From 31st March to 7th April 2025, classes 1M1 & 2C participated in a trip to England & Scotland via Amsterdam. We took off at around 5pm for an eighteen-hour journey, arriving in Amsterdam at 10am April 1st.
After disembarking off the coach, we walked to our cruise through the city’s canals. On our way, we passed by the beautiful Centraal Station. We boarded our designated boat and set off for a one-hour cruise. Getting to experience the beauty of the Venice of the North from the water level, we saw stunning bridges, Rembrandt’s house, numerous canal houses, and the city’s old floodgates. Next, we proceeded to the Dam Plaza by the Royal Palace & the Old Cathedral. We continued to the flower market, where we went shopping & for souvenirs. Lastly, we went for lunch at a local restaurant and then got onto the bus, heading to Ijmuiden for our overnight voyage to Newcastle upon Tyne.
We arrived in Great Britain on April 2nd, went through immigration and drove for two hours to Alnwick. We visited the famous castle, in which the quidditch scenes from Harry Potter took place. Later we ate lunch and explored the local gardens. After getting back on the bus, we finally crossed the border of Scotland and headed to its old capital city – Stirling, where we saw the old monarchy headquarters and the Wallace Monument (although from afar). We returned to Edinburgh, settled in, and got to know our host families.
The next day we drove on a sightseeing tour to the Scottish Highlands. Passing through the glamorous valleys and by the lengthy lakes, we experienced the local nature enriched with elements of the region’s history and culture. After travelling the breathtaking Glen Coe valley, we got to Fort Williams, located right under the highest peak of Great Britain – Ben Nevis. Finally, we arrived at the last stop of the day’s journey – Glenfinnan, where the world-famous viaduct from (again) the Harry Potter series stands.
At 7am April 4th we set off for Edinburgh – the capital city of Scotland. We got off by the Holyrood Palace – the royal property in the city. Then we proceeded to the Parliament building and entered the Royal Mile – a one-mile road leading to the Edinburgh Castle. Along the way, we came across closes – passages to the lower parts of the city, churches, and the city council buildings. We visited the castle, attended the cannon launch at 1pm and headed for the Scottish Museum. After exploring, we took a walk through the main street, where we did our shopping. In the late afternoon, we got onto the bus and returned to our host families.
On the morning of April 5th, we gathered early and started our drive to York. Around midday, we arrived at the historic city and met our guides. We wandered over its historic bridge, through a park with signs of roman presence and cathedral remains, and by the former royal estate. Next, we took a walk on the city walls and partially circled the old town. Then we proceeded to the cathedral – one of the largest in Northern Europe, and finished the tour by visiting the Shambles. After sightseeing, we travelled to our hotel in Cambridge.
And then the last day of the trip came… We took off to London, where we got on an Uber Boat and sailed on the Thames from Greenwich to the city centre. We walked by the Big Ben, the Parliament, and the Westminster Abbey. Later, we headed to the Buckingham Palace, crossing through St. James’ Park. Next, we headed for our ride on the London Eye. Afterwards, we explored the exhibitions in the National Gallery, including the world-famous Van Gogh “Sunflowers”, Delaroche’s “The Execution of Lady Jane Grey”, pieces of Rembrandt, Rubens and other well-known artists. Lastly, we strolled through the Piccadilly Circus, China Town & Leicester Square, where we bought souvenirs and went shopping. We took a cruise back to the parking lot and embarked towards the Eurotunnel. By midnight, we drove onto our train and crossed the English Channel.
We spent the next day in the coach – talking, playing & watching movies, making stops every 3-4h. In the late evening, we arrived in Cracow, said bye and all went home. All in all, this trip was an enriching experience and a great occasion for integration. It will surely remain with us for a long time.