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Learn Spanish in Quito - Leading Destination

Located high in the Andes among breathtaking volcanoes and mountains, Quito is Ecuador’s capital and second-largest city. This vibrant metropolis is a testament to architectural prowess, boasting a plethora of historical monuments and architectural treasures. Its crown jewel is the historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage site that mesmerizes both locals and visitors alike.

The 17th-century facades, picturesque plazas, and magnificent churches that grace this area make it an ideal destination for those seeking to immerse themselves in our rich history, culture, and language. For those looking to learn Spanish in Quito, this beautiful city offers a remarkable backdrop for language acquisition. It combines the allure of its surroundings with the opportunity to delve into Ecuador’s heritage.

OUR SPANISH INSTITUTE IN QUITO

Established in 1988 by our esteemed Director, Eugenio Cordova, ISE in Quito serves as our primary location for students eager to study Spanish. Nestled in the heart of the historic center of the city, our school is housed in a beautiful colonial-style building, providing a picturesque setting for an enriching educational experience.

Featuring comfortable classrooms and a welcoming common room adorned with a spacious sofa for relaxation, our school headquarters ensure a conducive environment for Spanish classes. In addition, our facilities include balconies that overlook the charming city streets, a fully equipped kitchen for convenience, and well-maintained bathrooms for comfort. For your convenience, complimentary Wi-Fi is available throughout the school premises, while a library, reading room, and a couple of computers are at your disposal to aid in your academic pursuits.

Nearby, you will find shops, restaurants, markets, supermarkets, bus stations, and banks. In addition, the Presidential Palace, Plaza Grande, Museo de la Ciudad, and other important sites are within walking distance from ISE Quito.

Getting to and from ISE is made convenient with various transportation options at your disposal. You can easily reach our location by utilizing several bus lines, the Trole, or taxi cabs that offer direct access to our school. While the neighborhood is considered safe for daytime exploration, we advise taking a taxi after 9:00 p.m., particularly if you are carrying bags, to ensure a secure journey.

OUR SPANISH COURSES IN QUITO

Quito is one of the best places in Latin America to learn Spanish because Quiteños speak clear and easy-to-understand Spanish at a moderate speed.

For the past 29 years, Instituto Superior de Español has dedicated itself to refining its teaching methods, ensuring a dynamic and effective learning experience for our students. Our meticulously designed Spanish classes emphasize the acquisition of vocabulary and grammar, complemented by practical communication skills that students can immediately apply beyond the classroom. The program encompasses a comprehensive array of listening, verbal, and written exercises to holistically develop language proficiency.

Additionally, we conduct weekly evaluations to gauge our students’ progress and extend invitations to advance to the next level, fostering continual growth and proficiency in Spanish language acquisition.

Teachers will assign a short homework exercise each day. We offer Spanish classes for the following levels: beginner, elementary, intermediate, and advanced, as well as the DELE and the Spanish for Professionals preparation courses.

You can study up to seven hours per day from Monday to Friday between 8:30 – 12:30 and 13:30 – 17:30, or you can choose your own hours between 8:30 – 17:30.

Your first day in school will begin 15 minutes before the normal schedule with a placement test. Absolute Beginners are not required to take a placement test and will start our Spanish classes right at 8:30 a.m. The schedule from Monday to Friday will be the same throughout the week. 

During a 4-hour session of Spanish lessons, each hour counts for 55 minutes. For the break, we combine the four 5-minute breaks for a 20-minute break at mid-morning or mid-afternoon. In this manner, you will have three hours and forty minutes of class per 4-hour session.

Your Spanish-learning classes in Quito (and in Otavalo) can take place in the morning or in the afternoon for a minimum of four hours per day. Most of our Spanish students choose morning courses, but you can choose to study Spanish in the morning, in the afternoon, or in a combination of morning and afternoon private and group courses. Morning lessons start at 8:30 a.m., and afternoon lessons start at 1:00 p.m.

 

OUR OPTION IN QUITO

ACCOMMODATION IN QUITO

LIVING WITH A HOST FAMILY

Learn Spanish as you live with a host family. This experience will give you insight into the Ecuadorian lifestyle and rapidly improve your Spanish. All of the host families live within a 15-45-minute walk or a 10-minute bus ride from our school.

Staying with local families is the perfect way to accelerate your knowledge, as you will be able to practice Spanish with the family outside of your Spanish class. You will also get to know the culture and traditions of Ecuador by sharing everyday life experiences with your hosts. You can share up to 2 meals a day with the family, and you can arrange spending time with them in the afternoons and on the weekend. Host families always give their guests a warm welcome and enjoy the opportunity to share Ecuadorian life and culture with someone from another country.

STUDENT RESIDENCE

The student residence, conveniently positioned within a 45-minute walk or a 10-minute bus ride from our esteemed Spanish Institute, provides an ideal setting for those looking to study Spanish.

The manager of the student residence is a bilingual professional in the arts who is involved in artistic and musical cultural activities. She has plenty of experience accommodating students seeking to learn Spanish. Her mother started accommodating students when she was 12 years old.

Accommodations at the student residence include breakfast. Students can choose between a private room, a double room, or a dorm.

HOTEL / HOSTEL

If you prefer to stay in a hostel or hotel, we are happy to offer suggestions or help you make arrangements. All of our recommended locations offer a variety of accommodations, amenities, and price ranges and are within easy reach of ISE.

These properties offer comfortable rooms in single, double, and dorm rooms, as well as common areas, professional and friendly staff, hot water, private bathrooms, and complimentary Wi-Fi to provide a conducive environment to learn Spanish.

ACTIVITIES IN QUITO

During the week, we organize optional social and educational activities, including cooking classes, free salsa lessons, and visits to museums. On the weekends, we organize excursions to the cloud forest, indigenous communities, indigenous markets, etc. These excursions include trekking, horseback riding, and mountain biking.

If you are interested in visiting nearby cities, engaging in fun and adventurous activities, or enjoying Ecuador’s cultural and natural diversity, check out our signup sheet and sign up for the activities you are interested in. The activities vary from week to week and throughout the year. Some may depend on weather and equipment availability. Some of the activities are complementary, while others have a cost.

TELEFERICO

The TelefériQo opened in July 2005. This tourist attraction consists of a cable car ride which takes about 10-15 minutes each way. At the summit, there are restaurants, coffee shops, and hiking trails with incredible views of the entire city of Quito.

Because the altitude on the highest part of the TeleferiQo is 4050 meters above sea level, the mountain winds are much cooler than those of the city, and the area is susceptible to fog, especially in the mornings. Tickets for the cable car are sold at the ticket booth located at the bottom of the ride.

MITAD DEL MUNDO

The Monument to the Equator is located 26 km north of the historic center of Quito. It highlights the exact location of the Equatorial line and commemorates the eighteenth-century Franco-Spanish Geodesic Mission, which calculated the Equator’s approximate location.

You can also visit the Ethnographic Museum, which is located inside the Monument and contains exhibits about Ecuador’s indigenous ethnography. The 30-meter-tall monument was constructed between 1979 and 1982 by the Pichincha Province Council to replace an older, smaller monument built by the Central Government of Ecuador in 1936. It is made of iron and concrete and covered with cut and polished andesite stone.

COOKING PARTY

In addition to Spanish classes, we also offer exciting activities. Every Thursday, we host a cooking party where a professional chef teaches students how to cook traditionally. You will have the opportunity to try the different gastronomic delights our country has to offer and to learn more about each region and its culinary marvels.

MINDO CLOUD FOREST (WEEKEND TRIP)

Also known as the Mindo Valley, Mindo is a mountainous division in the western slopes of the Andes where two of the most biologically diverse regions, the Chocoan lowlands and the Tropical Andes, meet. This transitional area covers approximately 268 square kilometers and ranges from 960 to 3,440 meters above sea level.

The Mindo Valley is among the most heavily visited tourist destinations in Ecuador. Here, you can enjoy activities such as trekking, rafting, tubing, mountain biking, canopying, horseback riding, and birdwatching.

Much of the land is privately protected, although 86 square kilometers falls within the Mindo-Nambillo Ecological Reserve.

COTOPAXI NATIONAL PARK (DAY TRIP)

Cotopaxi is an active volcano that forms part of the Andes Mountain Range. It is located in the Latacunga district of Cotopaxi Province, about 50 km south of Quito. At a height of 5897 meters.

Cotopaxi is the second-highest point in Ecuador and one of the highest active volcanoes in the world. It has erupted more than 50 times since 1738, resulting in numerous valleys formed by mudflows around the volcano. The last eruption lasted from August 2015 to January 2016.

While here, you can visit the interpretation center, where you can learn more about the region’s endemic flora and fauna. We also offer a beautiful bicycle ride in the area that will show you traces of past eruptions mixed with the highland greenery.

OTAVALO INDIGENOUS MARKET (DAY TRIP)

Otavalo is a beautiful Indigenous city located two hours north of Quito. It is surrounded by incredible volcanoes, lagoons, and waterfalls. The indigenous Otavalos are famous for their ability and success in commerce and for their beautiful arts and crafts.

On Saturdays, you have the opportunity to explore the indigenous market at Plaza de Ponchos, where you will be captivated by intricate designs adorning decorations, traditional attire, jewelry, and artwork. Nearby, the sacred Peguche Falls, significant to the Otavalo people, offer a spiritual experience with their powerful energy and picturesque trails.

A short distance away from Otavalo is the renowned leather town of Cotacachi, known for its exquisite leather craftsmanship. Further afield, the Cuicocha lagoon, nestled within a dormant volcano crater, boasts two small islets waiting to be discovered.

RECOMMENDED CLOTHES AND EQUIPMENT

For most activities, you will need comfortable shoes, long pants, a comfortable shirt, and a jacket. Since the weather may be unpredictable, it’s a good idea to take a sweatshirt or jacket with you on a trip. We also recommend bringing sunscreen, bug spray, and a hat.

Visits to Cotopaxi will require warmer clothes and preferably hiking boots, as the highland weather is cool and windy. Visits to Mindo will require comfortable and light clothes, as the weather will be more tropical, warm, and humid.

HOW TO GET TO QUITO

There are a few options for your arrival in Quito, but the most common option is by air. Mariscal Sucre Airport is located about 45 minutes from Quito. When you arrive, we will meet you at the airport to welcome you and take you to your accommodation. Please provide us with your flight information as soon as you have it. We can pick you up any day of the week and at any time. At the end of your stay, drop-off at the airport is not included, but we will be happy to help you find reliable transportation.

 

In addition, there are buses and taxi cabs available to take you to and from the airport. These options are also available every day of the week at any time.

You can also arrive by bus if you are coming from another city in Ecuador or if you are coming from Colombia or Peru. There are two bus terminals in Quito. The first terminal is located in the south end of the city in Quitumbe, and this terminal receives buses coming from the south and east sides of the country.

The second terminal is located at the north end of the city in Carcelen, and this terminal receives buses coming from the north and west sides of the country. If you are arriving in Quito by bus, please let us know the time and date of your arrival so we can pick you up and take you to your accommodation or provide you with directions on how to get there.

ORIENTATION

During orientation, you will receive recommendations regarding the prices of food and other things you will need to purchase, how to move safely while in the city or during the program, where to eat, where to walk, and which precautions to take into consideration.

INCLUDED / NOT INCLUDED

ISE CLASSES

  • Complimentary [not part of the price] optional airport pickup and transfer to your accommodation in Quito (one way, only upon arrival in Quito).
  • Welcome pack, which includes book and notebook for Spanish classes
  • Transfer to and from Quito if students choose to take courses at multiple locations
  • Placement test
  • Personalized attention and preparation of the Spanish course
  • Coffee, tea and snacks (like freshly baked bread) during breaks
  • Wednesday trip to visit a place in Quito of interest such as a museum, Middle of the World, Cable car of Quito, etc.
  • Assistance to look for discounts for restaurants, hostels & hotels and trips to the mountains, Amazon jungle, or the Galapagos Islands
  • Volunteer or internship placement in a social or environmental organization or rescue center. We have projects in Otavalo and across Ecuador including in the amazing Galapagos Islands
  • 24-hour emergency hotline
  • Buses or taxis for Wednesday activities
  • Entrance fee for museums, Teleferico de Quito, etc.
  • Cost of ingredients for cooking party which you will share with participants
  • Weekend activities which are at cost
  • Books for levels you are not studying or which you will not study with us
  • Daily transportation organized by the school if students require
  • Transfer back to the airport after the program with us

ACCOMMODATION WITH HOST FAMILY

  • Accommodation
  • Laundry services
  • Meals (according to service package)
  • Drinking water
  • Linens, blankets and towels
  • Extra blankets
  • Wi-Fi/internet access
  • A nice and friendly environment
  • Transportation to and from the school
  • Lunch

ACCOMMODATION IN THE STUDENT RESIDENCE

  • Accommodation
  • Laundry services
  • Meals (according to service package)
  • Drinking water
  • Linens, blankets and towels
  • Extra blankets
  • Wi-Fi/internet access
  • A nice and friendly environment
  • Transportation to and from the school
  • Lunch

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