Anticipation has been building all school year for the OLSH travel club’s trip to Europe, and they finally got to embark on their journey in early June. 24 students, along with family members and OLSH faculty chaperones Mr. Miller, Mrs. Jarocki, and Mrs. Wallover, packed their bags for a trip they’ll remember for a lifetime.
The group began their trip with an overnight flight to Switzerland and spent their first few days in Zurich and Lucerne. Their walking tour of Lucerne featured a ride to the top of Mt. Pilatus followed by a stop at the Lion Monument, which is a famous rock relief that commemorates the Swiss Guards whose lives were lost during the French Revolution. They also visited Kapellbrucke (Chapel Bridge), took a cruise on Lake Lucerne, and were given free time to explore the beautiful town.
Next, the group traveled to Cinque Terre, Italy via Lake Como, where they swam in the Mediterranean Sea and explored the town by train, enjoying the beautiful sites that the fishing village had to offer. This spot was a favorite among the group. “I loved Italy, especially the Cinque Terre, because the locations we went to in the country had good food, nice places to shop, and overall it was very pretty and had something for everyone,” one traveler said.
The group then traveled to Monaco, where they saw the Prince’s Palace and Monaco Cathedral before heading to the French Riviera to take a walking tour of Nice and to see La Vieille Ville (Old Town) and the Promenade des Anglais.
The students traveled to Provence next, to visit the Papal Palace and take a walking tour of Avignon. They also spent time skipping stones at the Pont du Gard - known for being one of the best preserved Roman aqueduct bridges - and took a tour of Nimes where they visited the Arenes de Nimes, an oval amphitheater reminiscent of the Roman Colosseum and built shortly after. They took their time traveling to Barcelona from France to occupy the final days of their trip. Here, they had free time at Las Ramblas to shop and eat at the various booths and stores, and took a guided tour of La Sagrada Familia, the largest unfinished Roman Catholic church in the world. Its construction began in 1882 by architect Antoni Gaudi and is expected to wrap up by 2026. Once completed, it will be the tallest cathedral in the world. While in Barcelona, they visited another of Gaudi’s famous creations - Park Guell. The park is full of beautiful, colorful mosaics and nature-inspired architecture, and has some of the best views of the city.
While the trip provided a cultural experience for our students, it also provided helpful life skills and promoted independence. When asked if they learned anything about themselves on the trip, one traveler remarked that they “learned a lot about making decisions on my own without my parents as much,” and another learned that “I would enjoy new foods if I just try them.” Now, they’re eager to continue their self explorations at home and are already planning future trips!