Hello I am an architecture student and my school requires study abroad for a semester for my junior year and I have to pick my location by next semester. My school offers two programs, Barcelona Spain (18 students) or Urbino Italy (100 students). The Barcelona trip is centered in the major city in apartments with only 18 students allowed to go, and it also include travel to Northern and Southern Spain. The Urbino trip is centralized in a small town in the middle of nowhere, not near a transit center at the dormitory of the local university. The class is much larger, and also travels across the country like Venice, Rome, and Florence. I thought about going to the Italy trip because I like Italian architecture, but I rather stay in a large city like Barcelona near a large transit system so I can do independent travel. I wouldn’t mind going to Spain or Italy, but I also wondered which one is cheaper, Spain or Italy? So which program should I go to? Thanks for your time and help.
Do you speak any Spanish or Italian? Barcelona is a huge city and Urbino is a small town, so while Spanish isn’t necessary for Barcelona, speaking any Italian would make Urbino much easier (not that people won’t speak English, but you’ll find you have many more options if you can navigate the Italian transit systems, etc.). Prices in a less touristy place like Urbino will probably be less than in Barcelona, but if you’re traveling to Florence, Rome, etc., you’ll find the prices are as high as Barcelona or more (of course, if the Euro continues to fall and you’re coming from the U.S. either country may soon become a valuable proposition). Good luck!
I think Spain would be a good choice (not to be biased on my Spanish blood) because I feel like when you’re around with only 18 other international students you’d be able to concentrate more.
I think Spain would be a good choice (not to be biased on my Spanish blood) because I feel like when you’re around with only 18 other international students you’d be able to concentrate more.