Spain
From Mountain Passes to the Costa del Sol
Immerse yourself in the Spanish language and culture as you visit renowned art museums, explore ancient castles, learn to surf on Spain’s northern coast, hike through the Picos de Europa and take in the impressive rock formations, and pair up with a local teenager for a language exchange and day stay. End your student travel program in Spain on the gorgeous beaches of the Costa del Sol after outdoor adventures in the Alpujarras region.
- Highlights
• Spend time with a host sibling and join their family for several days
• Learn to dance flamenco with a professional instructor
• Hike past shepherds and their herds in the Picos de Europa
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.
Meet your fellow high 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.
Begin the program with four days 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.
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.
Explore Madrid’s lively streets, sample local delicacies at a tapas market, and take in an outdoor film or a flamenco show. Visit world-renowned museums including the Prado and 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