Europe

Europe offers some wonderful options in terms of strong opposition, interesting culture, superb sightseeing and a favourable climate for sport. Yet with such diverse culture, language & history, each European nation offers a very different experience when it comes to touring.

Sports vary from country to country with the most popular being rugby, football and hockey. Basketball, tennis, swimming, volleyball and lacrosse are also popular and can be arranged for you. Spend a week playing local club/school opposition or compete against a mix of local and UK schools in tournaments during the April & October half terms.

Although less widely played cricket & netball are available in destinations with a large British ex-pat community such as Cyprus, Malta or Gibraltar, as well as Ireland of course, which offers the best choice in terms of opposition and competitiveness.

Many schools use the warmer climates of the Mediterranean for pre-season training camps. Browns in the Algarve, La Manga in Spain & Club Correze in France are all popular bases for schools.

Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands & Germany are all good options for rugby, hockey, football, golf, tennis, swimming and basketball tours. They all combine a cultural experience with great opposition, fabulous sightseeing and fantastic cuisine. They are also well served with cheap transport links using low cost airlines or the Eurostar from London.

Due to their proximity to the UK the European destinations are cheaper than their long- haul counterparts and can be accessible by coach, bringing the cost down further. Although this makes for a longer journey it does give the flexibility of having a coach and driver on hand throughout your tour.

And finally don’t forget the benefits of touring within the UK – Scotland or Northern Ireland perhaps? Both destinations combine spectacular scenery with an extremely high standard of opposition. Great hosts and a relatively cheap cost make Scotland & Northern Ireland an increasingly popular choice for a short-haul tour.