School Trips · Cultural Stays

Cultural trip to Strasbourg & Alsace

Strasbourg is unlike any other city in France — and unlike any other city in Germany, though it has been both at different points in its history. The seat of the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, and the European Court of Human Rights, it is also home to one of Europe's finest Gothic cathedrals, a perfectly preserved medieval quarter, and the oldest Christmas market in France.

France 4 days / 3 nights Ages 12–16
Duration
4 days / 3 nights
Group size
15 to 70 pupils
Ages
Ages 12–16
Season
All year

Strasbourg & Alsace with your class

The city has changed nationality four times since 1870 — a fact that makes it one of the most powerful living classrooms for 20th-century European history anywhere on the continent. For Citizenship and Politics groups, there is nowhere better: the European Parliament's free school visits, the hemicycle chamber, and the EU history exhibition deliver curriculum content no textbook can match. The day trip to Colmar and the Alsatian Wine Route adds the depth of the region's art history, with Grünewald's extraordinary Isenheim Altarpiece at the Unterlinden Museum.

On the Move is the officially accredited school trips provider for the European Schools in Belgium — every trip has a dedicated project manager with 24/7 emergency support.

Strasbourg's Petite France canal quarter and Gothic cathedral on a French cultural school trip

Trip highlights

01 The European Parliament

A guided visit to one of the world's most significant democratic institutions — the hemicycle chamber where MEPs debate and vote on legislation affecting 450 million citizens, with an exhibition on the history of the EU directly linked to the Citizenship curriculum

02 Notre-Dame de Strasbourg

The extraordinary Gothic cathedral whose rose window, astronomical clock, and 142-metre tower dominated the world's skylines for 227 years — the platform at 66 metres gives panoramic views across Alsace to the Black Forest

03 La Petite France

The most perfectly preserved medieval timber-frame district in France — a UNESCO World Heritage Site of canals, covered bridges, and 16th-century lanes explored on foot, looking exactly as it has for five centuries

Curriculum links

French Language & Culture Alsatian French, Franco-German bilingualism, a genuinely different context from Paris
History the Franco-German borderland, WWI and WWII in Alsace, four changes of nationality since 1870, European integration
Citizenship the European Parliament, Council of Europe, European Court of Human Rights — the single most concentrated location for Citizenship content in Europe
Art & Architecture Alsatian timber-frame architecture, Gothic cathedral, Grünewald's Isenheim Altarpiece at the Unterlinden Museum
Geography the Rhine valley, French-German border geography, the Alsatian Wine Route and Vosges foothills

Practical information

TransportTravel arranged to suit your school's location
AccommodationCentrally located youth hostel or hotel on the Grande Île, within walking distance of the cathedral, the European Quarter, and Petite France
  • Breakfast included; group dinners featuring Alsatian specialities — tarte flambée, choucroute garnie, Munster cheese; lunches at group's own expense
  • Local currency is Euro (€); spending money recommended, particularly for the Christmas market if visiting in December
  • Strasbourg is extremely compact and walkable; the European Quarter is a 20-minute walk or short tram ride from the historic centre
  • The European Parliament offers free guided visits for school groups — pre-booking several weeks in advance is essential
  • Programme also available as a 2-night stay; duration adaptable to your group's calendar
  • On the Move is the officially accredited school trips provider for the European Schools in Belgium; every trip has a dedicated project manager with 24/7 emergency support

A day by day

1
Day 1
Arrival & Petite France — Arrive in Strasbourg and check in to the accommodation on the Grande Île. Afternoon guided walk through the Petite France quarter — the timber-frame houses, the covered bridges over the Ill, and first views of the cathedral tower above the medieval roofline. Group dinner of Alsatian specialities.
2
Day 2
The Cathedral, the European Parliament & Free Evening — Morning guided visit to Notre-Dame de Strasbourg, covering the Gothic architecture, the rose window, and the astronomical clock (which performs at 12:30 daily). After lunch, tram to the European Quarter for a guided visit to the European Parliament — the hemicycle, the EU history exhibition, and a structured discussion on current curriculum themes. Free evening in the historic centre.
3
Day 3
Colmar & the Alsatian Wine Route — Morning coach excursion to Colmar, the most perfectly preserved medieval town in Alsace. Guided walk covering the Unterlinden Museum (home to Grünewald's Isenheim Altarpiece), the Little Venice canal quarter, and the old merchant city. After lunch, the coach returns along the scenic Alsatian Wine Route through the vineyards and villages of the Vosges foothills. Group farewell dinner in Strasbourg.
4
Day 4
Final Morning & Departure — Final breakfast and a last walk through the cathedral square before departing for home.

✏️ This is an example timetable — we can adapt the destination, programme, duration and budget to suit your group.

Students come home with…

  • A concrete understanding of how the European Union works and why it was created
  • A vivid sense of how borders and national identity are constructed and contested — nowhere teaches this better than Strasbourg
  • A lasting impression of one of France's most distinctive and beautiful cities

In pictures

Cultural Stays - your questions

History, art, civics, languages and religious studies all benefit. Bastogne suits primary P5 groups studying WWII; The Hague suits civics and international relations; Berlin, Aachen and Málaga are ideal for secondary history and arts groups.

Yes. We arrange expert local guides for museums, monuments and walking tours, in English or French as you prefer.

The Belgian Ardennes — Bastogne programme is specifically designed for P5 (ages 10–11), with content pitched carefully for that age. Other destinations in this category suit secondary groups.

Return travel, central accommodation, all entries and guided visits, supervision, insurance and your On the Move coordinator.

A cultural trip to Strasbourg & Alsace?

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