Cultural tour to Brussels by coach: 4 days, 3 nights
Your cultural tour to Belgium will provide students with numerous opportunities to extend their knowledge and experience of the Belgian culture. The four day tour allows extra time to visit the city of Antwerp. Our suggested itinerary offers inspiration but we will tailor make your tour to meet your specific curriculum needs.
Excursion Ideas
Atomium
Subject range: Cultural, STEM
What you’ll experience: The iconic symbol of Brussels and Belgium, with its unique architecture, the Atomium is the most popular attraction in the city. Built for the 1958 World Exhibition, the Atomium now houses a permanent exhibition about its history as well as temporary exhibitions focused around sciences, design, and society. The upper sphere offers unique and spectacular views across the city skyline.
Select says: The Atomium is shaped on the model of an elementary iron crystal enlarged 165 billion times. Find out more about the Atomium here.
Mini Europe
Subject range: Mini Europe
What you’ll experience: Mini-Europe is located at the foot of the Atomium. Students can explore 300 models and sites of the most beautiful places in Europe. All the buildings are on a scale 1 to 25.
Select says: Students can make some of the models work themselves, including the eruption of Vesuvius and the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Explore the city of Antwerp
Subject range: Cultural
What you’ll experience: Belgium’s second city and biggest port, Antwerp is renowned as being the diamond capital of the world. This cosmopolitan city is full of fascinating architecture. A good place to start is the heart of the old city, the beautiful Grote Markt (Town Square). It is a short walk to view the magnificent Gothic Cathedral of Our Lady of Antwerp with its 123m-high spire.
Select says: The Cathedral of Our Lady houses four early canvases of the Flemish Baroque painter Rubens.
MAS Museum
Subject range: Cultural
What you’ll experience: The MAS is foremost a museum but the building is also eye-catching. The MAS is a new museum which explores Antwerp’s link with the world. It brings together the city’s art and heritage, the river, the port and its relationship with the world. The MAS does this by taking four universal themes: Display of Power, Metropolis, World Port, and Life and Death.
Select says: The roof allows an amazing 360° panoramic view of the city, river and port.
Port of Antwerp
Subject range: Cultural
What you’ll experience: The visitor centre at the port pavilion introduces the port with a 360° surround-screen film. You can plan your route with the help of the giant aerial photograph on the floor, and find further information about the port on the touchscreens around the walls.
Select says: At the centre ask for the port map which has lots of useful information.
Bruges Boat Cruise
Subject range: Cultural
What you’ll experience: A visit to Bruges isn’t complete without a boat trip on its canals. Go aboard at any of the five landing stages for a half-hour trip that allows you to appreciate the most noteworthy delights of the city from a completely different angle.
Select says: This is a great way to view some of the monuments and centuries-old buildings of Bruges.
Belfry Tower of Bruges
Subject range: Cultural, History
What you’ll experience: The Belfry Tower of Bruges is a medieval bell tower in the historical centre of the city. It stands 83 metres tall and houses a carillon with 47 melodious bells. After 366 steps your efforts will be rewarded with a breath-taking and unforgettable panoramic view of Bruges and her surroundings.
Select says: The reception area has lots of information about the history.
Cultural trip to Brussels by coach: 4 days, 3 nights Accommodation
Jacques Brel Youth Hostel
Location: Brussels
Capacity: 170
The Jacques Brel Youth Hostel is a comfortable and friendly group accommodation, ideally located near the centre of Brussels. Well recommended by the team at Select!
Rooms: Multi-bedded rooms with en-suite facilities.
Facilities: Common room, meeting room, terrace / patio, lift, bar, restaurant, vending machine, free Wi-Fi, basic shop, lockers available in room, luggage room - available during hostel reception times. Select says: Packed lunches are also available.
Meininger Brussels City Center
Location: Central Brussels
Capacity: 727
With convenient public transport links and set beside the canal, this modern hostel/hotel provides excellent group accommodation at a good standard.
Rooms: Rooms sleep 2-6 people and are all ensuite. They do feature bunk beds.
Facilities: Games zone, terrace, bar, dining room.
Meininger Brussels Gare du Midi
Location: Central
Capacity: 678
Located within easy walking distance of the old town and several museums and art galleries, this hostel/hotel is very suited to welcoming groups.
Rooms: Rooms sleep 2-6 people and are all ensuite. They do feature bunk beds.
Facilities: Dining room, terrace.
Youth Hostel Bruegel
Location: Central
Capacity: 191
Within walking distance of many of Brussel's main attractions, this hostel offers basic and convenient accommodation for groups.
Rooms: Rooms sleep 2-4 people. Some rooms have ensuite facilities.
Facilities: Meeting rooms, lounge, terrace
Links to Learning
Learning areas:
Why not link your cultural tour to your school PSHE planning? Areas covered could include: gaining self-confidence and independence; working together and making new friends; trying new activities; enjoy healthy, safe, responsible and fulfilled lives; recognising and managing risks; take increasing responsibility for themselves.
For KS3/4 how about linking a cultural tour to the Citizenship curriculum: to enable them to manage their money on a day-to-day basis.
For KS2 how about linking to the Foreign Language curriculum: listen attentively to spoken language and show understanding by joining in and responding; engage in conversations; ask and answer questions; develop accurate pronunciation and intonation; broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words.
KS3 Modern foreign language: develop and use a wide-ranging and deepening vocabulary that goes beyond their immediate needs and interests; listen to a variety of forms of spoken language to obtain information and respond appropriately; initiate and develop conversations, coping with unfamiliar language and unexpected responses, making use of important social conventions such as formal modes of address; speak coherently and confidently, with increasingly accurate pronunciation and intonation.
Select Extras:
How about giving your students a taste of the Dutch language pre-tour? Try these children friendly resources:The Whispering Palms: Learn Dutch with subtitles – Story for Children
(ask the children which words they think are similar to English)
