Learn Spanish in Málaga
After Seville, Málaga is the second largest city in Andalusia, Spain's southernmost autonomous community, with a population of just under 700,000. The region is known for its warm Mediterranean climate. Málaga nestles on the so-called Costa del Sol sun coast and is bordered inland by the Montes de Málaga and Sierra de Miljas mountain ranges. Two rivers run right through the city into the Mediterranean. So if you are looking for a very sunny and warm language study trip to Spain, a Spanish school in Málaga is definitely the right choice.
Which language school to book in Málaga?
It's not easy for some people to decide on a city for their language study trip to Spain. If you have decided to enjoy your language study trip in the city of Málaga, you have already made one of the most important decisions and can now move on to the next one: The language school. A successful language study trip to Malaga is also largely dependent on choosing the right school. The city offers a wide range of renowned and well-known Spanish schools, all of which have very different advantages. Thousands of language students travel to the city every year and return home delighted. But as different as the language students are, the wishes and expectations of the individual language travel participants are just as far apart. That's why it's important that you think about what a school should offer you and which criteria take priority for you personally. To find the right language school in Málaga, you should consider the following criteria:
- The range of courses
It's probably most important that you look for a Spanish school that offers a Spanish course at your exact learning level. Neither underchallenging nor overchallenging will ensure rapid learning progress. If you want to get the most out of your language study trip to Málaga, you could also start with aSpanish placement testcan be very helpful, as it will help you to find a suitable course level. Not every language school offers courses at all levels. It is therefore essential that you check with the provider before making a definitive enrolment. If you want to prepare explicitly for the Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera (DELE), look for a language school in Málaga that offers special preparation courses. If you want to expand your language skills in your professional field, you can also find industry-specific courses, such as for tourism or business. Some language schools in Málaga offer half-day courses, intensive courses, leisure courses with dance or other activities or courses with additional private lessons. If you only want private lessons, this is of course also possible, but not at every Spanish school.
- The location of the language school
Another important point to consider when choosing the right language school in Málaga is the location. If you are planning a short language study trip, you should opt for a central location. This makes sightseeing, partying and exploring the city a lot easier and eliminates long commutes. Who wants to only see the four walls of the language school and their bedroom during their language study trip? If you are planning a longer language study trip, you can also opt for a language school a little further away from the city center. There will be enough time at the weekends for excursions into the city, for immersing yourself in the nightlife and for sightseeing. In quieter districts, it is usually easier to make contact with the locals. Here, people know each other and always have time for a chat. In addition, the costs for accommodation and food outside of the city are much lower. Most language schools in Málaga are very close to the sea and you can walk to the beach.
- Other important points of reference for the language school
- Timetables
- Number of lessons per week
- Duration of a lesson
- Mix of nationalities
- Infrastructure
- Costs
- Qualifications
- Additional offers (special language courses and leisure activities)
- Reviews of the language school
We at Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch have compiled meaningful testimonials from former Swiss language students in Spain. The feedback from these former language students will give you an insight into the different course models and help you to find the right school for your language study trip to Malaga. Be sure to read the feedback about language schools that you can find on Google if you search for language schools in Málaga on Google Maps. The reviews of the individual language schools on their Facebook page will also give you a good impression of the quality of the Spanish schools in question. You can find additional good tips and information for your language travel to Málaga in ourLanguage travel guidefind.
Where to live in Málaga?
In many cases, the language school in Malaga or the language travel agency here in Switzerland will take care of booking and arranging accommodation. The most recommendable and most profitable type of accommodation during a language study trip in Málaga is a room with a local host family. The family connection and the sharing of a common stage of life and daily routine often promotes progress in learning Spanish to an unexpected degree. Thanks to the relaxed and familiar environment, some language students find it easier to apply their acquired Spanish skills directly in everyday life. Conversations at the dinner table or even on excursions together provide a practical approach to the Spanish language and make a decisive contribution to expanding and consolidating vocabulary. The privilege of gaining such an authentic insight into the life and culture of a Spanish family greatly enhances the language stay. The selected host families are also happy to provide insider tips on excursions, places to visit and means of transportation. Many host families offer either single, double or shared rooms, which can be rented without meals, with breakfast only, with half board or full board.
Another type of accommodation during the language study trip is a student residence or a shared flat. There is a wide and good range of accommodation in Málaga. While there is no connection to a local family in a shared flat or hall of residence, contact with other students and young people from all over the world is much easier here. The bathrooms are usually shared. If a daily retreat is very important to you, studios or small apartments with their own kitchen and bathroom can often be rented. In many cases, such accommodation can only be rented for a few weeks or longer and is therefore more suitable as an option for longer language stays in Málaga. The furnishings and quality of the different types of accommodation vary greatly, which results in large differences in rental costs.
When deciding on the right accommodation in Málaga, the location is of course also an important factor. The respective transport connections to the booked language school and the city center are also important. Sometimes - and especially for short language trips - it's worth paying a little more rent and spending less time and money on the daily commute. However, if a quiet environment is important to you, accommodation a little outside the city center or even on the outskirts is a better choice. If you would like to stay with a host family, you will not be informed of the exact address in advance, but will only find out on site. However, the language schools guarantee a maximum distance between home and school of between 20 and 40 minutes' travel time - a considerable range. Let your language school or language travel provider know your ideas and expectations regarding accommodation in Malaga in good time in order to find the best possible solution.
Where to party in Málaga?
All year round, balmy evenings in Málaga ensure a lively and vibrant nightlife. Spaniards love to party and get together. If you book a language study trip to Málaga, you will certainly miss out on sleep from time to time, as the city has plenty to offer night owls. Going out in Málaga usually starts before midnight, lasts until dawn and often ends with a sweet breakfast in one of the city's many cafés.
If you want to shake a leg, you'll feel like a fish in water in Málaga around the streets by the cathedral. This is where the trendy clubs are lined up and lively events are held. The neighborhoods and streets of Calla Granada, Plaza de Uneibay, Pedregalejo, Plaza de Toros, Calle Beates, La Malagueta on the beach and the port district of El Palo are also home to excellent clubs and bars that are very popular with tourists and locals alike. Students, language students and young people from all over the world prefer the El Palo and Pedregalejo districts as well as La Malagueta. Numerous language schools are also located in the El Palo district at the port.
The best-known names among the clubs are the Liceo, a discotheque with two dance floors, the Abisinia, the Anden and the Paka Paya.
Attention women: In Málaga, entry to most clubs is free for you!
If you want to spend a more leisurely evening in Málaga, you will find a typical Spanish tapas bar on every corner and in every alleyway in the old town, serving typical Spanish snacks with your drinks. Live acts and flamenco shows are often performed in these bars.
What to do in Málaga
Anyone on a language study trip in Málaga will be able to do a wide range of things to enjoy their free time. Whether sightseeing, market visits, shopping, beach excursions or sports, the range of activities on offer is incredibly varied and appeals to everyone.
Numerous historical buildings, museums, cathedrals and palaces show a piece of Spanish history. Particularly worthy of mention here is the approximately 1000-year-old Alcazaba (Arabic for citadel), a beautiful Arab fortress that gives an idea of the former power of Arab culture and is of breathtaking beauty. Right next door and within easy walking distance are the Roman theater and the Palacio de la Aduana palace, themselves witnesses to the Roman Empire in southern Spain. The 14th-century Gibralfaro Castle, which towers high above the city, is also a much-visited piece of history. And what would a major Spanish city be without a mighty cathedral? The Cathedral of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación, whose construction began in the 16th century and is still unfinished today, delights numerous culture vultures every day. During your language study trip to Málaga, you will also come across an astonishing number of palaces, both old and new, all of them beautiful and imposing in design and architecture. A stroll through the picturesque old town of Málaga takes you through numerous historic squares (plazas) and promenades (callas) that invite you to linger. If you are planning a visit to a museum in this city, you will find it hard to make up your mind from the wide range on offer. There are numerous themed worlds to choose from and you will have to decide between automobiles, archaeology, ecology, the underwater world, glass and crystals, wine, art, bullfighting and many more.
If you like it quiet and leisurely, you can soak up the sun on one of the 16 well-maintained and supervised beaches near the city in Málaga. The beaches stretch for a total of 14 kilometers and are popular and yet very quiet retreats from the hustle and bustle of the city. They are well shielded from the noise of the city and invite you to take long walks, sunbathe and cool off. The beaches differ in that some are closer to the city and therefore more popular than others. If you are looking for peace and quiet and more privacy, it is best to choose the beach resorts of Campo de Golf or Guadalmar.
Another alternative to immersing yourself in the hustle and bustle of the city is a trip to the Montes de Málaga nature reserve or a relaxing excursion to the La Concepción Botanical Gardens or the Parque de Málaga.
For the sporty types, there are numerous activities on offer during the language study trip in Málaga. Whether it's hiking, golf, tennis, horse riding, cycling or water sports such as sailing, diving, windsurfing and canoeing or tennis, sport fishing or jogging, there's an activity for everyone.
Transportation in Málaga
Málaga is relatively compact and not very large, and many streets are exclusively for pedestrians. Therefore, many activities can be done on foot. If you do want to go a little further afield and need to cover a longer distance, the best option is to use the EMT public transport buses. They run between 6.30 a.m. and 11 p.m. during the week and at weekends until 1.30 a.m. on all routes within the city. However, the timetable varies depending on the route and day of the week. At night, the buses are replaced by night buses.
A single journey by bus costs around 1.50 francs and is purchased directly from the bus driver. However, a Tarjeta Transbordo, a so-called transfer ticket, can also be purchased in tobacconists and kiosks. This can be used for ten journeys, is transferable and is valid for 1.5 hours per journey.
Málaga also has a metro with a relatively short route network. A trip on the metro costs around 1.50 francs. The multi-ride ticket Trajeta Monedero is a combination of bus and metro ticket and can therefore be used for both means of transportation. With the Trajeta Monedero, a combined journey on the metro costs just under 1 franc and a bus journey costs around 75 centimes.
The multiple-journey tickets are highly recommended, as the savings are relatively large and also because the tickets are transferable. If several people are traveling together, a multiple-journey ticket can simply be validated several times. Especially during a language study trip in Málaga, you will certainly use public transport regularly.
Long-distance buses or the train network are ideal for longer trips to other places.
What you can afford in Málaga
Andalusia is considered a very inexpensive region of Spain, so the cost of living is many times lower than in Switzerland. Nevertheless, the costs for the Spanish course, accommodation, food and leisure time can quickly add up, especially as you can't earn an income during your language study trip in Malaga and at the same time treat yourself to more than at home.
The language course without private lessons, combined with accommodation in Málaga, costs between 400 and 500 francs per week, depending on the intensity of the course and the accommodation.
Those who like to indulge in culinary delights will find that eating out in Malaga's many recommended restaurants is very inexpensive. Going out to clubs and bars at night will also be much less of a burden on your wallet than in Switzerland.
Conclusion: If you have a somewhat tighter budget and would like to book a language study trip to Spain, a language study trip to Málaga is a good choice.
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