Europe Trips for Students: Teen Summer Programs in Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain

Find Your Europe Trip

First time traveling without family? Start with a single-country, 8-day program: Portugal: Lisbon and Surf Culture, Spain: Tapas, Service & Sea, or Northern Italy Adventure.

Want to see multiple countries? Two-country programs run 15-16 days (about two weeks): Italy and Greece or Portugal and Spain.

Ready for a full month? The 30-day Europe Odyssey covers all four countries with 36 service hours.

Focused on service and conservation? Greece Sea Turtle Conservation includes 20 service hours working with Wildlife Sense researchers on nesting beach surveys and island-hopping between program sites.

The comparison table below shows what each program includes. The following sections detail what students experience day-to-day in each country.

Compare All 7 Europe Programs

All prices include accommodations, meals, in-country transportation, activities, travel medical insurance, and Program Leaders. Flights to/from Europe are not included. See what’s included in program pricing for a detailed breakdown.

Country by Country

Each country section below covers service work, physical requirements, and a sample day schedule. Rustic Pathways Program Leaders are embedded in each destination, local people, not contractors flown in for summer.

Greece

Greece programs are based on Kefalonia, the largest Ionian island, and include mainland excursions to Athens and Delphi. The primary service component is sea turtle conservation with Wildlife Sense, a research organization that has monitored loggerhead turtle nesting on Kefalonia since 2006.

Service work includes: Nighttime beach patrols during nesting season (June-August), nest excavation, hatchling counts, and data recording. Students receive training on sea turtle biology and non-invasive monitoring techniques.

Physical requirements: Ability to walk 2-3 km on sand at night, stay awake during late patrols (10pm-2am on patrol nights), and swim in open water. A swim assessment is conducted on day 2.

Sample Day: Greece (Turtle Conservation)

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Italy

Italy programs operate in the Veneto and Lessinia regions, north of Verona. Activities include hiking in Lessinia Regional Natural Park, visits to Verona and Venice, and food culture experiences in smaller hill towns that most tourists never see.

Service work includes: Trail maintenance with Lessinia Regional Park rangers, community meal preparation at a local agriturismo, and restoration work at historical sites. Service hours vary by program (5 hours for 8-day, 25 hours for 16-day combined Italy & Greece).

Physical requirements: Hiking at moderate elevation (up to 1,500m), ability to carry a daypack for 4-6 hours. No technical climbing.

Sample Day: Italy (Adventure)

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Portugal

Portugal programs split time between Lisbon and the coast near Ericeira, a fishing village and designated World Surfing Reserve. Surf instruction is provided by certified instructors with equipment included.

Service work includes: Beach conservation, working with local environmental groups on coastal cleanup and dune restoration. Students learn about Atlantic marine ecosystems and human impact on coastal communities.

Physical requirements: Ability to swim confidently in ocean surf. No prior surfing experience required. Students who are not comfortable in surf conditions can participate in alternative water activities (kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding).

Sample Day: Portugal (Surf Culture)

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Spain

Spain programs focus on the Basque Country and Catalonia, with time in Barcelona and smaller coastal towns. Cultural activities emphasize Basque and Catalan identity, food traditions, and the intersection of Spanish, French, and regional cultures.

Service work includes: Community meal service, urban garden maintenance, and youth center support in Barcelona neighborhoods. Students work alongside local volunteers rather than in isolated “service tourism” settings.

Physical requirements: Walking 5-8 km daily on urban terrain. Barcelona portions involve significant walking and public transport use.

Sample Day: Spain (Culture & Service)

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How Rustic Pathways Manages Safety

Western and Southern Europe have reliable healthcare systems, stable infrastructure, and established tourism industries. Rustic Pathways applies the same safety protocols to Europe programs as to all destinations worldwide. All Europe programs follow the S·I·T Framework (Safety, Impact, Transformation) that guides every Rustic Pathways experience.

Staff Qualifications and Ratios

Rustic Pathways promises a maximum 7:1 staff ratio. The verified 12-month median across all programs is 4.37:1, placing Rustic Pathways in the top 1% of the industry for counselor coverage.

Europe programs range from 4:1 (30-day Odyssey) to 6:1 (8-day Italy). All Program Leaders complete:

• Wilderness First Responder (WFR) or equivalent certification
• CPR and AED certification (renewed annually)
• Background checks in the US and countries of operation
• The Rustic Pathways 4-month vetting process including screening, training, and field validation
• Mental health first aid training

Program Leaders are not tour guides. At least one Program Leader on each Europe program is fluent in the local language(s) of the destination country.

Get to know the Rustic Pathways team →

Medical Protocols

Before departure:

• All students submit medical forms reviewed by the Rustic Pathways health team
• Prescription medications are documented and verified
• Known allergies and dietary restrictions are communicated to all Program Leaders and service partners
• Students with specific medical needs receive individualized safety plans
• Personal Pathways pre-travel meetings with the Student Success team address medical and emotional preparation

During program:

• Program Leaders carry first aid kits and emergency communication devices at all times
• Local emergency contacts are established before each program begins
• Medical facilities within 30 minutes of all program locations are identified in advance
• Parents receive contact information for the nearest hospital to each accommodation

Incident Classification:

Rustic Pathways categorizes all incidents using a four-level system:

In 2024, 90.5% of Rustic Pathways incidents were GREEN (minor, easily handled). Parents are notified within 27 minutes on average after medical stabilization, with updates every 3 hours during active situations.

View the full Rustic Pathways safety protocols →

Escalation process:

1. Minor issues (blisters, headaches, mild stomach upset): Treated by Program Leaders on-site
2. Moderate issues (persistent symptoms, minor injuries): Local clinic visit, parents notified within 2 hours
3. Serious issues (suspected fractures, high fever, allergic reactions): Emergency services contacted immediately, parents notified during transport
4. Emergency evacuation: Coordinated through Healix International partnership, parents contacted immediately with flight/transport details

Daily Check-Ins and Communication

Parent communication:

• Photo updates posted to secure parent portal daily
• Weekly scheduled phone/video calls between student and parents
• Unscheduled calls if student is homesick, ill, or requests contact
• Immediate phone call for any medical treatment beyond basic first aid, any safety incident, or any significant behavioral concern

Program Leader protocols:

• Morning check-in with each student (physical and emotional wellness)
• Evening debrief as a group
• One-on-one conversations scheduled throughout program for students who request them or who Program Leaders observe may be struggling

What Happens When Things Go Wrong

Homesickness peaks around days 3-5 for most students. Program Leaders are trained to normalize this experience, engage students in activities, and facilitate communication with parents when helpful. Most students adjust by day 6-7.

For students who do not adjust or who experience significant distress, Rustic Pathways works with families on a case-by-case basis. Options include increased parent contact, program modifications, or in rare cases, early return home. In 43 years of operation, early departures for homesickness represent less than 1% of participants.

Flight delays, missed connections, and lost luggage happen. Program Leaders travel with contingency budgets for rebooking and emergency purchases. Students are never left alone at airports or transit points.

Rustic Pathways maintains a 4.9-star rating across Google, GoOverseas, GoAbroad, and Trustpilot.

What’s Included

Included in all program fees:

• Accommodations (hotels, guesthouses, or hosted stays depending on program)
• All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks)
• In-country transportation (trains, buses, ferries, private vehicles)
• All activities and entrance fees
• Service project materials and partner fees
• Travel medical insurance (covers illness and injury during program)
• Program Leaders (trained staff at ratios listed above)
• 24/7 emergency support through Healix International partnership

Not included:

• Flights to/from Europe (families book independently or through the Rustic Pathways flight partner)
• Passport and visa fees
• Personal spending money ($150-300 recommended for souvenirs, snacks, optional activities)
• Travel insurance for trip cancellation/interruption (recommended, available through a Rustic Pathways partner)

Cost Comparison Example

A family comparing the 8-day Portugal program ($3,395) to planning a similar European trip independently:

The premium covers 24/7 Program Leader supervision, structured programming, service components, and the logistics of operating a safe teen travel program. Families who value those elements find the cost comparable to or below DIY planning.

2026 Dates and Availability

Summer 2026 programs run June through August. Specific dates for each program listed on program pages.

How to prepare now:

1. Review 2026 program dates, itineraries, and costs
2. Check passport validity (must be valid 6 months beyond return date)
3. Contact us with any questions, and enroll online to reserve your spot

Programs fill on a rolling basis. Multi-country and conservation-focused programs typically reach capacity first. Waitlists are available for full programs.