Geography, Geology and Environmental Studies Trips to Barcelona

Regeneration of Waterfront area Guided Visit (3 hours)

This interesting half day is guided by staff Arquitectura Reversible, an organisation formed by architects whose main objective is the diffusion of architecture and geography in Barcelona.

Since the Olympic Games of 1992 the City Council of Barcelona began a regenerating the whole waterfront of the city, ending in 2026 with the opening of the Forum Park. 

Built on the central sewage plant of the city, where the river Besós meets the sea, the Forum Park is a large scale complex of public facilities -the zoological museum, a Congress Centre, an enormous Esplanade for public acts, green areas with open-air auditoriums and solar energy infrastructures.

Groups will carry out half of this interesting walk with an architect from Arquitectura Reversible, and then cry out trail of the area in smaller groups with tablets to assist them.

Barcelona was historically one of the leading port cities of the Mediterranean. In 1751 a large area of land was built on, ‘the Barceloneta’ a popular neighbourhood, traditionally inhabited by sailors, fishermen and workers of the docks.

In more recent times the commercial activities of the port moved to a larger area, south of Barcelona, and the old harbour has been regenerated to host leisure, retail and touristic facilities, giving the Barceloneta a new lease of life.

Enquire about this trip

Camp Nou

• View on Map

This world-famous football stadium is home to Barcelona Football Club and is open for students to take a tour of the stadium – giving them the opportunity to walk through the players’ tunnel. On the tour, you will see their trophy cabinet as well as learn more about the heritage and history of the club.

Why visit?

• Relive the fantastic adventure of FC Barcelona, a football club like no other
• Experience the thrill of walking out onto the Camp Nou pitch
• Get unfettered access to behind-the-scenes action and stories
• Certain to be a fascinating experience for football fans and those less interested in football

Enquire about this trip

Enquire about this trip

Olympic Regeneration and Rebranding (3 hours)

• 3 Hours

The Parc de Montjuïc overlooks the port, and offers a plethora of green areas, gardens and museums, sports facilities and Olympic sites. Visit here with your city guide to consider the 1992 Olympics and the major renewal of the area underwent. You will also see the Olympic Museum/Stadium as part of a panoramic tour of the city Move on to Port Olympic, which was totally renovated to host the sailing events and now is a popular sport for tourists with its restaurants, bars and shops. The nearby Olympic village is now a popular hotel and office area and provides a pleasant promenade linking the beach to the urban areas. 

Enquire about this trip

La Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park

• View on Map

In the heart of La Garrotxa Volcanic Natural Park our specialist English-speaking guides from the Green Volcanic Association will assist  your group in discovering the secrets of the local volcanic landscape – the largest in the Iberian Peninsula - and the impact of this protected area on the local population and landscape.  Our recommended day options include:

1. Processes in the formation of volcanic rocks:

TOPICS:  Plate tectonics, European Rift, Volcanic landscape: uses and resources

You’ll meet your expert guide and firstly the visit Croscat, the tallest and youngest volcano in the Iberian Peninsula. Here, we will learn about the structure of cinder cones, inside and out, and the nature of volcanic materials. As well, we will look at how a rural landscape adapts to and benefits from the presence of the volcanoes.

After lunch, you’ll head off to Sant Joan les Fonts, where we will look at the basalt formed when a lava flow solidifies.  You will also examine the lenticular formations and basalt columns formed as the lava flow cools and the three lava flows that coursed along the valley of the river Fluvià.

An ideal visit for discovering pyroclasts and basalts resulting from volcanic eruptions.

2. A volcanic system and eruption sequence

TOPICS: Plate tectonics, European Rift, Different types of eruptions, Eruptive systems,  Analysis of volcanic material: pyroclasts and lava flows

Begin the day with a walk up to the crater of the Santa Margarida volcano. This cinder cone was formed by the first phase of the eruption and the crater’s width gives us some idea of the initial power of this eruption. You’ll then head for Croscat, the youngest volcano the Iberian Peninsula. Its pyroclastic deposits provide clues as to the 2nd to 5th phases of this eruption, now Strombolian in nature. Next you will visit La Pomereda, where the lava flow from the final effusive phase is revealed. Finally, you will visit the Fageda de’n Jordà, a beech wood standing on Croscat’s ‘aa’ lava flow, where you can walk on its roughened surface and visit some of its remarkable blisters.

An ideal visit for discovering the true nature and power of volcanic eruptions and just how they mould and influence the landscape.

3. Human Impact: How Would You Run a Natural Park

TOPICS:  Management in a protected area, Human impact in an important area for tourism, Plate tectonics

Head for a day in the Natural Park to enable students to find out how the park is run. You will visit sites as diverse as the main car parks, the information centres, the former rubbish tip, private houses, various tourist sites and the volcano of Croscat.

Each student will be given the task of carrying out an environmental impact of the areas, with the details of the subjects that need to be tackled. At the end of the day, the groups will draft a document with recommendations for managing this protected area.

4. A case study: how to manage a natural park in a humanised peri-urban landscape

TOPICS: Management of a protected landscape, Human and Social impact, Reconciliation of landscape conservation and economic activities

In groups, students will be given roles of local interest groups to play during the day. Each group will be given information on their interest group’s motivations and aims before undergoing a guided exploration of many different sites in the park to analyse the elements and activities that characterise this protected area including the park’s HQ and a business venture, before a joint summary of each group’s opinions.

Enquire about this trip

Smart and Sustainable City Waking Tour (4 hours)

• 4 Hours

The eastern part of Barcelona has lived one of the most spectacular urban transformations in the last 30 years; it has gone from an old industrial to a new model of compact city. The regeneration of this area has not only improved the look has also about made it smart and sustainable. Some of the most outstanding examples are:

• Pneumatic waste collection system.
• Compact, covered and integrated urban wastewater treatment plant, one of the world’s largest.
• District heating and cooling with a truly innovative system.
• The recovery of green and leisure spaces like parks, river and beaches.

This tour will discover the urban transformation in a chronological order, from the 1992 Olympic Games, to the Forum and the 22@Barcelona district. It includes an insight into the different strategies that buildings have used to solve the main issue of a Mediterranean city: allowing light in while keeping heat out.

Enquire about this trip

Coastal Landscape and Ecosystem Analysis Study Day (Full Day)

From the bay of Roses, a coastal landscape and coastal ecosystem analysis will be carried out in one of the most beautiful Mediterranean coast spots, Costa Brava-Cap Creus.

In the morning undertake a landscape interpretation based on maps and your guide explanations of the geology of the area, human changes in the landscape, main features of the landscape). 

Your groups will also conduct a human impact analysis, assessing human impact, identifying key issues and possible solutions.

After lunch, discuss coastal maritime ecosystem theories with your guide with opportunities to carry out data gathering in 2 differing locations.

Enquire about this trip

Regeneration of Waterfront area Guided Visit (3 hours)

This interesting half day is guided by staff Arquitectura Reversible, an organisation formed by architects whose main objective is the diffusion of architecture and geography in Barcelona.

Since the Olympic Games of 1992 the City Council of Barcelona began a regenerating the whole waterfront of the city, ending in 2026 with the opening of the Forum Park. 

Built on the central sewage plant of the city, where the river Besós meets the sea, the Forum Park is a large scale complex of public facilities -the zoological museum, a Congress Centre, an enormous Esplanade for public acts, green areas with open-air auditoriums and solar energy infrastructures.

Groups will carry out half of this interesting walk with an architect from Arquitectura Reversible, and then cry out trail of the area in smaller groups with tablets to assist them.

Barcelona was historically one of the leading port cities of the Mediterranean. In 1751 a large area of land was built on, ‘the Barceloneta’ a popular neighbourhood, traditionally inhabited by sailors, fishermen and workers of the docks.

In more recent times the commercial activities of the port moved to a larger area, south of Barcelona, and the old harbour has been regenerated to host leisure, retail and touristic facilities, giving the Barceloneta a new lease of life.

Enquire about this trip

Camp Nou

• View on Map

This world-famous football stadium is home to Barcelona Football Club and is open for students to take a tour of the stadium – giving them the opportunity to walk through the players’ tunnel. On the tour, you will see their trophy cabinet as well as learn more about the heritage and history of the club.

Why visit?

• Relive the fantastic adventure of FC Barcelona, a football club like no other
• Experience the thrill of walking out onto the Camp Nou pitch
• Get unfettered access to behind-the-scenes action and stories
• Certain to be a fascinating experience for football fans and those less interested in football

Enquire about this trip

Enquire about this trip

Olympic Regeneration and Rebranding (3 hours)

• 3 Hours

The Parc de Montjuïc overlooks the port, and offers a plethora of green areas, gardens and museums, sports facilities and Olympic sites. Visit here with your city guide to consider the 1992 Olympics and the major renewal of the area underwent. You will also see the Olympic Museum/Stadium as part of a panoramic tour of the city Move on to Port Olympic, which was totally renovated to host the sailing events and now is a popular sport for tourists with its restaurants, bars and shops. The nearby Olympic village is now a popular hotel and office area and provides a pleasant promenade linking the beach to the urban areas. 

Enquire about this trip

La Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park

• View on Map

In the heart of La Garrotxa Volcanic Natural Park our specialist English-speaking guides from the Green Volcanic Association will assist  your group in discovering the secrets of the local volcanic landscape – the largest in the Iberian Peninsula - and the impact of this protected area on the local population and landscape.  Our recommended day options include:

1. Processes in the formation of volcanic rocks:

TOPICS:  Plate tectonics, European Rift, Volcanic landscape: uses and resources

You’ll meet your expert guide and firstly the visit Croscat, the tallest and youngest volcano in the Iberian Peninsula. Here, we will learn about the structure of cinder cones, inside and out, and the nature of volcanic materials. As well, we will look at how a rural landscape adapts to and benefits from the presence of the volcanoes.

After lunch, you’ll head off to Sant Joan les Fonts, where we will look at the basalt formed when a lava flow solidifies.  You will also examine the lenticular formations and basalt columns formed as the lava flow cools and the three lava flows that coursed along the valley of the river Fluvià.

An ideal visit for discovering pyroclasts and basalts resulting from volcanic eruptions.

2. A volcanic system and eruption sequence

TOPICS: Plate tectonics, European Rift, Different types of eruptions, Eruptive systems,  Analysis of volcanic material: pyroclasts and lava flows

Begin the day with a walk up to the crater of the Santa Margarida volcano. This cinder cone was formed by the first phase of the eruption and the crater’s width gives us some idea of the initial power of this eruption. You’ll then head for Croscat, the youngest volcano the Iberian Peninsula. Its pyroclastic deposits provide clues as to the 2nd to 5th phases of this eruption, now Strombolian in nature. Next you will visit La Pomereda, where the lava flow from the final effusive phase is revealed. Finally, you will visit the Fageda de’n Jordà, a beech wood standing on Croscat’s ‘aa’ lava flow, where you can walk on its roughened surface and visit some of its remarkable blisters.

An ideal visit for discovering the true nature and power of volcanic eruptions and just how they mould and influence the landscape.

3. Human Impact: How Would You Run a Natural Park

TOPICS:  Management in a protected area, Human impact in an important area for tourism, Plate tectonics

Head for a day in the Natural Park to enable students to find out how the park is run. You will visit sites as diverse as the main car parks, the information centres, the former rubbish tip, private houses, various tourist sites and the volcano of Croscat.

Each student will be given the task of carrying out an environmental impact of the areas, with the details of the subjects that need to be tackled. At the end of the day, the groups will draft a document with recommendations for managing this protected area.

4. A case study: how to manage a natural park in a humanised peri-urban landscape

TOPICS: Management of a protected landscape, Human and Social impact, Reconciliation of landscape conservation and economic activities

In groups, students will be given roles of local interest groups to play during the day. Each group will be given information on their interest group’s motivations and aims before undergoing a guided exploration of many different sites in the park to analyse the elements and activities that characterise this protected area including the park’s HQ and a business venture, before a joint summary of each group’s opinions.

Enquire about this trip

Smart and Sustainable City Waking Tour (4 hours)

• 4 Hours

The eastern part of Barcelona has lived one of the most spectacular urban transformations in the last 30 years; it has gone from an old industrial to a new model of compact city. The regeneration of this area has not only improved the look has also about made it smart and sustainable. Some of the most outstanding examples are:

• Pneumatic waste collection system.
• Compact, covered and integrated urban wastewater treatment plant, one of the world’s largest.
• District heating and cooling with a truly innovative system.
• The recovery of green and leisure spaces like parks, river and beaches.

This tour will discover the urban transformation in a chronological order, from the 1992 Olympic Games, to the Forum and the 22@Barcelona district. It includes an insight into the different strategies that buildings have used to solve the main issue of a Mediterranean city: allowing light in while keeping heat out.

Enquire about this trip

Coastal Landscape and Ecosystem Analysis Study Day (Full Day)

From the bay of Roses, a coastal landscape and coastal ecosystem analysis will be carried out in one of the most beautiful Mediterranean coast spots, Costa Brava-Cap Creus.

In the morning undertake a landscape interpretation based on maps and your guide explanations of the geology of the area, human changes in the landscape, main features of the landscape). 

Your groups will also conduct a human impact analysis, assessing human impact, identifying key issues and possible solutions.

After lunch, discuss coastal maritime ecosystem theories with your guide with opportunities to carry out data gathering in 2 differing locations.

Enquire about this trip

Las Ramblas

• View on Map

Las Ramblas runs through the heart of Barcelona and is home to many street artists, market stalls, shops and cafes.

Why visit Las Ramblas?

• Las Ramblas is famous for street performers including human statues
• The Canaletes Fountain, an elegant, late 19th century, four-tapped, drinking font bears the crest of the city of Barcelona and is a famous celebration spot for locals
• Home to a mosaic from famous artist Joan Miró
• The Boqueria Market can be found here

Enquire about this trip

Enquire about this trip

Camp Nou

• View on Map

This world-famous football stadium is home to Barcelona Football Club and is open for students to take a tour of the stadium – giving them the opportunity to walk through the players’ tunnel. On the tour, you will see their trophy cabinet as well as learn more about the heritage and history of the club.

Why visit?

• Relive the fantastic adventure of FC Barcelona, a football club like no other
• Experience the thrill of walking out onto the Camp Nou pitch
• Get unfettered access to behind-the-scenes action and stories
• Certain to be a fascinating experience for football fans and those less interested in football

Enquire about this trip

Enquire about this trip

PortAventura Park

• View on Map

At Port Aventura Park, you'll visit exotic places such as China, Polynesia, the Far West, México, and Mediterrània. Discover full-on adrenaline rides including the tallest coaster in Europe, splash rides, gentle jungle swings and colourful shows from acrobatics to card tricks and magicians. The range of rides and attractions offers something for everyone.

Discover More: PortAventura

Take a look at videos of PortAventura's showcase rides:

• Shambhala
• Dragon Khan
• Furius Baco
• Hurakan Condor

Enquire about this trip

Las Ramblas

• View on Map

Las Ramblas runs through the heart of Barcelona and is home to many street artists, market stalls, shops and cafes.

Why visit Las Ramblas?

• Las Ramblas is famous for street performers including human statues
• The Canaletes Fountain, an elegant, late 19th century, four-tapped, drinking font bears the crest of the city of Barcelona and is a famous celebration spot for locals
• Home to a mosaic from famous artist Joan Miró
• The Boqueria Market can be found here

Enquire about this trip

Enquire about this trip

Camp Nou

• View on Map

This world-famous football stadium is home to Barcelona Football Club and is open for students to take a tour of the stadium – giving them the opportunity to walk through the players’ tunnel. On the tour, you will see their trophy cabinet as well as learn more about the heritage and history of the club.

Why visit?

• Relive the fantastic adventure of FC Barcelona, a football club like no other
• Experience the thrill of walking out onto the Camp Nou pitch
• Get unfettered access to behind-the-scenes action and stories
• Certain to be a fascinating experience for football fans and those less interested in football

Enquire about this trip

Enquire about this trip

PortAventura Park

• View on Map

At Port Aventura Park, you'll visit exotic places such as China, Polynesia, the Far West, México, and Mediterrània. Discover full-on adrenaline rides including the tallest coaster in Europe, splash rides, gentle jungle swings and colourful shows from acrobatics to card tricks and magicians. The range of rides and attractions offers something for everyone.

Discover More: PortAventura

Take a look at videos of PortAventura's showcase rides:

• Shambhala
• Dragon Khan
• Furius Baco
• Hurakan Condor

Enquire about this trip