The annual Ninot Exhibition opens this Saturday, 4 February and runs until 15 March.

For those of you who don’t know a lot about Fallas yet, ninots are figurines (often life-sized) which make up part of a falla. Every year, each of the clubs which build a falla puts one ninot into the exhibition where the public vote for their favourites.

Route 66 Idiomas language school students shouldn’t miss this opportunity to get a close-up look at over 750 ninots and vote for their favourite models. The winners of the public vote in the “mayor” and “infantil” sections will be declared “indultat” and saved from being burnt on 19 March (they are then kept in the Fallas Museum).

Tickets for the last 2 weeks of the exhibition and weekends usually sell out fast. So if you want to visit to exhibition, get down to Nuevo Centro shopping centre (metro stop: Turía) as soon as you can to avoid queues and disappointment.

For those of you who are new to Fallas, the pictures above should give you an idea of the calibre of previous winners of the prestigious honour that is being chosen as Ninot Indultat. For more information, check out fallas.com.

We’re sure one of your main goals during your Erasmus placement is to improve your Spanish. The faster you improve your communication skills, the more you will get out of your time in Valencia. Taking a Spanish course is also a great way to meet other students and make new friends.

Route 66 Idiomas Language School offers flexible Spanish courses with native-speaking teachers that will improve your Spanish quickly. Come to class just 2 times a week, and choose whether to have classes in the morning, afternoon or evening; whatever fits into your busy schedule.

Benefits of studying with Route 66 Idiomas include:

• • Native, qualified teachers with years of experience
  • Small group sizes (max. 8 students per class)
  • A free-of-charge, no-obligation level test and a trial class
  • We will provide you with the materials you need for class and home study
  • Classes focus on communication, helping you to quickly become confident when speaking
  • Course attendance and completion certificate upon request.

The right place for you!

Route 66 Idiomas Language School is located right in the centre of Valencia, within easy reach of all the Valencia University campuses. We’re also fully accredited by the Instituto Cervantes, so you can be sure you’re in good hands.

Make sure you get the most out of your Erasmus placement in Valencia. Contact the friendly team at Route 66 Idiomas today to find out more about how we can help you.

Indiana Jones™ and the Adventure of Archaeology exhibition

If any Route 66 Idiomas Language School students are looking for an escape from Christmas, the City of Arts and Sciences is offering an adventurous alternative.

On 22 December, the Príncipe Felipe Science Museum will open the Indiana Jones™ and the Adventure of Archaeology exhibition. This is the European premiere of the exhibition, which will be in Valencia until 16 September 2012.

Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology will not only feature a vast and exclusive collection of Indy props, models, concept art and set designs (from the Lucasfilm Archives), it will also display a wealth of historical and cultural facts from the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology and the National Geographic Society.

Information and tickets
Tickets are on sale here. Adult tickets are 15 euros and reduced admissions 11.55 euros.

To find out more about the exhibition, visit the official website (available in English, Spanish and French).

Lucasfilm, the Lucasfilm logo, Indiana JonesTM and all characters, names and all related indicia are trademarks of & copyright © Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.

Christmas is nearly here!

Route 66 Idiomas students who still have some Christmas shopping to do might be interested in checking out some of Valencia’s Christmas markets. Details below!

Barón de Cárcer: this market is open from 1 December to 6 January in the area surrounding Mercado Central.

Craft Fair: in the Plaza de la Reina from 2 December to 8 January; particularly good for handmade items.

Christmas Present Fair: along the Gran Vía Marqués del Túria from 8 December to 8 January. It’s name says it all.

City of Arts and Sciences: in the area outside the Science Museum from 23 December to 5 January.

Happy shopping!

This weekend, Route 66 Idiomas language school students may like to take advantage of VLC Cuina Oberta (Valencia Restaurant Week), which runs from 21-27 November.

In a celebration of local cuisine, 82 restaurants in and around the city offer you the chance to enjoy a gourmet lunch for 20 euros, or dinner for 30 euros.

For a list of particating restaurants, menus and maps, visit the event website. Here you can also check availability and book online (reservations are essential). But hurry! Tables book up quickly!

Happy Halloween from everyone at Route 66 Idiomas Language School! Have fun and enjoy the holiday tomorrow too!

Os deseamos Feliz Halloween a todos. ¡Qué lo os paséis muy bien!

For those for you who don’t already know, the Diplomas of Spanish as a Foreign Language (DELE, Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera) are official qualification which accredit your level of competence and fluency in the Spanish language. They are awarded by the Instituto Cervantes, acting on behalf of the Spanish Ministry of Education. They are the only qualification in the Spanish language which is recognized worldwide and can be extremely valuable for your future educational and professional career.

Route 66 Idiomas’ intensive DELE preparation courses will start on 25 October. Classes are for a maximum of 6 students, so if you’re interested, sign up quickly so you don’t miss your chance at getting a place.

As I’m sure you already know, the teachers at Route 66 Idiomas Language School have years of experience preparing students to take these exams and we are proud to be able to say that the results have been favourable in the vast majority of cases.

If you’d like to take the DELE, you can register online now. For information about preparation course prices, click here.

We hope to see you in a preparation course soon and good luck to those of you taking the exams!

Para aquellos que no los conozcáis, los Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera (DELE) son títulos oficiales, acreditativos del grado de competencia y dominio del idioma español, que otorga el Instituto Cervantes en nombre del Ministerio de Educación de España. Son los únicos títulos reconocidos en todo el mundo e interesantes para vuestro futuro tanto en el ámbito educativo como el profesional.

Nuestros cursos intensivos de preparación para los exámenes empezarán a partir del 25 de octubre. Estos grupos son de 6 personas como máximo, así que daos prisa en matricularos si estáis interesados, no os vayáis a quedar sin plazas. Como bien sabéis, llevamos años preparando y ayudando a nuestros alumnos a superar estos exámenes, y podemos decir con orgullo que los resultados han sido buenos en la gran mayoría de los casos. Si os animáis a realizarlos podéis inscribirse por internet ahora. Para información sobre las tarifas, haz clic aquí.

Un saludo y os esperamos en el curso de preparación.

Congreso Mundial del Arroz y Homenaje a la Paella: 29 septiembre – 2 octubre 2011

Semana Gastronómica del Arroz: 26 septiembre – 2 octubre 2011

It doesn’t get much more Valencian than this!

From 29 September until 2 October, the City of Arts and Sciences hosts the 1st World Rice Congress.

Open to the public and free to attend, the event’s 70 stands will showcase typical wines and other products from Spain’s different regions. Next to the Science Museum, the “Gran Fiesta de la Morcilla de Arroz” and the “Túnel del Arroz” will give visitors the chance to try slices of morcilla de arroz (a type of black pudding filled with rice – tastes far nicer than it might sound) for just €2 and a wide range of rice dishes for €4.

As if that weren’t enough, “Rice Gastronomy Week” will run from 26 September to 2 October; 21 restaurants in Valencia city and 13 in the province will be offering guests delicious rice dishes with up to 25% off their normal prices. A full list of participating restaurants, the rice dishes they are offering and prices can be found here (pages 19-21 – information in Spanish).

Route 66 Idiomas language school students wishing to join in this homage to paella can find out more at the Congress’ official website.