• Individual attention in very small classes
• Professional teaching in a friendly environment
• Up-to-date materials and modern facilities with free Internet access
• Lots of opportunities to socialize and explore local culture
• 24 hour emergency phone number
  

All courses include:

• 4 Spanish culture lessons per week
• Placement Test
• Certificate
• Welcome Pack
• Learning Materials
• Use of internet services and library
• Many social events
  

Not included in the price:

• Examination fees
• Full-day excursions
• Some activities (entry + transport fees)
  

Origins of the Fiesta
The current San Fermines can be traced back to the Middle Ages. Three different events converged at approximately the same time to form the present day fiesta.

1. San Fermin religious celebrations honoring San Fermin were held on October 10th
2. Trade fairs, the Feria del Toro, and bullfights which took place in July since the 14th century .
3. the Fiesta of San Juan on June 24th which lasted 20 days.
   

These events led the Town Hall to ask the bishop to change the date of the San Fermin celebration to July 7th. This was done in the year 1590.

The Running of the Bulls
Or the "Encierro" as it is known in Spain, was born out of a necessity to transfer the bulls from outside the town to the bullring. Before the bullring was built, the Plaza del Castillo was used for the bullfights. Although the "encierro" has changed over the centuries, the spirit remains the same.

At 7:55am, the runners some 70 meters beyond the bulls corrals, sing to a statue of San Fermin in a niche, asking him to protect them. The Running of the Bulls begins when the San Saturnino church clock strikes 8am. Then 2 rockets are shot off announcing the exit of the bulls from their corrals. The first rocket announces that the gate to the corral is opened. The second rocket announces that the bulls preceded by eight oxen are now in the streets running towards the runners. The "encierro" usually lasts about 2 minutes. The entire route of the bullrun is about 790 meters long.

Tips for Running
Access: If you want to participate in the running, you should enter the track before 7:30am through the gates in the Plaza Consistorial and stay there until the municipal barriers in the stretch between the Square and the Old Military hospital. After 7:30 the accesses are closed and you are not allowed to leave the track.
Most dangerous stretches: Callejon-Plaza de Toros. (eight deaths) and the end of the Cuesta de Santo Domingo (three deaths).
Garments: Use comfortable clothes and sneakers or sport shoes. Do not carry any other items (backpacks, cameras, etc.)with you.
Ask experts runners for advice: The running is neither a joke nor an opportunity for media coverage. The risks are enormous, and the mass attendance of runners makes it even more dangerous. It takes many years of practice to become a good runner.
Getting in and out of the flow: Getting into the flow of runners is as important as getting out of the way. Get in gradually, as the other runners get out. Or get straight in, from a standing start.
Beware of falling: Bulls are not the only danger. Mainly, it's the number of runners. The chances of stumbling and falling are very high. In fact, most of the people who are injured during the run have fallen and been trampled over by other runners. You have to look in front of you, behind you and on the ground. Once you are in the herd, it's safest to remain close to the bulls because there will be no runners in front of you. If you fall, just curl up and do not move until someone taps you on the shoulder. If you're near a bull and you fall, do not try to get up. If you curl up in a ball, the bull will evade you and continue running. Getting up will cause the bull to attack you. This is the most common mistake made by runners

The Running Rules:
An edict issued by the mayors office details the following rules concerning the running of the bulls:

• Those who are less than 18 years old are forbidden to run.
• Crowding the fence is not allowed.
• All doors along the runway must be closed.
• No one can remain in the runway who is drunk or drugged or who in any other way represents a danger to the rest.
• One cannot carry things into the runway.
• Runners must be dressed correctly.
• It is forbidden to call to the bulls or in any way attract their attention either in the runway or in the ring.
• Taking photos from inside the runway or from the fences during the encierro is not allowed without permission from the authorities.
  

The historical origin of the festival
There exist several interpretations on the origin of this popular festival. According to some historians, its origin goes back to a "practical joke" that some friends wanted to play on a man who was crossing the town square singing and playing a musical instrument but, apparently, he was doing it so badly that some of the people around decided to take some tomatoes from a fruit and vegetables stall and throw them at him. Everybody else joined in to end up in a tomato battle. However, the most reliable and historical version says that everything started in 1945. The town square (where the "tomatina" is traditionally held nowadays) was crowded with young people of that time to witness a "Gigantes y Cabezudos" parade (giant carnival figures with a grotesque head). Some of them decided to join the authority commitee and music band leading the parade and to do so they pushed the ones who were wearing the giant disguises. One of the participants fell down and when he stood up he started beating everyone around so everybody got caught up in a fight.

Fate or chance, there was a vegetable stall nearby with open crates showing the goods for sale. The young people involved in the fight took the tomatoes from the crates and started throwing them at each other until the police broke up "the battle", and those responsible for the riot paid for the damages.

This riot was not forgotten and the next year on the same Wednesday of August the youths of the town met again at the square, but this time with their own tomatoes. This is how another battle started and once again was stopped by the local police. In fact, in the following years the authorities forbade the celebration of what was already popularly known as the "day of the tomatina". Nevertheless, this celebration has been held every year since them.

If you come and participate, you must respect the following rules:
These small civic duty tips are necessary so that the festival will go on like every year, that is without any incidents:

• You mustn't bring in any bottles or any kind of objects which could provoke an accident.
• You mustn't tear t-shirts.
• Tomatoes must be crushed before being thrown so they can't hurt anybody.
• You must be careful with the lorries which carry the tomatoes.
• As soon as the second banger is fired, you must stop throwing tomatoes.
• Try to enjoy yourself as much as possible but respect these rules and the people. In the "tomatina" festival there has never been a mishap and we would like it to stay that way so everybody around the world can have a good time.
  

The Spanish calendar is packed with fascinating and diverse cultural events, both local and national, and the following is intended as a guideline only. As dates for specific festivals or celebrations often change from year to year it's best to check details with a local tourist office closer to the time.

Whereas national and regional public holidays are set by the Spanish government during the last term of the preceding year, and therefore readily available, local events calendars and programmes are established by the cultural departments of the relevant councils and not usually published until just before the actual celebrations.

Here is an alphabetical list of all events in Spain throughout the year:

ALICANTE
Hogueras de San Juan (mid summer day bonfires). Always around June 24.

ALCOY (Alicante)
Moros y Cristianos (Moors and Christians), traditional festival, Apr 22-24. Same dates every year.

BENALMADENA
Benalmadena Fair, June 24-31. Feast of the True Cross, Aug 16. Both are celebrated on the same dates every year.

BENIDORM
Las Fallas, Mar 15-19. Same dates every year.
Moors and Christians festival, last weekend in Sept and the first weekend in Oct.
November Festival, from the Sat before the second Sun in Nov to the following Wed. Same every year.

BILBAO
Aste Nagusia. Popular eight-day-long festival starting on the Sat following Aug 15.
The city´s opera season runs Sept-March. For more information contact: ABAO, Rodriguez Arias 3,48008 Bilbao, tel: 94 415 5490/fax: 94 415 2200).

BOCAIRENTE (Valencia)
Moors and Christians festival, Feb 2-5. Same dates every year.

BUÑOL (Valencia)
The popular La Tomatina festival is normally celebrated on the last Wed of Aug.

CADIZ
Carnaval. Held 40 days before Easter.

CAMBADOS (Pontevedra)
Albariño Wine Festival takese place on the first Sun in Aug every year.

CASTRO URDIALES (Cantabria)
El Coso Blanco flower festival takes place on the first Fri of July every year.

CONSUEGRA (Toledo)
The Saffron Festival takes place over the last weekend in Oct every year.

CORDOBA
Festival de los Patios Cordobeses (The Courtyard Festival) takes place in May.
May Fair. Guitar Festival, normally held during the first two weeks of July. For more information contact the Gran Teatro Fundación Publica Municipal on tel: 957 480644.

CUENCA
Religious Music week, normally held over the Easter period.

ELCHE (Alicante)
Traditional Palm Procession, always on Palm Sunday.
August Festival, Aug 11-15. Same dates every year.

FUENGIROLA (Malaga)
Sea Festival, July 16. Same date every year.
Fuengirola Fair, Oct 6-12. Same dates every year.

FUERTEVENTURA
Carnaval Puerto Rosario, 40 days before Easter.

GANDIA (Valencia)
Fallas, Mar 16-19. Same dates every year.
Local festival, Sept 29. Same date every year.

GRANADA
The popular festival of Cruces de Mayo, May 3. Same date every year.
Summer Fair/Corpus Christi celebrations, usually start on the Monday of Corpus Christi week.
The International Music Festival takes place over the summer months, contact Internacional de Musica y Danza, tel: 958 276 200/fax: 958 286 868 for further information.

JAVEA (Alicante)
San Juán, June 14-24. Same dates every year.
Harbour Festival, Sept 1-8. Same dates every year.
A Moors and Christians festival takes place around the end of Sept.

JEREZ 2000
The Feria del Caballo of Horse Fair usually takes place in May.
The Autumn Festival, in Sept/Oct, includes various sub-festivals such as the flamenco and wine harvest festivals, plus horse jumping events. For further information contact the local council on tel: 956 318 829.

LA ESTRADA (Pontevedra)
The traditional A Rapa das Bestas festival takes place on the first Saturday in July every year.

LLORET DE MAR (Gerona)
The town´s traditional Santa Cristina festival takes place on July 24. Same date every year.

NAVA (Asturias)
The Cider Festival takes place on the second Sat of July every year.

NERJA (Malaga)
Nerja Fair, Oct 8-12. Same date every year.

PONTEVEDRA
San Beneitiño de Leire, traditional festival. On July 11 every year.

PAMPLONA
San Fermín, or the running of the bulls. July 6-14. Same dates every year.

PUERTO DE LA CRUZ
Carnaval (Mardi Gras), 40 days before Easter.

RIBADAVIA (Orense)
The Ribeiro Wine Festival, usually around end of April.

RIBADESELLA (Asturias)
Ribadesella Festival, always on the first Sat of Aug.

RONDA (MALAGA)
Goyesca Fair, runs for a week starting the first Mon in Sept.

SAN SEBASTIAN
Tamborrada festival takes place Jan 19-20. Same date every year.
Aste Nagusia festival, takes place during the week of Aug 15.
Jazz Festival, usually July; International Film Festival, usually Sept for more information contact: Apartado Correos 979, 280080 San Sebastian, tel: 943 481212/fax: 943 285779.

SANTANDER
International Festival. Cultural activities during the month of August. Same date every year. Organised by: Festival Internacional Avda Calvo Sotelo 15, 39002 Santander, tel: 942 314819/fax: 942 314767.

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
Santiago, traditional religious festival, always on 25 July.

SEVILLA
La Semana Santa: religious celebrations, street processions, 01 week to spend with your family, la Feria de Abril… a world-renowned feria, usually end of April. Flamenco, horses, jerez and fiestas until early in the morning.

SITGES (Barcelone)
A vintage car rally, usually first Sun of March.

TORREVIEJA (Alicante)
May Fair, usually first week of May.
San Juan fiesta, with bangers and bonfires, usually in June.
Habaneras Music International Festival, usually first week of August.
Local fiesta, every year from 01st to 14th Decembre, always including the 8th Dec.

TORREMOLINOS (Malaga)
San Miguel, usually in September.

TORROX (Malaga)
Migas always on the Sunday before Christmas.

TOLEDO
Corpus Christi religious celebrations. 08 weeks after Easter.

VILLA DE MAZO (La Palma, Tenerife)
Corpus Christi religious celebrations. 08 weeks after Easter.

VILLAJOYOSA (Alicante)
A Moors & Chritians festival, 24-31 July, Same date every year.

VITORIA
La Virgen Blanca, popular festival, 04-09 August. Same date every year.

ZARAGOZA
El Pilar, 12 October. Same date every year.

CARNIVAL
The carnival takes place everywhere in Spain, 40 days before Easter.

LA SEMANA SANTA
Religious celebrations across Spain. Good Friday is 13 Aprill.