Destinations · Europe
Spain
Spain layers Roman, Islamic, Christian and modern history in cities that are easy to reach from one another. Faculty can build courses around architecture, language, regional identity and the country's long Mediterranean exchange with North Africa.
Overview
Spain as a classroom
Spain's history is one of overlapping cultures. Roman roads and theaters, eight centuries of Islamic rule in al-Andalus, the Christian Reconquista and the later Spanish empire all left visible traces in its cities. Today the country has several official languages, strong regional identities and a large tourism and services economy. Students can compare Andalusian, Catalan and Castilian contexts in a single trip. Museums and historic districts also show how cities manage heritage alongside contemporary life.
ARAMFO has run faculty development programs on art, architecture and cultural heritage across Morocco and Spain, with stops in Seville, Córdoba and Granada, and seminars on the parallels between Morocco and Moorish Andalusia. Every faculty-led course is customized to the professor's syllabus and travel dates.
Good to know
- Language
- Spanish (Castilian); Catalan, Basque and Galician are co-official in their regions.
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Best season
- March to June and September to October
- Typical length
- 10-14 days (customizable)
Highlights
What students will see and do
- Alhambra, GranadaThe hilltop palace complex of the Nasrid dynasty is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its carved plasterwork and courtyards.
- Mosque-Cathedral of CórdobaBegun in 785 as a mosque and later converted to a cathedral, it combines Islamic and Christian architecture in one building.
- SevilleThe Alcázar palace and the Gothic cathedral with its Giralda tower show Islamic, Gothic and Renaissance layers side by side.
- Sagrada Família, BarcelonaAntoni Gaudí's basilica, under construction since 1882, is the best-known work of Catalan Modernisme.
- Prado Museum, MadridThe national art museum holds major collections of Velázquez, Goya and El Greco.
- Roman SpainSites such as the aqueduct at Segovia and the theater at Mérida show the scale of Roman engineering in Hispania.
Faculty-led travel courses
Courses that fit Spain
Professors build their own syllabus; ARAMFO arranges the visits that bring it to life.
Art, Architecture & HistoryStudents could compare Islamic, Gothic, Renaissance and modern architecture in Andalusia, Madrid and Barcelona.
Education & Teacher PreparationA course could examine Spain's bilingual and multilingual schooling and the teaching of Spanish as a second language.
Business & EntrepreneurshipStudents could study tourism, the service economy and small business in Spain's regional and urban markets.
Geography & Environmental StudiesA course could look at Mediterranean climate, water scarcity in the south and sustainable tourism in coastal and historic cities.
Programs
ARAMFO programs in Spain
Programs ARAMFO has run or published here. Each can be adapted into a faculty-led travel course for your own students, on your dates.
On the ground
Academic and professional visits
Visits are chosen with the professor to match the course. ARAMFO also arranges flights, housing, meals, local transport, guides and entrance fees.
- University lectures with Spanish faculty
- Museum and heritage conservation briefings
- Historic district walks with architects and historians
- Visits to regional businesses and cultural institutions
Get started
Plan a course in Spain
Tell us about your course and we will reply with a draft itinerary and cost.
More destinations
Other destinations
Countries where ARAMFO has run or published faculty-led courses and faculty development programs.
