Why Madrid is one of my favourite places in Spain…

If you’re like me and you’re not much of an urbanite, then you may not think that Madrid is the ideal place to study Spanish….however you’d be wrong – very wrong!

In fact, I think that Madrid is one of my favourite places in Spain. Let’s see, the people, the food, the shopping….wow! AND they have siesta time in the afternoon (which you have to admit is awfully civilised!)

Being the Spanish Capital, Madrid is perhaps one of Spain’s more serious cities, with its golden triangle of museums (The Prado, Thyssen and Reina Sofia), its grand avenues and streets and its big city feel.

However, Madrid is also home to some beautiful parks, for example El Parque Retiro, which has some absolutely stunning scenery. It is such a treasure in my opinion, as anytime you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city you can relish in the peace and tranquillity that the park offers. You will see that Retiro Park is a very popular place for all kinds of people, those who like to do their morning exercises and play sports, and others that are just there to take a stroll and relax with their friends. Nearby there are lots of cafés to entice you to try some local delights. My recommendation would be to try El Café Bombon, which is made of condensed milk with a shot of strong coffee. It will certainly wake you before your morning Spanish classes!

The school has 23 comfortable, air-conditioned classrooms, as well as a social area, a video room and a library – everything you could possibly need. Though what I really liked about the school was that I was instantly put at ease by how friendly everyone was – although I shouldn’t have been so surprised by this, after all the school has over 50 years of experience and so they are not exactly strangers to making people feel welcome!

The school is located in the prestigious Salamanca district and it is within easy reach of many ‘must see’ places (including El Parque Retiro). Conveniently, it only takes a few minutes to walk to the school if you’re travelling by metro as there are a couple of metro stops nearby.

Because of the school’s great location, it means that after a day of Spanish classes it is often difficult to decide exactly what to do! For example, you and your friends could either head straight to the park to relax and soak up the sun, or perhaps go visit the Prado Museum, or you could even travel into the city centre within a few minutes.
So, if you want to learn Spanish in a city with lots of spirit, culture and atmosphere – then choose Madrid.

I can’t wait to go back!

Jamie