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Christmas Markets in Madrid – Featured after-class activity

Christmas time is finally approaching! In Madrid, this festive season means a city full of lights, decorations and loved ones gathering for brindis together. Out of the many special held at this time of year, a trip to Madrid’s Christmas markets is one of the most magical.

The colourful market stalls spill onto the city streets every December, offering all sorts of gifts to buy. Taking full advantage of their presence, AIL Madrid’s students bundle up in warm layers and start shopping!

Christmas Markets, Featured after-class activity

Our favourite Christmas Market

Our favourite market, and that of our students, is the Christmas market of Plaza Mayor. Boasting more than 100 stalls, the famous market is the perfect place to get lost in. You can find everything from nativity scene figurines to Christmas trees, baubles, garlands and glittering lights. The market takes place from November to the last day of the year, leaving plenty of time to explore.

Another Christmas market we never fail to stop by is that of the emblematic Plaza de España. The handmade quality and huge variety and novelty of all its items on sale delight our students. They never leave without purchasing at least one special gift for their families! With the opening dates of the Christmas markets just around the corner, we can’t wait to pay them another visit. Who knows what we’ll find?

Learn everything about this kind of activity in AIL Madrid and find out about other featured after-class activities, like our treasure hunt in Retiro Park.

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Featured AIL Student – Sandra

Sandra, our featured AIL StudentHi! I’m Sandra, a twenty-year-old AIL student from Sweden. I started learning Spanish as a total beginner at the start of September this year.

My Story

I chose to take Spanish lessons mainly for my family. My mother’s side of the family is Venezuelan and don’t speak any English. To make communicating with them easier, I decided to start learning Spanish. I went online to find the best language school in Spain. After reading so many amazing recommendations, I decided to study Spanish in AIL Madrid.

My Life in Madrid

I have been in Madrid for two months now. Living in a country surrounded by people who speak the language, I’m amazed at how much my Spanish has already improved. Everyday tasks like ordering in a restaurant, asking a local for directions and talking to store cashiers have become great opportunities for me to practice what I learned in class. I’m feeling more and more comfortable with the language. I can now speak Spanish better than some of my friends who have been studying it in Sweden for years!

My Teachers

The teachers in AIL Madrid are also so warm and welcoming. It really helps when learning Spanish as a beginner. My teacher, Olga, takes the time to make sure we understand everything in lessons. She always helps us with our problems, so no one ever hesitates to ask questions.

The teachers participate in all our fiestas and activities too. This means that most of the time, they don’t even really feel like teachers!

My Future with Spanish

I will never regret my decision to come to Spain. After I finish my time here, I’ll be able to speak Spanish for the rest of my life! If you want to spend your money on enhancing your ‘life backpack’ of skills, I would recommend learning Spanish at AIL Madrid.

Do you want to discover another AIL Student experience? You can read about Peter’s, a private and group classes student who wanted to focus in business Spanish, in our AIL Madrid Spanish Language Students section.