Interdisciplinary Trip to Granada, Andalusia

El Encanto de Granada

Just as the days were turning colder in Edinburgh, a group of U5-U6 students headed off to sunnier climes to explore the hidden depths of the enchanted city of Granada, Andualusia. Nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, with its maze of white houses perched on the side of a hill, an abundance of stunning architecture and the crown jewel of the Alhambra gracing the skyline, Granada is a destination not to be missed!

In a bid to fully embrace the language opportunities, each morning our students headed to the prestigious CLM (Centro de Lenguas Modernas language school) where they engaged with Spanish lessons from native speakers. It was fantastic to witness students building positive relationships and interacting in Spanish both in and outside the classroom.

A range of cultural activities were led by the helpful and friendly staff at CLM. Our first taste of the city was a guided tour exploring the charming neighbourhood of the Albayzin, including a visit to the Mirador San Nicolás viewpoint and a Moorish tetería (tea house). Granada’s famous Alhambra palace and fortress was the last Moorish stronghold of Spain and students enjoyed taking in the views while practicing Spanish with their guide María.

As the art form of Flamenco is known to be associated with Andalusia, we took part in a Flamenco dancing lesson by day and, by night, climbed the Sacromonte for an immersive experience amongst dancers, singers, guitarists and castanets.

Students were also given time to try out local tapas as well as walking through the labyrinth of market streets, such as the Alcaicería, which are full of brightly coloured souvenirs and Arab handicrafts. During their down time, our students also took part in a scavenger hunt and prepared micro-presentations to share with their peers in order to help each other fully appreciate the history and culture of the city.

Staff were impressed by the students’ exemplary behaviour and thoroughly enjoyed spending time with them on this exciting trip to Southern Spain. ¡Hasta la próxima!