London, England (2 nights)

Included only for students on the optional AIFS Flight Package

Get to know your fellow students before traveling to campus and take a sightseeing tour with a professional guide who will point out some of London’s famous landmarks including Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament and the Tower of London. You will also have free time to visit museums, see a play or stroll in London’s beautiful parks.

Includes accommodations, breakfast and sightseeing as indicated. Lunch and dinner are not included.

Gerona and Besalú (day visit)

Included in program fee

A walled city of Roman origin, Gerona is located at a strategic point between the Pyrenees and Barcelona. Its narrow cobblestone streets and spectacular monuments and museums make it a visit to remember. The walking tour of Gerona includes visits to the 12th century Church of Sant Nicolau, the Monastery of Sant Pere de Galligants, the Romanesque Arab Baths and the Jewish quarter.

Besalú is a beautiful medieval village of stone houses and squares that takes you back in time. Its most well-known monuments are the bridge, the miqvé or Jewish baths and the church of the Sant Pere. In 1966, Besalú was declared a “National Historic-Artistic Ensemble” due to its high architectural value.

Figueras and the Salvador Dalí Museum (day visit)

Included in program fee

Morning visit to Figueras and the Teatro Museo Dalí, one of the most visited museums in Spain, where Salvador Dalí, one of the 20th century’s greatest artists, worked and is buried. Many of Dalí’s most famous works are on display, including Rainy Taxi and the Mae West Room.

Montserrat and Sitges (day visit)

Included in program fee for 4-or 6-week Spanish Language and Culture Program students

Students visit the Benedictine monastery of Montserrat, located 2,400 feet above sea level and Catalunya’s most important pilgrimage site for more than a thousand years. See the 12th-century carving of the Black Virgin. In the afternoon, visit the former fishing village of Sitges, now a thriving, cosmopolitan beach resort, offering excellent beaches, restaurants and museums, located 30 minutes south of Barcelona. Students have free time to explore the town or enjoy the beach. Early evening return to Barcelona.

Optional excursion to Madrid (3 days – $575)

Spend a weekend in the beautiful capital of Spain. Visit the Prado Museum, Spain’s most prestigious art museum which features one of the world’s finest collections of European art. You can see the world famous Velázquez masterpiece “Las Meninas” along with works by Titian, Goya, El Greco and Rubens. Visit the majestic Royal Palace and spend the evening in the Plaza Mayor, a spectacular square in the center of Madrid.

Fee includes transportation, accommodation, breakfasts and sightseeing as indicated. If a minimum enrollment of 15 is not met, the tour may be cancelled. Students must enroll and pay for this excursion by April 1. Students who apply after the deadline may enroll subject to availability. Once paid for in the U.S. optional excursions are non-refundable except in the event of cancellation by AIFS.

Dates and itineraries for all excursions are tentative and subject to change.