2016 Spain and Italy Tour
The Italy/Spain Cultural Tour wasn't your ordinary excursion. For two weeks, 26 students travelled to Europe to explore and indulge in the amazing culture of both Italy and Spain. We learnt by being present at the most famous points of history. We broadened our horizons and allowed for new experience which has definitely been empowering and memorable. Starting our European expedition, we left Sydney Airport and arrived in Spain 24 hours later. During our stay in Spain, we stayed in the two major capitals, Barcelona and Madrid. In Barcelona we travelled around the city, learning about the great Spanish Architect Gaudi and his intrinsic and symbolic designs. The most extravagant building of his conception was the "La Sagrada Familia", a famous Spanish church that is still undergoing construction to this very day. We had the opportunity to visit the iconic sporting centres of Barcelona, including the FC Barcelona Stadium and the Barcelona Olympic Grounds. We then progressed to Madrid by bullet train and watched an authentic Flamenco dance as exposure to the Spanish ‘night life'. Madrid is home to many political and artistic establishments, as well as the home ground to Real Madrid FC. Being in Spain has opened our perceptions to different conventions across the world. As a group we were cognisant of the big differences between Australian and European culture, and were eager to learn more as we prepared for our descent into Italy.
Arriving in Milan we passed through Verona, home of the iconic Romeo and Juliet balcony where we also indulged in our very first Italian gelato, to which nothing would compare. By boat, we entered Venice, a stunning city surrounded by water, connected by hundreds of bridges. We visited the main square of Venice that contained an abundance of pigeons which would sooner or later be consumed by residents and tourists. During our stay in Venice, we had the luxury of participating in a gondola ride and bear witness to the beauty of Venice. Florence was the next stop on our route across Italy. There we saw one of the most Iconic figures in Italian art, "The Statue of David" along with traditional places of worship. The trip concluded with Rome, where we packed as much sightseeing as possible. While in Rome, we dedicated a day to Pompeii and revelled in the strong history that has been excavated through the years. The remainder of the trip focused on the most famous landmarks that define Italy, The Colosseum, The Pantheon, The Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. We ended the trip with a night time visit of the Colosseum which was a perfect ending to the trip. For all that attended, we have gained so much knowledge of the greater world and are appreciative to have been given this opportunity to travel at a young age with people who have become great friends. On behalf of all students and parents, we would like to acknowledge and praise the efforts of Ms Ayas, Mrs Zappia, Mr Martin and Ms Avery for their impeccable organisation and their dedication to ensuring our safety, as well as ensuring that a good time was had by all. We are truly grateful and hope to have a 10 year reunion in the future.
Monica Liu & Eroe Piccinin
Powerpoint Presentation(Large File Alert! 170MB contains video and music)