School music tours to Veneto

Overall Review

All was possible when speaking to Lucy. The whole process was professional and communication was very effective throughout the process. Club Europe listened to what we were trying to achieve in terms of price and affordability as this is now a greater consideration for school trips. The students and staff had a fabulous tour, lots of memories made. The detail is in the planning which was excellent and effective. These trips are never forgotten and are always enjoyed, such a worthwhile educative experience. Thank you. A wonderful cultural and musical experience for all involved.

Concerts Review

[On a concert in a villa] Lovely venue, people very supportive and the audience was a good size. [On a concert in a piazza] Excellent venue, worked very well with the Lake Garda trip. Great outside venue for sound and you perform against a solid backdrop which really helps the acoustics.

Accommodation Review

5 / 5: Super hotel, food was teen friendly. Staff were attentive and welcoming, helping to facilitate the euros as well. Rooms were comfortable and staff facilitated a room swap!

Transport Review

5 / 5: The drivers were excellent on the trip; an excellent working relationship was estabished.

Overall Review

Lucy - 5 / 5 Literally always there and sorted out everything with ease and professionalism. Made me feel very comfortable and I trusted her to look after me and my pupils. Sabine -5 / 5: Again, so professional and easy to reach. I was impressed with every part of the process. Nothing needs improving. This was perfect, booked with you again next year! Made amazing memories for our students.

Concerts Review

[On an outdoor concert] 5 / 5: This was perfect, good audience size, lovley atmosphere. Lake side and beautiful. [On a concert in a villa] 5 / 5: Outstanding venue, magical, made to feel very welcome. Large audience.

Rep Review

Lorenzo - 5 / 5: Couldn't be better, every issue he dealt with quickly and calmly. Very pleasant, professional young man.

Overall Review

Lucy was extremely supportive at all of the stages of this trip. She always replies to emails quickly and will go to any lengths to explain/amend things. I really was quite demanding before this trip as there seemed to be loads of unforeseen issues and Lucy did everything, she could to make it right. Thank you for your patience, Lucy. Sabine [our operations manager] was also her usual fantastic self who always makes me feel at ease about the process. Another person who will make it her priority to get things right. Thank you, Sabine. I was impressed with everything: the parent’s evening info was really helpful; the amount of time that Lucy and Sabine were willing to spend on the phone with me; and the layout of the booking options. Some of the students told me that “it was the best week of my life” when we got home.

Concerts Review

[On a concert in a piazza] A great success! Lots of lovely feedback from the audience, a medal from the mayor (!) and a breathtakingly beautiful view across the lake. There were more people staying to watch than I expected. This kind of venue usually attracts quite a transient audience but it seemed like most people stayed for the whole set. [On another concert in a piazza] Very appropriate for the space. More people arrived as our set progressed and they were all up and dancing by the end.  Another great success. The students had warmed into their new roles by this point and were really working the crowd by the end of the show. When not singing, the singers were going out into the audience and getting people to dance with them. Highlight was Jack and Martin (drivers) dancing at the end of our set. Another stunning backdrop and a brilliantly receptive crowd.

Visits Review

They loved the water park and the boat trip.

Accommodation Review

This was a lovely hotel with just the right level of comfort for our needs. The rooms were great and the outdoor facilities were perfect – tables to play cards and the pool. Great location – there was nowhere for the students to sneak off to during their free time, which is always helpful. Good coach parking. Easy access. The staff were lovely. Friendly and helpful throughout our stay. Food was delicious and our dietary requirements were all met without a fuss. This was a wonderful hotel and perfect for school groups.

Rep Review

Salwa was professional at all times but definitely a musician and one of us. The perfect balance! She was a lovely person who clearly knew what she was doing. Her communication skills were excellent and the students found her down to earth and supportive. She immersed herself into our band family and put up with our demands every day. I really enjoyed getting to know her as I have all of the CE tour managers over the years.

Transport Review

Fantastic. Jack and Martin went above and beyond to make our journeys comfortable. As well as driving us everywhere, they also forged a lovely relationship with us and the students throughout the week. From letting the students select which music was playing to reading them bedtime stories over the mic, these guys were awesome. The best ones we’ve ever had. They came to watch our shows, got up to dance and were having songs dedicated to them by the students. They made such a positive impression on everyone and really became part of our little team/family. The students were very sad to leave them behind at Dover!

Overall Review

Hannah and Alberto were excellent – always able to help and Alberto had great local knowledge. A memorable tour.

Concerts Review

[On an outdoor concert] A great success. Large, enthusiastic audience and great hosts. Unbelievably good buffet beforehand.  So good…! [On a concert in a square]  A fantastic, very memorable concert.

Accommodation Review

Excellent. The staff  were amazing. They would do anything to help us. So much amazing food!

Rep Review

Giulia was excellent and made a very positive contribution to the tour.

Transport Review

Excellent.

Overall Review

Alahree and Alberto were excellent. All organised efficiently.. The standard of the band and their team work improved over the tour. I also had a number of little ones who managed their first long trip away from home and loved it. Yet another amazing trip with excellent venues and organisation.

Concerts Review

[On a church concert] Concert was very successful. They hosted us beautifully, providing a buffet tea on arrival and refreshments and wine after. Highlight would have to be the homemade Italian wine which they used to teach the staff Italian drinking games! We were also presented with a case of wine to bring home.[On a concert in a square]  Fantastic venue for both location and audience. Just beautiful and a perfect end to a great week. This is our kind of venue!

Visits Review

Water park was definitely a good day! The kids enjoyed their downtime and particularly liked having time in the hotel pool.

Accommodation Review

Hotel was well placed to get to all venues. The new pool was a nice addition! Good facilities for a school group. All staff were lovely and extremely helpful. We did a short rehearsal / concert run in the café area and the hotel staff listened whilst they had their breakfast.

Rep Review

Tamari got on well with all the kids and spent a lot of time with us. She helped in many ways in the set up of the concerts and always gave us a good Italian introduction to our audience. She went above and beyond. I'd give her 6 out of 5 - if that’s allowed!

Transport Review

It was wonderful to have Nick again. He was fantastic and had an excellent rapport with the staff and kids.

Overall Review

Alahree kept me informed every step of the way and I appreciated her efforts from start to end! There was nothing that was too much for Alberto - he was able to prepare a suitable itinerary to fit with our group’s needs and was always only a phone call away should we have needed anything. From beginning to end, it's an enjoyable experience to go on a Club Europe tour!

Concerts Review

[On an outdoor concert] Brilliant - with the use of a stage and tech team, it was a relatively easy set up. It drew in a large crowd. 

Accommodation Review

Ideally situated for Gardaland and lake-side locations.

Rep Review

Every step of the way Nino was in control and nothing was too much to ask of her. Communicated with concert leads and problem solved where required. Nino helped us navigate our way through the itinerary well and suggested solutions if there were any issues

Transport Review

Overall, pleasant and polite.

Overall Review

Very well organised, supportive staff and an outstanding tour manager who made the trip a great experience for all. Alahree was excellent and always helpful and Alberto was always clear about arrangements. The levels of communication were excellent.

Accommodation Review

The hotel was very well situated for Venice and the areas where we visited. Staff were always excellent and helpful.

Rep Review

Excellent in all respects – Josh was brilliant. He helped in every respect – translating, smoothing the process, organised things.He was outstanding.

Transport Review

Always helpful and cheerful.

Overall Review

Hannah was fantastic from the very start and was in regular contact throughout the whole organisation of the tour. Alberto was also great and he was patient as I had a number of questions throughout the planning of the tour. The tour had the wow factor and as it was my first time leading a group abroad I was so pleased we went with Club Europe as they are professional and put my at ease from day 1.

Concerts Review

[On a concert in a villa] Yes. It was a beautiful venue for our first concert and the buildings and gardens were amazing.

Accommodation Review

Fantastic location with stunning views.

Rep Review

Elena’s contribution was outstanding and I would highly recommended her. She was very friendly and communicated with the students very well.

Overall Review

“Venice is a fabulous city steeped in musical history and a music tour to this destination is definitely a good choice. Great weather and very good venues with large audiences made this a successful tour.”

Concerts Review

“[On a concert at a villa] The audience was very appreciative and clearly really enjoyed it. Nice that the audience was so close to the performers, the students then really felt their enthusiasm and also saw them taking photos and filming it which made them feel special. It was also special to be introduced to the mayor of Dolo who did an opening speech before the performance commenced.”

Accommodation Review

“Lido is a good resort for students to stay in as it seems very safe and students can easily go off themselves in small groups during the daytime and evening. Venice is a great city to visit. The location is excellent. The family-run hotel had a welcoming feel and they kept the bar/pizzeria open at our request when we returned late after concerts. “

Transport Review

“The coach was excellent. It was the newest of the coaches in their fleet (the 2013 plate). It had 55 seats, loads of luggage space and lots of leg room. Excellent entertainment system, easy to view the numerous screens for the DVD player. “

Overall Review

“Our Tour to Venice was just brilliant. Fantastic hotel, fabulous food, amazing excursions and, of course, memorable musical experiences.”

Concerts Review

“[On a villa concert] Brilliant accoustic. Fabulous venue.”

Accommodation Review

“Excellent hotel and fabulous food. Great location.”

Rep Review

“Ducchio’s contribution to the success of the tour was fantastic. He always went the extra mile to ensure that everything ran smoothly.”

Overall Review

“I felt I received a very personal experience throughout. Alberto was very attentive, and his attention to detail (concert venues in particular) was excellent. The two of us worked together to produce a fantastic programme for the students. It was an unforgettable experience made that much more enjoyable due to the professional, friendly staff that work so closely with you to ensure your tour is personalised to your needs and requirements.”

Concerts Review

“[On a courtyard concert] We were made to feel very welcome throughout the course of the evening. The venue were organised to receive us. We had our own dressing room that had been allocated to us and food and refreshments were provided. The facilities were fantastic, they provided a PA system accompanied by technicians to take care of sound. The performance platform was well lit and the acoustic was fantastic for choirs and vocal groups. [On a villa concert] The concert at the Villa was a huge success. It was a beautiful, ornate room that provided a fantastic setting for our second concert. The room we performed in was long and narrow and having an audience size of between 50-100 suited it perfectly. “

Rep Review

“Alessandra was attentive, organised, friendly and extremely helpful in all situations.”

Overall Review

“Perfect! An amazing experience for everyone. The timings were absolutely perfect and the excursions to Burano, Murano and to the opera in Verona were magical.”

Overall Review

“We got back late last night after the most magnificent choir tour. There were so many memorable experiences that I don’t know quite where to begin, but singing in St Mark’s on Sunday was one of the most exciting, inspiring and fulfilling musical experiences of my life - and the choir truly rose to the occasion. Club Europe’s arrangements were absolutely superb and Bernie worked her fingers to the bone for the entire time we were there. I finally met Massimo and he was at our concerts in Padua and Verona. We have some wonderful photographs of the choir in all the venues.”

Overall Review

Deadlines were clear and easily met. Great communication and adaptability with last minute changes and suggestions.

Concerts Review

[On a church concert] Appreciative audience. Very good acoustics. Lovely church with good changing facilities. Good concert. Well-advertised. Very helpful staff at the church. [On a concert in a hotel] Audience very appreciative. Hotel provided lovely food before the concert. [On a concert in a cathedral] Beautiful cathedral and great experience for the children to perform in the mass.

Visits Review

The mask-making workshop was a particular hit.

Accommodation Review

Good location for the beach and nice hotel. Friendly staff and very tolerant of the children. Food good and dietary needs met. Nice to have salad as well as pasta etc.

Rep Review

Eleanor was fantastic. Easy to work with and very helpful at all points.She had an easy manner with the children and made an effort to learn all their names. Great at communicating with staff at venues, and recording parts of the performance.Eleanor very much contributed to the success of the tour, through communicating with staff at venues and transport, and navigating around Venice and Verona.

Overall Review

Hannah and Sabine were friendly, efficient and helpful throughout the process.. Excellent. Any queries were responded to quickly and efficiently, whether to Hannah, Sabine or Tim. A really excellent tour.  Many participants have described it as one of the best weeks of their lives!  Many thanks to the Club Europe team for all your help along the way.  Given where we were with Covid-19 not so long ago, the trip seems all the more special. A really enjoyable trip that provided lasting memories for everyone and reflected the careful planning that had done in to it.

Concerts Review

[On a concert in St. Mark's] An iconic venue – you just don’t turn down a chance to perform somewhere like this! We had an unexpected and prolonged round of applause after the final motet. [On  church concert]  A really positive experience for everyone. The audience reaction throughout was excellent. We performed an encore and they wanted more after that but we’d run out of repertoire.  Three sets of parents were there to watch and were really impressed and grateful.

Accommodation Review

The hotel is in a quiet area and suited our needs well. Good rehearsal rooms (two were available in the end) and storage space for larger instruments and other equipment. Excellent pool.

Rep Review

Josh was a brilliant Tour Manager in every respect. Clear, polite, informative, good company. First-rate in every regard. Up there with the best tour managers we’ve ever had.  He made a real difference.

Transport Review

Brilliant. Good company, punctual and patient (e.g. when pupils were late arriving etc).  They really made a positive difference to the whole week and worked very well together. Perfect size for us – the spare seats were welcome and the 57-seater size meant there was sufficient storage for luggage.  We had discussed whether to use a trailer but the larger coach was a good decision.  Violins and violas were safely stored in the overhead lockers.  Air con worked throughout – hurrah! I’ve led about 20 music tours and the coach and drivers were up there with the very best we’ve had.  Would have no hesitation in recommending to others and requesting the same for us in future.

Overall Review

Hannah was exceptional throughout this process, making me (a new trip leader) feel at ease, informed and on top of everything that needed doing. Sabine delivered us a brilliant programme of events that the students (and staff!) will long remember. Deadlines and processes were very clear with enough flexibility that when students were late giving the school money, we could still proceed as planned. 5 out of 5  - absolutely satisfied. The team were really really helpful.  [Club Europe] is knowledgeable, friendly, approachable and professional – it’s been a pleasure working with them to make this trip a success.

Concerts Review

[On a concert in a square] This was one of the biggest highlights of the trip. A superb concert, a brilliant ambience and the audience were very receptive. I loved this.

Accommodation Review

Hotel San Vito was absolutely fine. The manager was friendly and welcoming. I had no safety concerns about the students and it was kept clean and tidy throughout our trip.

Transport Review

[Our drivers] were both really friendly and one of the standout bits of the trip.

Overall Review

Excellent communication.  Everything was dealt with in good time. It was helpful to have regular updates on finance and accounts. I was most impressed with the suggestions, tailor made tour details and itinerary. Well organised and enjoyable trip for all musicians/staff.

Concerts Review

[On a concert in a villa]  The highlight was the ability to showcase all the main school ensembles and decent acoustics with the buildings alongside and covered by a roof high up. [On a concert in a church]  Excellent. The priest was helpful, welcoming and clear about when to sing in the Mass. A lovely atmosphere and cool.

Accommodation Review

Seemed to be well-placed. The hotel did not have balconies – perfect for containing pupils safely. It was good to be out of the way of local shops so pupils cannot wander too far and purchase things they shouldn’t. The pool was a bonus. Staff were excellent; the owner and his daughter were polite and very accommodating.

Transport Review

Excellent, safe and polite. Lovely manner, accommodating and helpful.

Overall Review

Lucy was able to respond to any questions in a timely and effective manner.  Always prompt with any updates, and excellent communication with me throughout the entire process. Sabine was outstanding. Always helpful, informative, reliable. Will do whatever it takes to make the trip run smoothly. I was most impressed with the effectiveness of communication between myself and Club Europe throughout.  The tour was outstanding - amazing performing venues, superb itinerary across three countries, and wonderful accommodation. 

Concerts Review

[On an outdoor concert] Great for an outdoor concert.  Playing against the church really helps. Lovely concert, great scenery. [On their second outdoor concert] A lovely, appreciative audience.  Warmly received by the mayor’s rep.  Received the flag of Garda and medal. [On their thrid outdoor venue] Fantastic for an outdoor square – the sound reverberated really well across the square. [On their final concert]  Amazing last concert of the tour. Guggenmusik and a live band for which we were the warm-up act for.

Accommodation Review

Both were excellent.  Both catered for all our needs superbly. We used the swimming pool, football pitch, storage rooms and restaurants.

Rep Review

Sabine was exceptional throughout the tour. Sabine met us on the coach when we arrived at San Vito and introduced herself to the group, many of whom knew her from our trip to Autria last year. She liaised with the rep at each venue, worked out any slight timing or logistical changes and tanslated for me when needed. She was absolutely vital to the success of the trip.

Transport Review

Excellent – extremely professional and reassuring -– felt that they were part of the team. Amazing! I have never slept 7 hours on a coach journey before, but did on the way out.  Very comfortable for our group. 5+ out of 5.

Overall Review

Hannah was fantastic; professional and prompt communication throughout. Sabine was also brilliant; she was very adaptable and we had very good communication back and forth about itinerary details.. Fantastic – highly professional and experienced staff and a life-changing experience for our students. We would like to give a huge thank you to everyone involved in our tour.

Concerts Review

[On an outdoor concert]  A big success. We had lots of audience members up and dancing and the general atmosphere was fantastic. At the end of the concert the organiser asked us to do an encore with the orchestra and choir together. We threw something unrehearsed together and it turned out great! The organiser was very helpful and friendly. [On a concert in a villa] The accoustics were very good – the choir especially sounded really lovely in such a peaceful quiet setting. Really really lovely to be able to properly focus on the sound of the performances. Choir were the highlight on this one. [On a concert in a town square] It was a fun concert and the students played well. The students absolutely loved having pizza delivered to the square before the concert, and paddling in Lake Garda after afterwards!

Accommodation Review

The hotel was fantastic. The food was excellent, the staff were lovely and welcoming and the common spaces (foyer, rehearsal space, dining room, swimming pool area) were perfect. The food was excellent. It was plentiful and tasty. The provision for dietary needs was fantastic; they spoke to students/staff individually and were very clear about what options were available.

Rep Review

James was absolutely brilliant, extremely competent and positive. His communication with the students was excellent. We absolutely couldn’t have done it without him and would very much like to work with James again.