If you are just coming to Peru for a vacation or with the express purpose of learning a new language, it always pays off to spend at least some time trying to brush up on your Spanish. With a very clear spoken Spanish tracing back to the original Castilian, it’s said to be more authentic even than the one used in many cities in Spain itself. Peru therefore might just be one of the best places to take an intensive course if you plan to stay for an extended period.

The highest recommended school in the capital of Lima without a doubt is El Sol. It’s the only school in Lima approved by the Peruvian Ministry of Education and also offers online courses, so you can get a head start with them before you leave. Located in the upscale neighborhood of Miraflores near all the big hotels, they are by far the easiest choice for international travelers, but of course this is reflected in its prices as well which for Peru are on the higher side though compared to your home country probably still quite reasonable.

A lot of people venture outside of the Peruvian capital for their language studies and most of them flock to the former Inca city of Cusco in the Andean mountains. The popular choice here is the very big Amauta Spanish School located in the city center. They also have outposts in the Sacred Valley near Machu Picchu and in the Amazonian rainforest. Another good option in Cusco if you want to get more in contact with the local population is Fairplay, a not for profit foundation that helps single moms to teach Spanish in combination with homestays.

The other large concentration of Spanish schools is in the colonial town of Arequipa at the foot of El Misti volcano in southern Peru. The EDEAQ school under efficient European management offers very intensive courses with hotel or homestay for those who want to get to a high level in a short period of time.

Learning Spanish can be a highly rewarding experience for your Peru travel plans.