Why Choose White & Company?
Planning to move to Barcelona in the near future? Here’s just a few reasons why you should consider White & Company as your designated removals specialist:
- offices & storage depots in Spain & UK
- door-to-door packing & removals
- founder member of BAR, FIDI & OMNI
- award winning service
- established in the UK since 1871
- fully insured
- dedicated team of trained professionals
- tailored removals package
We’re founder members of the British Association of Removers, FIDI & OMNI and have been providing removal and shipping services to destinations all over the world for more than 135 years.
Whether you’re moving to the Ciutat Vella (the city centre) or the quieter leafy suburbs of Sant Gervasi, our specialist local knowledge will help ensure your belongings arrive safely, without disruption.
Our removals service
We offer weekly removals services to and from Barcelona.
This includes either full load consignments that take your belongings direct from point A to B, or part loads that are delivered shortly after your arrival.
Our extensive fleet of vehicles, specialist local knowledge and experienced staff make us the standout choice for all removals to Barcelona.
We can arrange a free no obligation home survey and quotation, carried out by one of our qualified surveyors. They will answer any questions you have and offer advice where necessary.
The survey will determine the volume of effects you will be shipping. The total cost of shipment is based on the space your effects will take up in our vehicles.
Regular removals to Barcelona
Our dedicated team in Barcelona will ensure all the relevant paperwork and customs clearance is processed correctly. They will arrange the unloading and unpacking of your household goods.
Upon arrival at your local depot, all effects are transferred to the export warehouse to await loading into a 20ft or 40ft container.
Depot Locations
White & Company offers secure containerised storage facilities via its own depots.
We have 19 strategically placed storage facilities throughout the UK and Spain to choose from.
Recognition
We are founder members of the British Association of Removers, FIDI & OMNI – the voices of the removals industry in the UK and worldwide.
All our warehouses are clean, dry, secure and accredited to European Standard BS EN 14873.
Insurance
Despite our best efforts sometimes items get damaged or things go amiss. White & Company always try to minimise problems during the moving process. That’s why we offer limited liability insurance.
Marine insurance is a key consideration when shipping overseas. We recommend you consider protecting your valuable personal possessions while in transit or storage with our ‘All Risk’ Marine Standard Liability cover.
Marine Insurance Cover is offered to you on receipt of a completed Overseas Valuation Form. Such insurance cover is ‘Comprehensive’ and ‘All Risk’ and is based on the values as declared by you on the Overseas Valuation Form.
Moving to Barcelona? Get a removals quote
Preparing for Your Move
Moving to Barcelona from the UK is a different prospect than moving locally. Navigating Barcelona’s ten districts is a difficult prospect for those inexperienced or unfamiliar with its streets and customs.
White & Company have been transporting household items and goods to Barcelona for many years and can make the process run smoothly on the day.
Our experience moving team can help put you at ease and answer any questions you might have about the process of moving abroad.
Below are some useful tips to consider before you move to Barcelona:
- Register to settle in Spain (over 3 months), at a local Oficina de Extranjeros for a residence certificate.
- Research before you buy a property and consult independent legal advice – Barcelona’s city landscape and layout hosts a wide variety of housing from sky rises to traditional villas.
- Rent before you buy – With ten districts to choose from check the area is right for you and has access to work, schools, etc.
- Secure school places before you leave – there are a mix of public and international schools but as a result of the sizeable expat population they are in high demand.
- Vaccinate and microchip your pets and obtain the necessary paperwork they need to move with you.
- Start taking language lessons – Many residents of Barcelona speak Catalans, a co-official language which is different from Castilian Spanish, considered to be the ‘second language’.
Popular Districts in Barcelona
When it comes to picking a place to live there are 10 districts to choose from. Each with their own unique personality:
- Ciutat Vella (the old city)
- L’Eixample
- Sants-Montjuic
- Les Corts
- Sarria-Sant Gervasi
- Gracia
- Horta-Guinardo
- Nou Barris
- Sant Andreu
- Sant Marti
Where you choose to live will largely depend on your budget and personal circumstances. El Raval in the old city has shaken off its undesirable tag to become a melting pot of different cultures where expats from different European nations converse over paella and some beers after work.
FAQs
Where you choose to live will largely depend on a combination of factors, including your budget and personal circumstances.
The most popular areas of Barcelona for expats are L’Eixample, Gracia, the Old Town (Gotico) and El Born.
L’Eixample is a trendy neighbourhood popular among young professionals with plenty of bars and restaurants, alongside hip cafes and designer clothing stores.
Alternatively, head to Sant Cugat, a family friendly suburb around 20km from the city centre. It has lots of schools and excellent transport connections for those commuting into the city for work.
Public schools provide a fantastic opportunity to learn the Catalans language and integrate with locals.
However older children may need help acclimatising to the language and customs. As such an international school is a popular choice for many relocating families.
The majority are located in Sant Gervasi, Sarrià and Pedralbes and are of a high quality.
Doctor surgeries are called Centres d’Atenció Primaries (CAPs). To register you will need your social security number and your empadronamiento as outlined above.
There are lots of healthcare providers in Barcelona and the standard of care is comparative to most Western countries.
You must obtain your NIE (Número de Identificación de Extranjer) as soon as possible. Without this, buying or renting a property is much more complicated.
You will also need your NIE to buy a car and to obtain a local mobile phone contract.
Once you have your NIE number you can apply for your social security number. A process which is called ‘empadronamiento’ and can be carried out at the local town hall.
Even if you bank with a Spanish bank in the UK, such as Santander you will need to register and open a separate account in Spain.
You can open a non-resident’s bank account without an NIE number, but you will have to change this once you have your NIE number.
To open a bank account in Barcelona you must be other 18 years of age and bring the following documents:
- Photographic proof of identity such as a passport.
- Proof of your occupation status (employment contract or payslip)
- Confirmation of address (utility bill, driving licence or council tax bill no older than 3 months)
Perhaps best renowned for it’s successful football club FC Barcelona, it is the capital and largest city of Catalonia.
A large port city on the Mediterranean, Barcelona is where culture, climate and cuisine come together as part of an eclectic showcase of Catalonian life.
The city manages to combine the modern and traditional together in a unique way with its historic medieval architecture blending effortlessly with modern sky-rise apartments and shopping complexes.
Barcelona has a vibrant social scene with endless amounts of Michelin star restaurants, cafes and artisan markets.
It plays host to some world-renowned festivals, including the Dia de Sant Jordi, Primavera Sound Festival and the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix, to name just a few.
Some of the cities’ headline attractions include:
- The Sagrada Familia – a large unfinished Roman Catholic church in Barcelona which was designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí and designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
- Park Güell – another work of Gaudi considered to be one of the most stunning public parks in the world.
- Las Ramblas – explore arts, the theatre or some high-end shopping at this, Barcelona’s premier entertainment district.
- A visit to the Camp Nou – don’t miss out on the chance to catch one of the world’s finest football teams in action or take a stadium tour to explore deeper their illustrious history.
Getting around the city is made easy by metro trains and buses.
But a lesser-known fact is that Barcelona is actually a great place for cycling. It is relatively flat with few hills and there is a network of public bike lanes. City planners have included a bicycle fleet which you can hire on a temporary basis, much like the ‘Boris bikes’ of London.
Just make sure you bring a bike lock. Barcelona is a safe city for the most part but bike theft is extremely common because of the large number of bikes on the road and the ease by which they can be sold for scrap metal.
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