Learn Spanish surrounded by art and culture

If you're thinking of studying outside your own country, if you love culture and are interested in art, then we've got a whole host of reasons to propose Spain as a destination. There are too many to list them all, but here are just a few ideas. Our aim is to make learning Spanish more fun, so it's not all about homework.

Spain is home to an extremely rich cultural heritage, with museums and arts centres that are landmarks of European culture.  For example, you're bound to have heard of the Prado Museum and the Reina Sofia Art Centre. And what about the Guggenheim Museum and the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia? These are just a few of the thrilling places you can see if you come to Spain to learn Spanish.
If you visit the Prado in Madrid, you'll find yourself in one of the most famous museums in the world, and home to works by Velázquez, Rubens and Goya. And you'll be fascinated by the avant-garde art in the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and the Reina Sofía Art Centre in Madrid. And if you want to learn more about artistic techniques with a long history, we suggest taking a walk around the National Museum of Roman Art in Mérida or the National Sculpture Museum in Valladolid. If you're looking for interactive experiences we could suggest the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia.
Those are just a few examples, but there are many more. We've selected a list of 10 museums you can't afford to miss and where you'll find more detailed information. Of course you also have other options such as the Dalí Theatre Museum in Figueres (Girona) and the Castile-León Museum of Contemporary Art (León) http://www.spain.info/es/reportajes/museos_imprescindibles_de_espana.html
If you take a look you'll see that many of them offer a whole range of activities such as workshops, concerts, talks, courses and conferences that are a perfect way of practising your Spanish in a multicultural setting adapted to learning. For example, the Thyssen Bornemisza Museum in Madrid runs training programmes under the heading "Educathyssen". The programme of the Friends of the Prado Foundation also includes talks and conferences. These are just a few examples, but in fact almost all the major museums in Spain have a lively schedule of activities for you to enjoy. Many of them also offer discounts for students.
Of course there's also a lot to be said on the subject of monuments. In the Alhambra in Granada –the most visited monument in Spain– you can see the fascinating traces left by the Arabic culture in our country. For an idea of its spectacular beauty, check out the virtual visit you'll find at this link. It's well worth it: http://www.españaescultura.es/es/monumentos/granada/la_alhambra.html
Would you like to see some more monuments?  In southern Spain, in addition to the Alhambra, you'll find major cultural destinations such as Seville –where you can visit the famous Giralda tower–, and Cordoba, where you'll be able to see a genuine historic treasure in its Great Mosque.  The first is a tower (the old minaret on the mosque) which offers incredible views over Seville, a city with all the charm of Andalusia, and the centuries-old Great Mosque of Cordoba is an architectural wonder. If you prefer more avant-garde monuments you can marvel at the Basilica of La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. You'll be amazed.  And there's more. For example, our cathedrals. Good examples are the ones in Santiago de Compostela, Burgos and Palma de Mallorca. The grandeur of these beautiful buildings will take your breath away.
Many of the monuments in Spain also offer a series of other activities such as dramatised visits and itineraries, and shows by night. You'll find more information here.  And if you're interested in exploring destinations with a long history, Spain's World Heritage sites are another great option. Bear in mind that Spain is the country with the third largest number of UNESCO World Heritage sites in the world. See some of them at this link.
We can't end this list of suggestions without mentioning a very practical tip. All these destinations are easy to visit thanks to our extensive transport network, with very manageable distances between destinations.
You've probably already made up your mind. Grab your notebook and jot down the museums and monuments you'll visit while you're learning Spanish in Spain. If you're thinking of studying outside your country, we've just given you some great reasons for doing so in Spain.