Anthony's Visit to Barcelona

Anthony, one of our Tour Advisers, has just returned from his trip to Barcelona and the Costa Brava, where he saw some of the incredible opportunities that the area offers for school sports tours. 

Why did you go to Barcelona and the Costa Brava?

I went to Barcelona and the Costa Brava as we had two very large school groups on tour there at the same time. 

It was a good opportunity for me to see a variety of activities, accommodation options, training sessions, football matches and a netball tournament, as well as general sightseeing within a short space of time.

I got to see the different elements of each tour and was also able to assist the reps with leading these large groups to a range of locations and excursions.

What were your impressions of Barcelona and the Costa Brava?

This area is particularly popular with schools due to the variety of sports they can play, the attraction of Barcelona and all that the city has to offer and the chance for them to stay on the coast and be close to the sea! 

Plus, the weather is usually excellent!

What did you see and do there? 

I went to the Girona v Espanyol La Liga game, which was a very passionate local derby! 

The stadium is in a lovely setting - sunk down into the hillside. There was a lot of singing and chanting, and the game itself was full of goals and drama, which always makes the experience more enjoyable. 

And like many of our groups who visit this area, I also enjoyed the stadium tour of the Camp Nou, home to FC Barcelona. It was a really amazing visit! 

I got to read about the history of the club, see all the trophies, kits and other memorabilia and then experience walking out of the tunnel to be pitch-side and sit in the dugouts. 

The views from the commentary position at the top of the stand were spectacular and every football fan would love to be inside such a magnificent stadium.

I also watched the Costa Brava netball tournament between different UK schools which was played in a competitive but fair and friendly manner. The facilities were good and all the girls had a great time, especially one of the groups that I was staying with - they won the event!

What about the accommodation?

I stayed at the Hotel Samba in Lloret de Mar which is a basic hotel but provides all you need for a short tour. 

Rooms are simple and functional, most with balconies and views over the pool area or the surrounding coast, and meals were served buffet-style every day. 

There was quite a good range of things on offer and certainly no problem for a school group to find something for everyone.

The benefit of staying in this hotel is that it was very close to the beach and the group were also able to walk to some of their training sessions. 

It’s about an hour’s drive from Barcelona too, making a visit to the city an easy trip. 

Why do you think the Costa Brava is such a good destination for school sports tours?

This location has plenty of sports clubs to arrange fixtures against and there are numerous opportunities for professional football coaching and watching live football. 

The hotels here are also very used to receiving large school groups and, consequently, this makes things easier when checking in, eating, etc.

Interested in visiting Barcelona and the Costa Brava on your next school sports tour?

Contact us today for further information or to request your tailor-made quote.