Students prepare for trip to Europe

Anna Zhou • March 20, 2014

Adjusting to the rigorous demands of AP Euro can be difficult. However, a reward for the hard work is a trip to Europe. The travellers going on the trip will visit London, Paris, Rome, and Florence. Image by Anna Zhou.

The term “advanced placement” is often associated with copious amounts of homework, note taking, and the dreaded FRQ’s and DBQ’s. Sophomore year is when people frequently begin taking their first AP classes. The AP class that a majority of sophomores take is AP European History (AP Euro).

Adjusting to the larger workload and faster pace of AP classes can be difficult. However, many students find consolation in a trip to Europe over spring break. This year, 76 students and 13 adults will be going on the trip. Below is the trip itinerary:

Day 1: Overnight flight to London

Day 2: London-Travelers will meet their tour director at the airport. They will take a walking tour of London and see:

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The Strand
Trafalgar Square
Leicester Square
Covent Garden

Day 3: London-Travelers will take a guided tour of London with and expert local guide and see:

Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament
Piccadilly Circus
St. Paul’s Cathedral
Westminster Abbey
Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, if scheduled

Day 4: Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar train

Day 5: Paris-Travellers will take a guided tour of Paris with an expert local guide and see:

Place de la Concorde
Champs-Élysées
Arc de Triomphe
Les Invalides
Eiffel Tower

Day 6: Paris-Travellers will visit the Louvre and take a walking tour of Paris with the tour director to see the Latin Quarter. They will then visit the Notre Dame Cathedral and take a night train to Florence.

Day 7: Florence-Travellers will arrive in Florence and take a guided tour with an expert local guide and see:

Piazza della Signoria
Ponte Vecchio
Chiesa di Santa Croce
Gates of Paradise
Visit the Duomo, see a leather-making demonstration

Day 8: Travellers will travel to Assisi to visit the Basilica of St. Francis and continue on to Rome

Day 9: Rome-Travellers will take a guided tour of Vatican City and visit the Sistine Chapel, visit St. Peter’s Basilica, and take a guided tour of Rome and visit the Roman Forum and the Colosseum. They will then take a self-guided walking tour of Rome and see:

Trevi Fountain
Pantheon
Piazza Navona
Spanish Steps

Day 10: Depart for home

About the Contributor

Anna Zhou, Executive Managing Editor

Hi! My name is Anna Zhou and I am a senior at Sycamore High School. As a part of The Leaf, our national award-winning publication, I am serving as the Executive Managing Editor. My duties include assisting staff members with designing pages as well as overseeing the production of our four platforms: The Leaf, The Leaflet (our online magazine), shsleaf.org, and WAVES (our broadcast department). During my four years on staff, I have really come to enjoy designing pages, producing PSA’s/ENG reports, and writing stories for multiple genres. Outside of journalism, I am also a varsity tennis player and a member of our school’s academic quiz team. In my free time, I often find myself working on my newest art project or baking my latest sweet obsession. As my time in room 115 is soon coming to an end, I can honestly say that being on the staff of The Leaf has been one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. I take great pride in the time I have spent with my fellow journalists being the Official Student Voice of Sycamore High School.