Overseas visits to France, Spain and Germany offer the chance for school groups to include a variety of different subjects and topics with just one visit.
France
Steeped in dramatic history of world conflicts and with extensive links to the arts and STEM, France offers an abundance of cross-curricular visits for school groups at various Key Stages and an opportunity to immerse pupils in French language and culture.
The Loire Valley is home to attractions including Futuroscope, a theme park combining fun and education, with rides and shows to explore science and space, alongside media studies and French. Launched in June 2025, Mission Bermudes takes pupils to explore the mystery of Bermuda, embarking on an adventure on the rapids.
22 different chateaus can be found in the region, with history dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries. Château de Chenonceau welcomes school groups to explore the opulent rooms and has a collection of furniture, tapestries and paintings, including masterpieces by the likes of Rubens and Primaticcio.
Elsewhere, in Normandy the Château du Molay is run by Travelbound and offers residential school visits, providing a base to explore a region connected to some of the most significant moments of World War Two. History groups can explore locations including the Memorial de Caen, which offers guided visits covering the origins of the Second World War to its end and the Cold War to the fall of the Berlin Wall. School groups can also visit the D-Day landing beaches, still known as Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword, which offer a powerful and immersive learning experience and opportunities to learn more about the D-Day landings, through memorials and guided tours.
Connecting with schools in France
French Horizons focusses on linking together UK and French schools at both primary and secondary level, through French language visits, music tours and cross-curricular trips.
- French language students can experience life in a French school, before immersing themselves in local cultural activities and visits.
- History students can be immersed in the rich Norman heritage which the region offers, including workshops at the La Mora project in Honfleur where they can see William The Conqueror’s longship being rebuilt using only medieval techniques before it sails to the UK in 2027.
- Music students can enjoy sharing concerts with a local music school, with shared pieces prepared in advance of the tour on both sides of the Channel.
Spain
Combine Spanish studies and the arts with a visit to the historically and culturally significant capital of Madrid and discover a blend of Christian, Islamic, and Jewish heritage, alongside a lively arts scene and iconic sites.
School groups can enjoy free admission to the Prado Museum, to discover the late 19th and early 20th century paintings including works by Monet, Matisse and Van Gogh. Guided tours are available of the Bernabeu Stadium, offering an insight into the history of Real Madrid and Spanish football.
School trips to Barcelona offer a diverse experience, from the architecture and artwork of Gaudi and Picasso to the history and culture of Las Ramblas and La Sagrada Família. Geography students can visit the city centre to focus on urban regeneration and redevelopment, or the Garrotxa National Park to study ecosystems. Port Vell is home to L’Aquarium Barcelona, one of the largest aquariums in Europe and home to over 450 different species with workshops focused on marine life and habitats for primary and secondary schools.
Germany
Explore the capital of Berlin and discover the city’s poignant history, including the persecution imposed by the Nazis through the Holocaust at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews, or the impact of the Cold War at the Berlin Wall Memorial where school groups can participate in tours and workshops.
The East Side Gallery combines history with art and is a place of remembrance for the fall of the Wall in 1989. Guided tours focus on the artwork and explore the role it serves today. Include the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag on a tour of the city to combine history and politics, or visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Museum Island, which is home to five different museums of history and art.
Frankfurt is the financial capital of Germany and offers a combination of German language, business studies and maths. Students can explore the financial centre of the Eurozone and the home of the German Stock Exchange or head to Mathematikum, Germany’s only dedicated maths museum in nearby Giessen, where more than 100 interactive exhibits can be found.
Visit the Eintracht Frankfurt Museum at Deutsche Bank Park stadium, which offers secondary school pupils special guided tours and workshops on topics including football and religion, and history of football.
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