Program Reviews

My trip to Spain with these guys was one I will never forget, I am a teacher in the States and I really wanted to go out of the country and give back. I never could have imagined what I was walking in to.

If I were to describe this experience in only one word I would say it was mind-opening. It has helped me evolve from so many points of view. Not only did I learn to be more independent and choose for myself, but I also I got to know amazing hard-working people. I managed to do my project and build friendships with the other volunteers. I felt that I truly belonged to that world and I was devastated when I had to leave. The program was simply marvellous

The months that I spent in Bilbao were amazing. The place and the entire staff are incredible, thank you to Rodrigo and Jose for always being willing to teach us so much about about conservation. Being able to help out at such an amazing place with such great people is just a super nice experience. I recommend Instituto Hemingway to anyone who is interested in animal welfare without a doubt.

Taking Spanish courses there as part of the program also helped me to build my Spanish skills as well. I liked that this program allowed me to see all parts of the country, the good and bad, allowing me to appreciate it much more. I was able to connect with locals and see aspects of the culture more than I would if I were just a tourist in the country.

This is one of the most unique and incredible immersion/vacation that I have done. You will be totally immersed in the Spanish language, culture, food, and atmosphere. Everyone was incredibly nice, hospitable, and friendly. The classes were organized, fun and flexible. There were structured lessons in the morning tailored to your level. All the meals were fresh, home-cooked and delicious. In the afternoons, there are various activities which are again tailored to your interests. They are also very flexible with scheduling and can assist with any special requests like renting a car. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to fully immerse in Spanish life while having a good balance of learning Spanish, relaxing and sightseeing the beautiful Basque region of Spain.

Definitely, when booking the trip I was scared and anxious, but this trip taught me how to be independent and overall expose myself to new things. I'd definitely say this was one of the most memorable things in my life I've ever done. I'd say that the best thing about this program was the immersion within the culture and so much more room individuals of any Spanish level can still grow at Instituto Hemingway. One thing I wish could be changed would be adding more trips to parts around Bilbao, but still was very pleasing and I would really recommend! you will make friends from all over that will become some of your closest friends. I'd definetly say don't hesitate to take the trip and become a local for your stay it really creates an unforgettable experience. After taking a Spanish course for 4 weeks then I went for an internship and really enjoyed it. So much fun, so many things I learned..!

I arrived Instituto Hemingway intending to improve my Spanish, but I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I was so happy to find that there is so much more going on than I had anticipated. I found myself a part of a beautiful and unique community that was made up of the staff, volunteers, and students in the program. I made close relationships and countless memories. The Spanish classes exceeded my expectations, and I improved so much!! I even was starting to get the hang of Salsa dancing by the end of it. I chose to spend, a more than conventional, four months with Instituto Hemingway, and honestly every second was worth it. I would travel outside the city some weekends or take advantage of really cool stuff happening in Northern Spain. By the end of my experience, I was leaving three families. My host family, who genuinely are like parents to me. My Instituto Hemingway family, all of the awesome people who I would say hi to every day and get support from often (including great teachers). And finally, the weird mixed up group of people I met along the way from air force groups to people on gap years like me to the Spanish friends I am going to miss so much. I will never forget my time in Spain, and what it has done for me, I owe a lot of that to this great program.

I couldn't be happier with Instituto Hemingway service! I always wanted learn Spanish and visit Spain, but I never thought I would get to do both at the same time. I filled in the application to go to Northern for 6 months and Instituto Hemingway staff was helpful throughout the whole process. They helped me find a great sharedhouse, the classes at Instituto Hemingway school were great and I even had time to learn how to cook an original paella! I had looked at other companies that offer similar services, but this one beats them all without contest, because of the great cultural free options they give you and because it's free! I will definitely use their service again, I prepared for DELE exams level a2 and I passed it without any problems at all. In fact I took later on B2 and I also passed it. Thank you for everything!

Amazing experience, well beyond my expectations. Bilbao is the best place to study and spend a beautiful holiday! I really enjoyed traveling around Spain, discovering wonderful places and rich history. I sincerely recommend Instituto Hemingway to all those looking for a fun and productive language holiday experience. I will definitely be back! Big thanks to all the friendly staff, Hasta pronto!

I don't have a unique story to tell but a lot of thrilling moments that I did experience in those 3 weeks; it is so to say a patchwork of images that are in my mind whenever I think of Bilbao; even though I knew before arriving, that city would not disappoint my expectations , I was really touched not only for its huge historical heritage but mainly because of the friendly and marvelous Basque people I met and knew, who made my stay unforgettable and made my last day so sad when I had to leave from there ... I will come back for sure

Instituto Hemingway provided an excellent learning experience. I was placed in the correct level and started learning from the first day. The instructor was prepared and engaging, and she really fostered a comfortable learning environment. Language learning can be stressful, but in these classes it was mostly fun.

After some weeks taking courses then I enjoyed my experience doing an internship in an incredible local firm!

Bilbao is an amazing city to visit. The people are warm and hospitable to friendly visitors. It is an extremely walkable environment with many interesting places to visit. On this trip I visited dozens of historic sites, I ate excellent food, and I danced my way through several evenings. I look forward to returning to Bilbao, and to Instituto Hemingway!

I cannot recommend Instituto Hemingway Spanish School enough! I spent several months taking group lessons with a couple of different instructors. Both were excellent at teaching and had terrific, warm personalities. With their help, my skills improved dramatically in a relatively short period of time.

I arrived at the school knowing only a few words of Spanish. I took 4-hour lessons per day Monday to Friday. This concentrated learning approach was extremely beneficial for me, and the school's location in historic Casco Viejo made it ideal for immediately applying what I'd learned in the neighborhood's array of shops and restaurants.

My time there was an absolute highlight of my extended stay in Spain.

I attended Spanish courses with Instituto Hemingway for three months. First I took 6 weeks taking courses and then 2 weeks travelling around and finally a program working in a hotel as an intern. I was very impressed by the organization of the school and classes, the placement process for new students (a 10-minute chat, in Spanish, with a teacher who assesses at what level and in which class the student should be placed), the teachers' professionalism and the ambiance, which was casual but goal-oriented. I had a working knowledge of Spanish and was placed exactly where I needed to be to further my learning. That said, it is the total immersion that allowed me to gain and develop confidence in my speaking skills. I lodged with a local family where no one spoke any English, which meant that I would either sink or learn to swim - which is just what I did. I now speak Spanish fluently. Going to Instituto Hemingway was the best thing I could have done to achieve my goal.