Program Directed by
Emma Smith
If you have questions or would like to talk further about this program, please get in touch!
Immerse yourself in Spanish language and culture on our middle school Language Spain program as you travel from coast to coast. Visit Madrid’s renowned art museums, explore ancient castles, surf on Spain’s northern coast, hike in the Picos de Europa, and indulge in the flavors of Spanish cuisine with a cooking class. Cap your student travel program in Spain on the gorgeous beaches of the Mediterranean and return home with a deeper understanding of Spanish language, history, and identity.
- Program Highlights
• Practice new Spanish vocabulary while food shopping at a market
• Hike past cows and goats in the snowcapped Picos de Europa
• Savor traditional Spanish food like churros con chocolate
• Catch a wave during a surf lesson on Spain’s Northern Coast
• Hike past cows and goats in the snowcapped Picos de Europa
• Savor traditional Spanish food like churros con chocolate
• Catch a wave during a surf lesson on Spain’s Northern Coast
“To see the difference between my language skills at the beginning of the trip versus the end was a big source of pride for me. I gained language skills that I can build off of in school this year and in years to come.”
—Stephen P., Packer Collegiate Institute, New York, NY
Itinerary
This itinerary represents our best projection of the group’s schedule. However, we may implement changes designed to improve the quality of the program.
Departure — Travel Day
Meet your fellow middle school student travelers and one or more of your leaders in New York, and fly together to Madrid, Spain. To learn more about how we organize travel, click here.
The Northern Coast — 3 days
Travel from Madrid and begin the program in a small Asturian fishing village on Spain’s gorgeous northern coast. Immerse yourself in the Spanish language and culture, and get to know your fellow travelers as you participate in daily language lessons. Visit local fiestas and markets, and play soccer on the beach with new Spanish friends. Enjoy a surfing lesson in the blue waters of the Cantabrian Sea. Visit Covadonga, a major Asturian pilgrimage site. It was here that the Virgin Mary appeared to Don Pelayo in a cave and inspired his troops to defeat Moorish soldiers at the Battle of Covadonga in 722. Learn about Christian troops’ first victory during the Muslim occupation of Spain and the 700-year Reconquista that followed.
Picos de Europa — 3 days
Travel south to the snowcapped Picos de Europa. Ride a teleférico, or gondola, into the mountains. Hike on spectacular trails past cows, sheep, horses, and goats. Meet local farmers who spend the summer months in the mountains with their herds, and taste Asturian cheeses. Go canyoning in a mountain river, rappelling down waterfalls, and jumping into natural pools.
Madrid — 4 days
Explore Madrid’s lively streets, sample local delicacies at a tapas market, learn to prepare traditional Spanish dishes, and take in an outdoor film or a flamenco show. Visit world-renowned museums, including the Prado or Reina Sofía, and learn about the life and works of Spain’s most celebrated painters, such as Velázquez, Goya, Picasso, and Dalí. Interview local madrileños in the city’s famous Retiro Park, and enjoy a picnic or a rowboat ride. Walk through the dressing rooms, tunnel, and coaching area of Real Madrid’s stadium, Santiago Bernabéu. View tapestries, thrones, and armor at the Royal Palace and learn about the history of the Spanish monarchy.
Mediterranean Coast — 3 days
Travel to a small town located within Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park on the Mediterranean Coast. Hike past volcanic landscapes to a deserted beach, and snorkel in the turquoise water. Invite local children to join you in a game of frisbee or volleyball, and enjoy a sunny picnic. In the evenings, stargaze with a Spanish astronomer and enjoy un helado as you stroll through town. Spend your last day recounting your adventures with new friends, and enjoy a final celebratory meal as a group.
Return — Travel Day
Fly from Madrid to New York with your group and a leader, then continue on to your final destination. To learn more about how we organize travel, click here.
Featured
Program Leaders
Meet some of our featured leaders. Please note that these may not be your leaders for the program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Review specific program questions here. For more general information, visit our full FAQ:
What are the main focuses of this program?
Our Middle School Language Spain program is focused on improving students’ fluency in Spanish by building your vocabulary and confidence in speaking, while exploring Spain’s culture through outdoor activities and interactions with locals. Each day, leaders hold dynamic conversational language lessons designed to help you let go of your inhibitions and communicate more easily. Language lessons are fun and interactive, and incorporate active, hands-on elements such as scavenger hunts, games, and informal interviews.
How much experience is required for this middle school Spanish language program?
One year of Spanish language study is required for our middle school Spanish language immersion program.
What is the Putney Language Pledge?
Each student signs a language pledge to speak only Spanish during the program, not only with the many local people you meet, but also with your leaders and within your group. To learn more about our Language programs click here.
What is an Independent Project?
All students on Putney programs pursue an independent project as a way to more deeply engage with aspects of local culture that are of particular interest to them—in Spain, you might build a phrasebook of colloquial expressions, create a cookbook of recipes from different regions of Spain, or learn the lyrics of the summer’s most popular Spanish songs and perform karaoke style for your group.
What is the technology and cell phone policy?
To help students fully engage and immerse themselves in the Putney travel experience, we do not allow use of cell phones, tablets, or laptops on our Middle School programs. Students may have their cell phones during travel to and from the program. During in-country orientation, leaders facilitate a call home, then collect and securely store all phones until departure day. Throughout the program, students have the opportunity for a weekly call home according to a pre-arranged schedule. For more details, please see our FAQ.
How physically active is this program?
This is a highly active summer travel program. Students participate in activities like hiking in the Picos de Europa mountains, surfing, canyoning, and swimming and snorkeling. You do not need to be at peak fitness to participate, but it is important that you have a desire to be physically active, and that you are excited about trying all activities.
What are the accommodations for this program?
The group stays in comfortable, small, family run hotels and hostels over the course of the program. Leaders reside with students for the duration of the program.
What are meals like in Spain?
The group takes breakfast daily at the accommodations. They eat most lunches and dinners out at local restaurants, and students occasionally shop at a grocery store or market to prepare a picnic lunch.
What type of student is most successful on this program?
This program is designed for middle school students (grades 7–8) who are aiming to improve their language skills through real-world immersion, while also spending their summer outside and in nature. Our Middle School Language Spain program is designed for students who are curious, open-minded, and eager to step outside their comfort zone and explore the outdoors. They should be motivated to actively use Spanish in daily life, even when it feels challenging, and willing to learn through mistakes as part of the process. Students who embrace cultural immersion, participate fully in group life, and engage with local experiences tend to gain the most from the program.
What makes Spain a good location for a Putney Student Travel program?
In Spain, middle school students have the opportunity to fully immerse in the Spanish language and greatly improve their fluency over the course of a few short weeks. The itinerary combines small towns that have been welcoming Putney students for generations with a stop in the cosmopolitan city of Madrid to give students a taste of Spanish culture on a global scale. Combined with rich history, diverse settings, and vibrant culture, Spain provides a deeply engaging environment for both learning and exploration.
How does the middle school Spanish immersion program compare to Putney’s other Language programs?
Our Middle School Language Spain program is one of our most active language immersion programs, allowing students to combine active time in nature with their language practice and immersion. The itinerary features more travel and combines more destinations than other Language programs, which exposes students to various different regions and cultures across Spain.
What outcomes, skills, or growth can students expect to gain from this experience?
Students can expect to greatly improve their fluency and listening skills in Spanish; at the end of the summer, students have shared that they feel less inhibited when speaking, more comfortable using common expressions, and better able to understand what they hear from native speakers. Students also gain soft skills: they build confidence, adaptability, independence, and communication skills by navigating new cultural and social settings, not to mention the deep bonds they form with their peers and leaders.
A Day in the Life: Madrid
Due to the traveling nature of this summer program abroad, each day is different. Here is a snapshot of a day in Madrid.
- Morning
9:00am
Enjoy a traditional Spanish breakfast at our hotel
10:00am
Engage in a language lesson focused on Goya and Velázquez
11:00am
View the work of Spain’s masters at El Museo Nacional del Prado
- Afternoon
2:00pm
Visit a market and make a picnic lunch in the Retiro Park
4:00pm
Rest with a siesta and downtime
- Evening
6:00pm
Learn about Real Madrid’s legacy at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu
8:00pm
Take an evening stroll to the Plaza Mayor and enjoy dinner on a restaurant terraza
10:00pm
Visit a churreria for Spain’s famous churros y chocolate
11:00pm
Meet with your group to reflect on the day and discuss the upcoming schedule
“I could not have asked for a better group! By the end, we felt like a family. It was very hard to leave such a fantastic group of people.”
—Emma H., Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School, Indianapolis, IN
