On 26th March, 40 Geography students from Year 10 and Year 12 flew to Rome for a spectacular and exciting trip.

Day 1

We caught the bus from the hotel to explore many of the famous sights of the city. We took a walking tour, led by the teachers, which started at Vatican City, where we visited St Peter’s Square and St Peter’s Basilica before walking to Castel Sant’Angelo. We then continued to Piazza Navona to view the spectacular fountains, followed by the Pantheon. Close to the Pantheon, we visited the Church of St Ignatius of Loyola to admire its spectacular painted ceiling and false dome.

We finished the tour by visiting the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps before heading back to the hotel for a delicious dinner. We were exhausted, having left Guilsborough at 2.30am that morning.

Day 2

It was an early start, with a tram and tube ride to the famous Colosseum. We were able to spend some quality time exploring the iconic stadium before heading to the Roman Forum to view the ancient monuments.

We then walked to the Monument to Victor Emmanuel II before heading to the nearby shops for lunch and a bit of retail therapy. Afterwards, we returned to the hotel to catch the coach to Sorrento — a four-hour drive. On arrival at the hotel, we were informed that there was a problem with some of the rooms, so a number of staff and students stayed in a nearby hotel after dinner.

Day 3

We were reunited at breakfast and headed down to Sorrento’s harbour for a ferry trip to the island of Capri. After a smooth journey across the water, we set off on a laser boat tour of the island to view some of the incredible coastal landmarks and features. We then had time to explore the island, enjoy lunch and sample some gelato before returning to the mainland by ferry.

The day finished with time to explore the streets of Sorrento before heading back to the hotel.

Day 4

We had another early start with a drive to the slopes of Mount Vesuvius. After a long climb to the top, we had an informative talk before exploring the crater rim and walking to the summit path. We were lucky with the views across Naples, as the sun was shining and the weather was calm, if a little cold.

In the afternoon, we enjoyed lunch next to the historic site of Pompeii before taking part in an excellent guided tour of the ancient city. We returned to the hotel very tired after another busy day.

Day 5

Our final day was spent in Naples, beginning with a visit to the ancient Roman town of Herculaneum. We had another excellent and informative tour of the remarkably well-preserved site, with the shocking finale of the skeletons discovered in the harbour huts.

We then travelled into the city centre for a walking tour exploring the history of Naples, along with some opportunities for shopping. Our final visit was to the Lapis Underground Museum, where we saw the underground tunnels and shelters used by Italians during the bombing raids of the Second World War. We then headed to the airport to fly home.

Huge thanks go to Mr Niland, Miss Stephenson and Mr Woolridge for giving up their time to help make this trip such a success, and to Mrs Shiels for organising the visit with the support of Mrs Wilson.