This past spring break, Horizon Honors Travel Club went on a trip to Italy. They stayed for a total of eight days, not including their unexpected stay in New York, and explored numerous cities throughout Italy. 

After a day of travelling across the Atlantic, Travel Club touched down at Marco Polo International Airport in Venice. Shortly after landing, they made their way over to the outskirts of Venice–with their tour guide Gabrielle–to do some sightseeing, before checking into their hotel.

The next day, they commuted to Central Venice to watch a glass blowing demonstration, where they learned about the craft. After that, they walked around Saint Mark’s Square in the heart of the city. The group went to the small island of Burano, known for its vibrant buildings and coastal feel. They finished off their day with a gondola ride down the canals before heading to bed. 

The following day, the group drove over to the Tuscan countryside, stopping at an authentic Parmesano Rigiano factory. They were taken on a tour though the factory where they saw towers of cheese wheels. After trying some of the cheese,  the group took off to Florence, the capital of Tuscany, and saw the Duomo, a famous cathedral before they went back to their hotel for a night’s rest. On day four, they went back to Florence for a free day. The group learned how to make leather before splitting up to roam around. 

Afterwards, they packed their bags and made for Assisi where they watched a pasta making demonstration in the Umbria region. Afterwards, they went to the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, an old church with beautiful art lining the walls inside. A basilica is a special type of church that has been granted special abilities by the pope. They had some more free time to explore the ancient town. 

The next day, they travelled to Pompeii. After driving for half a day, they went through the ruins and learned more about the history of the town.

On day seven, the group sailed to Capri. They went on a rocky boat tour around the island for picturesque views before having a traditional capri-style ravioli. They came across an old fashioned perfumery and viewed the Gardens of Augustus before departing to the mainland. 

Concluding their trip, the kids went to Rome and saw the Colosseum. They went through the city before making a quick stop in the Vatican to see Saint Peter’s Basilica, the largest church in the world. It’s one of the four major basilicas in the world. The group also went to the Spanish step and the Trevi Fountain. 

This is when everything went wrong. The group took their scheduled flight to New York, but when they landed on Mar. 17, they got bad news. Their connecting flight to Sky Harbor had been cancelled, and they were stuck in the city for two days. 

Luckily, they quickly shifted their plans, and the next day, they were off to Central Park. After spending a couple hours there, they explored the city in small groups. Some went to Times Square, others went to Fao Schwarz, but everyone got to see New York City. 

The next day, they took a connecting flight to Salt Lake City, before finally touching down in Phoenix, Arizona. 

The Horizon Sun conducted an interview with two kids and one teacher who went on the trip. 

The Horizon Sun: What was your favorite day/activity of the trip? 

Eli Geist: That’s difficult, since I enjoyed the entire trip, but I really liked Capri because it had a lot of really good views and I got some good gelato there.

Kennedy O’Nan: My favorite thing was getting to walk around Capri and having free time to explore with my friends.

Amanda Bors: I think one of my favorite days was the day we spent in Capri. We had this amazing homemade ravioli with cheese from there. We did do some exploring in Naples because we had some extra time. 

The Horizon Sun: What did you think of the unexpected layover in New York? 

EG: At first I was frustrated since there was nothing we could do about it, but then after we explored New York, I ended up having a really good time, and I was glad we got the opportunity to see New York. 

KO: I was upset at first about the layover in New York but then we got to have free time the next day and Ella and I went to Time Square and Central Park!

AB: Well, obviously it was a challenge. You know, at this point, everybody’s ready to be home. We had a lot to figure out, Mrs. McKinney and I spent a good amount of time to figure things out, and we pivoted and eventually everybody made the most of the situation.

The Horizon Sun: What was your favorite food? 

EG: Supplí. They’re these fried rice balls with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and meat ragu that we got on a food tour in Rome. 

KO: My favorite food was all of the pasta that I ate throughout the trip.

AB: I had a Florentine steak, so that was awesome. It was a little pricey but it was delicious.

Overall, the trip was incredibly fun for everyone on it. Next year’s trip will be to New York City, this time an intentional destination, and the Sun is glad everyone had a good time while in Italy.