Overnight Trip: Alcúdia

The vacation within the vacation: Alcúdia. While most of our days are spent having fun while learning both in and out of the classroom about biology, Spanish, and local culture, Alcúdia was our three day break from all classes to bond with friends and experience a new part of the island. Between games both on and off the beach, swimming, snorkeling, coasteering, pool time, and exploring the new beach town, we came home with heavy eyelids but full hearts!

On our first day of the trip, we stopped at S'Albufera Nature Reserve on our way to Alcúdia. Here, we worked with our biology teacher and another local guide to identify the different species of birds that we found in the protected wetlands. We identified over 20 types of birds from the nature observation boxes that are set up for visitors! After spending the morning there, we got back on the bus to drive the last 15 minutes to the hotel and have a picnic lunch. After getting checked in, we grabbed a swimsuit and headed to the local beach for some volleyball, swimming, and quick strolls to get some ice cream. After our fun in the sun and a quick shower at the hotel, we enjoyed the hotel buffet for dinner and then played some games with the staff of Terra i Mar, a local tour guide company that was accompanying us on the trip.

The next day, we had more beach in store! We did a hike through some costal woods with BEAUTIFUL views, and after a stop for some cold melon and to distribute packed lunches, we climbed down to a quiet cove with pristine waters and small rocks instead of sand. Luckily, we had all been prepared with water shoes so that the hot rocks wouldn't hurt our feet - it was actually nice to not get sand everywhere for a change! We sat under the tents Terra i Mar had set up for us, played in the water, did a little bit of coasteering, and saw MANY goats...good think some of our students (shoutout to Zev!) were masters at chasing them away, because those goats seemed to be very hungry for our sandwiches! After a while on the beach, we were picked up by a large Catamaran and we sailed off the coast before stopping to do some swimming (with life jackets, of course!) in the sea and then making an ice cream pit stop between the harbor and the bus. Once back at the hotel, we had buffet dinner, got dressed up to take pictures with friends, and then had some night pool time before curfew. 

Finally, we wrapped up our last day in Alcúdia with coasteering and exploring the beach town! We had the option to either eat lunch at the hotel or go to a restaurant with friends, then we had a little free time to walk the main streets before heading back to the pool one more time for a last swim, a nap in the shade, or time to make friendship bracelets. A brief 45-minute bus ride took us back to Plaza España in the center of Palma, and from there we all went home to take cold showers and go to bed early! Despite how tired we were, there were no regrets for having played our hearts out, explored new parts of this beautiful island, and grown in our friendships with both our peers and the staff of Terra i Mar. What a perfect mid-program break!

*Note from Bethany: this is my third year of doing CIEE programs, and I have truly never seen students happier than this trip. Our group connected so incredibly well and formed lasting friendships that I have no doubt will carry them into college and beyond. Numerous students commented when we got back to Palma that leaving Alcúdia had been emotional because they couldn't remember the last time they had so much fun, and I can confidently say that while the activities were great, it was the high quality of kind, dedicated, inclusive students we have in this session and the contagious energy of the Terra i Mar staff that turned the trip into a dream. Thank you so much, friends and family, for sharing these wonderful teens with us - they are a joy :)