El Puerto de Santa Maria is a scenic, traditional tourist city located in the Bay of Cadiz and is an ideal place for a Spanish language course in Spain. The city is relatively small with approximately 82,000 inhabitants, 50,000 of those living in urban areas, ideally making it not too busy. The region has a very pleasant climate with temperatures rarely falling below 20 degrees celsius, even in winter and on average there are 300 days of sunshine per year, again a very attractive feature. The city is within easy reach of Cadiz and Seville, allowing travel arrangements to be straightforward. An effecient transport service operates reguarly from Seville and Cadiz to the city centre, allowing the perfect opportunity for an excursion. Historically speaking, there was Arabian invasion and domination during the 8th century, Christopher Columbus´s second voyage of America departed from the city in 1500 and in the nineteenth century the city became the French Army's headquarters during the war of independence. The surrounding region is famous for a number of traditional things; the "vino de Jerez" sherry, the mountains with their picturesque white-washed villages, the delicious seafood cuisine, and best of all, the spirit and way of life of the Andalusian people so evident in the historical fiestas and flamenco. Traditional song and dance are common features of everyday life.
The Language School
The language school Sampere is located in the heart of the city, and is in a quaint and old-fashioned building in the traditional El Puerto style. Having been recently refurbished the school has excellent facilities for learning Spanish. There are 12 air-conditioned classrooms, a beautiful Andalusian terrace, internet access and a cafeteria. The school is run by a dynamic team of young teachers whose focus is on excellent teaching in a pleasant environment. The teaching methods and materials employed by the school are updated regularly to ensure the students receive the appropriate tuition. The accommodation in El Puerto de Santa Maria is in the form of a host family or in a shared apartment. Both are an excellent way of practising Spanish and for meeting new people. The host families are very friendly and have a lot of experience in looking after foreign students. All accommodation used by students has been selected by the school and has an excellent location with the appropriate facilities. The accomodation is inspected regularly to ensure standards are being maintained.
Do you want to find out more about this language school? Then have a look at the website of Sampere. You will find photos and lots of information about courses, accommodation and activities. You will notice that booking with StudyTravel is cheaper and also offers a lot of extras, like extended travel information and an emergency telephone number during your trip.
Social Programme
Apart from the language courses, the school offers various activities and excursions. Joining these activities is a great way to meet other students and learn about the Spanish culture and way of life.
• Flamenco classes (twice a week).
• Spanish cookery classes (one a week).
• Guided tours to museums and monuments (once a week).
• Spanish culture classes (4 times a week).
• Full day excursions (twice a month).
If you require further information or would like to find out more about StudyTravel, please follow this link or contact us via the following telephone numbers:
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Impression
During my language course in El Puerto de Santa Maria, I fell in love with Spain and especially the sunny Costa de la Luz. The surrounding region is absolutely beautiful. The seafood is delicious and of course I also tasted the famous "vino de Jerez" sherry a couple of times!
Sophie DeWitt, Canada.
