Program Reviews

I have always wanted to do a Spanish immersion program in either Spain or Latin America, and luckily I had the time and budget for it this summer. Then, I started doing research online to figure out which program would best suit my needs. I came across Agualivar Spanish School and I was very impressed with all the comments I read and photos I saw. I knew that this school has the program and the environment I need to improve my Spanish, so I signed up for the two-week long course.

Much to my pleasure, the program turned out to be exactly like how people described in those comments. There were only two students in my class, which means that my classmate and I both received tons of attention/help from our three experienced Spanish teachers and we had plenty of opportunities to speak the language at home and in class (24/7). Everyday the teachers prepared a lot of fun and engaging activities, such as short videos, games, projects, role-play, debates/discussions, field trips (just to name a few), to help us practice and reinforce the knowledge of vocabulary and grammar. The teachers did a wonderful job creating a positive, supportive, and Spanish-only environment for learning. Every time I felt confused or had trouble understanding or speaking Spanish, the teachers were super helpful and patient to guide me through the process, which really lowered my anxiety and boosted my confidence. In addition, the flexible schedule not only allowed us to improve our Spanish but also gave us lots of free time to relax and take a siesta (which I did everyday:)).

As far as the physical environment is concerned, the school/home is located in the countryside. At first, I wasn’t sure that I was going to survive these two weeks given that I am a total city person. However, it turned out that away from all the hustle and bustle and temptations of a city life, I was able to focus better on my studies and form a deep and meaningful relationship with the teachers, students, and the family (because we spent so much time together). Some days the teachers would also take us on a field trip to the nearby cities for us to learn about their unique culture and history. I also tried to go to various fairs or festivals which took place in different neighborhoods on the weekend. Overall, I enjoyed spending time at home because it was extremely comfortable and self-sufficient with things like the ocean-view bedrooms, big farm, swimming pool, and super yummy and nutritious food made by the teachers and their mom etc.

Frankly speaking, studying Spanish at Agualivar is definitely one of the highlights for me this year. Not only did my Spanish improve, but my motivation and enthusiasm for Spanish also grew so much after this experience. It was sad to say goodbye to everyone because of the strong bond we built and sweet memories we created. I am super grateful for this experience and for everyone at Agualivar. For anyone who would like to challenge yourself with a Spanish immersion program and doesn't know where to go, I strongly recommend Augalivar for its solid program and perfect environment which will really hone your language skills as well as help you gain a better understanding of Spanish culture and history.

Agualivar is an amazing Spanish immersion school! The house is gorgeous and the family is lovely. I spent two weeks there and could've spent two more. Elisabeth, Fani, and Carmen really helped me dive deeper into the language and practice using my new learning in context right away. The small class size makes a big difference. I am very shy and reserved, but I never felt uncomfortable and found myself speaking a lot of Spanish. Everyone is very patient and supportive. They are passionate about teaching their language to others. I was skeptical that two weeks was going to help me improve much, but it truly did. I have so much more confidence in speaking Spanish now! The house is about a 45-minute taxi ride from Malaga and located on a farm. The food is absolutely amazing! The location is peaceful and beautiful with a direct view of the Mediterranean. They are also close to a bus stop in Lagos which I used to go to Nerja for a day while I was there.

1. The house is simply fabulous with an exquisite view of the sea. Classes are normally held alfresco, “en la terraza”, which allows you to enjoy the marvellous views and the refreshing sea breeze while learning spanish. Now, if that does help bring out the spanish in you - I don’t know what will! 😉

2. The whole family is very gracious and welcoming - always happy to chat and help improve your conversational spanish. They treat every student like family. You can count on Fani and Elisabeth to help you plan excursions and trips you might wish to do on weekends.

3. Every meal is hearty - prepared by Fani with attention to detail. A lot of the meals consist of fruit and vegetables which are freshly picked from Don Pepe’s own fruit and vegetable field - so really, it can’t get any more green and healthy than that! Every Friday, Doña Carmen prepares a treat of beautiful dessert to accompany the traditional lunch of sumptous paella. Now that is something to look forward to!

4. Every lesson and activity is well thought out. Fani, Elisabeth and Carmen are all very experienced teachers. Grammar classes are interspersed with games and activities that make ‘dreaded’ grammar exercises more challlenging, fun and effective. 😊

5. Only spanish is allowed to be spoken - even for beginners, but it works! The lessons are structured in such way that you gain confidence in expressing yourself in spanish day by day - and before you you know it - you’ll be speaking grammatically correct sentences in spanish. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to practice - starting from breakfast until dinner. Each mealtime is an opportunity for a free-flowing discussion. Now that is immersion in every sense of the word!

My week at Agualivar was extraordinary! The setting was lovely, the family couldn't have been nicer, the food was divine, and by the end of the week my brain was full of Spanish, and I got exactly what I'd hoped for -- a refresher on grammar, more vocabulary, and ample opportunity to speak. I learned Spanish as a kid in Latin America and am now 62 years old. There's a certain amount of "muscle memory," but only so much. There were four students in a class, and we all mixed well with each other level-wise. I only wish I could have stayed longer as I was beginning to think and dream in Spanish. I'd return in a heartbeat!

I liked everything about the school. The location is beautiful. You can walk along the Mediterranean Sea from the house. The house is lovely with a view of the Sea, the countryside and the gardens. The bedrooms are spacious. The food is delicious, healthy and plentiful. Many of the vegetables come from the house's gardens. The teachers are delightful and very competent. After a week, we felt like we were leaving new, good friends.
The classes are well-designed to be fun and instructive. The lessons were remarkably well chosen so that all of us were able to not feel overwhelmed, but definitely learned a lot. The activities in the afternoons are interesting - you get see more of the area and learn about different aspects of Spain.
I would happily return.

Submerged in the Spanish language for one week or more in a beautiful location, with pleasant and competent teachers, a lot of fun during the lessons and delicious food every day.
The organized trips in the afternoon, for example visiting a vineyard or a beach cafe are super fun and educational. You meet and speak the locals.
After class you can rest by the swimming-pool or take a walk to the village. The teachers will take you in their car during the excursion. You don't need a rental car. The village is within walking distance.
The concept is focused on conversation. At home coming my Latin-American daughter in law told me my pronunciation has been strong approved and we ar able to have small conversations.
I've been to Agualivar twice and in October 2019 I'm going again.

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 Andalusia region of Spain.

Such a great experience. The family are incredible people (warm and positive, fun, happy family) who made us feel completely comfortable and at home. Every detail of the immersion is so well thought out so that the immersion is complete (everything in the house is in Spanish from the cook books to the radio and TV) and there is always someone around to chat to. Fani is a skilled teacher but also a truly lovely person and made me feel comfortable talking. As everyone has said, the food was delicious and the house is lovely (you’d be impressed even if you’re the luxury resort type). I learnt a lot and completely switching my brain to Spanish for a week has really improved my fluency. I would have written the review in Spanish but I wanted to be sure that I was correctly expressing how incredible the experience was!

My expectations are more than fulfilled after a one week full immersion Spanish course at Agualivar. The school and villa is located on the countryside about 40 minutes from Malaga airport and I found the top rated school when looking for a different learning experience in a relaxed setting.

I enjoyed three hours private tutoring daily with Fani, teacher and daughter in the house and Carmen, also experienced Spanish teacher. The clases where fully adopted to my level of Spanish and had a good balance of grammar and speaking exercises. Since you live with the family; mother Carmen (another Carmen) and father José and Fani, you have the opportunity to practice your Spanish all the time as much as you want and you also have full access to all the books and films in the house. You feel welcome as soon as you enter the villa and you are treated as a family member straight away.

The villa is located on a mountain overlooking the sea and has a sunny terrace with magnificent views, where you can have clases if the weather permits. There is also a pool to cool down during summer.

You will enjoy tasty and healthy food with vegetables and fruit directly from the big garden ‘el campo” where José spends most of his time cultivating mangos, avocados, oranges and olives etc. etc. Carmen and José used to run a restaurant and Fani is a great chef, so cooking clearly runs in the family.

I would definitely come back to Agualivar for further extraordinary learning experiences in a beautiful and relaxing environment. I do not have to tell you I am impressed with this school since you have probably figured already...

Qué experiencia tan increíble! I cant recommend this Spanish immersion school highly enough. Not only did I improve my Spanish (from very little ) to a point where I could comfortably navigate myself around the beautiful towns of Andalucia, asking questions and understanding answers that would not have been possible before but I also felt I had made lifelong friends of the wonderfully kind, patient and generous family that runs la escuela Agualivar.

When I started to look for a Spanish immersion school I knew that I didn’t want classes in a college classroom instead I wanted a friendly, patient, and immersive atmosphere in a beautiful location that would force me to practice everything I was learning. So I enlisted the help of my good friend Google to try and track down my perfect school, and almost instantly the Agualivar school popped up and I immediately knew this was the place for me……… and how right I was.

The villa itself is beautifully located. Las maestras Fani and Eli are excellent and patient teachers who know how to make things clear even while only using Spanish (and other educational tools). The food, grown in their own huerta by Papa Jose and cooked by Mama Carmen, was outstanding in its freshness, variety and deliciousness. The workshops and field trips truly enhanced the whole experience.

So If youre looking for Spanish immersion in an almost vacation atmosphere with some of the nicest people on the planet … don’t think twice - choose The Agualivar school, you won’t regret it!