HOME Information Request Form Registration Form Conditions
| Spanish French German Italian Russian Chinese Japanese Greek Portuguese Summer Camps |
||
|
 SPAIN : Barcelona
The school is a very modern 6-storeyed building. All the classes are air conditioned and are quite equipped with TV, video. The school also has a big conference and projection room, a multimedia centre with computers, CD rom, Internet, satellite television. Its terrace will give you an open view onto Barcelona Tuition Programs
Group activities |
 |
Starting Dates Every Monday. Beginners must begin at the dates below.
D.E.L.E. preparation Spanish for business Closing Dates
Options Available
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Costs Payable in Canadian dollars. Currency Converter The displayed prices are in Euros ( )
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Accommodation: family, students residence, University residence (summer only), shared apartment, hotel 2*
Fees per week in Euros:
We should specify that the families will only speak with you the language of the country where you will be. It is the principle of the immersion courses! |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Town's information
Catalonia, which currently has some six million inhabitants, was born as a carolingien market, in the IX century, when the area already had behind it a long prehistoric past, Iberian tribes, Phoenician and Greek colonies, of Roman domination, invasions of wisigothes then mahométanes, the latter being that which obliged the Francs to establish a defensive frontier zone. Thus was born slowly on the two sides of the Eastern part of the Pyrenees, a new country consisting of counties which, with time and thanks to Barcelona, was initially independent then, joined Aragon, became a kingdom whose Barcelona was the capital. At the end of the XV century, Catalonia and Aragon were linked with the kingdom of Castille and at the beginning of the XVII century, after the war of succession, Philippe V of Bourbon deprived Catalonia of its secular autonomy by establishing a centralized system. It is the moment where Barcelona became the most modern city of the country, thanks to its commercial and manufacturing effort. Its passed independence and its modernism consequently defined the ambiguous character of this Mediterranean city. Barcelona preserves monuments and ruins of all its historical periods, which makes it a very old city, filled with various memories
At the same time, various " shows " of fashion, as well as tastings of cooked dishes and wines take place. In October, the used Book Fair on Paseo de Gràcia, the Festival of Music; Fall Display, on Tinell, and several other " shows ". In November, All Saints' day and the Day of Deaths, the 1 and 2, when one eats the cakes called " panellets ". In Sainte-Lucie, December 13, begins the fair of the cribs, around the cathedral, of great typism, which lasts until Christmas. It is also the season of the Opera in Liceu, and the concerts in Palau of Música, which lasts several months. The festival of Christmas joins the family together around the traditional Crib, with the new found habit, of " hacer cagar Al tió " (trunk put in fire from which come out the gifts), and great meal with the "escudella " and turkey, (" neules "). The arrival of New Year's day is celebrated in the bars, the restaurants, the discotheques and the street, with people who disguise themselves. The principal festival of January is Kings Mages, the 5, day when ravels the cavalcade and the 6, with the toys and the gifts, for young and old. The Carnival, in February, is starting to recover its pulse, after its prohibition by the pro-Franco dictatorship. Saint Valentine , or celebration of loved ones, takes place the 14, gained also ground. In Gràcia, one celebrates, March 3, the popular festival of Sant Medir, with his cavalcade and his chorales. The Holy Week starts with the fair of the palms, where one carries Palm Sunday; it continues with the religious festivals of the week, and ends with, Easter Monday. On April 23, takes place the most splendid festival, of San Jorge, Patron of Catalonia, which coincide with the festival of the pinks and that of the books. In May, we have the poetic festival of the Floral Plays and, the 11 of the same month, the typical festival of Sant Ponç, of the herbalists, in the street of Hópital. In June, there is the fair of the Book, in Paseo de Gràcia; the Fair-Exposure to Monjuic;
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School
Terrace
Barcelona is the third largest port of Spain and the capital of Catalonia. The city is famous for its promenades, " Ramblas ", with their displays of books and flowers, and their caged birds. The old city conceals Roman vestiges, Gothic churches and palaces of XIV century. The most modern districts are dominated by innovative achievements of the architect-sculptor Antonio Gaudi Y Horn (1852-1926). His most dazzling creation is the church of Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) started in 1883. The city has a dynamic cultural and artistic influence . It is the economic capital of Spain.
Barcelona is at the same time a city of the north and the south. i.e. it is progressive, industrious, middle-class and European. But it is also traditionalist, popular, Mediterranean, and its climate is pleasant. Barcelona is located in a plain which has a down soft inclination, from the Sierra of Collserola (and its climax Tibidabo, 512 m) to the sea.
All this confirms its traditionalism which is expressed in the Christian religion, with strong pagan accents; in society, where the relations are direct and very deep, where family is of all the weight, with imaginative and intelligent individuals; in the economy and its small companies; in the festivals, preserved with as much naturalness than of zeal; in the language, the Catalan, maintained in the city thanks to the Catalan immigrants of the Countryside whom constantly go visit it; in the gastronomy and other fields of the popular or minority culture. However, Barcelona almost always played the card of the modernism, mainly to maintain its tradition firmly. Thus that can be noted as much in the medieval time, with a feudalism in French Catalonia, à.la.mode, and with a very deep feeling of a free Barcelona; in the orientation of its activities towards the trade and textile manufacturing (XIV century); in its industrialization at the beginning of the XIX century; in the great movement of cultural and political revival called the " Renaixença ", in the second half of the last century, followed by no less vital and not least powerful of the " Modernism " (modernismo as a Catalan), as well as various other movements of avant-garde in the XX cen. The writer Vargas Llosa said that there was no city more " snobish " in the world the Barcelona, except maybe for Milan. The search of what is " new " characterizes a whole sector of the population, and make all the citizens permeable. It is consequently not strange that by referring to Catalonia and especially, in Barcelona, some spoke about " schizophrenia " caused by this tension between the traditional and the modern. Barcelona is devoted to the restoration of its streets and its buildings, with the improvement of its services and its living condition, to replace quantity by quality. Its renovated centers draw the attention of the entire world today. The summer months, before almost inactive, offer now sports, commercial and cultural meetings of which the number and quality are increasing The year opens with the festivals of Mercè. Patron of Barcelona, around September 24, with " pasacalles ", popular balls, sardanes, significant sporting competitions (veil, regattas, judo, athletic walk, swimming), religious festivals, etc.
Corpus Christi, with " pasacalles ", young and old, and with " I' or COM balled " (the egg which dances), with the cloister fountain of the cathedral. But the greatest festival of this month, is in the village fair of San Juan, which takes place in private and public buildings, with traditional dances " the Coke ", in addition to the bonfires in some streets and places, and the fireworks. The day before Saint-Pierre, June 28, these festivals of the summer solstice are repeated. At the end of June, the festival of the " Greek " starts. July 24, celebrates San Jaime, the village fairs take place, in San Juan. Towards August 15, day of the Assumption, the largest and the most popular festivals of the district of Gràcia takes place, with its decorated streets. The year largest last celebration is that from the " onze setembre ", national day of Catalonia, with various demonstrations of official and political nature. However, the festivals which take place throughout the year, in the city and its districts, are much more numerous, than its acts, of religious festivals, special meals, " pasacalles " or representations. The frequency and the establishment of these festivals in manners made many people say that Barcelona is one of the cities of Europe where one respects most tradition.
Barcelona photos