Overnight Excursions (Fall and Spring only)
Two overnight excursions outside of Asturias are included in the Fall and Spring terms. The excursions destination are chosen on the basis of their appropriate
ness to the academic themes of the visiting faculty courses, if applicable, but also for their artistic, historical and general attractiveness to students. Travel logistics are also taken into account so that the group doesn’t spend more than 3-4 hours getting there. On occassions we have travelled further taking advantage of a long holiday weekend or when flying there is an affordable option.
The excursions are led and guided by Laura Barrientos, art historian and professor at ELE, and field staff. We always hold an excursion briefling to discuss safety and trip logistics followed by a presentation on the location and the sights that the group will visit. We use centrally located 3 star hotels which are equiped with in-room bathrooms, linens and towels. If possible, breakfast is usually included.
At least one group admission is scheduled each day and a local transportation pass is provided where necessary. Students like to enjoy some free time exploring on their own and we always try to respect this during our program excursions. With the briefing and the excursion handouts and maps student can make informed choices about how they want to dedicate their unscheduled time on the excursions.
Past excursion destinations have taken us to: Galicia (Santiago de Compostela & La Coruña), Santander & Pais Vasco (Bilbao & San Sebastian), Burgos & La Rioja, Salamanca, Toledo/Avila & Segovia, Barcelona, Extremadura (Caceres & Merida), and Sevilla.
In 2016-2017 we travelled to Sevilla and Salamanca in the Fall and Madrid/Toledo and Salamanca in the Spring. Overnight Excursions for the 2017-2018 academic year are still in the planning stage.