Language training and holistic consulting for your future

In a context where training and professional support have become pillars for facing the challenges of the present, teaching academies and consultancies play a fundamental role. On the one hand, educational centres respond to the growing demand for continuous learning, offering programmes ranging from languages to specialised academic support. On the other hand, agencies and consultancies are establishing themselves as essential allies for individuals and companies seeking clarity and efficiency in an increasingly complex regulatory environment. Although different, both sectors share the same purpose: to provide tools that facilitate growth, security and opportunities for those who rely on their services.

Academic training is much more than a requirement: it is the foundation on which each person's professional and personal future is built. Preparing for a university entrance exam, passing a competitive examination, achieving a good level in languages or even learning Spanish as a foreign language are milestones that open doors, generate opportunities and enrich not only your career, but also your worldview and self-confidence. Investing in education means investing in development, growth and the possibility of achieving goals that once seemed distant.

With this philosophy, first in Granada with Academia Puerta Real in 1995, then in Malaga with Academia Avenida Andalucía, and later in Cordoba and Murcia with Cruz Conde and Alba, respectively.

With an offering that includes university entrance exams, languages, competitive examinations, vocational training and Spanish accredited by the Instituto Cervantes, it stands out for combining educational tradition with technological innovation in its face-to-face and online classes.

How long have you been in the sector and what are your origins? In other words, tell us a little about your values and beginnings (history) so that readers can get to know you better.

We have been in Malaga since 2014, although we have been teaching since 1995 at our pioneering centre in Granada and, later, in the cities of Cordoba and Murcia.

We are located on Avenida Andalucía, about 5 minutes from María Zambrano station. This means that students from all over the province can come to our centre thanks to the easy train and bus connections.

What are the main services you offer? What type of training is most in demand at the moment?

We started out teaching language classes (English and French) and providing academic support from primary school to university level. Later, we also specialised in university entrance exams, which many people choose to take as adults.

We also help young people prepare for the SELECTIVIDAD, both for students with Spanish baccalaureate and foreigners of any nationality.

We are undoubtedly proud of the education we provide and that our students achieve their dreams by entering careers in medicine, nursing, etc.

Our educational offering continues to grow, and we have recently added preparation for competitive examinations. Our plan is to help those who want to take competitive examinations for public sector jobs and need a little support.

What kind of methodology do you use and in what subjects do you provide tutoring? Do you also adapt to foreigners who are studying in our country?

At our centre in Malaga city, we offer face-to-face classes in various subjects and, thanks to our classrooms equipped with the latest technology, our online classes are increasingly in demand.

Our centre has all the necessary technology to deliver classes, including digital whiteboards, webcams, class recording, microphones, etc. This means that our ONLINE classes are guided by the motto: ‘Like being in class from home’.

Your training programme also includes Spanish for foreigners. What does this consist of and up to what level of Spanish do you teach at your academy?

The Academia Avenida de Andalucía is an accredited centre by the prestigious Instituto Cervantes. This enables us to teach classes from basic level 0 to level C2 in Spanish. One of our strengths in teaching Spanish to foreigners is total linguistic immersion. We achieve this through extracurricular activities and additional tasks with our students. These range from sports to excursions, cooking classes, crafts, etc.

Likewise, every year we welcome students from Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, etc., with an increasing number of Chinese students.

Is there anything else you would like to highlight on this subject?

In view of the growing demand for places on intermediate and advanced vocational training courses, we are pleased to announce that we will soon be able to offer these to our students, both in administration and health.

This makes us the centre with the most comprehensive range of training courses in Andalusia.

Today we interview Paola Vecchi, director of Maravillas Programas Internacionales, a leading school on the Costa del Sol with more than 40 years of experience bringing Spanish language and culture to students from all over the world.

Maravillas Programas Internacionales has a long history. How did it all begin?

Our story began in 1972 with the founding of Colegio Maravillas, a secondary school for young Spaniards. In 1978, we launched the first Spanish Language and Culture Courses in collaboration with the University of Malaga, which gave rise to our current international centre.

In 2004, we obtained accreditation from the Instituto Cervantes, the largest organisation that certifies the quality of Spanish language teaching and endorses internationally recognised levels. Since then, we have been an official examination centre for DELE diplomas and adopted our current name: Maravillas Programas Internacionales.

Today we have a modern centre in Benalmádena that combines Andalusian aesthetics with modern facilities: 26 equipped classrooms, a library, a self-study room, a cafeteria and a multilingual office open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Every year we welcome more than 5,000 students of all ages and nationalities, consolidating our position as a true cultural meeting point.

What programmes do you offer and who are they aimed at?

At Maravillas, we offer programmes tailored to different objectives: courses for foreign residents on the Costa del Sol who want to improve their integration and everyday communication, intensive courses for adults visiting the area for a few weeks, and flexible programmes for longer stays. We also offer private lessons, preparation for the DELE and SIELE exams, and cultural activities to enrich the experience.

Learning Spanish is not just training: it is an academic and professional investment, opening doors to employment, facilitating personal development and multiplying opportunities for integration.

The programmes are designed according to age and interests. Young people enjoy fun activities, while adults participate in cultural experiences that make learning a practical and social experience. During Easter and summer, we organise international camps for young people aged 13 to 17, combining classes with sports, leisure and living with local families. In summer, more than 500 students enrol, and many families do so together: parents take intensive courses while their children enjoy the camp.

We also offer accommodation in apartments or with Spanish families, allowing students to practise the language and experience authentic immersion. In this way, the centre becomes a home and meeting point where residents and visitors feel part of the community.

What options do you offer for foreigners already living on the Costa del Sol?

Our programmes for residents are flexible and personalised, with small group or private classes. They are tailored to professionals who need to improve their Spanish for work, university students or those who want to communicate better in everyday life.

In addition, we teach Spanish applied to everyday life: communicating with neighbours, dealing with paperwork or accompanying children to school. In this way, we help them to integrate fully and make the centre a real home and meeting point for foreigners living on the Costa del Sol.

What methodology do you use in the classroom?

We believe that a language is learned by living it. From day one, we encourage students to communicate exclusively in Spanish. We combine a solid academic foundation with a practical and communicative approach.

As a centre accredited by the Instituto Cervantes, we guarantee the highest standards of quality. Every year, more than a thousand students take the DELE and CCSE exams in our classrooms, including many foreign residents who enrol in our preparation classes. Our pass rate exceeds 90%, reflecting the effectiveness of our programmes and our commitment to our students' success.

We offer individual academic monitoring and close, personalised guidance, accompanying each student in their progress, resolving doubts and adapting activities to their pace and level.

What final message would you like to convey to the readers of Diario Sur?

At Maravillas, every student can learn Spanish without fear, with guidance and support at all times, adapting classes to their level, pace and interests. Our centre is a meeting place for locals and foreigners, where classes are complemented by cultural, sporting, social and leisure activities, making learning a comprehensive and enriching experience. We can guarantee that if you come to Maravillas, you will learn Spanish. It is your place, and an investment in your future that goes beyond the classroom, allowing you to create unique memories, establish authentic connections and get a real insight into Andalusian life and culture.

Obtaining a visa in Spain can be challenging. That's where Gestoría Estepona, led by Luisa Febrero Gil (her friends and close clients call her Isa), Managing Director, makes a difference: for years, she has been assisting families and professionals with the process—from visas and residency to property purchases—turning bureaucracy into a simple, stress-free procedure.

How long have you been in the sector and what is your background?

I founded the agency more than 16 years ago, having always worked in customer service, solving problems and attending to my client portfolio in person, both in banking and as a community administrator, and even in a service company in the most luxurious and private urbanisation in Europe, La Zagaleta.

I obtained my HSC in Sydney, Australia, studied COU and passed the university entrance exam. It was the first time I had ever been on a plane, I went alone and flew for 27 hours! They picked me up and took me to a villa owned by Al Capone's grandson.

It was my learning experience about the difficulties and life experience of living in another country and how complex it was to process a student visa. When I returned, I saw how complicated it was to get my studies recognised, to get it and to be able to enter the Faculty of Economics and Business.

You can see that I have a strong personality, but I am also very sociable and decisive. I prepared my visa myself, even though I was not yet of legal age.

It was a wonderful experience, and I kept in touch with many friends. Years later, I moved to Surrey, England, to live and work for almost a year. Many people think I am English and not Spanish!

What are the main services you offer?

Starting from the basis that we want to ensure that they understand the tax and legal obligations and rights of our country so that they can enjoy their stay or residence, with the peace of mind that comes from knowing they are supported (bureaucracy is one of the problems in Spain).

Therefore, from the moment the person or family arrives in Spain, we accompany them to register at the Town Hall, Police Station, children's school, medical assistance, etc.; if they are going to rent or buy, we accompany them or represent them by power of attorney.

A client has just kindly published a review describing our agency:

“Isa and her team have been absolutely incredible in helping me and my partner secure residency here in Spain. As a Brit, I honestly thought this would be an impossible task post-Brexit but these guys really know their stuff.

They made what I expected to be a stressful, admin-heavy nightmare feel effortless and dare I say it, even enjoyable. They handled everything from start to finish, accompanied us to meetings, and were always available whenever we needed guidance or reassurance.

What really sets them apart is not just their expertise, but the way they care. They’re warm, kind, and genuinely great fun to work with. It never felt like we were just “clients” they treated us like friends, and that made all the difference.

If you’re looking for legal support that goes beyond paperwork and bureaucracy, I couldn’t recommend Isa and her team highly enough.

They’re not just brilliant lawyers, they’re brilliant people!”

What are the most in demand services at present?

They are: legal advice on property sales, NIE (foreign identification number), residence permits, civil partnerships or marriages, and inheritance.

One of the services you offer is visas. What can you tell us about them? What is the current situation if someone wants to obtain a visa?

Two factors have come into play: the elimination of the Golden Visa and Brexit. Many foreigners, mainly retirees, want to continue coming to Spain, and the non-lucrative visa has become very popular. It can be applied for at the Spanish Consulate for one year, and we can help them obtain it. Subsequently, we do the renewals online, which is more convenient. For people from outside the EU who want to work, they created the Nomad visa.

There are two options: apply at the Spanish consulate or directly in Spain, provided that you are not prohibited from entering Spain and are within the first three months. Mainly, you must be able to prove that you already have a business relationship with companies or clients for a certain period of time before applying, and you must have no criminal record, health insurance and sufficient financial resources for yourself and your family.

They may even invoice clients in Spain, provided that this represents less than 20% of their income.

Another service of great interest is inheritance. What do you usually recommend to people who come to your agency for inheritance matters? Why do many people renounce their inheritance?

In Andalusia, inheritance between the first and second groups, parents, children, spouses or registered civil partners, is subsidised up to €1 million per heir. It is very important to do this within the first six months or to request a postponement.

When making a will, we choose national law and this is what we recommend for assets located in Spain. A bilingual English-Spanish will provides great peace of mind, even when it comes to managing the inheritance, which is a delicate process.

Unfortunately, due to family disputes before or after death, it is advisable to have everything prepared. Sometimes, in the years prior to death, there was no contact with a family member and/or the relationship was poor, which results in the renunciation of the inheritance.

This renunciation must be made before a Spanish Notary, or else a power of attorney must be obtained abroad and apostilled and translated into Spanish, to avoid awkward moments.

Is there anything else you would like to highlight on this subject?

Also donations made during one's lifetime, within certain requirements, are tax-deductible if they are formalised before a Notary within one month of the transfer.