17 different faculties where students can fulfill their academic interests. The best-known faculties are Anatomy and Psychology.

Best student cities  in Spain University of Spain
Best student cities — University of Barcelona — Source: University of Barcelona

2. Madrid

Madrid is the capital city of Spain. Madrid is the home ground of Real Madrid CF which has won 13 UEFA Champions League. All the famous football players have dedicated themselves to these great achievements, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Pepe and Mesut Özil.

Real Madrid in the best student city in Spain
Best student cities — Santiago Bernabéu Stadium (Real Madrid CF) — Source: realmadrid.com

In San Miguel market (Mercado de San Miguel), you can find every Spanish cuisine and enjoy flavorful Spanish wine. San Miguel Market is 24/7 crowded with tourists all over the world who want to taste fresh seafood, Jamon (Spanish Ham), and fruits. You can visit here when you get tired from studying and freshen up with delightful delicacies. You will never forget the unique taste of Jamon with a piece of sweet melon.

San Miguel market
Best student cities — San Miguel Market — Source -Photographer: Victor | Source: Unsplash

Where to study in Madrid? Which universities are contributing to the fame of this best student city in Spain? There are approximately 30 universities and business schools in Barcelona. Among them, there are two most historical universities: National Distance Education University (Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia) and Complutense University of Madrid (Complutense University of Madrid). These are the most populous and also oldest universities in Europe.

Best university Complutense Universitiy of Madrid in the best student cities  Madrid
Best student cities — Complutense University of Madrid — Source: ucm.es

3. Valencia

Where is the third-largest city after Madrid and Barcelona? It is Valencia! Valencia is located on the Iberian Peninsula and is surrounded by the deep-blue Mediterranean coast. It has also a famous football team, Valencia FC and it is a historic port city. It was the center of the silk trade with Asia, Arabic countries. Moreover, Valencia is known for being packed with refined Romanesque and Gothic-style architecture such as La Lonja de la Seda, Cathedral Valencia (Catedral de Valencia), etc.

Valecia best student cities in Spain
Best student cities — La Lonja de la Seda — Source: fedepesca.org

The University of Valencia (Universitat de València Estudi General) is one of the oldest existing universities, founded in the 15th century. It has produced numerous famous researchers in the field of Mathematics, Physics, and Economics. Its buildings are spread all over the city, so you can also explore the city while searching for the lecture rooms.

University of Valencia in the best student cities  in Spain
Best student cities — University of Valencia — Source: uv.es

4. Salamanca

Where is the oldest University in Spain located? Salamanca is located in western Spain and in the middle of the city, Tormes River is peacefully flowing and contributes to a fantastic view of the city. Salamanca itself is designated as a Unesco World Heritage. The city is full of important Romanesque, Gothic, Moorish, Renaissance, and Baroque monuments.

Salamanca the best student cities in Spain
Best student cities — Old city Salamanca — Source: Rentalia

Unversity of Salamanca was established in 1218 and it is the oldest university in Spain. Annually it is attracting more than 30,000 international students, due to its historic academic fame. If you want to study Linguistics, Laws, and Economics, this Unesco World Heritage city will not disappoint you!

Salamanca
Best student cities — University of Salamanca — Source: Free-Apply

5. Granada

Granada is located in southern Spain, in the province of Andalusia. It has been heavily influenced by the historical legacy of Islam, so the city attracts a lot of tourists for its cultural architecture and attractions.

Granada
Best student cities — Granada — Source: Study abroad

Especially, Alhambra palace was the citadel of Nasrid, an Arab dynasty. Its grandness and sophisticated architecture have made it designated as a World Heritage site by Unesco. University of Granada has also a long history. It was built in the 15th century, and it is one of the beloved universities for Erasmus students.

Alhambra de Granada the best student cities in Spain
Best student cities — Alhambra Palace — Source: Photographer: Dimitry B | Unsplash

Why don´t you come to Granada, enjoy Mediterranean sunlight with an Islamic cultural atmosphere?

University of Granada the best student cities
Best student cities — University of Granada — Source: Free-Apply

Are you interested in other best student cities in Europe? Check our articles about UK and Germany and other European student cities.

Do you wanna afford a cheap train pass to travel all around Europe? Interrail offers you a train pass at a very reasonable price, which is a fairly cheap price for students! Check out below for more information.

We have looked at the best student cities in Spain. As we can see, Spain has various places which assure delightful and fantastic student life. What about finding people who can explore these cities and drink Sangria together?

If you are new in the city or want to meet more like-minded people, check out UNBLND app. You can choose your location and your interest, and meet awesome people based on your specific interest. Moreover, the best thing part of UNBLND is that this app is free of charge! Search UNBLND in Google Playstore or Appstore.

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