Activities 29.09.2014 - 05.10.2014

Today we are celebrating the World Tapas Day! And because we want to honour this very special day we have included a tapas tour where we will visit some of the best tapas bars in the centre of Salamanca. However, that is not all we have planned for this week, please read on to see what else you can look forward to:

Monday 29, 17:30: Film - Spanish cinema session to continue practicing your Spanish. 

Tuesday 30, 17:00 Sport – We’ll play some basketball on one of the courts near the Tormes River. Approximate duration: 1h 30min. 

Wednesday 01, 19:15: Film - We'll watch a movie in its original version at the Van Dyck cinema (the movie depends on the current offer). 

Thursday 02, 18:00: Exhibition – We’ll go to see the exhibition “Marginal Intersection” at the Experimental Art Space Fonseca. Approximate duration: 1h. 

Friday 03, 19:45: Tapas tour – We’ll go to several downtown bars to test the most typical Salamanca tapas. Approximate duration: 1h 30min. 

Saturday 04: Excursion – For more information ask at the reception desk.

Sunday 05: Excursion – For more information ask at the reception desk.

We remind you that you need to sign up for each activity at the reception desk (to reserve your place, the minimum number of participants required is usually three). Also, unless stated otherwise, the meeting point is always the same Tia Tula school. Lastly, if there’s no price mentioned with the activity it means it is free. 

And don’t hesitate to participate in as many activities as you can, they are designed not just for you to have fun (that is guaranteed) but also to improve your knowledge of Salamanca and Spanish culture, and to put into practice the Spanish you learn in class.

Activities 22.09.2014 - 27.09.2014

This week autumn has officialy arrived to Salamanca. But don´t be sad that summer is gone, the fun is not over. Because fun at Tía Tula never ends! :) Read what we have prepared for you this week: 

Monday 22, 18:00: Guided tour - One of the school staff will give us a guided tour of the city telling us its history and showing us the main sights Salamanca has to offer. Approximate duration: 1h. 

Tuesday 23, 16:30: Visit to a convent - Come discover the Convent of Santa Clara. The view of Salamanca from one of its terraces is breathtaking! Approximate duration: 1h. 

Wednesday 24, 17:00: Games in the park - Spend the afternoon outdoors at one of the city parks having fun with different games. Approximate duration: 1h30min. 

Thursday 25, 19:00: Cooking class - This week we will learn how to cook a delicious paella. Approximate duration: 1h. 

Friday 26, 17:30: Film - We will end the week with a good session of Spanish cinema. 

Saturday 27: Excursion – This weekend we go hiking to la Alberca and Sierra de Francia. Please remember you need to sign up before Wednesday 24. For more information ask at the reception desk. 

We remind you that you need to sign up for each activity at the reception desk (to reserve your place, the minimum number of participants required is usually three). Also, unless stated otherwise, the meeting point is always the same Tia Tula school. Lastly, if there’s no price mentioned with the activity it means it is free. 

And don’t hesitate to participate in as many activities as you can, they are designed not just for you to have fun (that is guaranteed) but also to improve your knowledge of Salamanca and Spanish culture, and to put into practice the Spanish you learn in class.

Activities 09.09.14-13.09.14

With the 'feria' on in Salamanca there is loads of people and a great atmosphere around the entire city, why not come along to some of our activities this week to join in with the spirit of the party? On Tuesday you can come with us to some of the 'casetas' around the city, or come and learn to make some typical Salamancan tapas in our cooking class on Wednesday. On Thursday we are going to see a street theatre performance, then on Friday come with us to the medieval market to sample some traditional Spanish dishes. Then if you're looking for a change of scenery this weekend, we have a trip to Madrid planned for you!

Monday 8th: Holiday. Salamanca public holiday for their patron saint, 'the Virgin of the Lake'. Start of the 'ferias' de Salamanca.

Tuesday 9th: Tapas. We are going to explore some of the 'casetas' (the small bars set up all over the city as part of the festivities) and enjoy the festival atmosphere. Meeting Place: Tía Tula, 19:30. Approximate duration 1h.

Wednesday 10th: Cooking Class. We are going to learn how to make some typical 'Salamancan' tapas in spirit of the fair, then we will eat them afterwards! Meeting place: Tía Tula, 18:45. Approximate duration 1h.

Thursday 11th: Theatre in the street. We are going to see a performance of 'Zapatos en el aire' (shoes in the air) performed by a theatre group in the street. The performance mixes theatre, dance and circus acts together. Meeting place: Tía Tula, 17:45. Approximate duration 1h.

Friday 12th: Medieval market. We will take you to explore a medieval market set up as part of the celebrations this week. Come to enjoy a wide variety of things to eat and drink in a traditional Spanish style.

Saturday 13th: Excursion. We will be going to Madrid for the day to enjoy the sights and culture it has to offer. For more information about prices and timings, please contact reception. If you are interested in the excursion it is important to let the secretary know before Wednesday 10th at 14:00

*Note: Please contact reception for information about prices for any of the activities. If you are interested in any of the activities, it is helpful if you contact the reception to let them know beforehand. Minimum 3 people for each activity unless otherwise stated.

Ferias y Fiestas 2014

This weekend one of the biggest festivals of the year in Salamanca kicks off on Sunday. This week is a week full of parties, music and great food, with the first day of festivities being dedicated to 'Virgen de la Vega' (Our Lady of the Valley) one of the Salamanca's' patron saints. On the first say of the festival (Sunday 7th September) almost everyone in the city flocks to the Old Cathedral, where a bronze statue of the saint is placed in front of the alter. After a floral offering there is a procession through the city to celebrate the Saint and the start of the week of festivities.

After this first religious day, the people of Salamanca spend the rest of the week generally celebrating being from Salamanca, with things going on day and night through the whole week. You can find traditional and modern concerts spread about the squares of the city, and the Plaza mayor sees a constant string of performances throughout the day. During the days you can find loads of food and drink stalls selling authentic and traditional Spanish fair. There are parades almost every day and bullfights take place in the bullring every afternoon. If you head down to the river you'll find small artisan stalls selling local goods, or the San Francisco park in which you can sample different types of food from all over Spain. If you're looking to try some traditional Spanish wines, head to the Plaza de los Bandos for some wine tasting events.

In the evenings the festivities move up a couple of notches. Together with general street parties, live music fills the streets from almost every corner, and fireworks light up the night sky. They also have a traditional style fair, complete with Ferris wheel and an array of fairground games to try your luck at. The festivities draw people in from other parts of Spain, as well as tourists, so you can bank on there being lots of full bars and plenty of people about!

The fair started as an agricultural and livestock fair down by the Roman bridge. At the time Salamanca's economy was heavily based around these two sectors, and farmers from around the area used to come to buy and sell produce here. As time went on and the importance of agriculture began to die down, the fair became more of an occasion for the entire city to get together and celebrate. As I'm sure you'll know, the Spanish love an excuse for a party!

The festival was originally a pagan celebration, though as Spain quickly became heavily catholic over the years, many festivals ended up with a religious figure or saint added to their name. 'Our Lady of the Valley' was declared Salamanca's patron saint in 1618, though the celebration did not take on its religious undertones until 1706, when allegedly the Virgin de la Vega helped protect the city against the attack of an invading army. Now the first day of the festival is dedicated to the saint in order to help welcome the week of eating, drinking and entertainment that follows.

So if you are here in Salamanca for the week between the 7th and 15th of September, you are bound to come across some elements of the festival! Why not check out some of the stalls and try some traditional Spanish food and drink, or head to the Plaza Mayor each night for concerts from both local and national bands! For a programme of what's going on and when, click here.

Activities 01/09/14-07/09/14

We have another exciting week of activities planned for you in the run up to one of the biggest parties Salamanca sees all year. Come and check out some of the street art in the Plaza del Oeste district on Monday, or come with us to try some of the best tapas the city has to offer on Tuesday. If you fancy something a bit more active, we have a dance class on Wednesday and an organised treck on horseback on Wednesday. This weekend come with us for a trip to Portugal, or get your party hat on Sunday as the start of 'La Feria' hits the city with the offering of flowers to the patron saint of Salamanca and fireworks later on. It's going to be a great one!

Monday 1st: Street art excursion. We will be going to the area of the Plaza del Oeste to see some of the interesting street art painted on the walls and garages of the area. Meeting place: Tía Tula, 18:45. Approximate duration 1h.

Tuesday 2nd: Tapas tour. We will go to some of the best bars in the city centre to try some of the local Salamancan tapas delicacies on offer. Meeting place: Tía Tula, 19:15. Approximate duration 1h30.

Wednesday 3rd: Horse treck. We will be going out to a beautiful area of the local countryside where we will take you on a horse treck with a local equestrian centre. If you are interested it's important to let reception know before Tuesday 2nd Sept. Meeting place: Tía Tula, 16:00. Approximate duration: 3h.

Thursday 4th: Dance class. We are going to learn the first steps of a typical Latin dance (minimum 8 students) It is important to let reception know if you are interested in this activity before Tuesday 2nd Sept. Meeting place: Tía Tula 19:30. Approximate duration 1h.

Friday 5th: Meet some Spanish authors. You can come to meet several different Spanish authors to see and discuss their work. There is also a small theatre performance during the night. Meeting place: Tía Tula 18:30 (we will show you how to get to the exhibition) Approximate duration: 2h.

Saturday 6th: Excursion. This Saturday we will be taking you on  weekend trip to Portugal to see the cities of Lisbon, Sintra and Cascais. Price includes bus travel and 2 nights in a hotel including breakfast. For information about prices, contact reception. It is important to let reception know if you are interested in this activity before Wednesday 3rd Sept.

Sunday 7th: Feria de Salamanca. This Sunday marks the start of the week long festivities for the 'Feria de Salamanca'. There is loads of things going on, but at Tía Tula we recommend that you see:

-The offering of the flowers to the Virgin of the Lake 19h Plaza Anaya

-Fireworks 22h at  the area near the Roman bridge (puente romano)

*Note: Please contact reception for information about prices for any of the activities. If you are interested in any of the activities, it is helpful if you contact the reception to let them know beforehand. Minimum 3 people for each activity unless otherwise stated.