Mr Ross Johnston took a group of BTEC Travel and Tourism students to Barcelona. He has given the following account of the weekend away.
'On a cold and wet March exeat weekend, 19 BTEC Travel and
Tourism students, accompanied by Mr Ross Johnston and Mrs Annemarie Higgins
embarked on a somewhat sunnier visit of the cosmopolitan city of Barcelona.
This trip accompanied the learning for the European Destination unit of the
BTEC course. Although the excursion was non-compulsory, the College has run
this trip successfully for many years, always with a popular uptake.
This year, students were staying in the picturesque gothic
quarter, close to Las Ramblas. The hotel Roma Reial looked like something out
of a romance novel, in a beautiful little square that also doubled as a popular
market and restaurant location. The first evening allowed students to explore
their surroundings, taking in some traditional Spanish culture with small
tavernas dotted around the narrow gothic streets.
The second day provided the opportunity to tour the main
sites. The warning was given by Mr Johnston to wake up early and ready for a
busy day of walking, with a small bus excursion thrown in to see even more of
the city. The first destination was the popular Boqueria Market. This market
has dated back to around the 13th century, and is famous for its
diverse selection of goods. The group was amazed at the abundance of fresh
produce available - a few adventurous students even had a sample! The
interesting walk from Las Ramblas to La Sagrada Familia allowed students to
take in the views of some luxury designer shops, and spot one or two of the
many Gaudi inspired houses along the way.
Gaudi’s famous Sagrada Familia was truly a site to behold.
The Roman Catholic basilica has been in construction since 1882, and is
anticipated to be completed in 2026. Everyone was amazed at the sheer size and
detail of the architecture and spent a long time reflecting about their BTEC
course. After this visit, students took a short bus journey through Barcelona
to the outskirts of the city, where the famous Camp Nou is located. Camp Nou is
the home of Barcelona FC, perhaps one of the world’s most successful football
clubs. The impressive collection of trophies and the 99,354 seater stadium did
not fail to impress even our less football-mad students!
We ventured out on a Tapas tour of the gothic quarter that
evening, giving students the chance to sample local tapas and pintxos, a snack
typical of the Basque area of Northern Spain. Students learnt about the rich
history of Barcelona and got to see the steps that Christopher Columbus climbed
after discovering the new world, as well as the site of the Nazi bombing
campaign during the Spanish Civil War. Perhaps the best part of this tour was
the Churros- Spanish doughnuts, covered in chocolate- that were eaten in
abundance for dessert!
The final day in Barcelona saw students visit the local zoo.
Located in parc de la Ciutadella, the zoo is home to over 2,200 animals, and
over 300 different species. It is one of the most popular attractions in
Barcelona, with over one million visitors annually. Some students took
advantage of the dolphin show, the reptile house or even just cruising around
the 13 acres of land on their own rented buggy. One final stop to see the
yachts in Barcelona Marina rounded off a whistle-stop tour of one of Spain’s
most beautiful cities.'
To see more photos from the event, please click here.