Austria

Austria is a contrast of stunning natural landscapes and elegant urban streets. Characterised by mountain villages, baroque architecture, Imperial history and rugged Alpine terrain, this beautiful country will offer an inspirational setting for your students whatever your educational focus would be. There is plenty to explore from Austria’s involvement in WWII. Students can spot memorial plaques on building and concrete towers that were once used as control towers to combat air raids.  Vienna itself played a large role in the Nazi regime as the provincial capital of the German Reich.

Sample Activities

Salzburg- This skyline of this beautiful city is dominated by the Hohensalzburg, the fortress palace of the Prince-Archbishops. The city is associated with Music with its world renowned summer music festival. This is the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and a visit to Mozart’s House in the city centre gives an insight into the early life of this iconic composer.

Felsentherme, Bad Gastein- This sophisticated thermal Baths and Spa complex, at the top of the Gastein Valley, has both indoor and outdoor pools fed by 18 natural springs. The geothermally heated water has passed through the rocks of the Hohe Tauern Mountains over hundreds of years and bubbles to the surface enriched with minerals and positively charged. The waters are invigorating and considered to have health giving properties.

Czech Republic

Europe’s past will come alive with a school trip to the Czech Republic.  The charming city of Prague offers the perfect opportunity to immerse your students in the nation’s long history with its medieval castles and its elegant skyline. The Czech Republic was occupied by the Nazi’s during WWII and an exploration of its important sites will give students an insight into the realities of the Holocaust and the impact on the country. The Terezin Concentration Camp and the Jewish quarter will allow students to understand how this war changed the course of history.

Sample Activities

Prague Castle- the Defenestration of Prague took place at this huge and ancient castle, an event that sparked the Thirty Years’ War, drawing many of the states of Europe into conflict and playing an important role in modern understandings of statehood. After touring the castle, students can reflect on the roots and possible causes of the conflict.

Jewish Quarter- Through the streets, cemetery and synagogues of the Jewish quarter, students find a diverse world of beauty and tragic history. Nothing highlights this more than the ornate Spanish synagogue, which was used in World War II as a repository for property taken from the Jews. It now forms part of the Jewish Museum and is a wonderful setting for classical concerts.

Lidice Memorial- to the North of Prague by coach is the village of Lidice. In 1942 the small village was destroyed on the order of Hitler as a reprisal for the assassination of the Nazi official Reinhard Heydrich. All the men were shot and women and children were separated and sent to separate death camps to be killed. There is a Museum and bronze statues depicting the 82 children who were murdered.

Germany

Germany has a plethora of sights and sounds to offer travelling school groups with a multitude of subject interests.  From the artistic scenery and the rich history to the cobbled streets of small towns and the modern architecture of the big cities, Germany offers a wide variety of destinations to offer a relevant and exciting educational tour. A tour of Germany will lead students through the trenches of WWI, life under the Nazi regime during WWII, and the origins of the Cold War.

Sample Activities

East Side Gallery– East Berliners breached the Wall on 9 November 1989, and between February and June of 1990, 118 artists created unique works of art on its longest-remaining section. This open-air gallery serves as a memorial for freedom. One of the best-known works, by Russian artist Dmitri Vrubel, depicts Brezhnev and Honnecker (the former East German leader) kissing.

Checkpoint Charlie Museum– Checkpoint Charlie, the most well-known of the border crossings between East and West, is now one of Berlin’s most popular tourist attractions. At the Checkpoint Charlie Museum unique artefacts including many of the contraptions used by those who tried to cross illegally, and works inspired by the division, will vividly bring the past to life for your students.

Hohenschönhausen Memorial Centre (Stasi prison museum) – Between 1951 and 1989 the Stasi secret police used this site as a detention centre for un-sentenced suspects. Holding mainly political prisoners, it was infamous for its regime of physical and psychological torture meted out to inmates. It is now a memorial museum with rooms, surveillance technology and interiors as they were before the fall of Communism.

Netherlands

Delve into the country’s history with a trip to Anne Frank’s house, discover the system of Roman tunnels underneath the pretty town of Valkenburg or explore rejuvenated Rotterdam which was destroyed by Hitler’s Luftwaffe in WWII and rebuilt to create a colourful, contemporary skyline. With a wealth of fascinating sites to explore, educational trips to the Netherlands are perfect for teachers looking for an engaging trip abroad.

Sample Activities

Anne Frank House- The building where Anne Frank hid from Nazi persecution sits on the Prinsengracht canal. As well as the preservation of the hiding place and an exhibition on the life and times of Anne Frank, the museum acts as an exhibition space to highlight all forms of persecution and discrimination.

Van Gogh Museum- The largest collection of Van Gogh paintings in the world is housed here, along with the works of his contemporaries, Impressionists and Post-Impressionists. A visit here helps students understand the artistic context in which his works were created and the influence they had upon others.

The Hague– Seat of the Dutch government and home of many International organisations, The Hague is considered the second capital of the United Nations. At Scheveningen you can visit the Sea Life Centre and the Omniversum I-max film centre. Close to The Hague discover the Netherlands in miniature at Madurodam.

Poland

Experience the verve and energy of contemporary Poland which has been shaped by a rough and often tortuous history.  Its people are kind and witty despite their often difficult circumstances and students will feel welcomed and appreciated during a tour to this diverse country. Where cutting-edge culture meets old-world architecture, a trip to Poland offers your students a captivating insight into the history and politics of Eastern Europe.

Sample Activities

Schindler’s Factory- Visit the factory where Oscar Schindler employed hundreds of Jewish people to protect them during the Holocaust. Krakow’s past has been recreated here in an evocative way, presenting the tragedy of World War II as well as everyday life of the city. Exhibits include a recreated hairdresser’s salon, stereoscopic studio and typical basement apartment.

Kazimierz Jewish Quarter– This historic district of Krakow was home to a large Jewish community from the 14th century until World War II when its Jewish inhabitants were relocated by force to other parts of Poland and in 1941 many thousands were sent to the Krakow Ghetto in Podgórze. The synagogues of Kazimierz that were damaged during World War II have since been restored and the Galicia Jewish museum provides students with some context. Stephen Spielberg used Kazimierz as the backdrop to his 1993 film Schindler’s List and it is now one of the major tourist attractions of Krakow and a cultural centre.

Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp– A visit to the largest Nazi concentration camp of World War II is a chilling and truly memorable experience. More than 1.1 million men, women, and children lost their lives here. Much of the camp remains as a memorial and museum.

Switzerland

A picturesque paradise, Switzerland mixes rural and urban with contemporary cities, glacier-encrusted mountains and glittering lake shores. Take a shot at speaking one of Switzerland’s four languages, taste its chocolatey delights and marvel at its winter wonderlands.

Sample Activities

Natural History Museum- This is Switzerland’s largest natural history museum. There is a focus on the animals of the region including mammals, birds and reptiles and a collection of tropical animals. The museum looks at geosciences, astronomy and the history of mankind. Parts of the museum are currently under renovation until 2018.

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum- Geneva is the birth place of this humanitarian organisation founded by Henry Dunant. The Museum’s permanent exhibition ‘The Humanitarian Adventure’ follows three contemporary themes of concern to us today and which will affect our common future – defending human dignity, restoring family links and reducing natural risks.

History of Science Museum- This museum showcases the city of Geneva’s scientific past inside the beautiful neo-classical Villa Bartholoni in the Perle du Lac Park. The collections include many scientific instruments including microscopes, barometers, sun dials, astrolabes, books and documents. The exhibits have been bequeathed by the families of Geneva’s scientists or donated by the bodies for which they worked.