TLDR? Our favorite language school is OLSA International!
Having a good time in Medellin is easy, having an amazing time means you need to speak the language. How else are you going to connect with the locals?
If you’ve already fallen in love with the city, or someone, and are planning to extend your stay in Medellin, that’s a good incentive to get yourself enrolled in an intensive, starters or refresher course to learn to speak Spanish like a paisa, as the locals like to call themselves.
So, what do you say, are you ready to give it a whirl? Here are the best places to learn Spanish in Medellin.
The pandemic was not kind to the best Spanish language schools in Medellin and many of the teachers took their classes online.
This will undoubtedly change as things get back to some sort of normal and visitors return as there’s no substitute for personal coaching.
Also learning a language in Colombia is a great way to meet fellow travelers and locals, and you can’t do that online.
As well as great language schools there are a host of language exchange evenings organized in the bigger hostels to encourage mingling with the local population.
OLSA International is a top-rated certified Spanish language academy in Medellin — according to Google Reviews. With short-term through long-term study options and a heavy focus on conversational Spanish, OLSA has a strong presence for its Spanish and English classes and courses in Medellin.
OLSA International is certified through the Ministry of Education of Colombia and is licensed to sponsor student visas. They have two campuses in Medellin (at El Poblado & Estadio neighborhoods) and offer free activity-based language exchanges every weeknight at their Café starting at 6 pm. These events are designed to help foreigners and locals connect and improve their language fluency in a safe environment. In addition, they offer local excursions and Latin dance packages.
OLSA International is the only certified Spanish academy in Medellin with a certified foundation: The OLSA Foundation. This foundation has two main projects, 1. Provide scholarships for locals living in estratos 1, 2, & 3 for conversational English classes with their native English teachers from North America, and 2. Create a K-11 entirely academic bilingual school to service the orphaned population in Medellin.
Website: https://www.olsainternational.edu.co/
Foundation website: olsafoundation.orgolsafoundation.org
El Poblado Campus: Cra. 43F #12-81, Medellín, Antioquia
Laureles Campus: Calle 49B #76ª-5, Medellín, Antioquia
One of the newer kids on the block is Elefun. The spot has a handy location right in the heart of Manila!
The school offers tons of great programs for learning Spanish, including:
What’s especially great about Elefun, however, is that they run regular excursions and activities. With them, you won’t just learn a new language. You’ll also meet new friends and experience Colombian cultural activities.
Website: https://elefun.info/
Manila Location: Cl 11A #43d-96, Medellín, Antioquia
Laureles Location: Cl 45F #70A – 48, Medellín, Antioquia
Blink is a pretty comprehensive language school, where you can get a ton of services in one. They offer tons of super-intensive packages that allow you to really learn a language.
What’s great about Blink is that they’re a lot more than a language school. They also offer dance classes that will give you a taste of the flavor of Colombia!
And, if you’re looking for a longer stay in the country, this is a good pick. Blink offers study programs that allow you to extend your visa and stay in the country for up to a year!
Website: https://blinkspanish.com/
Address: Cl. 12 ##43d-19, Medellín, Antioquia
Nueva Lengua’s standard course offers 25 hours per week. That course consists of 15 hours of group lessons, 2 hours of group coaching, 5 hours of cultural activities, and an hour of dance classes.
It also features a two-hour Colombian cooking class while the intensive course involves four hours of lessons a day from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm.
Address: Calle 12 #30-190, El Poblado, Las Lomas, Medellín
Website: Nueva Lengua
This school in Laureles offers unlimited one-on-one, in-person Spanish classes with professional teachers as well as free access to online classes.
Offering a monthly package of two hours a day and unlimited access to online classes monthly classes, BaseLang is one of the schools that still believes that classes in the real world (ITRW) are better for you.
Address: Cra. 77 #39-40, Laureles, Medellín
Website: Base Lang Spanish School
The Spanish as a Foreign Language Program at Universidad EAFIT in Medellin is one of the most comprehensive programs for learning Spanish in Medellin.
The leafy surrounds of the university, located by El Poblado metro station make for a pleasant environment to polish your Spanish speaking skills.
You can take hourly private lessons or go for group sessions of up to 10 people.
Address: Calle 5 Sur No. 43 C-80, Poblado, Medellín
Berlitz is a popular language school around the world, not just in Medellin. But, that certainly helps boost our confidence that you’re getting a great Spanish education. Plus, it’s right here in Poblado!
The Berlitz Method is unique. That’s because all your classes are always taught in the target language. Even if you’re just getting started with Spanish, you’ll spend the whole class speaking the language!
At Berlitz in Medellin, you can actually take other languages, too. So, if you’re interested in learning Italian, French, or some other language, this could be a good fit!
Better yet, Berlitz offers both virtual and in-person classes. You shouldn’t have any problem making a class fit your schedule!
Address: Carrera 43A N° 1 -71, Edificio Caja Social, Medellín, Antioquia
Website: https://www.berlitz.com/es-co
Another place located in the heart of Poblado is Valley Spanish school. This cute place is part tourist hotspot and part Spanish school, with a coffee shop even located on the first floor!
You can also enjoy homestays, dance lessons, tours, and volunteering opportunities with this school. In other words, it’s the perfect way to get fully immersed in the culture here in Medellín while learning a new language!
In terms of the courses, they’ve got:
There really is something for everyone, so speaking to one of the professors can help you get a feel for the best pick for you.
Address: Cra. 41a #10-4, El Poblado, Medellín, El Poblado, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
Website: https://valleyspanishschool.com/
The sad closure of some of the best Spanish language schools in Medellin has resulted in some of the best Spanish teachers in Medellin going online. There, they offer private lessons directly to their students.
You can book two of our favorite teachers, Violet Bernal, and Daniel Alvarez directly. They both offer one-on-one classes online or ITRW.
These are two teachers that go the extra mile. They make sure you not only get your grammar sorted but also start to understand some of the cultural aspects. They also know about the idiosyncrasies that make Medellin and Colombia so fascinating.
If you’re interested in taking classes from one of them, we’ve got you covered. You can reach out to one of Casacol’s team of talented concierges to make an introduction.
With this guide to where to learn to speak Spanish, you should be able to start speaking like a native in no time.
Just find your favorite school and start learning this beautiful language!
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