Choosing Europe as your gap year destination offers the perfect balance of being close to home while experiencing a wealth of projects and opportunities across the continent. Whether you already have a specific idea in mind or are exploring options, our selection of European gap year courses includes a wide range of volunteering opportunities and paid work in various subjects. From cultural exchanges to adventure activities, Europe provides something for every traveller.
Europe has an incredible diversity of experiences to offer, whether you want to spend a few weeks or several months abroad. Our programmes feature seasonal grape picking in France, learning to become a ski instructor in the Swiss Alps, participating in Arctic expeditions, gaining medical work experience in Eastern Europe, teaching English as a foreign language, or fundraising jobs in the UK. With so many gap year opportunities available across multiple countries, you can tailor your experience to match your interests and goals.
Beyond the traditional city breaks in Paris, Rome, or Barcelona, Europe offers breathtaking outdoor adventures in the Swiss Alps or the Norwegian fjords, combining travel with physical activity and nature immersion. Whether you want to volunteer, work abroad, or simply explore iconic landmarks and landscapes, a gap year in Europe can be customised to create unforgettable memories. Let us help you plan your perfect European adventure that aligns with your passions and aspirations.
To learn a new language, we feel that the best way is to completely immerse yourself within the culture of the country who's language you are learning. With ESL you will go straight into a unique opportunity to learn new languages while on a long-term learning, cultural adventure.
Duration: 4-10 weeks
We've been running English camps for French children since 1994! With multiple locations across France, American Village Language Immersion Camps welcome thousands of kids each year. Our caring, fun, and professional counselor team is a part of what makes our camp so loved by our campers!
Duration: 5 months or 2 months
As an Outdoor Instructor, you will deliver a range of fun, memorable and tailored adventurous activities, experiences and adventure holidays aimed at families, individuals and groups. Such as snowmobile tours, ice fishing, snowshoeing and cross country skiing.
Popular Europe Destinations:
France, Italy, Romania, Spain
Quick Europe Facts:
Population - 0.75 billion
Languages - Every country has its own national language.
Visa Information:
As a UK citizen, you are permitted to travel and work without limits withing the EU.
Some people take a gap year with little or no preparation. They may pack an oversized rucksack with most of their worldly goods and buy a rail ticket that will allow them to cross the channel into France or Belgium. But beyond a vague plan to head for Greece or Italy or somewhere equally warm, and take causal jobs along the route, they see the free spirit aspect of travelling an integral part of a European adventure.
Other people like to have everything planned before they go. This can range from a simple plan to stay in a certain country or city between set dates, to pre booking accommodation to the exact day, like a well organised military campaign. No matter how detailed your plans, nor whether you are staying for few weeks or a full year, if you are this second type of person, who likes to have some idea of what you are going to do during your gap year in Europe, then this page is for you.
I knew I wanted to take a gap year before I started university but I wasn't interested in the type where you go and sit on an Indonesian beach for weeks on end doing nothing. My intended university course had an option for some Italian modules which I wanted to take. My Italian wasn't (still isn't) perfect, so I decided a language course would be a good way to spend my year out.
After a heck of a lot of research I decided to travel with ESL. They were offering an Italian language course suitable for beginners at the Torre di Babele school in Rome. The price was right and it was flexible enough to cover what I wanted to achieve so I signed up for a 24 week stay in the Italian capital. What an amazing place! The school was pretty central and my accommodation wasn't too far away. I chose to be housed with a local family to begin with as I thought it would be easier to get settled with some help rather than being alone. They were lovely people which was a real bonus.
The standard course doesn't take up too much time during the week so there is plenty of opportunity to explore the city. The language school even help organise excursions to places of interest. Our Naples trip was amazing and really helped the group to bond. The time absolutely flew past, but my Italian language skills improved dramatically through being completely immersed in the language. I had tried to learn before so knew the basics, but this is definitely the way to learn. And a great way to spend my time.
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American Village
