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Geography School Trips & Tours to Barcelona & Catalonia

A geography school trip to the cosmopolitan city of Barcelona provides pupils with numerous exciting study opportunities. Our most popular geography tours to the Catalonia region are designed to cover a host of study themes.

The city itself provides many examples of preserved heritage and planned regeneration. Our field trips to Barcelona offer a choice of full day modules; Montjuïc, Port Olympic and Port Vell offer excellent case studies of redevelopment and regeneration, and the city’s distinct urban zone lends itself to comparisons with urban models. 

In contrast, Garrotxa Natural Park is a great geography visit for the study of Ecosystems and Tectonic Processes. Coastal and inland geography visits offer the chance to study planned environment management in a region popular with holidaymakers.

Sample itinerary

Our sample itinerary provides you with an idea of the visits you can cover during your trip. We can tailor-make an itinerary to support your specific learning outcomes.

Morning Afternoon Evening
1 Flight from Ireland Meet & Greet & check-in assistance from NST representative RCD Espanyol stadium tour Free time to settle in. Evening meal.
2 Guided full day excursion to Garrotxa Natural Park (TECTONICS, TOURISM IMPACT, ECOSYSTEMS) Evening meal. Free time exploring resort & local beach area
3 Full day guided excursion to Barcelona, Urban Transect Study with professional city guide (URBANISATION LAND USE & REDEVELOPMENT) Visit to Port Vell (REDEVELOPMENT, REGENERATION & URBANISATION) Evening meal. Follow up studies or quiz at hotel
4 Free time. Transfer to airport for return flight to Ireland.
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Morning Flight from Ireland Meet & Greet & check-in assistance from NST representative
Afternoon RCD Espanyol stadium tour
Evening Free time to settle in. Evening meal.
Morning Guided full day excursion to Garrotxa Natural Park (TECTONICS, TOURISM IMPACT, ECOSYSTEMS)
Afternoon Evening meal. Free time exploring resort & local beach area
Evening
Morning Full day guided excursion to Barcelona, Urban Transect Study with professional city guide (URBANISATION LAND USE & REDEVELOPMENT)
Afternoon Visit to Port Vell (REDEVELOPMENT, REGENERATION & URBANISATION)
Evening Evening meal. Follow up studies or quiz at hotel
Morning Free time. Transfer to airport for return flight to Ireland.
Afternoon
Evening

On-tour support

On-tour support includes...


Accommodation

Popular options in Barcelona & Catalonia


Top visits for geography trips in Barcelona & Catalonia

Garrotxa Natural Park

Garrotxa Natural Park is an area of outstanding natural beauty covering 120km2 and containing over 40 volcanoes and 20 basaltic lava flows. This area is renowned for its biodiversity and offers great opportunities to use our Educational Resource Pack for studies. All options include a Specialist Guide. Choose from the below options:

Volcanism Day 
With your guide, visit the Volcano Museum in El Parc Nou which provides graphic insights into the world’s volcanic and earthquake regions and the chance to experience an earthquake! Walk through the botanical gardens and stop for lunch, then continue on to Montsacopa volcano to discover its internal structure through a look at a former quarry that has bared the rocks that form the volcano’s cinder cone. Walk around the rim of its crater and enjoy excellent views over Olot, a city that has grown up in the heart of this volcanic zone.

Human Impact Day: Running Natural Park 
Enjoy this educational day in the Garrotxa volcanic zone’s natural park with your guide. Here, you’ll visit sites as diverse as the information centres, the former rubbish tip, private houses, various tourist sites, the main car parks and the honey pot site of the Croscat volcano, where you will also look at the different phases of its eruption. Students will carry out an environmental impact of each area so that a document with recommendations for managing this protected area can be produced.

Eco-Systems Day 
On this day, students can complete a comparison study of the vegetation on the northern and southern slopes of Santa Margarida volcano; compare the kind of vegetation growing in a crater or simply observe the different species as you increase in altitude. Each group will be provided with equipment to carry out the investigations if required (clinometer, PH meter, thermometer, psychrometer) or alternatively you can visit a nearby beech forest growing in a lava flow.

Barcelona Study Day

Urban Land Use & Redevelopment Study Day
Escorted by a City Representative, your group will conduct a north to south urban transect study across six selected city sites, contrasting urban zones and identifying urban land use models. You’ll then visit the Port Vell area and examine the redevelopment and regeneration of this former brownfield site.

 

Port Vell

The renovated harbour area has a number of attractions including the IMAX Cinema and Maremagnum. Students can explore the largest aquarium in Europe, observing over 450 different species and marvellous underwater scenes. Visit the wide range of shops, eateries, an arcade games centre and a state-of-the-art large screen cinema, offering 3D movie experiences, too! 

Catalonia’s Crowded Coastlines Study Day

On this coastal day module, students will visit L’Empordà National Park, Lloret de Mar and Arenys de Mar for comparison studies. They will witness the pressures facing coastal management by contrasting protected areas that are sustainably managed with areas that have experienced uncontrolled and rapid overdevelopment. Your group will be provided with relevant case study activities to make the most of this visit.

Tordera River Valley Study Day

This is a fantastic location to study fluvial systems, climate, human exploitation and management issues are challenging the Tordera basin, which makes it an ideal location to carry out a river study investigation using equipment provided free of charge by us. Your group will investigate changing characteristics of a river from source to mouth, with assistance from a Specialist Guide. Recommended March to July.

Includes specialist guide and on-site field equipment.

PortAventura

We have been working closely with PortAventura to bring you the very best value tickets.

PortAventura has everything to make a trip here unforgettable! Both students and teachers will have a great time in the two amazing parks. PortAventura Park is an astonishing amusement park divided in six thematic areas with many rides and shows. Costa Caribe Aquatic Park is a water park packed with waves and slides. 

Together you can travel around the six themed areas of the park: Mediterrània, China, México, Polynesia, Far West and SésamoAventura. Take in several shows, from the dazzling wonders of Teatro Imperial in China to the exotic dances of Polynesia and then enjoy the thrills and spills of the many, many rides. 

Las Ramblas

Students will enjoy wandering along this famous street with its variety of shops, cafés, market stalls and street entertainers.

Park Güell

Take a visit to the famous park which was designed by Antonio Gaudí. Beautiful examples of his extraordinary work can be seen here. The serpentine pathways take you on a journey past a magnificent fusion of architecture and natural forms, benches shaped like dragons, a gatehouse topped with fly agaric mushrooms and Casa Batlló’s melting façade, resembling skulls, masks and sharks teeth. The park’s high-point also provides fabulous views of the city.

 

Flamenco Show

This fascinating show, based on the heart-stopping and passionate art of Flamenco dancing, is a must for groups and a true cultural experience from Spain’s musical heritage.

La Sagrada Família

Gaudí’s unfinished masterpiece remains a popular tourist attraction and a world renowned emblem of the city. Students will be amazed by its sheer size and its architectural complexity.

Based on Gaudí’s plans of 1954, this stunning building is still under construction and is due to be completed in 2026. 

Gothic Quarter

Originally a Roman Village, this beautiful area is a fantastic combination of old and new with the main attraction of a stunning cathedral. The narrow winding streets, with their many shops and eateries, are great for exploring!

Montjuïc

This historic, hilly area provides the best views of Barcelona. Students can explore its wide range of attractions, including the Olympic Stadium and the famous Spanish Village, Poble Espanyol, as well as artisan workshops and tapas bars. The Magic Fountain of Montjuïc offers a spectacular display of colour, light, movement, water and music too!

Poble Espanyol

A complete village consisting of streets and squares with reconstructions of famous or characteristic buildings from all over Spain. Students can practise their language skills in the many buildings housing working craftspeople, souvenir shops, cafés and restaurants. Interactive workshops on Spanish crafts such as ceramics and leather jewellery, and Spanish cooking are also available for groups at Poble Espanyol.

Tapas Tasting Evening

Taste a wide variety of traditional Spanish dishes at this fun and popular evening activity. Available within all resorts.

Water World

The largest water park on the Costa Brava has numerous water rides and even a bungee-jump. 

RCD Espanyol

A guided tour through a unique setting. Have you ever imagined yourself being a coach? Speaking in the press room? Sitting in the new first team dressing room? Feeling pre-match nerves in the tunnel? Or even watching the game from the presidential box? An experience that brings you closer to the world of football and makes you feel like a footballer. The tour also includes a visit to the club’s museum and the multimedia area.

Spotify Camp Nou Experience

With the main stadium closed for rennovation, you can still behold the magic of FC Barcelona with the Spotify Camp Nou Experience.

The former ice rink has been transformed into a specatacular immersive exhibition of the history, players, trophies and values of FC Barcelona. 


Evening activites

  • A quiz or disco at your hotel (most hotels can provide a room for groups to use in the evenings)

Study themes

Human:

  • Crowded coastlines
  • Settlement morphology
  • Urban land use
  • Redevelopment & regeneration
  • Tourism impact
  • Rebranding places
  • Sport & leisure
  • Cultural diversity
  • Hazard management
     

 

Physical:

  • Ecosystems
  • Coastal morphology
  • Fluvial systems
  • Tectonic processes

Educational resources

FREE Educational Resource Pack 

We understand that you want a study visit that delivers the curriculum. To help you achieve this, our free Catalonia Educational Resource Pack - developed by experienced geography teachers - contains a wealth of highly relevant information for you to use before, during and after your tour.

You will be able to use its contents as a pre-visit planning aid, print off full-colour pupil activity sheets for your group to use at each site whilst away, or even refer to its contents post-visit to assist with case study completion.

 


Transport

We offer flights from a variety of departure airports and we’ll work with you to plan your route at the best value possible.

Flight


Giving you full support throughout

Before your tour

  • Your own dedicated NST contact
  • Bespoke tour itineraries
  • Unrivalled local knowledge & expertise
  • Curriculum linked visit programmes
  • Great value for money - no hidden costs
  • Free group leader inspection visits
  • Risk assessment guidance
  • Safety assured, transport, accommodation and visits

Whilst you're away

  • Free educational resources
  • Group-friendly accommodation
  • Exceptional standards of coaching
  • On-tour support from our reps on the ground
  • Support & assistance from our specialists guides throughout your tour
  • 24/7 support just a call away
  • Extensive group travel insurance

On your return

  • Priority rebooking services
  • Rewarding your loyalty with our reward scheme
  • You say, we listen - we're committed to continuously improving our tours
  • School travel company of choice since 1996