13 Educational Documentaries in Spanish You Don’t Want to Miss
Watching an educational documentary in Spanish is amazing! They’re the perfect tool to practice your Spanish while learning something new.
Loads of educational documentaries in Spanish are available out there on all kinds of topics. Read this blog post to access a list of the most interesting documentaries available on popular streaming services!
13 Excellent Educational Documentaries in Spanish
Grab some popcorn, get comfortable, and let’s begin!
1. Perú, Tesoro Escondido (Peru, Hidden Treasure)
Rating: 7+
Country of Origin: Perú
Genre: Documentary
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
Year: 2017
Directed by: Luis Ara
Watch it on: Netflix
Narrated by the deep and calming voice of singer Rik Nuñez, this documentary film takes you to the magical and breathtaking lands of Peru.
Peru is widely known as the place where the Incas, one of the most important civilizations of the ancient world, began. This beautiful country’s natural and social diversity is something to learn about and celebrate. This documentary features clean shots, amazing views, and incredible transitions.
2. Street Food: Latinoamerica
Rating: 7+
Country of Origin: various Latin American countries
Genre: Docuseries
Duration: 1 season (6 episodes)
Year: 2020
Directed by:Tamara Rosenfeld
Watch it on: Netflix
This Netflix docuseries is one of the best to learn about the different culinary styles throughout Latin America.
All the fascinating stories revolve around people and food. They’re heartwarming and personal. The sense of familiarity leaves you hungry for more of this show.
Besides the food and the stories, the best thing about Street Food: Latinoamerica is the number of Spanish accents you’ll hear while watching it!
3. Andes Mágicos (Magical Andes)
Rating: Everyone
Country of Origin: various South American countries
Genre: Docuseries
Duration: 2 seasons (10 episodes)
Year: 2021
Directed by: Luis Ara
Watch it on: Netflix
Los Andes is one of the largest mountain chains in the world, and a great portion of the South American population has settled around them. The importance and impact that these mountains have on the people and their way of living is huge.
This documentary in Spanish, narrated by Pedro Rodriguez and Johnatan Lamb, introduces you to diverse Andean territories and cultures. The musical score and magical shots will make you want to be there and experience that beauty for yourself. The Spanish in this docuseries is clear and easy to understand.
4. Lorena, la de Pies Ligeros (Lorena, Light-footed Woman)
Rating: Everyone
Country of Origin: Mexico
Genre: Documentary
Duration: 28 minutes
Year: 2019
Directed by: Juan Carlos Rulfo
Watch it on: Netflix
This short documentary film is one of the best on Netflix. Lorena, la de Pies Ligeros is a documentary in Spanish that follows the life of Lorena Ramirez, a young Raramuri woman from Chihuahua, Mexico and her journey to become a recognized athlete.
Her story of effort and achievement is amazing and inspiring. Plus, it’s an opportunity to watch a Mexican Spanish documentary movie.
5. Recomiendo América (I Recommend America)
Rating: Everyone
Country of Origin: Guatemala
Genre: Docuseries
Duration: 50 minute episodes
Year: 2018
Directed by: Alejandro Novella V.
Watch it on: Youtube
Recomiendo America is a hidden gem on YouTube with great video quality and even greater stories to tell! This documentary in Spanish is conformed by several 50-minute episodes, each about a different place in Latin America.
6. Misterios del Inframundo (Mysteries of the Underworld)
Rating: 12+
Country of Origin: multiple Latin American countries
Genre: Docuseries
Duration: 1 season (3 episodes)
Year: 2017
Directed by: Pedro Agüera, Alejando Ravazzola
Watch it on: Disney+
Conducted in Spanish by the archeologist Fabio Amador and Andrés Ruzo, this documentary takes us to Teotihuacan, the Yucatan Peninsula, and Quintana Roo to discover the secrets of the rise and the downfall of ancient civilization.d
The Spanish in this documentary is clear and easy to understand. Learn specialized archeological terms by watching.
7. NatGeo Lab
Rating: Everyone
Country of Origin: Colombia
Genre: Docuseries
Duration: 1 season (26 episodes)
Year: 2018
Directed by: Felipe Dothee and Juan Pablo Motta
Watch it on: Disney+
This one is really entertaining for all the family because of the simple but mind-blowing experiments and their easy explanations! This docuseries is full of science and scientific data for kids and adults. With easy to understand explanations and colorful experiments, you’ll not only practice your Spanish but also learn more about the world.
8. Asombrosa Mente
Rating: Everyone
Country of Origin: Mexico
Genre: Docuseries
Duration: 1 season (10 episodes)
Year: 2015
Directed by: Carina Castellano and Gustavo Cavanna
Watch it on: Disney+
Asombrosa Mente is a documentary in Spanish perfect for those interested in the human mind and how it works. Mexican singer and composer Aleks Sintek helps you learn about the mysterious human mind.
Through entertaining activities and exercises, you’ll discover the way it works. This docuseries features a Mexican Spanish accent that’s easy to understand.
9. Sobrevolando (Latin America from Above)
Rating: Everyone
Country of Origin: Latin America
Genre: Documentary, Docuseries
Duration: 1 Season (8 episodes)
Year: 2020
Directed by: Javier Novoa
Watch it on: Disney+
At Disneyland and Disney World, there’s an amazing attraction called Soaring, a flight simulator that takes you all around the world to see the most wonderful views. Well, this nature documentary in Spanish is like having Soaring on your own television!
Fly over places in Latin America to see beautiful and incredible landmarks from a different point of view. Narrated by musician Jay de la Cueva, the journey is smooth and entertaining.
10. La Ciencia de lo Absurdo (Science of the Absurd)
Rating: Everyone
Country of Origin: Mexico
Genre: Docuseries
Duration: 7 seasons
Year: 2014-2020
Watch it on: Disney+
Hosted by Alfonso “Poncho” Herrera, this documentary is like a mix of funny fail videos and science. It’s perfect to watch with the whole family with easy-to-understand explanations of physics phenomena through funny fail videos and simple graphics.
Poncho is a great host who tells sarcastic jokes in every episode. His Spanish is clear, and you’ll be laughing as you practice your fluency.
11. Grandes Documentales: Literatura Latinoamericana (Big Documentaries: Latin American Literature)
Rating: 13+
Country of Origin: Paraguay
Genre: Documentary
Duration: 59 min
Year: 2018
Directed by: ABC TV Paraguay
Watch it on: Youtube
Part of the project named Grandes Documentales, this episode (that you can watch on Youtube) is perfect for those who are interested in Latin American literary history, specifically the avant-garde movement in the region.
12. Ciudades de Latinoamérica (Latin American Cities)
Rating: 7+
Country of Origin: Argentina
Genre: Documentary
Duration: 51 minutes
Year: 2013
Watch it on: Youtube
This documentary takes you through several Latin American cities to tell you about their history and other interesting facts. Use this documentary as a way to expand your bucket list on what places on the Spanish speaking part of the continent you want to visit!
13. Enciclopedia de la Comida Latinoamericana: Empanadas (Encyclopedia of Latin American Food: Empanadas
Rating: Everyone
Country of Origin: Colombia
Genre: Documentary
Duration: 9:30 minutes
Year: 2019
Directed by: Saray Latorre, Laura Woldenberg, Fernando R. Bencomo, and Camilo Mejía
Watch it on: Youtube
This short documentary is perfect to practice your Spanish while learning about something as important as las empanadas, one of the most delicious Latin American best foods.
Produced by Vice and narrated by Andrés Páramo, this documentary in Spanish takes you through the history of the empanada—a tasty fried pastry or tortillas stuffed with meat or vegetables—with entertaining imagery and memes.
Practice Spanish with a Pro
While watching documentaries in Spanish is an incredible exercise to increase your vocabulary (and universal knowledge), the truth is that it will never compare to the actual experience of practicing your Spanish with a real-live person.
Here at Homeschool Spanish Academy, we have more than 10 years of experience teaching Spanish with specially tailored packages that adapt to your schedule and your needs. Why not take a class with one of our amazing native Spanish-speaking teachers! Sign up for a free trial class today, and become part of our community with more than 24,000 students! You won’t regret it!
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