Valladolid
The City
Valladolid is an industrial city and it is a municipality in north-central Spain, It is the capital of the province of Valladolid and of the autonomous community of Castile and Leon, therefore is part of the historical region of Castile.
The city has still in its old quarter, a heritage of aristocratic houses and religious buildings. Among them, the unfinished Cathedral was commissioned by King Felipe II and designed by the architect Juan de Herrera in the 16th century. Their respective deaths left the church unfinished and its nave was not opened until 1668. Valladolid is historically a very important city. The events related to the city include the marriage of the Catholic Monarchs and the life and death of Christopher Columbus. It was also the residence of Miguel de Cervantes, creator of the immortal character Don Quixote, and also home to José Zorrilla, author of Don Juan Tenorio. But, above all, Valladolid has a linguistic heritage questioned by very few from the world of the arts.
Valladolid attracts both ardent students of the language and those who are beginning to learn the language, since the fame of the ‘good Spanish’ spoken by the local inhabitants is universally recognized.
How to get
The Airport of Villanubla (Valladolid) has daily flights to and from many countries and many cities, especially from Europe (Aeropuertos Españoles y Navegación Aérea). The airport of Villanubla is 12 km from Valladolid. Buses run to and from the bus station at Valladolid (www.linecar.es) and taxis are also available (the price is approximately 15 Euros). If you prefer, a person from Páramo, Academia de Español will be waiting for you at the airport to accompany you to your accommodation. This services costs 10 Euros.
Another option is to fly to the International Airport of Madrid-Barajas and then catch a train or bus to Valladolid. To get to the Chamartín Train Station or the Estación Sur Bus Station from the airport of Barajas, you can travel by bus, metros or taxi. Páramo, Academia de Español also offers a collection service at the airport of Madrid-Barajas. If you are interested in this service, please check with the school office for availability and prices.
TRAIN
There are several daily trains from the Madrid-Chamartín Station to Valladolid. We recommend that you check the RENFE website for times and prices (www.renfe.es). If you let us know which train you are catching to get to Valladolid, a representative from Páramo, Academia de Español will meet you at the Valladolid-Campo Grande Station and accompany you to your host family’s home at no extra charge.
BUS
There is a frequent bus service between the Estación Sur Bus Station in Madrid and the Valladolid Bus Station. There is usually a bus every hour. The company running the service is called ALSA. You can check times and prices at www.alsa.es. If you telephone us beforehand to let us know what time you are due to arrive at Valladolid, a representative from Páramo, Academia de Español will meet you and accompany you to your host family’s home at no extra charge.
