School Blog

Furthermore, Granada is a place that is sure to suit the palate of just about anybody, being a city which seemingly unifies all four of the compass´ main directions; on the one hand, it bridges – better than any other city that I know of - the commonly observed chasm between East and West, boasting the ubiquitously known Alhambra as well as the marvellous Albayzin town quarter, whilst still being fully ´up to date´ and offering all the amenities of any large Western city; on the other hand, Granada is a typical sunny Southern-Spanish city (the sun is something I unfortunately wasn´t able to experience, having chosen the rainiest winter in Andalusia ever since the existence of weather data for my visit - I have read that it is usually in constant presence though), however, one can still indulge in a weekend of winter sport or hiking in the nearby Sierra Nevada.
 
In short, a visit to Granada and a concomitant language course at Escuela Montalbán, be it for instrumental or hedonic reasons, are both thoroughly recommended.

Frederick Bauer-Staeb
19 years old
Student
Germany


 

La X edición de MUJERES DEL CINE propone la recuperación de la memoria en el cine hecho por mujeres con la presencia de la directora Ana Diez, primera mujer ganadora de un Goya en nuestro país.

Este año se cumple una década de MUJERES DEL CINE, un festival audiovisual que nació hace diez años y continua con la pretensión de enfoque hacia el cine en femenino.

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)