There are many reasons why Costa Rica is one of our favorite destinations, and at the top of the list is El Rancho, a prestigious language school that Prometour has an exclusive partnership with. Strategically located in La Guacima de Alajuela, the school has specialized in the education of Spanish as a second language since 1993. With an emphasis on the improvement of conversational skills of students, the teachers at El Rancho are also known for how well they reinforce grammatical knowledge and motivate the utilization of new vocabulary amongst their students.
Each course is designed to meet the specific needs of each student and includes either a homestay program or on-campus lodging, along with cultural activities such as Latino dancing, Costa Rican cooking classes, horseback riding, art workshops, ziplining, outdoor sports and so much more.
About Costa Rica
If you're a thrill-seeker or someone who loves nature, Costa Rica is the place for you. The country is known for its zip-lining tours, whitewater rafting, kayaking, scuba diving, not to mention, some of the world’s best beaches. And with more than 1,000 miles of coastline, Costa Rica is one of the top surfing destinations in the world. Roughly 25% of Costa Rica is made up of protected national parks and rainforests which hold 5% of the world's biodiversity. Meanwhile, a quarter of the country is part of a protected forest or reserve and is populated with monkeys, lizards, geckos, iguanas, jaguars, and various wildlife that you won’t find anywhere else. Costa Rica is known as a great bird-watching destination as well, with more than 812 recorded species found there including the country's largest populations of quetzals - a species once sacred to the Mayans, who considered their feathers more valuable than gold. There are more than a dozen volcanoes in Costa Rica, including the most famous, Arenal, which is 5,358 feet high and if that isn’t enough – Costa Rica is known as the happiest country on Earth. According to the most recent Happy Planet Index, Costa Rica is the most satisfying place in which to live.
About El Rancho
Rancho de Español is located in La Guácima de Alajuela, a small village 18 miles northwest of San José, capital of the country, and about ten minutes away from the international airport, Juan Santamaría.
In this authentic town, people speak only Spanish, the families preserve the real “tico” lifestyle and enjoy hosting foreigners. Most of these families are related to each other which permits our students to interact with more than one host family.
Rancho de Español has a spacious, park-like campus with a swimming pool which offers a relaxing atmosphere to students.
Students can combine classes with swimming, playing soccer, basketball or volleyball, or rest under the shade of a tree.
Classes are often held in open-air classrooms surrounded by beautiful gardens and a wide variety of trees, flowers, birds and other animals.
Safety is a plus at Rancho de Español for our students due to the small size of the town.
Typically the program begins with the group arriving at El Rancho on Sunday to get to know your host families, and then classes are from Monday – Friday, 52 weeks a year. The Spanish courses are designed in cycles of one to the number of weeks you require. The standard program schedule is approx 12 hours of Spanish lessons, 3 hours per day, 5 days per week:
