Learn Spanish in Latin America

Let’s get loud!

Who doesn’t love a biggest, tallest, widest, largest, best list? If you haven’t yet decided if you want to study Spanish in Latin America yet, take a look at this:

• Biggest. Occupying 40% of South America’s land mass, the Amazon basin is the biggest jungle at over 2.5 million square miles, while the Amazon river that runs through it is also the largest river on earth in terms of water mass.
• Highest. Bolivia’s capital La Paz is the highest capital city on earth at almost 12,000 feet. To top it off (what a pun!), it’s also one of Latin America’s most enchanting and culturally-rich cities.
• Driest. The Atacama Desert in northern Chile is the world’s driest hot desert. But don’t be put off – it’s an incredible tourist destination, which at 40,000 to 50,000 square miles in size, is also prettymassive!
• Largest. It might seem obvious, but its worth noting that Latin America is the largest Spanish-speaking region on earth. Sixty percent of the population speaks the language, and includes all but two Spanish-speaking nations – Spain and Equatorial Guinea.
• Longest. The Andes Mountains range are the longest  in the world, spanning 4,000 miles from Venezuela, through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina.
• First. While you might just want to learn Spanish in Latin America, it’s also not a bad choice ofdestination if you’re a devout catholic, as home to the world’s largest Catholic population (Brazil) and birthplace of the first non-European pope, Pope Francis from Argentina.

See the sites!

Latin America bursts at the seams with tourist destinations. Check out some of its most celebrated spots:

• Machu Picchu. In the Peruvian Andes, Machu Picchu was rediscovered in 1911, which is relatively recently in terms of this majestic Incan estate’s overall history. Almost 600-years old, it’s a site not to be missed if you study Spanish in Latin America!
• Iguazu Falls. The world’s widest spanning waterfalls are shared between Brazil and Argentina. Whichever angle you visit it from, it’s a unique, enchanting and wet place to cross borders!
• Amazon Jungle. Occupying just under half of South America’s land mass, it might seem easy to spot. But the Amazon jungle is still as mysterious and untouched as ever! Discover it today!
• Galapagos Islands. It’s pretty simple for us to tell you the Galapagos
• Islands in Ecuador are an incredible destination if you’re wanting to learn Spanish in Latin America (we’ve got a Spanish school here)! But, believe us, you really can’t skip it!
• Andes Mountains. Pick any country in Latin America to study Spanish and you’ll have about a 50-50 chance of choosing one that’s home to part of the Andes Mountains. While each country’s section is different, the Andes are majestic and luring everywhere you find them!

Keep reading to find some of our suggested regional itineraries below!

Meet the people!

You won’t be the first person to learn Spanish in Latin America! In fact, with the region’s rich migrant history, you’ll follow the footsteps of the following Latin American communities:

• Japanese-Peruvians. Aside from former president-turned-authoritarian, Alberto Fujimori, Peru is home to more than a few people of Japanese origin. In fact, almost 100,000 Peruvians have Japanese heritage, second only to Brazil with 1.5 million. Peru was the first country in Latin America to receive Japanese migrants in the late 19th century.
• Afro-everyone. With roots in the slave trade, the history of Latin America’s Afro population is far from positive. That said, today things are slowly but surely improving for this huge and important community. It should also be noted that Afro-Latinos have given a lot to Latin American culture, from capoeira in Brazil to the rhythms of salsa in Cuba, and much more.
• Jewish-Argentines. Buenos Aires is home to the Southern Hemisphere’s largest Jewish community. In the barrio of Once and beyond you’ll find Jewish Argentines of all types, Orthodox to reformists, traditionalist to new-age Jews.
• Indigenous Amazonians. Having suffered under the heavy hand of European colonizers for centuries, indigenous communities had to learn Spanish in Latin America the hard way. Fortunately today, indigenous communities like those in Ecuador’s Amazon are fighting back and moving forward, with growing economic strength and pride in their heritage.

Ideal itineraries

In simple logistical terms, Latin America is a unique region for tourism, offering visitors a world of options with stable public transport, sturdy roads and ever-growing competition in regional commercial aviation. Take a look at what you could do why before or after you study Spanish in Latin America!

• Andes antics: Argentina-Chile-Peru-Ecuador. While you probably won’t want to try covering the whole Andes range on your trip (4,000 miles of mountain is a bit ambitious), some of the countries that hug this mountain range are worth a look. Check out wineries in Argentina, ski resorts in Chile, Machu Picchu in Peru and majestic farmlands of Andean Ecuador.
• Cultural experiences: Ecuador-Bolivia-Peru. Given the region’s rich cultural diversity, it’s a little hard to talk of just one ‘authentic’ experience in Latin America. That said, the Ecuador-Bolivia-Peru combination – a classic itinerary – is a guaranteed insight into traditional cultures, where you’ll discover the typical pride, color and warmth of Latin America!
• Beach fun: Colombia-Panama-Costa Rica. Certain images pop up when we think about the chance to learn Spanish in Latin America. And beaches are one of the first! If you’re looking for adventure and something unique, try Colombia’s north coast with Cartagena and San Andres, then Panama’s Bocas del Toro and Costa Rica’s Caribbean or Pacific coast.
• East coast tour: Argentina-Uruguay-Brazil. Another classic travel option to compliment your plans to study Spanish in Latin America is the region’s east coast, with so many options like Colonia and Punta del Este in Uruguay, Buenos Aires and theIguazu Falls in Argentina, Rio de Janeiro and the entire majestic coastline of Brazil.

Interested in learning Spanish in Southamerica? Check out learning Spanish in Argentina.