Availability is becoming limited for many programs.
We encourage serious students to call us to find out if there is availability for their program of interest.
Call us today at 888-462-2239.
With dazzling beaches, world-class museums, and some of the best cuisine found on the Mediterranean, Valencia is an ideal summer destination. As the third-largest city in Spain, Valencia boasts the cosmopolitan and modern conveniences of larger European cities, while maintaining its Spanish identity, regional customs, and friendly coastal attitude. It is known locally for its numerous lively festivals, and as the home of the favorite Spanish rice dish, Paella. Throughout the centuries, Valencia has been in the hands of the Moors, Romans, Greeks, Phoenicians, and Iberians, and has built upon that history to become one of the most artistic and vibrant communities in Spain.
Overview
Our summer residential immersion program in Valencia is a pre-college program for students completing grades 9-12 who have a desire to learn about Spanish language and culture while immersing in the Mediterranean lifestyle. Students and staff will live and eat together in a centrally located residence, allowing them to prepare for college years and experience personal growth.
Academics
The Spanish language courses run approximately 3 hours and are taught by experienced Abbey Road faculty in small groups of 8-14 students. The Abbey Road Experiential Learning Method (AR-ELM®) is designed to offer students an immersion experience that would be difficult to reproduce in a classroom in their home country. Our classes are conversational and we strive to make the best use of the resources specific to the host community and its surrounding areas. Students will spend the first half of class covering the fundamentals of the language. They will then be expected to put what they have learned into practice by participating in the practicum activities that use the community as a classroom.
In the afternoons, three times a week, students will also be required to participate in Spanish cultural activities covering such subjects as flamenco, cuisine, cinema, and popular music.
Residence
The language courses are complemented by the residential immersion experience. Abbey Road students and staff live together in a student residence.
All of the Abbey Road faculty and staff are fluent in Spanish and many are native speakers. The program encourages and facilitates the use of Spanish though daily interaction, formal and informal courses, activities and excursions, and much more. However, the key to success in a language study program is the student’s own motivation and effort.
Daily Schedule
During the week, a typical day starts with the morning Spanish class. In the afternoons and evenings, students choose from a variety of activities depending on their interests: beach days, water sports, soccer, volleyball or other athletics, excursions to local sites, performances, shopping, and outdoor cafés. Students will also be required to participate in their choice of cultural activities three times a week.
In addition to planned activities with the Abbey Road group, students will have free time to pursue personal interests. We strive to maintain a perfect balance between structured activities and free time. While we give our students this privilege, we expect them to adhere to the program rules and safety guidelines, especially the policies on alcohol and curfew, and to uphold our standards of responsibility, maturity, and respect.
Weekend Excursions
Students and staff visit Denia, a quaint and historical beach town, where they will experience the mesmerizing views of the coast and mountains while on the famous Limón Express train. The group will also visit the medieval town of Sagunto with its kilometer-long castle, the beautiful beaches in the bustling university town of Castellón, and the Gothic town of Morella.
Travel Extension: Barcelona
During the third week of the program, students and staff will take a four-day trip to one of the most popular destinations in Europe: Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia. A favorite city of our students, Barcelona is known for such ground-breaking artists as Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, and architectural genius Antoni Gaudí. Abbey Roaders will have the opportunity to see some of their work and will be amazed by such architectural gems as La Sagrada Familia, Casa Battló, and La Pedrera. The group will also spend plenty of time exploring the stylish neighborhoods of this fascinating cosmopolitan city.
Program Fee & What's Included
Our program fee is all-inclusive: it includes airfare from New York to the program site, all travel extensions, trips and excursions, tuition, lodging and insurance, and much more. There are no hidden fees, extra costs or surprises. We encourage you to compare our program fee to other programs and see what they include.
The fee for the Valencia program can be found here:
Now is the time to apply! There is currently availability on this program. Due to strong interest, however, we encourage serious students to apply soon.
If you would like to receive a brochure by mail, please complete the short online Preliminary Inquiry, and we will send one immediately.
If you are ready to apply now, click on the Online Application to get started.
For general questions about the application process, please visit our Application & Fees page.
If you have any special questions about the program or need assistance with the application process, please call us toll-free at (888) 462-2239 (from abroad (310) 276-1745) or email us at info@goabbeyroad.com.
