RICK STEVES
“Travel is rich with learning opportunities, and the ultimate souvenir is a broader perspective.”
At Smiling International School, we firmly believe in the value of broadening our students’ horizons. That’s why we place great emphasis on the educational opportunities offered both by our local surroundings in Ferrara and by the wider world.
Each year, we organize a variety of educational trips and excursions, taking students beyond the classroom to explore Italian cities and international destinations. These experiences are designed to enrich their learning, foster independence, and create lasting memories.
Our students have the chance to travel the world—gaining new perspectives, building global awareness, and enjoying truly unforgettable adventures.
Little Big Adventures
Smiling Early Years
For our Early Years children, every outing is an exciting discovery.
Throughout the year, our Happy Hedgehogs, Busy Bees, Cool Caterpillars, and Butterflies explore the city and its surroundings through one-day trips filled with curiosity and wonder.
They visit museums and exhibitions, spend time at the farm to meet animals up close, and enjoy unique experiences such as the Animal Hospital, where they can become veterinarians for a day.
One of the children’s favourite adventures is the trip on the Nena boat, sailing along the Po River to discover its beauty and the nature around it.
Each trip helps children learn how to explore the world, discover new places, live experiences together, and build curiosity, independence, and confidence. Through these adventures, our young learners grow, learn, and take their first big steps into the world.
Exploring Italy in
Smiling Primary School
For Primary School students, every trip is a special opportunity to discover Italy and learn together.
Throughout the year, classes take part in day trips that lead them to explore places rich in learning and inspiration: from the Cattolica Aquarium to Italia in Miniatura, and the artistic and historical wonders of Florence.
The most eagerly awaited moment comes at the end of Primary School, when 5th Grade students experience their first real school trip: three days and two nights in Tuscany, often their first time sleeping away from home. It is an exciting experience that brings together discovery, independence, and shared moments.
The trips are enriched by local educational activities, such as visits to museums, theatre performances, and scientific workshops in Ferrara, designed to make learning lively, hands-on, and engaging.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
Middle & High School
Every year, Smiling Middle and High School students look forward to one of the most exciting moments of the school year: the international school trip — an unforgettable experience that combines discovery, culture, and friendship.
From Hamburg to London, Madrid to Seville, Barcelona to Vienna, and Athens to Singapore — every destination is an opportunity to learn from the world, explore new cultures, and see reality through new eyes.
During these five or six days abroad, students also have the chance to use the languages they’ve learned at school, practicing them in real and meaningful situations. The days are filled with visits to historic landmarks, museums, and exhibitions, along with team moments, laughter, and shared joy — that special bond only a journey together can create.
Smiling trips are much more than just travel: they are an essential part of our educational journey, helping students become independent, curious, and responsible global citizens, ready to embrace the world with enthusiasm, openness, and respect. Each trip leaves a lasting mark — memories that stay forever, friendships that grow stronger, and a new way of seeing the world.
Because, as we like to say at Smiling, “travel is the greatest school of all.”