 EXCURSIONS One of the most valuable aspects of a Spanish language total immersion program in Mexico is having the opportunity to really experience the Mexican culture by living it. An important part of our Spanish abroad programs is allowing students to see just how diverse Mexico is, both its people and its land, through out-of-town cultural excursions. These excursions are in addition to the variety of cultural events and visits that students will experience inside the city of Guanajuato. Following are descriptions of each of the out-of-town excursions, four of which will be included in El Quijote's Semester A/B plans, Summer program, and Semester Package. Two of the four excursions will be to San Miguel de Allende and Guadalajara, and the other two excursions will be chosen from the other options depending on the number of students and interest. San Miguel de Allende (Day Trip) A colonial town that traces its history to the immediate aftermath of the Spanish conquest, San Miguel is filled with opulent mansions and churches which exemplify the wealth of its former inhabitants. These mansions, which line the downtown's cobblestone streets, are now filled with unique shops selling Mexican handcrafts of all kinds. San Miguel is also noted for its cultural ambience which has attracted writers and artists of all persuasions. Over the past several decades, more and more foreigners have been attracted to San Miguel, and many of them now call it their home. Zacatecas (Weekend Trip) Like Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende, Zacatecas is another gem in the jewel box of Mexico's rightly named "silver" cities. However, Zacatecas was the first. Some of Mexico's finest colonial buildings, including perhaps its most stunning catedral, all built from the riches of the local silver mines, cluster along narrow, winding streets at the foot of a spectacular rocktopped hill called "Cerro de la Bufa". Set amid dry, arid country, this historic city has much to detain its visitor. A state capital and university town, Zacatecas is surprisingly sophisticated for its size - and even more appreciated for its off-center location and consequent lack of tourists. Queretaro/Teotihuacan (Weekend Trip) Queretaro Like Guanajuato and Zacatecas, Queretaro is also on the list of being one of Mexico's colonial cities which warrants visiting. However, Queretaro is much larger in size (500,000 habitants). Queretaro is noted for its museums, monuments and colonial architecture, most of which is concentrated in the city's downtown area, where everything of notable interest is within walking distance. Teotihuacan Located about 50 kilometers northeast of Mexico City, Teotihuacan is the site of the huge pyramids: the Sun and the Moon. This location was Mexico's biggest ancient city, estimated to have had a population of 200,000 at its peak, and was the capital of perhaps Mexico's biggest pre-hispanic empire - the Aztecs. Guadalajara (Weekend Trip) The second largest city in Mexico, Guadalajara has a reputation as the nation's most 'Mexican' city. Many characteristically Mexican things and traditions were created here, including Mariachi music, tequila, the Jarabe Tapatío or Mexican Hat Dance, the broad-rimmed sombrero hat, and charreadas. One of the main reasons for Guadalajara's appeal is that it has many of the attractions of Mexico City - fine museums, galleries, hotels and restaurants, beautiful historic architecture, nightlife, and culture - but without all of Mexico City's problems. Tlaquepaque Located about 10 km southeast of downtown Guadalajara, and what used to be a separate village, Tlaquepaque is a suburb where 19th century mansions have been turned into arts and crafts galleries. Here you can find arts and crafts from the region and surrounding states as well. The State of Michoacan (Weekend Trip) Although located just to the south of the state of Guanajuato, one can note a distinct change in Michoacan's landscape, which is lusher and greener than that of Guanajuato's dry and arid climate. In fact, some of the state's most noteworthy destinations are located along the Cordilera Neovolcanica, the volcanic range which gives the state both its fertile soils and striking mountainous scenary. Some of these include El Rosario Monarch butterfly sanctuary; the colonial city of Morelia (the state capital); the quaint colonial town of Patzcuaro in Purepecha Indian country; the town of Uruapan with its miniature tropical national park within the city boundaries; and the famous volcano, Paricutin. Several, but not all,of these sites will be visited during the excursion. NOTE: A minimum of seven (7) program participants in any given El Quijote program are required in order to carry out any one of the above excursions. Costs | What's Included | Excursions Click here for the required application forms.
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El Quijote - Spanish Language Abroad Programs
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