Spanish School Reviews

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Spanish Students Reviews and Recommendations

Comments (371)

  1. Andrea:

    The school is absolutely amazing! I stayed there for 3 weeks and improved my Spanish a lot. My teacher César is such a great guy and we had an amazing time. The lessions are not like regular school, it's a lot of fun! ????

  2. lynda Green:

    I have studied with ROSARIO MONROY two times, once for three weeks and now for one week. I cannot wait to go back to the Academy. Rosario is an excellent teacher. My command of Spanish now is quite fluent. She is professional, patient and has many years of experience. I highly recommend her as one of the best language professors I have had. The school is situated right in the heart of the glorious town of Antigua and they offer various activities such as visiting the chocolate factory, various historic churches, one can even make a bracelet with the help of a local Mayan weaver. I love this school, love my professor Rosario and cannot wait to return to continue my lessons and enjoy the traditional and amazing culture of the Mayan people.

  3. Rebecca:

    I have really enjoyed and appreciated my time with Antigua Spanish Academy. My instructor, Carmen, was fabulous. We spent a large portion of class laughing and discussing relevant topics of today's world. I loved our time together. She was patient with me and encouraged me whenever I felt a little overwhelmed by all the new content. After two weeks, I'm leaving with a much greater understanding of the Spanish language than I arrived. I now have a solid foundation to keep practicing and develop my confidence with Spanish.
    I also loved doing a homestay. My abulita, AnnaMaria, took such good care of me. I have a special diet because of allergies and personal choice, and she totally accommodated for my needs. Plus, it was SO delicious.
    Antigua is also a super cute little city full of colors, artists, and a seemingly never ending amount of cozy little places to discover. I felt safe as a solo female, and I really enjoyed getting to know this place and the people here. I am not a city person, but the surrounding volcanoes made me feel at home.
    I would highly recommend Antigua Spanish Academy to anyone who is looking to develop their Spanish skills and be in a wonderful place while they're at it. Thanks for everything!

  4. Veronica Stimson:

    I have had such a wonderful time learning Spanish with my teacher, Judith! I was so looking forward to attending the school in person but covid-19 and social distancing complicated things. I was worried taking classes via Skype would not be a worthwhile experience, but I was so wrong! I've learned so much in my two months of classes with Judith. When I started I was taking one hour of class a day, Monday through Friday. My Spanish improved so much, and I was having so much fun with Judith, that I decided to increase my lessons time to two hours a day. We spend an hour talking about just about anything (she's a great conversationalist) and another hour working on grammar. She gives me written homework to work on outside of class and has even recommended songs or movies for me to check out, which is very appreciated during these times. My Guatemalan family tells me my Spanish is getting much better, I'm able to laugh at their jokes and share stories at dinner! I can't wait to see how much I can learn in the next month. Classes with Judith have become the highlight of my day. I highly recommend this school for anyone who wants to learn or improve their Spanish, learn more about Guatemala, or learn a new hobby during these times.

  5. Dave & Joy Springob:

    *****
    Our experience with Spanish Academy has been nothing short of fabulous!!
    We took the free first lesson and were immediately convinced of the program's value. That lesson confirmed what we had hoped - that there was a class focused on helping our boys (we enrolled a 14 and a 16 yr old) extend what they had previously studied in a classroom setting into practical conversation.
    Julio has been very prompt answering all of our questions and shown tremendous flexibility to accommodate our schedules. We just started our second round of lessons running Mon-Thurs and plan to continue after that.
    Lorena is a great teacher who exhibits much knowledge and is also patient and passionate about her teaching. She works on vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation and conversation ... AND she makes it fun which keeps the boys engaged!
    We feel very fortunate & blessed to be a part of such an outstanding organization :-)

    Thank you Julio and Lorena!

  6. Dr. Katherine Spies:

    My experience with Spanish Academy has been marvelous. Having past experience with Spanish classes in person, I honestly was not sure if I would feel comfortable taking classes via Skype. I am so glad I decided to try it out. The owner has been very prompt with answering ALL of my questions and my tutor, Lorena, is outstanding. I just paid for my second month of lessons, which are 3 days a week for 4 hours. Lorena is a great teacher who exhibits much knowledge and is also warm, kind, patient, and passionate about teaching Spanish. We work on vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation and conversation. Being born and raised in Guatemala, Lorena is well versed in the social context of Guatemala, and in particular, Antigua and the surrounding areas, making it a very rich experience for me. While I am stuck inside due to social distancing, she enables me to continue to grow by sharing her life with me. For example, she just gave me a recipe of hers that I will make once the Supermercado in my neighborhood re-opens! During these times of uncertainty, I feel very lucky that I can count on and focus on attaining fluency with an outstanding individual and school. Thank you Julio and Lorena!

  7. Fiona Stockinger:

    My four weeks with this Spanish school where nothing but amazing!
    I really enjoyed the one on one teaching system. It´s great since you learn so much in such a short period of time and the teachers are really flexible and can adapt their teaching according to your needs! Ask for Noemi Vasquez! She is not only a great teacher but also such a lovely person/friend. I had a great time and I am now able to communicate in proper Spanish after only 4 weeks!

    I also recommend taking a home stay. It is a great way to involve in Guatemalan culture and also contribute to the local community.
    All in all, best learning experience so far! Highly recommend!

  8. Andrea Chisholm :

    I am studying with Dilia and she is a wonderful teacher. Skilled, prepared, helpful, professional, knowledgable, and flexible. She always customizes her teaching to my needs. I am learning SO MUCH and really enjoying the lessons. Thank you Spanish Academy!

  9. Isabel Sullivan:

    If you are there during rainy season, the garden loses some of its charm, but it is an excellent opportunity to meet other students. Nevertheless, Antiguena does give you the option of two very comfortable locations inside and out, which is not something all schools in Antigua can do.

  10. Inge:

    I was suppose to do only one week of spanish lessons and homestay, but I end up doing three weeks, because I enjoyed my classes and living with family so much.

    I would recommend my teacher Cesar to any student. It was not just a boring class, but it's was like I was talking to a friend and I was laughing a lot. We talked about a lot of topics and almost always with a smile.

    I stayed with the lovely family of Teresa and I really felt like home there. She made amazing dinners and they have so much patient with your Spanish. I enjoyed played games and Mario Kart with my little brother Fernando and go as a family to all the football matches.

    Julio was really helpfull and really flexible. I could arrange always last minute one week more of classes.

    In total, it was a great and useful experience, one of my highlights of my travels. Special thanks to Cesar and my family

  11. Jeannine:

    I will be completing 2 weeks of 1:1 4 hours/day Spanish lessons at the Spanish Academy Antiguena tomorrow. I highly recommend this school!

    Before coming to Antiqua, I knew some basic words and common Spanish phrases but many were spoken improperly and likely did not make sense to a native speaker. After my 2 weeks with my teacher Victoria Valle, I can honestly say that through perseverance and an excellent and extremely patient teacher, I feel I have improved my Spanish language skills considerably. Victoria was very skillful at discovering where I had most difficulty and through a variety of activities , she was able to guide me in learning/practicing my language skills including grammar, pronunciation and the ultimate : conversation. Victoria also has a great sense of humour. I highly recommend Victoria as a first-class teacher.

    I would also recommend a homestay to further integrate your Spanish speaking skills. I stayed with Suheidy and Edwin Morales and their 3 children. My private room was clean and comfortable and very close to the Garden where I took my lessons. The family was very friendly, helpful and good hosts. Suheidy cooked delicious traditional dishes for me.

    One more thing I highly recommend is to partake in the extra activities that are offered by the school. I am amazed that they are generally free! What a great opportunity to discover Antigua and immerse yourself in Guatemalan culture, with the extra bonus of more Spanish listening and speaking opportunities. Hats off to Leti, one of the school's teacher for being a such a great guide with deep knowledge of the culture here. She was fantastic! All in all I highly recommend this school if you want to make good progress with your Spanish skills. I plan to come back for more!

  12. Mirte van der Leeuw:

    I highly recommand Antiguena Spanish school. Especially because of my wonderful teacher Mirtala! During my Spanish classes Mirtala was so patient, friendly and helpful.
    Besides learning Spanish i also learned a lot about the people and culture of Guatamala!

    I am happy to notice that my Spanish skills are improved! I am perfectly prepared for my travels now! Thank you Mirtala!!

  13. Bryce Yerman:

    second family trip to Guatemala for 1 on 1 training with SAA. Our homestay? Went back for a second visit with same family, lots of warm food and warm conversation. Teachers? All of us thrived on the 1 on 1. School? loved the garden setting. My kids did ice cream runs with their teachers daily and on day 4 our 11 year old had a great ice cream/shopping trip with her teacher. We brought down teaching aids (candy land, uno, matching cards) which we left for the teachers. These courses can be arranged with little more than a few e mails and paid for with cash on arrival. Easy to do. We may do family trip #3 next year. In 5 free mornings one can see most of Antigua and it's ruins/chapels. Don't miss the monday/thursday market. I'm a fan morning free time and afternoon classes. Shuttles/rides are so easy to arrange.

    If anyone is looking for insights into taking kids/families to Antigua, I'll leave my e mail with the school.

  14. Sabrina Okada:

    It was a total luck that I found Antigüeña Spanish Academy. Julio was nice enough to offer me a class after I showed up in his office without any advance notice.
    Ms. Victoria Valle was my teacher for four full weeks. I had taken Spanish classes decades ago but my knowledge was buried deep in my brain too long. Ms. Valle patiently reviewed grammar with me and helped me rebuild my vocabulary. She gave me enough homework to work on after the tutoring session but I tried to write sample sentences that I would often use at my work and she corrected them every day. I am grateful that she was my private tutor for a month.
    I also enjoyed afternoon activities with other students from all over the world.
    The family that Julio introduced me to and I stayed with was also wonderful trying to make my stay as comfortable as possible and feeding me good meals three times a day on time every day.
    I cannot thank everybody who made my stay in Antigua unforgettable. I would love to go back again next year!

  15. Julia Knauseder:

    I just spend two weeks studying Spanish here and I don’t want to leave. I really enjoyed my time here. The school garden is great to study and the various after-school activities are a lot of fun.
    My teacher Claudia P. is an amazing teacher and she was very patient with me. She helped me improve my Spanish in no time. She always made sure to do different activities with me to help me remember grammar and vocabulary much more easily. Moreover, we had very interesting conversations. She knew where my weaknesses were and helped me get over them. All in all, I had a great time studying with her and thanks to her 8 made a lot of progress. I highly recommend her.
    My homestay was also great. I stayed with Amanda and Poco and they made me feel like home. I had a very good time with them and their family. There were also two other students staying there and we all became friends. Also, the food was very delicious. I could not have asked for a better homestay.
    Michas gracias!

  16. Hannah Miller:

    I cannot recommend this school highly enough! I returned for the second time in a year, and once again had a wonderful experience. My Spanish improved rapidly, and the teachers are so friendly, fun, and competent. Senora Nidia Burrion is such a fun, kind, and experienced maestra, I cannot thank her enough for all she taught me! She made learning so enjoyable, I highly recommend her. Senora Odilia was my home-stay hostess, and her friendly welcoming home was so lovely- and the food was always fresh and delicious!
    The school garden is beautiful, and the optional extra activities in the afternoon are a great way to continue listening and learning Spanish through more immersion. Many of the local businesses collaborate with the school to offer free activities to the students, such as dance classes every week, and free entrance to some of the city's museums (on school tours for example). The program is thorough, while very flexible and individualized to your unique needs. The rich Mayan culture and history of Antigua make this location an absolute treasure-a perfect place to learn Spanish while exploring and having fun at the same time. 5/5 stars for this school.

  17. Vidi Zlabyte:

    I attended Antigueña for 7 weeks in total. I absolutely loved it. I would highly recommend this school. My teacher Victoria Valle was amazing. She puts her students at the centre of her teaching, and works really hard to help students reach their Spanish goals. She took the time to get to know me and my style of learning which really helped me to learn and enjoy the classes. The classes took place in a beautiful garden. And the school is very well organised with an abundance of activities offered to learn about the Guatemala and it's culture. Overall, it's an amazing school!

  18. Deanna Miller:

    I spent 2 weeks learning conversational Spanish at Antigueña academy. It has been a fantastic experience. My instructor, Luis Garcia, is excellent. He is very patient and helped me to find practical tools to learn and retain Spanish. Luis found resources for me to learn medical related terminology.

    The school garden is an amazing place to learn Spanish. The additional activities provided are a fantastic way to speak and listen in real life situations.

    I am grateful for this experience and plan to return in the future to continue my learning. Thank you to all! Especially Luis.

  19. Vydune Zlabyte:

    Antigueña has been an amazing school these past 7 weeks. I'd highly recommend it. It's very well organised, and personalised for each student which is great. And the lessons primarily take place in a beautiful garden.

    Homestay is available too which can help with the Spanish practice. I did that for two weeks only but it was worthwhile for integration. It's always nice having your meals cooked for you.

    I have seen incredible progress thanks to my teacher Victoria Valle.
    She is a fantastic teacher who really cares about her students and their learning. She always made the lessons interesting but would also push me when needed.
    5 stars.
    ¡Muchas gracias Antigueña!

  20. yves:

    fui cuatro semanas en Guatemala en la muy agradable ciudad de Antigua.Durante mi estancia, vivi a casa de la familia Santiz, una muy buona habitacion, con perfecta limpieza, comida y hospitalidad.Tomé cursos de espanol en la antigua spanish academy. La manera de practicar me ha gustado mucho, con los cursos en un parque, un profesor para un alumno, una pausa de media hora con la possibilidad de tomar algo al bar en el centro del parque y hablar con ortos alumnos, el café era ofrecido por la escuola. Los profesores (mayoria son mujeres) son muy agradables u muy abiertas a las demandas de los alumnos. Mi profesor se llamaba SONIA, me he gustado que ella dejarme hablar sin interrumpirme, aunque mis numerosos faltas ! Con ella, discutimos de todos, temas serios y menos serios. Ella es muy instruido y se adapta perfectamente al nivel de su alumno. Por fin, una buona experiancia con la cual pude ameliorar mi espanol, pero necesita de trabajar mucho !

  21. Katharina:

    I took one week of Spanish lessons with Blanca. Not only is she a sweet soul but an extremely good and passionate teacher. She gave me the feeling that she's not only sitting off her time with me but really wanted to help me improve my Spanish. She was patient and encouraging but at the same time never let me get away with mistakes in grammar or words which appeared very professional to me. With different learning methods she offered structured and diversified lessons that never bored nor overwhelmed me.
    I can highly recommend asking for Blanca, within the blink of an eye she can estimate your level and make you improve your Spanish in a very short amount of time! Gracias para to do Blanca!

  22. Waclaw:

    I highly recommend Antiguena Spanish Academy. I have spent 2 weeks studying 4 hours in the morning with Irma and 2 hours in the afternoon with Silvia. I liked one on one method a lot and my Spanish has improved greatly. The school is very accommodating and the entire staff is there to make sure that student’s needs are met and that they have an excellent experience. I highly recommend staying with the family. My hosts were Ana and Manuel Godoy and they were absolutely fabulous. My entire time in Antigua was a total immersion not only in language, but also in culture and the history. I am going back home with great memories and much improved Spanish. I highly recommend this experience.

  23. Alexandra Sherley:

    Spanish Academy Antigueña is a fantastic school! I attended morning classes for three weeks with Carmen Cárdenas as my teacher. She was extremely helpful and a great teacher. I learnt a lot in my 3 weeks of school. They were very flexible to any changes in schedule I needed. Carmen and I, along with some other teachers and students went on two excursions during school which were also really great! I would 100% recommend Spanish Academy Antigueña and will always come back if i am in Antigua. Thank you very much Carmen! I appreciate all your time and effort with me.

  24. Samuel:

    I took 3 weeks of Spanish classes at Antiguena Acadamy and I am really happy with the progress I have made on my Spanish. My maestra Noemi Vasquez did a great job in teaching me the basics while spending adequate time on vocabulary, grammar, reading and conversation. Noemi is really a great teacher, professional, patient and I appreciated her entertaining ways of teaching, I never feel bored and always looked forward to our classes. The garden setting was a nice touch and provided a great opportunity to meet other students and interact outside of class. Thank you Antiguena Academy and a big thank you to my teacher Noemi!

  25. Lauren McIntosh:

    I studied for a week with Marvin Hernandez and he is an excellent teacher, highly recommended. I am a lawyer and wanted to practice legal terms in Spanish, along with a general brush up of my Spanish. Marvin is just finishing his legal studies, so he was a perfect match. He was also very prepared and everyday had articles relating to my field of work for me to read and to discuss. He also took me to two neighboring villages, we explored Antigua, and he showed me all of Antigua's best cafes during my lessons! If you are looking for someone that will help you develop your Spanish within a context, as opposed to just doing worksheets, Marvin is the teacher for you! FIVE STAR RECOMMENDATION!

  26. Anne Wolfinger:

    I studied with Antiguena Spanish Academy from February through April 2019 and was thoroughly pleased with the experience. My professora, Marìa del Carmen Valle Garcia, was patient and funny and we had a good time every day. Her teaching skills were exceptional, with a mix of grammar, reading, listening to Spanish music, and conversation. The school's main teaching site in a beautiful garden was unexpected and enhanced the overall experience. In addition, the school arranged the perfect homestay for me. Now, as the snow flies here at home, I'm homesick for Antigua!

  27. Flemming:

    I spent 2 weeks studying Spanish at Antiguena and I loved it. My teacher was Marvin and I have nothing but good things to say about him. He was really patient with me although he still pushed me to actually study Spanish in a perfect pace. He is really skilled and experienced which is why I personally believe he was the best teacher I could get! We did a great mix of vocabulary, gramma and conversation.

    After only two weeks I already felt like I’ve learned a lot! We studied in a lovely garden which is not only relaxing and calm but also a great place to study.

    During my time in Antigua I stayed at Vicky‘s place. She’s the most warming and welcoming person I’ve met in Guatemala and made my stay even better. Vicky and her husband Walter are really looking out for the students and are trying to make their stay as comfortable as possible.

    All together I had a great time and highly recommend to study at Antiguena.

  28. Jen Hanson:

    Highly recommend studying Spanish at the Antiguena Spanish Academy. I was in Antigua for 6 days and spent 16 hours studying over 4 days. ASA were flexible with my days/times to accommodate my itinerary and an overnight volcano trek. Rosario was an absolute delight...a wonderful teacher, friendly, very knowledgable and patient. Will definitely be back and would love to work with Rosario again.

  29. Ken Sweet:

    I came to Guatemala to work with Common Hope an NGO that works with childrens education. Then I stayed to take the Spanish class.

    I took 1 week of class 1-1 with Letcia Socorec. (I was fortunate to have her a a teacher).
    I was able to speak some Spanish prior to the class. I asked her to spend more time on conversation rather than grammar. Of course grammar is important so we did cover grammar.

    At the end of the session my Spanish improved a lot. I was able to carry on slow conversions with people I met in town and in my travels.

    The school provide a tour of Antigua, a farm and sweet as afternoon functions, all were fun and informative..

  30. Xu:

    My experience with my teacher Carmen Cardenas is so good. She is very strict with me. Very logical and professional, and know what she is doing. Everymomente,

  31. Chris Marshall-Bell:

    Over two weeks I had one-on-one lessons for five hours-a-day with the wonderful Rosario. I arrived in Antigua knowing about 10 Spanish words and left understanding most of the grammar and being able to confidently speak, albeit slowly. The amount and the rate of progression I made was all down to the teaching of Rosario who made the lessons enjoyable and fun, yet didn't let that come at the cost of learning.

    Rosario was incredibly patient with me, corrected my errors and constantly helped me to improve. She even helped me pick fresh bananas and chillis in the garden! I couldn't have wished for a better teacher in Antigua.

    The garden, where the lessons are based, is a spacious, beautiful and well-structured place to study. Tables are set a comfortable distance apart from one another so as not to prove distracting, and there is plentiful space to chat to new friends during the 30 minute break. The food that is available during the morning break is also excellent.

    My homestay was also good. I was given a good-sized room with a desk, a double bed and a wardrobe. My host, Amanda, was very friendly and her, her family and their friends helped me and fellow homestay students to practise our Spanish, whether through conversation or playing card games. Other students had homestay families who took them to football games, too.

    I cannot recommend the school more.

  32. Alex Jackson:

    My wife and I took separate Spanish lessons over a 3 week period. 1-2-1 teacher/ student is a great concept that enables very individual learning at your own pace.
    My teacher was Marvin Hernandez who I’d highly recommend. I would say I was slightly slower at learning Spanish and he accommodated this and we worked at a comfortable pace for me. I highly recommend this school and especially Marvin, it was a fantastic learning experience. 5 Stars.
    Muchas gracias Marvin!

  33. Mirte van den Boom:

    I took 2 weeks of Spanish classes at Antiguena Acadamy and I am really happy with the progress I have made. My maestra Sheny Flores did a great job in teaching me the basics of the Spanish language in these 2 weeks. Moreover, I loved the garden en enjoyed the activities during the afternoon. Thank you Antiguena academy and a big thank you to my teacher Sheny Flores!

  34. Sabina:

    Antiguena Spanish Academy was a great choice and I would recommend it to everyone!

    I had such a wonderful time while studying there and my teacher Nidia Santos was just amazing! I enjoyed our classes together so much that I kept extending my course and in the end stayed one month instead of one week as I had planned at the beginning.
    My classes were always very interesting, proffesional and relaxed at the same time and Nidia did her best to fit them to my needs and interests. My Spanish was zero when I started but after four weeks I understood and spoke enough to be able to make my next travels in Central America much more easier, fun and enjoyable. So all what I hoped for before coming to Guatemala.

    The garden where the classes run is very nice and I enjoyed learning outside on fresh air so much. There is also free coffee and water for students and possibility to buy cheap and tasteful food during the break. The school provides various after-school activities from Monday to Friday which was great for getting to know Antigua better and perfect for meeting and hanging out with other students.

    I would also recommend staying with a homestay family and I was very glad that mine was Amanda and Paco. I felt very comfortable with them and enjoyed talking with all family members. The atmosphere was very friendly and the food always so so delicious, with vegetarian options as well!

    I am very glad for my whole experiance with Antiguena and as I said at the beginning, can only recommend it!

    Thank you so much for everything!

  35. Rebecca:

    I have really enjoyed and appreciated my time with Antigua Spanish Academy. My instructor, Carmen, was fabulous. We spent a large portion of class laughing and discussing relevant topics of today's world. I loved our time together. She was patient with me and encouraged me whenever I felt a little overwhelmed by all the new content. After two weeks, I'm leaving with a much greater understanding of the Spanish language than I arrived. I now have a solid foundation to keep practicing and develop my confidence with Spanish.
    I also loved doing a homestay. My abulita, AnnaMaria, took such good care of me. I have a special diet because of allergies and personal choice, and she totally accommodated for my needs. Plus, it was SO delicious.
    Antigua is also a super cute little city full of colors, artists, and a seemingly never ending amount of cozy little places to discover. I felt safe as a solo female, and I really enjoyed getting to know this place and the people here. I am not a city person, but the surrounding volcanoes made me feel at home.
    I would highly recommend Antigua Spanish Academy to anyone who is looking to develop their Spanish skills and be in a wonderful place while they're at it. Thanks for everything!

  36. Viola Schmidt:

    I stayed four weeks in total in Antigua. I knew some spanish before which makes holding and especially understanding a conversation a lot easier. My teacher was Rosario Monroy and I had a really good time with her, thank you so much Rosario. We got along quite well, moreover she is a really good spanish teacher and was patient with me. We always had interesting topics to talk about and were laughing alot.
    I think this way of teaching is very successfull if you want to learn spanish and about the guatemalian culture.
    Muchas gracias Rosario y muchos saludes
    Viola

  37. Lia Gisler:

    Ich bin total 3 Monate an die Spanisch Schule gegangen. Angefangen habe ich mit Null Spanisch im Oktober 2018. Domingo, mein Lehrer, ist super auf all meine Bedürfnisse eingegangen und hat dort geholfen wo es nötig war. Dank seinen super englisch Kenntnissen und sogar zum Teil Deutsch und Französisch, war ich mir immer sicher was ich schlussendlich lernte. Er hat die ganzen Stunden immer mit viel Kreativität und Aktivität genau studiert und ich konnte schlussendlich ein konversationssicheres Spanisch aufweisen. An dieser Stelle nochmals vielen Dank für die unvergesslichen Monate mit vielen lustigen Augenblicken und lehrreiche Stunden, Domingo! :) Es hat mir schlussendlich viel geholfen auf meiner Reise durch Zentral-, und Südamerika für 6 Monate.
    Antigua selber ist ein magischer Ort. Ich fühlte mich jederzeit sicher und es fehlte mir an nichts. In der Stadt gibt es viel zum Entdecken und eignet sich super als Einstieg in Latinamerika.
    Meine erste Gastfamilie war nicht das, was ich mir schlussendlich erhofft habe. Daher wechselte ich nach der Hälfte zu Zuzu und Chiqui, welche mich herzlich aufnahmen. Das ganze Haus hatte noch andere Studenten, was großen Spass machte, da wir viel miteinander Sachen unternommen haben. Die ganze Familie war sehr herzlich und haben sich bei allen Problemen bereitgestellt zu helfen, was ich sehr schätzte.
    Ich würde die Schule und allgemein Guatemala auf alle Fälle weiterempfehlen. Wer sich in ein Abenteuer Latinamerika stürzen will, sollte in Betracht ziehen, zuvor Spanisch zu lernen, denn ich war sehr viele Male froh um meine Grundkenntnisse.

  38. Nathan Costa:

    My friend and I took lessons with Lety over a two week period. Simply put, it was amazing. This was hands down one of the best learning experiences I have ever had in my life and highly reccommend this program to anyone, specifically working with Lety. Muchas gracias, Lety!

  39. Enrico:

    I highly recommend this school and their homestays. I stayed three weeks to increase my Spanish and I never expected such a huge progress. I took 6 hours a day. That was 4 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon. One student one teacher is an amazing concept that enables very individual learning.

    My teachers Aurora and Claudita were more than wonderful. They quickly adopted their lessons to my very own level and progress. They were super friendly and highly professional. I particularly recommend to study with either one if possible. After three weeks I'm fluent, can carry on all kinds of conversations and increased my writing skills a lot.

    My homestay with Marvin and Silvia was great too. I had a neat room with private bathroom. All was super clean and comfy. The food was also great. The family chatted with me a lot, so I was constantly talking Spanish. Also they were helpful with anything needed.

    The school also offers free activities in the evenings. That way you can get to know many aspects of Guatemalan culture. Airport transports and all kinds of other stuff can easily be organized thru the school as well. The location is also beautiful. you get to study in a very nice park like garden under trees and lots of other plants.

    Overall I am very happy I chose this school. The teacher's skills are excellent.

  40. Katherine H:

    We just returned from two weeks of 5 hour/day lessons with Antiguena Academy. We appreciated the structure of the school and hope to return again. My teacher was Ana Isabel. She took the instruction very seriously and yet we also found ourselves laughing a lot with made the experience that more enjoyable. I was amazed at how much I learned. I highly recommend Antigua, Antiguena Spanish Academy, and Ana Isabel!

  41. Kevin H.:

    I studied for two weeks with Antiguena Academy. The instruction was excellent. Claudia Tecun was my teacher. She was outgoing and friendly, prompt and professional. I enjoyed her approach to teaching and had a great experience overall.

  42. lynda Green:

    I have studied with ROSARIO MONROY two times, once for three weeks and now for one week. I cannot wait to go back to the Academy. Rosario is an excellent teacher. My command of Spanish now is quite fluent. She is professional, patient and has many years of experience. I highly recommend her as one of the best language professors I have had. The school is situated right in the heart of the glorious town of Antigua and they offer various activities such as visiting the chocolate factory, various historic churches, one can even make a bracelet with the help of a local Mayan weaver. I love this school, love my professor Rosario and cannot wait to return to continue my lessons and enjoy the traditional and amazing culture of the Mayan people.

  43. Mona:

    I have had 4 week's of Spanish in the shool.
    The first to week's with Tatjana:
    She was a really good teacher, with a lot of different ways of teaching.
    It was always really interesting talking to here and I have learned a lot.
    The last week I was working with Janete Caceres. She is a really lovely person and teaching is here passion. She always has had found a way to make learning a lot of fun, biside she was a really good professional teacher.
    Most of all I like, that the shool is a lot about talking, so it is easy to not be afraid of speaking.

  44. Debra Geiger:

    My 14 yo daughter and I spent 14 days of July 2019 at Antiguena Spanish Academy in Antigua. My daughter studied with Manuel and I studied with Gabby Carrillo. Both Manuel and Gabby are excellent and caring teachers and we highly recommend them. We both made much progress with our Spanish vocabulary, verbs, and having conversations in Spanish. We thoroughly enjoyed the garden atmosphere, and the Q3 tostadas and other snacks at break. The school activities and salsa dancing were fun and a nice way to get to know other students. We participated in the Pepian and Coffee Farm De La Gente tours on a couple weekend mornings; both tours were well worth our time (dlgcoffee.org). We used Ruben Mata with Ruben Travels (rubentravels@gmail.com) to get to/from the airport and for some weekend excursions. Ruben is bilingual and very kind, knowledgeable, and reliable. We did not do a home stay because we had family and friends in Antigua, but we only heard positive things from students who did. We definitely will return to Antigua and Antiguena Spanish Academy - we had a great experience. We will seriously consider a home-stay for part of our visit next time.

  45. Emily Davis:

    I am so happy that I decided to study at Antiguena Spanish Academy!! I studied here for 3 weeks with my amazing teacher María Elena. The one-on-one tutoring is the best way to learn a language in my opinion, and María Elena made it so fun & interesting. She was so knowledgeable & patient and always ready with various examples if I didn’t understand a concept. Aside from just learning Spanish, María Elena also taught me about the Mayan culture and the history of Guatemala. Once a week we would go on excursions to various sites in or close to Antigua which were excellent times to practice what I had learned in the real world. The school itself offers a variety of activities after class including touring the churches, going to a Macadamia farm, and learning how to make a bracelet with a local Mayan woman. These activities were a great way to meet other students and learn more about Antigua. I chose to stay with a host family during my studies and it was absolutely the best decision. My host family Oscar & Chiqui went above & beyond to make me feel a part of the family. They had a beautiful home and always had delicious meals waiting for us. Both Oscar & Chiqui are teachers so they answered any questions I had after class and were always so willing to help me practice my Spanish.
    Thank you so much María Elena, Oscar & Chiqui for making my time truly unforgettable!!

  46. Kevin Humphreys:

    Carlos Morales is a great guy, he was prompt, upbeat, knowledgeable and had a great teaching style. I asked many questions and Carlos was quick with an answer. My family and I have enjoyed studying in the outdoor environment, one-on-one with our teachers. The excursions have been great as well. Highly recommend.

  47. Henry Andrastek:

    I took three weeks of lessons here with Rosario and had an incredible experience! I came in knowing absolutely nothing and she was not only incredibly patient but kept the lessons fun and interesting. She did an excellent job balancing grammar instruction with more immediately applicable conversational tips so I left with not only a strong academic base but the ability to converse with others. We even took lessons on the road a few times, visiting an art museum and garden near Antigua which was an incredible way to learn about the history and of Guatemala and giving me the opportunity to use Spanish in a real world setting. Highly recommend her as a teacher!

    A friend and I stayed with Oscar and Chiqui while we were stufying and they were incredible as well. Oscar is a teacher at the school and Chiqui taught for over 25 years so we were able to continue practicing and learning during meals and around the house.

  48. Katie Collins:

    I had a wonderful first week at Antiguena Spanish Academy. My teacher was Janet Caceres. Janet was patient and knowledgeable. She thought of new ways to teach me some of the concepts I had been struggling with and vastly improved my confidence. I look forward to a second week of study.

  49. Katie Humphreys:

    I studied with Janet at Antiguena Spanish Academy this past week. I was surprised how much I improved over the course of a week. Janet explained things clearly and thoroughly. On each topic, she took the time and effort to ensure I grasped the concept. When I struggled, she thought of different ways to demonstrate the topic. Thank you Janet for a great week!

  50. Julian Williams:

    My friend and I took classes at the Antigua Spanish Academy for 2 weeks with Lety. I have so many good things to say!

    One, if you're debating what country to study Spanish in, Antigua is exceptional. It's cheaper than most other places (e.g. Costa Rica), and Antigua is a very safe and charming town with a ton of good weekend trips nearby.

    Two, I had an amazing experience learning with Lety. We covered the present tense (e.g. nouns, adjective, verbs), past tense, and a basic form of the future tense in two weeks. I took a placement test for a Spanish school in New York before and after studying in Antigua, and I jumped 2 levels! For context each level is a 10 week, once per week course at this school. It's truly far more progress than I though I would make in such a short period of time, and I had a ton of fun doing it. It also got me over my mental block of actually speaking Spanish, which is huge if you're planning on traveling after.

    I can't thank Lety enough for being such an amazing teacher, and a big thank you to Julio as well for making coordinating our stay a breeze!

  51. Sarah:

    I took Spanish three weeks ago in Antigua with this school and it exceeded my expectations. We had class in the botanical garden where there was a nice breeze and we could enjoy the garden on our breaks. The most delicious coffee was available that I enjoyed everyday. Leticia Socorec was out teacher an she made learning Spanish smooth and fun. She was able to meet us where we were at with our Spanish. She was patience and supportive. I already want to return back to Antigua for more Spanish and Guatemalan culture.

  52. Cole:

    I spent 4 wonderful weeks with Victoria, in excess of 4 hours od Spanish a day! She was such an awesome lady and a great teacher. I hope to go back to Antigua one day and continue more classes with her.

    I lives in Claudia’s house for the 4 week homestay period. She was amazing - great food, so friendly and made it feel like a home away from home.

    I highly recommend this school! I’ve had such an incredible experience. Something that will stick with me forever!

  53. Caroline van Zeijts:

    Having just finished three weeks of Spanish class and homestay with Antiguena, I cannot recommend it enough. Looking too good to be true online with it’s cheap prices and one-on-one tutoring, I’m here to tell you this is not fake! You study in a garden everyday and have 3q tostados at break to eat on the rooftop overlooking Antigua’s volcanos. Julio is responsive and straightforward and makes himself very available.

    I stayed with Hilda’s family and had a great combination of time with other students and time with the family. The home is really close to school and the food is so amazing. Best of all, it has character (that you’ll have to find for yourself when you stay with her).

    My teacher Alejandro was a huge factor in making this experience so great for me. He is fluent in English, making it so I never got stuck and he was able to explain things clearly. He is organized and responsive to your wants as a student. I learned so much about Guatemalan history, politics and culture from him. More than being smart, he was fun! And made learning here really fun. We ended up talking about all kinds of things—in Spanish!—which was very nice.

    Thank you to everyone! All of the people above really made Antigua a home for me these past three weeks.

  54. Scott:

    I have taken online Skype tutoring through the Spanish language academy with Dilia for two years now. I am very pleased with my experience with the school and my tutor. I've never visited the school in person actually, but when I visited Guatemala a few years ago, I learned about the school. I contacted them, and they set me up with Dilia. I have intermediate or advanced Spanish abilities, so I don't really need basic lessons. What I was looking for was a conversation partner. I was tired of doing free online language sharing programs where I teach someone English at the same time that they teach me Spanish. I just wanted to practice conversational Spanish and work on my speaking fluidity/listening comprehension.

    So twice a week for two years, I've chatted with Dilia for an hour at a time. She is always punctual, and we've had relatively few problems with Skype connections (like lag or sound issues). She has mentioned that other students do more introductory lessons and she has been developing all sorts of resources over the years to do that over Skype, but my lessons are totally conversation-focused. Sometimes, she lets me talk and asks me questions; other times, I ask her questions and she tells me what she thinks. I've found that it is quite a natural conversation, and it is exactly what I was looking for. The hour often goes quite quickly. She writes out sentence structures and vocabulary that is difficult for me. She provides excellent explanations for vocabulary or grammar that I am getting wrong in my conversations. Also, Dilia is a wonderful person, has a great sense of humor, and is excellent at her job. I really like taking lessons with her.

  55. Lydia Anderson:

    My group of 14 and I from Clemson University studied for 4 weeks at Antiguena Spanish Academy. The groups were good sizes of about 4 but there were many people taking 1-on-1 classes. My group’s teacher Mary was very tolerant and patient. The classes were mostly conversational but I believe this is why we were able to progress so much in such a short amount of time. The teachers use words they know we can usually understand but are also willing to explain concepts that you are unfamiliar with. I would highly recommend this school to kids and adults of all ages.

  56. Julia:

    I studied at the Antiguena Spanish school for 2 weeks and I can say from my heart: It was a fantastic choice!!
    I really enjoyed sitting in this beautiful garden while learning Spanish with my excellent teacher Marvin. The classes were of a broad variety (conversation, grammar, games, excursions) and everyday I learnt a lot! It was amazing for me to see my progress every day and Marvins entertaining way of teaching definitely helped for the improvement of my Spanish-skills a lot!
    During these 2 weeks I stayed with a host-family, Edwin & Suheidy. I really enjoyed my stay with this lovely family, they were always caring and helpful.
    All in all I can highly recommend this Spanish school and I hope to come back one day to continue! :-)

  57. Sarah & Daniel:

    Wir hatten hervorragende drei Wochen mit unserer Lehrerin Leticia Socorec (Lety). Wir haben viel gelernt und hatten immer Spaß dabei. Unser Homestay bei Casa de Viky war auch genial. Sehr nette Familie und nette Geschwister.

  58. Judith:

    Wow, what a great week has the week studing Spanish at this school been. Rosario, my teacher, was the best. One the first day she immediately established my level of Spanish and after that I learned more Spanish than I ever thought I would. I only stayed for one week, but I wish I could have stayed longer. The lessons were fun and so useful at the same time. The garden was amazing and I really enjoyed studying outside. Through the school I met a lot of people and as a result of that, my week in Antigua was one of the best. Thank you for everything, Rosario. I feel so much more confident speaking Spanish and that is all because of you!

  59. Fenna:

    I studied at Antiguena Spanish Academy for 12 weeks. My teacher, Victoria, was excellent. She is very professional, at the same time open to make the classes varied. She explains well, her lessons are structured and she is very patient. I learned a lot and enjoyed the classes in the beautiful garden environment. Thanks Antiguena, thank you Victoria!

  60. Sarah Mühlheim:

    I had a very good experience studying 1 week in Antigua with my teacher Olga Gálvez. She was very patient and had a clear structure of teaching which I liked a lot. I learned so much in a short time. Thank you Olga!

  61. Amanda Barfield:

    I quite enjoyed this school! For the most part we learned and studied in a super gorgeous garden. All the teachers were nice, very kind and patient. My teacher was Lidia Castillo and she was awesome! She was patient with me when I messed up (which was a lot!) and would correct me gently. My brother came to study with me and we were able to partake in activities together with our teachers. I’ve expanded my vocabulary a lot, and I love Antigua! 10/10 would reccomend!

  62. Maya:

    I just spent 2 weeks at the Spanish academy and it was a really great experience!! My teacher, Carlos, was awesome; we had a really thorough curriculum but also spent some classes learning Spanish around the city- at museums and markets. After two weeks I was surprised with how much I had learned at the school. The academy also offered a lot of cool activities after school to experience different aspects of the city while still practicing Spanish more. Would 10/10 recommend to someone looking to learn Spanish and also enjoy Antigua, and I hope to come back and learn more here! Thank you for an awesome experience!:)

  63. Kim:

    If you want to learn Spanish, this is definitely the place to be! It is super professional but also fun, you learn a lot every day and it is in a beautiful garden in Antigua. I am very happy with my teacher Victoria, she is very sweet and funny but also professional and she knows exactly how to approach me in a way that I learn most. What I especially like is that we have a lot of interesting conversations during class, which really makes my Spanish a little better every day! Also the homestay is amazing, I'm in such a sweet family of Maria Helena. The food is delicious, Maria has two cute grandchildren of about 1 and 3 years old which is so much fun and she talks to us a lot to make us practice our Spanish even more!
    5 stars for Victoria, the school and my homestay!!

  64. Serkan:

    Hasta hoy he estado en esta escuela durante ocho semanas estudiando español con Aurora. Para mi es la primera que estoy en Guetamala. Me gusta mucho aprender español en el jardin con mi maestra. Mi maestra es muy profesional tiene mucha experiencia yo aprendo mucho debido a ella, yo tambien recomirndo a ella. Por que nosotros conversamos sobre muchas cosas, yo no solo aprendo español sino tambien aprendí la cultura la historia y costumbres de Guetamala. Estoy contento por la forma de educacion que yo recibo en esta escuela. Julio es un hombre muy amable muy servicial y me ayudó en muchas cosas. Mi casa es muy limpia, cada semana cambia toallas y ropa de cama. Voy a continuar cuatro semanas mâs porque me gusta mucho y recomiendo esta escuela a otros estudientes para venir aqui.

  65. Laura Bakker:

    I took three weeks of Spanish classes with my teacher Rosario. It really helped a lot especially because in this school you have a private teacher so you can learn in your own speed and work on your difficulties. I had a one week Spanish class on Mexico before but I didn’t make any progress and here you will definitely learn Spanish. Living in a host family was also a very nice experience and I can totally recommend Spanish Academy Antiguena and my teacher Rosario who alsways supported me.

  66. Lynn Fraser:

    The best way to learn a language is to live in that country. And if you want to learn Spanish then you should study in Antigua, Guatemala at Antiguena Spanish school.
    This is a highly respected school with a long history of teaching students from all over the world. Each day, we would gather in a lovely garden a short walk from the school office to practice and improve our Spanish.I n the short two weeks I was there, my comprehension improved immensely thanks to the patient work of Lety Scocorec. I highly recommend this patient, charming, remarkable teacher. The first day she assessed my Spanish and realized that while I could read and write Spanish, I struggle to speak Spanish. She re-constructed her curriculum to focus on oral skills. Her warm support created a safe environment to practise speaking in Spanish. She organized field trips so fellow students and I could experience Spanish in a variety of situations but still have fun. Thanks to her, I can now understand Spanish and speak it more fluently. Most students opt to stay with local families for a true immersive experience. I stayed in the school apartment next to the office. It is a very cute private little space with a patio, a sitting room/ kitchenette and bedroom. You can see pictures on their website. Well worth it.
    Another bonus of the school is that it is located near many of the attractions of Antigua. The famous Arch of Santa Catalina is just down the street near the Igles Merced. There are many inexpensive restaurants and terraces in the area as well as little shops. I recommend the terrace and crepes of La Luna De Miel, and the Caldo Tlapeno at La Casa de Sopas. I enjoyed myself immensely here and was sad to leave. I thoroughly recommend the school and the city.

  67. Jelle:

    I have been in the school for a total of 10 weeks. During this time i also stayed in the homestay. I started off with pretty much zero spanish knowledge but now i feel like i have a really strong basis and can easily make my way around in standard conversations. My teacher Carlos was really good, patient and made learning spanish fun. The gardin where we were taught is very nice as well! The host family i stayed in was awesome! It was nice to practiced my spanish with them and they involved me and other students in guatemalan activities like celebrating eastern! Can definitely recommend going to this school!

  68. Anne Y:

    I just returned from two weeks in Antigua at the Antiguena Spanish Academy. What a wonderful experience! Firstly, the school makes travelling to Guatemala easy. They aren't great at providing confirmation emails so it can make travelling feel very uncertain, but when I arrived, everything was in place. And they are always available to help, no matter what time of day.
    I had Lorena Aguilar as my instructor and she was lovely. One of her special skills is her ability to understand the unique learning styles of her students and to adapt her teaching methods to the best style to most effectively help her students learn. I loved the variety of exercises and games she brought to the lessons - she kept it interesting and not boring. She loves her job and understood my desire to learn as much about the culture as possible. Again, she adapted to my goals and we had many conversations about her country and my country.
    She was always well prepared for the lesson, always friendly, always patient, and always professional. I would recommend her highly - mi maestra favorite!

  69. Frøydis:

    My original plan was to have 1 week of spanish lessons. But I ended up having 3 weeks!

    Why?
    • YESENA is the best teacher I could ever have. She explain grammar in an easy way. She always pays attention when I talk, and cathes what I need to practice more. She was always prepared and gave me homework to strenghten my grammar.

    • The school was flexible to my needs.

    • I loved the free afternoon avtiveties. I made a bracelet, and visited macadamiafarm and other interesting places. Perfect for exploring the surroundings outside Antigua, and for socialicing.

    Im thinking of going back to Antigua in the future to do more spanish lessons. I will ask to have YESENA as my teacher the next time as well.

    Thanks for everything!????

  70. Mary Jo Pflaum:

    I would absolutely recommend this school! Having the one on one teacher/student experience is irreplaceable. It allows you to learn quicker than in a classroom setting. It’s challenging, rewarding, and fun! I can not say enough good things about it. I have lucked out having two amazing teachers there.
    Maritza is such a kind-hearted and patient woman. She was the first teacher who really challenged me to speak in Spanish and I saw my abilities improve through out 5 weeks. She has been teaching many years and is very good at meeting you where your at to help you succeed.
    My other teacher was Yesenia. Yesi is an excellent teacher who comes up with a plan to meet your needs! She wants to see you succeed and make sure you are both on the same page. She is a gem who really loves what she does and goes the extra mile for her students. We had so much fun while learning Spanish! I can’t thank both of these teachers enough for their time and patience!

    I also chose the host family stay and it exceeded my expectations. The home of Ana Louisa and Manuel is one where you are welcomed as apart of the family. They are kind, generous, and go above and beyond as “host parents.” They helped me and encouraged me in my Spanish learning journey as well! They truly feel like family and will forever hold a special place in my heart.

  71. Suzanne:

    I really enjoyed studying at the Antigüena Spanish Academy. My teacher, Rosalinda was fantastic. She was well organized, always on time and her method of teaching was very efficient, plus we had some good laughs and I learned a lot. I studied with her for 4 hours in the morning in the lovely gardens. I highly recommend her.
    In the afternoon I went on the school’s free excursions. We had to take the bus for some of them but the school paid for the bus. Our guide was Laticia. She was very nice, spoke slowly and we learned a lot of the history of La Antigua and we visited some very interesting places.
    My homestay was with Anamaria. She is the sweetest little lady and a great cook. She served us a typical breakfast with eggs, beans, tortillas and bread, or pancakes and fruits, and a variety of meat dishes for lunch and most diner. I do not tolerate tomato sauce or pork and she made something different for me when she served those to the other students. My room was at the end of a long garden path.
    I am very happy to have chosen this school for my 2 weeks of one on one with a teacher. I also found the price very reasonable.

  72. Bill Haley:

    Hola, I've been here two weeks and have found it all very rewarding. I'm considerably older than most of the students, however there was a smattering of seniors, there for a range of reasons. Personally, I speak French and have been wanting to learn a third language for a long time. This was the perfect opportunity. The one on one situation at Antiguena is ideal, the teachers are very competent, warm, friendly and the environment is wonderful. My teacher, Alejandro Santos was very understanding, patient, funny and geared his teaching to my level. Surprisingly, after preparing online for a couple of years I found myself conversing after a very short time.
    The homestay situation, although very basic, has been very rewarding as well. Anna Maria is a long time veteran of hosting students and prepares very tasty meals.
    One should step out of their comfort zone now and then and this experience has lived up to my expectations.
    I strongly recommend Antiguena as it is a well established organization and functions very efficiently. There are field trips every afternoon that allow you to immerse yourself in the language and the culture.

  73. timothy veillon:

    Hello, just spent 4 weeks learning Spanish at Antigüena Academy with Julia. I have been to various Spanish schools over the year, this is by far the best!!!
    Well done Julio, the owner and Julia my teacher!

  74. Antonin:

    Très bonne école, pas chère du tout pas prise de tête. Possibilité d'apprendre à son rythme. Café offert, super cadre, nombreuses activités proposées. Demandez Aurora : best teacher ;)

  75. Anne:

    Mi tiempo en Antigua fue maravilloso. Mi maestro Cesar me ayudó mucho con mi español en una sola semana. Vió mis 3dificuldades en el idioma española inmediatemente y adaptó a mis necesidades. Me motivó y desafió cuándo pensé que tareas son más difíciles para mi. También era muy paciente. Entonces, el tiempo en Antigua era muy especial para mi.
    Mi familia anfitriona también era muy bien, localizada muy cerca de la escuela lo que era una ventaja grande. La escuela misma tiene un jardín muy bonito en lo que disfruta mucho a estudiar.
    Y cuándo llegué al aeropuerto tenía un pick-up, organizado por la escuela. En resumen, todo era perfecto!!! Y definitivamente planifico a regresar!
    Muchas gracias por ese buen tiempo, especialmente a mi maestro Cesar! :)

  76. Harald:

    I had an awesome experience with Antiguena Spanish Academy. This not only extended to the good prices, beautiful garden, good and friendly management, but especially to the great Maestras (shortly Emy, then Mirtala and Sheny Flores) and of course also to the guest family (or the household help Carmen in this case). I could feel my Spanish improving from day to day.

  77. Stan Sharp:

    This is my 4th time here and I can't say enough about the entire experience. I have 4 hours in the morning and 2 in the afternoon. The afternoon is mainly conversation or clarification of the morning class. Claudia Tecun is my morning teacher and possible the nicest person I have ever met. She is very professional and has the ability to know exactly what to work on. She can make you laugh and learn for 4 hours straight. Besides an excellant instructor of Español, she is an incredible example of Guatemalan culture where the family, friends, and church are part of daily life. In the afternoon I have another Claudia with tons of patience to listen to my horrible Spanish. She also is an excellant teacher, well prepared for class every day and also has the ability to know what I need to work on. She has a great sense of humor and always has a big beautiful smile to make the afternoon sail by. The teachers are probable the most important part of the experience but Julio and his father Julio Senior are excellant at finding teachers matching the school philosophy and matching these teachers to the different students. They are very helpful, caring, and genuine. The other piece is the homestay experience. My experiences have been fantastic. The food is great with the opportunity to enjoy the different lives and culture of the different students. The homestays are really international with the opportunity to practice Spanish and enjoy different cultures. This is a fantastic school to learn Spanish and a little of the culture of Guatemala. I hope your experience will be as good as mine. Buena suerte!

  78. Mike:

    I studied at the school for 2 weeks. My teacher, Judi, was great. She had the effortless ability to adjust her speech and instruction to my learning level while being enthusiastic and encouraging. She also had a great sense of humor. My home stay was with the Morales family. Suheidy and Edwin maintained a very clean house and Suheidy was a great cook and served a varied diet of traditional Guatemalan dishes. A family member always sat with us students during meals and conversed with us in Spanish, adding to the immersion experience. Julio Garcia was very efficient in coordinating my learning needs, housing and transportation. I had a great overall experience and recommend the Antiqüeña Spanish Academy to anyone seeking a Spanish language immersion program in an exotic and fascinating location.

  79. Jill Singleton:

    I just spent a week studying st Antiguena Spanish Academy. I had classes with Cesar in the morning, and Rosario in the afternoon. At first I was worried about having two different teachers, but I quickly realized I would benefit from the different styles. As a lifelong educator myself, I am very picky and discerning when it comes to assessing teacher quality, and I happy to say that both teachers - while very different from each other - were absolutely wonderful!. I would describe Cesar’s style as laid back and conversational, and Rosario’s as organized, direct and efficient. Rosario is particularly skilled at assessing gaps in understanding and identifying ways to help you fill these gaps efficiently and comprehensively. I cannot say enough about these two wonderful teachers and hope I have the pleasure of studying with them again in the future.

  80. Crispin O’Brien:

    A great school! The classes are one-to-one and the standard of teaching is extremely high. Both of my teachers, Marco & María Elena, were very professional, hard-working, dedicated and great fun to spend time with. I learnt so much during my time at the school and the location of the offfice is very convenient and the garden where most of the classes take place is perfect so studying. I met people from all around the world, at all levels of ability and everyone seemed to enjoy the school. Also, the accommodation that was arranged was very comfortable, the meals were great and it is all at a very reasonable price. So lucky to have studied here, can’t recommend it enough to other people.

  81. Gloria:

    I had spanish classes for only one week but it was the best week I had here in Guatemala!!
    My teacher Yesenia is the best teacher you could ask for!! With her i learned so much Spanish in just one week and i had so much fun!!
    From her I also learned a lot about the guatemalan culture which was very interesting!
    On the last day there was a thing were all the students could taste many different types of fruit from Guatemala which was very interesting and tasty!
    I’m absolutely rapt about the week and about my teacher Yesenia who was the kindest of all! Highly recommend!!

  82. Jacques Durand:

    J'ai suivi une semaine de cours avec Marvin grâce auquel j'ai fait de grands
    progrès par une pratique intensive de l'espagnol, des révisions grammaticales approfondies dans une ambiance amicale et un cadre fleuri des plus agréables.
    Marvin a une grande expérience de l'enseignement dont j'ai grandement
    profité.
    Je reviendrais volontiers pour bénéficier de sa méthode.
    Jacques Durand


  83. Laurent Beuret:

    My girlfriend and I had a super nice week with our teacher Leti. She adapted her teaching to our needs and wishes. If you want a very serious and intensive spanish cours or just a nice and relaxed conversation to improve your oral skills, just ask and she will be please to help you :)

  84. Martin Innerhofer:

    The week with caeser was amazing! Can recommend the school.

  85. Jasmin:

    I had amazing 5 weeks with my teacher Marta and can only say positive things about the teachers, the activities, and the family i stayed at :)! It's hard for me to leave, Antigua is definitely the place to be.

  86. Kieran Hussey:

    I arrived at Antigüeña Spanish Academy with no prior Spanish experience to study for 8 weeks. I count myself very lucky to Aurora as my Spanish Teacher, she was an extraordinary teacher! When I came I initially planned to change teachers halfway through to experience two different styles of teaching, but I quickly knew that Aurora was a keeper! Aurora has a fantastic sense of humour and a wide variety of speaking topics, so there is never a quiet moment during the lessons.
    One part of this experience that I looked forward to was staying with a host family and having an immersive Spanish/Guatemalan experience. My stay at Casa de Vicky y Walter was nothing short of fantastic! I lived with them for the entire 8 weeks with Antigüeña and I always felt welcomed and part of the family. When there wasn't too many students and there was space at the dinner table, the family would also eat dinner with us, this was one of my favourite times during my stay in Antigua!
    I loved my time in Antigua and will be back to hopefully learn with Aurora and stay with Vicky and Walter.

  87. William Paquin:

    Salut! J'ai été à cette école à l'hiver 2019. C'était incroyable! Je recommande à tout le monde d'y aller. L'ambiance est majoritairement entre 22 et 30 ans. C'est ouvert et festif là-bas. Plein d'opportunités pour de belles expériences et beaucoup de gens à rencontrer. Pour ma part, j'ai particulièrement apprécié apprendre la salsa et mettre en pratique dans quelques bars :P Les cours d'espagnol sont très profitable, j'ai vue une belle amélioration en seulement 2 semaines. Les professeurs vont au rythme des étudiants, que tu sois lent (comme moi) ou rapide (comme certaines de mes rencontres). Le climat est exceptionnel. Antigua est une ville juste assez grande pour être divertissante, mais pas assez pour être éreintante. C'est le juste milieu que chacun peut apprécier. L'endroit est majoritairement anglais, alors je recommande au autres francophones d'avoir une bonne base avant d'y aller ;) Je n'ai rencontré que 2 ou 3 personnes qui parlait 'un peu' le français ahah. Enfin, c'est un must sur ta liste de voyage à faire avant tes 30 ans. Bonne aventure!!

  88. Greg R:

    I studied Spanish at Antiguena Spanish Academy for 3 weeks and anticipate returning next year for more. My teacher, Rosario, was excellent!!! She is extremely patient and has a great sense of humor. All of the teachers appeared personable and friendly and the classes are held in a relaxing garden environment. The residents of Antingua are friendly and helpful as you practice your Spanish in the local businesses. My homestay was with Sylvia and her family. The food was excellent and I enjoyed my discussions with my host family.

  89. Daniel DiChiro:

    My experience at Academy Antiguena has been nothing less than spectacular. My teacher, Nidia, exceeded my expectations in every way. Every day she arrived prepared, punctual and ready to teach with a lesson plan and fun discussion topics. Within no time she analyzed my Spanish level and tailored her teaching to fit my needs. We reviewed a lot of grammar and covered a broad range of topics while still finding plenty of time to chat and focus on actually speaking the language.

    I am an intermediate level Spanish speaker and at first I was hesitant about attending a school. I thought I might be better off just immersing myself and living. But after just one day with Nidia I realized how much I still have to learn. She has helped my refine my speech and improved my understanding of the language more than I ever knew possible. These 4 weeks have been tremendously helpful and my teacher has equipped me with tools to continue improving and practicing as I move forward.

    If you want to learn Spanish for the first time, come to Antigua, sign up at Academy Antiguena and request Nidia! You won't regret it. You can't find a better school for the price and the value.

  90. Craig Jamieson:

    I am in the last few days of my second attendance at the school having studied here Jan and Feb 2018. I am happy with my progress and am already looking forward to returning next year. As a more mature student my ability to absorb and retain information is not as strong as it was and the patience of my teacher, Irma, has been boundless. Her skill in conversing only in the tenses I have learned is particularly impressive and has increased my comprehension no end. I have been similarly impressed with my homestay, the food has been varied and plentiful with many traditional dishes. The house is cleaned top to bottom every day. Although very busy with a large family, Amanda makes the effort to talk Spanish with students during some meals. I can't comment on the activities as I studied afternoons and Salsa dance classes are for girls. Apart from the lack of free beer, I have no reservations in recommending Antiguena Spanish Academy, whatever your level of Spanish.

  91. Maccabeo Kim:

    4 months at the spanish school was one of good memories in antigua.
    Learning spanish wasn't as easy as i thought. My teacher Rosario helped me to understand until i am clear.
    When it comes to the last day of class, i took some spanish test and got a certificate for 4 moths spanish class.
    Thanks to Rosario,i had an quite enjoyable time at the school.
    I would like to recommend the spanish academy to anyone who wants to learn spanish seriously.

  92. Stephanie Kaufmann:

    Ich habe insgesamt 8 Wochen in der Schule Spanisch gelernt. Ich war 4 Wochen im September hier in Antigua und bin dann nach 3 Monaten reisen durch Zentralamerika nochmals für 4 Wochen zurück gekommen. Es gefällt mir hier so gut, dass ich schon wieder darüber nachdenke in der Zukunf zurück zu kommen. Ich habe sehr viel von meiner Lehrerin Leticia gelernt und wir hatten viel Spass zusammen. Ich kann sie als Lehrerin wärmstens weiterempfehlen.
    Auch die Möglichkeit in einer Gastfamilie zu wohnen habe ich sehr genossen. Schon nach kürzester Zeit habe ich mich wie zu Hause gefühlt.
    Auch Antigua als Ort ist wunderschön und bietet ein breites Angebot an Freizeitangeboten. Wer gerne wandert hat mehrere Vulkane zum besteigen in der Nähe. Auch tanzen kann man hier sehr gut. Beinahe jeden Tag kann man eine gratis Salsastunde finden, und am Abend zu Livemusik mit Locals tanzen.
    In den 5 Monaten in denen ich bis jetzt in Zentralamerika unterwegs war, hat mir Guatemala mit abstand am Besten gefallen. Ich kann die Schule wärmstens weiterempfehlen. Ich hatte eine unvergessliche Zeit hier!

  93. Nick:

    For four weeks I took spanish classes with the Spanish Academy Antiguena. The idea came very spontaneous (on a Saturday afternoon for the following week) but organising it with Julio was so smooth and fast. So on Tuesday I started with classes with my teacher Oscar. From the school building we walked together to the beautiful garden area that belongs to the school and he started questioning me in order to find out about my level of spanish. We got along very well from the first day and this remained until the end of the four weeks. I progressed a lot by practising, refreshing grammar and learning new grammar and at the same time I learned a lot about the culture, the history and current situations that Guatemala is facing. I couldn't have wished for a better teacher and I really enjoyed the four weeks and feel that my Spanish progressed a lot.

    Thank you to Oscar and Julio for the great experience in Antigua!
    (FYI I didn't stay in an accomodation offered by the school)

  94. Henri:

    Coming back for sehen years now. My teacher Claudia is super professional, has humor and is an interesting person to talk to.
    Everybody in the school is really nice and easy to talk to. I like the concept of learning in an one-on-one contact, and with little games in groups.
    Also the offer of afternoon trips with other students is a really nice thing to get knowen to Antigua and the soroundings as well as getting in contact with the other teachers and students.

  95. Lana Bell:

    I studied for 3 months with Sheny Flores. She was a great teacher and over our time together we became friends. We worked hard on Spanish, of course, but Shany taught me a lot about Guatemala in General and Antigua in particular. I appreciated her insights into her culture, her stories, and her sense of humor. She made learning a very fun experience. I highly recommend the school and Sheny to anyone considering studying Spanish here.

  96. Ilana r:

    My experience with the school and specifically with my teacher, Alejandro, was fantastic. I believe one would be hard-pressed to find a more intelligent, patient, and fun teacher (but it’s possible that I’m biased ;). Thanks to Alejandro for helping me improve my Spanish and to the school and Julio for making it easy to do.

  97. Tanja Volkart:

    I studied Spanish for 2 weeks with the lovely maestra Yasmin and we had lots of laughters and I could learn alot from her. She is accurate and knows the grammar part by heart. Also I found my homestay with Hilda Perez, she is an excellent cook, very enjoyable. I would definitely recommend you guys!!!

  98. Greg Swann:

    I spent 7 weeks studying at the Antigueña Spanish Academy and it was some of the best 7 weeks of my life. My teacher was Aurora and she was amazing, always going out of her way to help me during my time at the school. I learnt a lot in 7 weeks and would have loved to have stayed longer. I spent my time staying with Sylvia Gonzalez and her family who again were fantastic hosts. The food was always delicious and her twin boys Diago and Carlos even took me to an Antigua football match. I would highly recommend staying in Antigua and studying at Antigueña academy! I will be back again soon:)

  99. Matt:

    Carlos was a really helpful teacher. He responded quickly to my needs and requests after taking the time to properly assess my level. I didn't do the home stay but with the lessons I still made good progress and now I'm actually able to have a conversation with someone, not just make Spanish noises at them! Thanks Carlos ????

  100. Kim:

    I studied at this school for 3 weeks and could improve my spanish a lot. Nidia Santos was a great teacher, I really can only say good things about my classes. The garden is beautiful and a very quiet place to study, enjoy the time and also to meet new people.
    My homestay was at Casa Amanda which couldn't be any better and nicer. The food is amazing!
    Thank you all so much for these 3 weeks, they were really special to me! I can really only recommend this place and these lovely people.

  101. William McNeely:

    I had an amazing time at the Antigueña Spanish school! My teacher Lidia was awesome, she was very nice, professional and funny! I learned a lot of Spanish but also a lot on the guatemalan culture and traditions. The activities proposed during the afternoons were also very interesting, thanks to Byron who guided us and provided a lot of information!

  102. Elena Levorato:

    I really liked learning Spanish in this school! A special thanks to my teacher, Marvin, who thought me not only Spanish, but also explained me more about the culture of Guatemala. The lessons were never boring, with a mix of grammar, conversations and activities to better discover Guatemala. Moreover, the garden where I had lessons was really nice, and there was coffee (not very good, but free). Another special thanks to Bayron, who guided us during the excursions offered during the afternoon, always with a smile and interesting facts to tell us :)

  103. Miguel Bertrand:

    I spent two weeks at the school, it was all very enjoyable, Leticia Socorec is a excellent teacher and a joy to be around. Home stayed with Suheidy and Edwin, accomadation were basic but more than adequate, and the food was very good, even though I spoke minimal Spanish they took care of my needs. I will need to continue my Spanish education and when the time comes it will be Antigua Spanish Academy, and it will be under the instruction of Leticia and staying with Suheidy and Edwin. Thank you Leticia, Suheidy and Edwin, and the Antigua Spanish Academy, MikeB

  104. Hailey LeBlanc:

    Spanish Teacher
    I was so fortunate to get to study with Sheny Flores for 9 weeks, she was such an amazing teacher. I felt extremely lucky to have been her student, I never wanted to switch teachers as many others students do and would highly recommend requesting Sheny Flores if you plan on studying with the school. With over 30 years experience, 11 years of which are at the Antiguena Spanish Academy she was able to make a program that worked for me. She was always so patient with me as I worked to understand the language and helped me to incorporate new tenses and grammar into my vocabulary. In addition to being a great teacher, I really appreciated how much she cared. Sheny often asked me how my home stay experience was making sure I was getting everything I needed, and when I was sick she offered to bring me to the pharmacy to help me find the proper medicine. She went above and beyond what I expected. Once my spanish improved we were able to have great conversions and I always enjoyed hearing Sheny’s views and stories and learning about each other's cultures. If I have the opportunity to return I would study with Sheny again.

    Home Stay Family
    I came to Guatemala to have an immersive experience with a host family, and my first week I was a little disappointed by the amount of interaction I had with the family. After talking to students at the school I decided to switch houses and I was so happy I did. I loved my time with Chiqui and Oscar the Chajon family. I lived with them for 8 weeks and they always made me feel so at home. The house is open and has a beautiful view of volcanoes and is very close to the school which was very convenient. The family is very generous and always made sure that we had enough to eat and offered us seconds if we were still hungry which is not normal in other host families. I also thought the food was really tasty in comparison to my other homestay. I loved that the family would eat with us and we always had conversations and exchanged stories. It also really helps that both the mom and the dad of the family have been spanish teachers and are able to help teach you more at the house too. I really appreciated that Chiqui and Oscar would allow us to have friends visit the house which isn’t allowed at other homestays. Most of the students that lived at the house while I was there had switched into the house. I would recommend requesting them ahead of time so you get the most out of your stay in Antigua.

    Tours
    I really enjoyed all the activities with the school, they definitely added value to my experience here and really helped me in the first couple of weeks after I arrived. Byron is the guide for most of the tours and he does a fantastic job. Most of the tours are done in Spanish but if you are confused and need a quick translation his English is really good too and he would be happy to answer your questions. I have gone on lots of tours with other companies and I always enjoyed that Byron had so much energy and tried to make the tours as fun as possible while including lots of information.

    Hope this helps! I loved my time in Antigua and hope to be back some day soon :)

  105. Catalin:

    Blanca was a great teacher! When I started traveling I knew 0 Spanish. Even though I just had one week of Spanish, I feel like I know so much more. Blanca is a very motivating,cheerful and patient woman. On our last day we played scrabble and I was so surprised because the both of us only had one letter left and -a I said- I couldn't speak any Spanish before! Blanca is the best!

  106. Daniele Bailly:

    I spent two great weeks improving my Spanish with Julia H. She is a dedicated teacher who pushed me by speaking Spanish only and expecting better grammar from me. Not only did I improve my oral skills, but I also learned a lot about Guatemala, its history and political background, and its people. This was to me a complete experience. Thank you, Julia! I also enjoyed my homestay with Patricia and Victor. They went above and beyond what I expected. I am already planning to come back!

  107. William Nash:

    So I have been practicing Spanish for 6 months but I knew I needed professional classes because Duolingo can only do so much. I was hesitant that it would be worth the money because of where my level is at. Let’s say just say the thought quickly went away when I met Rosario. She quickly assessed my level and helped me with my grammar which I badly needed. Also I was given some coursework that was challenging and opened up a whole new way for me to communicate in Spanish. 1 week became 3 weeks and Rosario not only was an amazing teacher but she is an amazing friend now. I get compliments all the time saying how good my Spanish is and that is because Rosario did major surgery to my grammar. I will definitely return for additional classes in the future and I definitely recommend Rosario if you’re serious in trying to learn Spanish the best way possible.

  108. Alan:

    I spent a fantastic week improving my basic Spanish with Blanca. She is a fantastic teacher, very encouraging, very patient and a lot of fun. She never rushed through material but kept a perfect pace and a comfortable level of pressure to ensure I was constantly learning. She taught me about Guatemala and it’s culture and we had some great discussions about the differences between our two countries, especially the food! A full 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    I would fully recommend Antigueña Spanish Academy, they were easy to deal with and responded even on a Sunday afternoon for a request for classes the following Monday morning.

    Thank you very much for a great experience.

  109. Greg and Ruth Boven:

    Our experience with Antiquena has been excellent. Our teachers Karla and Rosellia were simply wonderful. We had four weeks of morning classes and found their teaching methods to be effective and interesting. We've learned a lot and feel much more confident speaking Spanish. This is a great school.

  110. Carl Mills:

    My son and I came to Antigua for a two-week, intensive, Spanish introductory class. At the school, we had individual instructors, each very capable and personable. Our classes were held outdoors, under a Spanish colonial-style veranda surrounding a lush, tropical garden. We attended class for four hours each morning, M - F, and then had the afternoons and weekend to explore the beautiful city and practice what we had learned that day.
    The school staff was excellent. They communicated frequently with us, answered all of our questions, and helped arrange accommodations for us with a Spanish-speaking home near to the school. All staff and instructors were professional and honest, two of the most important factors when choosing a facility far from home and in a different culture.
    I highly recommend this program to all that want to learn or improve their language skills.

  111. Sammy Bowns:

    La mejor experiencia!!

    Everything was so easy, from the beginning of the process throughout the entire experience. I stayed and studied for one month and loved everything about my experience.

    I had a homestay (Odilia) which was very fun and helpful. I stayed with other students which gave many opportunities for practicing. (Odilia's cooking was fantastic as well!)

    My teacher was Karla Gomez...la mejor maestra! Prior to Guatemala, I had almost no knowledge of Spanish, aside from the alphabet and "Me llamo Sammy." Karla was wonderful and helped change that. She was very patient with me and helped me gain a great foundation and understanding. She explained things I did not understand and practiced over and over again with me. She made the learning and conversations fun and enjoyable. I felt like I was talking with a friend and learning from a friend, not a teacher. She helped me learn at a great pace as well...we studied material until I had a good understanding of it, but she still pushed me along to learn more and be better. After studying with Karla, I felt more confident and felt like I could actually use the things I had learned. When I returned to the U.S., I was able to hold conversations with others. Again, learning from Karla was just like spending time with a friend. We continue to stay in contact and continue our friendship.

    Because of my experience, I am still wanting to continue to learn. I have enrolled in a conversational Spanish class and it is nothing compared to what and how I learned with Antiguena. The focus on everyday application through conversation and immersion was the best way to learn the language. I recommend this school to anyone and everyone, as well as my teacher, Karla!

    (I spent one month in Guatemala and learned from Karla the entire time.)



  112. nicholas Souden:

    I just completed three weeks studying at the academy and living with a homestay organised by the school. It has been such a enjoyable and successful period of my trip.
    My teacher was Maria Elena Maraquin who has almost 30 years of spanish teaching experience. I stayed with Jorge and Barbara who cooked delicious meals and made me feel like I was living in a home away from home. I highly recommend both.
    The garden in which you study is very beautiful, a perfect spacious setting to practice your Spanish.

    Regards,
    Nick

  113. Serena van Beek:

    I just had my last day of Spanish lessons at Antiguena Spanish Academy after 2 weeks of taking classes. I loved it! I have learned so much over the past two weeks, from not being able to formulate any sentences in Spanish to now actually being able to talk a little bit in the present, past and future tense. Most of the credits go to my teacher, Carmen Cárdenas, she is just great. Besides learning a lot of grammar, we played games, did reading excersises, but mostly talked a lot in Spanish. She is so patient and really gave me the time to think about how to formulate sentences. Her English is very good and she has a large vocabulary. I could ask her anything and she would write down the Spanish vocab and gave me the notes after the lesson so I could study them. I would recommend her any time!! It wasn't just the lessons that were great, the whole experience of living with a Guatemalan family has been so special. I have been living with 5 other students at Ana Maria's house and it has been great. She is the sweetest house mum you can wish for. And a great cook! Every breakfast, lunch and dinner have been amazing. Not just because of the good food, but also because of the conversations we had in both English and Spanish. Ana Maria really tries to have us talk in Spanish and she has a lot of patience when talking with the students. I recommend Antiguena Spanish Academy to everyone!

  114. nicole sutter:

    I was going to spend two weeks at the Antigua academy but stayed for five because of my great experience. My teacher Ana was thoughtful, kind, and fun. I would forget I was learning because she was such a great teacher. I really felt like I left with a new friend of my teacher. I highly highly recommend her and the school. It was a magical experience I will never forget and am very happy with how quickly my Spanish improved

  115. Donald:

    I recently spent one week studying at Antiguena Spanish Academy. I had a wonderful time and the host family was excellent. I don't talk much, normally, so, it initially was a challenge for me to speak 6 hours a day during class, and in a different language. I joked with my wife that I may have spoken more in 6 hours with my instructor, Irma, than I have in years with my wife. When I first returned to work, I surprised my co workers because I spoke to them in Spanish or answered in Spanish, forgetting that I was back home.
    I had a private room with private bath and 3 meals a day, at my host family. The food was wonderful and the whole family experience was excellent. Spanish was only spoken in the house, too. They were very kind to me and corrected my mistakes.
    I spent a lot of time researching Immersion Spanish programs and countries. I read books and reviewed websites and ultimately chose Guatemala and Antiguena Spanish Academy. I plan on returning for additional learning at Antiguena Spanish Academy.

  116. Katie Burnett:

    I spent oneweek with Escuela de Antiguena and I cannot believe how much I learned in such a short time. My teacher Mirtala was unbelievably patient as I struggled for every single word...as I had no Spanish before I arrived. Also we talked about really interesting subjects, like the history of Guatemala, the local food and one day she even helped me buy Salsa shoes!! Coming for Spanish lessons at the start of my travels was the best decision I made. Katie

  117. Lucas martin:

    I studied at Antigueńa Spanish school for 2 weeks. My teacher was amazing. Teresa was extremely patient and adapting to teach what i wanted to learn and at the same time showing the correct grammer and explaining why it is important, giving examples and getting me to practice. Very little english was spoken during all the class. Although her understanding was good she and I tried not to use it unless really needed. The school itself has a big garden and they limit the number of students so everyone has their own space. There are after school activities and some of them are good like the macademia tour. They also promote the free salsa class on monday and tuesday nights. The first week I did 25 hours with 4 most days except one day that was 5 hours and then Saturday 3 hours. On the 2nd week I did 5 hours Monday through Thursday and then I had Friday off school. I started homestay on Sunday afternoon before school on Monday. I was fortunate to be placed in home of Vicky and Walter. They have a large family and welcome many students at the same time. I felt very welcome and really appreciated. Food was great and varied day to day. The room was clean and spacious. My whole experience was really great. If I had more time I would stay there longer. There were other students there when I was there and some had returned a few times because the family is so nice. For a backpacker travelling for 1 year I really recommend it. Reference questions at "roundtheworldonpoints".
    Very impressed with the management of the school and think they are the best and one of the cheapest Spanish schools in Antigua and maybe Central America.
    Thank you Teresa!

  118. Nina Mistry:

    I did 5 weeks of spanish school and homestay and the total experience was really enjoyable. Before I arrived Julio was super quick and helpful with all of his responses. My teacher, Angela, was totally fantastic and there was a lot of emphasise on talking which I felt was really beneficial for my learning and stopped everything feeling so abstract. I learnt so much within the 5 weeks I spent there, and I have so much more confidence to use my Spanish as I continue on my travels. Also the garden is a fantastic place to learn. I totally recommend this school, and if I am able to, I will definetely come back.

  119. Gil:

    My brother And I studied for two weeks with Lety Socorec and we had a good progress with a lot of fun :) Highly recommended!!

  120. Herman Marcia:

    I had an amazing week at the school and with the homestay.

    Blanca and Marvin were both amazing teachers. I had Blanca as my morning teacher, and Marvin as my afternoon teacher. Blanca was extremely patient with me and addressed all of my Spanish grammatical questions. Her lessons were very organized, and she provided the appropriate homework that re-enforced what I had learned with her. Marvin honed on the specific areas that I needed improvement on. He worked with me on these areas and made sure that I practiced them when I would converse with him. After spending a week with both Blanca and Marvin, I saw how much better my Spanish became. I want to come back soon and continue working with the School!

    The homestay component was also great! It was an amazing experience living with an open and welcoming family. Plus I got a chance to learn about the City of Antigua from an local prospective.

    I can't recommend this place enough. Thank you again Blanca and Marvin! Hope to see you soon!

  121. Aviva Silburt:

    I took two weeks of Spanish classes with the Antiguena Academy in September 2018. The school had very quick response times and the registration process was really easy - perhaps a bit too easy. I didn't have to fill out a form or pay a deposit, so I felt a bit uncertain at first about about whether everything would work out. But, as soon as I arrived, I felt completely reassured. The only reason why I put this is to let others know that this is simply the way it worked and to provide some reassurance. The school was very attentive and responsive to the needs of each and every student. My teacher Blanca was amazing. During the first class, she asked me about my needs and objectives and tailored the course accordingly. As requested, she was very tough and it was alot of work, but she was always very friendly, professional, and somehow knew exactly what I needed. I specifically asked for the class to focus on vocabulary that would be useful for me in my professional field, and she was able to do this as well. Overall, my experience was wonderful and would highly recommend the Antiguena Academy (and Blanca) to anyone interested in learning Spanish.

  122. Erik van Rijthoven:

    During two weeks of classes in the school, I managed to improve my Spanish significantly from a beginners level to being able to tell stories in past time en future time, with the help of my teachers Cesar and Amy. I would recommend Cesar to any student, since he posesses a combination of great didactic skills with social skills. That made me enthusiastic for the classes and we talked about almost any topic you can imagine, always with a smile. He's very well able to adapt to your level of Spanish and a very empathic coach. Besides that, the stay with Vicky's family was a brilliant experience. Couldn't have ended up in a nicer family, completely recommended as well! They will make you feel like home from the first moment you enter their house. In total, it was a great and useful experience. Thank you Antigüeña, Cesar, Amy and Vicky!

  123. gary benson:

    For the short time that I was able to be In Antigua, this week was a great introduction to Spanish and entry into Guatemala. My teacher, Rosalinda, was very patient and worked with where I'm at as a student ( roughly 1 year equivalent). She gave me appropriate material to work with and made it fun at the same time. Although I am still
    challenged with the ability to converse with a spanish speaker off the street, I realize it's going to take a lot of time and continued effort to achieve my goal of being able to converse with spanish speakers on a regular basis.

    The home-stay was also a very positive experience. Even though this is an immersion experience, my family did their best to make me feel comfortable in their home. They took the time to engage in conversation with me, even at my limited level. The food was also excellent and we never had the same meal twice the for the entire visit.

    Thank you one and all!
    Gary

  124. lauren howe:

    Hola!
    I spent 5 days studying at Antiguena with my lovely teacher Lucia! I felt lucky enough to get a teacher that was able to also speak English with me so we could both converse and understand each other. She was very patient and helpful with me during my studies as she could tell the moments I was struggling. We worked lots with conversation and speaking and reviewed verbs and conjugations. My mind was racing each day trying to switch between two languages but, Lucia was kind enough to help me stay tranquila and work through my frustrations that come with studying in a foreign country!
    Thanks for a kind experience.

  125. Tsai, Cheng-Hsuan:

    I studied with Antiguena for two weeks, I really enjoy my time here in Antigua and the school. I have a really nice teacher Julia, the president told me she doesn’t speak much English, but if you have studied som Spanish before and you study with her, you will definitely improve a lot, she knows a lot of things, so apart from the grammar, we talked about the Guatemala histories, lifestyle, opinions about life. And the activities from the school are quite nice as well, and normally is free. The homestay was nice as well, comfortable room and bed, hot shower, good WiFi, however it is a pity that we can’t use the kitchen in the house, and sometimes it makes it harder to get hot water in the house. But anyway I still hightly recommmed this school, considering the price and the quality of the school! Thank you Antiguena!

    真的滿推薦這間學校的,我的老師是Julia,可以感覺出他經驗豐富,而且除了文法之外,還可以從老師身上學到很多其他的東西,並且更了解瓜地馬拉人、文化等等,學校的活動通常都是免費的,寄宿家庭也很不錯,我住的地方唯一的缺點是不能使用廚房,因此不能煮東西,三餐以外的時間想要有熱水,來喝個茶或是吃泡麵,會覺得比較不方便一點,但整體來說真的還是大推這間學校。

  126. Nick Waltrich:

    My experience at the school was amazing! I had a fantastic teacher who spoke in a way that I could understand easily but we also had so much along the way just chatting like friends and having normal conversations, which was obviously super fun but also really helpful for my Spanish. Muchas gracias Mary!!!
    My host family was also the best! La casa de Vicky - if you get the opportunity to stay there just be part of the family. There are so many people coming in and out of the house and they are all lovely and willing to talk with you. But of course make sure you play some football with Maty...it will a game that never ends, but you don't want it to!

    Thanks so much for everything guys - it was exactly the experience I wanted to have!

  127. Priya Mohanty:

    I had the best time studying Spanish with my teacher Noemi Vasquez, who also became my friend in the 4 weeks I was studying at the school. Learning languages has never been easy for me but Noemi tailored the classes perfectly to my needs with a great combination of grammar, conversation and games while we also went out on excursions with other teachers and students once a week , which made the process of learning a lot of fun and very diverse. In fact, every morning I was excited to go to school, which is located in a beautiful garden - the conversations with Noemi were always interesting and fun. It is very easy to talk to her and she has always a smile on her face. With no prior knowledge of Spanish I was able to hold good conversations and could easily get around Guatemala with only using Spanish. Additionally the school is very good organised and everyone was always super helpful.

    I was staying at the homestay with Maria Elena and her family, who are the nicest people and I loved living with them.

    I can only recommend to take Spanish classes at the Antiguena School with Noemi Vasquez and staying with Maria Elena! I for sure will go back :)

  128. Matt P:

    I studied for two weeks with my teacher Mayra Pol.
    I started my lessons with no spanish whatsoever except the obvious phrases. After my two weeks I have learnt more than I could have imagined. I can have conversations and read and write so much more than I expected!
    Mayra Pol is an amazing teacher who goes at whatever pace you learn at and I liked the method of just having a normal conversation whilst learning at the same time, I would recommend her highly!
    The price, school, facilities and staff are beyond helpful and thanks to Julio for being extremely helpful too! The homestay was also great and another way to fully immerse yourself in Guatemalan culture.

  129. Bethany:

    I loved my time at Antigueña! I spent 7 weeks studying Spanish there last fall and I had the best time and learned so much. My teacher, Janet Cáceres, was the best teacher I've ever had in any subject, and made every day of classes a pleasure. Janet tailored the classes to my needs and included the perfect combination of grammar, speaking, and games. Though I thought that 20 hours of classes a week would be tiring, there was always something new to discuss with Janet, and each class was more interesting than the next. I have learned more Spanish in the past 7 weeks than I did while studying for several years in school. I feel incredibly lucky that Janet was available on the day that I started classes, because I can't imagine having a more excellent teacher. The school has a beautiful garden for students to study in, amazing teachers, and the management is professional and helpful. If you're thinking of studying Spanish in Antigua, choose Antiguena Spanish Academy. You won't regret it!

  130. Myriam Arnaud:

    I plan to go to Antiguena Spanish Academy to study Spanish next spring, but in the meantime I have been learning Spanish using Skype with my teacher Marvin Hernandez for several months.
    It works really well, my level of spoken Spanish has improved a lot and especially I am more confident to express myself. Even though distance learning may seems less effective than in person, it’s not true. Mainly because Marvin makes his classes interesting and fun while improving my grammar and vocabulary with clear explanations. I have to say that Marvin is really a great teacher, professional, patient and I appreciate particularly his entertaining way to teach, I never feel bored and always look forward for our classes.
    I would also mentioned that Julio, at the office, is very helpful to coordinate everything and communicate all information needed.
    I recommande this school!

  131. Dana T:

    I studied with Antiguena Academy for one month to brush up on my Spanish skills. I had taken Spanish in high school and two semesters in college but didn't remember much. After four weeks with my teacher Gabby I was able to hold a real conversation. The one on one classes are really effective and my teacher was so patient with me. She knew I had a test to pass for school and worked with me to make sure I was prepared when I left.

    The home stay was also wonderful. My host mother, Claudia, made me feel right at home and her whole family helped me practice my Spanish.

    I'm now taking Skype classes through the school to make sure I don't forget anything. I hope I can go back to Antigua soon!

  132. Dilyse:

    I studied for one week at Antiguena and I'm very happy with my choice. The price is very good for the quality of the lessons, the homestay and the activities (all free to join). The lessons take place in a beautiful garden with free coffee. Sheny Flores was my teacher and I had a great time with her. She was very patient and it was interesting because I learned, next to the Spanish, a lot of Guatemala from her. She made the lessons fit to my needs and since I only was there for a week we spend a lot of time talking with no more time than needed for the grammar. After 1 day already I felt my Spanish improved. The family I stayed with, was the sweetest ever (Edwin) and I felt home immediately, even though I could only speakers a few words of Spanish. Its a nice way to get to know the culture and for me it was a very enjoyable break inbetween my travels. Wouldn't have missed it!

  133. Minako:

    この学校で11週間勉強とホームステイしました。日本で一通り勉強してから行きましたが、最初の方から復習+詳しく解説するような形で授業を進めました。二週間目に先生を一度変えましたが、それ以降10週間はBlancaという先生に習いました。とても優しい先生で、授業中にお腹を壊した時は一緒に病院まで付き添ってくれました。他の先生方でも、希望すれば街中を案内してくれたり柔軟に対応してくれるようです(私はアンティグアでのお祭りを案内してもらいました!)。全く勉強していない状態で来る生徒も多くいましたが、彼らもどんどん話せるようになっていました。先生方はみんなフレンドリーで優しいですし、生徒の希望に合わせて色々と工夫してくれます。
    私は一日4時間(午前)のクラスでしたが、文法の練習はもちろん先生との雑談や、他の生徒や先生と一緒にグループで話し合ったりゲームをすることもあり、とても楽しく勉強できました。(日本人にとってはグループワークは少し緊張するかもしれませんが、先生以外にも他の国の生徒と話すことはとてもためになりました。)一対一でずっと文法について勉強していると、結構辛かったので助かりました…。授業を終えてからは宿題の他に、先生のテキストを写真に撮って復習してましたが、時々撮り忘れてしまって帰宅してから先生に写真を送ってもらってました…!
    ホームステイは家ごとに特色があるようですが、私の行った家はたくさん会話してくれる家族でした。とても優しくて、家族との距離を全然感じないアットホームな家でした。色んな国の生徒と一緒にスペイン語で何時間も話すこともあったりして、とてもいい思い出です。私の誕生日に、サプライズでお祝いしてくれたのはすごく幸せでした。
    jardinと呼ばれる庭園で授業を受けましたが(オフィスか庭園か選べますが大半の生徒は庭園です、とても綺麗な空間です)、休み時間には安く軽食やおやつが売られ、他の生徒たちと話したりと楽しく過ごせました。
    アメリカやヨーロッパからの生徒が多いので、日本語を使う機会がほとんどなくてよかったです。生徒が日本人ばかりの学校もありますが、休み時間や授業後は日本語で話すことが多くなると思うので、日本人が少ない方が勉強に専念できると思いました(もちろん日本人向けの学校には他に利点があるので、好みの問題ですが)。私は英語が苦手なので、他の生徒とコミュニケーションをとる時に苦労することもありましたが、お互いにスペイン語で話して一緒に学べたし、色々な国の友達ができたのでとても良い環境だったと思います。
    とても良い学校だったので、これを読んでくれている皆さんにお勧めしたいです(*''ω''*)

    muchas gracias por todos!!!!

  134. Don:

    My wife and I have been studying here for four weeks. It has been a great experience for both of us. The majority of our grammar and some conversation has occurred in our morning classes (4 hours/day). Our morning teachers have been amazing. My teacher, Janet, has really helped me to learn a lot more grammar and vocabulary and build my confidence in speaking Spanish. She is very nice and challenges me to learn. My wife has also had a great morning teacher, Rosi. My wife has connected extremely well with her and has also made great progress. We have been able to do some joint activities and tours with them as well.

    In the afternoons, we have had different teachers for 2 hours of conversation. Our teachers, Angela and Oscar, have been great to talk with in Spanish. They take their time to speak clearly with us on a wide range of topics.

    Many thanks to the school and our great teachers.

  135. jenny:

    I loved my two teachers that worked with me. I spent a week with both Leticia Garcia Alvarez (Letty) who was very patient with my slow start! and also Silvia Leal who was so relaxed and fun to learn conversational spanish with and even run around town and practice together!

  136. Ronan:

    Last month I attended the school for 5 days and had the pleasure of being taught by Sheny Flores. Sheny was absolutely amazing, she was very patient, funny and a great teacher and I left the school a lot more comfortable speaking Spanish thanks to her. I would recommend her to everyone and if I ever return to the school in future I would love to be taught by Sheny again!

    Classes were a mixture if vocab/verb work and games mixed in with general conversation to build familiarity of having conversations in Spanish which I feel worked excellently.

  137. Terry:

    I studied for almost 4 months earlier this year.
    Carlos Morales was my teacher and i was really happy with my level of Spanish level by the end, Carlos had a great variety for every class and kept classes interesting all the way through. I had a fantastic experience with the school, Julio in the office was always organised and the garden is a great spot to study.

  138. Jeff Gilbert:

    My Teacher: Letecia Socorec
    My Homestay: Anna Santis

    I only spent one week studying spanish, but it was a very helpful week. During this time, Letecia evaluated where I was at, and taught me effectively from there. She was very friendly and patient, a very good teacher. The atmosphere for study, in the garden, was very comfortable and good for studying. And the snacks at break were outstanding.

    I spent the week in homestay, as well. I had a very comfortable room, and upgraded to a private bathroom. The family was wonderful, very accomodating and friendly, and the meals were delicious!

    Julio, in the school office, was very helpful, as well, when I had questions about getting around in the city.

    I highly recommend this school to anyone who wants to grow in their knowledge of spanish.

  139. Jesse Masters:

    Teacher: Marvin Hernandez

    With the large number of schools in Antigua, I was hesitant to commit. After 15 minutes with my teacher, I knew I wanted to stay at this school for my entire 3.5 week stay in Antigua. My teacher ,and now friend, Marvin, was able to assess my comprehension level within an hour and customize the course to focus on my weaknesses. He was patient in repeating words I could not remember but also continuously challenging me to use recently learned grammar or vocabulary. The last 2 weeks we had lots of conversations about complex topics like: detailed stories about our past, politics in Guatemala, and our life philosophies. There was always a great balance of grammar instruction and normal chit chat, which made sure I never burned out or lost interest in learning. In fact, I hope to plan another trip to return to continue my spanish education in the near future and will definitely be coming back to Antiguena.

    Final review: 10/10.

  140. Jeff Gilbert:

    I came to Antiguena Academy for only one week, and was taught by Leticia (Lety) Socorec. I also stayed in a homestay with familia Santiz (where I upgraded to a private bathroom). This was an outstanding experience, as Lety was an excellent, and patient teacher. She evaluated my ability level quickly, and taught me from there with excellence. This was very helpful for me. Also, in the homestay, the family was extremely friendly, and the room was extremely clean and comfortable. Also, Julio, in the office, was very helpful when I had questions about getting around in the city. I cannot say enough good about my time here, and if I can do it again, I will be back!

  141. Dermot O´Neill:

    My time with Amy was moy buen! I knew no spannish before I started so it was very tough at the start for me, but I feel as the week progressed I started to learn alot more about the techniques and how to speak basic spannish thanks to Amy. She was very strick with me regarding how to say the words but this was a good thing. It was very intense but I believe in the future this will help me.

    Thank you

  142. Don:

    My wife and I have been studying here for four weeks. It has been a great experience for both of us. The majority of our grammar and some conversation has occurred in our morning classes (4 hours/day). Our morning teachers have been amazing. My teacher, Janet, has really helped me to learn a lot more grammar and vocabulary and build my confidence in speaking Spanish. She is very nice and challenges me to learn. My wife has also had a great morning teacher, Rosi. My wife has connected extremely well with her and has also made great progress. We have been able to do some joint activities and tours with them as well.

    In the afternoons, we have had different teachers for 2 hours of conversation. Our teachers, Angela and Oscar, have been great to talk with in Spanish. They take their time to speak clearly with us on a wide range of topics.

    Many thanks to the school and our great teachers.

  143. Anna Meier:

    Ich habe einen Monat an der Sprachschule Antiguena spanische gelernt und kann es jedem weiter empfehlen. Im Privatunterricht koennen die Lehrer individuell auf die persoenlichen Beduerfnisse eingehen. Der Unterricht findet in einem Garten statt, was das lernen vereinfacht.

  144. Jesse Masters:

    A million thanks to my teacher Marvin and the Antiguena School! I was really impressed with the teachers, professionalism, and location.

    I was previously planning to only do a week studying in each pueblo of Antiguena/Atitlan/Xela but decided to commit almost 4 weeks here after my first day of class! Marvin met me and within an hour of conversation, had comprehended my speaking level and goals for the course. In our course, he minimized the homework, covered necessary grammar, and intently wrote down my problem words and I struggled to put together complete stories/speeches. I did not have time to do many activities but the one I did do (craft weaving / fake wedding/ food ) was really great!

    I would say that I entered the school as a beginner-intermediate (just below conversational), and left after 3.5 weeks as a solid intermediate capable of having extended conversations and higher comfortability with advanced conjugations. I was really happy with the quality and topic of conversations I was able to have with Marvin, from recent stories, Guatemalan politics, the recent Volcano eruption and aftermath, and lots of joking around!

    The best compliment I can give is that, after a week away, I am already planning to come back next year, to the same school, and same teacher!

    10/10 will return again.

  145. Jeff Gilbert:

    I came to Antiguena Academy for only one week, and was taught by Leticia (Lety) Socorec. I also stayed in a homestay with familia Santiz (where I upgraded to a private bathroom). This was an outstanding experience, as Lety was an excellent, and patient teacher. She evaluated my ability level quickly, and taught me from there with excellence. This was very helpful for me. Also, in the homestay, the family was extremely friendly, and the room was extremely clean and comfortable. Also, Julio, in the office, was very helpful when I had questions about getting around in the city. I cannot say enough good about my time here, and if I can do it again, I will be back!

  146. Fabian:

    I have been in Antiga for 5 weeks now and despite the eruption of Fuego’s volcano the situation is very safe in here. There is no direct consequence on tourism (however many media says the opposite). As such it hasn’t impacted neither my excursions nor my spanish class.

    Lucia, my spanish teacher, is great, patient and really open-minded. I’ve learned so much things with here in quite an entertaining way. It was a really pleasure learning with her everyday. Indeed I was so satisfied with her teaching approach and kindness that I decided not to switch teacher regardless my initial plan of doing so.

    During my free time I’ve visited many different places (such as a coffee factory, some ruins, inactive volcanoes, the Atitlan’s lake, etc.). I’ve lived in a host family, Chiqui’s family, which is very kind and have always been available to me when needed. Plus food was awesome and diversified.

    Overall, I am delighted with my stay here. I strongly recommend you this language school as my spanish teacher (Lucia) and my host family (Chiqui).

    And please remember, it is quite safe here despite the recent eruption !!!

  147. Patrick Pietsch:

    My teacher: Ana Luis, my host family: Linda Ordonez

    I would very much like to thank my teacher Ana Luis for the amazing experience I had in the Antigua Spanish Academy. I had 5 hours of individual Spanish lessons with her for 2 weeks and could improve my Spanish drastically.

    She is a very professional teacher and managed to adapt the level just perfectly to my skills, which allowed for rapid progress. We worked with a very fruitful mix of written and oral exercises, textbook material, grammar and sometimes activities/games with another student and his teacher. Ana is very friendly, her calsses are always exciting and I never felt bored.

    The classes take place in a garden, which is very beautifuly and perfectly suited for studying Spanish thanks to the mild climate in Antigua. The language school also overs free activities in the afternoon every day, which also contributed to my excellent experience.

    I would also like to thank my host family in Antigua: Linda and Francisco Ordonez.
    The stay with them has been fantastic. The food was very diversified and delicious and we always had interesting conversations during lunch and diner. They adapted their Spanish such that I could understand everything and participate in the conversations. The house is very clean has fast WiFi access and is located in a quiet area just 10-15 walking minutes from the school. Thank you for the awesome time :-)

  148. Sandra:

    I was about 3 weeks here in Antigua and I took the classes and the homestay here. It was really a great experience and a great time I had here. The Family Ovando I have been staying with has been really nice and helpful.
    My teacher was Angela and she was one of the greatest teachers I ever had. She was funny, really kind and all in all a really, really nice person. She always asked me if I understood everything, and if I didnt, she explained it till I got it. She was really patient with me and now, just after 3weeks, I am not afraid to speak anymore. All the practice helped me soo much. But especially my teacher Angela, who adapted my schedule to my liking. When I had a request like I want to practice more grammar for instant, the next day she brought me grammar exercises.

    Thank you for everything, Angela, you have been a really great teacher!! I highly recommend the school, my teacher Angela and the Family Ovando!

    Yo fui 3 semanas en Antigua y yo reservé Family Homestay y classes español. Fue una experiencia buena y yo tuve un tiempo muy bueno. La familia Ovando, donde yo viví, era muy amable y servicial.
    Mi maestra fue Angela y ella era una maestra muy excelente. Ella era muy divertida y realmente una persona muy amable. Siempre ella me pregunto si yo comprendi. Si yo no comprendi ella explico todos hasta yo comprendi.
    Ella era muy paciente tambien y ahora, despues 3 semanas de asistir classe de español, yo no tengo miedo a hablar español. Todas las horas practicar hablar español ayudaronme mucho.

    Gracias para todos, Angela, tu eres una maestra muy buena y excellente!
    Yo recomiendo la escuela, mi maestra y la familia Ovando!

  149. Gabriel:

    My Teacher: Claudia Tecun - Incredible experience

    I had a magnificent experience with Claudia. She is very knowledgeable regarding the Spanish language, and very professional. She teaches in such a way that I, as a student was able to relate it to English.

    Her classes are fun, and informal, as Claudia relates the oraciones, sentences or phrases to your life. She uses examples from your friends or family, so that you are able to easily adopt the ideas in real life. She is a very humorous woman, and is able to make you laugh easily.

    I was her student for 5 weeks and I moved quite quickly through the curriculum/syllabus in that time. I am positive it is because Claudia is such a proficient teacher, and she caters and moulds her lessons to suit the student, and to suit the way the individual learns best.

    Claudia is very approachable and open to any questions. She constantly asks if you have understood and if there are any doubts. Claudia is also very patient and willing to repeat things or change the idea, so that you will understand.

    Claudia is a genuine and kind woman, who is intelligent and knowledgeable in all aspects of the Spanish language. I highly recommend her to anyone wishing to learn Spanish.
    Thankyou :)

  150. David McColgan:

    I was very pleased with my week of instruction at ASA and feel much more confident now in my ability to communicate. My teacher, Ana Castellanos, made me feel instantly at ease, despite my initial trepidation; showed great patience and encouragement towards me, pushing me to step out of my comfort zone without making me feel discomfort; and made the lessons fun, both while sitting at the table in the garden and on our field trips around town. She was quick to work out where I was coming from and where I wanted to get to, tailoring the activities perfectly to my needs. I highly recommend this school to anyone who is interested: I only wish I had the time available to stay longer.

  151. Ann-Christin Moeller:

    Thanks a lot to our amazing teachers Nidia Santos and Carmen Hernandez.
    We had three weeks of Spanish School with them and learnt a lot - the basics of Spanish grammar as well as the most common phrases.
    We did not have any previous knowledge about Spanish and feel now able to have a small conversation with locals. This will help us a lot on our travels through Central America.
    We had different levels of learning rate and our teachers always adapted to our levels of understanding.
    Thanks a lot for a very effective and fun Spanish School experience !
    Best wishes,
    Ann-Christin and Jan

  152. Susi Tripp:

    I have just returned from another wonderful 3 week trip studing Spanish at the Awntigua Spanish Academy. This makes 10 weeks total. I have always studying with Ana Luis. She is a great teacher. She assesses your needs and tailors the instruction to you. As I talked with other students from many places in the world, they all liked their teachers and several were studying with the same teachers for a second time. In addition to the 1 on 1 instruction the school provides afternoon activities or tours in Spanish. During many months of the year the weather in Antigua is a welcome break from that in North America. I plan to return again in January 2019 for another 3 weeks of Spanish instruction. I highly recommend the school.

  153. Michael G.:

    I studied for one month with Claudia Pol. The classes were a good mix of grammar, vocabulary and conversation. The time passed very quickly and I was sad to leave at the end.

    I highly recommend Claudia as a teacher. She was very patient and knowledgable, and made the learning process fun! We spoke Spanish 100% of the time and Claudia was very good at explaining the concepts and rules of grammar.

    The school is a great environment to learn and the homestay with Oscar and Chiqui organised by the school was also a great experience.

  154. Claudia Mira:

    Aloha!

    I was a student here for a week. I had a spectacular teacher named Mau Flores! He is hilarious, knowledgeable, and kind. I would highly recommend him if you want to learn, laugh, and adventure with him. If I could of stayed longer, I would have requested him and I'm wishing him the best! I already sent him one student and I hope more will recommend this fabulous teacher, friend, and guide! Make sure to go to the garden school for a class it is beautiful there.

    Also my homestay was fantastic, Claudia and her family we're kind, helpful, and cooked up delicious food!

    Thanks again to Mau, Domingo, and Julio for all their hard work :)

  155. Eimear Murphy:

    I had a great week with my maestra Mirtala! She was very understanding of my level of Spanish. She taught with an ideal mix of structured lesson, games and conversation, including information about the local area and tips on local conversation. I hope to return again after a trip to Lake Atitlan. Muchas gracias Mirtala

  156. Sarah und Tom:

    Wir haben in kurzer Zeit unheimlich viel gelernt. Der abwechslungsreiche Unterricht, die spannenden Themen und das gute Einfühlungsvermögen unserer Lehrerin (Leticia Socorec) haben dazu geführt, dass der Unterricht sehr kurzweilig und interessant war. Beim Lernen der für uns neuen Sprache, haben wir ganz nebenbei vieles über Antigua, Guatemala, Kultur und Politik erfahren und neue Früchte und Gemüse sowie landestypische Gerichte kennen lernen können. Aus unseren geplanten 4 Wochen Spanischunterricht wurden 8 und wir wären gerne noch viel länger geblieben. Wir können den Besuch der Spanish Academy Antigueña in jeder Hinsicht weiterempfehlen. Der Schulgarten ist wunderschön, die Lehrer und Lehrerinnen gestalten den Unterricht sehr kreativ und mit viel Engagement, die Schulunterlagen und Lektionen sind sehr gut aufgebaut und wir sprachen schon nach wenigen Wochen mit grosser Freude Spanisch .

  157. Evelyne Thommen:

    We are a couple from Switzerland and stayed 4 weeks in Antigua to improve our Spanish basic knowledge. We both liked the school and escpecially our teachers Janette and Dora very much - muchas gracias - for your help and patience with us!

    Also sitting every morning in the lovely garden and study Spanish with our "maestras" is really a nice way to learn and study a language. On Wednesday and Friday we often did together a school excursion on which we learned a lot about Antigua, Guatemala and its people. Our teachers showed us a lot of nice places in and around Antigua.

  158. Christopher Lynch:

    I had a great month studying. All teachers I had were professional, capable and flexible which helped my Spanish improve substantially.

  159. Joanne:

    What a great experience! I loved this school and especially my teacher Lily Garcia. She made even the driest and most difficult grammar so much fun and I looked forward to coming to class every day. I only wish I had been able to stay longer. Great school and great experience. I'll be back for sure!

  160. Don:

    My wife and I have been studying here for four weeks. It has been a great experience for both of us. The majority of our grammar and some conversation has occurred in our morning classes (4 hours/day). Our morning teachers have been amazing. My teacher, Janet, has really helped me to learn a lot more grammar and vocabulary and build my confidence in speaking Spanish. She is very nice and challenges me to learn. My wife has also had a great morning teacher, Rosi. My wife has connected extremely well with her and has also made great progress. We have been able to do some joint activities and tours with them as well.

    In the afternoons, we have had different teachers for 2 hours of conversation. Our teachers, Angela and Oscar, have been great to talk with in Spanish. They take their time to speak clearly with us on a wide range of topics.

    Many thanks to the school and our great teachers.

  161. Mathilde:

    Really really nice experience in this school! Starting learning Spanish there was one of the best idea I had during my trip. I'm French and I couldn't speak a word of Spanish before that, but my awesome teacher Carlos brought me patiently everything I needed to speak this language. Very good teacher and beautiful location. I highly recommend this school! Staying two weeks in Antigua for it was not a waste of time at all.

  162. Suri:

    I had studied in antiguena spanish academy for about 3 months. 3 months were literally short time to learn new language(I only knew 'Hola', 'Gracias' and 'Adios' when I arrived at Guatemala)but the time that I lived there flied because there are so many fun things in Antigua. Best of all, spanish classes in the beautiful garden and my homestay family, Chiqui and Oscar, made me happy. My teachers, Mayra, Bittia and Sonia, were so nice that I can learn Spanish in more fun and correct way and especially Sonia made makeup class for me even though it was I who was sick.(Thank you, Sonia♥ ) And my homestay family, homestay mama Chiqui and papa Oscar were amazing. They were always nice and care about me like real family. When I had to leave house early in the morning because of my trip to the beach, volcano or sth, they gave me breakfast as always. And when the new year day, we ate dinner and danced together with whole family. I cannot forget these momories in Antigua. I highly recommend antiguena spanish school (and especially my teachers) for learning spanish(now I can say what I want, what emotion I feel etc. in spanish) and my amazing homestay family, Chiqui and Oscar's house. I want to go there again!!!

  163. Michele Sarlat:

    My last “Bucket List” item for 2017 was to finally improve my spoken Spanish by attending a Spanish immersion program. I selected Antiguena Spanish Academy after extensive research and numerous emails with Julio senior, now semi-retired. After just five weeks, my spoken Spanish and comprehension has improved significantly to the point where I am able to speak with locals on complex topics. I adore my teacher: Silvia Leal, whom I consider superb. She is friendly, fun, yet extremely knowledgeable and supportive in helping each of her students to achieve their goals in attending private classes at this school. “Two thumbs up” and five stars for Silvia Leal.

    Also, in the afternoons there are many interesting free activities/ field trips arranged by the school. Julio Jr., the current active School Director, is interested in peoples’ comments and interested in insuring the happiness of the students.

    Sincerely,

    Michele

  164. David:

    Hey there, I studied three weeks with this school without knowing any spanish before. I really feel like I learnt a lot in these days - thats because I had two awesome teachers.
    Glendy tought me in the morning, I was always happy to see her, even being still tired. She speaks so clear and slow and 'colorful' I always knew what she tried to tell me, even without knowing the words at beginning. And we did a lot of grammatic as well.
    In the afternoon Domingo was my teacher. He has a lot of experience, patience and knowlage about everything - even german politics and all that. It was great to hear and try to speak about many differnet topics with him. Shout out to those two great people I met there.

  165. Cornelis:

    After two weeks of studying Spanish at Antiguena I had to extend my stay for another week! Mi maestra Maria Fernanda treated me so well - first she taught me the basics, then pushed me through some grammar and later always took time to exchange stories and life experiences. I enjoyed every second of my 80 hours learning this language and having Maria as my teacher. When you don't wanna spend all your time in the (beautiful) garden, just ask your teacher to meet in a coffee shop or to walk around the city.. Muchas gracias Maria - yo voy a extrañar te!

  166. Bonita:

    I have just completed 5 weeks at Antiguena and I have had an incredible experience. I booked my lessons and homestay from the office when I arrived and it was very easy to arrange. My teacher Carlos is great and VERY patient. There were a variety of methods he used to ensure I learned as much as possible! Carlos made our lessons very fun and I never got bored (who would of thought that I actually looked forward to going to school everyday)!
    My homestay family was an amazing match! Great food, comfortable room, great converstions and they made me feel very much at home!

    A massive thank you to the team, who made my 5 weeks in Antigua memorable!
    I highly recommend the school and Carlos as a teacher.

  167. Alice:

    I studied at the school for 3 weeks. I had not learnt any spanish before I started at the school and I had only learnt very basic French when I was at school. My teacher was lovely and provided me with activities which matched my abilities. We carried out different exercises and would then practice what I had learnt in conversation. The school is situated in a very pleasant area and you can either have lessons at the school or in the beautiful gardens nearby.
    I stayed with a Guatemalan family which was arranged by the school. The family I stayed with was lovely, provided good food and allowed me to practice my spanish outside of school.
    I thoroughly enjoyed my time at school and at my homestay and would recommend this school to other people travelling around Guatemala.

  168. Ben Collins:

    I spent 6 weeks studying at Antiguena and spent the duration staying at one f the homestays organised by the school.

    The family I stayed with were really friendly and provided a nice base from where I could study and relax. It was especially nice to have all of my meals taken care of and to have the opportunity to practice my Spanish in more of a natural environment.

    I studied for 4hrs a day, 5 days a week with Carmen.

    Upon starting at Antiguena I had a very basic level of Spanish which enabled me to travel around Spanish speaking countries (i.e. booking accommodation, ordering food/drink, travelling etc.) but was unable to hold much of a conversation. After 6 weeks, Carmen has helped me to become much more conversational and expand my knowledge and understanding of the different Spanish tenses massively. Having now finished, I feel much more confident to have conversations with people for whom don't speak any English and can talk much more freely and about a wider range of subjects.

    The best thing about studying with Carmen was her ability to make lessons fun and enjoyable. Carmen always made sure our conversations were relevant to what I needed and was really good at encouraging me to practice what we were learning. In addition, Carmen was always super flexible with her lessons and effortlessly tailored the pace of the lessons to my ability to take information in (which some days was greater than others). Carmen is a very experienced teacher, very kind and very funny. If you study at Antiguena you should definitely request to study with her, 100%

    To get an idea of how my Spanish has improved, I wrote an entry in my online travel journal about my time in Antigua in both Spanish & English which you can read here:

    http://www.thegingerrevolution.com/2017/12/antigua.html

    Overall, I highly recommend Antiguena. The school is well managed, the classroom setting is stunningly beautiful and the teachers are fantastic. Best of all, Antiguena is incredibly good value. Sign up now, you won't regret it!

  169. Alice Leora Briggs:

    I had no previous instruction in Spanish prior my two weeks of study at Antiguena Spanish Academy. My teachers, Nidia Santos and Yasmin Salazar are both truly excellent instructors, personable and experienced. Nidia gave me an extremely helpful introduction to Spanish grammar. Yasmin drilled me on verbs until I understood the intricacies of ser and estar, helped me build a vocabulary and provided insights into some of the significant differences between English and Spanish. Her knowledge of Spanish, experience, expertise and enthusiasm for teaching accelerated my ability to speak as well as comprehend Spanish grammar. Yasmin’s methods provided a solid foundation in Spanish that I never would have thought possible in such a short time. If you are planning a course of study Antiguena Spanish Academy, you are already motivated to learn as much Spanish as possible. Yasmin's love for learning will inspire you even more. I hope to return next year for additional instruction with her!

    I highly recommend Antiguena Spanish Academy. Julio y Julio responded quickly and cordially to my questions and concerns before I arrived and throughout my course of study. Muchas Gracias por todo, Yasmin, Nidia, Julio y Julio!

  170. Michael Kluger:

    I´ve studied the past two weeks at Antiguena - A phenomal experience. My professor, Luis, was great! He taught in a way that I felt like I was learning Spanish from a friend. He took time to find out about my interests and my life, so he can better relate during the classes, which made the class exciting - He wanted me learn the language and pushed me to do so. Also, he taught me about the culture of Guatemala and all that it ecompasses. Day 1, I was not able to hold a detailed conversation, period, and by the end of it, I was speaking in different tenses and understanding everything that was spoken or presented to me. The classes took place in a garden outside, which made the experience so much better and more enjoyable. Overall, a great ciriculum for all levels and a place that you will learn! 100% Recomeneded!

  171. Ben fregeau:

    I had a fantastic time at Antiguena; my teacher (Carmen Cardenas) was fantastic, the homestay was great, and the price was very reasonable.

    I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn Spanish.

  172. Ryan:

    Amazing experience! The teachers, homes,families,school,activities are well worth it ! Antigua is very beautiful and this is a fantastic way to emerse yourself in it's culture. 10/10 :)

  173. Natasha:

    I studied at Antiguena for three months. My teacher was Rosario, and I am so thankful for this. Within three weeks, I was already speaking Spanish confidently! Rosario is an incredible teacher -- she adjusts her teaching style based on how you are as a learner. She helped me immensely with all of the different tenses, vocabulary, and every day words and phrases that I would use in my job. I can honestly say that if it weren't for her, I wouldn't be the confident Spanish speaker that I am now! Not only is she a wonderful teacher -- but an amazing friend. We developed a bond because of how adaptive, easygoing, and hilarious she is! I believe we will be lifelong friends. Four hours a day feels like one hour because of how much fun I have learning with her. Three months of class with her has felt like nothing because time really does fly when you're enjoying yourself. I highly recommend that you request her as your teacher!

    Aside from classes, I did stay with a home stay family. I stayed at Maria's house and it was a wonderful fit for me. The entire ambiance of the house is just so welcoming, happy, and encouraging! Maria herself is a sweetheart to say the least, and the entire family is delightful. I am so glad I ended up in her house :-) a big plus if you like animals also.

    The school also has weekly activities that you can participate in and get to know people. From cooking classes, trips to the natural pools or coffee farms -- it's just amazing how many opportunities there are to meet new people and experience the culture.

    I will be returning in the future for more classes! :-)

  174. Chris Bruce:

    I spent three months here with three different teachers. Alvaro was immensely caring and spent a lot of time carefully planning each lesson. He was patient, attentive, and always helpful. Janet was fun, outgoing, and great at keeping you on track. Carmen was compassionate, helpful, and a lot of fun too. It was easy to talk to her and her expert knowledge of English helped tremendously.

    I highly recommend all three of the teachers I had as they helped my Spanish move along very quickly.

    My accommodations were appropriate. I recommend Casa de Vicky because of its open atmosphere. It is quite easy to change accommodations if you need to.

    The town is lovely as well. It is incredibly easy to get comfortable to the town's easy going atmosphere.

  175. Lisa Cooper:

    My children and I just completed 3 weeks of Spanish school with Antiguena, and it was a great experience. My kids, ages 12, 10 and 7 loved it! When we first arrived, they were not very excited about having to go to school while here in Guatemala, but they grew to love it! My children did not know any Spanish when they arrived, and by the end of the first week, they knew the difference between ser-estar and were conjugating verbs.
    My eldest son is disappointed that we´re stopping lessons after only 3 weeks, but we are leaving Antigua now, so it´s not possible for us to continue studying here. It is amazing how much they have learned in 3 weeks!

    Another benefit for my kids is that there were a few other children studying in the school, so my kids were able to make friends. The school has been the only place my kids have met other children since being in Antigua. They enjoyed playing together during the break every day, but that quickly grew to play dates in the afternoons as well.

    As for me, I had had Spanish 25 years ago in high school. Marta helped me jump quickly back into Spanish and helped me progress very rapidly. I learned more in 3 weeks with Antiguena than years in high school.

    This was a great fit for our family, and we absolutely recommend Antiguena Spanish Academy to anyone who is wanting a quality Spanish school here in Antigua.

  176. Katrina Mowbray:

    I had the pleasure of having four weeks of Spanish classes with Laura and she was the best Spanish teacher I've ever had. Every morning I looked forward to going to meet her as she was always really positive and made my classes really fun. I enjoyed getting to know her more over the month that we worked together. I think my Spanish has improved dramatically and I will use it a lot during my next 4 months travelling in Central America. I also would like to send thanks for organising my home stay, the family were great and despite a problem with the cold showers not being fixed the family were really chatty and welcoming. I may come back for more lessons in January. All the best, Katrina

  177. Nicolas:

    We've tried several spanish courses in Antigua and this one is the best. I've studied with Jazsmin Salazar, which was both smooth and demanding. I would recommand her to anyone who wants to improve fast.

  178. Frédérique:

    Bonjour, je vous recommande chaleureusement Miriam Garcia, patiente, attentive et toujours positive. Bravo et merci !

  179. Noa Demoulin:

    Estudie con Carmen Cardenas, yo fui muy contento con ella. Es una maistra estupendo.

  180. Nell:

    Mi maestria fue Emy Tojin Silva, muy amable. Yo apprendi mucho con ella y fue un placer.

  181. Gary Nederveld:

    I just completed a week of school at Antiguena and had, again, a wonderful experience. My teacher, Claudia Tecun, makes learning fun and at the same time is very focused on what I need to work on. What a professional! My stay with a local family was also very satisfying.

  182. Simon:

    I spent 3 weeks at the school, julio was great at organising a teacher for me and rolando was fantastic, I had a lot in common with him and for that reason I learnt a lot.
    Especially since they have the garden. It is such a relaxed environment to learn.
    The only downside was my first teacher who was extremely rude and I would not recommend her. Lucky that Julio helped me find a new teacher otherwise it would have been a horrible 3 weeks.
    I would definitely come back to the school for lesson with rolando.

  183. Benjamin Saper:

    My teacher Nidia was excellent! I worked with her for a week and she helped me tailor a program to my already pretty advanced needs. I was working on improving my Spanish before starting a new job as an immigration lawyer in the U.S. and she researched legal terms and helped me prepare. I would recommend her to anyone. She also has a great sense of humor and brings a lot of knowledge to the table.

    Ben

  184. Ludwig Lamm:

    I did the school last week for a week and it was really good. I did six hours a week, in the morning Oscar was my teacher and in the afternoon Luis. Both of the were really friendly and it was always fun to go to the lessons. I learned some spanish before, but i needed especially to practise speaking more fluent. With those two teacher, I really learned this. And on the next day I was asked if I lived in a latino country because of my spanish. Thanks a lot Luis and Oscar. Best regards

  185. Jean Matievich:

    My review is long overdue. I have studied at Antigueña twice, both times for six weeks, the winters of 2016 and 2017. I'm a 62 year old woman and traveled alone. Both years were an awesome experience.

    My teacher, Emi Tojin, was great. She's a wonderful teacher and became a good friend. I especially enjoyed our conversations while walking, traveling and experiencing different parts of the city and outskirts. We visited the market many times for example and talked about foods, recipes, traditions, herbal healing, etc. I highly recommend taking your conversations outside the garden which is admittedly gorgeous.

    I homestayed the first year and stayed at a great place. Last year I payed a bit more for a place on Booking.com with cooking privileges and beautiful garden. It was great but I felt isolated from others and got lonely. I recommend staying somewhere where interaction is easy, especially for long periods. I'm shy so I need the boost!

    I was afraid the first time never having travelled alone internationally but I took the leap and I'm so glad I did.

  186. Eric:

    This place is amazing! They teach vocabulary and engage in interactive conversations with you so you can learn quickly. Highly recommended! My teacher and all of the other teachers I´ve heard of are very nice, social and funny. Definitely a great experience!

  187. Michael:

    I had an awesome experience studying at Antiguena Spanish Academy with Blanca Gonzalez. She always went the extra mile to make sure I was focused in learning the vocabulary and the grammar. She used many different techniques to help me learn in a fun way. Blanca was extremely patient with me, and helped me gain confidence in speaking Spanish. I highly recommend Blanca and the Antiguena Academy.

  188. Deidra:

    I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent learning Spanish with Leticia Socorec at Antigunea Spanish Academy. Leticia worked hard to develop specific teaching techniques to best accomodate my learning style. She challenged me in learning while strengthening my confidence to speak Spanish. Leticia was extremely professional, and she helped me understand certain topics about the culture. I was impressed with the learning environment for the school and the professionalism of the teachers.

  189. Toby Kolstad:

    I have studied at the Academy for three weeks, two in 2016 and one in 2017. I plan to enroll again in 2018 when I come back to Antigua with my wife and son who work in a medical mission for a week each September. I am using the Pimsleur method of conversation learning in the USA, but the annual visits to the Academy have accelerated my learning experiences with the tapes. MY teachers, Marina and Paula, both tailaored their lessons to my current level of proficiency. I highly recommend this school for everyone, from beginners like me to more practiced speakers who need advanced instructions.

  190. Jonathan from Germany:

    As this is my last week of 10 in total I'd like to share my experience. Overall, I am really satisfied and can recommend both my teacher Janet Cáceres and the family Garcia, with whom I stayed, to anybody  who is seriously commited to learning Spanish.

    I could not have asked for a better teacher than Janet and would recommend her without any hesitation. Without her I would have never been able to improve my Spanish skills so dramatically.
    Her explanations always were straightforward and really helped me to progress quickly.
    The fact, that she has been working as a teacher for a long period, was obvious at all times, as she was very flexible with her approach depending on what was appropriate for the specific level of Spanish I had.
    Besides her educational skillset she also is a fantastic person, with whom I looked forward to work with every single day. We laughed a lot together and I will be missing here and the conversations we had for sure.

    The  family I stayed with was great as well and is perfectly suited  to anybody, who would like to learn Spanish in a serious manner.  With just 3 students in total, the lingua franca is Spanish and at least one family member always seems to be willing to conversate. Moreover, all of them are really fantastic persons, who are always willing to help, when there is a problem.

    I really thoroughly enjoyed my time here and will miss everybody a lot! Thank you so much for making this time so special!

  191. Kate Straub:

    My two daughters, 14 and 11 years and I studied here June 2017. We each studied with one teacher apiece and each of our teachers provided us with an individualized, personalized lesson plan according to our ability and interests. My daughters, initially dubious, simply loved their teachers and the experience. Classes are held in the middle of a tropical garden. asAt break time we had the opportunity to sample delicious local cuisine, such as frozen bananas dipped in chocolate and nuts, tiny tamales stuffed with meat or vegetables, strawberry smoothies, tacos piled high with beetroot, cabbage, cheese, meat and sour cream and fried plantains. You won't lose weight in Guatamala! The Academy arranged a home stay for us and picked us up at Guatamala airport. Antigua is culturally rich, vibrant, cosmopolitan, safe place to study with a small town feel. You can walk everywhere, it is very safe. We continue to miss the the markets, the crumbling churches, the cobble stone streets, the music and street food. We can't wait to return and continue our studies. This school is known as the best and most affordable school in Antigua for a reason. Do not hesitate! Try it for yourselves.

  192. jessie grace:

    I cannot recommend the school enough, the location, teachers, excursions, food and general vibe was amazing !!! My teacher Lorena was an absolute hero ! An amazing educator who taught at my pace and picked up my weakness and strength very early on. If you get the chance you should ask specifically for her !! I studied here for 7 weeks and learnt so much ! this school is fantastic value. The homestays are phenominal, vicky (my homestay mum) was honestly the most delightful person ! she cooked amazing food and had so much patience when i tried to speak spanish with her at the dinner table. I had my own private room and hot showers. The whole experience here was amazing !!!

  193. claudin Berger:

    Yo aprendi mucho español en su escuela y mi profesora Ana Castellanos es muy buena y competente.Yo la recomiendo para enseñar español.Gracias para la oportunadad y todas las cosas .

    Gracias
    Claudin Berger

  194. Tim & Mary Bonnette:

    My wife and I completed seven weeks of study with Antiguena Spanish Academy in their beautiful gardens. We started with little to no knowledge of Spanish and we are now amazed at how much we have learned in just seven weeks. Our teacher, Leticia "Lety" Socorec's goal was to make certain that we were speaking Spanish in class quickly and as a result we rapidly learned not only key words and verbs but also tenses and sentence structure. The school provides daily activities to practice what you have learned and Lety provided us with a variety of learning tools and activities that were fun and challenging. Lety was a great teacher for us because she was patient when we struggled but also knew how to keep us challenged so that we progressed faster than we thought was possible. With Lety's guidance we now have a level of knowledge and confidence to speak and understand Spanish in our travels and daily activities. We highly recommend Antiguena Spanish Academy!

  195. Emma:

    I really can't recommend this school enough, intended to stay for a week or two, ended up staying 3 months. I took 4 hours of lessons everyday and loved the garden setting, way better than a stuff classroom! The free coffee was definitely appreciated at 8 o'clock every morning.
    I stayed with Teresa Vides and this was probably the reason i stayed to long. She went above and beyond to make us feel at home. We only spoke Spanish at meal times, she and her husband Luis always asked questions, engaged in conversation and told us many interesting stories. I was so sad to leave, i really felt part of the family. There was only 4 bedrooms making for a more intimate homestay, i had heard some others held up to 9 students and a lot more English was spoken, which is what I was trying to avoid!

    My first teacher was Karla she was so friendly and really helped me grasp the basics, I was amazed at how quickly we were chatting away, having proper conversations in no time, she also mixed it up with games when she could tell I was tired. I was even invited to her sons birthday party which was an amazing experience.
    Reluctantly I decided to change teacher after 6 weeks, after i had heard from numerous other students that it was beneficial to mix it up a bit and not get too comfortable.

    So my next 6 weeks were spent with Janet Caceres and i cant emphasis how much i learnt in a short time. She was clear with her lesson plan and would note down and areas she thought might need to be improved or revisited so everything felt very thorough. She would make sure I had understood every detail before moving on. Every lesson was interesting, again with a lot of the focus on conversation which really helped my confidence. We had so much in common, conversations were always easy and fun, with lots of laughter. I cant recommend her enough.
    I left Antigua with two real friends and felt very fortunate to have been paired with both teachers. I can't wait to return.

  196. Tara Jones-Alley:

    iHola futuros estudiantes! I had a wonderful experience with the ANTIGÜEÑA Spanish Academy! My daughter and I spent two weeks learning Spanish. It was actually only supposed to be one, but I felt the pull to come back and study with Blanca. She was so good about finding my needs and meeting them in the short amount of time we had. I have great resources to refer back to from the school as well. My homestay with Ana Luisa and Manuel was the best you can imagine. I awoke to a view of beautiful gardens and Volcan Agua. They took it upon themselves to be stewards of their country and language in ways I did not expect. Manuel took us for a tour of the Cerro de la Cruz one day just because he is awesome like that. I'm sure we will be back and I won't have any doubt about choosing this school again.

  197. Laura Ogden:

    My daughter, who is twelve, and I studied with Aurora and Silvia for 2 weeks this summer. We had a wonderful time and our Spanish improved considerably, even in that short time. Both Aurora and Silvia were fantastic teachers, and went beyond "the classroom," and organized several side trips so we could practice and learn in different settings. I could not recommend the school and our teachers more.

  198. Luke Frank:

    I studied Spanish for one week at Antiguena Spanish Academy. The quality of the lessons are very good. I learned a lot in one week. The host family was very friendly and seemed like they enjoyed talking Spanish with me, and their food was awesome that they cooked for me. My teacher, Blanca, was very friendly and in just one week she helped me learn a lot of Spanish, which I used everyday after classes, which were from 8am-12pm. Julio is very professional and with just a few emails, he set me up with a home stay and a spot at the school. I highly recommend Antiguena Spanish Academy if you want to immerse yourself in the Guatemalan culture and learn Spanish. I'll be returning here soon!

  199. Douglas and Barbara Benner:

    We really enjoyed our time a the Antigueña Spanish School. It was a very intense two week course. We chose the 6 hour per day option so we were busy all day long with studies, conversation and homework. Our teachers were excellent one on one instructors. Our studies included Spanish grammar, vocabulary and conversation. This was all mixed with history, culture and activities that gave meaning and reality to the things we were learning. Even though we chose only the two week course, we feel that it was a very valuable two weeks. Learning another language is a lifetime exercise, but we feel that our time at the school gave us the opportunity to further progress in our effort to master the Spanish language. Thank you to the teachers for having the patience and diligence to help us along. The beautiful and peaceful garden setting added to the atmosphere of learning each day. We would highly recommend this school for anyone who desires to advance their Spanish language studies.

  200. Patrick (Ireland):

    I canno't recommend this school, staff and quality of home stay more highly enough. It was really great in every way. I studied Spanish from the very beginning for more than four months and I really enjoyed my time here. I had an excellent teacher Leticia Socorec. I recommend Lety as she is thorough, professional and can explain everything clearly in English. I always had homework and regular examinations. She was really great and I learned a lot. Also Julio in the office was always helpful & friendly & would ask if everything was going OK. I had a wonderful home stay, Eva & Cesar Sactec. The food was great & the family are used to hosting students for many years. They were so kind and made me feel like I was part of their family from day one. The school and teachers are professional. You will definitely learn here. There are also many activities & studying in a beautiful large garden was an ideal setting for learning Spanish. I am now travelling in South America & I have Antigua Spanish Academy, my teacher Lety and my homestay to thank for my progress in Spanish language. Thank You. I recommend 5 stars.

  201. Madeline:

    I studied with Lety some years back and never got around to posting my review to say what a great teacher she was and what a wonderful time I spent at the school. There was much more going on than just classes - trips and such - and the courtyard bustles with activity. You can do as much or as little as you feel like. Whatever structure you choose, everyone at the school is there to help and make learning easy and fun. Gracias Leticia y todos!

  202. Bill Groom:

    I went to study at Academia Antiguena with two 15 year old granddaughters in June 2017. The girls had one year of Spanish in school (our local community college) and I had several years of conversational Spanish and several previous trips to immersion schools in Antigua and Xela. We asked for clean, modern housing and got a great place with delicious food. Teachers could not have been better. They use a standardized curriculum and adjust as requested. A great experience until we tried to pay with a MasterCard. I think maybe they are working to accept MC now, hopefully! Lily Garcia was my teacher and was prepared in every sense of the word, including methodology, content, Guatemalan history and culture, and flexibility. Can't say enough good about them. I've attended two other schools in Antigua and think this one will satisfy any person or any family. They do have teachers who work with young children and those with no previous Spanish experience. They met us at the airport and returned us to the airport. Prices are good and everything else was great.

  203. Gali:

    I wouldnt choose Any other school. At first, my plan Was to stay in the school
    and with the family for one week but my experience with the school, the family and my Amazing Teacher Lucía Was so great therefor i decided to stay one more week. The school offer some really nice activities in which you practice your spanish. My family The Garcias Were really nice as well, they Cook 3 meals a Day and they knew i Was vegeterian so they cooked special things for me and really try to make everything to let us feel confortable in the City and at home. And for the most important, the lessons. My lessons with Lucía were so interesting and i learnt so much! Both spanish and the culture in Guatemala. She Was so attentive ñ. She knew exactly what i needed and made me improve my spanish a lot. We both practiced speaking and learnt so much vocabulary and grammar. We also played games which were fun. I would definetly stay one more week if i had the time.

  204. Samantha:

    I studied at Antiguena Spanish Academy 5 hours a day for 2 weeks. I thought it was going to be overwhelming, but I ended up being shocked every day when class was ending. My teacher was Sheny Flores and she is absolutely phenomenal! She's so fun, our classes were full of laughter. I loved getting to know her and learning about the Guatemalan culture. Classes with Sheny generally started with a casual conversation about the previous days' activities, then we moved into grammar, vocabulary activities, and games, with interspersed stories. I also got the chance to work with Aurora for one class and I loved her approach to teaching as well. She started the class by asking what I wanted to work on and tailored the class to fit my request perfectly.

    My homestay was with Odilia and her family. They are so sweet and made me feel right at home. Not only is Odilia an amazing cook, but she also knew each of our dietary preferences and made sure that the meals fit them. I couldn't have asked for a better two weeks in Antigua. I highly recommend Antiguena Spanish Academy.

  205. Lisanne:

    Antiguena is a great school to study Spanish (even if you are a beginner). I followed for one week lessons with my teacher Mirtala. She was amazing! I have learned so many things in just one week. We talked a lot about different things and I learned so many of the culture of Guatemala. I really recommend her as a teacher! The admosphere was so good. So lovely to get lessons in a really beautiful garden. An experience that I will never forget!

  206. Jennifer Dewald:

    I had Janet Caceres and she is wonderful! She has s wonderful temperment and she is very patient.

    She welcomes you to class every day as well as to Guatemala. She listens attentively and guides you through the language. She thoughtfully listens to you and guides you with corrections without making you self conscious

    Janet is very smart, kind and a skilled teacher. With 100% confidence, you will improve your Spanish and enjoy your time. Janet is delightful!

  207. Carla Ali:

    I can say I really enjoyed my time in Antigua. I really liked the school because you can really work on whatever you want with the teacher. Classes are held either at the school or in a cute little garden near the school. I really got to meet some interesting people from Australia and Texas at my homestay and I found it to be a good change of pace to talk to people around the dinner table. I can't really say I've done that in a while. Let Julio know you want Jose Domingo if you want the best teacher.

  208. Jeanne Krenzer:

    I came to Antigua to learn Spanish and have been studying at the Antigueña Spanish Academy with Silvia Leal. Silvia is a talented, patient, and good-humored teacher who has been a delight to work with in the short amount of time I have been at the school. The classes are tailored to fit your level, learning style and speed, and your personal goals. As per my request, the majority of our time has been spent practicing conversation. Silvia is hilarious. While she is professional and does an exceptional job teaching me new vocabulary and correcting my grammatical errors, it doesn’t feel like work because we have such a good time talking together. I noticed a big improvement in both my listening comprehension and my ability to verbalize my thoughts after only a few days of class with her.

    You have the option to study with your teacher either in a classroom at the school’s office, or in a beautiful garden a few blocks away.

    The academy has also been very accommodating of my irregular schedule, which I very much appreciate.

    I’m very impressed with both the academy and with Silvia and cannot recommend them highly enough!

  209. Aaron Garcia:

    I thoroughly enjoyed my tutoring sessions with Lucia. She engaged in conversation about multiple topics that required me to access and learn words that are outside of simple responses and conversation. We played games to remember vocab and she was able to adapt to my learning by pushing me to tackle complex rules within the language because I was only there a short time.
    Overall, I would say you are getting a great deal for the price you are paying. A private tutor that will cater to your personal needs and a great cheap lunch. It is also a great opportunity to meet other travelers.

  210. Helen Buller:


    This is my 6th summer studying Spanish in Guatemala, and I rate this school the best of the four schools I have been to. My teacher, Lily Garcia, is very knowledgeable and experienced. She has a terrific sense of humor. I could not have asked for a better teacher. She is able to adjust our lessons as we go in order to correct my bad habits. I wish I could put her in my pocket and carry her back to the U.S. with me.
    The school is in the middle of a beautiful tropical garden and everyone there is in good humor. The classes are just the right mix of grammar and discussion along with fun games and activities to practice vocabulary. During classes and afternoon activities sponsored by the school, I learned a lot about the Mayan culture and important events in the History of Guatemala.
    I brought a friend with me who is also having a wonderful experience. It is her first year learning Spanish and she is making amazing progress. All the teachers are always smiling and happy, and there is a general feeling of camaraderie among the staff and students. Everyone is happy to be there.
    Don't look any further. This is the right choice. You will be so glad you did.

  211. Kyle Harrison:

    I used this school to speak with a Spanish tutor while I was taking law classes in Antigua. It was a very helpful experience because of the friendly tutors and the helpful corrections to my improving Spanish. As someone who speaks average Spanish I learned a lot on proper conjugation and many new vocabulary words. I would highly recommend this school to anyone looking to improve their reading, writing or speaking in Spanish. Ask for Teresa, she was a great tutor!

  212. Laura Kidd:

    DON'T look any further - choose this school! I researched all the schools in the town on the ground before deciding on Antiguena. This is the best school, go any cheaper and you’re going to get rubbish teachers.
    I spent 6 weeks studying 4 hours every morning with Janet Caceres. She is a phenomenal teacher and as she has fluent English it really helped to explain some of the tricky concepts in grammar. A typical day is 2 hours grammar, a half hour break socializing with the other students and two hours conversational practice. In the afternoon there is an option to do the trips or alternatively do a group study session in one of the many cafes nearby.
    4 hours every day is intense so getting the right teacher is SO important as you get to know your teacher so well and naturally become very close. Some days we’d take a walk, go to the market for example – which was an incredibly natural way of learning new vocabulary, other days we’d play games; she always made it interesting for me and could read when my brain was completely fried and bursting with knowledge and would naturally switch up our routine. If you can, I would recommend requesting Janet in advance – you won’t regret it; she has over 20 years of experience and is so fun to learn from!
    Buena Suerte!

  213. theodore andersen:

    My homestay was silvia gonzalez pellecer and my teachers were Iliana and lily. I would have to give all five stars. I have been going to the school for eight years for three weeks and six hours a day. The one on one instruction is terrific and is a great help to speak the language.Unfortunately, when I return to the states I do not get a chance to practice my language skills. I have taken several courses at the university and these classes are far superior to what I could learn in a class of 15 students.

  214. Julia Rieser:

    That is the best school I have ever been to!! The teachers are soo lovely and nice and friendly, in case you are not happy with your teacher you´ll always have the opportunity to change him/her and the stuff really tries to make you feel as comfortable as possible. Besides that the teachers know what they´re talking about, they are capable of speaking in English with you in case you have any problems . Also, the school organises activities in the afternoon yo can join. A part from that, the school also helps you finding a family if you want homestay. I personally had class with Martha Godoy, she´s THE BEST!!! Such an intelligent, lovely, nice, caring and heart-warming person!! Never ever before have I met so many nice people!!

  215. Shirley Melnychuk:

    I studied for one month in the school and was very happy with my progress, Ana is a great teacher; patient, happy ,funny and very knowledgeable about many subjects. Our conversations were wide and varied. She corrected my grammar in a gentle manner.
    My homestay family was amazing; full on immersion. And Joylanda was a wonderful cook; the meals were varied and nutritious. There were only 3 students in the house and we spoke Spanish all the time.
    I loved the location of the classes --in the garden, such a beautiful,relaxing place to learn. The activities in the afternoon were interesting and varied and some were outside of Antigua. I would highly recommend Antiguena Academy for studying Spanish and am thinking of returning next year to even better improve my Spanish.

  216. Ella Burton:

    I cannot recommend the school highly enough and couldn't think of a better place to learn Spanish.
    Studying in the beautiful garden only added to the experience.
    My homestay was very clean, and Anna Maria was a wonderful and welcoming woman.
    I cannot thank my teacher Arely Zeceña enough for she was the one who really made the experience amazing. We discussed what I hoped to learn during the week and her teaching method was perfect for what I was looking for. She pushed me to the perfect extents and yet made lessons fun, interesting and challenging. I walked away from the week feeling so happy with my progress and for that, I have her to thank.
    All in all, Antiguena academia was excellent and I couldn't fault it one bit. Thank you for everything!

  217. Craig Bollinger:

    I had a great experience at the Spanish Academy, Antigua. My teacher was Julia Hernandez. She was excellent, patient and very knowledable of what I needed based on my level. She was very helpful in helping me put the next steps together for my learning. We spent time just talking and me learning to hear the Spanish words and tenses. In the walk over the the beautiful garden where our classes were held, she sized me up pretty quick as to what I knew and did not know. A sign of a great teacher. I know she and others have taught many students, but I felt like she was very personal to me and my needs. I spent two weeks of four hour classes each day. Upon leaving I felt like I had a strong basis to continue practicing and learning.
    In addition to a great teacher, Julio was great and helpful in getting registered and finding a place to stay. Whatever need I had, they were helpful to assist. They helped arrange transportation and even re-arrange when a flight was very late postponed.
    My home stay was awesome. I will definitely study here again.
    Craig

  218. L cueva:

    I enjoyed learning Spanish at this school with Emy. I've been learning Spanish for years, but I picked up some bad habits. Emy pointed out my errors. She was on it. I highly recommend her. I came home and my Spanish speaking friends noticed the difference. Thank you Emy!

  219. Chiharu Soma:

    Muchas gracias!
    Buenas maestaras!
    Las maestras enseñan muy buen para nuestra.
    Nos vemos!!!


  220. terue tatekawa:

    Lidia , Martha , Olga y otra profesoras muchas gracias.Ellos son muy amables y simpatícos.Ellos me enseñó buena español y problema de Guatemala.Voy a Totonicapán es el día 2 de mayo.Yo quiero ayudarlos a Guatemaltecos.

  221. Karin L:

    I was fortunate to learn Spanish at Antiguena Spanish Academy for 6 weeks. For the first five weeks, Julio, the academy director, paired me with Byron. Julio's experience and knowledge of his teachers allowed him to know that this paring was ideal and would benefit me, the student, greatly. And he was right! Byron was patient, humorous, knowledgeable, supportive, and creative! I really lucked out!!
    *As a student learning Spanish from ground zero, Byron took his time to go over the lessons and review the grammar rules.
    *Byron injected humor in his explanations to make learning fun.
    *Byron was well informed of the Guatemalan culture as well as the world view. We found ways to exchange opinions and share stories.
    *As a new student learning Spanish for the first time, I often got frustrated with my progress and mastery. But Byron was always very encouraging and supportive!!
    *Byron had a variety of exercises to help me learn the language. His activities were interesting and creative, which made learning more relevant and entertaining.
    Julio recommended trying out different teachers to get a broader experience. But why would I change to someone else when I was totally satisfied with Byron.

    Then I took 10 days off to travel around Lake Atitlan and Tikal. When I returned for one more week of Spanish school, I was disappointed that Byron wasn't available. I was assigned Miriam Garcia as my maestra. She was no Byron, but she was just as amazing, but in her own ways. She was as enthusiastic about teaching and creative about her exercises as Byron. At the end, I enjoyed having her as my teacher for one week. If I couldn't continue with Byron, I was glad that it was Miriam!

    I also had to give a shout-out to my homestay family, Cesar and Elida. Cesar was very accommodating. And Elida's cooking was like what a mom would cook for her family...just naturally delicious!!

    I look forward to returning to Antiguena Academy and Cesar's home in the future!!

  222. Kiri:

    Mi experiencia en Antigua, fue muy buena con relacion a mi curso de español tanto por la mañana como por la tarde. Ya que mis profesoras estuvieron apoyandome con mi pronunciación, escritura y mis tareas. Cuando llegue a Guatemala yo traia la noción del idioma. Aquí complementé con la nueva información de mis profesoras. El tiempo fue muy corto. Quiero agradecer a mis profesoras(Olga Galves y Sonia)y quero volver aquí un día.

  223. Lauren:

    I spent 7 weeks in total at Antiguena Academy and felt so lucky to have Rosa as my teacher. I arrived with zero Spanish and Rosa had me speaking it from day one. I learnt a huge amount, and left able to speak in 5 different tenses using over a hundred verbs - I'm now travelling around central and South America and have the confidence to speak Spanish to anyone I meet. During my 4 hours of tuition per day I was also able to meet and interact with other teachers during games and activities and found each one to be excellent. I'm usually a visual learner so was apprehensive about the focus being on speaking and listening, but I've concluded that it's the fastest and most effective way to learn, and you can continually write down new vocabulary to aid the memory. I enjoyed the flexibility of the school - being able to change homestay for instance, or deciding to have a break to travel around - anything's possible. I didn't like my first homestay but I moved to one that suited me much better. I tried hostels and hotels too but homestays are the best value option you'll find in Antigua. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the school.

  224. Juliette Zaneguy:

    One of my best experience in Antigua!
    If you have the chance to come in Antigua,you should go to Spanish Academy Antiguena!!!I studied 7 weeks in a beautiful garden with an extraordinary teacher(Laura).Laura is a very good teacher,she always took time to explain me when I didn't understand,she wanted to be sure that I understand before carry on.She gave me a lot of homework but it's really worth it if you really want to learn spanish.I really enjoy studying with her,sometimes I get confused but she did her best to make me confortable and to talk to me as a friend.I really wanted to speak good spanish,so I was really hard with myself and Laura always tried to advice me and she was so patient.I was there during the Semana Santa.So sometimes,we went out of the garden to see catholic ceremonies or to visit a cultural place.It was really fun to have the possibility to share this kind of things with your teacher.It was really hard to leave her after 7 weeks.I hope she will remember me(maybe as the girl who likes Churros Mexicanos

  225. Sam and Tom:

    Highly recommended! Our teacher Oscar was fantastic, we did three weeks of morning classes and could not believe how much Spanish we learnt in such a short time. We wanted to learn at the same level so we shared Oscar as a teacher, which worked really well. We also did a homestay, which improved our learning so much! Thank you!

  226. Jim Huang:

    I took a month lesson with Janet Caceres, she is kind and really funny, she took me to many local place, another town, introduce good Rastaurant every week, always be helpful in all kind of problems, especially in Spanish, we are a goof time, she always said so, really thx for her and miss her very much.

  227. Samara:

    0

  228. Barry Pollock:

    Hola y gracias a todos los empleados de Antiguena Spanish Academy for a great experience! I recently spent a week at the school, morning sessions (8-12) only, mainly to brush up on my basic level Spanish which I hadn't used for nearly 30+ years, since high school level Spanish, in preparation for further travels in Guatemala and elsewhere in Central America. My teacher was Leticia (Letti), she was great - her methodology was an excellent combination of structured grammar for an hour or two, followed by conversation on a variety of topics. She even assigned nightly homework (about an hours worth, just right), to help solidify what I'd learned during the day! Although 4 hours of one on one sounds like a lot, the combination of a nice environment (classes are held in a pretty, shaded, park, with tables set up either outside of in covered pavilion areas, about a 10 minute walk from Iglesia Merced), and the friendly, professional, and fun teaching and personal style of Letti, made each day pass by quickly and productively. The school also offers a lot of afternoon, free tours and visits (churches, coffee plantation, madamia farm), usually led by Byron, who also teaches, and also was very knowledgeable on local and national history and culture - and particularly good at explaining complex ideas in a very clear, simple, entertaining way, understandable and interesting for both beginners and more advanced Spanish speakers. And of course if you're super serious about learning even more Spanish, you can take afternoon classes also, but for me it was great fun to explore in and around Antigua afternoons and evenings.

    The school is well organized, Julio jr. helped me in advance (via email) arrange the homestay, transportation to and from the airport (highly recommended, especially for arrival). I stayed with the very nice Santiz family, located close to Iglesia Merced, my room with private bathroom was clean and nice, the food was good, and though we didn't eat with the family (while I was there there were 3 other students, but there are more rooms and could be even more) both the family and workers were all very friendly and often available to chat with. I ended up keeping my room an extra week (without food), to use as a base while I took various trips to different places around Guatemala, which worked out well for me.

    I felt like by the end of the week I had regained most of my previous Spanish knowledge, and if I'd had another week or two, I believe I would have made a lot more progress. I spent the next week traveling to a few other places in Guatemala (Lake Atitlan area, Chichicastenango, and Tikal), and my revitalized Spanish definitely stood me well! (side-note - I found a great Travel Agency, "Sunrise Travel Antigua", owned and operated by Corrina and Vivian - also super helpful and professional at arranging all sorts of transportation, lodging, etc. - see Trip Advisor for more on them!)

    As others have noted, Antigua is a great City to both learn and have fun, with many interesting historical sites, great restaurants and cafes, music, lots of places to peruse and purchase local crafts and textiles.

    All in all a great experience! I hope I'll have the chance to get back and improve my Spanish and see and learn more of Guatemala!

    Muchos gracias Letty, Byron, and Julio Jr!

    Barry

  229. Brett Ward:

    I studied at Antiguena for just 5 days, but had a great time and my Spanish definitely improved. My teacher was Sheny Flores and I can't recommend her highly enough, she was extremely patient with me and we shared a lot of great conversations each afternoon together (in Spanish!).

  230. Kevin Gray:

    Yesenia and Aramilda

    My wife and I studied for 5 days and had a great time. The grounds of the school are very pleasant and the atmosphere is conducive to learning. Both of our instructors were very patient, personable, professional and fun. They organized a small outing to Mt Tenedor for our last day which was very enjoyable and gave us the opportunity to apply what we had learned. We were sorry when the lessons were over and would very much have liked to continue. We genuinely felt that we were making progress every day and what we learned was very helpful in our travels. I would recommend the school to anyone and I hope I have the chance to study here again in the future.

  231. Marion Kroiss:

    I am happy, that I was at this school in Antigua. It was a great time. First I was a little unsure, if it would feel like holidays. But I had a very good teacher (Sheany?) and it was very helpful to speak with her of a lot of interesting themes. By this I learned better to understand the spoken language, amended my vocabulary and besides Sheany corrected my mistakes. It a very good manner to learn a language. Beyond it it is a very beautiful place. We were sitting under arcades and during the break you can sit in the garden and meet other pupils. The little excursions in the afternoon also were very nice. I can really recommend this school.

  232. Johanie:

    I've stopped studying spanish 12 years ago and I didn't really practice in between.
    I've stayed only one week but my teacher Mirtala de Castellanos did such a good job. At the end of that week it was like I never stopped practicing spanish. Incredible
    My homestay was wonderful and I did learn a lot about the culture and it was a complete imersion.
    I highly recommend that school for anyone who want to improve his/her spanish level and want to discover Guatemala with the locals.

  233. Sara:

    I just can say that this school is absolutly recomendable! My teacher Lily focused on my weaknesses and after only one week my spanish skills improved radically! She also was really into my special request of improving my volabulary for a scientific work i was working on! I also learned a lot about culture, traditions and history... the hours flew away with Lily because it was also absolutely interesting to listen to here stories! So choose this school and you wont be disappointed!

  234. Mika:

    I was a student in this school during Nov -16 and took 4h classes every morning with Gaby Carrillo.

    I was very shy at first when speaking, but Gaby made me feel comfortable and always took the lead of the conversation when I couldn't express myself. After my first class with her she knew what level I was at and made a monthly plan that we followed. She was always on time and was always attentive. Her patience, being able to explain all the grammar and way to teach is what makes her an excellent teacher.

    Today I'm still traveling and thanks to Gaby I can communicate in the way I wished when I first came to the school a few months ago.

    I'm very pleased with my experience with Antiguena and would highly recommend them to anyone that wants to learn or improve their Spanish!

  235. Paul Peterson:

    A little more then a year ago my wife and I as a retirement activity decided to learn Spanish. Our goal is to become fluent, travel and learn more about Hispanic culture and history. In October 2015 we began weekly tutoring sessions. Last fall we decided to enhance our learning by attending a Spanish language school in Central or South America. While our knowledge of Spanish grammar was reasonably good our conversational abilities were weak.

    After reviewing Spanish language schools in Central and South America we selected Antigua as our destination given its culture and history. After reviewing Antigua Spanish schools we selected Antiguena Spanish Academy based on its web-site, various on-line reviews, and our desire for a one-to-one student instructor relationship. I corresponded directly with the school and informed them about our level of knowledge and expectations, in hopes we would be matched with appropriate instructors.

    I was assigned Byron as my instructor. It did not take me long to realize that I was assigned one of the best instructors. Byron quickly assessed my skill level and my desires and interests and created a work plan to help me maximize my objectives during the 30 hours we would spend together. For example, knowing that I was eager to improve my conversational skills while gaining a greater understanding of the history and culture of Guatemala, Byron lead me in numerous conversations which accomplished both objectives. He conversed with me at a speed and using words which enabled me to respond and learn. He would politely help me with responses when I struggled with words or made grammatical mistakes. Byron helped me greatly improve my conversational abilities and increase my knowledge of the culture and history of Guatemala and Antigua. Because of his skill and humor I could not wait for the next day's class to begin.

    After spending four hours each morning with Byron I was very fortunate to be assigned Tatiana in the afternoon. She too was an excellent match and greatly added to my experience with Byron. For example when she realized I was having trouble with some pronunciations the following class she brought various aids to help me overcome my deficiencies.

    The instructions and knowledge I received from both Byron and Tatiana together with the beauty and history of Antigua made my week's vacation a great success. My wife similarly had great success with her instructors and enjoyed our trip immensely.

  236. chris crocker:

    I attended Antiguena Spanish Academy in Antigua, Guatemala in Feb 2017 for 2 weeks. I had some reservations about going for such a short period (seems like most folks recommend a month), but couldn't get more than 2 weeks away from work and family. I can say that is was definitely worth the trip. My ability to speak and listen improved enormously. Julio who runs the school arranged for shuttles to and from the airport (so it was very safe). The city of Antigua is absolutely incredible. The people are amazing and the city has an incredible number of ruins, churches and other sites to see. The school itself was awesome. I had 6 hours a day of one on one instruction. I wouldn't go any other way than one on one instruction. When it's just you and you instructor, there is no place to hide and sit back; plus you aren't limited by what others in your group know. You can immediately start in on the appropriate level and your instructor can push you along at an appropriate rate. My instructor for both weeks was Mauro. He was incredible. Never thought that sitting around talking to a complete stranger would be so easy. We would spend the morning in class talking, then in the afternoon we would generally head out to a local site and continue chatting about locals, food, local customs, etc. Super easy guy to chat with and I can't recommend him too much. Never felt self conscious with him. I also had some interaction with another teacher named Aurora Ordonez. She had the classroom next to us and was easy to chat with as well. My host family was Oolga (who is also a teacher at the school). She was fantastic. The room was simple and clean and the food was great. Oolga sat with us for every meal and chatted with us in Spanish. A couple other students said they weren't pleased with their host families for a variety of reasons (nothing bad, typically there were other students in the house that spoke too much English). Both students complained to Julio, and had new host families by that afternoon. Point is, if you don't care for your host family or teacher, Julio will change it right away. Very responsive. If you have spent any amount of time looking at schools, you will also see that this school is MUCH cheaper than many other options. It's the real deal though. Very affordable and worth it. I am hoping to bring my kids next year. One last thing, just another shout out for my instructor, Mauro. This guy was great and I would suggest requesting him to anyone who attends the school.
    Chris Crocker

  237. Patrick flynn:

    Antiguena was amazing! I had Lorena Aguilar as my teacher for 3 weeks and she was excellent teacher, extremely patient and very knowledgable. highly recommended!

  238. Susi Tripp:

    I had studied at the acadamia for 3 weeks in 2016 and was able to return to study for 2 weeks in February 2017. Attending the school and being in Antigua is a rich cultural experience in addition to learning more Spanish. The school is well organized and yet flexible enough to meet students' individual learning styles and needs. The staff at the school is very supportive. The additional activities offered are a great way to see the surroundings, learn more about the local culture and practice understanding and speaking Spanish. I requested the same teacher I had last year, Ana Luis. Ana has very good interpersonal skills and teaching skills. Both years she has been excellent at assessing my skill level, needs and learning style. She encouraged me to converse and also wanted to teach me additional grammer and vocabulary. I felt like we were a team in working toward the goal of my increased confidence and competence in conversing in Spanish. She did encourage me to do homework after class, which enhanced the learning during the mornings. We had fun and interesting conversations together. The 4 hour morning classes flew by. I am planning to return to study Spanish at the school in 2018. I will request Ana as my teacher again. I highly recommend the school. I am impressed by some of the new flexible opportunities offered on the website.

  239. Amy Maughon:

    I had a wonderful experience there! My teacher Carmen was wonderful! She was so patient and kind. The homestay was great, nice family, clean and comfortable. I learned so much in the week I was there. I can't wait to return and learn more!

  240. Shirley:

    I spent 4 weeks learning Spanish with Ana, she is amazing, so patient and funny, we laughed a lot and I learned so much. I already had a background and lots of words but she corrected my bad habits and helped me understand those verbos!! It is a great place to learn, a beautiful garden,lots of birds and a gato. My homestay was equally rewarding, a wonderful family who spoke Spanish with us during and after all the delicious meals. Joylanda never repeated any meals except for pepian which I loved.

  241. Angela Busch:

    I have had wonderful experiences at the school. The teachers were very sensitive to my goals, my needs and my level. I was here at the school twice for one week each last year. I have just completed another 5 ½ weeks. I have had 4 teachers: Lily Garcia, Iliana López, Bittia Mejia and Daniela Hernandez Monroy. I have enjoyed working with all four. All these teachers were dedicated, knowledgeable and patient. Although I don't want to single anyone out, Daniela went above and beyond my expectations. She helped me make contacts with universities and hospitals in Antigua and in Guatemala City and did research on my behalf after hours that greatly helped me with a project I am undertaking in Honduras. Daniela also helped me find volunteer work at the Obras Sociales.
    My home stay with César was clean and the food was great. Elida, the cook was fantastic - we rarely had the same meal twice in the 5 weeks! César and Elida were both courteous and helpful. Julio was always pleasant and helpful. He listened to my requests and found me exactly the perfect teachers! I certainly have high praise for the school, the teachers, and my home stay arrangements. I am sure you will enjoy it too.

  242. Roberto Katzko:

    I sent out inquiries to several schools before I came to Antigua and Antiguena was the first to respond. I couldn't decide to commit to studying but went to the school when I arrived and was impressed right away by the professionalism and curtesy showed to me by Julio junior. I decided to take one week of study to shore up the little Spanish I already knew. I believe I was very fortunate to have been assigned Janet Caceres as my maestra. She speaks excellent English but would only use it as a last resort. Her many years of experience were put to the test because I'm not the fastest learner. I was very proud of the progress we made in only a week. And studied in a beautiful garden setting to boot. 4 hours of one on one study in the morning and then optional 2 hour activities in the afternoon. The activities were wonderful and a great way to go out and practise some Spanish. I certainly recommend this school.

  243. Tom:

    Tom:
    My two weeks at the Antiguena Academy were great! My teachers, Irma and Laura, were engaging, flexible and helpful. The is an ideal school for increasing your fluency!

  244. Jenay Denman:

    Hello, I brought a group of seven students to Antigua to study Spanish at Antiguena Spanish Academy for one week. The school was very helpful in accommodating us in every way; the instructors were great, the students learned a lot and absolutely loved it. I am planning to return with more students in Nov 2017. Feel free to e-mail me if you are thinking about bringing a group or would like to know more about our experience. Sincerely, Jenay Denman

  245. Tim Schoenfelder:

    I spent 10 days with four hours a day of one on one instruction at the Antigüeña Spanish Academy in Antigua, Guatemala. I am an entry level Spanish speaker. The experience was absolutely top shelf. I recommend it to anyone interested in beginning Spanish all the way through to those just wanting to sharpen their already advanced speaking level. Antigua is a delightful town to spend time in. The afternoon school activities are quite diverse. The setting for instruction is in a idyllic tropical garden. The teachers are knowledgeable, patient, and interesting people to converse with. I give the entire experience five stars.

  246. Holly DR:

    Hola,

    I have been at Antiguena Spanish Academy for one week, studying 6 hours a day (8-12, 1:30-3:30). The lessons have been incredibly intense but also exceptionally fruitful.
    Before I started the week my Spanish was mostly singular words pulled together to find meaning. As I leave this week I feel confident in my understanding of the present tense and both regular and irregular verbs.

    I have had two teachers, with the morning more dedicated to grammar, homework checking and correction and conversation, and my afternoon to practicing my morning's developments, mostly through conversation.

    My morning lessons have been with Lucia. I have immensely enjoyed her lessons and humorous personality. She is incredibly clear, speaks slowly and is very patient. I have enjoyed her use of games and interesting subject matter to help develop my knowledge and vocabulary. When I leave my morning lessons I feel that I have become more understanding of the Spanish language: grammar, written and vocal.

    My afternoon teacher was Lety. Her role was to help develop my teachings from the morning and develop my conversation skills. We spent much of the 2 afternoon hours in conversation and amending my spoken grammar, teaching me additional words and correcting pronunciation. Her teaching style is very conversational. I struggle with vocalising my understanding but I feel this time has helped me listen to and comprehend more spoken Spanish. She too has a fun sense of humour which would be good for those who are more confident speakers.

    Due to the 6 hour a day schedule I did not participate in any of the additional activities, as I would have had to re-arrange my lessons to have either longer lessons on a number of days or do my lessons after the activity - I would be been too mentally exhausted to do this as I already left my lessons very drained by trying to understand and learn.

    My homestay family have been wonderful. Their house is large and clean. They have been very inviting of my boyfriend and sit and talk with me at all of my meals to help me work on my Spanish. Their food menu for the week means that you never have the same thing twice and they are accommodating of any dietary requirements. The only disappointment for me was that I was the only student for 4 days of my stay which meant I was unable to practice as much as I would like or have similar level Spanish conversation to bounce off. However, this has meant I have not been able to speak any English at home.

    Unfortunately due to remaining time left in Central America I cannot extend my stay at the school. If I did extend, I would reduce my hours down to 4 as I felt 6 was too tiring, especially as my afternoon lessons were moved forward. As there are now additional students in my casa I would happily continue where I am.

    I would recommend this school to those looking to learn Spanish quickly: the teachers are great and friendly, the location of the classes is beautiful and the homestay option is great.

  247. Ora Bernard:

    My name is Ora Bernard and together with my husband Claude we have just finished 3 weeks of intensive Spanish studies at the Academy. My husband did not know any Spanish prior to coming to Antigua. I finished 2nd year Spanish at Melbourne University, Australia and my aim was to be able to speak and understand Spanish and to improve my grammar.
    I definitively reached these goals. My teacher Lily Garcia is the best teacher one can have. We had very interesting conversations and I learned a lot about the history of Guatemala, the civil war, the politics and life in general in this fascinating country. I had a lot of fun with Lily, she is always in a good mood and we laughed a lot. Time seems to fly! Before I came to Antigua I had several issues with the grammar. Lily helped me to understand the use of the different past tenses and gave me many exercises for practice. It makes such a difference to have such an experienced and intelligent teacher. My afternoon teacher was Rosa. We had very interesting conversations with her. With Rosa we also spoke about the history and politics of Guatemala but we also spoke about practical things such as cooking and the different food in Guatemala and Australia. We also laughed a lot. Claude's teacher were Carmen in the morning and Lydia in the afternoon. Claude worked very hard and obtained a good base and hopefully he will continue to study back home.
    Our home stay was at Maria's house. We had a lot of fun there. We enjoyed the company of the different people and made new friends. Maria and her helper Julia are excellent cooks and the food was delicious, good Guatemalan cuisine. The rooms were comfortable and very clean. Maria took care of us as a good mother. We took advantage of the weekends and traveled to different tourist attractions with the help of Vela travel agent and the suggestion of my teacher Lily. It was sad to leave Guatemala but my 3rd year Spanish starts in a week and I am definitively ready for the challenge!

  248. Sandra Forsey:

    Antigua Guatemala.
    Spanish Immersion
    Antiquena Spanish Academy
    Professor "Lucia Del Carmen Celis Juarez"

    I elected to attend a Spanish Immersion course for 6 weeks. Prior to this decision I emailed and communicated with many different Spanish Immersion Schools and like you I read reviews. I chose Antiquena Spanish Immersion with 6 hours of classes each day. My schedule was 8-12 and 2-4. My time during this 6 weeks was time well spent. I am pleased with the progress that I was able to make in my learning of the Spanish language. Antequena cares about each of their students and sees to their receiving value for the time they are attending in addition to accommodating their requests should they not "click" with their professor or not be satisfied with their home stay, etc. There is a wide range of each and don't hesitate to ask if one is not working for you.

    My professor, Lucia Celis, was extremely professional and obviously an experienced teacher. She has many years with Antiguena and she easily accessed my level of Spanish and proactively guided me in my understanding of the Spanish language. She is creative in her ways of teaching and is able to maintain a positive attitude during times of my frustration. She is well versed in current events and my learning conversations were kept interesting as she incorporated current world events and past Guatemalan culture. Lucia also provides creative games to enhance learning. She is the type of teacher I believe to be beneficial, using time wisely, correcting my improper conjugations and waiting as I re-speak the correction. The quality of education that was provided to me was even more that what I had anticipated. I couldn't be more pleased. My reason of possibly returning to Antiguena is highly influenced by my experience with Lucia's talent and skills as an educator, she has a gift and her teaching is not just a job for her a person can tell she takes great pride in her abilities to provide education to a person and make a difference.

    Each afternoon Antiguena provides optional tours at no additional cost. These were also fun and interesting. If there was something else you specifically wanted to see or visit you can use your teacher and class time to do this, conversing in Spanish as you travel on a bus or listening to Spanish guides. Lucia would challenge me to understand all I was able and after the tour to explain in Spanish what I had experienced.

    I utilized my time during the hours of 12-2 to take a yoga class from Mercedes Ani of Healing Hands Yoga. This too was beneficial as it provided me something different than my grammar class and I felt refreshed and renewed when I returned for my afternoon Spanish classes.

    Students at Antiquena have the opportunity of a morning teacher and a different afternoon teacher. I did this at the beginning and then requested that I be placed with Lucia for each morning and afternoon. I believe Lucia to be one of the best professors that Antiguena has. I found my afternoon class with Lucia to have immense value.

    I stayed at a home close to the school next to Iglesias La Merced, a great centrally located home. This home was designed more like a hotel which was great as you were provided privacy and space if you desired. The Family Santiz and the workers that help to maintain the home and prepare meals were consistently cheerful and a person could hear them singing as they did the laundry by hand or cleaned, which was a good reflection on the Santiz family. You are probably saying to yourself that I'm beginning to sound like I'm "Snow White" living with the 7 dwarfs, but it really was this good. One thing I would point out is to bring a bath towel as these are not provided.

    Antiquena also provides to and from airport shuttle services.

    Advice -
    -Carry Kleenex pocket packs
    -Tennis shoes are best for cobble stone streets
    -Dress in layers cool mornings and evenings but warm day time
    -Crimes of opportunity are prevalent, be alert. Don't carry a purse. Currently there are two guys on a motorcycle that target people with purses etc. this isn't limited to late night and dark deserted streets. I personally met 3 people that experienced this. Give them whatever as they are dangerous. They were arrested yesterday however it looks like they will be released as the judge was too busy for the girl from Holland statement and re-scheduled her on a date after she had left Guatemala. This is not to scare any of you only to express reality. Overall Antigua is probably one of the safest cities and most beautiful with history of all Guatemala.

    Yoga
    "Mercedes Ani" at Healing Hands Spa
    Food
    "La Parada" - coffee, tea, hot chocolate - across from Iglesias La Merced
    "Cafe Viejo" - chocolate croissants etc.
    "Cafe Condesa" macadamia nuts and greens salad
    "Frida's Restaurant"
    "Tacool" fast food tacos
    Laundry
    "Bio Lavanderia" - across from Iglesias la Merced and through the coffee shop "La Parada"
    Shopping
    "Pot Nim" on Calle de Arco - low prices - all Guatemala products
    Sites
    -"Chocolate Antigua" - San Juan Del obispo
    -"Azotea Coffee Farm"
    -"Hotel Santo Domingo" Museums & Grounds
    -"Various Ruins" - to many to list
    Outside Antigua
    -Lago Atitlan - natural preserve and zip line "ultra extreme"
    -Pacaya Volcano hike (rent a horse on the way up)

  249. Angie:

    I loved my experience of learning Spanish with Silvia. Silvia is a wonderful teacher and I learnt so much in my 2 weeks. She has great tips for helping to remember the verbs and was very patient. An absolute bonus were the suggestions of what to see and explore in Antigua. This also added to the amazing experience I had in class and in Antigua. I would totally recommend having lessons with her.

  250. Justine:

    I had just under two weeks ate the school in December with my teacher Aurora. It was a lovely and warm experience. On arrival everything was arranged and i didn't have to think about anything much. My teacher Aurora is a warm and wise woman and I enjoyed so much our conversations and outings to the local areas. She is a very patient but skilled teacher. Being surrounded by nature in the garden, as well as local culture and many other students that are there to learn Spanish, enriched my stay and ensured i made many wonderful memories and new friends. I hope to go again and study with my teacher Aurora again too.

  251. Taylor Ogden:

    I recently studied at Angueña Spanish Academy for 5 weeks. throughout this time I had the same teacher, Bayron Garcia. When I began classes I had minimal Spanish experience, only what I had picked up in my travels in Mexico. My 5 weeks with Bayron were incredible, he was a great teacher who not only tailored the lessons to my ability and personal needs, but he made my time at school interesting, informative and fun. I learnt so much spanish in 5 weeks, going from next to nothing to being able to converse with people in the streets, and speak in 5 different tenses.

    My home stay for 5 weeks with Walter and Vicky was also incredible. It really felt like home there every day. They are such lovely people and each day there was fun and exciting. I also was able to spend christmas there which really made it feel like I was at home with my family. I cant recommend this family more strongly to anyone considering doing a homestay. It is the perfect amount of immersion with a Guatemalan family as both Walter and Vicky don't speak english, but with other students staying in the house you are able to speak in english if there are times when you might not understand whats going on in spanish.

    My experience as a whole was life changing, and something which I can strongly recommend to anyone who is considering studying here.

    I thank Julio and the rest of the school so much for my experience there, I hope to be back one day in the near future!

  252. Farrah Tod:

    My time at Antigüeña Spanish Academy with my teacher Sheny Garcia was absolutely amazing!
    I arrived with 1 week of studying in mind and stayed for 3.
    Sheny is warm, easy going and hilarious. We laughed often and explored all realms of conversation. Sheny is also very organized and her experience teaching shows. My lesson plans were always tailored specifically to me and my learning needs.

    I would return in a heartbeat and look forward to doing so next year.
    Muchas Gracias!!!!

  253. Brian Tesson:

    As they say in Guatemala, "Pan para hoy, hambre para mañana", or in other words, nothing is free in life. Having worked diligently with my incredible instructor Sheny for 1 month, I now have the knowledge and confidence to carry a conversation with my host family, other students and locals. Figuratively, Sheny taught me to cook bread (pan), so that I can continue to nourish myself with the Spanish language and culture. I am eternally grateful for the diligence and patience of Sheny, as she really gave me the room to learn at my pace, with a variety of methods and games that really worked. With over 30 years of teaching Spanish, Sheny is amazing and most highly recommended! I must also note that my homestay was incredible. Chiqui and Oscar shared their home and family with me for a full month during Christmas and New Years. They helped me practice Spanish, provided comfortable accommodations, and prepared delicious food. My overall experience was truly fantastic! Thank you!!

  254. Marti Cate:

    I would also like to add my appreciation for Amanda's welcome at her homestay. There were several other students from the school there, and the atmosphere was always welcoming and cheerful. The food was plentiful, varied, and delicious. She invited us to join her family in the Las Posadas procession one evening before Christmas, which was a very special experience. ¡Muchas gracias, Amanda!

  255. Stephen Bennett:

    The school was excellent and a good value. My Maestro was Julio the Great, who also,owns the school and operates it with his talented son Julio. The one on one teaching is a key asset as well as their willingness and ability to customize their program for an individual or a group. Antigua is a beautiful place and Guatemala is an amazing place. It is a very safe and comfortable place.

  256. Steven Giegerich:

    I just came back from spending two weeks at Antiguena. I did five hours a day (8-1) with Eugenia Flores ("Jenny"). I was very impressed with the whole operation. I went with my spouse and three year-old, even though I was the only student, and stayed at a home stay. Our initial placing wasn't to our liking (too basic and not ideal for a child), but the school quickly worked to identify a new place for us the next night that was perfect. The school setting is great, with a wonderful garden and individual tables for each student/teacher combination. Jenny was a great teacher and conversationalist. I already had a good background in Spanish, that was unfortunately quite rusty. She did lots of conversation to bring it back up, and ended each day with more intensive grammar reviews. While we were there, we even had my spouse and daughter do one week of courses, which I didn't initially think to do since my daughter is so young, but this worked out perfectly for everyone. In the end, I would have hoped to cover more ground grammatically, but perhaps that is just me being overly optimistic. But I progressed quite a bit and really enjoyed my time there. The housing was great, the city is very cool, the climate is excellent, and the price is right! So glad I chose to go there!

  257. Sam Breyfogle:

    ¡Carlos Manuel es el hombre!

    I had a ridiculously fun and educational three weeks at Antiguena Spanish School in Antigua, Guatemala. It was so good it should be illegal.

    My teacher, Carlos Manuel, has 18 years of experience teaching Spanish. The quality of his teaching was superb and our conversations were incredibly diverse, educational, and fun. Our discussions ranged from socio-political issues to swapping crass jokes. After three weeks in Antiguena, I have much more fluidity speaking Spanish, am able to access a lot more grammatical structures in my conversations, and have a much wider vocabulary.

    I highly recommend taking advantage of the homestay option. It's way cheaper than staying in a hostel or hotel, a great way to meet other students, and a sweet opportunity to get insight into the culture and daily lives of Guatemalans. I stayed with Señora Vicky and had a 5 star experience. The house way clean, the food was always excellent, and I made a bunch of close friends with the other students living there.

    I had a solid foundation in Spanish coming in and a high desire to learn, so I was able to make a lot out of the experience. Like anything in life, you get out of it what you put into it. Doing your homework, taking extra time outside of class to memorize new vocabulary, being proactive and asking questions during class, getting a good night's sleep, blah, blah, blah . . . you know the drill. But seriously, studying outside of class is just as important, if not more so, than the time you spend in class.

    Antigua is a super fun town with a hopping nightlife, and I know lots of students who lost themselves in that vortex of bar hopping, drinks, dancing, and fiesta, and did not improve their Spanish very much as a result. If your only goal coming to Guatemala is to learn Spanish, I would recommend going to Xela or some other quieter city. But if you want to strike a good balance between studying and having a good time, I can't recommend Antigua and Antiguena enough.

  258. Or:

    Hi everyone i recommend this school they have professional teachers and an amazing garden to learn, moreover I want to recommend my adorable teacher Silvia Leal she made the learning so much more fun ask for her!

  259. Laura MacDonald:

    My five weeks learning Spanish at Antiguena Spanish Academy has been a wonderful experience. The venue is beautiful and the teachers are great. Having a teacher all to yourself really makes learning fun and non competitive. My teacher Olga Maria Gálvez was able to taylor lessons just for me and concentrate on areas that needed extra help. She was punctual, professional, and patient. I didn't speak much Spanish before I arrived but I now feel quite confident speaking when out and about. I would highly recommend her to anyone thinking of studying Spanish in Antigua. Adios y buena suerte!

  260. Brigitte Bay:

    I studied Spanish here for 5 weeks and was very impressed with everything.
    My teacher Julia was really competent and very patient.
    She made me feel at ease and was so encouraging. I never had a Spanish teacher before who could explain the grammar so well. She really knows both languages inside out and is a real linguist. It is because of Julia that I developed a love for the Spanish language and that I will continue studying and some day come back to Antigua because it was such a great educational experience all around.
    I especially liked that my teacher Julia incorporated all skills of language learning:
    Listening, reading, writing, and speaking.
    The material was interesting and variable with authentic stories, news, songs, films, books, language games and discussions in small groups.
    I also enjoyed the cultural outings to farms, plantations, museums, churches, and markets.
    Muchas Gracias Julia!
    Muchas Gracias Julio tambien!

  261. Joe breslin:

    Spent 5 weeks at this school in Casa de Vicky and my teacher Mary.

    Mary speaks both amazing in Spanish and English which is a big factor if you have no Spanish at all as it saves so much time. Firstly she is a really good teacher and makes sure everything is clear with understanding, plenty of communication and builds confidence, secondly she makes you feel relaxed, always got a smile on her face and makes you laugh, being relaxed when trying to talk is important. Out of hours she will message and also made sure I was ok by doing a check at my home stay when I get sick..

    The home stay at Vickys was also perfect for me. Perfect for young people. The family is great and very welcoming. Make you feel at home and also eat eat and socialise with us so it's not a case of us and them. Vicky will bend over backwards to help.

    Couldn't be happier with the family and my teacher. Both have been so welcoming and great

  262. Libby (Elizabeth):

    I went to Antuqua for 2 weeks having only the goal to immerse myself in Spanish language and culture. I then went on to Monterrico to continue my studies for another week. Antigua is an excellent place to study and as a solo woman traveler I felt safe and empowered. In fact, most of the other students I met were solo women who were traveling all over Central America. I have rave reviews about the school and particularly my teacher, Lucia. The garden setting was a great environment to learn and the 1/2 hr break allowed for some socializing to get to know other students. I came there as an advanced beginner Spanish speaker and my teacher was able to "get me to the next level". Very personalized teaching with a combination of focusing on grammar and conversation. The school works very hard to make sure you have a good experience by checking in regularly and also being available during the days. They also offer a lot of afternoon activities which round out your experience in terms of learning about Mayan culture and local activities.
    (While I felt very positive about Antiguena Spanish Academy when I left, that feeling was reinforced by my experience at the school in Monterrico where the teacher was mediocre and there was no sense that the director had any commitment to molding the student's experience.)

    A word about the home stay. It's a great idea to be living with a local family as part of the immersion experience. I stayed in 2 different locations, and asked for a change only because my first placement was where there were 5 other students, and the only language we all spoke was English. I really wanted to NOT speak English while I was there and asked for a different home stay. (Julio was very accommodating in my request). The next site was with a family where most of the time I ate with the only other student who didn't speak much Spanish and wasn't very friendly. All this is to say, be flexible and have low expectations. If you're looking for to live with a family who's priority is to help you with your Spanish, then you'll be disappointed. There were good and bad things about both the places I stayed, so figure out what is most important: hot shower? Good bed? Ventilation/window? No other students? Noise? Smoking restrictions? If you know what is most important to you at the beginning you're more likely to have a better match.

    While walking the streets of Antigua I saw several of the other schools that I had looked at on the website. I never met anyone who studied at any of them...so I can't make any useful comparison . Only to say that I never saw any people/staff at those sites.

  263. Jed Leishman:

    In my three weeks here at the escuela de Espanol I have learned more spanish than I ever could have done with tutoring back home. Learning in a one to one basis with my maestro Laura made the process so much easier and gave me lots of practice with conversation. My homestay with Vicky and Walter gave me a very social environment to meet new people, relax and a safe environment to practice my spanish. The food was amazing and Vicky was especially helpful in making an effort to talk spanish to us slowly and clearly.
    Antigua itself was a city with so much to offer. If you want night life then it has many great bars and an awesome pool party on saturday nights. You can spend plenty of time walking around antigua or catching a chicken bus to a local town to go exploring. I had the great opportunity of visiting the palace and taking part in a parade with the Vice Minister of Culture and Sports. It was an awesome experience and something that I will remember forever. Thank you to Vicky, my maestra Laura and Julio for the great experience I had and I will definitely return one day.

  264. Tamara Schaefer and Mike Gallant:

    Our family had a wonderful week with the school. They were flexible and allowed us to start mid-week and finish on a Sunday to accommodate our travel schedule. Our children had Tatianna as their teacher, and it was very evident that she enjoyed her time each day with the kids. Both our 10 year-old and our 8 year-old looked forward to their time with her, and made improvements in their Spanish. My husband and I worked with Sylvia, who was very knowledgeable and patiently answered all of our questions. In addition to sharing a few good laughs, she also gave us many great insights into the region, and its people. Our children much preferred being in a homestay to a hotel or vacation rental, and it was great to have home-cooked meals after so many weeks of traveling. I would definitely recommend Antigua Spanish School.

  265. Sabrina:

    I studied in the school for 4 weeks with Silvia Leal. I really liked the concept of the 1-to-1 teaching because Silvia could focus on my strengths and weeknesses and she did! After assessing my level in the first lesson we kept going with Grammar, Vocabulary and most important with talking. She is a great teacher, really patient and so funny!
    I did as well a home-stay and stayed in the really famous "Casa de Vicky". I can highly recommend to stay there. The family is just amazing, so friendly! Vicky pays attention to every student and always encouraged us to speak spanish.

  266. JP Reyes:

    I studied Spanish for four weeks with Ana Luis, and I learned a lot, we had so much fun and the time went by fast. I have nothing to say, but praises to the school, admin staff (Julio Jr.), all the teachers for their professionalism and dedication to their work and their students.

    Ana was really patient and encouraging with me. She is a gentle, kind person and she really helped improve my confidence in Spanish. We focused a lot on conversation, which is what I wanted to work on. I went in with very little Spanish, and now I can have simple conversations with people that I meet. I use the verbs and vocabulary that Ana taught me quite often. I also learned a lot about the culture and history of Guatemala. I highly recommend Ana to anyone wanting to study Spanish with a dynamic and knowledgeable teacher.

    I especially enjoyed the location in the garden, it's very calm and relaxing. I find it easy to concentrate and focus on the lessons. I also find that the typical Guatemalan snacks during break time is an excellent touch to add to the immersion experience.

    Muchas gracias!

    Juan-Pablo Reyes (JP)
    Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    Oct. 31 - Nov. 25, 2016

  267. Amy Quinn:

    My four children (ages 8,10,14, and 16) studied Spanish for a Little over 2 months in Antigua. It was a big investment of time and money, so I looked into a lot of schools before chosing Antiguena Spanish Academy, For us, it was a combination of the Price, the location, and the quality of teaching that kept us there for the entire time.

    The location was a Little further away for us to walk, but the garden was such a great place to learn that it was woth it. It's big and open, the food during snacktime was a hit (Q1 chocobananos and Q3 tacos), and they were able to meet other students. And they loved the cat.

    The best part for us was the teachers. I had considered doing 2 of my kids with 1 teacher, but it went so much better with them being one on one. My older 2 had Carmen Cardenas and Laura Hernández. They did a fantastic job challenging them, making the class interesting and having fun at the same time. I would highly recommend both of them.

    My younger two were the ones I was most worried about since I wasn't sure if they would have the attention span for four hours. They ended up attending more days of school than my older two and there was never a single day that they didn't want to go. It was a miracle! Leti Garcia was super patient and sweet with my 8-year-old. It was exactly what she needed. She loved going to school and Leti worked with her to find ways to learn that fit her motivations and attention span.

    My 10-year-old was the one I was the most worried about since he has a pretty strong personality and can be really stubborn. Janet Caceres was phenomenal with him. She embraced him 100% and worked with him to créate games he enjoyed, always found ways to compliment him, and at the same time held him accountable when he wasn't putting forth the effort he should. Our time in Spanish school would have been so different if I had had to push and prod him to do his Spanish, but I never did.

    The office was great to work with and helped me find solutions for the weeks where our Schedule changed. We hope to be able to return some day to continue!

  268. Clara Landsbo:

    I have just finished my two weeks of spanish school and it has been amazing. I have been living in a homestay "casa de vicky" which was a really good decision. Me and the 7 other students living in the family felt so welcomed and they took so good care of us (amazing food). And you learn so much more than spanish when living in a family from a diffetent culture. I chose 4 hours of spanish each day and for me it was perfect. I knew no spanish before and now I know so much.all thanks to my fabulos maestra Carmen. We have had many laughs and interesting conversationes about the differences between our "países" and she always listens and wants me to evolve. This has been a great experience and I would do it again if I got the opportunity.

  269. Matt:

    I stayed in home stay and studied Spanish for 2 weeks. My teacher was Sheny Flores, who I would highly recommend. She was cool, easy to talk to, and able to sense when I was not understanding something and clearly communicate it in a different manner.

  270. Joyelle and Mickey:

    We had Spanish classes for three weeks and enjoyed it very much. Our teacher, Marta Oviedo, tought us a lot. Her English is also very good, which helped us a lot understanding the grammatics better since we are beginners. After these three weeks we really have the feeling that our Spanish improved. We stayed at a really nice family aswell. Maria, the woman of the family, was really helpfull and cooked good meals for us. We can recommend taking classes at Antigueña!

  271. Duchastenier Christiane:

    Estudió con Domingo during cuatro semanas por mañana y una semana por la tarde. Estoy muy contenta de estas clases porque mi profesor se monstró muy capaz de adaptarse a sus alumnos. Ademas es un hombre de alta cultura, curioso de todo y abierto . Es tambien un profesor muy paciente que no se cansa corregir los errores de sus alumnos y que tiene un buen sentido de humor.
    Lo siento pero no estoy capaz escribir una noticia en inglés.

  272. Stephanie:

    I studied Spanish at Antiguena for four weeks. My teacher, Elvira, was excellent. She was patient, funny, clear, warm and easy to talk to. I came in with an intermediate level of Spanish, and she pushed me to improve - which was exactly what I needed.

    I thought that four hours per day would feel long, but the mornings flew by. She brought me interesting articles and books to use as a springboard for conversation. She also targeted my needs very specifically, teaching me grammar points that she noticed that I often got stuck on. Lessons were dynamic, engaging and a lot of fun. I feel that she really helped me improve.

    Once or twice a week, Elvira and I would leave the classroom and learn in the real world. We visited the market twice, giving me the opportunity to talk to lots of people and learn the names of many new fruits and vegetables. We went to a coffee finca where I was able to learn more about how coffee is made - in Spanish, of course! She even gave me a private cooking lesson and taught me how to make pupusas and dobladas.

    The garden setting at Antiguena is beautiful. It was such a tranquil place, with individual tables scattered amongst birds and flowers. Even though there were a lot of people studying at the same time, there was enough space in between tables and it wasn't at all distracting. Strong coffee (free) and delicious Guatemalan snacks (very cheap) made it even better. The school also offers afternoon cultural activities - interesting and very well-organized.

    Overall, I highly, highly recommend taking lessons here! I truly miss seeing Elvira's smiling face every morning, and I hope to go back again someday!

  273. Nicki May:

    I've had a great experience at ANTIGÜEÑA. My teacher Karla has been fantastic and always has a simple way of explaining new concepts and all the "rules". Karla also shares a lot about live in Guatemala. Our homestay has also been fantastic - from the moment we walked in the door Maria was so positive and friendly. We really feel part of the family and Maria always makes time to have a conversation with you everyday. It was my birthday while I stayed at the casa and Maria made such an effort to make my day special. We've also appreciated that the school is so flexible - we've changed times of lessons to suit our schedule, I changed my first teacher and it was no problem. We've had a great experience and would recommend the school to anyone.

  274. Heidi:

    This is my second time at Antiguena and I really enjoyed my experience again. My teacher, Marta L Oviedo was very accommodating and patient with me. When I return I will definitely request her again. The school offered free afternoon activities for the students. During my weeks stay we toured a macadamia nut farm, cerro de la Cruz, and a Local ruin church. All were fun especially the ones travelled to by the chicken bus. I highly recommend the school.

  275. Jen Hall:

    My husband Pete and I have been taking classes at the academy for the past two weeks. We have enjoyed every minute of it! My teacher is Mirtala and I don't think I could have gotten a better fit! I came to the school unfortunately with almost zero Spanish skills. Mirtala has been very patient and kind but also very diligent in her teachings....she ALWAYS corrects me when I need it!!! When we come back next year I will be requesting Mirtala! ☺️

    The school also set us up with our homestay which was Manuel & Anna...what can I say about Manuel and Anna....NOTHING BUT WONDERFUL THINGS!!!! My husband and I feel like part of the family. They have two dogs, Sam and Nina who are the sweetest pups EVER! Like I said before, Anna and Manuel feel like our family....they are kind, compassionate and patient with our poor Spanish skills....haha....OH, and I can't forget to mention the meals....the meals have been delicious and plentiful! We also have 2 housemates who are doing the homestay with Anna & Manuel....Jeri and Marni....THE BEST HOUSEMATES EVER, I feel like we have been friends much longer than the few days and couple weeks.

    All in all, The Spanish Academy Antiguena is top notch! I would for sure recommend to anyone who is looking for a VERY AFFORDABLE school and stay! And I would undoubtedly recommend Mirtala for a Maestra.

    P.s my husband has had two Maestras, Rosario and Angela....he loved both of them and would recommend either one!

    Thanks for everything
    Jen and Pete Hall

  276. Juliana Lockwood:

    I took classes in Antigua with Lily Garcia for three weeks and had a wonderful experience! Julio set my friend and I up with a homestay and we absolutely loved our host family as well. Our teacher was able to adapt the Spanish classes to the content we struggled with most, while also tying in important cultural and historical information. A few times our teacher took us on a "field trip" and we visited a local market while practicing our Spanish while also visiting a nearby town to learn about their marriage culture. This is an awesome program with amazing teachers and host families!

  277. Job:

    I wanted to learn spanish for 2 weeks at this school. Instead i stayed for 6 weeks. Learning spanish is so much fun and of course the school deserves credits. Learning in a garden, 1 on 1 with a very good teacher and the pauze for meeting other people wich made mi stay in antigua compleet.
    Also important it is the cheapest school in town!

  278. Karen M Erde:

    I spent two weeks with Rosario and learned more Spanish than I thought possible. I can understand (slow) spoken Spanish. I am not working in a clinic in Belize and other doctors are able to describe a patient to me in Spanish and I understand them!
    I was initially in a home stay that was not sufficient for me and Julio Jr. gave me lots of choices about where to move to. I ended up staying in a wonderful home with one other student. The family was accommodating to my needs and encouraged me to speak to them in Spanish.
    I enjoyed the variety of students at the school from all over the world, in various ages.

  279. Liam and Charlie:

    Mi novia y yo tuvimos 2 excelente maestros. Nosotros empezamos con no Espanyol, pero despues 6 semanas por 4 horas cada dia, nuestro Espanyol es mucho mejor. Ana y Oscar son perfecto maestros y nosotros recomedemos estos. Ellos estuvieron muy paciente y servicial. Deseamos nosotros permanecemos por mas tiempo. Muchos gracias Ana y Oscar. Tambien, our 'madre' en la casa es asombrosa. Ella es muy agradable y cocina delicioso comida todos los dias. Si quieres caliente casa, amable comida y personas, entonces pregunta para Amanda.

    During our wonderful time in Antigua we have progressed incredibly with our Spanish. We began with zero Spanish and after 6 weeks with have covered extensively different tenses, sentence structure and grammar as well as a whole load of vocabulary. Our teachers, Ana and Oscar, were more than we could have hoped for. Their experience was obvious, but their personalities shown through. Both incredibly enthusiastic, funny and a joy to be around. With patience and understanding, they made sure our time with Antiguena was one to remember. Our only regret was only staying for 6 weeks. I wish we could have stayed longer.

  280. Stephen Polk:

    Hi I was prompted to write a review for my teacher more than a week ago. I hope it is not too late. My teacher was amazing! She was incredibly patient, and lead me through a lot of the material. I was grateful for her skills. I will definitely visit again and request the same teacher one day.

  281. Hannah:

    I spent 3 weeks learning Spanish with antiguena and I cannot recommend it more! I wish i was able to stay longer. The airport transfer, although pricey, was definitely worth it when arriving in Guatemala City in the middle of the night. The family I stayed with were absolutely fantastic, cannot recommend Casa de Amanda more highly! Although being on in far side of Antigua to the garden, the walk to and from each day was incredibly enjoyable. Amanda really is an incredible lady, I feel very lucky that I got to stay with her and hangout with the other students staying there! I really like how the Julio's run the school, despite hundreds of students flooding through each year Julio Jr manages to provide a very personalised experience. Finally, definitely have to mention my amazing teacher Noemi!! No tests or written exams were needed for her to figure out my level of Spanish and provide suitable lessons. I felt incredibly comfortable after just an hour or two of chatting, just the right amount of grammer, vocab and conversation, cannot thank her enough!!

  282. Lucie Greenwood :

    I have never tried to learn a language before - and was rather apprehensive about doing so. If you are in a similar position/have very little familiarity with Spanish, I highly recommend my teacher Irma. I had two weeks with Irma - and her approach to learning was very organic and a lot of fun. We would spend time each day wandering around Antigua (to the food and clothes markets, cafes and museums). During this time, she would ask me questions and point things out to build up my vocabulary. Afterwards, we would sit down and write all the new words and verbs leant that day, and I would go back and put them into sentences. Irma is also a very kind and funny person - I really did enjoy spending 4 hours a day with her! Thank you Irma - I wish you all the best, and hope you do get your wee car very soon! (:

  283. Andy:

    I spent a week in Antigua learning Spanish at the Antigueña Spanish Academy.
    I was impressed with the whole setup starting with the helpful interactions via email with the office right through to my departure where the whole family came into the street to wave goodbye.
    Julio Jr was the guy who welcomed me and helped me to decide what kind of accommodation to go for.
    As I'd already learnt some Spanish and really wanted to push myself for my final week in Guatemala I went for a family with no other students, actually living amongst the family rather than in a 'home stay-light' where I'd be more likely to be surrounded by other travelers (and where I'd be more likely to be helping them to improve their English than me practicing my Spanish).
    I really fell on my feet!
    I stayed with Béatriz Reyes and her family, extended family and miscellaneous friends who dropped in throughout the day and evening.
    They were all so friendly and welcoming and took great pains to include me in their conversations. They did not restrict their time with me to just mealtimes.
    This is a family that thrives on fun and love. If you're looking for hotel quality accommodation I'd suggest going elsewhere, but if you're more interested in listening and speaking lots of Spanish with a warm, talkative and charming family, I heartily recommend staying with Béatriz.
    My teacher for the week was Mary who was equally charming as well as being a most professional educator.
    Mary was patient, experienced and well-organised.
    To conclude, I really enjoyed and benefited from my experience with this language school and feel it offered very good value for money too.

  284. Susan:

    I had Sonja and Byron as my teachers and both were terrific! I loved the school and learned so much. I had really great conversations with my teachers. My home stay family was with Paco and Amanda and they were very nice! The food was great and my room was just right.
    Loved my experience in Antigua.

  285. Brenda Stride:

    My teacher for my 4-week Spanish course was Marielena. Her sense of humour, her infectious laugh, her commitment to the curriculum and her knowledge of Guatemalan history made for great lessons. I came to Guatemala with a limited vocabulary in Spanish, and by the end of 4 weeks, I am happy to say that my understanding has improved greatly. I also think that I came away with a more thorough understanding of some of the important historical events that have taken place in Guatemala.

    Each week, one of our lessons would be an outing to different parts of La Antigua - una finca de cafe, Cerro Santo Domingo (a must-do outing), a plant nursery, the Independence Day parade and several of the many ruins. Wow is the only way I can describe each of these outings.

    I also enjoyed the excursions that the school offered. Byron was an entertaining guide, and he made each outing special. Thanks to Byron for leading these outings and for helping with my (our) understanding of the culture and history of the area.

    My 4 weeks included a home stay with the family of Ana Maria Nunez. What a delightful lady! Her meals were hearty and plentiful, and her conversations were lively! She and her grandson, Marco, will always have a special place in my heart.

    I also have to thank Santiago and his wife of Vela Travel for all their help in organizing our weekends to other parts of Guatemala. Our guides at each of the places that we visited were amazing.

    All in all, I only have great memories of the people who made our trip fantastic and memorable. Thank you one and all for an adventure I will never forget.

  286. Robert Stride:

    I spent a fabulous 4 weeks in Antigua and it was an experience of a lifetime. My experience at the school with Roselia was out of this world. She is a very patient and understanding teacher. I felt very comfortable with her teaching. She had me speaking within the first hour of school. She's very inventive and full of activities which kept me focused on learning Spanish. She was always eager to introduce me to Guatemalan culture through her stories and taking me to places of interest. A great teacher and highly recommended.
    My home stay with Family Acajbon was incredibly fantastic. Vicky is a vibrant woman eager to help all students learn and understand Spanish. She always cooked us typical Guatemalan food. Her family are also very welcoming and very friendly. Vicky was always patient and always ready for a good laugh. I will miss my teacher and host family very much. Thank you Antigua and Guatemala for one incredible fantastic experience.

  287. Richard Brinckmann:

    Emmy and Anna were superb, patient and very thorough. After 8 days of instruction, I went from knowing isolated words and phrases to being able to understand basic Spanish on the street. I look forward to returning.
    Thanks,
    Richard Brinckmann

  288. Molly Johnson:

    My husband and I had a WONDERFUL time studying at Antiguena Academy. We only studied for one week, but Julio and Marta were incredible instructors who provided us with comfort in practicing, while pushing us to learn quickly. If/when we return to Antigua we will study with these two incredible people again.

    We also stayed with a family, Anna Maria & Mario were the sweetest, most welcoming hosts. We had delicious meals every day and loved their neighborhood and our little room with a desk for studying.

    Muchos gracias!

  289. Gemma:

    Highly reccomend this school, very reasonable 1-1 lessons in lovely gardens, I think the most popular school in Antigua so in your breaks you can make lots of friends. Julia was my teacher, she was great, so patient and personable and I felt I learnt more than just Spanish from her. She was happy and competent to answer any questions I had about Guatemalas history or culture. Also always happy to take the lesson to a park or coffee tour, one day even helped me to a dentist walking around town for a couple of hours to find the right person when I had dental problems. Couldn't reccomend highly enough!

  290. Reina Salas:

    I took one week of classes for 6 hours per day. It was like boot camp! I loved the location and my teachers were wonderful. I learned a lot in a short amount of time and I had materials and notes to take home and practice. I wish I had more time than just a week to be at the school. I will definitely come back! The garden is a beautiful and tranquil place to come learn. I highly recommend.

  291. Luisa:

    My experiences with the school have been thoroughly positive. From the pick-up at the airport to the homestay and the lessons. I took 6 hours of Spanish a day - 4 hours grammar and learning games in the moring and 2 hours conversation in the afternoon. In only two weeks I have been able to improve my Spanish considerably whilst enjoying the life in Antigua.

    We stayed with Odelia and Adolfo who have been incredibly warm and welcoming and did provide us with everything we needed.

    A special thanks to my teachers Blanca and Rosario for all their patience, kindness and relaxed attitudes. Lo disfruté mucho chicas! Voy a pensar en ustedes cuando veo las mariposas en el futuro. ;)

  292. Rosie Segil:

    Antiguena Spanish School is more than a school for us. It serves as an anchor for our month-long stay in Guatemala. Julio Jr. is an amazing administrator as he listens and provides good counsel. If we had issues that needed to be resolved, Julio was on top of them. In my observation, since Antiguena has been running for almost 30 years, both Julios have definitely found a successful formula to better serve the needs of Spanish learning visitors from all over the world. I will leave the teaching methodology reviews to others because I would prefer to share what is so special about this school. First, the fairness and responsiveness of the owners, Julio Jr. and Julio Sr.; secondly, the amazing teachers in the school, and thirdly, the best-kept secret in Antigua.

    If you would like to find the best Guatemalan food in Antigua, the cantina in the school's El Jardin deserves the highest honor. Every day, I looked forward to the freshest , colorful, natural -tasting spread of snacks available to the students every 10:00am. For me and my two girls, it became a sacred gathering to have our fill for the day: the fried plantain (platano), the chocolate-dipped strawberry, pineapple and banana. Pico de gallo, seasoned shredded chicken, pickled cabbage and beets, cheese, salad, guacamole, salsa verde or roja, and onions sit atop a crispy tostada! Anthony Bourdain would have approved!

    Lastly but not least is the quality of the pool of Spanish teachers. My family of three would like a shout out to our amazing teachers: Mirta Andrino, Letty Garcia and Anabelle Garcia. Mirta, thank you for your encouragement and friendship. The recipes for mole is wonderful. Letty, your energy and creativity kept my daughter interested. Anabelle, your calm and collected demeanor was a counterbalance to my energetic younger daughter.

    We had so many fond memories of Guatemala, largely because of the school's ability to ground the visitors to learn but also to explore its natural beauty and get to know the people through its hosting program. We made so many friends and we look forward to returning again in the near future.

  293. Thu Schaeffer:

    I recently returned from a trip to Antigua, Guatemala. Being an instructor /advisor of World Languages at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) in Maryland, I went on this trip to experience firsthand why Antiguena Spanish Academy is recommended on most of language immersion Web sites and garners more than its share of satisfactory reviews.
    I now want to add my name to those who appreciate and recommend Antiguena Spanish Academy above the others.

    During my brief stay at the school, I was highly impressed with the professionalism of the administration headed by Julio Garcia and his son Julio. Their responsiveness to students´s needs and the quality of instruction were most impressive. Instruction I received from my teacher Lily Garcia at the Advanced level was a very enriching experience learning about the history / culture and civilization of the Mayans.

    I was also pleased by the availability of cultural activities offered in and surrounding Antigua, excursions that can be arranged at any time with the help of tour operator Santiago De La Cruz at the Vela travel agency affiliated with school.

    In conclusion, it is with pleasure and confidence that I recommend Antiguena Spanish Academy to students and business corporations interested in their quest for learning Spanish in an authentic environment.

  294. Taraleen Malcolm:

    I spend one month in Guatemala at the Spanish Academy Antiguena. The entire experience from the first time I arrived I. Antigua was a wonderful. A friend recommended the school and I decided to send an email to request additional information. I got a response quickly with the information and each time I sent an email Julio (the director) responded within a short period of time. He organized my pickup from the airport and I was taken directly to my homestay family. On my departure I also arranged my transportation to the airport with the school but I was a bit worried because I had a very early flight and would need to leave Antigua by 3am. But Julio ensure everything was organized and the driver was at the house to pick me up at exactly 3am. Both Julio senior (owner) and Julio Jr (Administrator) make every effort to ensure each student has the best experience. One of the things I admired was that they seem to know the name of every student and refer to them by name. The entire team at the school is very professional and they make every effort to create an environment conducive for learning. They work towards ensuing that the need of each student is met.

    My Teachers
    My teachers were excellent! I had 6 hours of class per day so I had one teacher in the morning for 4 hours (Lilly Garcia) and 2 hours in the afternoon with Leticia Garcia Alvarez ( Letty). Each had their unique style of teacher but one thing that was common was that they tailored the classes to meet my need. Lilly uses different methods including organizing group activities (discussions and games) with other students and their teachers. These I found to be quite helpful to build my confidence in speaking and also increase my vocabulary. This also provided an opportunity to learn about the different cultures and traditions of the country that the different students were from as well as Guatemala. I had a great time learning with Lilly she is a very organize and experience teacher and she surely has a lot of patience. It was fun learning with Letty. She always found some funny stories to tell me. One of my weaknesses were pronunciation and she spent a lot of time helping me to improve in that area. She also included the culture of Guatemala in each lesson so that I would have a total experience.

    My homestay
    I enjoyed my homestay. The family made me feel right at home from the first day. Eva tried to make sure we practice at home so she sat with us at each meal and we would have a conversation even if we are speaking by counting the words. They never let us feel intimidated each member of the family played a part in helping us improve in speaking the language.

    My overall experience was great. I would recommend anyone who want to learn Spanish to choose the Spanish Academy Antiguena you will not regret it.

    Muchas gracias a todos!!!! Esta fue buen experiencia

  295. Charles Young:

    Excelente! My experience with the Antiguena Spanish Academy was fantastic. My teacher, Noemi, was the perfect fit for my learning style. She was motivating and fun to learn from. I would choose to have her as my teacher again. My only negative was that my wife and I had only two weeks to spend there. I hope to come back soon for possibly a longer stay to continue learning. Our host home was very nice with good food, clean and ample accommodations, and a great location with beautiful view of Volcan de Agua. Everything about the academy was very well done. They responded to your every need. Daily excursions inside and outside of Antigua further immersed you in the Spanish and Mayan cultures. The beauty and history of Antigua is amazing. My wife and I would spend every moment that we were either not in school or studying walking the streets exploring Antigua. Would I do it over again? No doubt! Hasta pronto Antigua!

  296. Deborah Young:

    My husband and I just completed two weeks of studying Spanish at the Antiguena Spanish Academy. We were apprehensive because we are an older couple, and we did not have any prior knowledge of Spanish. We were so pleased with the simplicity of signing up for the academy online as well as arranging our homestay with a family. Julio was informative, and quickly sent any information that I requested. We opted for four hours in the mornings Monday through Friday. Studying in MAES Parque, which is a beautifully luscious garden, was absolutely wonderful! I studied one-on-one with Sheny Flores. She is an exceptional teacher with a quick wit and a contagious smile. She quickly assessed my level ... BEGINNER ... and worked with me on learning the basics. She taught me so much about the culture and history of Antigua while teaching me Spanish. I was fascinated by her stories while I was learning to comprehend the spoken Spanish language. She was patient and kind, while encouraging me to push myself a little more. Sheny was the perfect fit for my learning style. She always ended my session with "Hasta la vista, baby!" I just love her!

    In the afternoons we participated in the activities that the academy offered to immerse ourselves in the language and culture in a more active way. When the activities were over we would walk for hours soaking in the wonders of Antigua. We felt safe, comfortable, and welcomed.

    Our homestay experience was also excellent. Our home was clean and inviting. Our meals were delicious and satisfying. Our sleeping arrangements were comfortable with plenty of storage space. Wifi was available for a very inexpensive fee.

    I would highly recommend the Antiguena Spanish Academy to anyone seeking to learn Spanish or to improve their Spanish.

  297. Simon:

    My wife and I spent two weeks studying in the amazing tropical garden that most of the classes are held. We could not recommend the school highly enough. My teacher Bittia was lovely, very patient with me and we had lots of fun and laughs along the way. She helped me improve my Spanish a lot in two weeks, so thank you Bittia!

  298. Amy L.:

    My son and I both took private Spanish lessons at Antiguena for 3 weeks. We both enjoyed it tremendously. It is not easy to keep a 13-year-old engaged but his teacher, Ana, did a great job. He didn't even mind getting up early each morning (well, most mornings). They worked on songs and games, and went on a couple of field trips. My teacher, Sonia, was really exceptional. She taught me so much about Guatemalan culture and politics in addition to really boosting my Spanish. She is a patient, engaging and thoughtful teacher.

    In addition to lessons, my son and I both enjoyed many of the optional afternoon activities. Every day at 2, Bayron (another of the teachers) met us for an adventures such as a macadamia farm, wine and chocolate makers, hot springs -- all via chicken buses. I would not feel comfortable traveling on those on my own but had no qualms about going with Bayron and the group. He took great care of us and was a lot of fun to be around. He too is very knowledgable about Guatemalan history.

    Our fellow students were from all over the world and meeting such an interesting, diverse group of people was another great thing about studying at Antiguena.

    I would recommend both Ana and Sonia, as well as the school in general, very highly to anyone visiting Antigua who wishes to learn some Spanish and meet some wonderful people.

  299. Harriet Wells:

    I studied at Antiguena for what was meant to be 10 days but after two days I decided to stay for 3 weeks! My teacher, Laura, was absolutely brilliant - she is a really experienced teacher, who catered her teaching towards me perfectly and my Spanish has come along more then I could have imagined thanks to her and I am really sad to be having to leave. I also had a brilliant homestay with Francisco and Marlise. It was totally immersive and with only 2 other students, we spoke Spanish almost all the time and this has definitely had a big impact on my improvement. Julio at the school was extremely flexible and made the whole process extremely easy - I would highly recommend Antigunea if you want to study Spanish in Antigua!

  300. Richard:

    I attended the academy for 1 week and Sheny Flores was Instructor. I have done several Spanish intensive courses in USA and Puerto Rico and I can safely say that Sheny is among the best that I have worked with. She was excellent in that she quickly assessed my needs and devised a plan for me to work on my deficiencies. Her professional yet relaxed manner made the entire experience very productive and enjoyable. I was one of the older students at the academy and she customized our conversations and topics to my age and interest. I have recommended the Academy and Sheny to several of my colleagues at work. I look forward to returning some day soon to continue learning!

  301. Julie Loughlin:

    I highly recommend Antigüeña to anyone thinking of taking Spanish classes in Central America. I am a long term traveller and decided to take classes in order to enrich my experience of travelling in Latin America. I was a complete beginner when I started lessons and after 6 weeks am now at intermediate level. I have a good grasp of basic grammar and can participate in conversation. The school has reached and exceeded my expectations.

    My teacher - Sheny Flores - I cannot recommend this fantastic woman more! Sheny is an experienced teacher who has a natural ability to adapt to the needs of her student. She is patient, compassionate and understanding. Sheny is a great motivator, she provides homework exercises and encourages you to use every opportunity to practice Spanish out with classes. The structure of lessons is grammar focused at first until you become more confident in conversation. Then you'll have the pleasure of speaking for many hours with Sheny learning about Guatemala, debating world issues and sharing life stories. You never know what she's going to pull from her 'bolsa mágica' - flashcards, bananagrams, books, grammar exercises, vocabulary exercises - there's a method of teaching to suit all learning styles. It's a comfortable and beneficial combination of grammar and conversation. (Sheny gracias por todo. Una maestra, una amiga, un inspirar y una mujer maravillosa.)

    Homestay - Vicky and Walter - my home away from home! What a truly welcoming and warm family, it was a pleasure to spend time living in their home. Vicky is a loving and genuine person who takes care of you as if you were her own family. Great food, comfy room, perfect location between the town centre and the school. There's plenty of opportunity to practice Spanish, Vicky helps with pronunciation and getting your tenses right. There are other students living here so it's a social environment and good opportunity to make friends.

    The school - Julio (jnr) is approachable, attentive and cooperative. My impression is that he wants every student to have the best possible experience at the school. He has a constant presence at the school which I find, for an administrator, reassuring.

    Cons - other than the basic grammar booklets the teachers seem to provide their own materials which I really feel is the responsibility of the school.

    In general - a quality standard of education at a very reasonable price. Antigua is a beautiful town and a gateway to exploring Guatemala. I hope to return in the near future!!

  302. Arnie:

    My teacher was Laura. She is a very professional lady with a lot of experience . She quickly identified the areas I needed help with and concentrated on improving my Spanish quickly. She explained new material in great detail until I fully understood it?
    I would highly recommend her if you are going to this academy!

  303. Renae:

    I would like to give my recommendation for Antiguena Spanish Academy, first let my say that I originally went for a two and half week trip to start learning Spanish, I was between jobs, I quite a job in Colorado and moved back home to California to start a new job, however I didn't have a start date, so, I decided to go to Guatemala to start learning Spanish six days later I was on plane. I researched many websites and all the recommendations pointed to Antiguena, also when I emailed Julio to ask about space at the school he replied promptly that they could accommodate me. I arrived in Antigua at my homestay, it was a great home (Casa de Amanda) clean and good (the best) food, I highly recommend, its a nice neighborhood, however a long walk to the school but worth it. So back to the school like I said it was a two and half week trip that actually turned into eight weeks, I was learning so much and the cost was so reasonable I decided to stay until I received a start date for my job. I had two great teacher first one Lucia, a good and helpful teacher but after three/four weeks I asked to change... I like change sometimes... (Julio always accommodated my needs) any way I ended up with Rosario, an amazing Teacher so kind and helpful, quickly adapting to my learning needs, she was fun and full of useful tips and ideas, we listened to and translated songs, and when I asked her if we could do a specific project she went home wrote out song lyrics and brought to school so we could listen and translate together, I had to listen to a song and put the lyrics in order, (I needed a visual to go with the listening skills we were practicing). So my teacher Rosario was willing to do homework too! all to help me learn. We went for walks had coffee, breakfast and lunch, while having conversations in Spanish of course. Also the School sponsors different activities, tours of the city, Fabrica de Jade y Chocolate, finca de fruta de vino y chocolate y finca de macadamia via rides on the chicken buses, and a little hike to Cerro de la Cruz, all fun trips and you get to spend time with and meet other students. I am continuing to practice my Spanish and when I go back to Antigua I will again take Classes at Antiguena Spanish Academy! and will ask for, me maestra favorita, Rosario.
    Thank you
    ~Renae

  304. Karen Bollinger:

    I attended the Antiguena Spanish Academy for two weeks during June and July of 2016. It was an amazing experience. Julio was so easy and helpful to work with. He arranged transportation to and from the airport. He took care of any cares or concerns we had in a timely manner. My home stay with Suheidy de Morales was wonderful. She is an excellent cook and always made us feel welcome and right at home, sharing every meal with us. My teacher, Sheny Garcia was top notch. She was very patient with me, adjusting the lessons to my level. She was always prompt, prepared and professional. We had some great conversations together. I loved having lessons in the garden. It was such a beautiful setting to learn in. I also participated in the afternoon activities that the school offered. They were always free and so interesting and informative. It was a great way to experience the culture of Guatemala. Overall, my time there was awesome! I would recommend taking Spanish classes at Antiguena for everyone.

  305. Lynn Isenhower:

    I studied the last week of June and first week of July 2016 with Miriam Garcia. She is an excellent teacher. We began each morning with conversation about my activities the day before. She made me feel very comfortable speaking in Spanish and helped me with my pronunciation. We moved through the lessons in the booklet I was given at a pace designed to push but not overwhelm me. She assigned homework based on what we covered which we would review the next day. Many days we spent part of the morning in practical activities with another student and her teacher. We played games to work on various skills ranging from conversation to numbers. It was fun. We felt free to make mistakes, learn from them and continue to practice. I also participated in the afternoon activities run by the school. They were great. I got to practice my listening skills and attempt conversation with other students while also learning something about the local area or history. My homestay was with Suheidy Morales. I can't say enough good things about this experience. Suheidy provided excellent meals. My room and bathroom were always clean. I had my own key and could come and go as I pleased. When I was at the house, Suheidy would always ask about my day, help me practice the day's assignment or share a recipe from a meal that day. I highly recommend Antiguena Spanish Academy, my teacher, Miriam Garcia and my homestay hostess Suheidy Morales. I'm looking forward to returning in the near future.

  306. Erica Ortega:

    I really enjoyed my time in Antigua. My Spanish tutor Lily Garcia was so wonderful. She was very helpful with my Spanish. She was very patient with me if I would forget what words meant or didn't know how to say certain words. She is an excellent teacher. I wish I had more time with her. If i ever return to Antigua, I would definitely get in contact with Lily. I currently have her contact information, and I hope to keep in contact with her.

  307. Jenn Rocco:

    My experience with Antiguena Spanish school has been amazing! The school was recommended to me by a friend of mine who had attended classes for 2 months last year. I just completed 7 weeks of classes and would definitely recommend Antiguena to those who are interested in learning Spanish. I had a very basic knowledge of Spanish prior to taking classes at Antiguena, and now I feel much more confident in my ability to not only speak the language but to comprehend it as well. My teacher, Leti Socorec, is not only an incredible teacher, but she has become a good friend. She did such a great job getting to know me and my learning style in order to insure that I was getting the most out of my 7 weeks of classes. One of my favorite aspects of Antiguena is the community atmosphere. After just 7 weeks of classes, I have made some lasting relationships and am planning on taking more classes with Leti in the near future. Another highlight of Antiguena Spanish School is the director, Julio. He was very good at communicating with me both before I started classes and during. Julio is very accommodating and truly desires to see each student succeed. I am very thankful for the opportunity to get to study Spanish at Antiguena Spanish School!

  308. Stacia:

    0

  309. Zoe:

    I really enjoyed my experience at the academy. My teacher Noemi de Sanchez was fantastic and was everything I could ask for in a teacher. I was nervous to start my lessons as my minimal Spanish was poor and I lacked confidence speaking. She was instantly warm, friendly and had a fantastic sense of humour. She instantly made me feel at ease and that really helps when you're trying to learn a language! The one on one tuition meant that she could really focus on the areas that were important for me- building up my confidence of conversations, learning new vocabulary, verbs and grammar! I'm astounded at how quickly I was able to converse with her about a whole range of topics and I was able to use this in real life situations once I left the academy. Noemi was always patient, happy and a pleasure to learn from! Zoe

  310. Rick Fowler:

    There are many choices for language schools in Antigua. Simply put, Antigüeña is your best bet. The staff, especially Julio, is knowledgable and friendly. I experienced three instructors during my time with Antigüeña Academy. All were good but Aurora was by far the best. She was the most professional and quickly identified where my strengths and weaknesses were. I most definitely advanced my Spanish speaking ability even more than I had imagined. The classes were very structured but also there was plenty of time to practice conversation. You're going to hear a lot of things about a lot of schools while in Antigua. This one has a fair price, great instructors, friendly homestays and you are guaranteed to learn a tremendous amount and have fun while doing it. I went to two other schools during my time in Antigua and the value of this establishment cannot be beaten. I invite you to shop around other schools but I promise you will end up at Antigüeña.
    Thanks again for everything you guys!

    Rick Fowler

  311. Bryce:

    This was a great family experience. We brought our two kids for a Latin/Spanish/Guatemala experience and had a fantastic 10 days. All 4 of us loved our Spanish lessons in the gardens of the school.

    Our 4 teachers, Leticia, Maria, Paola, and Neomi were fantastic. My 7 year old enjoyed the 1 on 1 experience while mom and dad thrived knowing our kids were happy. My 12 year old jumped in fearlessly and chatted and laughed with his teacher the whole week. I have studied Spanish for years and found myself thriving on this 20 hour/week experience. the 4 of us had unique needs and the school met all of our needs.

    All of our mornings were spent roaming the ruins and markets. A week is not enough to enjoy the entire town. What a great problem! Afternoons were at the school. When we were not too tired, my teen son and I went to some great live music down town.

    I could not have been more happy with my host family, (Oscar and Chiqui) the dinner conversation, the local food, and the home's proximity to markets, school, and ruins. At times 5 countries were represented at the dinner table.

    Antigua is charming, but especially the 40 days prior to Easter when Sundays there are hours of colorful processions and wonderful street food.

    The school made enrolling, transportation, and housing so easy to arrange, I was incredulous. I ended up enrolling my driver two more times for some very courteous and thrifty door to door service.

    This turned out to be a 10 day family adventure and Spanish immersion that was ideal and I long to return. Bring your kids.

  312. Rich:

    I just finished 4 weeks here (4 hrs per day), studying in a beautiful garden with a superb teacher, Blanca. When I arrived I knew very little and it all seemed daunting, but "poco a poco" we navigated our way through present future and past tenses, regular, irregular, and verbs de cambio. You'll be surprised what you know by the end... I was able to switch between tenses with rudimentary sentences. I'm by no means fluent but have a really good starting point and know the bones of the language to build further vocabulary on.

    The school is well organised and they check in with you to make sure you're happy during the first week.

    My teacher, Blanca, was amazing. So patient and encouraging, and also pushed me. Just what you want. I would love to come back and build on what I've learnt so far.

    One tip: Talk as much as you can and don't be afraid to make mistakes. We didn't stay with a host family but that probably would have accelerated things. further.

  313. Dorothy Rawek:

    I spent two weeks at Antiguena Spanish school this year. It was my third stay in Guatemala. During my first visit in Jatuary 2015, I did two afternoons at the school to try it out and found it excellent. I came back again in May for two weeks and this time had the full experience, the garden, the home stay and excursions. This year in March I came specifically to be here during Semana Santa and booked well ahead to stay with my host family.

    My family Ana Maria and Mario from the start have treated me as a family member (except Ana Maria cleans and makes my bed every day). There are only two rooms with private bathrooms in the house so we get lots of speaking attention and only Spanish is spoken at home. I couldn't be more happy with "my family"



    The school is very professionally run by Julio Jr. I have had several different teachers and found all of them excellent.

  314. Julian Liebenberg:

    Perfect school for learning spanish fast

    I was in Guatemala for 3 and a half weeks and wanted to visit a spanish language school while i was there. I took two classes of spanish in an instituto cervantes here in germany, but it was in a class of 10 people. The Spanish Academy Antigüena was totally different. I took 1 on 1 classes for two weeks and 6 hours per day. 4 hours of grammar and 2 hours of speaking / vocabulary.

    My teacher was Laetitia Garcia. She was really kind and she knows how to explain things in spanish to people that don't even speak spanish, it was perfect and she made it so easy for me to get everything! She also talked with me about the history of Guatemala, what was really interesting on the one hand and on the other it was helpful to have an conversation.

    The location was totally made for learning spanish. We were in a beautiful garden with a good athmosphere to learn spanish. In the break there were so many students you can exchange with.

    In total it was much better than the classes i took before, i learned much more! I'm sure I'll come back!

    Saludos de Alemania!

  315. Beverly Colston:

    I had the pleasure of studying at Antiguena Academy for the week of 4/11/16-4/15/16.
    What a fulfilling learning experience on every level!
    I had a stellar educational opportunity with my teacher, Arely Zecena. Arely was able to determine where I was in my Spanish ability and expertly administered the perfect curriculum to both challenge and support me. She was both serious about my education and fun at the same time. An expert listener, Arely was able to engage my developing conversation skill. Our time together was intense and flew by. I am surprised by how much I learned in just one week! I recommend her to my friends and family who now hope to study at Antiguena.
    I also received caring hospitality from all staff and administration associated with Antiguena. Julio was so responsive and a delight to interact with. I loved my homestay with Seguidy and her family. She too supported my desire to learn Spanish and provided delicious meals and help when needed to navigate the town.
    I only wish I could have stayed longer!
    I look forward to returning next year.
    Beverly Colston
    The University of Vermont
    Burlington, Vermont

  316. Marco Beer:

    I spent 7 weeks at Antigueña Spanish Academy to learn Spanish. I had 4h in the morning and 2h in the afternoon. When I arrived, my Spanish was non existing. Thanks to the one to one class and the 6h a day program, I learned a lot. I changed my teacher on average every 2 weeks to make sure I was hearing different accents. The school has teachers with different experience level too and after a few weeks, I asked for more experienced teachers to get a better result in improving my Spanish. I'm very pleased with the progress I have made in 7 weeks. The school has 2 different places where classes are held. One is at the office itself and one is about a 10 min walk from the office in a lovely garden. In the morning, I had classes in the garden and in the afternoon at the office. During lunch or after school, I really liked to go to a tiny cafe (Jardin de Elenita) close to the office at 1a Calle Poniente 37 with cheap and delicious bites, coffee, fruits and more. The school offers free activities in the afternoon. The activities are slightly different every week. As I had classes every afternoon I couldn't go to any of these activities, this is why, I think it is better to study 4 hours a day. It is important to have time for some social activities. It is also very uncomplicated if you are not happy with something and you want to change anything like the place where you have classes, your teacher or homestay. I loved my homestay at casa de Maria Elena, the family was lovely and the food delicious. The host family also helped me a lot with practice my Spanish. I would therefore highly recommend Antigueña Spanish Academy if you are looking for a place to learn or improve your Spanish in a nice and familiar place with great people.
    A big thank you to all my maestras and maestros, my host mother and Julio for your support.

  317. Robert Price:

    I had a great 3 weeks studying Spanish at the Antiguena academy.

    My teacher - Olga Galvez - was brilliant.

  318. Xavier:

    Hi, i studied in Antiguena for 3 weeks and it was just amazing. I recommend this school to everybody who wants to learn spanish in Antigua. It's a very professional school!! My teacher was Nohemy Sanchez and i recommend her to everyone. Classes were very nice and friendly but also very constructive. Julio and all the staff are very cool and very helpful and flexible. Antiguena academy is the best!!!!

  319. Carolina:

    I have take 4 days of Spanish lessons at this school to refresh my knowledge. My teacher was Lily Garcia. She is very experienced and she recognized immediately, which things I need to improve in order to be able to communicate more fluently. In Addition she was amazingly patient and helpful, she even helped me to find a safe and nice accomodation in Guatemala City! The school itself is well organized- i was not happy with my first homestay but Julio arranged that I could move to another place After one night . Thank you so much!!

  320. Ank and Ranjit:

    We decided to take some Spanish lessons after our 25 day tour in Central America which ended in Antigua. We realized that some knowledge of the Spanish language would have made our enjoyment of the holiday even better. We only took lessons for one week i.e. 4 hours a day from Monday to Friday. As we are both in our mid sixties we were concerned that we may not be as fast in learning a new language compared to other younger individuals. However, this was not the case and our teachers both Irma and Mary were very professional, patient and had a very good sense of humour and hence made it possible for us to learn the rudiments of the language so that we can build on what we had learned in the future. The atmosphere in the school is very friendly and the garden in which the lessons are given is beautiful and surrounded with trees, flowers etc. The school does have free excursions in town such as the market etc in the afternoon for it's students
    however we could not take advantage of this as we had decided to take our classes in the afternoon. The school also arranges home-stays for a very reasonable price.
    We would highly recommend this school and both our teachers to anyone who would like to take Spanish lessons in the beautiful city of Antigua.

  321. Ekaterina Demidenko:

    I unexpectedly had a week off at work and decided to come to Guatemala to improve my Spanish, which was on my bucket list for a long time. It was a very short notice and I didn't know how to arrange all that. So through Guatemala 365 I was referred to Antiguena Academy and I wasn't disappointed. Julio Jr. welcomed me to the school and arranged all the details in a short period of time. My arrival into Antigua was very smooth via a shuttle bus from the airport. The family was there to meet me. Although my room was small, it was very cozy and functional and had a private bathroom, which I appreciated. I had Julio Sr for my teacher who is a great and very experienced instructor and really knows how to teach Spanish, as opposed to just passing time for money. He knows what your weak areas are and develops a plan from there. The study sessions were very intense but productive. My homestay was relaxing and private and allowed me to concentrate solely on studying, as they took care of cleaning and cooking and all the essentials. I loved the afternoon activities at the school, which allowed me to get to know other students, as well as get acquainted with the sights in and around Antigua. I highly recommend Antiguena to all prospective students. A great buy for your money, an easy way to vacation, improve your Spanish and get to know Guatemala. Great faculty and students from all over the world.


  322. Claude Pepin:

    Excellent programme pour apprendre l'espagnol .
    Mes proffesseures ont été à la hauteur de mes attentes .

    Je recommande chaudement l'école Academia Antiguena .

    Merci particulier à Julio l'organisateur , pour sa disponibilité et son ouverture .

    Hasta Luego

    Claude Pepin , février-mars 2016

  323. Scott Walker:

    I had only two weeks with the school and enjoyed the experience and the setting very much. My goal was to strengthen the base of my Spanish -- to really get a firmer hold on the two past tenses; uses of definite and indefinite articles, and reflexive pronouns; and the compound tenses. My teacher Marina was gracious, sensitive to my abilities and to my errors, and a terrific source of information about Guatemala. She very intelligently answered my daily barrage of questions, and guided the discussion slyly so that I was using the parts of speech that I was trying to master. Once we moved out from under the avocado tree -- which during February was unleashing avocado bombs at us -- we had a terrific time; and even our avocado experience was a lot of laughs. Learning at the Academy was fun, fascinating, and productive. The homestay was a bonus -- I lived with a large, warm, engaging family, and appreciated their welcome and the delicious meals.

  324. Kirk 'Jose' Skinner:

    I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Antiguena. I had recently completed 10 days of spanish school in Flores so I was still at beginner level when I arrived. Everything was made easy at this school and well organised by the 2 Julio's. My stay was extended by one week with no problems and there was also some flexibility with our class times (I did an extra half hour on most days because I missed a day).

    My teacher Benjamin was fantastic and I give him complete thanks for my progression during the 2 weeks. Benjamin has a very calm and patient nature that I connected with. He used a lot of the time practicing my speaking skills which was perfect for my level. I also found his stories about the culture and history of Guatemala fascinating. This was an extra benefit of the course.

    My homestay was 2 minutes from the school and in the centre of Antigua. The family were very friendly and the food was great. All in all a good experience. Thank you Anteguena.

  325. Emily Stickland:

    I have just finished my one months lessons at the Antiguan School and I am thrilled with the outcome.
    The school set me up with a host family and a private teacher with whom I studied for 4 hours, 5 days a week. The host family were lovely, providing three meals a day and giving me a fantastic incite into the lives of Guatemalans! I was invited to family birthday parties, shown how to cook and treated like a member of the family.
    My teacher Leticia Socorec was phenomenal. Not only did she get me through the grammar and structure of Spanish with more ease than any other language I've learnt, she also provided constant entertainment. I learnt how to confidently converse with her on subjects of day to day living, my dreams, my past my hopes for the future. It's exactly what I wanted from the Spanish classes to be able to have normal conversations with Spanish speakers. We went to the market together, did cooking classes that the school provide in the afternoon amongst many other activities.
    All of this for an excellent price.
    I would highly recommend this school and especially Leticia as a teacher. I've not only gained a solid understanding of a language in a month I feel like I gained a friend.

  326. Kevin:

    For two weeks I worked with Nohemy and she was a wonderful teacher. I started with a very basic knowledge in Spanish and finished two weeks with lots of grammatical knowledge, especially related to verbs. Also lots of opportunities for practice. Wish I could have stayed longer!

  327. Wendy:

    My family, husband and two boys (13,10) just completed a week of Spanish lessons. Our teachers were Sylvia, Byron, Luis and Melanie. All worked well with our individual needs and helped us progress even though
    we were only there for one week. For our family a week was perfect to get a foundation. From here we will continue to travel and practice what we learned. Thank you to Julio for being flexible, our teachers for being patient and our homestay host Olga who was the perfect match for us. The school, teachers and homestay are all highly regarded by our family. Thank you!

  328. Carrie:

    I have studied at this school twice now and I can't wait to do it again. Unfortunately, I only get to come for a week at a time. A longer stay would be much more helpful. My teachers both times have been wonderful people. First I had Sylvia who was very sweet and knowledgeable about Antigua, then I had Cheny who helped me discuss all kinds of world issues. My home stays were completely adequate and the people of Antigua are some of the kindest in the world!!

  329. Amir Nanji:

    This was my first spanish school. I studied for 3 weeks. Had a great teacher Blanca who was very patient and took her time teaching. School environment was great as well. Home stay was good as the family spoke to us everyday.
    Would recommend to anyone who wants to learn spanish. Antigua is a small city and people are friendly. Cannot go wrong here.

  330. marcel tijdink:

    I was passing Antigua during my bycicle travel from Alaska-Argentina and because of all the good info about Spanish schools I decicded to take 2 weeks to learn some more Spanish for my travels.
    I am very happy to have chosen this school, it is very professional though still personal an friendly. Accomodations of the school are excellent (garden, coffee, water, excursions) and organisation by Julio dito. I stayed at Ana maria's home and enjoyed this very very much: excellent, food, wifi, clean rooms and friendly hostess.
    Lessons are 1 one 1, which was excellent for me because I'm a little deaf and need lot of speaking and listening. This said the grammatic and systematic appraoch also was excellent. My profesora (Emy) was friendly, well educated for this job and learned me in 2 weeks much more spanish I would thought upfront.
    I can only recommend this school upmost!

  331. Stefan:

    I stayed 6 weeks at the Antigueña Spanisch Acadamy and i enjoyed every day. My teacher Letitia Socorec was very kind and we had a lot of fun during our lessons.
    The school also offers activities in the afternoon to visit different places in the near of Antigua (Macademia Farm, Vine/Chocolate-Museum,..). If you have problems with your teacher or your homestay, you can speak with Julio and he arrange a new teacher/family next day, but i think that this happens hardly. I can recommend the Antigueña Spanish Acadamy, because the teachers are very friendly and motivated, you learn in a beautiful garden and the school have the best price-value-relation.

  332. Susi Tripp:

    I just finished 3 weeks of studying Spanish at the Spanish Academy Antigüeña. I found the school to be well organized and flexible enough to meet the individual needs of the students. My teacher, Ana Luis, evaluated my skills and provided me with individual instruction that was appropriate to my needs. She was an excellent teacher. Besides 4 hours of 1 on 1 instruction 5 days a week, the school provided afternoon activities that were conducted in Spanish. The accommodations of my home stay were very basic, but the experience was extremely rich. My family included 10 people and there were many visitors to the house. There were many opportunities to practice Spanish and everyone in the family was willing to help me. I had an amazing experience. My Spanish is much improved and I learned a great deal about Mayan and Guatemalan culture. I would like to return soon and highly recommend the school.

  333. Holly Lewin:

    My teacher Silvia Leal was wonderful, she made learning Spanish extremely fun and she was extremely understanding of me and how slow I was at picking up even the most basic concepts of Spanish. Everyone at the school was extremely helpful and friendly. Julio went out of his way to make sure we were getting everything we needed from our lessons and there was no issues when we wanted to extended for an extra week. Can highly recommend this school and Silva.

  334. Kevin Allison:

    I studied at the school for 4 hours per day for 2 weeks earlier this year and had a very good experience. Despite the short period of my study, I felt that it gave a good boost to my very rusty Spanish. I really enjoyed the beautiful surroundings of the tree filled garden for the one on one lessons. My teacher was Noemi and she did an excellent job. She had a very good sense of humor and during the course of the lessons taught me a lot about the day to day life that people live in Guatemala. The program is very individualized and is flexible depending on your particular need as a student. The price is very reasonable and I only wish I had more time to continue my studies.

  335. Nicolas:

    As preparation for a three month internship in cuban Hospitals I decided to take a month of spanish lessons in Antigua. My girlfriend already left for Antigua a week earlier and started taking lessons at this language School and she kept on swarming about it, so I was pretty hyped to go. It was all I expected it to be and much more.
    I had my spanish lessons in a beautiful garden during the Mornings with Weekends off. My spanish teacher was Ana Luis. She's really well organized and is very good at explaining Things that just seem impossible to understand. On the other hand she's kind and funny as well. She helps you make incredible progress in an enjoyable, fun way. Because I told her that I was going to work in a medical field, she focused some of her lessons on this subject, which was very useful for me.
    Thanks to her I got quite some praise for my spanish from doctors I was working with in Cuba.
    I just wanted to mention as well that the School organized a great Family for my girlfriend and I to stay at (they really made us feel like part of the Family) and that Antigua is a very nice City to stay for a while.
    Without a doubt in my mind, I can recommend this School to you!

  336. Louis de Guise:

    I must say I was very satisfied with my Spanish lessons at the school Academy Antigua.
    My teacher Claudia is the most patient person I know, correcting me and encouraging me to speak as much as possible. The school let people learn in classes or at the park where tables and chairs are surrounded by trees and flowers. I would definitely recommend the school and my teacher Claudia.

  337. gordon waselnuk:

    HI
    I spent 10 weeks at the school studying in the afternoon in the beautiful garden with Anna.
    She is a very good teacher and focused. I can read and write more easily and my conversation skills have improved. I would highly recommend the school and my teacher
    Hope to return,possibly next year for more advanced training
    Thanks Gordon

  338. Sarina:

    I spent 6 weeks in Antigua and visited the school for 4 hours each morning. The school is located in a beautiful garden with lots of trees. I enjoyed having classes set outside as the fresh air helped me concentrate. My teacher was Judith and I couldn't have wished for a better teacher. She wasn't only very patient and structured in her lessons but she also was extremely funny, friendly and always found a topic for us to talk about. The school provides study material with grammar and exercises, so you don't need to buy a book. Staying with the host family helped me make massive improvements in a very short amount of time. All the students I talked to at the time were very happy with their teachers and the school as well. I have nothing negative to say about it at all! The price for what you get is extremely low as well. Julio is always there to help and changes in host family or teacher can be made easily with him helping you with it. Antigua itself has a lot to offer too. There are many cafes and restaurants, volcanoes nearby which are waiting to be climbed and Lago Atitlan is also only a short bus ride away. I would recommend this school to anyone who is looking to learn Spanish very fast in a quick and easy way and in a fun environment. I will be going back shortly as well to improve what I have learned so far :)

  339. Mary:

    I studied for 2 weeks in January 2016 and have nothing but good things to say about the school. I have especially high praise for my teacher, Judith - she is truly AMAZING. She clearly and concisely explained and drilled our daily grammar lessons, but what I will remember best will be our many conversations about people, politics, religion, culture and wellness. Her warmth and openness made learning the language real for me.
    My homestay was also amazing and although completely unlike my own home, I felt immediately welcome and at home.

  340. Lachlan:

    Had an awesome two weeks with Blanca, learnt heaps of Spanish and met some awesome people along the way!

  341. Kristina Varney:

    I studied at Antigüeña Spanish Academy for 1 month in november/december 2015. It was a great place to learn spanish. The school is very well organised and really care about that you always get the most out of your stay and they are flexible with times. My teacher was Marta Oviedo. She is very experienced, patient and make you learn spanish with a smile. Her way to explain things is incredible and she is always willing to tell you again if you still don't understand or have forgotten something. She also have a good mix of grammer, reading, listening and talking together about different interesting subjects. And you can easily tell what you need/want more of, and she will be flexible. In summary she is great teacher. I hope to get back some day to learn more.

  342. John Evans:

    I recently spent two weeks with Marta in Spanish classes. I had considered myself an intermediate speaker. This was probably true with reading and writing Spanish, but I knew I struggled with speaking in response to Spanish speakers even when they speak slowly. Conjugating quickly has been a struggle. Selecting between preterit and imperfect is not natural for English speakers. Also selecting between por and para is not natural.
    Marta and I recognized this and developed a plan to improve with these issues. Marta thoroughly reviewed the grammatical rules and we practiced listening, writing, and speaking. Marta gently corrected me when I made errors which were frequent at first. Three days per week were mostly grammatical exercises. The other two days were mostly speaking and trying to apply what I had learned. Gentle correction and explanation of any errors helped me to slowly train my brain to think in Spanish these differences from English. By the middle of my second week it started to fall into place. I felt more confident in making the correct decisions of which word or tense to use and started formulating and speaking responses more rapidly.
    Marta used multiple tools including readings, homework exercises and games to help me develop my skills. Importantly, we could just converse about a variety of topics and I gained confidence in speaking more naturally. She let me know that my struggles were common with students with these areas and that by practice I would continue to improve. I would certainly request Marta when I return in the future.

  343. Joanne Rodney:

    I traveled to Guatemala back in October to celebrate my birthday. I arrived at the school knowing about ten words of Spanish, hardly enough to form a complete sentence, much less carry on a conversation. My teacher was Carmen Cardenas. To be honest, by the end of the first day I was ready to quit because, as it turned out, sitting in a classroom staring at a book for four hours was NOT the ideal setting for me, even if the classroom is in a gorgeous garden. I lost focus easily and generally couldn't wait for class to end. Any other teacher probably would have given up on me but thank God Carmen was very patient. She realized I could understand a little bit of Spanish when she spoke slowly so we concentrated on conversation. She also arranged off-campus outings to the market and other places in Antigua that made it necessary for me to speak Spanish with her and the locals we met. It turned out to be a great way for me to get a grasp of the language without making it seem like work. It also gave me an opportunity to learn a bit about the history of Antigua and Guatemala. Before long I was able to not only follow conversations (as long as the person wasn't speaking too fast), I was also speaking a little bit of Spanish! Carmen also speaks English which made learning grammar much easier for me as I had a LOT of questions about conjugations. I live in South Florida and many of my co-workers speak Spanish. They are all impressed with the amount of Spanish I picked up in such a short time and now I practicing speaking with them.
    I really think Carmen has to be one of the best teachers ever! Anyone who can help this 55 year-old brain pick up language skills in just two weeks is a genius...Ha-haaa-haa.
    I'm already planning to return and I while I'm sure the school is full of good teachers, I really hope Carmen is available because I can't imagine having anyone else as my teacher.

    I also enjoyed my homestay with Ana Maria. Her house is very clean and spacious. It also has Wi-Fi...most of the time. She's a sweet little lady who reminded me of a shorter version of my grandmother. Ana is also a good cook and made sure we spoke Spanish at mealtime, which was a bit of of a challenge for me in the beginning since all I knew were those ten words..LOL In 2 short weeks I made new friends from China, Germany, Australia and Korea! All of us on a mission to learn Spanish.

    All in all, my two weeks at Antiguena Spanish Academy was the best birthday present I could have given myself. I can't wait to do it again!

  344. Lexie:

    I spent 3 amazing weeks at the school, staying in a very comfortable homestay. I studied 4 hours in the morning with Janet, and 2 in the afternoon with Mary. I lived with Ana de Santiz. The teachers were both extremely good, they were strict enough to ensure I was learning grammar effectively, while also being flexible so that the class suited my learning style. The classes are one on one so you quickly get to know your teachers. The conversation part of the class means that you can chat about whatever topic you like - all the while improving your Spanish! By the time I left I had made some really wonderful lifetime friends, had a lot of good laughs, and was sad to leave.

    I would highly recommend both Janet and Mary, as both are very dedicated and helpful teachers.

    Staying with Ana was great, comfy bed, yummy food, and great hospitality. Their house is two level and the students bedrooms and bathrooms are upstairs so it's nice and private. We had a lot of interesting conversations with Ana and her lovely daughters and other students over meals - it's a great way to practice!

    All in all, there is a really positive atmosphere at the school and in the home. My Spanish improved 100% - my confidence is now through the roof, where I used to be too frightened to speak.
    Thanks to all involved - I will be back as soon as I can!

  345. David:

    I took 2 weeks of lessons in Nov 15 with different teachers (3 in total, bc I had afternoon classes as well) and from those teachers SORAIDA was the best! Very structered and no matter what I wanted to study, she had a concept and very good teaching method. I really enjoyed my time in Antigua and would take classes at the same school again.

  346. Yumiko Sato:

    I spent 2 weeks at this school and had a wonderful time studying Spanish and nice host family. I highly recommend the school and especially recommend my teacher, Sheny Flores.

    She was very experienced and insightful teacher with a lot of knowledge about the
    language and local culture. She knew what exactly I needed and provided me good learning materials that suit my level. I really enjoyed learning with her and getting to know how was the life in Guatemala in the past. She was amazingly full of interesting stories.

    I actually had a different teacher at first, but I didn't feel very comfortable with her way of teaching (though she was a nice person) and talked to the office. The school was very flexible about changing teachers and quickly responded to me. Another good thing about the school is that you can choose where to study, either in the garden with beautiful nature or in the school with internet access. I really loved studying in the garden.

    Their lessons are reasonably priced, considering the quality and environment they provide. And their homestay is a very good deal compared to other schools. I am satisfied with all the experiences I had with the school, and I hope I will return to study again.

  347. Kasey Smith:

    Greetings to whomever reads these words. I’m writing to give my thoughts and a “review” on Antigüeña Spanish Academy. My wife and I moved to Guatemala on January 5, 2015 and have obtained permanent residency as we plan to live here for the foreseeable future as missionaries. It was very important to us to receive the best Spanish education possible. We believe that we got the best value for our dollar at Antigüeña Spanish Academy. We moved to Guatemala not having studied Spanish previously. We started out at another school in Guatemala and studied there for about 3 months before we realized that we weren’t progressing as well as we had hoped and the lack of a good, student specific program led us to switch to Antigüeña Spanish Academy after visiting a few schools to compare programs. We studied at Antigüeña Spanish Academy from mid-April to mid-September 2015 (the last month we studied via Skype from a home that we had moved to located about an hour from Antigua by car). We received the foundation we needed to begin working in the community in which we live, and we now consider ourselves pretty fluent speakers.

    On day one, our teachers sat down with us to make a plan and really worked to meet our learning styles so that we could progress as effectively as possible. I really enjoyed this because I was able to learn by receiving good grammar instruction, practice with conversational Spanish, and reinforcement activities with other students on or near my level. From then on, our teachers made a plan for each week that would allow us to fully reach our potential as Spanish speakers.

    My teachers were Lily Garcia and Lety Socorec. My wife studied with Lety Socorec and Gaby Carrillo. All three of our teachers were fantastic and came well prepared each day with our best interest in mind. The teachers at this school are patient and really put the students first as we found in our 5 months there. They work hard to make learning fun and not just a bunch of repetitive exercises, which makes the class time pass by very quickly.

    I also enjoyed talking about Guatemalan culture, politics, history, etc. with Lily who was very well versed on all things Guatemala. I truly couldn’t imagine a better teacher to match my learning style, and I really feel that this allowed me to have a deeper and more holistic education.

    Administrative things such as payment, placement with teachers, etc. was very easy. Julio Jr. was very helpful, speaks very good English, and was quick to answer any questions we had. It is entirely possible to show up one day and start studying the next. We never stayed with a host family because we rented an apartment in Antigua, but I had only heard positive things from other students who did stay with a host family.

    There are options to study at both the office and a large garden several blocks away from the office as well as via Skype. For the majority of our time we studied at the garden. It was an open air and very relaxing environment where we were able to learn outside of a traditional school setting, which we really enjoyed.

    I would highly recommend studying at Antigüeña, especially if your time is limited in Guatemala or if you have a lot of time and want to lay a very solid foundation for future language learning. I can’t imagine having received a better education, and for that, we will be forever grateful to Antigüeña Spanish Academy and its staff.

    Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have at Kasey@servants.org, and I’ll do my best to answer them.

    Kasey Smith

  348. Thomas J Hallifax-Ballinger:

    Hola! Claudia was an amazing teacher! Couldn't have asked for anyone better. She kept the lessons really interesting by making everything funny. Would highly recommend her to anyone who likes to have a bit of fun and would like an easy going teaching style. My home stay was also really good, the room was great, food was great and the family gave me plenty of space and freedom to do my own thing while always being friendly and chatty.

  349. Roland:

    Insgesamt war ich ca.6 Wochen in dieser Schule. Es ist bereits meine dritte Sprachschule und in dieser hatte ich bisher meine beste Erfahrung gemacht. Der Unterricht findet in einem wunderschoenen, ruhigen Ambiente statt. Der Einzelunterricht erlaubt es auf individuelle Wuensche und Schwierigkeiten einzugehen.
    Meine Lehrerin Julia hat neben ihrer profunden, langjaehrigen Erfahrung auch eine freundliche und sympathische Art den Unterricht zu gestalten. Dank ihr konnte ich nicht nur deutlich mein Spanisch verbessern, sondern auch mehr ueber Kultur und Geschichte Guatemalas erfahren.
    Deshalb kann ich diese Schule im Allgemeinen und Julia im Speziellen eindeutig weiterempfehlen.

  350. Konstantin:

    I had a great time studying Spanish at the Antiguena Spanish Academy. My teacher Dilia was very good - friendly and knowledgeable - and altered the speed of learning according to my language skills. Focussing on problem areas and making sure that it didn't get boring at the same time. Due to the one on one teaching the school puts a strong focus on conversing in Spanish and practicing the learned grammar while talking. I very much enjoyed this approach as I feel like this is something that is lacking when studying in bigger groups.
    Another important factor that ensured a wonderful experience for myself was the family I stayed with (Vicki). A lovely and very active family. They were very open towards all students coming in and focus on speaking Spanish instead of English. Encouraging all their students to participate in the family life and offering great opportunities to learn more about Antigua.

    That is that. Now I only need to send my brother over so he can enjoy it as well.

  351. Danni:

    I spent 5 weeks at the Spanish academy and it was a time well spent. For 3 of the 5 weeks my teacher was Sheny Flores and she made the classes a great experience. I was amazed at how much Spanish I learned in the small amount of time. Not only learning grammar but we had many conversations in which I learned more about the Guatemalan culture. By getting to know me better Sheny was able to teach me on a whole other level in private classes than in a classroom with other students. I stayed with a Guatemalan family arranged through the academy and I was treated very well and fed amazing local food. I would recommend this academy to anyone interested in learning Spanish and wanting to get to know the local culture! Buena suerte!

  352. Jessica Madrid:

    I had the pleasure of studying at this school for about 6 weeks beginning in August 2015. I had an absolutely wonderful experience and would definitely recommend everything about this school! For example, my homestay with Lydia and her family was comfortable, warm and supportive. I felt like one of the family and it was great to be fed 3 meals of delicious food every day so that I could focus on my studies. The location of this homestay was absolutely perfect too. The location of the school, the garden, was only a short walk away and it was a perfect learning environment for me. My teacher, Judith, was an incredible match for me. She quickly assessed my language level and developed a plan to carry me through the 6 weeks we had together. She was very capable, funny, tailored our lessons to my interests, and I thought she struck the perfect balance between being professional and being my friend during this time. Julio and the rest of the staff were also very pleasant and helpful and while I had no complaints during my stay, I witnessed their professionalism when other students occasionally had concerns about this or that. My only regret is that I couldn´t stay longer! Thank you Antiguena Spanish Acadamy! Me hace falta!

  353. Megan Marsh:

    My experience at the Antigua Spanish Academy was entirely positive. I arrived with no knowledge of Spanish, and I left six weeks later with the ability to understand and have conversations with just about anyone I wanted to. The one on one relationship between student and teacher is invaluable, as each lesson is tailored to the needs and ability of the individual student. All of the teachers I came into contact with were patient, engaging and had a great sense of humour. Studying in the beautiful environment of the garden was a lovely bonus as well. My host family made me feel incredibly welcome, and were always happy to answer my questions or help me practice speaking. When I left, we even had a party at the school (featuring copious quantities of the local liquor) and my host parents invited me to go with them to a live music night at a local bar. It was quite a wrench to go!

  354. Tam:

    Karla is a FANTASTIC teacher.

    We stayed in Antigua recently (October 2015), visited and researched a number of different Spanish schools as there are a lot! Antiguena Spanish Academy is a great school with fantastic teachers and a lovely location with beautiful gardens.

    I have never learnt Spanish before so was a total novice and was lucky enough to have Karla as my Spanish teacher. She was fantastic because she totally tailored the session to my needs and the lessons were really varied and interactive. Karla is so easy to talk to which made learning Spanish all the more enjoyable.

    Thank you Karla :)

  355. Madeleine Williams:

    I took 1 week of classes in October 2015, and lived with the lovely Anna-Maria in a homestay. As a complete beginner, I was slightly apprehensive about how much I could learn in a week but was pleasantly surprised! My teacher, Sherry, really made my week worthwhile. She was extremely patient with my pigeon Spanish and the teaching, while structured, was tailored to my needs. It's a shame I only had one week at the school, and will definitely come back if I return to Antigua! I highly recommend the academy and especially Sherry!

  356. Stan Sharp:

    Hola!
    I highly recommend this school. I have been here for 6 weeks now and continue to enjoy the personality of the teachers, home stay family members, and the owners/managers of this school (they are good people). I totally enjoy learning at this school. The teachers especially have a great sense of humor and enjoy the students. Well done!!!

  357. Richard Marcus:

    I am the worst kind of student. I am a university professor in the U.S. and suffer from associated diseases - I pay too much attention to minutia, focus too much on jargon, and otherwise try the patience of others. I have studied Spanish with several different teachers in different countries for a point of comparison and was very pleased. I studied six hours per day: four hours in the morning with Silvia and two hours in the afternoon with Rosario. The director, Julio, was brilliant in combining these two teachers for me as they couldn't be more different personalities, adding different aspects to my education. However, where they were similar is that both were engaging, passionate, kind, patient, and profoundly dedicated teachers. I entered with a reasonable grasp of grammar but limited ability to apply it and left after three weeks able to have conversations about politics for hours on end. All the while I had a splendid time at Antigüeña Spanish Academy. The environment is conducive to learning, the excursions were well planned, and the homestay placement couldn't have been better. I plan on returning next year and bringing some of my students!

  358. Marc Verbiest:

    Review by: Marc Verbiest (October 2015)

    Introduction
    In the beginning of 2015 I decided to start learning Spanish beyond the basic knowledge that I already had. After already being here during May and June, I just returned to Antigua to attend classes once again for six more weeks.

    Why this school?
    My decision for Guatemala, Antigua and the ANTIGÜEÑA SPANISH ACADEMY to learn Spanish came after researching the internet and asking people who followed a similar path earlier.
    Antigüeña Spanish Academy is a great school to learn Spanish. The school is located in the colonial city center of Antigua and the classes are held either in the school building or in a beautiful garden.
    I highly recommend this school. Antigüeña Spanish Academy is my number one, because this school is easy to deal with, provides high quality education, organizes additionally to education everything that is necessary or useful (e.g. lodging, transportation from/to the airport, cultural programs) and that for a very competitive price. This school is best value for the money by far.

    Where to live?
    Most students live with families close to the school. In most cases lodging will be organized by the school (as also in my case). My personal experience with lodging is very positive. The school, the school-garden and the downtown of Antigua all were within walking distance. I requested to be with the same family (Silvia and Carlos) as during the first visit. The accommodation and meals at the family are good, they are great people and there is plenty of opportunity to try out and further improve Spanish.

    Teachers and their education methodology
    All the teachers are very experienced and every student works one on one with a teacher. The education program is flexible and highly personalized to the particular student regarding the content and speed. The teachers provide clear structure with an optimal mix of grammar, vocabulary, reading, writing and conversation.
    The first time that I attended classes, my teacher was Mary de Zuleta. Teaching by Mary is effective and fun, she is a great teacher and a great person. I found the teaching approach by Mary fitting my needs very well, the learning progress was very good, and therefore I requested for the second time also for Mary to be my teacher.

    The management team
    The general manager and owner of the school is Julio Garcia. In addition of being a great organizer, Julio is also an experienced teacher. Julio and his son (also named Julio) are a perfect team and are easily accessible for the (candidate) students and the teachers to make possible whatever is needed.

    The students
    The students are from many different backgrounds and ages. The school is a truly international environment, students are from all over the world. Learning in such an environment makes everything even more enjoyable.

    Activities
    The school organizes several activities during the afternoons. These activities are always interesting and are mostly free of charge, sometimes there are low costs for public transportation or entrance fees. At the right side neighboring the school-building is a very customer oriented travel agency, where it is possible to book interesting day/weekend trips for competitive prices. The agency is also doing a great job in case you need bookings for longer trips, hotels and transportation.

  359. Shannon:

    I work in Guatemala city and studied with Antiguena Academy for one week. I would definitely recommend the school and would especially recommend my teacher, Mary Zuleta. I quickly felt comfortable with Mary and willing to take risks in my language learning as I felt very supported. I am a beginner Spanish speaker but Mary's English speaking skills and understanding in English are fantastic. Since I am a beginner, it was important to me that I could ask questions and seek additional information in English. She was able to scaffold our lessons so that I was able to converse in Spanish in an authentic and meaningful way despite my limited experience in Spanish previously. It was a great experience.

  360. Jitske:

    Hello everyone,

    I stayed in Angtigua for one week to study spanish. I made a big mistake by staying only one week, because I liked it very much. My teacher was very helpful,patient and funny and speaks enough English to help me out when my Spanish was not sufficient.
    Before I came to Antigua, the communication with the school was very good, which Ifound to be very reassuring.
    I loved both my stay in Antigua, aswell as the family i stayed at. They were very friendly, helpfull and turned out to be good cooks ( typical Guatemalan food).
    The free activities that the school organises are very pleasant aswell and gives plenty of opportunities to get to know other students.

    I wish to come back in the future and would recommend everyone to come to Antigua and take lessons at Spanish Academy Antiguena.

  361. Leigh And Barry:


    We were just in Antigua, Guatemala and attending the Antigua Spanish Academy once again and friends (who had never been to Antigua before) came with us and enjoyed themselves as much as we did.

    My husband had checked out other schools in Guatemala and Mexico, this was one of the best in regards to money well spent, strong, well-developed curriculum, well-run organization, and very friendly staff. This school has been running since 1987 with excellent recommendations from previous students (like ourselves). The school is approximately 40 minutes from the airport in a very safe colonial part of Antigua and last year we travelled by taxi from the airport to the school. Sr. Julio, the owner and director of the Spanish Academy Antiguena, arranged pickup for us this year from the Guatemala airport. This can be done for you by Sr. Julio.

    We paid one week at a time and last year came for two weeks and ended up staying and studying for three weeks. We were all studying for 4 weeks this year. We have just completed our spanish school for this year and we all feel we have all grown in our espanol already: speaking, writing, talking, listening and understanding. My husband and I are both retired educators and were very impressed with the curriculum and the teaching staff. We choose to study for 4 hours in the morning eight until noon with a break in the middle. You can continue to study in the afternoon if you wish. It is really up to you how long you study. The teachers will be matched to your proficiency and we found our teachers to both be excellent and lucky for us, we had the same teachers as we had last year. Our friends are both enjoying their teachers as well. You work one on one with your teacher in a classroom or the garden that the school has for all the students. All the staff are wonderful and so friendly each and every day.

    There were extra-activities you can sign up to enjoy with your teacher (last year we both chose the schooling each day and this is totally your choice). This year we travelled to see Los Barriletes (kites flown to honor those that have passed on in the family. The day is November 1st, La Dia de los Muertes in Mexico/Guatemala), to La Azotea, a coffee plantation and museum, and to the re-enactment of an indigenous boda (wedding) in a small pueblo San Antonio Aguacalientes. You travel with your teacher to these activities and converse with them. All three activities were excellent, and transportation was provided. These activities can happen in the a.m. or p.m. and your teacher encourages you to discuss the event totally in espanol. We also walked to the main square and watched an annual event held in November, the race of the waiters from the many restaurants in Antigua.

    You can also live with a family full time for the total immersion and the school will set this up for you. For any reason your family does not work out they will set up another family. The people we have spoken with from the school all are enjoying their families. We chose to live in a hotel nearby for our first experience in November last year and this year the four of us (two couples) rented an apartment (close to our school), you can rent apartments or homes quite easily in Antigua. Last year our hotel was just around the corner from the school, there were three hotels close by. All were very competitive with their rates, two beds, private bath and our hotel gave us breakfast each morning. Then we had a three minute walk to the school.

    Antigua is a lovely and very safe city. The colonial section is seven long streets and seven long avenues connecting at the main park and is very beautiful. There are great places to stay and eat at all price ranges, you can book in and then shop around. We would not change schools for many reasons and the Antiguena Spanish Academy is located within the colonial section of town, easy to find, easy to walk to and as we stated before - very well-run. They have students from all over the world. That in itself is very interesting. Every student works one on one with their teacher, and as we stated before, every day, the teachers are all so kind, caring and friendly. They understand where you are in espanol and teach accordingly. All four of us were at different levels in espanol.

    Antigua has a chocolate museum, coffee plantation to visit, volcanoes (surrounded by three) to climb, so much to see and experience. Panajachel is a wonderful town located on a huge lake (Lake Atitlan) that is a bus ride away and very, very interesting to visit. There are many pueblas located around the lake as well as a huge market in Chichicastenango. There are so many activities for you to enjoy. There are many travel kiosks in town that will arrange transportation to special towns, events, etc. for a very reasonable rate. We travelled to Tikal, one of the earliest Mayan cities in northern Guatemala for three days. You can arrange your days at the school to give you a three or four day weekend to travel. We took two days and travelled to the Guatemalan coast to see las playas (beaches).

    Don't hesitate to email the school and ask questions, they are very helpful. Internet service is everywhere in Antigua. Regarding the weather, we can only talk of November as that is when we have travelled to Antigua last year and this year. It was lovely, much like our early summer in SW ON. We are beginning a winter stay in Mexico and for us, Antigua, Guatemala has been perfect each November for the first month of our winter stay. We have spoken to other students studying at the school for two weeks all the way to six months, some alone and others in groups and all reports are so positive. It is definitely your choice how long you wish to study.

    All the best....and enjoy your stay in Antigua. You will love it!!!!

  362. Alex Harding:

    I have spent the best three months that money can buy here in Antigua Guatemala. The professional manner in which this school operates and the value that you receive is indescribable. My Spanish teacher, Lety Socorec is surprisingly well versed in teaching methods and was very flexible but demanding. The experience was as much about learning the culture and friendly nature of Guatemala as it was about language. The school provides tours 3 tours a week. These tours are free and complete professionally presented. The administrators of the school (Julio Jr.) is very accommodating to insure the best possible experience. I travel for a living and this school, the city, and the teachers have been the best experience that I have had in my career in International Studies. The family that I was paced with (the Sactic Family) created the friendliest and accommodating environment I have ever experienced. The food and hospitality was of better quality than most 5 star resorts that I have stayed in over the past twenty years of travel. The simple accommodations of a homestay is far overshadowed by the warmth of this family. The teacher (Lety Socorec) was incredible in that she was very understanding and tailored lessons around my needs instead of expecting me to accommodate her lesson plans (and she was very structured). The value that this school provides extends far past the act of learning Spanish. The cultural immersion, the incredible activities, and the surrounding attractions combined are far superior to any other locale that I have visited. I recommend this experience to any person who enjoys travel (not just for students). Also, the coffee here is second to none. The museums and ruins are recommended by the United Nations also you can watch a volcano erupt every night (the only location that I have ever experienced so put it on your bucket list). Simply put, this is an experience of a lifetime.

  363. Eri Uchimura:

    I studied with the school for 2 weeks in March 2015. My teacher was Maribel Ramos and she was extremely helpful. She spoke very good English, so we didn't have to spend too much time to look up dictionary. She prepared study materials often aside the official text book, which helped my study a lot. Since it was the Semana Santa week, she invited me to her church to see how local people make alfombra. It was really nice cultural experience for me. Throughout my lesson with her, she was always encouraging and professional. I would request her if I study there again for sure.
    The school helped me a lot for the accommodation. Even though I had some issues with the first place, they smoothly replaced me to another place that I loved. I really appreciate that they allowed me to stay at the same home stay family during the Semana Santa even though I was not taking any Spanish classes since it would've been quite difficult to book a reasonable place in Antigua during the week due to so many tourists coming from outside. Moreover, they kindly allowed my friend to stay in the same house while she was there with me. Thank you so much! I liked the school activities too. One thing I want to suggest is to create better environment to mingle with other students. It was a bit difficult for me to make friends at the school since everyone was taking one-to-one lesson. But overall, I was totally satisfied by my experience there! Muchisimas gracias!

  364. Mare de Wet:

    My partner and I studied Spanish with this school for three weeks and loved every second of the experience. Our teacher, Lucia, was fantastic. She made the language come alive and engaged us with interesting conversations and fun games. We were amazed at how much Spanish we could actually speak after three weeks! Lucia focused on teaching us to speak in context rather than on regurgitating memorised phrases. Our homestay family was also great and overall I would give the experience a big thumbs-up.

  365. david ptak:

    Antiguena Spanish Academy has been a great experience. I spent about a month with a one on one instructor named Carmen. She was not only a great teacher but a joy to be around. I learned much more than I expected in such a short time. I loved the relaxed atmosphere while being sharply focused on building language skills with each session. After looking at all the schools in Antigua, I found Antiguena Spanish Academy to be the best value for the money by far. I highly recommend this school.

    Thanks,
    Dave
    San Diego, USA

  366. Jolie Huang:

    it's definately an awesome experience in Antigua!
    thanks for my teacher Rosario,she is very professional and always patient with me.even i was very slow in speaking spanish.she was also very good at getting you to talk withot pressure. Except spanish class,she also share abt the information of Antigua.like recomending where is the best coffee or nice restaurants here!
    Hopefully will be able to return to study ~

  367. Carol Alexander:

    Our family spent two weeks at the Antiguena Academy during Spring Break and had a great experience. We enjoyed living with Alina, who was provided by the Academy.
    I have a master's degree in Spanish, but completed it in the 1980s and don't speak Spanish much, so the practice was helpful especially with grammar. My husband is a beginner and he, also, benefited from the classes. We took our children who are six and eight who thoroughly enjoyed the trip.
    We had a great experience and I recommend the school highly. Antigua is a charming city, the people are quite personable and it is easy to navigate walking. If you have any questions, I'll be glad to assist.

  368. Charlotte Oppenheim:

    I had such a wonderful time at Antigua Spanish Academy. The classes were not what I expected - they were fun, interesting, collaborative and held in a beautiful garden! My teacher, Alejandro, helped me build up my Spanish grammar and vocabulary, knowledge of Guatemala and most importantly my abilities speaking Spanish. I had one week of classes and even in that short time I felt there was a huge improvement. I'm so thankful to Alejandro for the wonderful week I spent in Antigua, he was a fantastic, kind and very interesting teacher, and I loved spending time in the magical town of Antigua, always surrounded by history, incredible food, mountains and gardens. Ah! I wish I could go back and spend more time there!

  369. Celena Olivar:

    I had the pleasure of having Lily García as my teacher for two weeks when I studied in Antigua, and it was an incredible learning experience. She became more than a teacher, she also became a friend. I was fairly advanced in Spanish, however, I had many difficulties with the grammar and the tenses. In the short time I spent with Lily she helped me tremendously improve my grammar. My friend and I shared Lily as our teacher and she knew how to adapt to our various needs. Lily knew we were very interested in culture, history, and politics so she would find ways to integrate these topics into our lesson plans. She also knew we were interested in learning more about the city so she would take us on "field-trips" to learn more about Antigua from an inside perspective. I highly recommend Lily to anyone at any level of Spanish. She genuinely cared about us and our improvement. Lily also created a very comfortable environment so we felt confident in expressing ourselves and asking questions. My conversational skills improved dramatically through the talks I would have with her. I left Guatemala not only with a greater knowledge of Spanish, but also with a new friend.

  370. Sam Adams:

    Mi mejor semana.
    Estoy muy contento con mis clases, estudio una semana (5 horas)
    todo fue muy bueno, Julio pequeño (Julito) es muy amable y ayuda cuando yo necesito.
    Mi maestro Alejandro fue excelente, disfruto mucho las actividades, hablo mucho y practico, una semana con mucho español, la clase está dinámica y aprendo mucho más en una semana, que en meses de la Universidad, si tú vienes aquí vas a aprender mucho mucho. Una muy buena experiencia. 100% bueno

  371. Juliana Lockwood:

    I never thought that I would go to Guatemala, however I went for 3 weeks out of the blue and the city of Antigua surpassed my expectations.

    Nunca pensé que iba a ir a Guatemala y fui por tres semanas y la ciudad de Antigua superó mis expectaciones.

    Teacher/Maestra: Lily García
    Lily was the best teacher in the world! I shared maestra Lily with a friend at my same level and Lily always shared the time between us two, asking what we want to cover because we came with some knowledge of the Spanish language since we studied Spanish in undergrad. When my friend left, I had one-on-one Spanish classes with Lily where I could perfect my conversation skills. In summary, we covered information that we still didn't understand well, but we also learned about the history and culture of Guatemala. We went over tenses, new vocabulary, new verbs, phrases and Guatemala sayings and slang words all while doing fun activities. We had plenty of Spanish conversation. I hope I can return one day and take more classes.

    ¡La mejor profesora en el mundo! Compartí maestra Lily con una amiga en mi misma nivel y Lily siempre compartía su tiempo entre nosotras dos, preguntando que queremos cubrir porque fuimos con un poco sabiduría del lengua español porque estudiamos español en nuestra Universidad. Cuando mi amiga salió, estaba estudiando sola, una a una con Lily. En resumen, cubrimos la información que aún no entendimos bien, pero también aprendimos sobre la historia y cultura de Guatemala. Cubrimos tiempos, vocabulario nuevo, verbos nuevos, frases y dichos de Guatemala y lengua de la calle mientras hacienda actividades divertidos. Conversamos mucho. Ojalá que puedo regresar un día.

    School/Escuela:
    The school offered wonderful evening activities, although at times they got a little repetitive.

    La esculea ofrece buenas actividades en la tarde, aunque a veces eran un poco repetivas.

    Homestay: Vicky y Walter
    I loved mi host family! They were extremely loving and accepted me as part of the family. I had a lot of freedom however when I was sick they were there to help me. If I ever return to study, I hope to stay with the same family.

    ¡Me encantó mi familia! Eran muy amorosas y me aceptaron como parte de la familia. Tuve mucha libertad aunque cuando estaba enferma, la familia estaba allí para ayudarme. Si regreso a estudiar más, ojalá que puedo quedarme con la misma familia.