Interestingly, Belgium is one of our most popular close-to-home destinations. This fact shouldn’t come as a surprise when you consider what this destination has to offer in terms of musical, educational and sporting opportunities.
Besides the obvious pull that the country makes some of the best chocolate around, Belgium has some underappreciated assets that make it the perfect stepping stone from a UK tour.
Less than a 5 hour drive from London, Belgium is seemingly the perfect transition from tours within the UK. Not only is it home to some of the most famous historical sites around, but it also offers a rich sporting network that’s perfect for schools.
Concert Tours
38% of concert groups that travelled with us visited Belgium last year. With some of the finest cities, museums and beer in Europe, Belgium’s musical charm continues to impress each year. Close to home and suited to any ensemble’s repertoire, it has always proved a popular choice with our adult groups. Perform in a range of beautiful venues whilst enjoying brewery tours, canal cruises and sight-seeing across the many cities at your disposal.
Educational trips
Belgium is home to the Western Front which was commonly known as ‘The Main Theatre of War’ during the First World War. A journey into the area really emphasises the horrific reality of the conflict that occurred during that time. Students can therefore gain an incredible insight into the sacrifice that was made by thousands of men and women to fight against the German invasion.
The strong historical experience can also be felt at Ypres where the battlefields come to life during your tour. Visit the In Flanders Fields Museum and Hill 60, where memories of the First World War remain incredibly strong.
Ultimately, the lasting effects of the First World War will be forever ingrained on the land of this fantastic country. As a result, visits to Belgium offer more than most in terms of educational benefit and lasting emotional appreciation.
School groups often leave with true admiration and appreciation for what occurred during the terrible and troubled times of the First World War.
Sports tours
It’s hard to believe that such a compact country would play home to a rich sporting network, making it the perfect destination for football or multi-sport tours. Known as one of the top-rated sporting nations for both football and hockey, you’ll never be short of competition for your team.
With many of the major towns and cities all within close proximity to each other, it makes travelling easy throughout the trip. At Rayburn Tours, we can create the perfect itinerary to match your sporting requirements. We aim to create a tour that’s enjoyable and beneficial, both in terms of the development and sporting opportunities on offer.
If you don’t want to miss out on the historical opportunities we previously mentioned, why not add some cross-curricular learning with a visit to one of the First World War battle sites?
Still not convinced?
If you’ve got this far and you still don’t think it’s the right destination for your next school trip, that’s fine because we aren’t finished yet…
Aside from its educational and sporting appeal, Belgium offers so much more to see and explore during your time away. The famous cities of Brussels, Bruges and Ghent are all incredible and the food ranges from your typical chips and waffles to steamed mussels and beef stew.
The countryside is the perfect candidate for coach window gazing and let’s not forget the country’s famous beer selection! For teachers only of course.
Forgetting our travel statistics for just a second, Belgium continues to be underappreciated by the wider world. Despite having all the tools to be one of the busiest tourist traps in Europe, for many it appears to be no more than a weekend destination.
Let’s make one thing clear, Belgium goes above and beyond its supposed pay grade to offer a fantastic experience for all ages. Teachers continue to rely on the destination for educational and sporting needs and we predict it will continue to grow in popularity as time progresses.
Although the wider world may underappreciate Belgium, school trips continue to thrive in this compact, time-capsule destination.