Spanish Courses in Bilbao, Northern Spain

Instituto Hemingway, Bilbao:
Instituto Hemingway is an established Spanish language school located in Bilbao in the Basque Country in Northern Spain. Accredited by the Cervantes Institute, we have over 21 years experience in designing and delivering customized programs for individuals and groups who want to learn about other cultures by studying or working abroad in Europe. We offer Spanish courses throughout the year, as well as excellent opportunities to undertake business, hospitality management, hotel and culinary arts internships / work experience programs in professional companies including paid jobs in hotels throughout Spain. We also offer Online Spanish Classes for groups and individuals - adults, children, high school students & families worldwide via a wide range of schedules.

• General Spanish Courses (20 hours a week, with 6 levels - A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2)
• Intensive Spanish Courses (23 or 26 hours a week. Levels: A1, A2, B1, B2)
• SIELE / DELE Exam Preparation courses (Globally-recognised Spanish proficiency certification)
• Afternoon Spanish Classes (3 hrs/wk part-time)
• Afternoon Plus Spanish Classes (6 hrs/wk part-time)
• Business Spanish Training (for general business, HR, marketing, finances, banking, and more).
• Intensive Crash Course for Company Executives
• Intensive Refresher Courses for Teachers
• Business Internships in Spain
• Hospitality Work Experience / Job Placement (paid business internships in the hotel and catering sector)
• Culinary Arts Internship Program
• Volunteer Programs in Spain
• Summer Programs for Adults & College Students
• Homestay Program with Local Host Family
• Year-Round & Summer Spanish Immersion Programs for Teens (for ages 13-17 years old, High School Group courses, private Spanish lessons, Homestay accommodation option).

We offer a wide variety of Spanish language courses in Bilbao. No matter how long you have been learning Spanish, we will help you to acquire this international language quickly and easily.

Our experienced teachers are here to answer all your questions, queries and concerns. Teachers and other staff are also available to support you in making the cultural transition as smoothly as possible, as well as to boost your learning and progress in Spanish.

Generally, the Spanish classes are from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., from Monday to Friday. The classes each last 50 minutes. Afternoons are filled with a wide variety of courses along with fun activities, outings, fiestas, barbecues, concerts, cinema and sports.

You will have the chance to meet Spanish people, make friends, and practice what you have learned through contacts provided by Instituto Hemingway.

The curriculum is designed with you as a learner in mind: to build your skills and confidence. The Spanish classes are focused on the essentials of language acquisition: speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

• Also:  Virtual / Online Spanish classes via Skype / Zoom for individual students, groups, adults, children, high school students, family.

Host Family - Homestay Program:
The best way to learn a language is to be deeply immersed in it. With this in mind, Instituto Hemingway has selected a wide range of host upper-middle class families where you will feel at home.

All the families who collaborate with us will treat you as another member of the family. The family will contribute to your learning process in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. We do our best to place you within a short distance from our Institute.

Shared Apartment:
We have centrally-located apartments which we recommend for independent people over eighteen. These are very comfortable apartments near the Institute and beaches which are furnished, with kitchen and bathroom.

Each student has his/her own room with shared use of the kitchen, living room and bathroom. The sheets and blankets are provided. You will be asked to leave a deposit upon arrival which will be refunded at departure if the apartment is left in the same condition.

Hotels / Hostels:
We can make reservations for different hotels for our students depending on each particular case: different standards or areas are available. Please, consult us and let us know of your particular requirements. 

We advise you to make reservations through us at least twenty days in advance, during the vacation season. We have special agreements with a selected range of hotels/hostels to meet your needs.

Have fun while you're here! Join our FREE social and cultural activities! Learning Spanish should not be limited to the classroom and we therefore offer a series of cultural and leisure activities during your stay. 

If you participate in this program, you will be able to make friends as well as to get to know better other students from the school and, at the same time, practice your Spanish.

The cultural and outdoor activities, such as sports, are intended both to amuse and to teach our students, so that they learn different elements of Spanish history and culture.

The activities program includes:
- Orientation meeting so that the students can better grasp where the school is located
- Guided tours through the historical center of the city (Casco Viejo, Abando, Plaza Nueva, Begoña)
- Attending cultural events: theater, concerts, cinema, week-long festivals, carnival, latino and Salsa music, etc)
- Watching movies in Spanish
- Visiting monuments (Guggenheim museum, Casco Viejo District, churches...)

- Participating in celebrations and other activities in order to find out about the Spanish traditions and way of life such as "tapas", gatherings, excursions to Vitoria, San Sebastian and Santander, going to the pool and/or the beach, dinner in restaurants, visiting nearby towns and so on in order to discover the Spanish traditions and way of life. 

Beaches are twenty-minutes away from the school; you can enjoy outdoor activities such as windsurfing and sailing (possible at the sailing school). A minimum number of students is required to organize weekend excursions.

Bilbao is one of the largest, most vibrant cities in Spain and is known as one of the main financial, communication, and cultural centers. It offers students a dazzling array of cultural events and institutions, entertainment, educational resources, sport events as well as restaurants, shops, markets and services of every kind imaginable.

Located approximately 400 km / 250 miles north of Madrid and 610km / 380 miles north-west of Barcelona, Bilbao is surrounded by mountains and beautiful beaches. The climate, with an average year-round temperature of 20ºC, is ideal. The quality of life here is one of Bilbaos' best hallmarks.

Bilbao is also famous for its University student life, the "tapas" bars, its cultural attractions, its gardens, its great shopping and its beautiful buildings.

Here, you will find a vibrant street-life, which is why it is sometimes referred to as "The capital of joy and satisfaction". The city is situated close to Vitoria, San Sebastian and Santander.

Our Spanish language school in Bilbao is conveniently located in the city centre, near Abando station and the Arriaga Theatre.

• "My experience was fantastic. My Spanish is much better thanks to Spanish language course I took at the Instituto Hemingway in Bilbao.
- Mike, USA

• "My experience with Instituto Hemingway was really wonderful. They found me the job I wanted in Barcelona (Spain), in a flexible and professional manner."
- Phillip, USA

• "By experiencing Instituto Hemingway as an Erasmus+ trainee for 3 months, I've had the opportunity to appreciate both the great professionalism of this educational reality and the friendly and genuine atmosphere of the whole staff. Moreover, even if Bilbao is (unfairly) little publicized, it is a very dynamic and attractive city that has struck me positively."
- Marco, Italy

• "I volunteered at an organization that dealt with people with AIDS, whilst taking a Spanish language course in Bilbao. I can only say that my life has changed for the better. The people at Instituto Hemingway were easy to work with and this experience changed my view on the world."
- Chris, UK