Salamanca & Galicia

June 24 - July 24, 2023

Overview


This program offers the best of Spain’s cultural, historic and natural charms combined with the educational opportunities only a Magellan immersion program can offer. This is a perfect program for those wanting to improve their language skills while enjoying the safe environment of one of the oldest university towns in Europe. In Salamanca, you will have the opportunity to practice the language skills learned in class when living with a family in Castilla y León, where the purest Spanish (Castellano) is spoken. Activities include dance classes, ceramics and art workshops, as well as unique afternoon activities with local teens.

 

After three weeks in Salamanca you will travel to Santiago de Compostela, the final destination of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route El Camino de Santiago. You will arrive in Santiago right before the day of St. James, on July 25. This is the epicenter of half a month of celebrations that fill the streets of Compostela with popular tradition and entertainment. This is a unique experience for any world traveler. We will explore the Galicia region starting with the breathtaking Cies island National Park as well as charming coastal cities, beautiful beaches and medieval castles. The final three days of our program will be spent in Madrid, the capital of Spain, for a great sightseeing and cultural adventure. Visit the Royal Palace and the popular Prado and Reina Sofia museums before heading back home. It will be the most amazing summer month you’ve ever had! Enroll in this amazing eye opening experience that will change your vision of the Spanish language and the world as you know it.

Dates & Price:

 

Destinations: Salamanca | Santiago de Compostela | Madrid  |  Program Dates: June 24 – July 24, 2023 | Age Range: 15-18

Homestay: 22 days / Salamanca | Residence: 6 days / Santiago de Compostela  |  Hotel: 3 days / Madrid

Language Prerequisite: One year of Spanish

 

Price: $7195 + Airfare

Destinations


Salamanca (pop. 180,000), located on the Tormes River about 2.5 hours west of Madrid is a quaint city with enchanted streets that twist and turn throughout. Considered by many to be the Spanish Renaissance city, it makes for a unique setting, both for its architectural and urban beauty. Both have survived the test of time, and for Salamanca played an important role regarding humanistic thinking and the thirst for knowledge so prevalent in this historic period. So Salamanca, with its palaces, convents and squares, together with its renowned historic figures, highlight an important era in the rise of popularity of the city. Salamanca is home to the oldest university in Spain and the third oldest university in the Western world (after Bologna, Italy and Oxford, England). The city has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage site in 1988 and chosen as the European City of Culture for 2002.

 

Santiago de Compostela (pop. 95,000) is the final destination of the legendary medieval way pilgrimage, known as the Camino de Santiago (Way of Saint James). This religious pilgrimage route originated in the 9th century. As a holy place, during the Middle Age, Santiago had the same status as Rome and Jerusalem. At the peak of Santiago’s attraction as a place of pilgrimage (from the 11th to the 16th century), up to two million people a year came to worship St James. The Old Town of Santiago de Compostela, together with the outlying Santa Maria de Conxo Monastery, constitutes an extraordinary ensemble of distinguished monuments. The squares and narrow streets of the Old Town contain Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassicist buildings. This town is not only a harmonious and very well preserved historical city, but also a place deeply imbued with faith. The city In 1985 the city's Old Town was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

Madrid (pop. 3,170,000) is the largest city and the capital of Spain. It is a cosmopolitan city with a large cultural and artistic heritage. It is an economic, financial, administrative and service center. The first historical document about the existence of an established settlement in Madrid dates from the Muslim age. In the 9th century the city was known as Majrīt which was retained in Medieval Spanish as Magerit. It was conquered by the Christians in 1085 and expended during the 12th and 13th century but it is not until 1561 that Madrid achieves the status of capital of Spain under Philip II. It counts numerous palaces, parks, a beautiful old town and Plaza Mayor dating back from its glorious past.

 

Excursions: Segovia, Fisterra, Cies Islands, Arribes del Duero National Park, Braganza (Portugal).

What's Included

 

Included with Program Enrollment:

 

• Tuition: 3 weeks; diploma.

• Room and board: Homestay with full board, hotel with half-board.

• Hostels with half board.

• All regional travel costs: bus, train, plane.

• All pre-planned group excursions and activities.

• All cultural and art workshops and all museum entrance fees and guided tours.

• On-site Program Director; U.S. Teacher Chaperones

(with 24-hour cell phone access).

• Travel, accident, medical, baggage, trip cancellation insurance.

 

Not-Included with Program Enrollment:

 

• Air transportation to/from the Program.

• "Meet and Greet" service when arriving separately.

• Official University Transcript (Upon request).

Transportation Info

 

Chaperoned flights are available for each program. Details of the chaperoned flight will be shared upon request to families in February 2016. Chaperoned flights have a minimum of 1 Magellan teacher on-board for the transatlantic portion of the journey. Of course, you can organize your own travel plans, but you must arrive within a designated arrival-window to be met by Magellan staff. Magellan Study Abroad does offer a “Meet and Greet” service (additional fee) should you arrive outside the designated arrival window.

 

There are alternative ways to organize your flight to/from a program location. Hundreds of millions of airline miles go unused each year — Check with relatives or online to see if you might be able to be gifted some airline miles for your program.

Secure Your Space Today

 

Download & Complete your Magellan Application. Along with your application form a $500 deposit is required to secure your space. Applications and deposits will be held as "unprocessed" until your application has been reviewed and approved.