This is my first posting to MadridMan's message board and I would like to pass on a Happy New Year to everybody out there! I have been planning to visit Spain for the past three years and actually had a chance to last year but had to cancel my plane tickets last minute due to unforeseen circumstances. I am now looking at visiting Spain, solo, in May and think that a good way to do this would be by taking either a week long intensive Spanish language course or even some kind of an Spanish art history course in this time period. I think that this would be a terrific way to meet new people while diving into the heart of the culture. I would only be spending 2 weeks in Spain which is why I only want a one week course. My 2 city choices would be either Madrid or Sevilla. I plan to visit both places, regardless, if I go to Spain. Can anybody please guide me to a school that offers week long Spanish art history courses (along with an intense Spanish course also) that are geared to somebody like myself, a solo traveller who would like to learn more about the local culture while at the source? Would I be overwhelmed with homework when taking an intensive one-week language course? Travel is the main reason for going, of course, so if I knew ahead of time that I would be spending more time sticking my nose in the books versus soaking up the culture, I would reconsider my approach. BTW I am a 35 year old Canadian male and I would be more interested in a school that caters to adults also (not college students only). Thank you very much for any information that can be provided to me.

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I don't know of anything that caters specifically to adults. My guess would be that a decent language institute would suffice. I week long course in a language probably won't keep you buried in books all day. They seem to run form like 9-1 etc. You could always spend the afternoons in a nice plaza, at a cafe, doing your homework. You get to people watch and experience an aspect of the culture..

Thanks for your reply Nicole! I was hoping for more advice as I only have until Jan. 16 to purchase the sale price ticket to Madrid but I guess I may have to take a big chance here. I now don't think that I will want to take a language course as the six hours a day will definitely eat up too much valuable travel time (remember I only have 2 weeks to get a taste of Madrid and Andalucia) so can anybody recommend an institute or even day tour group that will allow me to sample Spanish culture and meet people (I dread solo!). It could be a cooking class (or two), cultural study tour, etc.. I sent "elemadrid" a request for cultural courses only and they just replied indicating basically that you must take a language course (minimum two weeks long - can't do it) in order to sign up for cultural courses. I really can't find anything else on the 'net that offers cultural courses or tours only. Thanks again for the advice!