The Geography Department is keen to offer sixth form students a chance to experience geography outside the classroom, and to this end we are proposing to run a trip to Sicily in the second week of the Easter holiday in 2026.
Sicily is a very popular destination with school Geography departments. It offers students the chance to experience an amazing range of geographical environments not found in the UK.
Our planned itinerary for this five-day trip includes:
- Visit the beaches of Giardini Naxos
- A day visiting Mount Etna, including a guide, cable car and 4x4 vehicle to the summit for spectacular views
- Ferry to Milazzo and across to Vulcano with a guided trek to Vulcanello followed by a visit to the beaches of Sabbie Nere to view the hot springs
- Visit to the Alcantara Gorge
- Visit to the charming town of Taormina and Greek theatre located there
- Visit to the city of Syracuse, with its rich Greek and Roman history
All activities, transport and accommodation will be included in the cost, apart from meals in transit on the first and last day. We will have an experienced guide with us for the day at Etna and Vulcano. We will be staying on a full-board basis. The cost of this experience will depend on the size of the party, and where we are able to fly out from, but should fall between £999 and £1099. It is not a requirement to be studying A-Level geography next year. There is no financial assistance available for this trip.
Please note that this trip runs during the same college holiday as the 2026 ski trip and students won’t be able to apply for both. Also, for students in the Upper Sixth, attending a 5-day trip at this point during their studies should be considered carefully and plans put in place for how they will manage their exam preparation. This trip will also involve a lot of walking and parents and students should consider this when deciding whether to apply for a place on this trip.
The deadline to apply for the Sicily trip has now passed.
If more students apply than there are places available then selection will take place by means of a lottery. All places are subject to approval by the Heads of House and the Headteacher. Once a place has been awarded on the trip, there will be a first deposit payable at the end of March for £200. All payments are non-refundable. Priority will be given to students currently studying Geography at GCSE and A-Level.
We anticipate that the remainder of the payment schedule will be split into instalments, to be paid via SchoolGateway, from the end of April 2025 to the end of February 2026.
