The challenge of moving to a new country, or even a new city, is how to make new friends and connections. Here are some of the best ways to meet people in Spain.
When you move somewhere new it’s important to find your people and have that support network around you to help you navigate your new life.
Of course moving to Spain is no different. Often it can be even more difficult as you’re having a deal with a new language too.
Whether you’re meeting other foreigners or making friends with Spaniards, it can be tough if you don’t know where to look.
One obvious way of making new friends is through your work, but not all foreigners have traditional jobs when they move to Spain. Many work online or remotely, some are looking for work, while others have retired here and are no longer working.
If you have children, another great place to meet people is at school or nursery. You already know you have a few things in common, such as the neighbourhood you live in and the fact that your kids are similar ages. It’s helpful if you join some type of school-based activity or event, rather than just relying on having to make small talk at the gates. Hanging out in nearby playgrounds after school can often mean you’ll end up striking conversations with other parents and carers.
If you’re not working in an office and you don’t have children, it can be even more difficult to make friends. This is when you really have to push yourself to get out there and socialise.
READ ALSO: What English-language helplines are available in Spain?
Here are some places you can look:
Meet-up
Meet-up is an online platform found in cities and towns all over the world, designed to connect people through hobbies. You’ll be able to find groups dedicated to everything from hiking and sailing to gardening or even just social get-togethers. They attract both locals and foreigners as there are both Spanish and English-speaking groups or a mix of both. Some groups are free, while others you’ll have to pay a small fee, depending on what it is.
Sports and clubs
If you’re into sports, joining a team can be a great way to meet people and mix with the local Spaniards too. Typically, it won’t involve many language skills if you already know how to play, so it’s something you can get into as soon as you arrive.
Language exchanges
Intercambios or language exchanges are a great way to meet local Spaniards as many other groups focus on bringing other foreigners together. Of course, they will help you improve your Spanish skills too and help others with their English ones (or another language). There are often organised exchanges held in bars, cafes or libraries around the country, typically advertised online. You can also try and organise your own, putting a call-out on Facebook groups to see if anyone is interested.
READ ALSO: 12 very good reasons to be happy you live in Spain
Classes
Signing up to group lessons can be an excellent way to meet people and improve your skills or learn a new hobby at the same time. This could be art or pottery classes, language lessons, dancing, music classes or anything else available in your area. In some of the bigger cities or areas popular with foreigners you may find classes in English, but most of them will be in Spanish. This means it’s a great way to help your language skills too. Another advantage of going to a class that you have to pay for is that you’ll see the same people every week, enabling you to make friends quicker. At some free groups you’ll see different people each time, so it will be harder to make new connections each time.
Groups for foreigners
InterNations
This network of groups for foreigners who live in different countries around the world. They have groups and events in most major cities in Spain, and some of the smaller ones too. You can join online and make a profile to find out where the latest events are in your area. Sometimes you may have to pay a small fee, while in other places it’s free.
Gone Girl International
This is a group for women with chapters in major cities around the world. It’s mostly designed to help women find connections and make friends in new cities. They have groups in most major cities in Spain. You can join the group on their Facebook page too and post to find like-minded people.
Costa Women
Another group focused on women and making connections in Spain is Costa Women. It started on the Costa del Sol, but now has social meet-ups in 38 locations around the country including Barcelona, Cádiz, Asturias, Madrid and Mallorca.
Age in Spain
A non-profit organisation run by dedicated volunteers, Age in Spain helps the English-speaking community across the country. If you’re a retiree, it may be worth contacting them to see what events or social groups they know of in your area.
Even if you don’t use Facebook to post on your page very much anymore, it’s still a great way to make connections, particularly when it comes to finding people in a similar situation to you. There are hundreds of groups for foreigners or people that live in certain areas. Search for ‘expats’ and the name of your town or city. In larger cities they’ll have even more specific groups such as Dogs Barcelona for foreign dog owners or Barcelona Babies and Kids for parents. By posting on these groups you can often find others that want to meet and make friends.
READ ALSO: Finding your tribe – A guide for Americans building a life in Spain
