Description

Journey through four European countries and discover what it really means to backpack Europe with Travel for Teens! Our approach is rooted in the classic backpacker strategy - get a railpass, explore cities with a wide variety of daily choices, and leave ourselves open to the spontaneous possibilities that every day brings. Our Backpack Europe trip is all about a hands-on approach to travel where we go beyond the casual tourist experience, take public transportation, and learn how life really is in each place we visit.

Travel for Teens staff are the perfect leaders for a backpacking trip through Europe, providing the ideal mix of supervision, insider knowledge, travel know-how, and fun as our groups winds its way by train through the best of the Continent.

DAY 1: NEWARK (FOR THOSE WHO OPT TO TAKE THE GROUP FLIGHT)
As the group flight takes off, the trip officially begins!

DAYS 2-4: THE NETHERLANDS (AMSTERDAM)
Amsterdam, capital of the Netherlands, is a perfect jumping-off point for this European adventure. The city itself is a sight to behold, filled with bicycles and elegant old buildings, which makes it ideal for exploring on foot. Our focus is on providing a safe and energetic tour of this dynamic place, as we visit the Vondelpark, check out the masterpieces on display at the Van Gogh Museum, listen to live music at a jazz club, and, yes, take a walking tour through the notorious Red Light District. Throughout, well peer back into the origins of Dutch culture and pause to reflect on the events of 20th century history as we visit the Anne Frank House, where the famous diarist and her family lived while in hiding from the Nazi forces that occupied the city.

DAYS 4 -7: BAVARIA (MUNICH, DACHAU DAY TRIP)
From Amsterdam we travel south to Munich, the exciting German city near the Bavarian Alps. Munich was heavily damaged by Allied bombs in WWII, but unlike most other German cities it was carefully rebuilt with the original street plans and traditional architecture. Well hang out in the Englischer Garten (larger than Central Park!), see the famous glockenspiel in the Marienplatz (central square of the city) and perhaps even visit a traditional beer hall to taste the local weiBwurste (white sausages). At Dachau, just outside of Munich, we'll visit the first concentration camp that the Nazis founded in Germany and take a moment to reflect on this dark chapter in recent history.

DAYS 7 -11: THE SWISS ALPS
Fresh mountain air awaits us at our chalet in the Swiss Alps, a sunny paradise of rivers, alpine pastures, forests and glaciers. Using a mountain lodge as our base, we'll explore the area and all of the outdoor activities on hand including mountain biking, hiking the spectacular trails nearby, and ropes courses. As always, our emphasis is on safety and we will be accompanied by professional local guides as we hike, bike and climb. Day trips to the nearby resort towns of Lausanne and Montreux round out our time in Switzerland.

DAYS 11 -13: ITALY (VENICE)
From Switzerland, the iron road will carry us down to the floating city of Venice, on the Adriatic Sea. When you walk out of the train station facing the water, you'll be amazed at your first look at the splendor of the Grand Canal, lined with Renaissance palaces and filled with passing gondolas. Well wander the city's tangled streets, marveling at the colors and reflections that only Venice can offer, visit St. Marks Basilica and the palace of the Doges, and get an insider's look at the last gondola workshop in Venice to learn about this centuries-old craft. The enchantment of Venice wont wear off any time soon, and we promise you'll go home with the memories of a lifetime and a strong case of the travel bug.

NOTE: This trip runs in both Sessions I & II

Highlights

- Tour the back streets of London by night to learn about Jack the Ripper
- Ride the London Eye and cruise the Thames
- Visit Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Stonehenge and Salisbury
- Learn the history of the Royal family; see the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London
- Dress up to see a theater performance in the West End
- Bike the alleys and courtyards of hidden Paris
- Go behind the scenes of the 12th largest fashion house in France
- See some of the world's most famous artistic masterpieces in the Louvre

Type of Programs

• Adventure Travel
• Cultural Exploration

Languages

• English
• German
• Italian
• Dutch

Cost in US$:

3,385 plus airfare

This Program is open to

American, Worldwide, Asian, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi and South African Participants.

Participants Travel

in Groups

Typically Participants Work

in Groups

Application Process Involves

• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Physical Exam/Health Records

Typically The Application Process Time is

1 week

Travel For Teens's Mission Statement

Travel for Teens believes that teen travel should be both fun and enriching. Our programs feature choice in what you do, see, and experience, a dynamic that sets us apart from superficial tours that herd large groups from one site to another. We visit the best of the mainstream attractions while offering the opportunity to explore the culture from a less touristy perspective. We interact with our host cultures, taking cooking and dance lessons, performing valuable service work to help local communities, and conversing with the people who have spent their lives living in the places we journey to. We have crafted our unique programs to engender love for travel, hunger for learning, curiosity about differences, appreciation of similarities across cultures, and an understanding of what it means to be a global citizen.

Year Founded

2003