Day 16: Veneto

We continued our exploration of Venice with some free time around San Marco in Venice. Equipped with our 24-hour city passes, we used trains, buses, and traghetti (ferries) to travel to, from, and around Venice. The sun shone brightly down on us as we spent our day exploring the city. There was a range of activities on offer, so everyone was able to find an experience to suit their own interests, while some of us even gained an appreciation for something new from our friends. Some highlights included visiting the famous La Fenice (the phoenix) opera house which was in fact destroyed in a fire in 1996 and rebuilt, taking gondolas rides with friends, viewing some priceless renaissance art at La Galleria dell'Accademia, stopping for a coffee and a sweet snack, visiting la Ponte dei sospiri (Bridge of sighs), and more.

After a busy day roaming around Venice, we finally succeeded in convincing everyone that McDonald's would be the best option for dinner. Just a stone's throw away from our hotel, we walked happily to the iconic restaurant which, interestingly enough, has a green colour scheme rather than the typical Macca's red we are familiar with at home. Miss Borg was especially excited to try the pistacchio McFlurry and was delighted to discover parmigiano reggiano was a legitimate snack option. The Year 10 boys had dressed up for the special occasion and mcfeasted on burgers and fries. Other students were surprised to find ipads attached to some tables on which they could play games while waiting for their food to be ready. In our opinion, the food tastes better even at Italian McDonald's because there is a higher standard of produce and flavour here.

 Most students opted for an early night because we had done so much walking and were already tired enough. However, Miss Borg and Ollie attended a concert in Venice where a string ensemble played Vivaldi's Quattro Stagioni (Four Seasons). This was made all the more magical by the fact that Vivaldi's birthplace is in fact in Venice. The concert itself also took place in a gorgeous decommissioned church which featured some displays of beautifully crafted stringed instruments in glass cabinets. Meanwhile, Mr Tosi took those students who wished to spend the night out around Venice, enjoying an evening stroll before catching the bus back to our hotel.