The Spanish Course - Aés, Cantabria

J.A. Patterson

Wonderful stay with Fernando, Merche and family! We did intensive Spanish lessons in the morning and then had time for further study and exploring the region in the afternoons. Santander is great to visit, as is the surrounding countryside around Aés and Puente Viesgo which is best accessed by bike along the Via Verde.

Lesley Dowdall

I spent a wonderful week at The Spanish Course and loved every minute. Fernando, Merche and their daughters were very welcoming so any apprehension I felt disappeared immediately. I spoke very little Spanish before going and my lessons with Fernando were fun, engaging and tailored to my abilities. I still have much, much work to do but I learnt so much in a short space of time. Merche's food was incredible and I loved learning how to make a proper tortilla (I have practiced on my family since getting home and they love it too!).

When not in lessons, there is plenty to do. The setting is beautiful and there are many walks from the front door. Puente Viesgo is around 15-20 mins walk and is lovely. I went to the spa and also visited the caves nearby. Santander is an easy bus journey and definitely worth spending a day there. Merche and Fernando helped with recommendations etc and even arranged for me to go horse riding with their daughters which was a wonderful experience.

If you are looking for total immersion in Spanish in a fun and relaxing environment, I don't think you could do any better. I hope to return!

Deborah Merry

I was fortunate to already have a fairly high standard of Spanish before starting at the Spanish School in the beautiful area of Puente Viesgo, near Santander. This and the opportunity to have one to one sessions with Fernando meant that I didn't have to be in a formal classroom situation studying grammar and verb tenses. When asked what I wanted to do exactly, I told Fernando I wanted to chat. He was therefore able to tailor the sessions to my own personal needs. We covered many topics from friends, family, jobs, anecdotes of my travels, to more serious themes such as mental health, old age, the history of nobles in Cantabria and so on. It was enjoyable and I felt I gained much confidence and I
improved my fluency. Given the overall cost, I thought the week was very good value.

Steve Towning

My wife and I have just returned from a week with Fernando, Merche, Raquel and Victoria. We were welcomed into their home like family members and spent a wonderful week practicing our Spanish and exploring the area. Fernando is an excellent teacher and Merche also helps with advice and corrections. We met a number of their relatives and friends which added to the experience. It's a beautiful part of the world with great walks and some wonderful prehistory to explore. Puente Viesgo is within easy walking distance along the Via Verde path along the river and offers several bars, restaurants and a spa. Here you can meet other hispanohablantes to continue improving your Spanish. A week of total immersion with very little English heard or spoken and an experience we will never forget. Muchas gracias por todo.

I K

It has been a joy being a part of Fernando and Merche's family. I stayed with them for two weeks. They are very warm, open, generous and friendly people. Experiencing authentic Spanish life, culture, cuisine and learning the language with Fernando and Merche was an unforgettable experience! The lessons that took place every day from Monday to Friday were well structured, tailored to my needs and abilities and delivered in a highly professional manner. My free time i spent exploring around. There are many places around for walks, enjoying the nature and mingling with Spanish people. I would highly recommend Fernando and Merche and would love to come back. Gracias por tu hospitalidad y espero que nos veamos pronto!

Michael Hayman

Michael_H, Nov 2022

It was a superb experience. The course is held at Fernando's and Merce's family home. The whole family was most welcoming and even their young daughters Raquel and Victoria spoke good english. Their home had been a traditional farmhouse that they converted into a blend of a comfortable home and language school. The food was excellent. I had a comfortable and capacious en-suite room that faced the warm foehn wind. It could certainly roar in the mornings.
I was very lucky with my fellow guests who were two bright young teachers from the North of England who were very kind to include me in their adventurous outings. The house is situated up a fairly steep hill from the village of Aes and about 2.5 km from Puente Viesgo. We were often assisted with transport by Fernando and Merce.
A leisurely breakfast was served at 0900 hrs and classes were held from 1000 hrs to about 1400 hrs when lunch was served. Particular diets were well catered for. The afternoons/ evenings were free with supper from about 2030 onwards. On occasions there were lively discussions after the meal.

The tuition was very good and I overcame some problems that were impeding my learning of Spanish. I class myself as a beginner although I have attended Local Education Authority classes for some two years.We were provided with course notes. Fernando is a gifted teacher and the classes were informal. There was much emphasis on the importance of correct pronounciation.

Aes , the local village, has a small supermarket by the roundabout. The main facilities are found in Puente Viesgo including a 4 Star hotel with the best Spa I have ever visited. The cave paintings are well worth a visit but the cave floors are very slippery and there are few handholds. We were assured that the churros of Los Terrazos were renowned and they were very good. Everywhere we went people were friendly and helpful. I want to go again and I think having a car would increase the range of places to visit as public transport is rather infrequent. A great experience and whole heartedly recommended both for improving one's Spanish and experiencing life in a Spanish family albeit one who spoke english well and put one at ease by their informality and friendliness.
I cannot recommend the experience too highly.

Irene Cauley

I had some free days after attending a wedding in northern Spain and luckily I was able to book 4 days at the Spanish school. I was able to indicate what I wanted to revise, having attended the school many years ago. The 3 hours were pretty intensive - one to one with Merche - but with the free afternoons and evenings I was able to recharge my batteries. A very relaxing setup and having meals with the family , listening and joining in the conversation provided plenty of opportunities to practice my verb tenses.
Attached are a few photos - meal time with the family (and fellow student Lesley) and cooking a Spanish Omelet.

Emily Wain

Thank you to Fernando and Merche for a wonderful week spent in their beautiful home in Puente Viesgo. They were both very welcoming from the start. It was a brilliant way to learn Spanish, as you can immerse yourself in the culture at meal times and during free time as well as the Spanish lessons. We were even able to go horse riding, to visit the famous spa and we even saw a Fiesta in a neighbouring village. Thanks again for such a brilliant experience!