Spanish, Paella, and the Night of San Juan in Valencia

Taking two weeks of Spanish classes at Taronja—the most fun and modern school in Valencia—while enjoying sandy beaches and delicious paella was an unforgettable treat.

After studying Spanish in Andalusia, I arrived in Valencia for the final two weeks of my language adventure—and it turned out to be one of the highlights of the entire trip. Valencia felt like the perfect city—not as big as Barcelona or Madrid, and not as small as Nerja on the sunny coast, where I had spent the first two weeks of my Spain trip. Yet it had everything I needed for a vibrant, unforgettable time: stunning beaches, gorgeous architecture, plenty of nature, museums, buzzing bars and nightclubs, and—most importantly—an amazing language school called Taronja (‘orange’ in Valencian, as Valencia is the region of oranges). It was full of young, enthusiastic students just like me.

Unlike the other language schools I attended in Spain, Taronja was quite large, with around 200 students from all corners of the globe and 8 to 14 students per group, depending on their level. However, thanks to the excellent teachers and the emphasis on group work, everyone still received plenty of attention and opportunities to practice the language. Every week, our class schedule alternated—one day classes would start at 9:00 a.m. and finish at 12:40 p.m., and the next day they would run from 2:30 p.m. to 6:10 p.m with a 20-minute Pausonja (a break) on the beautiful school rooftop or in a lounge area where they served delicios snacks and drinks for the students.

Afternoon classes allowed me to spend some mornings at one of the local beaches (my favorite was Malvarossa).

This was the only school without homework—yet they had a whole online platform with numerous activities for extra practice, for those who felt that four hours of Spanish a day (an intensive course) wasn’t enough. Some students also took private lessons, exam preparation classes for the DELE and SIELE, or participated in the speaking club. There were also daily activities every evening — ranging from a tapas cooking workshop and competition (which my team won, by the way) and ceramics painting, to nights out at a local nightclub called Umbracle on Fridays for a small extra price.

Sundays were always trip days to nearby towns. During my stay, we visited the picturesque coastal town of Peñíscola, which was just a short ride away.

I was also lucky to witness several holidays in Valencia—Corpus Christi, a religious parade in the historic city center; and the Night of San Juan, which takes place during the summer solstice on the night of June 23–24. It is a big holiday in Valencia, when young people gather on the beach, light campfires, jump over the flames, and go into the water at midnight to catch seven waves. Together with the school, we also headed to the beach to celebrate this unforgettable night. Taronja provided snacks and drinks and lit our own campfire. It was genuinely one of my favorite nights with the school!

There were no classes the next day, as it was a public holiday (so people could sober up, I assume). So, I took the opportunity to head to Madrid and spent the whole day there (totally recommended!)—luckily, there’s a high-speed train that takes just two hours, is fairly cheap, and runs every 30 minutes.

Even if you don’t take trips to other places on your days off, there is always something going on in Valencia. During my 2 weeks there, there was Valencia International Film Festival Cinema Jove, and I got to see a Ukranian movie for a very low price.

I also enjoyed renting a bike (with a Taronja student card you can get a discount at some places) and going through the whole Turia park (it’s 9 km long!) up to the City of Arts and Sciences in my free time. Biking to the beautiful lake Albufera along the coastline was a fun experience as well.

My host family in Valencia also deserves special mention. It consisted of a very kind 55-year-old woman called Manoli, her daughter—just two years older than me—and two playful cats I bonded with right away. They have been hosting students for many years and showed a genuine curiosity about other cultures. We shared breakfasts and dinners together on their rooftop terrace, and I learned a lot about Valencian culture through them.

I tried the best paella cooked by Manoli. Did you know that paella is originally from Valencia, by the way?

My host mom even gave me her own spacious bedroom for the two weeks and gave me her transport cards, which was incredibly generous of her. It was definitely one of the best hosts I have ever had!

These 2 weeks at Taronja were incredible, and I will forever keep them in my memory ❤️