Going on a language study trip means crossing your country’s borders to practice a foreign language, but also to immerse yourself in a culture different from your own. And with options ranging from the United Kingdom and the United States to the sunny landscapes of Spain, it’s not always easy to make a choice. To help you out, LEC has put together a list of the top 5—subjective—cities to visit during a language study trip. From London to Berlin, via New York, Toronto, and Barcelona, check out our ranking… and our useful tips!
London
Its population
8.539 million people in 2014
Its area
1,572 km²
Its location on a map
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The region where it is found
The city of London is part of the administrative region known as Greater London.
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Its most famous neighborhoods
- Westminster
- Soho
- Camden Town
- The City
- Shoreditch
- Mayfair
- South Bank
- Fulham
- Brixton
- Primrose Hill
Its must-see monuments and attractions
- Big Ben
- Westminster Abbey
- Piccadilly Circus
- Trafalgar Square
- Oxford Street
- The National Portrait Gallery
- The National Gallery Museum
- St. Paul's Cathedral
- The Tower of London
- The Barbican
- London Zoo, one of the oldest zoos in the world
Famous people associated with the city
- David Beckham
- Charlie Chaplin
- Henry VIII
- Alfred Hitchcock
New York
Its population
8.406 million people in 2013
Its area
789 square kilometers
Its location on a map
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The region where it is found
A distinction is generally made between New York City and New York State, in which it is located and which is home to other cities such as Albany, Buffalo, and Syracuse.
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Its most famous neighborhoods
- Manhattan
- Brooklyn
- Queens
- The Bronx
- Staten Island
Its must-see monuments and attractions
- The Statue of Liberty
- The Empire State Building
- Rockefeller Center
- The Guggenheim Museum
- Central Park
- Fifth Avenue
- Broadway
- Times Square
- The Museum of Modern Art
- St. Patrick's Cathedral
- Carnegie Hall
- Madison Square Garden
- The Brooklyn Bridge
- The Metropolitan Museum
Famous people associated with the city
- Woody Allen
- Scarlett Johansson
- Lady Gaga
- Martin Scorsese
Toronto
Its population
2.615 million people in 2011
Its area
630.2 km²
Its location on a map
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The region where it is found
Toronto is the capital of Ontario, the country's most populous province.
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Its most famous neighborhoods
- West End
- Waterfront
- Yorkville
- Heritage
- East End
- Chinatown
- Entertainment District
Its must-see monuments and attractions
- The CN Tower
- Kensington Market
- The Art Gallery of Ontario
- The Rogers Centre
Famous people associated with the city
- David Cronenberg
- Drake
- Margaret Atwood
- Jim Carrey
Barcelona
Its population
1.602 million people in 2014
Its area
101.9 square kilometers
Its location on a map
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The region where it is found
Barcelona is the administrative and economic capital—as well as the prestigious showcase—of Catalonia, a Spanish autonomous community.
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Its most famous neighborhoods
- Barceloneta
- Olympic Village
- El Poblenou
- El Eixample
- El Born
- El Raval
- Montjuïc
Its must-see monuments and attractions
- The Sagrada Família
- Las Ramblas
- The Picasso Museum
- Park Güell
Famous people associated with the city
- Joan Miró
- Daniel Brühl
- Lionel Messi
- Antoni Gaudí
Berlin
Its population
3.502 million people in 2012
Its area
891.8 square kilometers
Its location on a map
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The region where it is found
Berlin is unique in that it is a city-state, or Stadtstaat in German. Hamburg and Bremen have the same status.
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Its most famous neighborhoods
- Tiergarten
- Mitte
- Friedrichshain
- Schöneberg
- Wilmersdorf
- Charlottenburg
- Kreuzberg
Its must-see monuments and attractions
- Alexanderplatz
- Former Command Headquarters
- Berlin Cathedral
- Charlottenburg Palace
- Checkpoint Charlie
- Victory Column
- Memorial Church
- TV Tower
- Holocaust Memorial
- Berlin Wall
- Pergamon Museum
- Brandenburg Gate
- Potsdamer Platz
- Mauerpark Flea Market
- Reichstag
- Berlin Olympic Stadium
- Karl Marx Avenue
- Unter den Linden Avenue
- Bebelplatz
- Bode Museum
- East Side Gallery
- Friedrichswerder Church
- Kurfürstendamm
- Neue Wache
- Pariser Platz
- Gendarmes Market Square
Famous people associated with the city
- Marlene Dietrich
- Ernst Lubitsch
- William I
- Lucian Freud