Spanish Language & Culture

downtown mallorca spain building palm trees

Palma de Mallorca, Spain

Summer '25 Applications Open

Language & Culture

Select a Term...

Dates

Jun 8 - Jul 5, 2025

4 weeks

Costs

$7,050

Application Deadline

January 15, 2025

Request Information

Dates

Jul 6 - Aug 2, 2025

4 weeks

Costs

$7,050

Application Deadline

January 15, 2025

Request Information

Build your Spanish skills surrounded by sapphire seas and palm-fringed marinas.

What better way to improve your Spanish than with four weeks of language immersion on the paradisical island of Mallorca? Take language classes with local instructors and immerse yourself in Mallorquín culture and traditions during afternoon activities. Put your conversation skills to the test as you chat with local teens and stallholders at lively markets like the Mercado del Olivar, and order tapas, too. Soak up the sun along the shore and join a spirited beach volleyball tournament!

With your host family, build new Spanish vocabulary during conversations over meals and day-to-day family life. Excursions take you to the majestic mountain range of Sierra de Tramuntana; the medieval town of Alcudia, located on the northern part of the island; and the La Victoria natural area, nestled in the Bahía de Pollença, with spectacular sea and mountain views. In Palma de Mallorca and other parts of this serene island, you’ll nurture your adventurous spirit outdoors, gain a greater grasp of Spanish, and enjoy a cultural experience you can’t get in the classroom!

The Take-Aways

Language Growth and Cultural Competence

Come home with a higher level of Spanish and a greater understanding of Spanish culture. Use your STAMP 4S language proficiency pre- and post-test scores to demonstrate your language growth and help you earn a Seal of Biliteracy. 

College Credit

Choose to earn 4 college credits toward your future college degree. Take advantage of the credits to stand out on your college applications or to satisfy college language requirements.

Life Skills and New Friendships

Return with greater self-confidence, independence, and adaptability. Enjoy a broader worldview and diverse friendships from across the U.S.

60

Hours of Instruction with a Native Spanish Teacher

4

College Credits

1

Life-Changing Experience

The Destination

Welcome to Mallorca, an island paradise famous for its beauty and Mediterranean lifestyle.

Located east of the Spanish mainland, in the western Mediterranean Sea, Mallorca is a vibrant tourist hotspot. Palma, the capital, with beautiful seascapes and well-preserved architecture, is quite simply a wonder. For a small island, there’s no shortage of historical, cultural, and culinary attractions. Roman ruins, a Moorish palace, and the Gothic cathedral La Seu—the largest Gothic structure in Europe—are all just a few steps from the shore. Each of the extraordinary landmarks highlights a distinct part of Mallorquin history.

Half of the island’s population—some 400,000 people—call Palma home. The Mediterranean plays a vital role in the local lifestyle. Walking, running, cycling, kayaking, and sailing are everywhere you look. Restaurants are filled with friends and families enjoying meals until late in the evening. Local pastries are some of the most delicious food to have. At cafés, you can’t leave without trying Coca de Trempó, Ensaimadas, and Panades.

The rest of the island features small villages and stone houses among Mallorca’s mountains, valleys, and coves—places you’ll get to explore, too!

Cultural Awareness

��911wants all our students to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed while studying abroad. Local ��911staff have provided details about conditions and cultural attitudes that students with specific identities might encounter in Palma de Mallorca.

Daily Life

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Each day offers a balance between interactive instruction and cultural activities with time on your own, too. Morning classes and afternoon activities may swap places.

Breakfast at your homestay
Engaging Spanish classes with expert language instructors, all native-speakers
Lunch in the community with your fellow Global Navigators
Out and about for authentic conversations in the community and a cultural activity
Dinner and evening discussions at your homestay

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Overnight or day excursions to top sites
Quality time with friends and everyone at your homestay

Check out the blog posts to discover more about daily life and excursions on program.

Housing

Carefully-screened homestay

24/7 Support

1 Program Leader for every 12 students and support from local staff

Weekly Learning Goals

In ��911classes, Level 1 is for students acquiring basic Spanish, Level 2 is for those who can carry on everyday conversations, and Level 3 is for those who can participate in discussions on social and academic topics. In the spring before you depart, you’ll take a language proficiency test and when you arrive on site, you’ll participate in an oral interview. How you do on the test and in the interview will identify the level that is right for you.

Each week, you’ll explore a Theme and create a Project. Each day in class, you’ll learn Spanish through engaging activities and then, in the community, try out your new Spanish in conversations with locals.

WEEK 1: Settle in and meet your classmates as you explore the Identity Theme. Ask and answer questions, give information, describe your favorite things and your family at home and in Spain. For your Project, create and present a Personal Profile.

WEEK 2: Take in the local scene as you explore the Community Theme. Describe places, attractions, and events in Palma. Tell what you want to buy in shops, and express your likes and dislikes in food and fashion. For your Project, create a Photo Gallery of Life in Palma and share it in a conversation.

WEEK 3: Continue improving your Spanish as you delve into the Discovery Theme and, for your Project, create and present a Travel Flyer for a destination in Spain. Give and follow directions, give details of a trip itinerary day-by-day, and describe the destination, the weather, and what to do there.

WEEK 4: Consider the impact of your summer in this week’s Personal Growth Theme. Tell what you experienced in Spain, make cultural comparisons, and participate in study abroad interviews. For your Project, create a Study Abroad Album and share it in a panel discussion.

WEEK 1: Settle in and meet your classmates as you explore the Discovery Theme. Ask about and describe family members, discover and describe exciting things to do in Palma, and compare daily routines and customs in Spain and the USA. For your Project, create and present a Memory Book of Your Life in Palma.

WEEK 2: Explore Spanish culture during this week’s Creativity Theme. Compare musical performances, express opinions on art, tell what happened in movies, and persuade a classmate to attend a cultural event. For your Project, create a Photo Gallery on Spanish Culture and share it in a conversation.

WEEK 3: Delve into Palma in this week’s Community Theme. For your Project, create and present a Neighborhood Tour in Palma. Describe the city and what happens there. Role play scenes in a market and a restaurant. Report on Palma’s past and future.

WEEK 4: Consider the impact of your summer during the Personal Growth Theme. Tell what happened in memorable moments and how you felt about it. Make cultural comparisons and persuade a friend to study abroad. For your Project, create a Study Abroad Album and share it in a panel discussion.

WEEK 1: Settle in and meet your classmates during the Cultural Encounters Theme. Tell what happened on a first encounter abroad. Summarize past and current events in Palma. Express your opinions as you compare cultural norms and stereotypes. For your Project, create and present a Field Report on Palma.

WEEK 2: Explore Spanish culture in this week’s Creativity Theme. Describe street art and profile artists, express opinions on magazines and movies, and compare musical performances. For your Project, create an Arts & Culture Magazine and share it in a conversation.

WEEK 3: Continue advancing your Spanish as you delve into the Discovery Theme. For your Project, create and present an Awareness Campaign about a global threat. Give information on its causes and effects, explain solutions, and persuade others in debates, justifying your arguments.

WEEK 4: Consider the impact of your summer in this week’s Personal Growth Theme. Conduct a class survey on experiences in Spain and make cultural comparisons. Tell an original story about a memorable moment and speculate on what’s next for you. For your Project, create a Study Abroad Album and share it in a panel discussion.

Sample Activities

High school student posing in front of Bellver Castle in Palma de Mallorca

Just imagine all the fun you’ll have!

Travel back to the 14th century as you explore the unique, circular and medieval Bellver Castle. Climb to the top for sweeping views of Palma, the harbor, the sea, and the mountains.
Indulge your sweet tooth at Palma’s oldest ��ǳ��Ǳ��ٱ��í�� for traditional pastries and homemade ice cream. Cook some Mallorquin dishes of your own, all of it in Spanish!
Take a scenic daytrip through the towns along the coastal Tramuntana Mountain Range, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.
Enter the Mediterranean marine world at the Palma Aquarium and learn about the more than 8,000 animals and 700 different species.
Overnight at La Victoria natural area in Alcudia between the mountains and sea. Maneuver down a rocky path to the beach of Coll Baix. Snorkel, swim, kayak, and paddleboard. Sail back in a private boat.

Please note activities are based on past programs and subject to change at CIEE's discretion to adapt to local circumstances and participant feedback. Our goal when arranging activities is always to enhance your experience. 

What Students Are Saying

"I love this program so much! I love Mallorca, the people, culture, activities, my peers, school and my host family. This is a great opportunity everyone should take. You learn and experience so much in so little time. If you like traveling, this program is perfect!"

Denisse P., Global Navigator Alum
"I learned a lot during my month in Palma both in class and through experiences. My teacher was really good. I liked that she pushed us to speak in Spanish!"

Isabella E., Global Navigator Alum
"The most memorable experience was our trip to Alcudia. I feel like I was doing a lot of activities that I could have never done before and really stepping outside of my comfort zone and facing some fears!"

Anel R., Global Navigator Alum
"I had an incredible experience. I would love to do it again. The people that I met will forever be super special to me."

Kate B., Global Navigator Alum

From CIEE

Urban art in Palma de Mallorca

By Eblin Molina at CIEE

Palma has a lot to offer. It has something for everybody. Here you can find beautiful beaches, delicious food, interesting stores, fabulous plazas, amazing historical buildings and monuments, wonderful people... keep reading

From CIEE

STUDENT TAKEOVER!! Palma Aquarium by LC Student Betsy Bain

By Penelope de Leon at CIEE

The Palma Aquarium was one of my highlights of this trip! I loved the amount of exhibits that there were in addition to the combination of indoor and outdoor reptiles... keep reading

From CIEE

Our adventure to Alcudia

By Cynthia Sánchez Muñoz at CIEE

Our 3 day weekend excursion was a huge success. We had a short bus ride in a double decker bus to the north of Palma. It was to the town... keep reading

Eligibility

Participants must be 14 years old and above.
Program open to all current high school students—Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors—who have completed at least one year of high school Spanish. Students who have completed at least two years of high school Spanish may qualify for the Honors Language & Culture program in Madrid or Seville.
Program involves engaging in moderate- to high-intensity physical activities, such as hiking, snorkeling, and coasteering.
For scholarship eligibility requirements, please check our ��Ǳ��󾱱� p��.

For more information, refer to the detailed Program Essential Eligibility Criteria.

Dates & Fees

Application Fee

$25

Optional College Credit Fee

Learn more about how to get college credit for your future college degree

Program scholarships and tuition include iNext Travel Insurance, but do not cover the cost of flights. Find additional details about what’s included with your tuition.

More questions? Find answers, get application support, sign up for virtual presentations or contact us!

Program	Application Due	Start Date	End Date	Costs
Program Summer Session I 2025 4 weeks	January 15, 2025	Start Date June 8, 2025	End Date July 5, 2025	Costs $7,050
Program Summer Session II 2025 4 weeks	January 15, 2025	Start Date July 6, 2025	End Date August 2, 2025	Costs $7,050

Ready to change your life?

What's Included

Interactive Classes

Housing

3 Meals/Day

(Dietary Needs Accommodated)

All Ground Transportation

(Once In-country)

Optional Flight Chaperone

(Flight Cost Not Included)

Pre-departure Advice and Orientation

Access to WIFI

(No international data plan or SIM card included)

All Cultural Activities and Excursions

Comprehensive Medical and Travel Protection

24/7 Emergency On-site Support

Our Staff

Antonia Ferriol, PhD

Center Director

Antonia brings a great passion for teaching and a wealth of educational experience, having taught Spanish language, linguistics, literature, and culture at Pennsylvania State University, Middlebury College, Denison University, and...