Cultural Events

Cultural Events and Study Trips

The cultural events and trips offered by the Madrid program are carefully chosen to facilitate immersion into the Spanish culture and language, as well as to provide an academically significant experience. All students enroll in the one-credit course “Understanding Spain: Insights through Study Abroad. This course sets the tone for the program and helps synthesize in-class theory with real-world experiences.

The Stanford Program in Spain holds an on-site Orientation that will help familiarize students with both the program and the city of Madrid. The Orientation involves a wide range of presentations, workshops and activities mandatory for all students. Also, class sessions for “Undestanding Spain: Insights through Study Abroad” will be held during Orientation. This course gives structure to the 10-week experience through a number of lectures and activities intended to cover a wide selection of culturally and academically significant topics. There will also be a Cultural Activities Program as part of this course, where students will be required to attend at least three cultural activities offered throughout the quarter.

The course Bing Study Excursion, a three-day visit to a specific area of Spain, allows students to familiarize themselves with Spain’s diversity and to fulfill a number of academic goals associated with the area visited.

Throughout the quarter the program offers a range of cultural events, some formally planned well in advance and others small and impromptu- often selected to highlight local events, festivals, and fairs, as well as a robust set of activities run by Spanish university students intended to facilitate immersion into Spanish society. In addition to group dinners, the program also plans group outings. These outings may include a flamenco show, a Zarzuela performance, a soccer match, or a play at a local theatre. Additionally, most courses include local “field-trips” or, if appropriate, a longer trip outside of the city. In the past, course trips have included visits to local industrial sites, research centers, designers’ studios, and in the spring a 5-day trip to walk the last 110 kilometers of the Camino de Santiago (The Way of St. James).

The goal of the program is to provide students with a high-quality academic offering as well as a broad and varied introduction to Spain, such that linguistic and cultural competency are improved and students are better equipped to continue further study on an independent basis.

Charlas and Cultural Activities program

In order to facilitate social interaction with Spanish peers, the Madrid program works with a group of local university students who organize weekly chats and social activities. As part of the Introduction to Spanish Culture course, all students participate in the Charlas and Cultural Activities Program and sign up for a weekly “chat” with one of the local students. In addition, students will sign up for at least 3 of the activities hosted by the students or other program collaborators. These activities are designed to help students experience the city and surrounding areas as madrileñxs would, thus facilitating cultural understanding and integration. These activities are based on the interests of the current Stanford group, local holidays, weather, etc. Activities in the past have included: a neighborhood urban art tour, pick-up games of soccer or basketball, an escape room, a cooking class, a group outing to see a film, or a day trip to a city near Madrid such as Segovia or Toledo.

City Life

Today, Madrid is the financial and political center of Spanish life, home to the Government, Cortes (House of Representatives and Senate) and the Royal Family, as well as a vibrant cultural hub. Wide 18th and 19th century boulevards in parts of the city contrast with the narrow and winding streets of the historic center. 

A variety of world-renowned museums, including the Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza, and Reina Sofía, makes Madrid a mecca for art lovers. Madrid’s local art galleries and community spaces, such as La Casa Encendida, Matadero, etc. offer exciting opportunities to explore more of the city’s identities, contemporary interests, and current conversations regarding a variety of cultural and political topics.  An especially well-communicated city through its world-class system of buses, trains, and metros, Madrid offers convenient access to the varied microcosms that each barrio (neighborhood) represent, serving as a testament to the city's thriving and multicultural communities: an exploration of Malasaña and Chueca, a walk through barrio Salamanca, or a meal at a terrace in Lavapiés or Legazpi, for example, showcase the immense variety that exists between areas, proving Madrid’s multifaceted, robust, and complex identities. An exceptionally green and arboreous city, Madrid is also a metropolis that offers natural escapades from the day-to-day through its many parks and public spaces, such as El Retiro, Casa de Campo, Parque del Oeste, Madrid Río, or the Botanical Gardens, amongst many others.

The more time you devote to exploring the local environment, the more varied and enhancing your experience will be. If you make a conscious attempt to get to know Madrid, and Spain as a whole, while studying at the Center you will be richly rewarded.

Meeting People and Extracurricular Activities

Madrid has more things to do than you could possibly exhaust in a quarter. Beyond the activities offered through classes as well as program-sponsored outings, you are encouraged to explore the city in depth, from its streets and neighborhoods to its outdoor spaces and museums.

Talking with people in a neighborhood café, reading local newspapers, and “getting lost” for a day to explore new surroundings puts you in contact with the city life that locals know. Specifically, students are encouraged to connect with the local community through regular and recurring activities. This may mean continuing a hobby or interest from home or trying something new while in Madrid. Not only does this help students to create routine and structure around their experience, but it will also provide a natural contact point with locals. Host families and staff can help you find activities that are of interest and through which you can make your experience more enriching.