Visit to the Christmas Markets in Aachen and Phantasialand 9th-12th December 2010.

43 Pupils from years 8-11 spent an exciting and memorable weekend in Aachen, Germany. Pupils had the opportunity to practice their German and enjoy the German Christmas experience. On the Friday we visited the beautiful city of Aachen. 

Aachen's brightly lit Christmas market is set around the cathedral and town hall and visitors to the Aachen Christmas Market are faced with a great deal of choice at the colourful stands and stalls Aachen is a vibrant cultural centre with an excellent range of shops and attractive cafés.

Staff and pupils enjoyed  strolling through the pedestrian precincts in the picturesque old town and browsing in the little shops clustered around the cathedral and town hall which sell interesting and unusual goods. On the Saturday we visited the Phantasialand an amusement park in Brühl, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany that attracts approximately 2 million visitors annually. Among the park's thrill rides is a themed Mine Train roller coaster called Colorado Adventure, which runs among some mountains in the park's Wild West section, an inverted roller coaster called Black Mamba, Winja's Fear and Force- two indoor spinning coasters, the "Mystery Castle", an indoor ride featuring a walk through a haunted castle, River Quest, a rapid river ride which features a lift and Talocan, a Suspended Spinning ride Pupils enjoyed their day and spent time going on the rides, ice skating, visiting the many  shows and playing in the snow.