Mountain Towns to Learn Spanish in Latin America and Spain

Combine Language Learning and Adventures in Nature

By Mary Beth Strawn
Updated 6/10/2024 by Transitions Abroad

Volcano in Costa Rica.

Choosing a Spanish language immersion program can be daunting, considering there are 21 countries in the world with Spanish as the primary language. Where do you begin?

If you choose a top-rated and highly accredited school, you will receive excellent instruction, which should be your top concern when selecting a program.

Excellent schools that meet this benchmark are scattered throughout Latin America and Spain, so what are the criteria for shortening the list?

You won’t be in class all day, so think about the setting, environment, and activities/tours that interest you outside class. You will learn Spanish on this trip, but it’s also a vacation, right? Plus, if you are bored outside of class, it will undoubtedly affect your ability to concentrate and learn in class.

For those of you who love hiking, skiing, mountain biking, trekking, ziplining, rock climbing, etc., I’ve researched the Top Mountain Towns for Studying Spanish. The schools in these mountain towns are accredited with the prestigious Cervantes Institute, have cultural and/or volunteer programs, and offer prime access to the mountain adventures you seek!

1. Quito, Ecuador

Quito, Ecuador is an ideal base for those who love mountain trekking.

In Quito, Ecuador, you can enjoy city life just minutes away from mountain adventure sports such as trekking volcanoes, including Cotopaxi (one of the Americas’ highest active volcanoes!) and Guagua Pichincha. You can bike down into the active crater of Pululahua or the Cotopaxi active volcano. Other options include hiking in the Pasochoa Protected Forest or Cotopaxi National Park and enjoying nature in the Mindo Cloud Forest.

At Andean Global Studies, a top-rated Spanish school in the region, you can split your program between 5 locations in Ecuador! Whether you want to learn general Spanish, take a custom program, experience immersion living with a host family, and/or participate in a volunteer project, this school can meet your needs. AGS can set up a variety of tours for their students, or you can choose from the many local adventure tour companies in Quito that explore the mountains in the region or group tours by Viator. If you prefer, you can simply set out on your own hiking expeditions.

2. Monteverde, Costa Rica

A volcanic mountain behind a rainforest and palm trees in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is a beautiful country with a well-established tourism program. A wonderful place to enjoy nature while also taking quality Spanish classes is the small mountain town of Monteverde, which has its own Nature Reserve with multiple hiking trails. Monteverde is home to an extreme ziplining experience. Other options include horseback riding, canyoning, bungee jumping, trekking, whitewater rafting on the Rio Colorado, and the famous Arenal volcano hike.

CPI Spanish Immersion School (owned and operated by Costa Ricans) is a top choice for language instruction in Monteverde. The school has taught students for over 30 years (founded 1991) and welcomes all types of students — professionals, teens, kids, groups, and more. They have three unique locations in Costa Rica, so you can learn in a town and/or at the beach. CPI is not a top-rated school by chance — their program is excellent. It consists of options to live with a local family, volunteer, and enjoy free weekly cultural activities. They can set up most tours in the area through their sister tour company.

3. Quetzaltenango, Guatemala

Mountain landscape with rainbow in Guatemala.

Quetzaltenango (or "Xela" as the locals call it, derived from the town's indigenous name) is surrounded by inspiring volcanoes — Santiaguito (erupts every 40 minutes!), Santa María, and Tajumulco (the tallest volcano in Central America). There are also two serene lakes — Chicabal (in the crater of a volcano) and Atitlán (the deepest lake in Central America and perhaps the most beautiful). Many 1-day or multiple-day treks and hikes in and around the mountainous areas are available, including through the exceptional Quetzaltrekkers non-profit organization.

The complete program at Celas Maya Spanish School makes it easy for any lover of adventure to learn Spanish and plan daily excursions to the area’s top destinations. They even have special programs for learning Spanish and volunteering, dancing salsa, learning for the DELE exam, or learning to play the guitar.

4. Bilbao, Spain

Bilbao is on the coast yet near the mountains of the Pyrenees and Cantabria.

Located in the Basque Country in Spain, Instituto Hemingway is a versatile Spanish school catering to students, volunteers, and people looking for work in Spain. They offer group, private, and DELE preparation courses all year long. They also offer many accommodation options, such as staying with a host family, a shared apartment, a student residence, hotels, and hostels.

The town of Bilbao, where the school is located, is on the coast. However, it is also wedged among the Cantabrian and Pyrenees mountain ranges. This allows students looking for adventure to have the best of both worlds — water sports and mountain activities. Some popular activities are caving in Pozalauga and Arrikrutz, surfing and SUP in San Sebastián, hot air ballooning, learning how to play the Basque sport "Pelota," trekking along the coastline from Zumaia to Getaria, and even practicing some of the Basque strongmen sports with a previous champion!

Mary Beth Strawn left Atlanta, Georgia, when she joined the Peace Corps in 2010. Since then, she has been in Boquete, Panama, perfecting her Spanish, working with indigenous communities, and becoming an expert in Panama's growing tourism industry. Now with a Panamanian partner and their baby girl, she has no plans to leave anytime soon. Who would want to leave this paradise?