Tia Tula Salamanca

Set in an antique building with elegant balconies and wooden floors, the Tia Tula school is furbished with modern audio-visual equipment, computers and free WiFi. The school only accepts a maximum of 64 students at any one time, and each classroom group is limited to 10 students. The classrooms are pleasant, and their large windows offer views of Salamanca city; the school building also houses a screening room for watching Spanish movies, as well as a computer room where students can work. The teachers at Tia Tula have a reputation for being very experienced, helpful and friendly, and they have regular staff meetings to make sure that all of their students are receiving the best possible education during their stay.

There is a good selection of general and specialist Spanish courses at Tia Tula. The most popular programs are the three intensive courses: the Intensive Spanish Language Course (CI), which includes 20 Spanish lessons per week; the Intensive Spanish Language and Conversation Course (CICO) that includes 20 weekly Spanish lessons, plus 5 weekly conversation lessons; and finally, the Intensive Spanish Language + Culture and Civilization Course (CICC), which includes 20 weekly Spanish lessons and 5 weekly classes dedicated to exploring Spanish history, art, cuisine, customs and geography. These three main intensive courses are all apt for any level of student. The courses are divided into 6 different proficiency levels, with beginners’ courses starting once a month and students at all other levels able to join a course on any Monday of the year. All lessons run from Monday to Friday, and students can pick any program length, starting from two weeks.

Tia Tula also offers many alternative courses. If you wish to have your level of Spanish officially certified, you can choose the DELE Preparation Course culminating with a DELE exam. Students studying for a Spanish A-level, GCSE exam, Leaving Certificate or AP examinations can join 1-4 week revision courses during half-term or other school holiday times. Tia Tula also runs Business Spanish and Spanish Teacher Courses, and there is a specially programmed Gap Year Course for those looking to spend a much longer time in Spain, whilst still enjoying quality language tuition with defined learning goals. Information about specialist courses is available through UniSpain.

One of the great features of this school is the extensive activity schedule, which the school runs in conjunction with the Spanish courses. The activities are designed to complement the language lessons, many of them are free, and everybody is encouraged to join in. The schedule is designed to include something for everyone: salsa and flamenco lessons, sightseeing in Salamanca, visits to museums, wine taverns, tapas bars and the local countryside, horse riding, paintballing, cinema, conferences and exhibitions, as well as student-teacher football, basketball and tennis matches and deals to attend local fitness classes.

Salamanca is a declared UNESCO World Heritage City, rich in architecture, art and history, and the Spanish spoken in Salamanca is reputedly the purest form of the language. It is also a happening student town, thanks to the University of Salamanca, which lends this historic place a young atmosphere and a vibrant street life. As a European City of Culture, Salamanca also benefits from a huge variety of music, film and culture festivals, especially during summer. Tia Tula is situated right in the middle of the city, a short walk away from the University, Plaza Mayor, the cathedrals and Palacio de Anaya, and because the center is small, you can easily get around and enjoy all the sights on foot. Salamanca has a small national airport, and connecting flights to the city are available from Barcelona and Madrid. Long distance trains also link Madrid to Salamanca, and you can catch the number 1 bus from the main train station to Plaza Mayor, which is only 2 minutes away from the Tia Tula school.