WONDERS OF EUROPE A view of the Chapel Bridge in Lucerne, Switzerland, just one of many picturesque locations visited by 13 Town of Rockland residents while on an EF Educational Tours trip in July. Brooke Coman photo
Tour promotes learning, memories
Local group visits sites in Europe
ON TOUR The group walks down a street in Munich, Germany. Brooke Coman photo
By Brooke Coman | For Manor Ink
Do you like to travel? EF Educational Tours in Cambridge, MA, is a company that offers travelers a way to explore the world in a safe and well-organized way.
Last month, through EF Tours, several students from the Rockland Central School District had the opportunity to visit Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Our group of 13 met with our tour guide, Viktoria, and two other groups from Kentucky and Washington, to begin our journey in the elegant city of Vienna. Vienna was beautiful, with its stunning architecture, cute cafés and shops, and phenomenal historical sights.
We visited places like the Schönbrunn Palace and the St. Stephens Cathedral. We then went to Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart and the location for the film “The Sound of Music” – an amazing and nostalgic part of the trip. We also explored the wonderful city of Munich.
The trip then took us to the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial site. While very chilling to walk through, the camp was still an incredible thing to experience. We traveled next to see the fairytale-like Neuschwanstein Castle, and then to the Tyrol region where we had an absolutely breathtaking view of the Alps.
IN COUNTRY The tour group, from left, Diana Fredenburg, Lindsey Hefele, Julia Zanger, Mary Bellock, Brooke Coman, Guy Fredenburg, Kathy Steele, Jonathan Zanger, Savannah Ward, Josh Hendrickson and Debbie Miller. Provided photo
Touring Switzerland, we visited the charming lakeside city of Lucerne, viewed many historical monuments and took a boat ride across Lake Lucerne. Then there was the Swiss Folklore evening where we not only enjoyed a delectable Swiss fondue meal and a delicious Swiss dinner, but also experienced the wonders of Swiss traditions like yodeling, blowing a long wooden alphorn and playing various folk games. We ended in Heidelberg, where we visited the Heidelberg Castle and its famous wine barrel.
Throughout the trip, EF Tours did a great job organizing our days while allowing free time to explore on our own. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and simply amazing. Along with the thousands of pictures we all came back with, we also all returned with an understanding of the world and many unforgettable memories.
Travel is open to both students and adults. To learn about future EF Tours trips, email Diana Fredenburg at difredenburg@gmail.com or call or text 845-807-2464.
Brooke Coman is a Rockland Central School student, one of four who went on the trip.