Estilo de Vida Reviews

This was a brilliant week of Spanish immersion that my wife and I went to. In the mornings we did classes of Spanish; afterwards we were brought to various sights, cities and towns that were all beautiful. Our teacher who brought us around every day knew many locals and they all seemed to be delighted when we joined the conversation - even with our sketchy Spanish accents - and they were some lovely and friendly people! Our teacher was an absolute source of energy and there was never a dull moment - unless we asked for it, to recover ;) We brought our dogs with us, and exploring the local farms and towns on dog walks in the morning was a real pleasure, and the area transformed into a real treasure at sunset. Thanks very much for a fantastic week of discovering Las Viadas from a perspective that otherwise we would have never had access to.

My adventure in Las Merindades! This area is a treasure of natural beauty: rivers, mountains, ancient tracks and waterfalls weave through the landscape. Roman and gothic structures amidst Catholic iconography make its rich history visible. Friends greeted me warmly and with interest. These included a painter, a notable sculptor, a radio presenter and many others. The food in the restaurants Alejo took me to was delicious and the restaurateurs welcoming. Days are divided between excursions and lessons. Alejo is passionate in his teaching of spoken Spanish and its grammatical structures. I learnt a great deal. This is definitely an immersion in the language, art, culture and rhythms of the country. A very rich way of learning and improving Spanish .

Estilo de Vida is a unique way to integrate into Spanish culture and its language. First of all, the area is magnificent. Every day, blue skies, green countryside and the river awaited me. Then the peaceful surroundings at Alejo's rustic Spanish home added to the tranquility and simplicity of the little village of Las Viadas. Add in Alejo´s friends and their hospitality to get a picture of a complete welcome and integration into Spanish life. The proverbial paella made by Alejo's friend was an added bonus. Amazing restaurants off the beaten track that Alejo has discovered welcomed me and the food left me speechless. I am now carrying a few pounds more than I arrived with. The old castles and museums impressed me and the t shirt was an outstanding surprise! Last but not least, Alejo is passionate about teaching and ensures his students walk away with a complete resumé of the morning's and evening's classes to reinforce the topics he delivers. Thank you Estilo de Vida for creating an original way to revise and learn the wonderful Spanish language.

What can I say about Estilo de Vida that hasn’t already been said? My partner and I thoroughly enjoyed spending a week in Alejo’s home in Las Viadas, working hard to improve our castellano, thanks both to his patient, interesting and methodical teaching, and to the fascinating social and cultural visits he guided us through every afternoon after our classwork, which really enriched the experience. We visited the largest and most spectacular cathedral in Spain at Burgos, witnessed the natural salt extraction operation at Salinas de Añana, where salt has been harvested by hand for a staggering seven thousand years, got up close and personal with pregnant ewes in the barn of four shepherd brothers in Valdivielso, visited the semi-derelict Valpuesta collegiate church in the beautiful countryside on the border between Burgos and Álava, where in the ninth century monks wrote on church documents what is now recognised as the first known examples of written castellano script, and we met Alejo’s prolific artist and sculptor friend Carlos Armiño in his eclectic workshop stuffed with exotic wooden and marble carvings and beautiful prints. We lunched out every day at a variety of different venues, eating white bean stew with morcilla and chorizo one day at a simple café on the banks of the fast-flowing Ebro, and another day feasting in the former prior’s house at Valpuesta, a step across the road from the church, and now a high-end restaurant which must be on its way to at least one Michelin star. The chef is the son of the man who painstakingly restored the broken stained-glass windows of the church. The most surprising meal of all was held in a modest private Burgos apartment of a friend of Alejo’s, an utterly charming and talented lady whose culinary skills would grace any top-class restaurant. Alejo himself, besides being a talented teacher, is a warm, humorous, intelligent and generous man who does everything in his power to ensure his clients enjoy and benefit from their time with him. We are proud now to call him our friend. He has also addicted us to Rummikub, our nightly relaxation and a totally unexpected consequence of our stay in the beautiful Las Merindades area!

J'ai beaucoup aimé mon séjour à Estilo De Vida, chez Alejo. Accueil chaleureux et attentionné, séjour très bien organisé tant pour les cours que les activités variées et très intéressantes. J'ai découvert une région magnifique, rencontrė des personnes très sympathiques et, bien sûr, progressé en espagnol avec un professeur très pédagogue, attentionné, patient et heureux des progrès de son ėlève. J' y reviendrai avec grand plaisir !

My time at Estilo de Vida was memorable! I have been re-doing my review many times as it always ends up being too long I really want to share it all so that when looking at this review you don’t think twice and reach out to Alejo to kick start your journey with the Spanish language! But I will make it brief and relevant I hope. The stay at Estilo de Vida was everything I expected and more. This means that I came to kick start my Spanish-speaking journey and have a better understanding of the language’s rules and pronunciation and I left the place with more confidence and hope that I can actually make it and learn a third language easily. Alejo is a great teacher as he knows how to bring out the best in you so you have the confidence to try and celebrate your mistakes. He will be there to gently correct you so that you are always learning. He will also adapt to how you learn to bring the best student out of you, making the learning process so much more efficient, at least for me. He will also encourage you to get out of your comfort zone to speak and use what you have learned, but he is there cheering you up so you dare, and it pays off :D! Then, the activities, are …can I describe them even I am not sure, between cultural sightseeing and nature walks and the people we meet… wahoo, it makes this immersion magical to me, true, authentic and memorable! I have discovered how rich of history the area is, how nature can enchant you and how the people you meet can warm your heart up…from a song to a life story, to a simple chat, a painting, or a sculpture, every aspect of this immersion was for me exactly was I was looking for. If you are considering this immersion with Estilo de la Vida, I would 200% encourage you to go for it, for the classes, the incredible teacher, the experiences, the discoveries and the extra super boost in your learning curve of the Spanish language…this is the real deal!

My two week educational and cultural immersion trip with ‘Estilo de Vida’ in October 2023 was an eye-opening and enriching experience. One-to-one interactive language learning combined with diverse cultural experiences, which included meeting and spending time with Alejo’s friends, afforded a unique insight into ‘Las Merindades’ and the local way of life. Alejo’s attention to detail, careful advance planning and passion in execution, facilitated a unique insight into the language, history, traditions, and customs of this wonderful part of Spain. The wide range of activities, which included language classes, visits to heritage sites, iglesias y ermitas, necrópolis, caves, waterfalls, restaurants and bars, to mention but a few, provided a complete and unparalleled perspective. ¡Mil gracias a ti, Alejo! - this experience will stay with me forever.

Eine Woche lang komplett eintauchen in die spanische Sprache und Kultur – das war mein Ziel, als ich mich bei Estilo de Vida angemeldet habe. Ich unterrichte selbst Spanisch, hatte aber das Bedürfnis, meine Sprachkenntnisse wieder mal aktiv im Land zu „boostern“. Die Mischung aus Unterricht am Vormittag und auf Wunsch auch nochmal am Abend und Ausflügen am Mittag/Nachmittag hat mir sprachlich viel gebracht. Alejo ist sehr flexibel und stellt sich wirklich auf individuelle Fragen und Bedürfnisse seiner Schüler ein. Er gibt ausführliche Erklärungen, eine Fülle an anschaulichen Materialien und viele viele gute Tipps. Die absolute Ruhe ist zum Lernen in Las Viadas ideal, das kleine Dorf ist liegt wunderschön inmitten von Natur. Das übrige Programm war wirklich abwechslungsreich: Bei Begegnungen und gemeinsamen Essen mit Freunden, Besuchen bei Künstlern, Entdeckung kunsthistorischer Schätze und hervorragender Restaurants in abgelegenen Winkeln, Besichtigung uriger Dörfchen, beim Baden im Fluss oder am Wasserfall, beim Gespräch im Auto unterwegs lernt man, ohne es zu merken. (Kleiner Tipp: Wer sehr zu Reiseübelkeit neigt, sollte wegen der vielen kurvigen Strecken Vorsorge treffen. Aber es lohnt sich und der Fahrstil wird auch angepasst). Fazit: Viel Spanisch-Input, die Entdeckung der spektakulären Landschaft und Schönheit der Natur der Provinz Burgos und des Baskenlandes, viele schöne Erlebnisse und Begegnungen – eine wirklich bereichernde Woche. Danke Alejo! Ich habe die Woche noch mit ein paar Tagen in Bilbao ausklingen lassen. Sehenswerte Stadt, nicht nur wegen des Guggenheim-Museums!

Spanischunterricht im Estilo de Vida mit Alejo ist anders; es ist viel mehr. Wir waren 2 Schüler, kannten uns vorher nicht und erlebten eine außergewöhnliche Woche. Alejo gestaltete den Unterricht sehr abwechslungsreich und passte ihn an unser Niveau perfekt an. Er verpflegte uns nicht nur in seinem Haus gut und gesund, er lud uns auch täglich in sehr gute Restaurants zum Mittagessen ein. Alejo zeigte uns diese wunderschöne Gegend, die in meinem Reiseführer mit keinem Wort erwähnt wird: Wir besuchten kleine und größere Dörfer, die nahe gelegenen Salinen, Eremitenhöhlen, waren im Ebro schwimmen und fuhren SUP, wanderten, spazierten durch die Sonnenblumenfelder, plauderten mit seinen Freunden, besichtigten Burgen, Museen und Kirchen, diskutierten, philosophierten, lachten viel, verbrachten einen Abend im entzückenden Frias – es war wie zu Besuch bei einem Freund. Und als Draufgabe starteten wir jeden Tag mit Qi Gong – danke Philipp! Alejo begeisterte uns nicht nur für Spanisch und die philosophisch-sprachlichen Spitzfindigkeiten von „ser“ und „estar“, er ist auch ein herzlicher Gastgeber und ausgezeichneter „Reiseleiter“. Vielen Dank für diese wunderschöne, abwechslungsreiche und lebenslustige Zeit!

Ho soggiornato due settimane a Las Viadas partecipando all'immersione linguistica di Estilo de Vida, organizzata da Alejo. Ho passato dei bellissimi momenti, imparato tante cose e conosciuto posti e persone molto interessanti. È stata un'esperienza davvero fantastica della quale serberò ricordi bellissimi! Grazie mille Alejo, continua così!

I can only agree with the other 5 star reviews about the wonderful experience of learning and discovery with Alejo in Las Viadas and Las Merindades. It was a memorable, beautiful and enriching 4 day immersion for me. The icing on the cake was that I really learned a lot, beyond my expectations! I arrived with a certain level of speaking and comprehension, which considerably improved in the short time I spent at Estilo de la Vida. As did my confidence :-) What a great way to deepen one’s understanding and develop language skills while being welcomed into a very special part of the world. Thank you Alejo for being an excellent guide in this process.

My experience at 'Estilo de Vida is unforgettable. The school is located in a part of Northern Spain which I had never heard about What a surprise! The mountainous region has rivers, waterfalls, forests and lush vegetation. It was like beng in a living Van Gogh painting with sunflowers all around. But, enough of the nature. Alejo's dwelling is located in the hamlet of La Viadas His home is rustic, spacious and comfortable. The classes are held in the house during the morning and again at the end of the day. Before my immersion Alejo and I spoke about my requirements, my interests and about what I hoped to gain from the experience. From our discussion Alejo created my experience which was interesting and challenging. Alejo is knowledgeable and passionate about language. He is friendly, patient and extremely generous with his time. We spent the afternoon exploring the beautiful area which has so much to offer and depending on your interests Alejo will create an enjoyable experience. He is knowledgeable about the nature and the history of the region. There were many opportunities to meet his friends who have many different life experiences and through conversations I gained some insight into their lives. There was a warmth and generosity demonstrated by those that I met that doesn't exist so freely in many towns and cities. I am very happy that I have dipped my toes in the waters of Las Merindades - both literally and metaphorically. It is definitely an 'Estilo de Vida'

If you are looking for a well equipped location and a A4 standardized spanish course, this is not your place. But.. It was just amazing. Alejo is running the one man show with the transfer service, yummy, healthy breakfast and dinner. He does some funny singing and freestyle dancing as well. I have been there for a week together with an unknown Austrian girl, but it worked out perfectly as the whole course. After morning lessons we visited all the best places around and we met many of his friends, one of them is the famous artist Carlos Armiño. We practiced spanish every day in the restaurant, bar,café, museum and with his many friends until late evening. A local wine tasting contest and table football contest will be also remembered for the rest of my life. We had a lot of good discussions about life and philosophy, but due to my limited Spanish skills had to switch over to English. I really recommend Estilo de Vida by Alejo.

Rustique mais efficace… Alejo n’a pas une minute à perdre pour essayer de nous apprendre l’espagnol et cette région isolée d’Espagne. Pour ceux qui cherchent du dépaysement et de l’authentique c’est difficile de trouver mieux. Pour les débutants le challenge sera de freiner Alejo qui va plus vite que son ombre. Bref une expérience unique.

What an absolute delight. So much more than I expected. Reignited my love of learning Spanish and introduced me to a beautiful área of Spain. Alejo is an attentive teacher, adapting to his clients' needs as well as being an excellent host. The accommodation is traditional but very comfortable. Highly Recommended.

I had a wonderful experience learning Spanish with Vivien , taught by Alejo at Estilo de Vida. I can highly recommend it as it is so much more than just Spanish classes. Tried to express this in the poem below: Estilo de Vida When I think of Estilo de Vida I think of many things Friends and fiestas, landscapes and lushness, learning and life Conjugations, conglomerates and clarity that Alejo brings Culture and sculpture, cuisine and chalar, wonder and wildlife Senses tantalized by all in The Valley of Torbalina When I think of Estilo de Vida, I think of Alejo, un profesor magnífico Wry humour, nurturing our Spanish, pursuing pronunciación, Challenging with conjugations, teasing out tenses, ah no subjunctivo! Lessons lightened by levity fly by, bringing satisfacción He beguiles us with conversacións deep and diverse His passion, power naps, energy, attentiveness inspires When I think of Estilo de Vida I think of magic and majesty Frias, Oño, Herron, Medina, Puntedey and San Bernabé Spires of mountains, cathedrals and castillos Monasterios, museos, & history seeping into our souls I think of Carlos, Janfry, Yosu- their love of their land, their oases These and more, all the treasures of Las Merindades When I think of Estilo de Vida I think of sound Silence of the night, broken only by distant cuckoo calls Soulful serenades of men of long lives, strong in voice and proud Warbling of birds and the wonder of waterfalls Solitude of nature, winds whispering through grasses, Conspiring with us to enjoy life, all enthrals When I think of Estilo de Vida I think of our learning From hapless to hopeful, frustrated to fascinated, Awed by lengua, despacio confidence has grown When I think of Estilo de Vida, I think of lasting friendship and all we have gained Thank you Alejo

What a marvellous experience at Estilo de Vida with Alejo! Individualised Spanish classes for 2.5 hours in the morning, followed by superb sightseeing in the afternoon typically coupled with a meal at an authentic local restaurant and then a 1.5-hour language debrief and consolidation session before supper. This truly is immersion in both language and culture!! Alejo is an attentive host, guide and educator and his passion for life is infectious. The Las Merindades area is a hidden gem with remarkably few tourists (late spring). With Alejo you will visit sites that you won’t have considered as an independent visitor. Alejo ensures that there are multiple Spanish conversations on your excursions which really helped us improve our comprehension of the spoken language. So in essence this immersion of Spanish course is well suited to those who want to develop their linguistic abilities and cultural understanding of the country. Tony and Mary, UK

Estilo de vida es un lugar original para mejorar el idioma en total inmersión y descubrir la región de los merindades.. Alejo es muy simpático y carismático. Todo fue maravilloso.. Volveremos, es cierto Magali y Evelyne

What a unique week! I thoroughly enjoyed my Spanish immersion week with Alejo in his rustic, village home in Las Viadas. Alejo is a very personable chap, and an excellent host. He is passionate about his subject and the quality lessons were tailored to my learning needs. The week was jam-packed and provided a wide variety of opportunities to practise Spanish, from daily trips to places of interest and quaint towns throughout the stunning Las Merindades region, to chatting to the locals and friends of Alejo. It was also great to visit a different restaurant each day and sample delicious, local cuisine. All in all a fantastic immersive week.

What a fantastic language school this is! Alejo made me so welcome during my stay in September and his lessons were perfectly pitched to improve my knowledge of Spanish. It is clear that he is sincerely interested in teaching his language and the classes were a pleasure. But there was so much more: every day we visited a different village, historical site, museum or church and met with some of Alejo’s many friends in the area. It was wonderful to explore such a beautiful area with Alejo and to meet so many of his friends who were generous enough to give of their time and share their knowledge. The whole experience was a joy. Alejo, ¡viva la pepa!