'Greatest experience of our lives' Lanesboro Community College's incredible tour of Italy

By Josh Curran, Cathal Hanley, Sinead Murray and Zoe Hassett

Our school tour to Italy was one of the greatest experiences of our lives.

Our group of 65 from Lanesboro Community College gathered at the school at 12:45am on Friday, October 10 to begin our four-day Continental Tour 2025.

The day we had been waiting for had finally arrived. As soon as the bus left Lanesboro Community College, there were many questions in the air.

Will our flight take off on time? Did I pack all I needed? Is Venice really built on water? Why can’t I find my own Juliet like Romeo?

These questions were soon to be answered as our school tour this year was to Italy, encompassing Venice, Verona and Lake Garda. We touched down in Milan Bergamo and met our bus driver, Guanfranco, who drove us to the beautiful town of Sirmione.

We had lunch in this picturesque Roman town dominated by a fantastic medieval castle.

We had our first taste of Italian food, tried some of Italy’s famous gelato and then enjoyed a scenic boat trip to Lake Garda.

This was a high-speed boat ride where we got to take in views such as the Villa of Maria Callas, the famous opera singer, Scaligeri Castle and we even witnessed bubbles emanating from the bottom of Lake Garda from an underground volcano!

The clear, bottomless water of Lake Garda was jaw dropping as we zoomed by castles, mountains and catamarans on our luxurious speedboats.

Next stop was Verona, the home of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, where we had a very interesting guided tour.

The highlights included the Roman arena (a Roman Amphitheatre dating back to the year 30 AD) and Juliet’s house where we all got a chance to stand on Juliet’s balcony and declare our love!

We stayed at Hotel Sporting San Zeno with stunning views of Lake Garda and the surrounding Alps.

Day Two saw us head to Venice, the city of water. We travelled on the bus with Guanfranco at the wheel, as far as Tronchetto, an artificial island used as a car park for tourists.

From here we got a Vaparetto (water taxi) into the city, as Venice has no roads and can only be entered by water!

Our Venetian tour guide showed us the hidden gems of the city, from St Mark’s Basilica (where St Mark who wrote the Gospels is buried) to the famous St Mark’s square, the Bridge of Sighs and the many other bridges and canals.

The architecture in Italy was out of this world, and we were mesmerized by the stunning buildings and rich history.

We enjoyed some delicious ice cream and came across a stall selling some sailor hats in the square so a number of us decided to get one!

Next, we visited the Vecchia Murano glass making factory, where we witnessed the art of Venetian glass blowing and learned about the intricate techniques involved.

The highlight of the day was our ‘romantic’ gondola ride through the canals of Venice, taking in the city’s beauty from a unique perspective.

Day Three dawned and we had a glorious lie in until 8am.

After breakfast, we visited Gardaland, one of Europe’s biggest and best theme parks and we loved its six roller coasters, 32 rides, and many shows.

That evening, we dined with a difference. We attended a medieval banquet and in true medieval style, there was no cutlery.

We feasted on an entire chicken each, using our bare hands and enjoyed a spectacular jousting tournament.

We all cheered on “our knight” and were blown away when we got to meet him in person after the show!

Our evening ended with a sense of camaraderie and memories that will last a lifetime!

Day Four saw us return to Milan Bergamo where we had time to enjoy an Italian shopping experience in Orio Shopping Centre, before returning home to Ireland tired, happy and full of stories and memories.

This trip (three photos on right of page) was an unforgettable experience, allowing us to explore Italy's rich history, culture and natural beauty.

We would like to thank our principal, Ms. Hannon, who gave us permission to travel, and our parents for allowing us this amazing opportunity.

We are also very grateful to our accompanying teachers, Mr Mulvey, Ms O’Brien, Ms Prior and our SNA, Ronie.

Most of all, a huge thank you to Ms Sheehan, who not only accompanied us, but also put her heart and soul into organising this tour and really gave us an experience we will never forget!

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