Spain
From Madrid to the Mediterranean
Immerse yourself in the Spanish language and culture as you visit Madrid’s renowned art museums, explore ancient castles, surf on Spain’s northern coast, hike in the Picos de Europa mountains, and pair up with a local teenager for a language exchange and day stay. Cap your student travel program in Spain on the gorgeous beaches of the Mediterranean.
- Highlights
• 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
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 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.
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.
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 local 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 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.