When you are pitching a school trip to your senior staff, educational value is going to be paramount. Maybe you will be looking for a destination that offers cross-curricular opportunities. Subject specific or not, the learning needs to be inclusive of your students both in terms of physical access and subject matter.
If you are looking to tick the many boxes, planning your first school trip or looking for a destination with a little more variety, look to one of the many cities our Travelbound team have picked that offers easy access, high-quality attractions, notable landmarks, and heaps of learning opportunities.
There are many avenues schools can take to reach the French capital. The two most popular options with schools travelling with Travelbound both include twin-centre experiences.
Firstly, schools wanting to explore Normandy, its historic landing beaches, Bayeux Tapestry, markets, and local food producers invariably choose to stay at our very own Château du Molay. Why? Located in the heart of Normandy, the base offers accommodation, a restaurant, and a range of onsite activities and evening entertainment. Access to Paris is therefore by coach having crossed the Channel landing at Calais, Dieppe or Caen.
Including recreational elements such as day visits to theme parks have become a popular addition to provide students with downtime away from subject-focused matter. Twinning your stay in Paris with a visit to Disneyland Paris or Parc Asterix is easy to manage with clear transport routes to both locations and accommodation nearby for school groups seeking a little more time in the area.
Paris itself is like a movie set with recognisable landmarks at every turn. The city appeals to many and offers young artists the chance to explore and be inspired in the Louvre, Pompidou, and Musée d’Orsay; for those wanting to improve their French language to engage with shops along the Champs-Élysées; and historians who wish to dive into fin de siècle France in Montmartre or visit Versailles and the sites of the French Revolution.
Don’t miss!
+ Eiffel Tower
+ Bateaux Mouches
+ Disneyland Paris
+ Sites of the French Revolution
Barcelona stands for more than the capital of Catalonia. It is home to movements, a vibrant artistic culture, two football teams with fervent fans, an autonomous community, and pioneers in food. It is therefore one city with multiple facets, one city with multiple learning opportunities.
From the panoramic views from Montjuïc to the bustling Boqueria market off Las Ramblas, students are immersed in much more than culture. Walking through the city is a test for the senses, an opportunity for students to identify the various elements that puts the passion in Barcelona.
The Spanish language is not dismissed in this Catalan region, but budding artists, foodies and historians unite on a school trip where you cannot help but embrace a cross-curricular experience.
With good weather, access to the Costa Brava, a full range of artistic modes, and incredible food, Barcelona is a winner.
Don’t miss!
+ Park Güell
+ Sagrada Família
+ Flamenco Show
+ PortAventura
The fourth largest city in Germany makes it to this list of top city destinations for school trips. This city has over 2,000 years of history making it a real cultural hub for schools to discover.
The Cologne Cathedral (Kolner Dom) will be hard to miss standing over 515 feet high! Having taken over 600 years to build, design and history students will be in their element figuring out how this five-aisled basilica was constructed.
While a vast museum landscape may not sound appealing, it is the content that offers real value to your students. From the Romano-Germanic Museum to Museum Ludwig and the NS Documentation Centre to the German Sport and Olympia Museum, you can guide students through a full timeline that allows students to assess change over time. Plus, if we are mentioning museums, you would be hard done by to miss out on the Chocolate Museum!
Don’t miss!
+ Cologne Cathedral
+ Cologne NS Documentation Centre
+ UNESCO Upper Middle Rhine Valley Tour
+ Phantasialand
Want to learn more about school trips with Travelbound? Speak to us today
New York is its own showstopper when it comes to school trips. You will be running out of student spaces the moment you launch this school trip that rolls culture and education into a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Some might ask, ‘what’s the hype?’, but those are the ones yet to experience the city that never sleeps. The Big Apple, the mind-blowing moment of standing in Times Square and soaking in the atmosphere or taking in the city and Statue of Liberty from a different perspective on a sightseeing cruise are not to be skipped.
The educational value is not difficult to explain, though mentioning Ellis Island, Harlem, the NYC Slavery and Underground Railroad Tour can certainly help history teachers. Performing arts have Broadway and exclusive workshops with Travelbound’s partners, while a visit to the National 9/11 Memorial and museum are precious moments allowing students to learn about a modern-day atrocity that preceded their birth.
New York is a city that has long welcomed those from all walks of life offering a wealth of opportunities. It extends that same hand to school groups with numerous experiences to enhance personal development and lasting memories.
Don’t miss!
+ Empire State Building
+ Ellis Island Immigration Museum
+ Broadway
+ Guggenheim Museum
You will be hard pushed to think of a city that has seen greater changes over its lifetime than Berlin. War, destruction, rebuilds, division, unification – and that’s all within the 20th century!
It is safe to say the German capital has seen in fair share of stories, but no matter how that reflects on the nation’s past it doesn’t shy away from the facts. Berlin is primary source number one! There are remnants of the Berlin Wall, memorials to the Holocaust, museums documenting the rise and fall of Nazism, artefacts that help understand life during the Cold War, art ranging from classical to modern, and currywurst (not to everyone’s taste).
The attraction to schools does not just sit in its subject matter but its accessibility. One of the shortest flights for UK schools is only matched by the possibility of twinning your tour with a stay in Krakow. Getting around the city on the U-Bahn is as easy as asking what the time is in German.
For all its history, Berlin is a city with a young and energetic vibe. There is an air of positivity and direction as a thriving centre of business, as an influential cog of the European Union, and as symbol of unity between west and east Europe. This city is a must for all secondary schools to offer its students as part of their school trip programme.
Don’t miss!
+ The Holocaust Memorial
+ Asisi Panorama Berlin
+ Checkpoint Charlie Museum
+ Berlin Walking Tour
It is said all roads lead to Rome. So, when it comes to a city that gives school groups access to art, history, classical studies, religious studies and food, a school trip to the Italian capital pretty much tops the chart for any cross-curricular experience.
Not many people can say they’ve experienced being a gladiator but with the Gladiator Training School one of the many hands-on opportunities available, few teachers can resist the temptation to become a ‘tiro’. Together with a visit to the iconic Colosseum and the Roman Forum, students will soon be experts on the life and times of Cicero.
The Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, the Catacombs – all landmarks you should include in your school trip itinerary to Rome. However, the unique opportunity to visit the Vatican is a great addition for students and staff. Learn about the significance of the Church in in the Catholic faith, view centuries old sculptures, and visit the legendary Sistine Chapel in the easiest city destination to tick off two countries in one school trip.
Don’t miss!
+ Colosseum
+ Vatican City
+ Travelbound Rome Quest
+ Ice Cream at the Piazza Navona
To find out more about these destinations, planning your next school trip or to learn more about how Travelbound can tailor learning for your students, contact us via our enquiry form or call 01273 244 572.
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