Culinary Landscapes and Cultures in Spain: From the Alhambra to the Guggenheim
Travel abroad with Dr. Antonia Delgado-Poust and Dr. Jose A. Sainz as you embark on a flavorful journey through Spain’s rich and diverse culinary traditions in this immersive 1-week spring break study abroad program that spans from the vibrant heart of Andalucía to the cutting-edge kitchens of the País Vasco. Designed for students passionate about food, culture, and travel, this course explores how cuisine reflects regional identity, geographic diversity, and historical depth across Spanish landscapes.
If you’re interested in discovering why Spaniards eat dinner so late into the evening, what makes pintxos in the Basque Country unlike anything else in the world, or how olive oil, wine, and cheese have become both daily foods and symbols of Spanish identity, enroll in MDLL 201: Culinary Landscapes and Cultures in Spain in Spring 2026 with Dr. Delgado-Poust!
In this 3-credit class, we’ll explore how food and cultural landscapes in Spain intersect with history, religion, agricultural practices, as well as regional, national, and gender identities. From the olive groves of Andalusia to the vineyards of the Rioja wine region, students will investigate how food reflects histories of empire, religion, migration, agriculture, gender roles, and globalization. Along the way, we’ll also analyze how food appears in literature and onscreen as a metaphor for desire, family, class, tradition, change, and power dynamics between men and women.
For an optional additional (1) credit (IDIS 350), students who travel to Spain with us over Spring Break will experience hands-on learning through an olive oil tasting in southern Spain, a visit to an artisan cheese farm in Castilla-La Mancha, and a traditional tapas-making class among other cultural experiences such as a day visit to the Alhambra Palace in Granada and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. In the north of Spain, the program culminates with a cooking class and exclusive access to the world-renowned Basque Culinary Center and wine tastings in the iconic Rioja region. From rustic traditions to culinary innovation, this program offers a dynamic exploration of Spain’s past and present through its most essential ingredient—food.
This course counts toward the Food Studies minor.
Spring Break 2026
February 27 – March 8, 2026
Program Fee: $5,100
Registration and $500 non-refundable deposit due: October 29, 2025
Final Balance ($4600) due: December 15, 2025
Use the Make a Standard Payment button below to pay your deposit and regular program balance payment. Use the Make a Flexible Payment option to pay an alternate amount (such as additional insurance or payment in a different amount as a result of a scholarship award).
Online payees have the choice of either credit card or eCheck (ACH) payment. ACH transactions will be charged a flat fee of $0.50 per transaction. All credit card payments will incur a 2.95% service fee. For credit card payments, a minimum convenience fee of $3.00 will be applied to transactions over $20.00 and under $102.00.
Students can avoid fees by paying in-person at the UMW Cashier’s office by cash or check (made out to “UMW”). The Cashier’s office is located on the 2nd floor of Lee Hall.
Students will enroll in the Spring 2026 course MDFL 201V: Culinary Landscapes and Cultures in Spain for 3 credits.
For an optional additional (1) credit of IDIS 350, students who travel to Spain over Spring Break will experience hands-on learning through an olive oil tasting in southern Spain, a visit to an artisan cheese farm in Castilla-La Mancha, and a traditional tapas-making class among other cultural experiences such as a day visit to the Alhambra Palace in Granada and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. In the north of Spain, the program culminates with a cooking class and exclusive access to the world-renowned Basque Culinary Center and wine tastings in the iconic Rioja region. From rustic traditions to culinary innovation, this program offers a dynamic exploration of Spain’s past and present through its most essential ingredient—food.
This course counts toward the Food Studies minor.
UMW student participants who travel abroad on this program can also satisfy their Beyond the Classroom or Diverse and Global Perspectives general education requirement by contract with the Faculty Director.
Students will stay in double or triple occupancy at local hotels. Breakfast and WiFi included at each.
There are no prerequisites for this course. Students must maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA in order to participate. This program is open to all UMW students regardless of major or year of study. It is also open to non-UMW students but enrollment in MDLL 301 and IDIS 350 for the Spring 2026 semester is required.
Included in the program fee:
- International airfare
- Local transportation as per itinerary visits, including airport transfers in Spain
- Accommodations
- Some meals
- Group excursions and entrance tickets per itinerary
- UMW Education Abroad Fee
- International medical insurance
Excluded in the program fee:
- Local transportation outside of program itinerary
- Passport and/or visa fees
- Meals outside of inclusions listed above
- Souvenirs and other personal expenses
- Personal health costs (ex. vaccination fees, COVID-19 testing, etc.)
- Independent site-seeing and entrance fees
This program requires a moderate to high level of activity, including significant city walking and lengthy hours.
International travel may require immunizations or preventative medicines. Please refer to the US Center for Disease Control’s Traveler’s Health Information Page for recommendations. The UMW Health Center provides free travel consultations by appointment, as well as travel information for UMW students. The Center for International Education recommends that each student have a personalized medical consultation prior to international travel.
Visit CIE’s Scholarships & Funding webpage to learn more about financial options as it relates to education abroad including Financial Aid, 529 Plans, etc.