Spain: Middle School Service Adventure

Our group flight lands in Madrid and we begin our adventure. During our stay, we visit the world-renowned Prado Museum and stroll through the Plaza Mayor and Retiro Park. We sample local delicacies during a scavenger hunt at the Mercado and see the intricate architecture of the Royal Palace.

We travel north to the small town of Amayuelas de Abajo, a formerly abandoned Spanish town that has been reclaimed by Spaniards looking to create a sustainable community. Amayuelas provides an inspiring setting for many interesting environmental restoration and conservation projects. Our students break into small groups and join with Spanish community members to work on various projects such as making adobe bricks for construction, gardening, and bread baking. We’ll learn about their work to conserve native regional seeds and collaborate on restoration projects using traditional, sustainable building methods. Global Works Ambassadors are assigned each day to collaborate with the local project leaders, communicate plans with the group, and conduct evening activities with the our hosts. Students practice skills such as public speaking, interpersonal communication, problem solving, conflict resolution, and teamwork. Naturally, it is not “all work and no play.” In the late afternoons and evenings, there is time for exploration, activities, and soccer games!

This beautiful spot has a summer camp-like vibe with lots of fun activities. We spend the next two days kayaking on the river, hiking, and getting to know one another through team building activities. We also take an afternoon to visit the city of Segovia to view its spanning aqueduct and towering cathedral.

Transfer by high speed train from Madrid to Barcelona.  Visit the sites of Park Guell, including the longest park bench in the world! Take a bike tour and enjoy lunch at La Boqueria market.  Walk up Passeig de la Gracia and Avenida Diagonal to enjoy some of Barcelona’s most unique Modernism architecture, including several Gaudi buildings.  Explore La Sagrada Familia.  We’ll also find some beach time before wrapping up this adventure!

We have a final celebratory dinner before we say our goodbyes to this beautiful country and our new friends! The trip comes to an end, and we fly home.

When flights become available, please contact us for the latest airfare pricing or visit our Flight & Travel Arrangements page for more information about travel days.