School Blog

Here you will find some impressions of this wonderful area:

Trevélez village in the Alpujarra Mountains (Sierra Nevada National Park) has been declared as the highest point of its location of being 1500m above sea level. In fact, it is being touted as the ideal place to start hiking along the mountainous treks.

Another point in favor of Trevélez is the close proximity of Mulhacen which is considered as the highest mountain range in Peninsula, el Chorrillo, the Tagus Pañabon and Window Rock.

Do you want to do phantastic trekking tours while attending a Spanish course with us? Then we recommend you to stay during a weekend in Trevélez to explore the wilderness of the Alpujarra Mountains.

In March 2010, the city of Granada hosts a new edition of the Tango Festival, dedicated to this style of dance, which is popular all around the world and boasts an attendance of world wide professionals and dance lovers alike.
 
There has been an explosion of tango enthusiasts and professional dancers in recent years, going to show that tango is, essentially, a manifestation of contemporary urban culture. This event aims to fill the whole city with rhythm and passion, with over fifty artists and some fifteen shows, as well as parallel activities that go from dance classes and night time parties, through to street performances and meetings between artists and enthusiasts.

Throughout the festival many competitions, themed nights and tuition classes are held. Granada itself is turned into a stage, with celebratory concerts, music and tango dancing in the streets!  The city well and truly comes to Tango life and celebrates this passionate event with flair and sophistication.
 
You can find the programme at www.eltango.com

The idea is to contrast great film classics with works from the 20th century.
This is a one-off opportunity to revisit the films which have served as the original inspiration for the languages and visual effects which have led to our modern cinema today.

This edition of Retroback (05 to 14.02.2010) also includes a parallel programme of exhibitions and concerts. The Festival's opening and closing ceremonies will feature the luxury of music by Mancini, and the icons of classic cinema can also be seen in exhibition rooms and throughout the streets of Granada.

This event is held in a series of different venues in the city of Granada. Although the main site of the Festival is the Teatro Isabel la Católica, there will also be screenings in Cinema 2000 and the Andalusian Film Archive (Filmoteca).

More information on: www.retroback.es

Monday, 11.01.2010           
13.00-14.00 h
Welcome session: Granada & Andalusia – an introduction

Tuesday, 12.01.2010           
20.00-21.30 h
Visit to the Arabic bath Aljibe de San Miguel (includes massage)
Fee: 25 €

Wednesday, 13.01.2010
20.30-22.00 h
Cooking Course: We prepare Paella
Fee: 15 €

Thursday, 14.01.2010
16.00 - 19.00 h
Guided visit to the Albaicín and Sacromonte
20.30 h
Tapa Tour con Gayle
Fee: 15 €

Friday, 15.01.2010
16.00-20.00 h
Horseback riding at Sierra Nevada National Park
Fee: 27 €



Saturday, 16.01.2010
09.00 h
Day trip to the Costa Tropical
Fee: 42 €

The air is filled with the finest flower pollen which is wafted almost invisible on the translucent air. Towns and countryside reverberate the marvellous clarity. One has only to open a window or step outside the door to be conscious of this exhilarating luminosity that is floating everywhere. There are flowers on all sides. It is definitly the best time to go trekking!





(Kathrin from Germany)

There are an un-countable number of mountain tracks and trails dotted throughout the various Sierra Nevada valleys that lead up to the high mountains. So much so in fact, you can effectively choose to stay anywhere and be sure to find walking and hiking possibilities very close by if not on your very doorstep.



The Pico de la Carne tour is a lovely trail starting a little further on from Cumbres Verdes. The trail forms a circuit around the Pico de la Carne summit, passing through a variety of terrain including plenty of woodland making it an excellent choice for the hot summer months of July & August. There are also a couple of watering holes along the trail, (although these may dry up during the hotter months). The route offers stunning views of the 3000m Sierra Nevada chain of peaks from the Alcazaba, Mulhacén, Veleta to the Caballo. This is a good choice for all those who are not used to long tours, as it involves few steep ascents and plenty of shade.

(Geoffrey, Christine, Kathrin and Marga)

The Sierra de Huetor mountains are relatively unknown. The hills and forests offer the intrepid explorer a magnificent insight into the days when there were few paths into the mountainous areas around Granada. The area may only reach around 2000 metres in height but they have fascinating valley and mountain scenery worthy of mountains much higher and ... more famous? The area is open to day or multi-day walking and is perfect for the "get away from it all" types who are tired of following wide trails and footpaths accompanied by the noise of other travellers.
(Caroline from Belgium)

Its natural surroundings and its proximity to Granada turn it into an ideal place for the practice of trekking. Its location makes it enjoy one of the most privileged landscaping places of the north-western cornice of the Penibético Massif and with diverse shades. On one hand, the shore of the Dílar River between poplars; on the other hand, fields of olive trees, pines and oaks.

We started from Cumbres Verdes. There is a forest track which leads down to the Dílar river. Continuing the walk one can contemplate a natural riverbank landscape with abundant leafy green vegetation that grows within the shelter of the humidity of the riverbed, which one has to cross on a number of occasions. On this walking tour you can enjoy the fresh water and the beautiful views of los Alayos and the Trevenque. The Trevenque is a sharp mountain with steep sides, belonging to the limestoned Sierra Nevada. Here, half a hundred strange plants live; some of them can only be found round the peak of the mountains. For that reason, this area has great ecologic value.

Thanks to the school and to Paco, our guide! It was a great day!
(Frank, Nicole, Juliane and Barbara)