Wilmington Friends School Spain 2026
June 10, 2026
We started our travels at the airport at 1:30 on Tuesday, and ended them around 2 on Wednesday; around 24 hours! This travel turned into a very long complicated process. We made it to Frankfurt, Germany for our layover and had to go through a long boarder control line and security, this caused us to have to run to our gate just so we don’t miss the flight. Luckily we all made it on the plane and to Madrid but the madness doesn’t stop there. We are waiting for our bags at the carousels and learn that not all of the bags made it to the plane and are still in Frankfurt. This caused a bunch of confusion and worry amongst everyone. Thankfully, all of the luggage was sent over and will be arriving tomorrow! Such an exciting way to start this amazing trip!
Today we had lunch at La Barca del Patio where we were served bread with olive oil to start. We then had a variety of options including gazpacho, paella, spaghetti, potatoes, chicken, squid, and other dishes. The food was delicious, and everyone enjoyed trying different Spanish foods. It left us feeling full and ready for the rest of the day’s activities.
For dinner, we went to Cañas y Tapas, a tapas restaurant. We shared a variety of small plates, including potato bites, tomato salad, calamari, charcuterie boards, and more. It was a great way to experience Spanish cuisine, and everyone had the chance to try something new. Overall, the food today was excellent, and we all enjoyed our meals.
This afternoon after we had eaten lunch, we began walking towards the park. In the park we took pictures and played a few games, then our tour guides demonstrated the
core values to the program. We had a nice time bonding with each other and walking around the town at sunset.
By Sylvia, Zoe y Liza
June 11, 2026
In the morning, after breakfast we met our tour guide Sebastian who took us on a tour of the city. First we went to El Plaza de Sol, where we learnt about the history of El Casa de Correos. Then we went to Plaza Mayor, where we learned about how the houses owned by the royal family were the only ones originally constructed out of stone. Then, we learned about the oldest running restaurant in Spain, called Sobrino de Botin. We then went to the palace, where we learned about the history of the royal family as well as how the palace burnt down.
After our tour, we came back for siesta time, which we could use to nap, change clothes, talk to friends, or just relax. Then, we went to the National Modern Art Museum Reina Sofía. We met our tour guide, Marta, and she showed us pieces from the early 20th century. We saw art from artists such as Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí. After our visit, we checked out the museum store, where we saw unique gifts resembling the museum’s artwork.
We ate dinner at a Tapas place where the group was separated into two and the two groups ate all together at a large table that fits everyone. We shared stories and talked about school and any ideas that came to mind while sharing a variety of foods. Such as tortillas, (egg and potato omlets), carne, champiñones, and more. After dinner we walked back to the hotel and all participated in a group discussion about our day with students leading the discussion, sharing, making jokes, and expressing their thoughts and ideas.
By Sebastian, Nya y Sofia
June 12, 2026
Pasamos un buen tiempo hoy, y la dia empieza muy temprano. We started our day off right at 5:00 AM (11:00 PM EST) to leave our hotel and get on a train to Granada. In the bus to the train station, we learned about “la madruga” which is the morning from 2:00 AM to 6:00, and when you wake up early in Spain, estás madrugando. Once we were on the train, we all enjoyed some time for relaxing. Whether we were listening to music while watching the countryside full of olive trees pass by us, played card games, read a book, or talked with our friends, the train was a welcome rest among the walking.
After we arrived in Granada and put our luggage in the hotel, we went to a market in order to pick out food for our picnic. We were split into five groups of five people. Each group had to find a different type of food for our picnic such as meats, fruits, cheese, bread, and water. Each given 50 euros to decide what food we ordered. Once everything was purchased we went to a park and ate all the different kinds of foods together.
After we toured the university of Granada our group walked around the cathedral of Granada. Then we went to a kind of market which had very narrow alleys and many small shops. Next we walked to a restaurant for dinner which had people order savory crepe of spaghetti bolognese. After this amazing meal we stopped at an ice cream shop where we each got cups and cones of unique flavors to end our night.
Blog de Micah, Matthew y Michael
June 13, 2026
This morning we went to the Alhambra. We started off by meeting our tour guide Hamdy outside where he gave us a brief overview of the history and layout of the palaces. We then entered and strolled through a beautiful garden stopping to take pictures along the way. Afterwards we saw the summer house on the property. Then we visited the three palaces that are still standing. The first was for administrative purposes, the second for political gatherings, and the last was where the royal family lived. All throughout the tour we learned the influence Muslim and Jewish culture and languages had on that of Spain.
The Flamenco class took place in a restaurant that held Flamenco shows. One of the performers for that night taught us some basic dance moves used in Flamenco and Tango dances. After we learned some basic steps we learned a short choreography and had a competition to see who could perform it better. The group split into 2 and took turns either keeping the beat or dancing. Afterwards we hiked up a small hill and played some games before we went back to the restaurant to watch the Flamenco show.
After learning the basics of flamenco, we all sat down to watch a performance. Flamenco combines elements of tap dancing, guitar playing and clapping. The dancers wear tap dancing shoes and long flowing dresses. Their dancing includes many hand and wrist movements that match their footwork and the music.
The show started with a solo guitarist playing beautifully and making it sound like he was playing two guitars instead of one. After he performed a song, the dancers and singer came out. There were three dancers, one male and two female, and one singer. The singer sang the lyrics while the guitarist played along and added musical touches to support the dancers.
The dancers performed one at a time with the women wearing long flowing dresses and the man dressed in a nice button-down shirt. The music captured the audience’s attention and the dancers impressed everyone watching. Altogether, they gave an elegant and memorable performance.
By: Lindsey, Lev y Levi!
June 14, 2026
Today on the Spain Program trip, students left Granada to visit Dílar. Breakfast was at the Occidental Granada hotel and the group left at 9am for the 30 minute drive to Dílar. We visited a local farm in Dílar and did actives for students to learn about farm work. One of the activities was raking pebbles from a pile in order to create a pathway to the river. Shovels and rakes were used to do this process.
We went to a farm today, and at the farm, we picked some of the best cherries, and that was really fun and we ate a lot of them. Along with the cherries picking, we also pulled plants out of the ground to help with the chicken coop, which was really fun and showed us how much work having chickens can be. These activities taught us to have more fun with helping others and your surroundings. And lastly, we made homemade pizzas with custom toppings and they were some of the best pizzas we have ever had.
We got back to the hotel after working on the farm and took a nice rest from being outside. After our siesta, we put on our sunscreen and bug spray and got ready to go on a hike. We took a trail out of Dílar and followed an old Roman acududct that followed the trail. The hike was beautiful, we walked though the trees and on a dirt path and saw amazing views of the mountains and of olive farms. For the hike, we also met up with 2 locals, Pablo and Juan. Pablo was a student at the local school and fit in great with a bunch of the group. After the hike, we walked a bit more through Dílar back to the hotel for dinner. After dinner we had a group meeting and went off to our rooms for showers and bed. Today was a lot of fun and I loved being outside so much.
By: Juliet, Kate, Kylie
June 15, 2026
In the morning, we met up for breakfast form 8:30-9:30 and had a slower start to our mornings then usual. After everyone had eaten or slept in we gathered in the lobby and discussed our plans for today. Since we were going to school and teaching the kids we were put into small group of either 4-5 students and began creating a plan for each classroom. After around 20 minutes everyone had their plan we went for a walk before going to meet the kids and teach them so fun English games and vocab.
In the late morning and afternoon, we went to a school here in Dílar that was right around the corner from our hotel. The school taught children from pre-k up to 6th grade. In our groups, we used the lessons plans we had arranged to teach the students English and we helped them apply it by talking with them and playing games with them! We got 10 minutes with each grade, 1-6, and through our activities, the kids got to practice English, while we got to practice Spanish. We gained friendships and learned many new things!
After siesta time, we went to the Dilar library. At the library, we crocheted purple bracelets, which represented resistance against domestic violence. In addition, we also watched part of the World Cup and got to cheer for Spain. Then, we played soccer with students we had met from the teaching activity. All in all, it was a great day and everyone had a lot of fun.
By: Jackson, Juli, and Juliet
June 16, 2026
For today, the group went to the Cueva de Nerja and listened to an audio guided tour of the deep history and science of the creation, duration, and anthropology of the cave. The cave features the world’s largest stalagmite and ancient cave paintings. Afterwards, the group went to a virtual realty experience where students saw and heard the complex science and history that makes up the cave; in particular being the formation of the cave and the human record left inside. After the virtual reality, the group went to the beach.
Today we went kayaking in the ocean. The waves made it more exciting than kayaking on a lake or pond and the beautiful views were the cherry on top. During our kayak adventure we got to see waterfalls and awesome cliff sides. Overall it was an awesome and unforgettable experience.
After finishing up kayaking and playing in the water we dried off and went into town. In town we walked to an outlook spot where we could see the ocean for miles as well as cool cliffs and towns along the coastline. After taking some photos we got to break into groups of three or more and visit many local shops along the street. There were souvenir shops, jewelry stores, clothing, gelato, and many other cool places. In one shop there were handmade local stain glass lamps which were very intricate and a beautiful display of Spanish culture and also neat craftsmanship. After we finished shopping we gathered back at the outlook and headed for the bus back to Granada where we are now.
By: Evelyn, Henrick, Henry
June 17, 2026
Today was another great day in España, and the highlight of the day was visiting Ramon y Cajal school. After a short walk to the local school, we spent a few hours touring and talking with students in both Spanish and English. Afterwards, we explored the city and ate tapas, ice cream, and went shopping. It was so interesting to learn about the differences between Spanish culture for teenagers and our American culture, and how that shapes every day life dynamics. The students were really welcoming and everyone appreciated how understanding they were to us with trying to communicate in a foreign language. I even got to meet my long-time pen pal, Santiago.
In the afternoon we ate tapas with some local high schoolers and then walked around the city and shopped for souvenirs. Later, we had either pizza or McDonald’s for dinner and ate at a park overshadowed by the Alhambra.
By: decker & Edwin
June 18, 2026
The day started pretty early. We have to be up and out and ready to leave by 7 AM which was very very early because we got to bed very late last night at like around 11. we had a very quick breakfast and we’re on the bus by like 7:15 and we were all ready for our two hour bus ride. Most of us slept on the bus by a few people stayed up and chatted. I personally slept and got some great sleep. After around like an hour and a half of driving in the bus, we got off to look at a cathedral and the cathedral is originally built by Muslims. I’m pretty sure and and is now used as like a cathedral for Catholicism that was a very large part of our day. I felt like because it was so big and there’s so much stuff to see in the architecture. There was really different than what I’m used to in the western world. My group looked at pretty much everything that was to see, and after we went and saw everything there was food that was really really good. I had a nice juicy steak with some rice cause I can eat eggs and then we got back onto the bus for another two hours and I slept the entire way and got to our hotel and we saw the real betis stadium which is a soccer stadium that was really cool and Seville.
By: Ben
Today we arrived in Sevilla in the afternoon, after putting our luggage away and a short break, we went out to a local park. At the park we saw there was a giant music festival happening. We were playing soccer for about an hour then we went and got dinner. Dinner was very yummy. After dinner, we went and got ice cream on the way back to the hotel. I had a very good day and I rate it a 10/10.
By: Asher
June 19, 2026
Today we explored the Mercado de Triana and learned about the cuisine and food traditions of Sevilla. We then attended a cooking class where we learned how to make gazpacho and paella, including the ingredients and techniques needed for each dish. We got to participate in preparing both meals, practiced new cooking skills, and enjoyed the delicious gazpacho and paella for lunch. It was a fun and memorable way to experience Spanish culture!
After the cooking class we walked home and had a long siesta time. We then got ready to walk to a cathedral and climbed to the top to see the city from above. After that, we walked to the Setas which are big mushroom shaped structures which happen to be largest standing wooden structures.
For dinner, we went to a small place close to la setas ( the mushrooms). This dinner had a variety of food, salad, steak, hamburgers, chicken nuggets and even Carrilleras (slow cooked pork cheeks)!
By: Sylvia, Liza, Zoe
