NEWS/EVENTS

CUBA DANCE & DISCOVER HOLIDAY ONLY £1975!

Prices usually go up in summer, but ours are going down! We have managed to get special fares for our Dance & Discover Holiday (5-19 Aug) so we are passing this saving onto our clients. Our 2 week trip, including Cubana international flights from London Gatwick, a week of Cuban dance and Spanish in Santiago de Cuba and a week on the road exploring places off the main tourist tracks, internal flight and transfers, tourist card and half board accommodation throughout, is just £1975. Please click here to view the new itinerary for this trip with details of exactly what is included: Cuba Dance & Discover holiday itinerary

For anyone still interested in joining the above Dance & Discover holiday but with return Virgin flights to Havana, this option is still available. We also have a few places left on our ever popular Santiago Carnival Holiday (15-29 July).

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SPECIAL FARES FOR SUMMER FLIGHTS TO CUBA

Thanks to our long running relationship with Cubana Airline, we are pleased to offer reduced fares for flights to Cuba this summer. Whether you are considering taking a language and/or dance course in Santiago de Cuba or Havana, a tailor made trip around the island, trekking in the Sierra Maestra or a relaxing trip to soak up the best of the Caribbean's sun, please contact us for details of reduced air fares and to discuss ideas for your trip. Flights will operate every Wednesday from London Gatwick to Havana via Holguin. Return flights operate from Havana every Tuesday (overnight arriving in Gatwick on Wednesday morning).
Special fares available for departures on 29^th July, 05^th and 12^th August 2009 for return within 45 days.

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SUMMER MADNESS - SPECIAL OFFERS!

Buenos Aires

Still planning a last minute long haul trip? Why not take advantage of our 10% discount on all group Spanish courses and shared apartment accommodation in South America's most cosmopolitan city, Buenos Aires. The offer is valid for courses taken in June.

2 weeks group Spanish & shared apartment in Buenos Aires was ~~£645~~ NOW £580.50

For details of what we have to offer at our Spanish language school, please visit the following webpage - Spanish in Buenos Aires

Bordeaux and Biarritz

We are pleased to announce a 20% discount on course fees at our schools in the fabulous European cities of Bordeaux and Biarritz. The offer is valid for courses of four or more weeks taken between 31^st August and 19^th December (Bordeaux) or between 31^st August - 30^th October (Biarritz).

4 week course in Bordeaux or Biarritz was ~~£975~~ NOW £780

Discount to be deducted from published course prices

For more information, please visit the French in Bordeaux or the French in Biarritz pages on our website.

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FAMILY HOLIDAYS IN NICE - TAKE THE CHILDREN WITH YOU!

We are pleased to offer a fantastic new family programme in Nice, perfect for those planning on going on holiday with the children during the October half term holiday. Courses run for 1 or 2 weeks and take place between Monday 5th October and Friday 6th November 2009.

For the parents: General French course, 20 group lessons per week (max: 10 students per group)

For the kids (9-15yrs): General French course, 20 mini group lessons per week (max: 4 children per group)

Accommodation is available in host families, hotels or studio apartments.

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UPCOMING EVENTS IN EUROPE

Read on for a selection of upcoming events in a few of our most popular languages course destinations. If you are considering a course in any of these locations over the next few months, why not make the most of one of these fabulous events for a true language and culture get away!

Granada (Spain): International Festival of Music & Dance: 26th June – 12th July

This annual event, held in the Alhambra Palace and the surrounding area, is a must for music enthusiasts. Around the Alhambra and all over the city the streets are filled with the sound of Spanish guitars, the click of castanets, the whirl of flamenco dancing and much, much more.. www.granadafestival.org

For more information about the courses we offer, please visit the Spanish in Granada page on our website.

Paris (France) and Berlin (Germany): Fete de la Musique: 21st June

Taking place every year on the day of the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, this pan-European music event celebrates the diverse forms of live music. Paris hosts musicians from all over the world who perform in a variety of venues around town and Berlin hosts free concerts on over 50 stages throughout the city.

For more information on the Paris event you can visit their website: http://www.fetedelamusique.fr/ or for Berlin www.fetedelamusique.de

For more information about the courses we offer, please visit the French in Paris or German in Berlin pages on our website.

Nice (France): Nice Jazz Festival: 18th -25th July

Concerts are held in the amphitheatre and gardens of Cimiez from 7pm until midnight with the most prestigious musicians playing on three stages. An "alternative" festival in the city's various neighbourhoods accompanies the event in the mornings and afternoons until 6pm

See the festival web site at http://www.nicejazzfestival.fr/

For more information about the courses we offer, please visit the French in Nice page on our website.

San Sebastian (Spain): Jazzaldia: 22nd -26th July

Heineken presents the 44th Jazzaldia festival, one of the longest-running jazz fesitvals in Europe. Go to their website here http://www.jazzaldia.com/ . For more information about the courses we offer, please visit the Spanish in San Sebastian page on our website.

Barcelona (Spain): Festival del Grec: July and August

Barcelona's largest annual performing-arts festival includes five weeks of concerts and performances by innovative contemporary dance, music and theatre companies from around the world. Click on the following link to go to their website www.barcelonafestival.com/

For more information about the courses we offer, please visit the Spanish in Barcelona page on our website.

Valencia (Spain): Buñol Tomato Festival, Valencia province – 26th August

Yes, it's that one... when everyone goes absolutely mad, throwing ripe tomatoes. If you're planning a trip to Valencia for this unique fruit throwing festival, and looking for something else to do, the European F1 Grand Prix takes place on the Sunday before Tomatina - 23rd August.

For more information about the courses we offer, please visit the Spanish in Valencia page on our website.

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FRENCH, GERMAN AND SPANISH SUMMER TEEN COURSES

Specially designed courses for teenagers are running in Antibes (14-17 yrs), Benalmadena (13-17 yrs) and Radolfzell (15-17 yrs) over this summer. These intensive study holidays offer daily language lessons and cultural / social / sporting activities with full board accommodation in local homestays or the schools own residence. Costs include group language lessons per week (15 lessons in Benalmad ena, 24 in Radolfzell and 20 in Antibes) + full board accommodation, fully supervised activities and visits.

Start dates and prices

Antibes: any Monday from 29 June - 04 Sept 2009. Shared room in homestay/residence Cost: 1 week £695 2 weeks £1285

Benalmadena: any Monday from 15 June - 21 Aug 2009 1 week with homestay, half board £575 2 weeks with homestay, half board £955

Radolfzell: from 08 June - 28 Aug 2009 2 weeks with homestay, single room £1235 2 weeks with residence, single room £1175

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Spanish in Valencia

10% DISCOUNT FOR SELECTED COURSES IN JUNE 2009

We are pleased to announce a 10% discount on course fees at our schools in the fabulous European cities of Valencia, Biarritz and Lucca. The offer is valid for courses of two or more weeks booked and taken in June 2009. For example, normal course fees for 2 weeks general Spanish in Valencia are £330 - with the discount you will pay just £297. The discount is only applicable to course fees.

Please contact us for more details.

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NEW ARRIVAL AT THE CLOCKHOUSE!

As you know our director, Kath Bateman, is now on maternity leave and we are delighted to announce the birth of her beautiful baby daughter, Maya Rosa, on 29th May in Edinburgh. Both Kath and her husband Yamil are very happy and looking forward to see Maya dancing her first steps...

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CUBA LIBRE! PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION

Travel photographer Eleanor Marriott recently visited Cuba with Caledonia. She is now holding an exhibition of her Cuban photographs at Canning House on London's Belgrave Square from 15 to 26 June. The exhibition includes images of Havana, Santiago de Cuba, Baracoa and Sierra Maestra (all places that can be visited through ourselves). Eleanor will be holding a special evening viewing of the exhibition on Thursday 25 June. If you would like an invitation to attend please email her at eleanormarriott@yahoo.co.uk

To see a selection of Eleanor's Cuban photographs go to http://www.eleanormarriottphotography.co.uk/

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FIND US ON FACEBOOK

We now have a group page on Facebook, Caledonia - Discover the real Cuba, for anyone interested in future group trips to Cuba and Cuban music/dance events in the UK. For those of you who have been away with us before you can upload photos and videos from your trip.

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SCHOOL STUDY TRIPS 2009

With a bumper year ahead for school study trips to France, Spain, Germany, Latin America and Cuba, most schools have already requested draft itineraries and prices for the mid-term break in October 2009 and Easter 2010. However, it is definitely not too late if you are a teacher thinking about an overseas school trip. We can organise trips for as few as 10 pupils to as many as 35-40, with free places for accompanying teachers and tailormade itineraries specifically designed to suit your needs. Cross-curricular trips are becoming more popular and we offer, for example, combined Spanish / History or French / Art trips. Cultural/adventure tours are also popular, particularly in Central and Latin America.

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ATOL: SAFE IN OUR HANDS

You may be asking yourself how sure you can be that your money and trip is safe in our hands? Caledonia Languages Abroad has been trading for 12 years and is financially steady. We have grown slowly and surely over the years, and are careful about where we take you, who our overseas partners are and how we operate.

When you book a trip with us, both your holiday and your money are fully protected under our ATOL licence which covers your 'air package holiday'. This term means arrangements which we have made for you which include a flight and ground services (e.g. accommodation, language course, activities, excursions). If you book a flight only with us, you are also covered for failure of the airline.
If you opt to book your own flights, you should either ensure that the agent has an ATOL licence or, if booking direct with the airline, pay by credit card or take out SAFI (Scheduled Airline Failure Insurance) to protect your money.

If you have booked your flights elsewhere but book your accommodation, language course or other tuition and other ground services with us, these are not covered by our ATOL licence. However, if our overseas partner fails before you start your trip, we will find you an alternative at the same price. You may also want to take out insurance to cover you if you have to cancel your trip.

Happy (and safe) travelling!

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