WorldStrides

We had a great tour guys named…

We had a great tour guys named Danielle. He was kind and caring. Able to answer all my questions and provide all we needed at each moment

Excellent content

The content was excellent. The world strides guide was very good. The meal rotation could have gotten more attention, and the hotels needed to have AC.

A dreadful tour experience.

What went wrong? How much time do you have? From being picked up at Zurich after an overnight flight from Dallas and being dropped off in 98 degree weather in the morning, told to hang out and discover Zurich when all anyone wanted was to rest. Our tour guide was giving us directions in down town Zurich, right under the statue of Swiss hero William Tell and never mentioned his name. That was a sign of things to come... Fast forward to 3pm and we have to fight through considerable Zurich traffic to go back to airport a third time after another groups flight was delayed. That's not World Strides issue but there was no alternative plan. All while we were on a really hot bus. The whole week we were with this driver he would not prestart or air condition the bus before we started driving. He was a substitute driver and wasn't familiar with the bus. This IS a World Stride issue. Do better! Our bus was like an oven everytime we got on it. All the other buses were running while people were off touring. Ours got turned off and got hot at every stop. We took a 45 minute Uber when we got to the airport and figured out the plane was still late. We just wanted, needed to lay down at that point. Granted this was all during the hottest June ever in Europe but the lack of planning or alternative plans was appalling. Another issue throughout the trip is where we stayed. I fully understand this is a HS budget friendly trip and I don't expect to stay in city centers but the commutes in big cities to reach very marginal hotels seemed unnecessary. The breakfast food, again with minimal expectations, often disappointed. How hard can coffee be? We had such a bland meal in Italy, it was heartbreaking. In Italy!! Our poor guide Sandra came up and asked us how the meal was and there was just dead silence. Honestly, and I pretty much eat anything, some of the food was unpalatable, including the paella in Barcelona. You would think...by this time I knew the trend well and skipped the paella for a more flavorful meal but my tour mates panned it. Another issue was our luggage. twelve days in Europe and we could only bring a carry on. I get it, small hotels, easier storage, less to lose but literally all the other HS tour groups had full size suitcases. That fit into their pre air conditioned buses. I don't want to lament the whole tour. The glacier in Switzerland was great. Barcelona is a great town, even in the summer heat. I love Arles France, skip Genova Italy, industrial port town at best, there was nothing of note there. Roussillon was a wonderful little artist enclave that was truly enjoyable so there were great moments too. Being driven around to four countries, not having to deal with immigration was great. We got to see Spain play in the World Cup on tv in Spain and the French play in France. Overall though the tour was lacking. In planning, in details, in accommodations, food, sight seeing, efficient travel. It made me wildly aware of the HS student tourist industry and how they take advantage of these kids and parents. I will leave you with this story. We pulled into a budget hotel in Arles France. The tour had not been going well on a few levels and Explorica was well aware. They decided to upgrade us from the a budget to luxury room in Arles. To begin with the hotel was in a very dirty part of town with public housing on one side of the hotel. There was literally trash all around the perimeter. The hotel was split in half budget and luxury. Luxury was a stretch. The luxury being the kids could use the pool. Other than that it's the same hotel. When 40 roll into registration it can take awhile to get your keys. When I finally got my key I headed up to the elevator but some of our kids were already coming down saying the rooms were not cleaned and the beds still dirty from the guests before. Some other people said their keys weren't working. When I opened my door the first thing I saw was a tower fan. This can't be good I thought and immediately found out the AC didn't work. In the middle of the hottest June ever in Europe. By the time got downstairs my gf had enough and once again we paid for an Uber to take us to a nice hotel near the Colosseum. We paid much more but had a memorable stay and wonderful meals. It turned out it took another two hours to transfer our whole group, take the luggage out to the budget/luxury hotel and move to an equally downtrodden hotel. That in itself feels like how we were treated the whole time. I simply could not, with any purity of heart, recommend this tour company. There are many out there, look at reviews and find one that works well for you and your kids.

Well Organized Trip

The activities were very well organized. Everything was on time. Including meals. This means it leaves no room for anything additional that you would like to see or do while on this tour.

I enjoyed the trip

I enjoyed the trip; however, I did feel that the first day in Paris was way too much since we got back at around midnight. I think it would have been better to make sure that all of us are able to be abck in the hotels by 9 at the latest.

We had an amazing time on our trip

We had an amazing time on our trip. Our guides were very knowledgeable and very friendly!! Murray in New Zealand was amazing. Our bus driver in Hawaii even played the ukulele for us while waiting for others to get to the bus which we all loved. My only suggestion would be an extra day in Hawaii because there wasn't any time to enjoy the beach. Other than that everything was amazing. Loved that everything was planned for us and all we had to do was show up and enjoy. Looking forward to traveling again with you all.

Bad experience.

Know your students

Went to shrines and temples everyday. Students requested specific food and activities, but were rejected. Doing the same thing everyday quickly became boring to the students. So much more to see and do and with this experience was not able to do it and left unimpressed. Hotels were nice and clean. The food served was not a large variety. Was hoping for more of a variety.

Best 8th grade trip

The tour guide was great .

Unprofessional Company

First the customer service is very unprofessional, I wanted to pay to move my flight seat and the company would not help me or call me back. I was to via email someone would contact me and no one did. I have food allergies and my information was not put into the trip accommodations. For the price I paid I will never use this company again.

Daughter had the trip of her dreams!

Everything was well organized

Everything went well

Amazing time!!!

My coworker and I took 12 travelers on a World Strides trip to Greece. We had an amazing time. We had a lot of great information before we left, and on the trip, we had an amazing tour director. The itinerary was well-planned, and we definitely got our money's worth. I would highly recommend!!

We flew into Dublin only to take a 4+…

We flew into Dublin only to take a 4+ bus ride to Killarney, and 2 days later drive back to Dublin. Too much time was spent traveling back and forth. This includes the hotels that were booked at least an hours bus ride from the itinerary destinations. London was a bust, most of the tour had us on a bus or the tube. We did not get to spend any quality time at any one destination. Our tour guide was knowledgeable but lacked tact when dealing with young adults and minors.

Disappointing experience with Explorica Italy Tour

Disappointing experience with Explorica Italy Tour I had high hopes for this trip because it was an incredible opportunity for my high school students to experience Italy, its culture, history, and food. Unfortunately, the overall experience fell far below my expectations, especially considering this was an educational trip designed for students. There were definitely some positive aspects. Our Tour Director, Elton, was a very kind person and knowledgeable about the destinations. Many of the places we visited were beautiful, and the cooking experiences were some of the highlights because students were able to participate hands-on and connect with Italian culture through food. However, the biggest issues were the pace of the itinerary, lack of consideration for student health and comfort, and poor planning for summer conditions. The schedule was extremely rushed, with an excessive amount of walking in temperatures reaching over 100 degrees. As a group, we walked more than 50 miles throughout the 7-day trip, often under direct sun with limited opportunities to rest or cool down. Several students became sick, exhausted, and struggled physically because of the heat and demanding schedule. The accommodations were also a major concern. Several hotels did not have working air conditioning, which was unacceptable during an Italian summer heat wave. One hotel had outdated rooms, poor amenities, limited electrical outlets, and a very disappointing breakfast experience. Another hotel had beautiful views but lacked air conditioning and Wi-Fi access in the rooms and common areas. Proper air conditioning should be a basic requirement for student travel during the summer. The meal experiences were another major disappointment. We traveled to Italy expecting students to experience authentic Italian cuisine, but many meals were predetermined with no menu choices available. We were not informed beforehand that students would not have the option to select their meals, even if they were willing to pay extra. Several meals were not appropriate for high school students, and there were multiple occasions where many students did not eat because they did not enjoy the food provided. This was especially frustrating because there was often no time or flexibility to find another option. Some activities were enjoyable, but many felt rushed and focused more on completing the itinerary than allowing students to truly experience the culture. For example, the cooking classes were wonderful experiences, but the long walks required to reach some locations in extreme heat took away from the enjoyment. My biggest concern was the lack of balance between activities and student well-being. Educational travel should create curiosity, excitement, and meaningful memories, but this trip often left students tired, overheated, and overwhelmed. I appreciate the effort from the staff and the positive moments we did have, but based on this experience, I would not choose to travel with Explorica again in this format. I hope future tours improve by creating more realistic schedules, prioritizing air-conditioned accommodations, offering better meal flexibility, and considering the physical needs of students traveling during the summer.

A Challenging Experience with Explorica Italy Tour

As a teacher, I was excited to give my students the opportunity to experience Italy and learn through travel. There were definitely some memorable moments, especially the cooking activities where students were able to connect with Italian culture through food. Seeing them participate in making pasta and pizza was a highlight of the trip. Unfortunately, the overall experience was much more challenging than expected. The itinerary was overly packed and did not allow enough time to truly enjoy the destinations. The amount of walking was excessive, especially considering we traveled during one of the hottest times of the year. Walking long distances every day in temperatures over 100 degrees left many students exhausted, overheated, and unable to fully appreciate the experiences. My biggest concerns were related to student comfort and well-being. Several accommodations did not have adequate air conditioning, which was extremely difficult after long days of activities in the heat. The lack of reliable Wi-Fi and outdated facilities also impacted the experience. For a summer student tour, comfortable and properly cooled accommodations should be a priority. The meal planning was another area that needs improvement. We traveled to Italy expecting students to experience Italian cuisine, but many meals were predetermined with no menu choices. We were not aware beforehand that students would not have the ability to choose their meals, and this resulted in several students not eating because the food options were not appealing to them. A little flexibility with meals would have made a big difference. I appreciate the effort of the staff and the kindness of our Tour Director, but I believe future tours need better consideration of the physical demands placed on students and teachers. Educational travel should be exciting and inspiring, not leave students and chaperones feeling exhausted and overwhelmed. While Italy itself was amazing and my students created some wonderful memories, I would not choose to travel with Explorica again unless there are significant improvements in itinerary pacing, accommodations, meal options, and overall attention to the health and comfort of travelers.

Great plan and trip

Great plan and trip. The only suggestion would be get the kids prepare well for the mosquito bite

Italy 2026

It was a wonderful trip. I loved Italy.A couple places were not on the itinerary, We did not got to Venice via Verona.Instead, we visited Lucca one morning. and a vineyard for a wonderful meal. It was a good choice to include these places. Guide was knowledgeable. Great bus driver. The heat was exhausting....95 to 100 degree weather. Several people became ill from the heat. We were concerned about people in our group suffering heat strokes. I understand the need to move at a fast pace, however, in the heat, it was dangerous. A few short breaks would have helped tremendously. We had cooling towels, fans, etc. to help with the heat. I expected to visit the inside if St. Peter's Basillica, not just do a walk by. I think it is somewhat unclear on the itinerary which sites you actually visit versus a walk by. Hotel choices were good. Meals were good. Overall, it was a great trip, but the pace was too fast for the extreme heat.

A bit slow but other than that good

The tour and our guides were amazing

The tour and our guides were amazing! We covered allot of area in a short time. I learned so much and greatful for Nadia as she did a superior job in keeping us all together and on schedule.