Dreaming of a trip to Spain? Then this opportunity is for you: Learn Spanish in Spain and explore the country on the weekends with a free hotel voucher.

This is a special offer for Spanish courses at don Quijote schools in Spain: The first 50 students to book their course with don Quijote will receive a voucher for up to 3 nights free accommodation in over 350 hotels in Spain, Portugal and Andorra. The voucher is valid for one year when you spend the required minimum in the hotel, usually breakfast and dinner for 2 people.

This offer is valid for bookings of Spanish courses of 4 weeks or more at don Quijote schools in Spain: Salamanca, Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Granada, Tenerife.

UPDATE - There are only 48 vouchers left, so act fast to get yours now!

  Get more details about this offer and a free course brochure

Auf der Weltausstellung in Zaragoza dreht sich vom 14. Juni bis 14. September 2008 alles um das Thema „Wasser und nachhaltige Entwicklung“.
Deutschland präsentiert auf der EXPO eine attraktive Mischung aus Information und Unterhaltung und zeigt innovative Technologien, richtungsweisende Entwicklungen und kreative Ideen.
Der Deutsche Pavillon nimmt Sie mit auf eine Reise in die wunderbare Welt des Wassers. Erleben Sie ein modernes Wassermärchen und entdecken Sie faszinierende deutsche Wasserlandschaften.

In September 2007, we held a contest in our Monthly Newsletter offering a student the possibility to win a free Spanish course at don Quijote. We are very happy to announce our winner.

Twenty-four year old Kamila Hazdrová from the Czech Republic, a Spanish student subscribed to our Monthly Newsletter, participated in the draw and won a free 2-week Intensive Spanish course with accommodation.

The destination Kamila has chosen for her course is don Quijote Granada school where she will study for two weeks in May.  

¡Enhorabuena! Congratulations!

We would like to thank all our participants and remind you to keep your eyes out for future contests.

If you have not yet signed up for our Monthly Newsletter register now to find out all about our special offers, programs and contests.

Do you also want to study abroad with don Quijote?  Order your free brochure to get more information about our Spanish courses.

If you want to study and work in Spain, here is a great opportunity for you.

don Quijote's Study and Work program in Marbella provides students from European Union countries a unique opportunity to learn Spanish in Spain while working to cover their expenses and improving their CV.

And even better news is that you can now book your Spanish course and work placement in Spain for an unbeatable price.

Book before March 31st and get a special discount on the price of don Quijote's Study and Work program that will allow you to save 25% on the price of the course.

 Read more about this offer here

 Want more information? Ask for details now!

 Click here to ask for a free phone call from don Quijote's course counsellors now!

It's Carnival time in Tenerife and Cádiz!

If you thought that festive Carnival celebrations were the exclusive property of Brazil or Venice, you'll be in for a wild surprise during a February visit to Spain. The most famous Spanish carnival celebrations take place in Tenerife in the Canary Islands and Cádiz in Andalusia.

Tenerife’s Carnival is similar to that of Río de Janeiro, perhaps simply due to geography, since Tenerife is a tropical island with an average temperature of 22º Celsius throughout the year. For "Tinerfeños", Carnaval is the event of the year. Locals work diligently on their costumes for months before the start of the festivities. Dance, music and color take to the streets during the the island's Carnival parades. The most important parades take place in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the capital of the island. If you're eager to see local color and culture while you learn Spanish, Carnival is an ideal time for Spanish course at don Quijote Tenerife.

When: January 30 – February 9th, 2008

See some of our students' photos of past Tenerife Carnivals.

More detailed information: Carnaval Tenerife, the official website.

El dia de los muertos (day of the dead) is celebrated on November 1st, throughout Mexico with variations seen in other Latin American countries and other parts of the world.

It is a joyous holiday commemorating the lives of those who have passed away. It is part of a three-day celebration honouring the dead, who are believed to return to their homes on October 31st, Halloween.

As published by don Quijote in the Costa Blanca News:

El Camino de Santiago
The pilgrimage is the new black. It's unlike anything seen since the 13th Century.

People are once again taking to the road and following the medieval Camino de Santiago (the Way of Saint James) across the north of Spain. Guided by yellow arrows, men and women of all nationalities head west from the French border on a 750km journey over mountains, wheat fields, forests and vine yards, taking in Pamplona, Burgos and León.

Medieval pilgrims seeked faith and penance whilst modern pilgrims often do it for the architecture, the physical effort, the incredible landscape or to take “time out” and seek a new direction. But whatever their reason, the camino is undoubtedly an unforgettable experience unique to Spain.

The Origins of the Camino
Back in 44AD, the pagan Queen Lupa of Padrón, Galicia, received two Palestinian refugees bearing the headless and decomposing corpse of a Christian martyr, requesting to bury him there. The body was said to be that of the apostle James, who had preached in Iberia and been executed by Herod Agrippa on his return to Jerusalem. His followers had rescued the body and allowed Providence to guide their boat through the Straits of Gibraltar to the shores of Galicia. Queen Lupa set them a series of tasks, including the taming of two bulls, which the Palestinians achieved successfully after falling to their knees and praying to Santiago (St. James). Amazed by what she saw, Queen Lupa granted the burial of Santiago and converted to Christianity.

However it wasn´t until the 9th Century that the Camino de Santiago was truly established, when a religious hermit, Pelayo, followed a brightly shining star and stumbled across a hidden Roman mausoleum which housed the remains of the apostle James the Greater. Amongst his relics was gold – artifacts which, still intact and belonging to one of Jesus´apostles, were some of Europe´s finest. The news spread across the continent like wildfire and between the 11th and 13th Centuries Compostela rivalled Rome and Jerusalem as a desination for pilgrims.

FACT: The Camino de Santiago is also known as the Vía Láctea or the Way of the Stars, since the Milky Way appears to mirror the path of the Camino in the sky.

The Pilgrims´Path
The route across northern Spain is not an easy one. Whilst no official start point exists – people usually picking it up wherever they choose – the most popular and traditional route, the Camino Francés, begins at the French border in the Pyrenees, at Roncesvalles. From here, beech forests lead into pastures and villages on a 45km route to Pamplona, which became an official stop on the pilgimage in the 11th Century and whose Gothic cathedral is worth a detour.

West from Pamplona, the camino takes a route through the Sierra del Perdón and down a long valley of wheat, white asparargus, grapes and olive groves to Puente de la Reina, where the Camino Aragonés meets with the Camino Francés, before carrying on to Estella, where the first examples of Romanesque architecture can be found.

From here, the path continues across an undulating landscape of oak trees, wine groves and sleepy villages to Viana, in Navarra, and then on to La Rioja, where Logroño awaits with its Gothic Iglesia de Santiago. From here beckons the province of Castilla y León, where the camino winds through the dense forests of the Montes de Oca to the beautiful city of Burgos – the 13th Century cathedral, whose three eight-pointed-star vaults illuminate the aisle and chapels, is stunning.

The next 200km of the journey takes in the Spanish meseta, where the exposed landscape consists of wheat fields and high barren plains. Highlights here include the Romanesque churches of Frómista and Sahagún, before the Camino reaches León and the home of the “Sistine Chapel of Romanesque painting”, the Panteón Real. The cathedral's 2000 sq metres of stained glass is rivaled only by Chartres in France.

On the way to Astorga, the Camino passes again into mountainous country, ascending to the Cruz de Ferro, a tiny iron cross lodged into an ancient pile of stones and surrounded by items left by passing pilgrims. A steep descent then drops to the city of Ponferrada, with its impressive castle, and on to Villafranca del Bierzo, whose church offered respite and pardon to pilgrims too ill to continue to Compostela.

The mountain pass at O Cebreiro is home to one of the earliest pilgrim stations, founded in 836, and the legendary home of the Holy Grail. The route carries on to the province of Galicia and from here the scenery changes dramatically. Countless villages and hamlets replace the cities and monuments, the houses are stone, the landscape green and the people speak Gallego. Here, Sarria is the chosen spot for those wishing to undertake the last 100 km of the Camino, where rural lanes lead to the town of Melide and Galicia´s oldest cruceiro (standing crucifix).

The last stops on the Camino include Arca and Lavacolla, where pilgrims would wash themselves before heading into the city. The last hill, the Monte do Gozo (Mount Joy), leads to the medieval gateway of Porta do Camiño and finally the magnificent Praza do Obradoiro. Devout pilgrims will then proceed to the cathedral's altar and climb stairs to hug a statue of Santiago and finally to the crypt to pay respect to the famous relics. A symbolic end to the journey is to witness the swinging of the mighty Botafumiero incense burner before mass ends.

FACT: When July 25 falls on a Sunday, that year is known as an Año Santo or Jacobeo (Holy Year). This happens every six, then eleven, five and back to six years...so 2010 and 2021 are the next two to look out for. Holy Years allow Catholic pilgrims earn plenary indulgences.

From Compostela, many pilgrims would historically continue to the end of the known world, Finisterra. At the lighthouse, they would burn rotten and stinking clothes whilst watching the sun set into the Atlantic.   

Here's a quick guide to Spanish dance, complete with phrases and vocabulary to practice at the end of the article, as it was published in the Costa Blanca News. (And as you see from the photo, our Seville partner school does indeed offer a Spanish & Flamenco course. Tempting?)

¡Mira Quién Baila! – A Guide to Spanish Dance

The recent success of reality TV shows such as Strictly Come Dancing in Britain and ¡Mira Quién Baila! in Spain has sparked a dance revival. More people than ever are interested in learning to tango and salsa and what better place to do so than here in Spain where many of the dances originated! Dancing is an excellent form of exercise and a very social past-time too but with so many seemingly similar dances to choose from, where do you start? Here is a guide to some of the more famous Spanish dances…

Flamenco

It is generally agreed that flamenco originated in Andalusía however it is unknown who actually created the dance. It is thought that flamenco was influenced above all by..    more »

Another of the "Living in Spain" pieces we've published in English language media, this article introduces you to the diversity of Spain's 17 regions, by offering a look at Andalucía, Cataluña, El País Vasco and Galicia. We've included phrases and vocabulary to learn at the end of the article. Enjoy!

Las Regiones de España – Spanish Regions

Flamboyant fiestas, noisy tapas bars, flamenco dancing, blue skies and a glistening green sea are just some of the images traditionally conjured up at the mention of Spain. There is no wonder that some 400,000 foreign nationals have taken up residence in the south and some 55 million tourists flock to the country each year. However, while these sunny notions of  Spain are accurate there is a whole lot more to be discovered! There is not enough space here to justify Spain's enormous diversity but this is a brief guide to some of its most famous and distinctive regions.   more »

This article was prepared for the English language press in Spain by a don Quijote intern from the UK earlier this year. Some of the fiesta dates vary each year....so we've included links to handy sites where you read up more about the fiesta and when it takes place...

A Guide to Fiestas and Public Holidays in Spain
The Spaniards' love of noise, colour, dressing up, and generally having a ball is indulged at regular periods throughout the year, thanks to a fixed calendar of public holidays, ferias and fiestas which is strictly observed.

This concept may be a little strange to those of us used to Bank Holiday Mondays being days where the shops are open longer and DIY stores do big business or the sales starting on Boxing Day. However in Spain public holidays still mean exactly that, and, if you're not aware of them, they can catch you out. So write them in your diary and keep them free; nobody does fiesta better than the Spanish – and what better way to spend the day than joining in?

Carnival, celebrated early in February, marked the kick off of Spain's fiesta calendar and, as Easter approaches, there's plenty more to come…

Public Holidays (Festivos)
Across Spain, there are a minimum of 14 official public holidays a year – some observed nationwide and some very locally. If a holiday falls close to a weekend, the Spanish like to make a puente, or bridge, and take the intervening day off too.

The eight national hoildays are:

 1st January: Año Nuevo (New Year´s Day)
 6th April: Viernes Santo (Good Friday)
 1st May: Fiesta del Trabajo (Labour Day)
 1st August: La Asunción (Feast of the Assumption)
 12th October: Día de la Hispanidad (National Day)
 1st November: Todos Santos (All Saint´s Day)
 6th December: Día de la Constitución (Constitution Day)
 25th December: Navidad (Christmas Day)

In addition to these eight, the regional governments of the communidades autónomas (Autonomous Communities) set a further four holidays and local councils a further two. Popular ones follow the Catholic religious calendar and include:

 6th January: Epifanía (Epiphany) or Día de los Reyes Magos (Three Kings Day)…when children recieve holiday presents.
 5th April: Jueves Santo (Maundy Thursday)... the day before Good Friday. Observed everywhere apart from Cataluña and Valencia.
 10th June: Corpus Christi. Especially lovely in Toledo.
 24th June: Día de San Juan Bautista (Feast of St John the Baptist)… King Juan Carlos' saint's day.
 25th July: Día de Santiago Apóstol (Feast of St James the Apostle)... Spain's patron saint.
 8th December: La Immaculada Concepción (Feast of the Immaculate Conception)

Fiestas and Ferias
As if that wasn't enough, the Spanish have innumerable fiestas and ferias of varying size throughout the year...from small villages celebrating for a single day to entire cities partying hard for a whole week. Local tourist offices and Spain's main tourism website, www.spain.info, will have details of all events, but some of the truly unmissable ones include:

 Las Fallas: Valencia's huge 5 day festival of drinking, dancing and first class firework displays.

 Semana Santa: Spain's Holy Week involves moving parades of holy images and huge crowds. Extra special celebrations include those in Seville and the candlelight procession in Santiago de Compostela.

 Moros y Cristianos: Parades and “battles” between Christian and Muslim “armies” in Alcoy, near Alicante.

 Feria de Abril: A week long feria in Seville after the solemnity of Semana Santa.

 Romería de Andújar: Hundreds of thousands of people make a pilgramage to the shrine of the Virgen at Andújar in Andalucia.

 Fiestas de San Isidro: Madrid's chance to let its hair down.

 Hogueras de San Juan: Midsummer bonfires and fireworks along the south-east coast.

 Sanfermines: Pamplona's famous Running of the Bulls.

 La Tomatina: A wild tomato throwing festival in Buñol, Valencia.

 Festes de la Mercè: Barcelona doesn't miss out on the fun, with a week long party taking over the city.

Blog editor's note: And Salamanca joins in the action with three week of ferias in September....

These are, however, just a glimpse of Spain's packed festival calendar and don´t even touch on some of the more local fiestas. If you should get the chance to go to one of these don't pass it up on the grounds that it won't be as fun as some of the larger scale events. The locals can party with the best of them!

Here are 9 things to love about Salamanca, selected a couple of years ago by Christophe Rousseel, a Belgian student and writer who worked with don Quijote during his internship. Christophe spent at least 4 or 5 months here, enough to offer all sorts of advice about how to enjoy Salamanca - by day and by night:

9 things to love about Salamanca

1    Students

Nicknamed the Oxford of the Spanish world, the university of Salamanca boasts a student population of roughly 32000 Spanish students and some 6000 foreign students. There are even more students, since these figures don’t include the considerable number of Spanish learners attending private schools in Salamanca. The high concentration of Spanish and foreign students - there is one student for every 3 or 4 Salmantinos - bestows a unique atmosphere on the small city.

2   Nightlife

Insiders will tell you that Salamanca nightlife can rival any other city in Spain. Or as they say here: Salamanca por la noche, como ninguna. Perhaps it’s not as trendy as Barcelona or as acclaimed as Ibiza but Salamanca at night is custom-made for students. Prices are adapted to student budgets; 5 Euro for an open bar is no exception. The city is easy to get around: you can get anywhere on foot. It is also a lot safer than the bigger party capitals. And last but not least, nightlife is not at all limited to the weekends; you can go out seven days per week (although I advise against it).
Notwithstanding the fact that it’s a small city, Salamanca offers a plethora of bars and clubs: progressive, laid-back bars like Birdland on Plaza de España (named after the landmark jazz club in New York) or Clave del Ocho (near Gran Vía), cosy sidewalk cafés for a quiet talk (like Erasmus on Rua Antigua), crowded discotheques like    more »