Are you a teacher planning a school trip to Spain? Spain is a country teeming with culture, history, and natural beauty that will inspire and educate your students. However, before you embark on this exciting journey, there are several essential steps you need to take. At Estudia-España we have helped countless schools across Europe to plan and book an unforgettable educational tour to Spain. In this guide, we'll explore the key aspects of planning a school trip to Spain that will make the experience smooth and unforgettable!
Preparing for your Spanish Adventure
As a teacher, you will already know that preparation is crucial. Here are a few of the first tasks you need to tackle:
- Define your goals: Determine the educational (and perhaps also the cultural) objectives of your trip. Whether the aim is improving your students’ language skills or exposing them to new cultures, having clear goals will help you with your planning.
- Define your budget: Your budget will decide where and for how long your trip can be. With Estudia-España a 5-day, 4-night trip can start at approximately €400 per student for a small group (2025 prices, excluding flights). But the price can vary a lot depending on your chosen city, course type and any additional activities.
Which destination is best?
The next thing to consider is the destination. Estudia-España offers school packages at more than a dozen destinations in Spain, and all of them are fantastic places to learn Spanish.
The best way to start is to look at locations that are easy to reach from your local airport. You probably won’t want a long journey after arrival to give you and your students more time and energy to explore and enjoy your stay. Most major European cities offer direct flights to Madrid, Barcelona and Malaga. If you are lucky you might also find flights to other cities such as Seville, Alicante or Valencia.
You should also check the departure days and times as well, to make sure that flights are available on the days you plan to travel, at reasonable times.
How long should the course be?
The length of the stay is entirely up to you. Most groups book between 4 and 6 nights.
Usually, no lessons or events are planned on the arrival day. The school will arrange a private transfer to pick your school group up at the airport and bring you to the school. Here your students will meet their teachers and then be taken to their accommodation, or meet their host families and be given some time to settle in.
The next morning is when the programme starts: the mornings are usually reserved for 2-3 Spanish language lessons followed by lunch together. In the afternoon can enjoy an activity organised by the school. This could be a tour of the historic city centre, a trip to a local historical site, or simply an afternoon of games on the beach or in a park.
But don’t forget: each additional activity comes with a price. If your budget is tight you might want to plan a couple of non-activity days, where you can just spend an afternoon relaxing on the beach or exploring the city centre shops.
What kind of accommodation do you want?
Two popular accommodation options for school trips to Spain are student residences and host families, both offering a full-board option. Student residences provide a communal environment, with the children staying in 2 or 3-bed rooms.
Staying with host families offers a more immersive cultural experience, where the students stay, usually in pairs, with a local Spanish family. Evening meals are consumed with the family and the students are able to practice their Spanish in a much more relaxed environment. This option is normally more expensive, but can be worth it. Caution: in larger cities, especially Madrid, there is no guarantee that the host families will live close to the school. This sometimes means that the students are expected to make their own way to and from the host family independently using public transport.
Are flights included?
While we are able to inquire about flights for large groups on your behalf, we recommend that when it comes to booking the flights this is done directly with the airline. This makes organisation slightly easier, as you can amend and alter tickets directly without having to go through a third party. This is also done to keep our prices low: we would have to charge more if we are also responsible for booking and managing your flights for you.
Teacher Benefits
Most schools offer free accommodation to one teacher spot for every 10-15 students who enrol in the trip. This not only ensures that your students have adequate supervision but also allows teachers to actively participate in the learning experience. You will also have an English-speaking contact person available at all times for the duration of the trip should there be any questions.
Any questions? Contact us!
Planning a school trip to Spain can be a rewarding and enriching experience for both you and your students. At Estudia-España we have many years of experience helping schools to plan this kind of trip, and will be happy to help you with the organisation.
Are you ready to start planning your trip? Contact us for an individual offer!
More information about our school trips can be found here.
