Understanding Educational Travel Trips

As a teacher, if you are considering taking your class on a trip you will recognise that first and foremost that trip must be educational. Travel with school can certainly be rewarding academically, but it should also be fun so students get an all-round experience of the country they are visiting. Educational travel is best booked with a recommended travel company experienced in organising school trips for young people. By choosing to book with such a company you are ensuring your trip will be highly organised, extremely productive and lots of fun.

Travel for School Groups

There are some excellent companies in the business of organising school trips and who offer fantastic opportunities for studying abroad. Drawing from years of experience working in different countries and with professional teams of local providers, these companies offer their trips with confidence. The tours are designed to take the stress out of the process for teachers and organisers, leaving them free to concentrate their efforts on promoting and managing the educational aims and study goals of the group. These companies believe that educational travel is fundamental for the academic development of young people and offer trips that aim to challenge students, expose them to new discoveries, and offer them the chance to grow socially and personally too.

Educational travel can be arranged in a multitude of countries and cover all manner of subjects across the National Curriculum. New trips are always being featured and existing popular ones are constantly tweaked and altered to keep up with new trends and new excursion possibilities. The wonderful thing about school trips is that any subject can be the focus, and individual itineraries can be designed so that every aim of the trip is accommodated. Many combine a number of subjects, and if there is not an itinerary that ticks all your boxes, call the company you plan to book with and they may be able to design a bespoke option for you.

One of the greatest advantages of booking your school trips with professional travel companies is that they are protected by all of the relevant travel insurance bodies should anything untoward occur. You, as the organiser, can relax in the comfort of knowing that under the umbrella of the company you and your students are fully protected, as far as the trip goes.

Most travel companies that organise these tours for young people are part of the Education Travel Group, a professional UK tour operator involved in organising travel arrangements for educational establishments, offering them support and advice regarding safety and financial security.

Most importantly, booking with a travel company means that parents have peace of mind regarding the safety of their child. They can be certain that the company is committed to providing successful, educational and memorable tours.

Angela Bowden works for STS (School Travel Service), the UK's largest educational travel company, providing tours for secondary schools, primary schools and colleges. An educational travel trip with STS can be undertaken encompassing history, art/design, foreign languages, science/nature, geography and more, to worldwide destinations.
Source: ezinearticles.com

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Top Places to Visit in Santiago Chile

• San Cristobal Hill
• Palacio de la Moneda
• Chilean National Museum of Fine Arts
• American Museum of Natural History
• Plaza de Armas
• Casa Colorada
• Parroquia de Santa Filomena
• Inglesia de San Agustin

1. San Cristobal Hill (formally Tupahue or "palace of the gods," today rises over 2500 feet. On the top of the hill is the "Chapel of the Immaculate Conception," and a 65 foot statue of the Virgin Mary. At the bottom of the hill are a zoo and a beautiful Japanese Garden. Also located on the summit is the Manual Foster Observatory.

2. Palacio de la Moneda is the location of the Chilean government. It was opened in 1805 as a national mint (Moneda means "coin." The Palace occupies an entire city block and has a beautiful facade.

3. The Chilean National Museum of Fine Arts began in 1880 and moved to the present location in 1910. It contains hundreds of artwork by Chilean artist, plus several pieces by South American artists. There is a lovely café and gift shop and is a lovely place to spend a morning or afternoon. By the way, admission is free on Sundays.

4. The American Museum of Natural History is a terrific museum filled with many exhibitions including Environmental Halls, Reptiles and Birds, Fossil Halls and Human Origins, to name just a few. A charming restaurant and gift shop is available and is a place where you could spend the day.

5. The Plaza de Armas is the veritable essence of Santiago and is surrounded by many historical buildings, including the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Central Post Office. There are some delicious restaurants surrounding the Plaza. It is a fantastic place to spend a couple hours just watching the people.

6. The Casa Colorada (Red House) is a Colonial house built in 1769 and houses the Museum of Santiago.

7. The Parroquia de Santa Filomena is a beautiful Church built in 1884. The church is decorated with many beautiful paintings, and the window paintings are spectacular.

8. The Inglesia de San Agustin (Church of St. Augustine) was built in 1625 and is the second oldest church in Chile. In the church is a wooden statue of Jesus Christ, called Christo de Mayo. There is a local legend that during an earthquake the crown slipped down around the neck of the statue. When they tried to push it back in place blood started flowing from the face, and the ground began to shake. The statue has remained untouched with the crown still down around the neck. A beautiful church worth the visit.

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Top Places to Visit in Lima Peru

What comes to your mind when you think of Lima Peru? The ruins of Machu Picchu? Beautiful mountains - historic buildings - Llamas running in the streets? Well, that is Lima, but much more awaits the visitor to this magnificent city. Here are just a few of places to see.

• Historic Center of Lima
• Museo de la Nacion
• Plaza Mayor
• Walls of Lima
• Cathedral of Lima
• Torre Tangle Palace
• Museo de arte Italiano

1. Lima was founded in 1535 and originally called the City of the Kings. Today the Historic Center of Lima still stands in all its wondrous beauty. Magnificent buildings surround this historic site, recognized by UNESCO as a World Historic Site.

2. The Museo de la Nacion (National Museum) is home to thousands of artifacts dealing with the entire history of Peru. The most moving exhibit is located on the sixth floor called Yuyanapaq, which means, "to remember." It is a photographic tribute to the historic struggle of the land between 1980 and 2000.

3. The Plaza Mayor is the true birthplace of Lima. The foundation of the town was laid January 18, 1535 and the city was built around this plaza and the Historic Center of Lima. The plaza is surrounded by the Government House, Cathedral of Lima, Archbishop's Palace, the Municipal Palace and the Palace of the Nation. A spectacular place to visit and not to be missed.

4. The Walls of Lima constructed in 1684 to protect the city from invaders and torn down in 1872 to expand the city. During construction in the 1980's some of the remains of the wall were discovered a today a beautiful park displays some of these ruins.

5. The foundation of the Cathedral of Lima was laid at the same time as the foundation of the city. It has been damaged several times by earthquakes. The church contains beautiful paintings, sculptures and is the burial place of the founder of Peru, Francisco Pizarro.

6. The Torre Tangle Palace is probably the most beautiful building in South America. Two outstanding carved wood balconies are on each side of the building, and the entrance is carved in stone. Currently the Ministry of Foreign Affairs occupies the property. You can book a tour through one of the local tour companies in Lima. It will be well worth the visit.

7. The Museo de arte Italiano (Italian Art Museum) was a gift of the Italian government in 1921. It contains many excellent works of art from over 125 renowned artists.

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Top Places to Visit in Stockholm

Stockholm, the city of the Nobel Peace Prize, lined with canals and loaded with fabulous restaurants and shops, has so much to offer. Filled with history and culture Stockholm has been populated since 1252. Here are just a few of the wonderful things to do in this great city.

• Gamla stan
• Vassa
• Drottningholm Palace
• Stockholm City Hall
• Fotografiska
• Junibacken Children's Museum
• Swedish National Museum of Science and Technology

1. Gamla stan is where Stockholm began. It is "old" Stockholm; its narrow alleyways are lined with medieval buildings. The cobblestone streets are filled with charming shops and restaurants.

2. The Vassa Museum houses the warship Vassa, which sank on its maiden voyage on August 10, 1628. The ship was rigged with 10 cannons and a crew of 100. Only a few minutes after launching the ship began to list to port, and then continued to list until it sank with 150 people (the crew was allowed to bring families on board for the maiden voyage). At least 30 drowned and when the ship was raised in 1961, 16 more remains were found. The restored ship is on display with hundreds of artifacts. A lovely restaurant and gift shop make the visit a pleasant one.

3. Drottningholm Palace is located on the island of Drottningholm, built in the 1600's, has been the residence of the Royal Family of Denmark ever since. The site is accessible to the public, and the reception rooms are spectacular. A charming restaurant and gift shop top off the visit.

4. The Stockholm City Hall is one of the most spectacular buildings in Stockholm. The way to see this magnificent building is by public tours, offered during the day with licensed guides. A lovely restaurant and gift shop offer visitors a wide selection of food and gift items.

5. Fotografiska houses what is perhaps the largest collection of photos in the world. The exhibitions change and all of them are brilliant. The Museum houses a charming restaurant and gift shop.

6. The Junibacken Children's Museum is one of the most adorable children's museums in the world. There are so many beautiful exhibits that children can participate in, and the Story Train is an absolute delight. Do not skip lunch and the lovely gift shop.

7. The Swedish Museum of Science and Technology contains over 30,000 square feet of breathtaking exhibits of over 50,000 objects and artifacts, over 200,000 drawings, 620,000 images and over 50,000 books. Some of the world's oldest computers are on display, as well as appealing cars and airplanes. Yes, there is an excellent restaurant and gift shop to culminate a pleasant visit.

You must spend a week in this delightful city.

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Top Places to Visit in Warsaw

Warsaw Poland brings memories of Communist control and heroic acts to promote freedom. The beautiful city of Warsaw offers so much in history and culture. Here are just a few of the things you can do in this fabulous city.

• Warsaw Uprising Museum
• Copernicus Science Center
• Royal Castle of Warsaw
• Fryderyk Chopin Museum
• Wilanów Palace
• Warsaw Citadel
• Museum of Caricature Cartoon Art.
• Krolikarnia
• Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

1. The Warsaw Uprising Museum is dedicated to those heroes who rose up during the 1944 uprising. You will find hundreds of artifacts, photos and memorabilia. There is a lovely shop where you can buy things associated with the museum.

2. The Copernicus Science Center houses over 450 interactive exhibits that the whole family can enjoy. There is a charming Bistro at the entrance and a cafe near the Planetarium. A fabulous gift shop offers souvenirs of this great museum.

3. The Royal Castle of Warsaw offers fascinating exhibits such as, Oriental Carpets, Numismatics, Paintings, sculptures and historical artifacts. The palace was used by the Polish Monarchs. Today it is a fantastic museum.

4. The Fryderyk Chopin Museum is dedicated to the brilliant Polish composer and musician. It contains five levels of exhibits and many artifacts from the composer's life and works.

5. Wilanów Palace, built in the 16th century by King John III Sobieski, today contains artifacts from this rich history of Poland. It is an outstanding cultural center, holding concerts and musical events, especially in the Rose Garden during the summer months.

6. The Warsaw Citadel was built by Russian Tsar Nicholas I to solidify Russian control over the country. During peacetime over 5,000 Russian Troops were stationed there. Cells housed Polish patriots who supported the rebellion. Today you can see some of the cells and discover the fortifications and weaponry of the period.

7. Near the castle stands a museum like no other in Poland, the Museum of Caricature Cartoon Art. It is a fantastic place to visit for the whole family. A fabulous gift shop gives you the opportunity to get some of the cartoon samples. Here is a fun place to spend the morning.

8. Krolikarnia (Rabbit House) is a grand palace was built at the beginning of 1782 by King Augustus II the Strong for rabbit warren! Today it is a lovely museum featuring art and sculpture by Xawery Dunikowski.

9. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is the only surviving part of Saxton Palace that was destroyed in WWII. The Changing of the Guard takes place here every day at noon. Since 1925, it has housed the remains of a young soldier who died defending Lwow.

I always hesitate after each article and ask myself why I could not have put more places in the article. The answer is always the same - not enough room. There are many places that are well worth a visit that I just could not include.

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