From 19th to 23rd June 2023 a group of Year 8 Spanish students travelled from Burnham to the beautiful city of Barcelona, capital of the Catalonia region of Spain famed for its architectural and artistic heritage of Pablo Picasso and Antonio Gaudi.

It was a packed visit in 26 - 30 degree heat including climbing and visiting Montjuic castle, visiting Parc Guel and the outside of the Sagrada Familia to see the design and artwork of Antonio Gaudi as well as the FC Barcelona interactive experience!

Students were given the opportunity to improve their Spanish with two very enjoyable lessons at a language school and interact with the local population by buying lunch every day and buying souvenirs while experiencing life and culture in a modern Spanish city. Highlights included the visit to the home of catalan football, views over the city from Parc Guel and Montjuic cable car and obviously the ice cream in the city centre which had to be tried.

After 3 years of travel disruption and uncertainty due to the COVID19 pandemic it was fantastic to be able to take students abroad again to see their language-learning put into practice and absorb the target-language culture.

Please find below an account of the student experience from one of the participants.

During our time at Barcelona, we have been lucky enough to have the exciting opportunity to visit some wonderful places. On arriving at our hostel on Monday 19th June, we visited a park near La Rambla and we all played games there. Then we came back and settled into our rooms awaiting another day. 

On the second day we went to Montjuic where we rode a cable car in small groups to visit a wonderful castle! We explore the castle and learn some fascinating facts about the history of Montjuic Castle. We also went to explore the scenic views at the top of the castle and took many pictures to look at in the future. We returned later in the day to the cabins tired but exhilarated, eager for what lies ahead.

We started the third day with a one hour language lesson. We had the exciting chance to have a conversation with a Spanish teacher and it was very interesting! Then we travelled to Parc Guell. It was a beautiful place filled with colour in every corner! As we walked further we saw a massive cathedral called La Sagrada Familia designed by Antoni Gaudi! Unfortunately, it was still under construction meaning we couldn’t go inside but it was still the perfect place to take memorable pictures.

The fourth day, which was personally my favourite, we started off with another entertaining language lesson. Then we went by metro to Camp Nou, a huge stadium for the FC Barcelona football team. We had the unique opportunity to sit in a 360 immersive tour which looked back on the team's iconic moments. After having lunch, we went back to do souvenir shopping near our hostel. Still filled with energy, we packed our bags ready for tomorrow.

Finally, came the day we travelled back home. We did some last minute souvenir shopping and went to the coach to the airport. Not long after we boarded our flight back home.

This trip has been an unforgettable adventure, filled with exploration and discovery. It has broadened our horizons, taught us valuable lessons, and created lasting memories that we'll treasure for years to come.

K. Chopra. Year 8.

The trip was a great experience for the students and here’s hoping to have as fantastic a time in 2024!

Thanks very much to Ms Rashid and Mrs Krasner for their amazing support and to Mrs Baldacchino for her excellent organisation.

Mr. J. Earnshaw-Crofts