VEJER DE LA FRONTERA

Vejer de la Frontera is located in southern Spain near the larger city of Cádiz. It is a small village of 14,000 inhabitants and is a perfect setting if you want a small, intimate atmosphere in which to learn and practice your Spanish.

The village is located on high hills overlooking the Costa de la Luz. The first thing you can do upon arriving in Vejer is wander through the maze of narrow streets and squares of the old medieval town, enclosed by walls built by the Arabs in the 11th century. You can go for a horseback ride in the surrounding area where you will see the Santa Lucía Roman aqueduct, the fighting bulls on local ranches or windmills which in the past were used to grind wheat or produce olive oil. You can ride a shuttle bus down the hill and take a walk along one of the wide beaches near Vejer. El Palmar Beach, well preserved because the authorities allow no construction nearby, is free from crowds and ideal for relaxing or surfing.

Caños de Meca Beach, full of life and fun, has more visitors. Its small cove is a great place for windsurfing. Seaside you will also find Barbate Pine Forest, a natural reserve where you can rent a kayak. Other activities available are paragliding, snorkeling, scuba diving, windsurfing and hiking. It is easy to head for the mountains to Grazalema Nature Park or see the largest Mediterranean cork oak forest.

Vejer is an enjoyable place any time of the year. In winter there is a lively, popular carnival. On almost any given weekend in spring, a fair or pilgrimage is being celebrated in some town in southern Spain (the toro embolado, or bullfight where the bulls wear protective wooden balls on their horns is especially picturesque). In summer the town is full of fun and culture: a flamenco festival, exhibitions, concerts, and the August festivals. Autumn is mild and perfect for weekend outings.

CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

La Janda has prepared a wide range of activities to learn more about all aspects of Spanish life such as Spanish cooking, Spanish literature, the paintings of Velázquez, flamenco dancing and singing, leisure and sports, and the music of Manuel de Falla. You will broaden your cultural horizon as well as reinforce your knowledge of the language.

Activities include talks, lectures, a Spanish film series, and documentary videos on Spanish culture. Entrance tickets and transportation are not included. Weekend excursions are available at additional cost to nearby places such as Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Granada and others.

Example of a typical week of cultural program:

Monday:
- Film: "Todo sobre mi madre" de Pedro Almodóvar
- Sangría Welcome Party

Tuesday:
- Volleyball Match

Wednesday:
- Caños de Meca Beach
- Flamenco performance by dance and guitar teachers

Thursday:
- Visit to the Bodega of Vejer

Friday:
- El Palmar Beach, riding and canoeing
- Lecture: Federico García Lorca

follow us on twitter , youtube or facebook