Europe

As the UK's home continent, Europe holds the countries students are most likely to be familiar with or have visited before. Many families from Britain travel to mainland Europe annually for holidays and it's common to find students or their families with a link to another European country. However, no matter how much an individual has seen and done in Europe, there is always more to discover. Containing about 50 countries, you are spoilt for choice in what destination to pick for your school trip with every aspect of the curriculum, all types of venues and a vast range of activities on offer. Visit Italy for its culture, music and sport, France for its outdoor adventure, Holland for its art, Germany for its festivals or travel to Austria and Switzerland for Alpine sports in winter, the Black Sea resorts in Romania and Bulgaria for summer outdoor activities and Greece for history and archeaology.

The weather and landscapes in Europe can vary greatly. Scandinavian countries such as Norway, Sweden and Finland can suffer extremely cold winters, but travel down to the Mediterranean and you find climates in Spain, Croatia and Turkey are a much more welcoming, with mild winters and very warm summers. There are mountain ranges, flat plains, glaciers, rolling hills and sandy beaches all to be found in Europe, and this should be considered when planning trips. Select your trip location carefully to accommodate the types of activities you want to enjoy.

For taking students abroad, Europe is certainly your easiest option - you don't even have to fly to some locations with the Eurostar and ferry links across the Channel. But, just because it's the most convenient option doesn't mean it's the least interesting, far from it with new countries such as Estonia, Latvia, Bosnia and Slovenia opening up more and more all the time. European culture and landscapes are widely varied, and visiting such new and exciting locations so close to home can give students an exciting experience with a sense of personal involvement. 

Find out more about each of the countries in Europe here: