Day 1 :
Departure From North America
- Flight:
Relax and enjoy our scheduled flight from North America.
Day 2 :
Madrid - Salamanca (12 Nights homestay)
- Personal escort to hotel:
Our International Studies Abroad (ISA) Resident Director will meet us at the airport to escort us to our hotel and will be available to the group throughout the tour.
- Amenities:
Our private coach will be waiting to transfer us to our hotel in Madrid. Our home for the next twelve evenings will be with our homestay families in Salamanca, where three meals will be provided daily.
- Salamanca:
The university city of Salamanca is one of the friendliest cities in Spain. It is known as the heart of the Castillian language, the purest form of Spanish, and visitors can enjoy practicing their skills while exploring the city's unique architecture.
- Orientation:
We will participate in an orientation session, covering Health and Safety aspects of the week ahead.
- Dinner and dance:
Enjoy a Flamenco Show, where we will observe the rhythmic art of flamenco dance and music. We will enjoy dinner as we watch the show.
- Daily reflection and group discussion:
"We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience" - John Dewey
On every evening of the program, we will set time aside to update our Reflection Journal and share thoughts and impressions that have come to the fore in the course of the day.
Day 3 :
Language Class and Intro Walking Tour
- Orientation:
We will have an orientation meeting to provide students with relevant information and useful tools to familiarize them with their host country and the program ahead.
- Testing:
This morning we will have placement testing to begin our Spanish Language and Culture classes.
- Local guides:
During the course of our program we will gain from the knowledge and insight of five half-day local guides while we are here in Spain.
- Walking tour:
We will have an introductory walking tour of Salamanca. This will allow students to be familiar with the city with places they may need during their stay (shops, post office, ATMs, ISA office, etc.).
Day 4 :
Language Class and Historic University Tour
- Spanish language classes:
This morning, participate in Spanish Language and Culture classes.
- Visit the University:
Visit Salamanca University, founded in 1218 by Alfonso IX. We will enter the Patio de las Escuelas Menores to admire the Plateresque architectural style of the buildings, before continuing to the Escuelas Menores Building to view the huge zodiac fresco, The Salamanca Sky. Our tour will also include the Library, the Old Library, and the old University Hospital.
- Walking tour:
Take a Walking Tour through the city center, beginning at the Convento de Santa Ursula. Our walk will take us past the Monument to Unamuno and the Casa de las Conchas, before continuing into the Plaza Mayor, one of Spain's largest and grandest squares.
Day 5 :
Language Class and Free Afternoon
- Spanish language classes:
This morning, participate in Spanish Language and Culture classes.
- Free time:
The rest of the afternoon is free to explore the area and to spend some time with your host families.
Day 6 :
Language Class and Dance Class
- Spanish language classes:
This morning, participate in Spanish Language and Culture classes.
- Learn Flamenco:
Learn to dance Flamenco form local dancers in a lesson this afternoon.
Day 7 :
Language Class and Free Afternoon
- Spanish language classes:
This morning, participate in Spanish Language and Culture classes.
- Free time:
The rest of the afternoon is free to explore the area and to spend some time with your host families.
Day 8 :
Day Trip to Segovia
- Coach to Segovia:
A private coach and driver will accompany is today on our trip outside the city.
- Segovia:
Segovia is a beautiful and romantic city that has inspired the work of artists and architects over the centuries. Roman, medieval, and Renaissance influences can be seen throughout the city, and its relaxed way of life makes it difficult to leave.
- Walking tour:
Enjoy a Walking Tour through Segovia's beautiful city center. The highlight of our walk is the impressive Roman Aqueduct, an architectural marvel built by the Romans nearly 2,000 years ago.
- Alcázar de Segovia Castle:
Discover the fairytale Alcázar de Segovia, a castle dating from the 12th century. Royal romance is associated with the Alcázar; it was here that Isabella first met Ferdinand, and Philip II married his fourth wife, Anne of Austria. Our visit is highlighted by the replicas of Isabella's and Ferdinand's thrones, the battlements of the once-impregnable castle, and the tower, originally built by Isabella's father as a prison. Those who choose may ascend the tower for breathtaking views of the city and surrounding countryside.
- Segovia Cathedral:
See Segovia Cathedral, the last Gothic church built in Spain. It stands on the Plaza Mayor at the spot where Isabella I was proclaimed queen of Castile, and is often referred to as la dama de las catedrales.
- Free time:
The rest of the afternoon is free to explore the area and to spend some time with your host families.
Day 9 :
Day Trip to Avila
- Coach to Avila:
A private coach and driver will accompany is today on our trip outside the city.
- Avila:
Avila, the highest city in Spain and birthplace of St. Teresa, is located a short distance from Madrid. This walled city may seem impenetrable, but an exploration of the city inside the walls reveals its beautiful, peaceful soul.
- Tour the Battlements:
Explore the 11th century Walls of Avila, which feature 88 semicircular towers, more than 2,300 crenellations and on its battlements, and nine gateways.
- Avila Cathedral:
Stop in Avila Cathedral, a 12th century fortress-like built into the walls of the city. Highlights of the interior include the 13th century Sacristy, with its star-shaped cupola, and the Treasury, containing a huge silver monstrance and ancient religious icons.
- Basilica Architecture:
Visit the Basilica de San Vicente.. Building of the basilica began in the 11th century in the popular Romanesque style, but it finished in Gothic architecture. It houses the tomb of St. Vincent, and the medieval carvings on the tomb, which depict his torture and subsequent martyrdom, are fascinating.
- Free time:
The rest of the afternoon is free to explore the area and to spend some time with your host families.
Day 10 :
Language Class and Free Afternoon
- Spanish language classes:
This morning, participate in Spanish Language and Culture classes.
- Free time:
The rest of the afternoon is free to explore the area and to spend some time with your host families.
Day 11 :
Language Class and Cathedral Tour
- Spanish language classes:
This morning, participate in Spanish Language and Culture classes.
- Cathedral tour:
Explore the Catedral Vieja and the Catedral Nueva. Unusually, the two cathedrals are built side-by-side and offer a contrast in styles, ranging from Baroque to Romanesque to Renaissance. In the Old Cathedral, a 53-panel altarpiece painted by Nicolas Florentino frames the statue of Salamanca's patron saint, the 12th century Virgen de la Vega. After departing the cathedrals, our walk continues through Salamanca's old quarter to the 1st century Puente Romano, the Convento de las Duenas, the Iglesia-Convento de San Esteban, and the magnificent Torre del Clavero.
Day 12 :
Language Class and Cooking Class
- Spanish language classes:
This morning, participate in Spanish Language and Culture classes.
- Local cooking class:
Today, we will participate in a cooking class, where we will be able to learn more about traditional Spanish cuisine.
Day 13 :
Language Class and Soccer
- Spanish language classes:
This morning, participate in Spanish Language and Culture classes.
- Soccer:
We will have the afternoon to play one of Spain's favorite sports, soccer!
Day 14 :
Language Class and Farewell Afternoon - Overnight Transfer to Madrid
- Spanish language classes:
This morning, participate in Spanish Language and Culture classes.
- Dinner party:
Tonight we will have a special Farewell Dinner in a local restaurant to bring closure to your Spanish experience.
- Program end and departure:
Our rewarding and enjoyable program comes to an end as our Resident Director accompanies us on our overnight drive to the airport.
- Final reflection and discussion session:
This evening we make the final entries in our Reflection Journal and share some of the most significant observations and perspectives that have taken shape in the course of our travel experience and how these may be most relevant for us all as we return home.
Day 15 :
Departure from Madrid
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