Europe ANZAC - Sample Itinerary

School tour specialists providing comprehensive teacher resources

Our teacher toolkit provides the planning resources needed to successfully plan an international school trip. From support with fundraising and communication with parents and students to planning checklists, these resources allow busy teachers to stay on track with the planning process.

Group travel management software

EA uses the latest software to make teachers' lives easier by performing tasks and collating information on their behalf. Instead of teachers chasing up parents for students' passport details, medical information, waiver forms, chasing payments etc, now Educating Adventures will do this on your behalf.

Professional local trip representatives providing 24 hour support

The EA difference is our qualified and experienced team on the ground at each of our featured destinations. Your school tour representative will meet and greet, and work with you to ensure flexibility and provide ongoing support throughout your school tour. Our representatives are selected for their ability to quickly develop a great rapport with teachers and students and because they are passionate about providing excellent service.

Bespoke educational trips, customised to your requirements

EA School Tours have been working with schools for 14 years to facilitate informative and inspiring school tours around the world. In addition to key featured trips to the USA, UK & Europe, NZ, South America and Japan, our experienced team can create bespoke educational travel itineraries for your school. All packages are fully inclusive with flights, accommodation, activities and so much more…

Superior organisation for a stress free experience

EA School Tours provides an unsurpassed level of support to teachers. From the concept to completion of your school tour, your dedicated school travel consultant will work with you to ensure a memorable and safe experience for your students, parents, and teachers. There is a high level of communication required in order to successfully plan an international trip and our team will ensure the planning is on track to deliver an exceptional school trip.

Excellent knowledge of local activities

Your school travel consultant will have intimate knowledge of our featured travel locations and a handful of other exciting travel destinations around the globe. Our committed team have been selected because of their knowledge of international travel, their high level of organisational skills and great service, and their ability to source exciting and educational trip activities to add to your overall school travel experience.

Our planning

The next step is to let us know that you would like to work with us and we can advise and help you to make this tour a reality. There is no obligation to travel, this step just allows us to make all necessary enquiries and work with our suppliers on organising initial details for your group while you advertise the trip to your school and collect deposits.  

Get it right

This itinerary is a starting point. We enjoy this stage, working with teachers to ensure each school group gets the best itinerary at a suitable package price.  Sample itineraries act as a framework, with teachers often working with us to personalise them to suit their areas of focus or add on new ideas.

Confirm the trip

To confirm your trip a non-refundable deposit (normally 15% of the package price) is required. Once we have secured the main components of your trip with our suppliers we will send you a confirmation invoice. This will include a remaining payments schedule as agreed with you. Note: international flights are generally only available to be booked 11 months prior to travel.

Price guarantee

We know how difficult it is for teachers to ask parents for more money. Once we have issued a confirmation invoice the price will never change as long as the itinerary does not change and the numbers of travellers remain the same. So the price of the tour will not increase if flights and/or taxes increase or exchange rate changes. Another reason why EA School Tours makes teachers' lives easier!

Students fly to Paris, where exciting experience await as it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, known for its beautiful architecture, world-class museums, and vibrant culture. Meet your Tour Leader. They will be with you every step of the way! 

Your private transfer will first take you on a panoramic tour of the City of Light before bringing you to your accommodation. Enjoy a guided walking tour, culminating in a trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower, (or second floor, depending on availability). Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight Paris.

This morning students will visit The Musée de l'Armée, located in Les Invalides, one of the most comprehensive military museums in the world with a vast collection of World War I artifacts, including weapons, uniforms, and equipment. The Hôtel des Invalides was commissioned in 1670 by Louis XIV in order to provide accommodation and hospital care for wounded soldiers. The current museum also features exhibits on the major battles and campaigns of World War I.

Next, head to the Arc de Triomphe, located at the western end of the Champs-Élysées, which has a tomb for an unknown soldier who represents all of the soldiers who died in World War I. The tomb is situated beneath the arch and is surrounded by a memorial that pays tribute to the fallen soldiers.

This afternoon is allocated free time, to be determined by your teacher.  Options include visiting the Ile de Paris with St. Chappelle, Notre Dame, and La Conciergerie or perhaps a visit to the famous Louvre. 

Finish your trip with a three course finale dinner at a local Parisian restaurant.

Overnight Paris.

Check out of your accommodation and travel by private coach to Amiens, first stopping at the Musée de la Grande Guerre, located in Meaux, just outside of Paris. This museum is dedicated entirely to World War I and features a wide range of exhibits and artifacts that provide insight into the war and its impacts on society.  Learn what life was like for the soldiers in the trenches.

Travel to Amiens for a walk through the historic city and lunch.  

Next, meet your guide and visit the Somme battlefields and memorials, beginning with a stop at the The Somme Trench Museum, which offers a powerful and immersive experience that takes visitors back in time to the brutal realities of trench warfare during World War I.

Next briefly stop at the Lochnager Crater. The Lochnagar Crater was created by a large mine placed beneath the German front lines on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

Next students will pay their respects at the Pozieres War Memorials. Australian soldiers attacked and captured Pozières, but under heavy bombardment casualties grew over the next few weeks, eventually totalling 23,000.

Next it is a visit to Peronne and the site of the harrowing capture of Mont St Quentin by Australian troops under the command of General John Monash forcing a German retreat, which was, according to British Commander General Lord Rawlinson, the greatest feat of the war. Entering through the fortified entrance to the Museum of the Great War reveals an extensive collection of artifacts, exhibits, and interactive displays that give students a comprehensive insight into the First World War.

Return to Amiens for your dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight Amiens.

After breakfast, your private coach will take you to visit Villers-Bretonneux, where the ANZACs played a significant role helping to recapture the town from German forces in a critical battle that prevented the German advance towards Amiens.

Visit the Sir John Monash Centre, which tells Australia's story of the Western Front in the worlds of those who served. Set on the grounds of the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery adjacent to the Australian National Memorial, the Sir John Monash Centre uses cutting-edge multimedia to tell the Australian Western Front experience through a series of interactive media installations and immersive experiences.

The Franco-Australian Museum is housed in a historic building known as the Victoria School. During World War I, the school was used as a military hospital and later as a headquarters for German forces. After the war, the school was rebuilt with the help of donations from schoolchildren in Victoria, Australia, and it was renamed the Victoria School in memory of the Australian soldiers who fought and died in the area. In 1999, the school was transformed into the Franco-Australian Museum, which serves as a permanent tribute to the shared history between France and Australia.

Your coach will move on to Fromelles and the VC Corner Cemetery and Memorial, dedicated exclusively to the Australian combatants in the war. A visit to the Australian Memorial Park, situated on the German defensive line attacked in 1916 by Australian forces, features the famous statue of "Cobber".  It is based on the Australian soldier Sergeant, later Second Lieutenant, Simon Fraser who was known as being one of the many Australian soldiers who bravely went out over three days and nights to bring in their wounded comrades from the field of battle after the Battle of Fromelles.

The story of Australia's disastrous first engagement in battle on the Western Front is told at the site of the Battle of Fromelles, its museum and the recently discovered Australian mass grave at Pheasant Wood.

Arrive at Messines, Belgium, and check into Peace Village, for dinner. Messines, near Ypres, is a significant location in the history of World War I, as it was the site of the Battle of Messines in 1917, where Australian, British, and New Zealand forces were involved in a successful offensive against German troops.

The Peace Village in was established to honor the memory of those who fought and died in the area, and to promote peace and reconciliation between nations.  

Overnight Messines.

After breakfast students will meet their guide and coach and stop at Hill 60, the inspiration for the Australian film, Beneath Hill 60.  Students can still see the remains of the wartime fortifications and trenches that were built by both the German and Allied forces during World War I. Additionally, there is a memorial on the hill that commemorates the soldiers who fought and died in the area. Students can climb to the top of the hill for views of the surrounding countryside, and there are also walking trails that lead through the nearby woods and fields, allowing visitors to explore the area and learn about its history.

Next, arrive in Ypres and visit the Flanders Fields Museum, where you will have a guided tour and participate in a workshop, called The Great War. During this workshop, some themes from the museum are explored in depth. Posters, photographs, objects and witnesses raise questions and point to answers. What is and how does propaganda work? How did the use of weapons evolve, and what role did scientists play in it? And do we stand up for peace today?

Finally, spend the some of the day exploring Ypres at the teachers' discretion.

Finish the day by spending the evening at the Menin Gate, witnessing the Last Post ceremony, a moving tribute to the courage and self-sacrifice of those who fell in defence of the town.

Overnight Messines.

Today travel to The Sanctuary Wood Trenches, a preserved section of the original trenches from World War I located near Ypres, Belgium, and serve as a poignant reminder of the harsh conditions and brutal fighting that took place in the area during the war.

Next, students will visit Caterpillar Crater, created by the detonation of a massive underground explosive charge on June 7, 1917, during the Battle of Messines. The attack was a joint operation by British and Australian forces, and the capture of the Caterpillar Crater was an important strategic victory for the Allies. Today the site has been preserved and includes a memorial, interpretive panels, and walking trails that allow visitors to explore the area and learn about the events that took place there.

Polygon Wood Cemetery contains the remains of soldiers who died in the area during World War I, and also the site of the new "Brothers in Arms" statue, a poignant tribute to the fallen Australian soldiers who fought in the Battle of Polygon Wood. 

* Take part in an interactive activity called Mission Polygon Wood, where the group is expected to reach the other side of Polygon Wood independently via four locations. However, they do not have a ready-made maps. In small groups they need to use codes, carry out hands-on tasks and use British, Australian or New Zealand identity cards of fallen soldiers to find their way. * Must be 14 years or older, large groups may be divided, availability tbc from Passchendaele Museum.

The Passchendaele Memorial in Belgium serves as a reminder of the devastating loss of life during the Battle of Passchendaele, which resulted in only a small gain of 8km of territory at the cost of over half a million casualties, making it one of the bloodiest battles of World War I.  The museum offers an intense faithful reconstruction of German and British trenches, along which original shelters have been replicated. Experience the terrifying feeling that befell the soldiers when they were ‘imprisoned’ here.

Students return to their accommodation for dinner and to get ready for their departure the following day.

Overnight Messines.

This morning it is time to say Goodbye to Europe and return home.

A private shuttle will take the students back to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport for their journey home.

Check out of your accommodation after breakfast and board your transfer to Paris airport for your flight to Istanbul, Türkiye.

Istanbul is a city with a rich and diverse history that spans over 2,500 years. It was originally founded as Byzantium in 657 BCE by Greek colonists from Megara. In 324 CE, Emperor Constantine I made it the capital of the Roman Empire and renamed it Constantinople. In 1453, the city was conquered by the Ottoman Empire and became the capital of the Ottoman Empire.

Today, Istanbul is a vibrant historic metropolis that serves as a bridge between Europe and Asia and is known for its stunning architecture, rich cultural heritage, and bustling markets.

On arrival, you will be met by an EA representative, who will help you onto your coach and assist you to leave your luggage at your accommodation.

Students will take a walking tour of the Sultanahmet District, including the magnificent Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque which originates back to 532 and the Roman Empire, and Sultan Ahmed Mosque also known as the Blue Mosque.  Explore the Grand Bazaar, Istanbul's great market, and perhaps haggle for some souvenirs.

The following day you will visit the Hagia Sophia, one of history's most beautiful monuments of both the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. You will also visit the Blue Mosque on the site of the Great Palace of Byzantium, on the south side of the Roman Hippodrome.  It is the only mosque with six minarets in Türkiye and has stunning blue tiles throughout its interior.

The Topkapi Palace, used for centuries as the court of the Ottoman sultan, is the subject of innumerable colourful stories: ambitious courtiers, beautiful concubines, scheming eunuchs, secret underground tunnels, and even the tale of the sultan's favorite cat, who was said to have been given her own private quarters in the palace. Opulent pavilions combined with these stories make it one of the most fascinating places to visit in Istanbul.

This evening take a boat cruise down the Golden Horn, offering a picturesque journey through the heart of the city. As the boat makes its way along the waterway, students can relax and enjoy views of the Topkapi Palace, Galata Tower, and the iconic Bosphorus Bridge. 

Overnight Istanbul.

Your private coach will collect you and take you on a scenic drive to Gallipoli, where you will take part in an incredibly moving walking tour.

See the Nek and war memorials including Brighton Beach, Mehmetçik Memorial, the Lone Pine Australian Memorial, and ANZAC Cove. The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps landed at a small bay (now known as ANZAC cove) in what was their first major military action in World War I and Gallipoli is remembered as a symbol of courage, sacrifice, and national identity.  Perhaps one of the most powerful images students will observe is the sculpture of Mehmetçik Memorial based on an event in the Dardanelles Campaign in which a Turkish soldier, after raising a white flag, carried a wounded Australian soldier to Australian lines and returned to his lines before resuming the clash. There is also an inscription of a statement made by Lord Richard Casey, then a lieutenant and the staff Captain with the 3rd Brigade in the Australian army: "As the cries of the wounded continued and the hot sun rose, the Anzacs were moved to pity. They had never seen such bravery before. A truce was arranged and Anzacs and Turks together helped to bury the dead".

Take a ferry from Eceabat and arrive in Canakkale by sunset.  After dinner, visit the towering Canakkale Turkish Martyrs' Memorial, the most significant monument to the Turkish soldiers on the peninsula.

Overnight Canakkale.

Today you will again cross the Dardanelles for a full day on the peninsula, experiencing the sights such as the Beach Cemetery, Shrapnel Valley, Plugges Plateau, Walkers Ridge, Turkish 57th Infantry Memorial and Ari Burnu Cemetery.

A visit to the Kabatepe Simulation Centre is a highlight. The museum features 11 galleries equipped with advanced 3D simulation technology that takes students on a historical journey through the Gallipoli naval and land campaigns, offering a predominantly Turkish perspective. After the simulations, visitors can explore the exhibition halls on two floors, which feature numerous artifacts and information panels in English on various aspects of the battles.

Overnight Canakkale

Check out of your accommodation and get a selfie in front of the Trojan horse statue from the Hollywood film, before your coach takes you to the archaeological site of Troy.  Its extensive ruins are the most significant demonstration of the first contact between the civilizations of Anatolia and the Mediterranean world. Moreover, the siege of Troy by Spartan and Achaean warriors from Greece in the 13th or 12th century B.C., immortalized by Homer in the Iliad, has inspired great creative artists throughout the world ever since.

Your coach will drop you off at your accommodation in Istanbul and the rest of the day is at your teacher's discretion.

Overnight Istanbul.