Extracurricular Activities

Have you ever wondered how tortillas are made? It's really easy, we'll show you. All it takes is a bit of practice ...

Cooking typical Guatemalan dishes is a subject many of our students are interested in. So we gather the most experienced cooks in our team and let them show you how to do it — from getting the right ingredients until the meal is ready to be served, step by step.

Whether or not you are interested in cooking, you can of course sample the dish when it's ready.

Have a piece of cake! With so many students and teachers at the Ixchel Spanish School, birthdays are usually not far between. What better reason to turn the coffee break into a little celebration.

Of course we won't keep you indoors all the time. There's so much to see in and around Antigua! A great way to explore the surrounding towns, villages and fincas is to participate in a bike tour. We will show you the best spots and take you to places many tourists miss.

A favorite with our students is San Antonio Aguas Calientes, an indigenous town a few miles from Antigua Guatemala. San Antonio is home to many weavers who produce a large part of the typical Mayan clothing and other textiles that are sold in Antigua. Here you can learn about Mayan traditions and ceremonies, see how typical clothes are made and even model them yourself for your fellow students!

Climbing the Pacaya Volcano is another activity few students want to miss. Although Pacaya is still active, the activity is usually low-key enough to allow climbing right to the edge of the crater. Even if you don't see any glowing lava, the view of the surrounding countryside is downright spectacular!

Besides our regular activities, Ixchel's staff and students are always willing to lend a helping hand where needed — like painting the building of Antigua's volunteer firefighters or cleaning the street in preparation for the Easter week processions.