There's more to our battlefields trips than gaining a deeper understanding of the impact of WWI. We can include a variety of alternative and fun experiences to provide opportunities for cultural immersion, student bonding, and a change of pace from the more poignant elements of your tour.
Battlefield tours can be intense, so combining educational excursions with cultural sites and activities means your history trip is more balanced, enjoyable and memorable for your students. Take a look at some of our top cultural and fun visit suggestions below.
Belgium, and particularly the Ypres region, is famous for its high-quality chocolates, hosting a great selection of chocolate shops to collect some tasty souvenirs. This particular visit is always a favourite amongst our groups (for obvious reasons!) but also allows students to engage with a significant part of Belgian culture, which is renowned for its chocolate-making traditions.
Not only this, but it also encourages students to manage their budget effectively during their trip. When students handle their own money, they are directly responsible for their spending decisions, teaching them the importance of managing their resources carefully.
We have strong relationships with a many of the local chocolate shops, including Hans from Leonidas in Ypres. Hear about how he welcomes groups from Anglia Tours to his shop in the short video below.
Visiting Bellewaerde Theme Park is a great way to add excitement to your next history tour. Located at Zonnebeke near Ypres, it was established in 1954 on the grounds of the WW1 Battle of Bellewaarde. With 34 thrilling attractions, it combines an amusement park with an animal and nature park, giving your students a wide variety of fun rides and activities to explore.
Adding a theme park visit is a great way to add excitement to your battlefields tour, as well as providing a break from the more serious elements of the trip. It also offers dedicated time for fun and social interaction, as well as rewarding your students hard work and helping them to create lasting memories.
If you want your students to have fun, socialise, and enjoy some light competition, a trip to the bowling alley in Ypres is the perfect activity to incorporate into your trip! While bowling is a lighthearted and fun activity for your group to enjoy, it also helps to foster teamwork and enhance social skills. Adding a visit to the bowling alley is relatively inexpensive too, compared to the amount of time your students will have to bowl, chat, and enjoy themselves in a fun and relaxed environment.
Why not make the most of your battlefields trip and add a visit to Disneyland® Paris to your history tour? We can add a day at the start or end of your trip to visit the world-famous rides and attractions at Disney, offering the unique opportunity for your students to experience the parks with their friends and classmates.
Not only will a trip to Disneyland® Paris create unforgettable memories for your students, but it will also provide ample opportunities for them to socialise, independently navigate the parks, and manage their time effectively. Take a look at our guide to visiting Disneyland® Paris here.
If you want to take your students to Paris, we can organise this for the start or end of your trip. Whether you have something specific in mind you’d like to see or do, or you’re open to ideas, Paris has plenty of exciting sights and attractions to explore.
Before or after the reflective intensity of the battlefields, Paris can provide a very different change of pace. As the world capital of art, fashion, food, and culture, even one day can be an unforgettable experience for your students. Why not take a trip up Montparnasse Tower for an aerial view of Paris, take a Seine Cruise, or visit one of many excellent museums to make the most of your visit.
If your trip takes place over the festive period, you could add a trip to the Lille Christmas Markets to your battlefields tour. Lille is just under an hour’s drive away from Ypres, so it’s easily accessible for those wishing to visit before or after their battlefields trip.
The Lille Christmas Markets boast beautiful handmade gifts, delicious seasonal food, and a memorable festive atmosphere. Located near the Grand Place, the markets are surrounded by pedestrian friendly streets and shops, making it easy for your students to explore with their classmates and friends. Not only does this provide them with lifelong happy memories, but it also allows them to experience the French culture firsthand, navigate the markets, manage their spending, and learn how to plan their time effectively.
Although most of your trip will be mainly focused around the planned visits on your itinerary, there is time for your students to relax and have fun at the accommodation too. Depending on where you stay, there will be different entertainment and activity options for you to enjoy.
From pool tables, games rooms, and board games to arcade machines and sports equipment, your students can spend time bonding before even stepping foot out of their accommodation. Ask us for more information about what is available and your accommodation before your trip if you’d like to find out more.
If you’re interested in including some fun cultural visits and experiences on your next battlefields trip, it's beneficial for numerous reasons. Firstly, it balances the heavier and sometimes emotional aspects of your trip with the more uplifting and light-hearted elements, making for a more enjoyable and memorable overall experience.
Secondly, it encourages your students to learn and develop several life skills, from social integration and making new friends, to managing their budgets and time effectively. Whilst the educational aspects of your tour will be the main focus of the trip, having these additional cultural activities undoubtedly will enhance your students overall experience, making the benefits of the trip reach far beyond just the educational aspects alone.
If you’re ready to get your next battlefields trip off the ground, we’re here to help. Get in touch to start planning today.
Our team of history specialists are ready to help create the perfect trip for your group. Get in touch to get started today.