Spanish Courses in Spain at Colegio Maravillas Benalmadena
Malaga is the smallest of the Andalusian provinces with approx. 600.000 inhabitants. It has a privileged place at the mouth of the Guadalmedina river, on the Mediterranean coast.
Benalmadena is an attractive coastal town of the Costa del Sol ( approx. 30.000 inhabitants ) which sits on a hill at the foot of the Mijas mountains range, only 11 miles from the city of Malaga and 5 miles from Málaga International airport.
Originally a sleepy Andalusian fishing village with beautiful white washed houses, Benalmádena has developed into a lively and animated town which retains its old charm and character. The town is small enough to provide a peaceful and secure environment, while large enough to offer good shops, hotels and restaurants, a large park, a modern sports center,
Benalmadena offers a wide range of amenities for all ages, such as, an amusement park, a water park, an outdoor cinema, a shopping center, cinemas, a casino, 18 hole golf greens and the popular Puerto Marina de Benalmadena, with 978 mooring slips, a sailing school, an aquarium, a diving school, that has become one of the favorite meeting places for young people for its dazzling nightlife.
The geographical situation of Benalmadena enables the students to organize cultural excursions to the most important cities of Andalucia and to Morocco, only a short one hour ferry trip. With mild winter weather and beautiful summers, Benalmadena offers an excellent location choice for year round Spanish Courses in Spain.
Colegio Maravillas Spanish Language School
Colegio Maravillas was founded in 1976 as a private Spanish Language School and it has been offering full immersion Spanish Courses in Benalmadena since then. In 1978, the school moved into it’s own independent building. The Spanish school has grown in size over the years with the opening of the associated travel agency Maravillas Travel and both are now considered to be one of the leading youth organizations in the south of Spain dedicated to teaching Spanish courses. Colegio Maravillas is a member of the following national and international organizations: FIYTO (Federation of International Youth Travel Organization) , ALTO ( Association of Language Travel Organizations), Founder member of AEEA ( Asociación de escuelas de Español en Andalucia), ELITE ( Federation of European language Schools Associations) and FEDELE (Federacion de Escuelas de Español como Lengua Extranjera).
The Colegio Maravillas Spanish School is accredited by Instituto Cervantes.
The school is situated on the top floor of a modern building with 13 large, bright classrooms, equipped with audio-visual facilities and air conditioning. There is also a library with a wide range of reading materials available, a multimedia room with free internet access, a 25-seat movie theatre used for conferences and seminars as well as for Spanish- version movies, a large shaded terrace with a small cafeteria ( summer only), common room, teachers’ room, etc.
At Colegio Maravillas modern Spanish language teaching methods and equipment are accompanied by skilled, friendly teachers and efficient, caring administrative staff. Their methods allow students to develop the four basic skills while learning Spanish: Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing. The idea is to learn Spanish in a natural and spontaneous way, just as students have learned their mother tongue. Students speak Spanish right from the very first day, using it in typical real-life situations: the basic syllabus is supplemented by special exercises, such as, role-play, situational dialogues and project work with the of audio-visual facilities.
The “family” feeling is still the school’s most important asset. Colegio Maravillas has approximately 60 students during the year and 180 students in the summer season from Europe, Asia and North America.
Please click on the following tabs for more information on the Spanish Courses in Benalmadena:
Colegio Maravillas Spanish Courses in Benalmadena
(All programs: NO application fee. A non-refundable USD 100.00 deposit is required at the time of enrollment. Deposit will be subtracted from final program invoice. See Application Procedures)
All prices include: welcome pack with city map and weekly schedule of activities, number of Spanish lessons as specified, text book and teaching material, use of school facilities (library, video room, computers, etc.), e-mail and internet access and Diploma and Certificate of Completion at the end of the course. Each class is 55 minutes long.
Spanish Courses in Benalmadena – Course Options:
Intensive Spanish Course — Maximum of 10 students per class. 20 Spanish lessons per week. Minimum age: 18. Classes are held Monday-Friday from 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM. See pricing below.
Intensive Combination Spanish Course — Maximum of 10 students per class in group session. Minimum age: 18. 20 group Spanish lessons per week PLUS 5 One-to One Spanish lessons weekly. Students attend the Intensive Spanish Course in the morning followed by one daily lessons of individual Spanish instruction for a total of 25 lessons weekly. The afternoon sessions offer the students an opportunity to work on any specific language problem areas. The course is available all year round and students can start on any Monday. See pricing below.
Executive Combination Spanish Course — Maximum of 10 students per class in group sessions. Minimum age: 18. 20 group Spanish lessons per week PLUS 10 One-to One Spanish lessons weekly. Students attend the Intensive Spanish Course in the morning followed by two daily lessons of individual Spanish instruction for a total of 30 lessons weekly. The afternoon sessions offer the students an opportunity to work on any specific language problem areas or to choose specific areas of training such as Business Spanish, etc. See pricing below.
Spanish Courses in Benalmadena – Prices 2023:
(All programs: NO application fee. A non-refundable USD 100.00 deposit is required at the time of enrollment. Deposit will be subtracted from final program invoice. See Application Procedures)
| Course Description | One week | Two weeks | Three weeks | Four weeks | Six weeks | Eight weeks | Twelve weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intensive Spanish Course | $235 | $458 | $669 | $845 | $1,162 | $1,456 | $2,184 |
| Intensive Combination Spanish Course | $405 | $787 | $1,127 | $1,433 | $2,114 | $2,677 | $4,016 |
| Executive Combination Spanish Course | $581 | $1,139 | $1,603 | $2,043 | $2,994 | -- | -- |
All course prices include school registration fees
2023 Starting Dates for all Spanish Courses in Benalmadena – Adult programs: Beginners must start on the following dates, all others may start any Monday: 9 January / 6 February / 6 March / 3 April / 2 May (Tuesday) / 5 June / 3 and 17 July / 7 and 21 August / 4 September / 2 October / 6 and 27 November / 11 December.
Holidays 2023: 1 to 8 January, 28 February, 7 April, 1 May, 15 August, 12 October, 1 November, 7 and 8 December. IMPORTANT NOTE: The school will be closed from 23 December 2023 to 7 January 2024. Classes lost due to Holidays are NOT made up.
Optional Spanish Courses in Benalmadena: The following optional courses can be added to any of the Intensive Spanish courses (they must be booked in conjunction with any of the Spanish courses offered above):
Spanish Courses PLUS Andalusian Handicrafts:
This course combines Spanish lessons with an Andalusian ceramic course.
The ceramic course will take place in the afternoon, with a total of 6 hours weekly. The handicraft portion of the course is based on private classes. Minimum length: 1 week – Maximum length: 2 weeks. Offered all year round (see starting dates below). The course takes place at the teacher’s studio. The technique used is the original one introduced by the ancient Arab civilization in the Iberian Peninsula during their long stay. The result of this technique is a long-lasting product in relief and with brilliant colors. Important Note: The art studio is located in the center of Malaga, public transportation is available but IS NOT included in the price!. Prices listed must be added to Intensive Course price (see above).
Starting Dates 2023: Any Monday of the year (Except full beginner in Spanish: see beginner dates above).
Prices 2023: 1 week: USD 223; 2 weeks: USD 446.
Spanish Courses PLUS Cooking Lessons:
With this program the student is studying Spanish while learning about the Spanish gastronomy and Mediterranean cuisine. Good food is an integral part of Spanish culture interwoven though out the customs and traditions. The program combines the Intensive course with a 3-hour private cooking session per week. The course is taught in Spanish by a professional teacher/cook. It includes ingredients, tasting and discussion on the dishes prepared. Some of the dishes prepared during the course include: Tortilla Española and Sangria, Gazpacho and Ensalada Malagueña, Porra Antequerana, Pescaito Frito and of course: Paella! Prices listed must be added to Intensive Course price (see above).
Starting Dates 2023: Any Monday of the year (Except full beginners in Spanish: see beginner dates above).
Prices 2023: 1 week: USD 182; 2 weeks: USD 341.
Spanish Courses PLUS Flamenco Dance Lessons:
This course introduces the fundamentals of the flamenco dance form that emerged from the Gypsies and belong to the Andalusian culture of southern Spain. The program combines the Intensive course with 3 hours of dance lessons per week in the afternoon. The course will be in Spanish and taught by a professional flamenco dancer. It will focus on the development of flamenco technique through the integration of footwork patterns, hands and arms movements, body attitude, turns, etc. Prices listed must be added to Intensive Course price (see above).
Starting Dates 2023: Any Monday of the year (Except full beginner in Spanish: see beginner dates above).
Prices 2023: USD 170 per week (Private dance lessons!)
Specialized Spanish Courses in Benalmadena:
Spanish Courses for Seniors (50+):
Spanish Course for Seniors – Description: If you are a mature student, of course you can also join our lessons standards for adults. However, if you are interested in sharing time and studies with people around your own age, Colegio Maravillas has designed a special course for you.
Program Information:
Timetable: Monday-Friday from 9.30 to 13.00 / Hours per week: 15 / Maximum class size: 10 students / Minimum age: 50
Course Length: 1 or 2 weeks
Methodology: The course focuses on practical Spanish to enable the student to use our language in situations of everyday life. The course also includes a special program with activities and cultural excursions.
Spanish Courses in Benalmadena for Seniors include:
– Spanish language course (15 hours of 55 minutes / week)
– Orientation tour of the town on the first day
– School material and text books
– Certificate of Attendance at the end of the course
– One full day excursion during the weekend for students enrolling in the 2 week course: Granada, Seville or Ronda
– Two half day visits per week to local towns: Malaga, Mijas or Nerja and Marbella
– One evening outing with the teachers per week (meal or entrance fees not included)
– One seminar on Spanish Arts or Literature per week
– One video-session of Spanish movies followed by a debate
2023 Spanish Courses for Seniors Starting Dates: 9 January / 6 February / 6 March / 3 April / 2 May (Tuesday) / 5 June / 21 August / 4 September / 2 October / 6 and 27 November 30.
Prices 2023: 1 week: USD 364.00; 2 weeks USD 691.00
Notes: Accommodation is not included in the course fees. We recommend the apart-hotel accommodation in single or double occupancy studios (see prices under “Accommodations” tab. Also available upon request: independent apartments fully equipped or hotel accommodations.
Other Specialized Spanish Courses available (please contact us for prices and details):
Teacher Training Spanish Courses / Spanish for Tourism / Private Lessons
Summer Language Course for Teenagers – 13 to 17 years of age (Click link for 2023 Program Information)
Colegio Maravillas – Accommodations
Accommodations are available in selected host families, individual apartments, shared apartments with other students, student residences or in studio apartment-hotels.
Host Families:
Staying with a host-family is an interesting alternative to a stay in an apartment or a hotel and offers, moreover, an excellent opportunity to get to know the Spanish lifestyle. Most of the host-families live within walking distance of the school, others live at 10 to 15 minutes away by train or bus. Half board includes breakfast and dinner from Monday to Friday and all meals on weekends. See pricing below.
Apartment / Apartment Shares:
Independent comfortable apartments in town, 5 to 10 minutes walking to the school, fully furnished with complete kitchen and bathroom, available individually or on a share basis with other international students. A key delivery of USD 20 will be added to the price for those students that do not request an airport pick-up.
Apartments can be individual or shared with 1 or 2 bedrooms, bathroom, living room, complete kitchen, and can accommodate 2 or 3 people. Weekly cleaning is included. See pricing below.
Student Residences:
Larger apartments (residence type) with 4 or more bedrooms, 2 or 3 bathrooms, fully furnished kitchen, living room. Weekly cleaning included. See pricing below.
Studio Apartments:
Studios are situated in a complex 10 to 15 minutes walking to the school, close to the beaches and the town center. Independent mini-apartments, furnished, with fully equipped kitchen, bathroom, terrace, cleaning service, reception 24 hours, telephone and swimming-pool. Prices are subject to availability and subject to change!! See pricing below.
Accommodations Pricing 2023:
| Housing Description | Jul (price/wk) | Aug (price/wk) | Sept (price/wk) | Rest of Year (price/wk) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Host Families: (Single room / breakfast) | $282 | $282 | $282 | $265 |
| Host Families: (Single room / half board) | $314 | $314 | $314 | $297 |
| Student Residence Single Room: (private bedroom, sharing common areas) | $247 | $247 | $247 | $176 |
| Student Residence Double Room: (shared bedroom, sharing the common areas) | $200 | $200 | $200 | $153 |
| Studio Apartments: (single occupancy, contact us for double pricing) | from $540 | from $658 | from $540 | from $400 |
| Shared Apartments* (single room in a shared apartment) | $299 | $299 | $299 | $209 |
* Note: a USD 20.00 key delivery fee must be added to all Residence, Studio and Shared apartment accommodation rates if student does not book an airport transfer.
Double rooms only available for students traveling together (friends or relatives).
Prices are subject to availability and subject to change.
Spanish Courses in Benalmadena – Activities
At Colegio Maravillas Benalmadena they are always trying to make your stay an unforgettable experience. This is why they offer a great number of different activities for you to take part in. This is an important part of your stay, since it enriches your experience and helps you improving the knowledge of the Spanish language. Students receive a listing of weekly activities on the first day of the course. You can attend some of the optional courses detailed above, such as dance lessons and cooking courses, or participate in several of the different sports available in the area. Every week you can practice different sports, such as volleyball, badminton, basketball, beach football, swimming, windsurfing, sailing, climbing and of course Golf! Benalmadena has its own Golf Club, where you can easily become a member. Enjoy the best golf-courses in the world in the Costa del Sol!
Optional excursions can be arranged through the school’s own travel agency.
Airport Transfers: Transfers from Malaga International Airport are available upon request at additional cost: USD 58.00 one way or USD 100.00 round trip.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Prices are subject to change due to fluctuating foreign currency rates.