Spain
Language & Culture Summer Program

If you want to learn Spanish there’s no better place than Spain, especially  through this YFU program. This intensive four-week program offers Spanish (Castilian) classes four days a week in the morning, leaving afternoons free to explore and participate in group excursions. You will live with a host family in Santander, an ancient town and beach resort in the north.

In addition to living with a host family, you’ll discover the riches of history and culture that Spain has to offer on excursions to places like the Magdalena Palace Peninsula, the charming ninth century village of Santillana del Mar, and an optional bullfight. In addition, many exciting activities are planned during your stay in Santander, including salsa and merengue dance lessons.

Photographs from the 2002 Summer Program!

Why Santander?

Because of its...

1 - Host Families. There are numerous families anxious to host exchange students from all over the world - some years there are more host families available than exchange students. 98% of students are placed with a host family within two weeks of a completed application being received by the office in Spain. Most host families have teens and every effort is made to match your interests with those of your host family.

2 - Pure form of spoken Spanish. Castillian Spanish is widely spoken in this area.

3 - Magnificent leisure options. Water sports, golf, nature trails, great food, museums, monuments, shopping, and the Altamira Prehistoric Caves are just a few of the reasons that Santander is a popular destination for travelers from around the world.

4 - Beautiful seaside and coastline. Within a short walk, bike ride, or bus trip from your host family's home you can enjoy the peaceful surroundings, tranquil countryside, and pristine beaches - rated some of the prettiest and cleanest in Europe.

5 - Weather. The temperature here ranges between 70° and 80°F during the summer.  The gentle ocean breezes allow for a very mild and comfortable temperature (similar to that of the Caribbean) that is perfect for all of your favorite outdoor activities.

6 - High quality of life. The lack of pollution, low crime rate, nice people, efficient local transportation, beautiful beaches, and cosmopolitan feel of this mid-sized city offer the ideal location for your summer abroad.

Schedule for Santander

During your four week stay, you will have four days each week of Spanish classes with other American students.  Excursions and activities are planned for three full days and many evenings.  Friday evenings and weekends will be yours to spend with your new host family. 

Tentative Weekly Schedule:

Spanish Class  Classes are taught by native Spanish speakers who bring with them a variety of experience in teaching Spanish as a second language.  Course content, basically oriented to conversation, includes the following subjects: Street Talk - the Everyday Spanish, Folklore - Customs and Culture, Debate and Discussion, Grammar and Vocabulary, History and Art, and Composition.

City Tour Your first look at beautiful downtown Santander is a short tour around the heart of this modern and glamorous city that was once a small fishing village. You will notice the contrast between the older and more modern buildings and discover the different architectural styles that are full of meaning to the "santanderinos." One such meaningful building is the Post Office (Correos), always chosen as a meeting point by sweethearts and groups of friends - and our meeting point, too.

Boat Tour Along Santander Bay A breathtaking view of the city of Santander from the ocean. Be ready to take lots of pictures from the sea while we cruise slowly past Santander all the way from the downtown area to the beaches, then back to the center of town.

"Baños de Ola" Every summer Santander celebrates the use of the ocean for bathing and health purposes (thalassotherapy), which began at the beginning of the century. A lot of these celebratory events will last for an entire week and will include waltz dances, turn-of-the-century costume parties, sand castle contests, dance classes, and walks. Churros, barquillos, and limonada, etc. will be available.

The Magdalena Peninsula The city´s most outstanding park (2.4 acres - the biggest in the city) holds many wonders. Foremost is the beautiful palace built by the city of Santander for the Royal Family in 1913. You will also find a mini-zoo here with seals, sea lions, and penguins. The Royal Pedreña Golf Club, founded in 1928, is situated across from the Bay of Santander. This very popular club is where the world-renowned golf player Severiano Ballesteros played for much of his life. Some cozy beaches also surround the peninsula.

Fine Arts Museum Built in 1876, the museum is housed in the same building as the library. Our history and art teacher will help us appreciate some of our most known Cantabrian artists, and you will have the opportunity to admire a splendid portrait of the King Fernando VII by the famous artist Goya.

The Parthenon and the Palace of las Fraguas You’ll feel like in you are in Athens, but at the same time you´ll feel like you are on the set of a movie starring Nicole Kidman and produced by Tom Cruise (filmed here in August 2000). Our wonderful guide will tell us all the details!

Dance Classes Each Wednesday, you will attend one of the favorite fun events: dance class. You will have the chance to learn some of the most popular Latin rhythms that are danced on many dance floors around the world: salsa, merengue, meneíto, basic and advanced steps, turns and spins. You may enjoy this activity so much that you will feel inspired to keep taking lessons once you are back home. The group is very lucky to have one of the best professionals in the world as dance instructor. Leather sole shoes are recommended as tennis shoes, sandals, and flip-flops don’t slide well enough.

Santillana del Mar About 1,200 years ago, some monks arrived at Santillana and built a stone monastery. The stone, lived in and worn down over the centuries, forms a beautiful and fantastic backdrop for the imagination. Because of its name, "Sant-i-llana del Mar" has been nicknamed the village of the three lies, because it is neither sainted nor flat, and it has no sea.

Comillas This noble and aristocratic village is set in soft hills that protect its gorgeous beach and sheltered port. You will visit a few buildings of different styles and times, the importance and meaning of which your history and art teacher will be able to explain in class. Time and weather permitting, we will go to Comillas Beach!

Roman Route This 5-kilometer stretch can be covered on foot (wear hiking shoes or tennis shoes, because at times it can be a little muddy). The route travels through extremely beautiful landscapes. It is the road that Romans actually built from inland to the ocean for trading purposes. It is amazing that thousands of years later you can still see traces of their cart wheel tracks - this is a must!

Julióbriga Roman Ruins Under a Medieval Church Archaeological ruins, including ancient Roman homes, a medieval cemetery, and other remains from Roman times can be seen here and photographed. Very interesting and unique.

Bilbao-Guggenheim Museum A day-long excursion takes you to the modern industrial city of Bilbao. The tour guide will take you through the world-renowned Guggenheim Museum, "brother" of the one located in New York City. Like its brother, it houses contemporary art. The building itself is a great work of art that without a doubt will impress you. There will also be some time to shop on Bilbao's main street.

Host Families  You will be warmly welcomed by a carefully selected local host family  who will do their utmost to make your stay a rewarding and memorable experience.  You will feel like a member of their family as you share their home, customs, and language while enjoying the hospitality of Spanish families.

Additional information available (all Adobe Acrobat documents:)

In Their Own Words

At the end of their stay, students were asked to write notes about their summer in Santander. Here's what one group had to say about their time in Spain:

All YFU Programs are subject to change or cancellation without prior notice.
Last Updated: Thursday, August 31, 2006 02:17 PM