Thousands of people from around the world choose to learn Spanish in Spain each year. This is for a number of reasons, but mainly because Spain is a famously beautiful country with genuinely relaxed outlook. There are many popular areas to visit in mainland Spain, not to mention the numerous islands claimed by the country, such as the Canaries, the Balearics and Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas and Penon de Velez de la Gomera off North Africa.

If you want to learn Spanish Spain is an obvious destination, however there are language schools offering the opportunity to learn Spanish across the world. Here we look at some of the most popular destinations.

Madrid

The region of Madrid divides into two different worlds. The city of Madrid is relatively young, established by Phillip II in the sixteenth century at the physical center of Spain. Madrid is very cosmopolitan, and it is a fun-loving city where life is always lived to the fullest. Madrid's streetlife is famous, be it in the evocative cobbled streets of Old Madrid or in the stylish new districts. Madrid is home to many Spanish language schools, and is an ideal location to undertake an intensive Spanish course in Spain, becuase this offers a great opportunity to experience the city's cultural delights. Madrid is also the business hub of Spain. As such, it's no wonder business Spanish courses (where you can learn to speak Spanish for business) are popular in the city.

Rural Madrid features charming villages like Patones and Chinchón, and beautiful sights like the majestic El Escorial of Phillip II, Alcalá de Henares, a top university town in the sixteenth century, and Aranjuez, where the royal court once holidayed. Outdoor activities abound, from winter skiing in the high mountains to boating and other water sports in summer. The greenery around the city of Madrid is an escape valve, as such, for the capital's people, a place where they can relax and enjoy life at a more reasonable pace.

Canary Islands

Known to the ancient Greeks as The Fortunate Islands, the Canary Islands are volcanic islands off the North African coast, right by the equator. Naturally beautiful, the Canaries have been a popular holiday destination for many years. Vegetation is lush and varied, the fertile land yields impressive crops of fruit and vegetables. Magnificent fine sand beaches ring each island, and water sports range from swimming and boating to surfing and deep sea fishing. If you are expecting long stretches of golden sand, however, think again as many of the beaches consist of black sand formed from volcanic rock.

Spanish courses for juniors are popular in the Canaries because of the beautiful coastline and many tourist attractions around the islands. Trainee EFL teachers also choose to study CELTA in Spain in great numbers because Spain is a popular destination to teach English.

Pais Valencia

The autonomous region of Valencia comprises of three provinces: Valencia, Castellón and Alicante, and it occupies the central portion of Spain's eastern coastline. Wide fine sand beaches, year round gentle climate, endless sunshine and the sparkling Mediterranean makes Valencia exceptionally popular with tourists. Valencia is a prosperous region, a place of orchards, rice paddies and vineyards. Since the 1960's, some farmland has made way for industry as Valencia is a key manufacturing center for toys, textiles and footwear.

For Spanish courses Spain has always been a popular destination; Valencia in particular has some excellent language schools at which to study. The city of today owes much to the early Moors, who occupied the region. They introduced the complicated irrigation systems that insure Valencia's fertility and also began the cultivation of rice and oranges that remains the baserock of the region's agriculture. Today orange groves cover the northern province of Castellón, while pancake-flat rice fields dominate the province of Valencia by the coast.

Apart from those mentioned, there are many destinations where one can take Spanish courses in Spain. It is important to choose the right destination as well as the right school; if both of these considerations are taken seriously before departure, learning Spanish in Spain can be a fantastic experience.