In June of 2014, eight students from Lincoln High School set out on the trip of their lives.

Students spent ten days traveling throughout France and Italy. The first two days were spent in Paris, one night was spent in Venice, three nights were spent in Florence, and the last three days were spent in Rome.

The three days spent in Paris were filled with activities from the crack of dawn until every single traveler was exhausted. We visited the Love Lock Bridge, Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Palace of Versailles, and of course the Eiffel Tower. There was also time for us to explore the city on our own and shop!

After Paris, we boarded a night train to Venice, Italy. Venice was definitely a crowd favorite and how could it not be? Gondola rides, gelato, St. Mark’s Square, glass making demonstration, an afternoon to roam the streets to shop, and pizza! The pizzas were the best I’ve ever had and as big as a human torso!

We then made our way from Venice to Florence. In Florence, we visited the Ponte Vecchio and once again had more than enough time to explore the city ,shop, and eat gelato and pizza.  We also had the opportunity to climb the 463 steps to the top of the Cattedrale de Santa Maria del Fiore’s dome.

The last destination visited before heading home was the historic Rome. There was no time to waste here because there was plenty to see. We visited The Spanish Steps, Navona Square, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Vatican City, St. Peter’s Cathedral, the Roman Forum, and the remarkable Colosseum. Unfortunately  for us the Trevi Fountain was a huge disappointment because it was under construction. Nobody was able to have their Lizzie McGuire Movie moment.

One of the best parts of the experience for us was traveling throughout the midst of the World Cup. Hundreds of soccer fans were dancing in the streets, waving flags and cheering their team on. The beautiful sense of pride displayed throughout the cities was quite impressive.

We flew back to SFO from Rome with a layover in Paris on Delta Airlines. After a fun-filled but exhausting vacation, the 13 hour flight was perfect for catching up on our much needed sleep.

If you are upset that you didn’t get to come along on this trip and gain 50 pounds of pizza and gelato, why not attend in 2016?

Preparations for the 2016 Europe trip are in the works. There is also a possibility Spain will be added to the itinerary! So if you are interested in attending the 2016 trip contact Mr. Church at [email protected] or go to Mr. Church in P103 for more information.

Bon Voyage!