Best Spanish schools in San Sebastian by category - student age group, value for money
San Sebastian's language schools ranking
San Sebastian ratings & opinions
How our students rated their experience in San Sebastian
What our students said about San Sebastian
The city is simply gorgeous! Nestled in a mountain landscape, with three beaches right in the centre. The sea offers many activities such as surfing, kayaking, stand-up paddling or swimming. The nightlife was also great, there are lots of young people and there's actually something going on every night, especially on Friday and Saturday, of course. The prices for beer and wine seemed very reasonable to me (about 1€ for a glass of beer, 1.50€ for a glass of wine), but you had to pay more for food. Overall, the locals made a very open and warm-hearted impression on me, and it was fun to talk to them once a week at the "intercambio de las lenguas".
Germany
My favourite city in Spain! It is easily walkable to the main areas, 3 beaches all walkable from each other, in summer was nice temperatures, not too hot most days but still warm enough to want to swim at the beaches (both surf and calm bay beach) (though it rained for about a week out of the 4 weeks I was there), lots of bars, beautiful city and cool old town too. Some great day trips too to France (Biarritz, San Jean de Luz, Bayonne) and along the basque country coastline. mountains nearby. Loved it!
Spain
We had heavy rain every day. We could see the potential of the city, which is beautiful in parts but walking outside we got soaked all the time ..even with umbrellas. Very unpleasant weather and although we were very unlucky I would never again visit this part of northern Spain in November.
Netherlands
It’s quite a rainy city but a good size. I found a jazz club and three bars with open mike sessions to play in and a guitar school which were all within walking distance.
Australia
Beautiful landscapes! Unfortunately, there was little on offer for vegans and I was stared at a lot because of my somewhat funky hairstyle (very conservative?).
Austria
Great town with lots of leisure activities: Ideal for surfing, hiking, cycling; Perfect location for day trips also to France; Clean and safe city
Germany
It's a very pleasant, chic town with very good facilities! I tried out the cinema and the theatre (very affordable prices). I love this town
Germany
What's up with the restaurant waiters? They are very rude and the service is usually quite slow and bad. :) Everybody else was very friendly.
Finland
Completely amazed us!!! Didn’t run out of things to explore in the 3 weeks we were there.
Felt safe as a solo female traveler, loved the proximity to the beach and the mountains.
Canada
Really great city. A good size with friendly locals and really great food and culture.
Ireland
a city with high living/leisure value and not overrun by tourists at this time of year
Germany
Great city. Safe, easy to navigate. Friendly locals. Great bus transport system.
Australia
I love the city. In September 2019 the weather was perfect.
Poland
I would definitely recommend San Sebastián to others.
Nice small city, more attractive thanks to the ocean.
France
I would like to visit again. Such a nice experience
Luxembourg
Very nice attractive city and good shopping.
France
What school directors said about San Sebastian
Urban beaches, spectacular hills surroundings, cultural tradition (Basque culture) and long tradition gastronomy. Safe city and all in a walking distance.
Most recent student reviews of language schools in San Sebastian
Quality of teaching. Consistent high energy and great balance between focus areas (e.g. listening, conversation, grammar etc) and methods (role play, games, memory quizzes etc).
All around amazing experience. Wish I could have stayed longer.
14 November 2023
Course: Intensive Course - 3 weeks
Student age: 67 years
Very helpful and well organised
Like to learn more about typical Basque and Spanish customs and traditions (food, celebrations, life, etc.), like to take short out-of-town tours to neighbouring towns or districts.
18 September 2023
Course: Intensive Course - 2 weeks
Student age: 46 years
Very well organised, very sympathetic and helpful staff, from the director to the secretariat to the teachers
13 September 2023
Course: Intensive Course - 1 week
Student age: 64 years
The teaching method and the openhandedness of the teachers
I plan to be a student at El Aula Azul next year
11 September 2023
Course: Intensive Course - 1 week
Student age: 60 years
I was there for 4 weeks and really loved my experience at Aula Azul and would definitely recommend it to others. All the teachers were fantastic and staff were super lovely. Lessons were fun and interesting and covered a range of themed topics, vocabulary, grammar and I learned a lot and got lots of speaking practise in the classes which I liked. I also recommend the private classes too as it's good to work on specific things you need more practise with and get more one on one support and speaking practice. They organised lots of activities; Sidraria in the old town, Queseria visit in the country, pinxos, language exchanges while I was there in August so it was great to meet other students and I met lots of really nice and interesting people from around the world of all ages. I wasn't sure if there would be other 30-somethings there but was presently surprised by how many were there at the same time so that was a nice surprise too. Location was amazing, very central and a couple minutes walk to the main beach. Perfect for an after class dip. They even gave me the opportunity to do an exam in the middle of my course to test my level across different areas and get feedback on the things I could improve which was very helpful.
7 September 2023
Course: Intensive Course - 4 weeks
Student age: 32 years
The teachers were very competent and enthusiastic, and taught very well.
Maybe more books in the library!
21 August 2023
Course: Intensive Course 20 - 6 weeks
Student age: 66 years
Loved the teachers and teaching, location of the school was awesome, many classmates also paired their classes with surf in the afternoon and it seemed like an awesome time! Also recommend the private classes, they’re like a conversation that evolves with your level, although they are, of course, pretty tiring for the brain.
15 August 2023
Course: Intensive Course - 1 week
Student age: 27 years
Friendliness, quality of teaching, social contacts
18 July 2023
Course: Intensive Course - 1 week
Student age: 63 years
Great supportive and professional staff
Great school. Great friendly staff
20 June 2023
Course: Intensive Course 30 - 2 weeks
Student age: 61 years
Very friendly and competent teachers and organisation, small learning groups, good range of activities and networking opportunities with other students and locals.
20 June 2023
Course: Intensive Course - 2 weeks
Student age: 54 years
The teachers and staff were welcoming and friendly. The teachers were professional and the content appropriate. The location of the school was perfect.
16 May 2023
Course: Intensive Course - 1 week
Student age: 57 years
The teachers are friendly and excellent
11 April 2023
Course: Intensive Course - 1 week
Student age: 66 years
Teachers were attentive, the reception was great, and the methods were diversified.
20 February 2023
Course: Intensive Course - 2 weeks
Student age: 66 years
The welcome, the dynamism and the professionalism of the teachers.
22 August 2022
Course: Intensive Course 20 - 6 weeks
Student age: 65 years
Super small group and homogeneous in age
22 June 2022
Course: Intensive Course - 2 weeks
Student age: 63 years
The teachers respond to the students individually and the subject matter is interesting.
7 December 2021
Course: Intensive Course - 5 weeks
Student age: 23 years
I like the friendly atmosphere and nice teachers.
11 November 2019
Course: Intensive Course 20 - 1 week
Student age: 56 years
Good teachers. Lots of interaction.
Friendly people and great location.
26 June 2019
Course: Intensive Course - 2 weeks
Student age: 50 years
The overall feeling of home was good. The teachers were also polite.
Both teachers and staff were kind.
1 December 2018
Course: Intensive Course - 1 week
Student age: 47 years
The instructors.
The overall environment is very comfortable.
5 November 2018
Course: Intensive Course 20 - 4 weeks
Student age: 41 years
Information about San Sebastian
Key Facts about San Sebastian
- Big Mac price (Spain average):
4.39 € (7% cheaper than in USA)
- Residential voltage: 230 V
- Frequency: 50 Hz
Weather in San Sebastian
Events in San Sebastian
12 April 2024 - 19 April 2024This thought-provoking and inspiring event brings together film-makers, activists, and audiences from around the world to celebrate and advocate for human rights through the power of cinema.
23 June 2024 - 24 June 2024San Juan is a Spanish tradition rooted in welcoming the arrival of summer. Families and friends gather on the beaches and in the streets to enjoy bonfires, fireworks, and Basque cuisine.
23 July 2024 - 28 July 2024Known as Jazzaldia, this is Spain's first and foremost jazz festival and they always have a fabulous roster of both international and national artists. It includes free and paid events, there are indoor and outdoor stages presenting a wide variety of musical styles.
10 August 2024 - 17 August 2024Every summer, during the middle of August, San Sebastián celebrates its "Big Week" with nightly firework displays, concerts, travelling musicians, children's games and attractions, and much more!
What to do in San Sebastian
Arrival airports
Public transportation to city center:
Every 60 minutes, 75 minutes.
Main stops: Airport Loiu Bilbao, San Sebastián
Taxi: 20 minutes drive to city center of San Sebastian
Public transportation to city center:
Every 30 minutes, 25 minutes.
Main stops: San Sebastián Airport EAS - Irún, Gros - San Sebastián
Every 5 minutes, 70 minutes.
Main stops: Biarritz Aéroport, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Hendaye, San Sebastián
Taxi: 60 minutes drive to city center of San Sebastian
Public transportation to city center:
Taxi: 75 minutes drive to city center of San Sebastian
Q&A - Questions and answers about San Sebastian
- Is there a metro in San Sebastián?“Yes, there is a relatively modern metro called "TOPO" in San Sebastián with 2 lines, 21 stops and a route length of 29.8 KM.”Martin Zakostelecky, LanguageCourse.Net - Apr 13, 2023My son and a friend would like to obtain a DELE A2 certificate. They have no knowledge of the Spanish language yet. What does the learning path look like for them?“It is important that they build basic knowledge in general Spanish courses before they can start the DELE exam preparation. The minimum level for which a DELE exam can be taken is A2. For this level you must have followed intensive Spanish lessons for about 3 months.
A DELE exam preparation course is usually around 4 weeks. So they could do the following to get DELE A2:
- 2 months Intensive Course 20 (on its own or combined with private lessons for faster progress, conversation, surfing, etc.)
- 1 month Intensive Course 20 + DELE private lessons exam preparation.”Robin R. Pietersma, LanguageCourse.Net - May 04, 2022FAQ about schools in San Sebastian
- Can the DELE course (Intensive 20 + DELE private lessons) be combined with surfing?“Unfortunately not. The individual DELE lessons and the surf course take place at the same time (around 15:00 in the afternoon). The school can maybe recommend to you a surfing school who can give classes to you later in the day, or in the weekend.”Robin R. Pietersma, Dutch Consultant from LanguageCourse.Net - May 04, 2022Didn't find what you are looking for?Interested in a specific type of course? See our reviews of Spanish courses & camps for teenager and children in San Sebastian or other 23 different Spanish course types in San Sebastian.Interested in language travel to other cities? Have a look at Spanish language schools in other cities in Spain such as Alcala de Henares, Alicante, Almeria, Almuñécar, Barbate (Cadiz) ..., Barcelona, Bilbao, Cadiz, Castelldefels, Conil de la Frontera, Denia, Dosrius (Barcelona), El Médano (Tenerife), El Puerto de Santa María, Elche, Gijón, Girona, Granada, Ibiza, Jaén, Jerez de la Frontera, Lanzarote, Las Palmas, Leon, Logroño, Madrid, Mahón (Menorca), Malaga, Marbella, Murcia, Nerja, Palma de Mallorca, Pamplona, Platja d'Aro (Costa Brava), Prado del Rey, Puzol (Valencia), Salamanca, San Pedro de Alcántara, Santander, Santiago de Compostela, Sevilla, Soria, Tarragona, Tenerife, Valencia, Vejer de la Frontera, Vigo, Zaragoza or see our list of all schools in Spain. You may also want to consult options outside Spain for learning Spanish.Show more