GAP YEAR / SEMESTER & ROWING

As one of the oldest towns in Spain you'll find history around every corner in Ronda. There are traces of Ronda's origins from the Neolithic age, through the era of the Romans, the Arab age and the conquest of the ancient city by the Catholic Monarchs in 1485 through to the 19th century when Ronda was best known for the banditry in the surrounding hills and the origins of bullfighting in the Ronda bullring which still stands.

Aracena is a small town located in the province of Huelva. The historic quarter, declared a Cultural Object, and the "Gruta de las Maravillas" are the main attractions.

The "Gruta de las Maravillas", with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites, which at 1,500 metres is one of the longest caves in Spain. Inside the "Gruta" we find twelve halls and six lakes.

In Roman times, Córdoba had more cultural buildings than Rome. It was the capital of the province of Hispania Baetica. Remains of the Roman Temple built by Claudius Marcellus, the Roman Bridge and other Roman remains can still be seen around the city.

Córdoba was conquered by the Moors in 711, and Moorish influence can still be felt in the city. 

The most important monument in the city is the former Mosque (the 3rd largest mosque in the world).

Located in the most Southern point of Spain, the rock of Gibraltar occupies a strategic position at the eastern entrance to the narrow straight and guards the only exit from the Mediterranean to the wide ocean beyond. Gibraltar has been in the historical limelight for over 3,000 years.

It was during the capture of Gibraltar by the Castillians (1309-1333) that the streets of the lower town were constructed and Gibraltar became a substancial city.

Gibraltar became a British garrison in 1830 (During the War of the Spanish Succession) and was declared a colony. Since then Britain and Spain have have had many disputes over the territory.

Among its many tourist attractions one of the main ones is to visit the monkeys on the rock. Nobody knows how the famous tailless Macaques came to be on the Rock.

Itálica

Founded by General Publius Cornelius Scipio (he was later known as Scipio Africanus) in 206 BC next to a Turdentian settlement, 7 kilometers from Seville, It demonstrates wonderful examples of Roman architecture, mosaic work and city layouts. Italica was one of the first Roman towns in Spain. 

Archeological Museum

One of the best museums of its kind in Spain, originally built as part of the 1929 exhibition. The focus is on the Romans, but there is also a prehistorical section which includes the Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age. Later, the Phoenicians, the Greeks and the Carthaginians all traded and settled in what is now the province of Seville.

Spend the day in a unique town where we will take you to the one of the most famous wineries we have in Spain, González Byass. Learn the process of how they make sherry wine and its history.

González Byass is one of Spain's most well-known sherry bodega. Its origins can be traced to 1835 when the business was started by Manuel María González Angel, who was subsequently joined by his English agent, Robert Blake Byass. The González family assumed sole control of the business in 1988. The firm produces the world known sherry Tío Pepe.

Not only was the Gonzalez family at the forefront of sherry winemaking, they’ve also participated in the introduction of the polo game in Spain, the first grass tennis court, the installation of the first electric lighting and running water in the plant, the first train project in Spain as well as numerous other industrial and cultural innovations.

Cádiz is the oldest continuously-inhabited city in Spain and one of the oldest in southwestern Europe. The “Tacita de Plata” was founded in 1100 B.C. by the Phoenicians, a seafaring people who turned Gadir into an important trading colony where the Carthaginians, the Romans, the Visigoths and the Muslims would all subsequently settle. An open, cosmopolitan city, it sport was chosen by Columbus as the point of departure for his second voyage to the New World. The city would then become, after the decline of Seville, the port to The Indies, drawing the flow of trade with the American Continent. This frantic commercial activity then brought about an era of economic, cultural splendour, when Baroque palaces with their characteristic towers offering amazing views were built.

Havana is Cadiz! A stroll along the Cadiz sea front, from La Caleta to the Campo del Sur, will remind the visitor of the image of the avenue the Malecón in Havana, as there are many similarities between Cadiz and Latin American cities, thanks to the constant flow of people travelling between Cadiz and the New World. The cathedral in Cadiz is a good example of this influence, as are several of the manor houses and the towers with their views which grew up in the midst of old Cadiz’s cityscape during the expansion into America.

In Morocco, we will be visiting the cities of Tangier, Asilah, and Chefchaouen.

Tangier is a city in northern Morocco. It lies on the North African coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean of Cape Spartel.

Asilah is a fortified town on the northwest tip of the Atlantic coast of Morocco. Its ramparts and gateworks remain fully intact. Its history dates back to 1500 B.C., when the Phoenicians used it as a base for trade. This town has been occupied since than by the Portuguese (1471), the Spaniards (1912), and now the Morrocans.

Chefchaouen is a city in northwest Morocco. It is the chief twon of the province of the same name, and is noted for its buildings in shades of blue. The city was founded in 1471, as a small fortress which still exists to this day, by Moorish exiles from Spain to fight the Portuguese invasions of northern Morocco. In 1920, the Spanish seized Chefchaouen. Spain returned the city after the independence of Morocco in 1956

Lagos is located in Southern Portugal in the region of Algarve and has some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe. This will be a great ooprtunitty to spend a relaxing weekend on the beach. The area offers many exciting activities such as surfing, biking, sailing, etc…