Spanish Courses for Adults in Spain
Want to learn Spanish? Take one of these Spanish courses in Spain! One of the best ways to learn Spanish or improve your Spanish skills is to take a language course in a Spanish-speaking country. Here you can find a list of the best Spanish language courses in Spain, that are perfect for adult learners.
Why take a Spanish Language Course in Spain?
Taking a Spanish course in Spain is the perfect way to learn Spanish in a natural environment. Immersing yourself in a place is the perfect way to engage in conversations with locals.
From ordering food or drinks from a local restaurant to asking for directions or just making conversations over tapas with a local, you will get so many extra hours of practice outside of class that will help solidify the language skills you accrue.
Finding Spanish Courses for Adults in Spain
Though many Spanish language courses in Spain fill up with mostly young high school/college students or young adults, there are some programs that are more attractive to older adults and professional Spanish learners.
Generally speaking, the smaller schools that are located outside the largest bustling cities or regions and that cost a little bit more or are paired with leisure activities such as hiking or cooking, attract adult and professional (or retired) Spanish learners.
Learn Spanish with Rosetta Stone! Master the Latin American dialect‘Professional Spanish’ courses are also offered at many language schools and while their intent is to help adults who need Spanish for their job or profession, these courses are a great way to connect with other Spanish learners closer to your age.
Find below my top 7 Spanish courses in Spain for adults:
Spanish Courses for Adults in Northern Spain
For those wanting to explore some of the Northern Spain, these Spanish language courses are perfect.
Northern Spain
Academia Iria Flavia (Galicia)
One of my top choice regions to choose when taking a Spanish course in Spain is Galicia. Located in Santiago de Compostela, the gorgeous city that has become famous for being the destination of the renowned Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, Academia Iria Flavia offers courses anywhere from 2-52 weeks. Students praise the program for its cultural program offerings (two cultural outings per week are included in your course) as well as the location and the professionalism of the staff.
Though Santiago de Compostela has a lot of University students and many who come to study Spanish here are college age or younger, this particular Academy has a higher % of post-college and professional students. 60% of students are 29 or older; 40% are 35 or older. Younger students opt for the popular and nearby University de Compostela programs.
If you have not yet visited the Galicia region of Spain, you must put it on your list. Not only is it unlike any other region in Spain (including the local language which is actually closer to Portuguese) but it is also a wonderful region full of historic sites, rugged coasts, world-famous vineyards, and the best seafood in Spain. Add to this that is one of the least expensive regions in Spain for travelers (accommodation, food) and you will be happy with your choice if you should choose to study Spanish in Galicia!
Lacunza IH (San Sebastián)
Located in San Sebastian-jewel of the Basque Country (the richest region in Spain) and one of the swankiest cities in Spain it’s no surprise that Lacunza is a bit more expensive than some of the others on this list. This tiny gleaming seaside city-full of well heeled Basque, high end restaurants. pintxo bars and polished streets is popular for a reason.
The Lacunza school is located just 10 minutes from the center of San Sebastien, within easy walking distance of great beaches, restaurants and most of what the city has to offer.
45% of students at Lacunza are 29 or older (25% 35+) which is a much higher % than most city-based Spanish schools. Looking to ensure your class is full of professional or older students? Try their Business Spanish or Executive Spanish courses.
Courses range from $130-$450/week for Adult and Professional Spanish Courses depending on the number of hours of group lessons and/or private lessons you opt for per week. Their Executive Spanish Course costs almost four times as much, at $1700/week and includes 40 hours of lessons per week as well as lunches.
Pamplona Language Institute
Study in this famous Basque Country city that rose to claim its place as one of the most beloved destinations for visitors to Spain thanks to Hemingways’ romanticization of its famous annual Running of the Bulls (or the San Fermin Feria) festival.
You will find less international and ex-pat presence in Pamplona than in ex-pat and tourism-heavy cities such as Barcelona and Madrid and regions such as Andalucia. This means that you will get the benefit of studying in a large enough city where there is plenty to do and to see but that you will also be able to practice your Spanish more easily because, unlike in these other cities, almost everyone will be speaking Spanish. And, with an average of 30% of students 35 years or older the location and school clearly appeal to a higher percentage of 30+ adults.
Courses cost between $150-$250/week for courses. Like most Spanish schools you can choose from 20 hours/lessons per week to 30 hours/lessons per week with a mix of private or one-to-one lessons to create the course that works best for you. If you opt for their Business Spanish course-you must study for a minimum of four weeks.
Pueblo Español (Madrid based school but programs take place in small villages)
This is the perfect Spanish course in Spain if you are looking for a good balance between the city and a village because the Madrid-based Spanish language courses are often held in small villages.
Pueblo Español is a completely unique language immersion program that focuses not on classroom learning but on conversational immersion with native Spanish-speaking language partners in an intimate and controlled environment.
Unlike any of the other Spanish language programs here, Pueblo Español put students in an environment where they are speaking and hearing Spanish for the maximum possible # of hours per day, and much of that time is spent in one-to-one sessions with Native speaking partners (volunteers not teachers).
You aren’t learning from a book-you are speaking all day every day almost every minute of the day from breakfast (where you are seated Spaniard-student-Spaniard-student) to one-to-one sessions (5-7 per day) to evening activities and social outings.
Accommodation, all meals and a few cultural activities are included with the program price. The only thing you’ll need to spend money on is going out for drinks after dinner, going out to coffee or picking up some souvenirs to bring home with you. All of which you will have to do in Spanish! ?
Those who enroll in Pueblo Español programs are typically professionals or retirees looking to improve their Spanish for professional or travel/leisure reasons.
Peak Me Language School (Asturias)
Like some of the other Spanish language schools on this list-Peak Me appeals to an older audience due to its location (not a major city-not a party town-lots of nature) and focus. Tucked away in a quiet, green, cow speckled little village called Panes in the region of Asturias near the Picos de Europa, Peak Me is owned and run by local Ana Rodriguez Garcia.
Peak Me’s focus is on showing students this beautiful area of Asturias and leading them on amazing local hikes as well as supporting them in their Spanish language learning endeavors. Class sizes are small and courses at the school last for 1/2 the day while activities (if you choose to combine activities-which I highly recommend) take up the second half of the day.
Choose one of their Spanish and Hiking programs or opt for Spanish and yoga/pilates if you prefer. Either way, this school offers a great experience at an affordable price-point. Prices ranges from $300-$500/week for courses (on the higher end-these can include hiking, pilates and/or yoga) and $45-$60/night for accommodation.
Spanish Courses for Adults in Southern Spain
For those wanting to explore the beauty of Southern Spain, these Spanish language courses are perfect.
Academia Atlantika (Conil, Cadiz Province)
One of our top picks for a Spanish course in Southern Spain is the Academia Atlantika, a small language school on the ‘Costa de Luz’ in the Cadiz province of Andalucia in Southern Spain.
Older students like this school for the small class size, individual attention and wonderful instructors. Prices range from $190 to $470 Euros/week depending on the # of hours of classes you want to attend per week and how many private lessons you’d like to be included.
They also offer specialty courses catering to Spanish teachers, group travel professionals, those who need Economic Spanish (those who work in orgs that have trade relations with Spanish-speaking countries) and those who are preparing for DELE (including the exam).
The school offers shared apartment, host family or private apartment accommodation options. The private apartment option is normally the most expensive -but prices can range dramatically from 35-120 Euros/night depending on season and level of accommodation.
Malaca Institute
The Malaca Institute is located in the popular city of Malaga in Andalucia. Malaga is not only an alluring, lively, and fun city within proximity to many other destinations in the region but also boasts an international airport so travel to/from this school is much easier than some other locations in Andalucia. Taking the metro or bus from the airport to the center of the city is easy and cheap and once in the center of the city, you can walk almost anywhere, easily. Malaga is a great base for traveling to popular destinations in Andalucia such as Granada, Seville, Cordoba, and Ronda within a few hours by train or car.
While Malaca Institute also caters to a much younger clientele like most other Spanish language schools they offer some courses geared towards Business and International Trade professionals which are courses where you will find predominantly older students (35+). At this particular institute, you will want to opt for the courses geared towards professionals to ensure you end up in a class that isn’t predominantly college-aged students.
Business/Executive Spanish course costs run from 300 Euros (with a two-week minimum) to 600 Euros/week.
Learning Spanish in Spain
The above Spanish courses for adults in Spain are a great way to learn Spanish in a natural setting. While all different, each of these Spanish language courses offers a unique way to learn Spanish while exploring the country.
Did you find this post interesting? You may be interested in other similar content. Check out these other Spanish language related posts: Spanish TV Series on Hulu, HBO, and Apple TV Hiking in Spanish in the Picos de Europa with Peak Me Language School 8 of the Best Spanish TV Series and Shows on Netflix Spanish Immersion in a tiny village in Northern Spain
*A note on affiliate links: Please note, that some blog posts may contain affiliate links. This is to help defray the costs of running the blog, and to help recommend services, goods, or experiences that I think readers will enjoy.
I really want to explore the Basque country city so maybe I’ll try the Pamplona Language Institute. It looks like one of the best Spanish school in the north of Spain. Also, the courses are quite reasonable. I think I’ll enroll a short course here when I visit Spain next year. I’m so excited!
I took Spanish in college, but I cannot say that I’m fluent yet. I would love to take an immersive Spanish-speaking program like these to truly become fluent. I think the best option for me would be Academia Atlantika in Conil, Cadiz Province. I think this region is very beautiful and love that it’s not in the heart of Spain’s busiest cities. I would love witnessing the “small town” life of Spain and the authentic lifestyle of Spaniards.
I’d love to rekindle my Spanish I learnt at school. We went on a Spanish exchange to the Basque Country but people wanted to speak Basque which was annoying. I like the idea of Pueblo Español as the programs take place in small villages where locals are less likely to respond in English. I love that Peak Me Language School offers a combined Spanish and Hiking program, this would be perfect for me.
I love that you have program recommendations for various regions of Spain. Speaking the language enhances any experience. While learning Spanish, I learned the most from conversing with native speakers and hearing stories about their home. The programs Pueblo Español and Peak Me sound absolutely amazing. I think Peak Me will be added to my next European vacation (language practice, hiking, yoga, and meeting new people, what more could you want?).
the Basque country is one of my top two favorite regions in Spain.. I’m sure you’ll have an amazing trip!
exactly! When forced to use the Spanish you used in class, after class (much more likely in small villages as there aren’t so many expats and foreigneres) you accrue language skills faster and retain more throughout your time there! 🙂
That is definitely the way I like learning the best (Pueblo Espanol) though that one is the most expensive (for a good reason-you get 3X the hours speaking spanish as any other program plus 4 star hotels and all meals and transportation to village and back) so I had to mix it up with a couple of other courses. I also like to see out intercambios (language exchanges) in whatever city I’m in in Spain as it’s a great free or super low cost (sometimes they charge a few euros or just require you to buy your drink) way to practice your Spanish and meet locals
What an interesting article! I studied Spanish at college but never had a chance to practice it much, so I may think about a study holiday to refresh it 🙂 The Pueblo Español program sounds really comprehensive and I like the fact that it takes place in small villages. I like also the Peak Me Language School in Asturias, I mean how cool would it be study in such a quiet and rural environment! Great list 😀
My Spanish is pretty decent, though now Italian’s my number 1 as we live there part time. Saying that, it’s always good to be around other Spanish speakers and to hear the different accents too. I love the sound of the Basque country, so this would be my no.1 choice. San Sebastian’s also known for its excellent and Michelin star food culture, so as a greedy foodie, this is my number 2 lol!
I have always wanted to learn another language and Spanish has always stood out. The main reasons being the wider use of it around the world and being a traveller would certainly help me . I must admit it couldn’t get better than taking a Spanish course in Spain in its natural environment which would also help to engage in conversations with locals. For me the most interesting location would be San Sebastian’s without a doubt . thanks for sharing
exactly! I’m the oppposite-I learned Italian first (13 years ago) but when I moved to Spain a few years ago it took over and now I can hardly remember my Italian! I’m looking into immersion courses in Italy for next year 🙂
If you learn a local language and then take a trip to a specific place, then traveling becomes more interesting. Learning Spanish would be an advantage before going to Spain to explore local neighborhoods and also to order in local restaurants. Thanks for sharing the various regions of Spain where we can learn Spanish.
I’m looking for a flexible summer program for advanced Spanish adult learners that also offers day camps/classes for children. I studied in Barcelona 20 years ago and fell in love with the language, and now speak Spanish at home to my two young children. They understand everything, but rarely choose to speak in Spanish, so I would love to find a program that both they and I could advance our Spanish skills. Any suggestions are welcome and so appreciated!
Ciao Carmalena,
I don’t know of any programs that offer classes for both children and adults, but I’m sure they exist! Most regular schools are pretty flexible as far as classes and levels-so you might try just reaching out to schools and asking them how you might coordinate this.
Diverbo does offer programs for teens and adults-but mostly for English learners I’m not sure if they align their adult Spanish immersion courses with teen Spanish immersion course dates.
Good luck and I hope you guys have fun in Spain!