After 11 days of eating Swiss chocolate, marveling at cathedrals in Italy, and enjoying a glimpse of summer in the south of France, I never want to stop seeing the world. I recently traveled to Europe with a group from Franklin High School (FHS); it was a trip offered to students who had completed an advanced or honors social studies course. The trip opened my eyes to different cultures, diverse menus, and ways of life unlike what I was used to. I viewed and experienced many things that I will carry with me throughout the rest of my life. I am blessed to have made these memories at such an early stage of my life and will cherish them as I move through new chapters.
Eye-opening itinerary
We traveled first to Zurich, Switzerland, where we spent a day exploring the city. At a population of more than 415,000, Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland. It is also the wealthiest, where one in seven people are billionaires. Zurich was beautiful, but quaint, while still feeling progressive and modern. The town in which we stayed, Engelberg, felt like a Swiss Highlands – scenic and surrounded by snow-kissed mountains. Our mountains are only hills compared to the Swiss Alps.
While in Switzerland, we visited Mount Pilatus, where we rode a cable car to the top and admired the view. During our time in Switzerland, we also ventured to Lucerne and saw the Lion Monument. Carved in 1882 by Bertel Thorvaldsen, the monument was created to commemorate the Swiss Guards whose lives were taken while protecting the Tuileries Palace in Paris during the French Revolution. After taking a boat ride across Lake Lucerne, we experienced an evening of traditional Swiss food, including specialty cheeses, at the Fondue House.
On day four of our trip, we departed Switzerland arriving in the city of Sirmione, Italy, on our way to our next destination. The town was crowded, yet delightful. Some of us took a boat ride across Lake Garda and were able to see inside the Castle Scaligero di Sirmione, which is surrounded by the lake. I enjoyed my first taste of real Italian food in Sirmione: Margharita and spicy salami pizza and gelato. Later that day, we arrived in Padua, an Italian city in which the Basilica of St. Anthony is located.
The following day, we traveled by ferry to Murano where we watched a glass-blowing demonstration. After Murano, we sailed to the Island of Colorful Houses, Burano. This island was quite picturesque, with its rainbow-colored houses, shops, and restaurants as well as bridges crossing the water that flowed throughout the island.
Finally, we anchored in Venice, where we took a guided tour of St. Mark’s Square and went on a gondola ride in the Grand Canal. The architecture in Italy was indescribable. It is a wonder how any of it was completed in such perfect detail and on such a large scale.
On day six, we travelled to Rome, but took a detour to Orvieto and visited its magnificent cathedral, called Duomo of Orvieto. It is impossible to do the cathedral justice through simply words. The massive edifice was beautifully decorated inside and out. Outside, the face of the cathedral was unfathomably detailed in perfect beauty. On the inside, marble statues of Protestant origin lined the rows of pews, and the ceiling was painted to depict common symbols of Christianity.
The next day, we toured the Roman Forum and Colosseum with an expert guide. The sheer size of the Colosseum had me in awe. It is incredible that something of that size was built so long ago and still stands to this day. On that day, we also spent time in Vatican City. I got to view the Sistine Chapel, which was absolutely awe-inspiring. The art was breathtaking as was the architecture and sculptures. I think I could go through the museum and chapel countless times before I stopped noticing new details.
The drive to our next stop, Florence, was magnificent. It almost seemed as if the sky was a brighter shade of blue and the vineyards were gorgeous. Florence was sublime; everything felt antiquated but in an aesthetically pleasing way. We took a cooking class and made our own pasta completely from scratch; we also made tiramisu, (a custard-type dessert with ladyfingers and mascarpone cheese).
We were also given a brief history of Italian leather at a leather shop and then a guided tour of the city. During the tour we were taken to the Florence Cathedral, which was one of my favorites. Again, the intricate detail was immaculate and the size was magnificent. We also traveled to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa on this day, and from there we ventured to France.
On our last day, we first went to Monaco, which is the one of the smallest countries in the world. Famous for its wealth and the Monaco Grand Prix, the city is luxurious. Surrounded by both mountains and water, the buildings are built on the hills and cascade down to the French Riviera, with its large marina.
After exploring Monaco, we visited a French perfume factory and learned about the history and the making of French perfume. We then traveled to Nice, a city in southern France. The city is directly on the rocky shore of the Mediterranean Sea where people were swimming, playing volleyball, and just enjoying a summer evening relaxing on the beach, the ultimate way to call the wonderful trip to a close.
I feel so blessed to have been given the opportunity to travel to Europe this summer. It opened my eyes to a completely different world, where a multitude of cultures came together, new memories with new friends were created, and unforgettable experiences were had. I hope that anyone, especially FHS students, take this opportunity if offered it in the future.
Traveling can be exceedingly beneficial; it allows one to open one’s mind to fresh places and encourages them to adjust to a different environment. I relished this trip immensely and cannot wait to see what future traveling experiences hold for me.