Spanish Language Immersion Tour – Salamanca, Spain (17 Days)

Your resident director will meet you at the airport to escort your group to the hotel and will be available throughout your Spanish immersion trip to Spain. You’ll travel by private coach from Madrid to Salamanca. Your home for the next three evenings will be with your homestay family in Salamanca, where three meals will be provided daily.

You’ll participate in an orientation meeting to gain relevant information and useful tools about your host country and the program ahead.

"We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience." - John Dewey On every evening of the program, we’ll set time aside to update your Reflection Journal and share thoughts and impressions that have come up during the day.

During your tour, you’ll gain the knowledge and insights of half-day local guides in Spain.

The university city of Salamanca is one of the friendliest cities in Spain. It is known as the heart of the Castilian language, the purest form of Spanish, and visitors can enjoy practicing their skills while exploring the city’s unique architecture. This morning, you’ll participate in Spanish language and culture classes at one of Europe’s oldest educational institutions.

You’ll have an introductory walking tour of Salamanca. This will allow you to become familiar with the city and places you may need to visit during your stay (shops, post office, ATMs, etc.).

Continue with your language classes to enhance your cultural understanding and linguistic skills.

Take a sightseeing tour through Salamanca. First, visit the Casa de las Conchas, currently a public library. The building, constructed in the late 15th century, is covered with 300 carvings of scallop shells, the symbol of the famous pilgrimage The Camino de Santiago. Then, visit the New and Old Cathedrals before stopping at the University of Salamanca, known around the world for its language studies.

This morning, participate in Spanish language and culture classes and practice new vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.

Today, you’ll travel via private coach to Santander. Santander is the capital city of the Cantabria region on Spain's north coast. Enjoy dinner on your own in Santander.

Take a walking tour around Santander. The Palacio de la Magdalena, once the royal summer residence, lies at the mouth of the Bay of Santander on the rocky La Magdalena Peninsula. To the west, the city center is home to the Catedral de Santander, with its octagonal cupola and Gothic cloister. Nearby, the Paseo de Pereda promenade runs along one side of the Jardines de Pereda gardens.

Today, you’ll spend time at one of Santander's beautiful beaches, where you’ll have the opportunity to learn how to surf.

Spend the afternoon at one of Santander's beaches. Enjoy dinner on your own tonight.

Today, you’ll travel from Santander to Salamanca. En route, you’ll visit Santillana del Mar, a charming town that has been declared a national monument by the Spanish government. Santillana del Mar is an aristocratic city that reflects the noble origin of the families who once lived there. Many of its homes were built after the 18th century, but you can find some that date back to the 9th century.

Visit the Palacio de la Magdalena, a palace located on the Magdalena Peninsula. It was built between 1909 and 1911, by popular subscription, to house the Spanish Royal Family during the summer.

Participate in Spanish language and culture classes to advance your knowledge and hone your linguistic skills.

This morning, participate in Spanish language and culture classes to advance our knowledge and practice your linguistic skills.

Today, you’ll participate in a cooking class, where you’ll be able to learn more about traditional Spanish cuisine.

This morning, participate in Spanish language and culture classes to advance your knowledge and hone your linguistic skills.

Learn how to dance Flamenco from local dancers in a lesson this afternoon.

This morning, participate in Spanish language and culture classes to advance your knowledge and practice your linguistic skills.

Enjoy free time to explore the area!

This morning, participate in Spanish language and culture classes to advance your knowledge and hone your linguistic skills.

Explore the Catedral Vieja and the Catedral Nueva. The two cathedrals are unusually built side-by-side and offer contrasting 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, your 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.

A private coach and driver will accompany your group today on your trip outside the city. Segovia is a beautiful and romantic place 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.

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. Your visit will be 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. You may also ascend the tower for breathtaking views of the city and surrounding countryside.

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.

Spend the day at leisure with your host family.

This morning, participate in Spanish language and culture classes to advance your knowledge and practice your linguistic skills.

You’ll have the afternoon to play one of Spain's favorite sports, soccer!

This morning, participate in Spanish language and culture classes to advance your knowledge and practice your linguistic skills.

This evening, you’ll make the final entries in your Reflection Journal and share some of the most significant observations and perspectives that have taken shape in the course of your Spanish language immersion tour. We’ll also discuss how these insights may be most relevant for us all as we return home.

Your rewarding and enjoyable Spanish Language Immersion trip in Spain comes to an end as your resident director accompanies your group to the airport on your overnight drive to Madrid.

As a result of participating on this program, all high school students are eligible to take an online Global Perspectives course through a learning management system, where all the grading and assessment will be undertaken by the WorldStrides Curriculum and Academics team. The course offers 3 college preparatory credits through the University of California at San Diego Extension, where credit will be awarded upon successful completion of the online coursework with all costs associated with the course covered by WorldStrides.