Travel has always been one of the most powerful ways to learn. Walking the same streets as great thinkers, standing in the cities where decisive ideas were debated, and experiencing the cultural rhythms that shaped entire civilizations brings history and philosophy alive in ways no classroom ever can. In the summer of 2026, Reliance College invites students, alumni, families, and lifelong learners to join a two-week intellectual adventure through Spain — and regions whose layered history reveals deep connections between reason, creativity, freedom, and discovery.
From June 17 to July 2, 2026 participants will embark on a carefully designed study-travel experience that blends rigorous intellectual exploration with cultural immersion, recreation, and shared conversation. As with Reliance College’s previous international programs, the journey is designed not as tourism, but as a living classroom — one where ideas are encountered in the very places where they emerged, collided, and reshaped the world.
Continuing a Tradition of Intellectual Journeys
This Spain program continues a growing tradition of immersive international study with Reliance College. In past years, participants have explored the foundations of Western civilization in Greece, traced the Renaissance and rebirth of classical learning in Italy, and examined the Enlightenment and revolutionary era in France. Each journey builds upon the last, following the historical development of ideas across cultures and centuries — from ancient philosophy and political foundations, through artistic and scientific renewal, to the modern struggles over freedom, reason, and mass society. Spain offers the next essential chapter in this unfolding story.
Literature, Philosophy, and the Struggles of Society
Spain stands at a crossroads of civilizations. Roman, Christian, Islamic, and Enlightenment traditions converged there, producing enduring contributions to philosophy, science, politics, and literature. Participants will explore Spain’s literary Golden Age through the works of Cervantes, Calderón de la Barca, and Lope de Vega, including Lope’s famous play of popular resistance, Fuente Ovejuna. The group will visit the very town in which the drama is set, connecting story, place, and historical meaning in a vivid way. Selections from Will Durant’s The Age of Reason Begins and Rousseau and Revolution provide broader context for Europe’s intellectual transformation and the growing power of ideas in shaping political life.
Modern Spain wrestled deeply with the meaning of mass society, individuality, and cultural identity. Participants will engage selections from José Ortega y Gasset’s The Revolt of the Masses and Miguel de Unamuno’s The Tragic Sense of Life, reflecting on how philosophy speaks directly to the challenges of modern life. Salamanca, long associated with Unamuno, offers a powerful setting for these discussions.
Political Economy, Science, and Exploration
Political economy comes alive through the life and ideas of Juan de Mariana of Toledo, the sixteenth-century thinker who was among the first to identify the dangers of inflation and monetary manipulation — insights that remain strikingly relevant today. Scientific discovery is illuminated through the pioneering work of Santiago Ramón y Cajal, the neuroscientist who first identified the structure of the neuron, blending artistic observation with rigorous experimentation.
The journey also traces the age of exploration through Christopher Columbus, visiting the region near Huelva where his voyage began and reading his famous letter describing the discovery of the New World. Along the southern edge of the Iberian Peninsula — including Gibraltar — participants will encounter the dramatic meeting point of continents and seas, offering a tangible sense of how geography shapes trade, strategy, and historical exchange.
Culture, Comfort, and Shared Discovery
Beyond the intellectual program, travelers will experience Spain’s magnificent architecture, ancient universities, medieval streets, scenic landscapes, and beautiful coastlines. The itinerary includes Madrid, Toledo, Salamanca, Andalusia, Gibraltar, Alarcón, and surrounding regions. Participants will enjoy Spain’s renowned cuisine and warm culture while staying in carefully selected four-star hotels with daily breakfast and air-conditioned comfort. Travel between cities will be by private coach with professional drivers. Two Reliance College guides will lead seminars throughout the trip, supported by licensed local guides in key locations.
Whether you are drawn by history, philosophy, science, literature, or simply the joy of learning in good company, this journey offers a rare opportunity to connect ideas with lived experience — and to continue a tradition of intellectual travel that brings learning fully to life.
Pricing & Registration
The program price is $7,200 per person (double occupancy).
An early enrollment incentive is available: the total price is reduced to $6,840 when a 50% deposit is paid by February 10, 2026.
- Shared Room (Double Occupancy)
• Early total price: $6,840
• 50% deposit to reserve: $3,420 - Private Room (Single Occupancy)
• Early total price: $8,930 (includes discounted single supplement)
• 50% deposit to reserve: $4,465
Final payment is due by April 30, 2026. Standard pricing applies after February 10.
Space is limited. For more information about the itinerary and how to reserve your place, visit RelianceCollege.org/spain, or contact Marsha Familaro Enright at Marsha@reliancecollege.org.
