From Prague to Venice: an unforgettable journey

A few days after graduation, on June 14, thirty-five seventh- and eighth-grade students, accompanied by Mrs. Chillianis, Mrs. Fortuna, Dr. Glennon, Mrs. Piedmont, Mrs. Rosenthal, and Head of School, Dr. Juhel, boarded Delta Flight 78 with excitement and anticipation. Their destination: the Czech capital of Prague, the first stop on a ten-day journey through the heart of Central Europe that would immerse Buckley students in centuries of history, art, culture, and unforgettable experiences.

At Václav Havel Airport in Prague, the group was greeted by their tour guide, Marcel, whose boundless energy and enthusiasm proved to be the perfect antidote to the jet lag and fatigue that were beginning to set in. Still, after an overnight flight, the weary travelers were eager to reach their hotel. After checking in, they set off on a guided walking tour of Prague, winding their way through the medieval streets of Malá Strana. There would be no rest for the weary—the European adventure had begun! 

The next day, students and teachers hopped aboard a tram before making the scenic, uphill walk to Prague Castle, the largest ancient castle complex in the world. They explored this ninth-century landmark, which has served as a residence to Bohemian Kings, Holy Roman Emperors, and Presidents of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic.

In the afternoon, everyone traded walking shoes for bicycles and discovered the city from a different perspective. Riding along the banks of the Vltava River and through Josefov, Prague’s historic Jewish Quarter, the group learned about the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia. Later, a stop at the John Lennon Wall offered a glimpse into the Cold War era and life behind the Iron Curtain. 

After a sampling of hearty Czech specialties, including goulash and schnitzel, Buckley’s adventurers were ready to go back to the hotel and rest. The next morning, the journey would continue 200 miles south to the Austrian capital.

The travelers stayed in Vienna just long enough to tour the magnificent Schönbrunn Palace, the summer residence of the Habsburg rulers, and enjoy dinner (more schnitzel!) while watching the Portugal–Democratic Republic of the Congo World Cup match on a large screen.

The next day, another 200-mile journey, this time west, brought the group to Salzburg, Mozart’s birthplace and the setting for The Sound of Music, a combination that generated no small amount of excitement among the chaperones. Despite the onset of what would become a major heat wave, the students were persuaded to reenact scenes from the iconic film and imagine themselves as the von Trapp children, at least in the eyes of the chaperones. Later, everyone found refuge in the air-conditioned comfort of the Edelweiss Cooking School, where students learned to make apple strudel and pretzels, their dinner that evening.

On June 20, the Buckley travelers arrived in Amaro after crossing into Italy along winding mountain roads through breathtaking Alpine vistas. The next day, they set off on a hike through the Fella Valley in the Julian Alps. In the village of Resiutta, population 311, the group spoke with residents who said they could not remember ever seeing New Yorkers in their town and wondered, “How did you end up here?”

The hike, admittedly challenging at times, was more than rewarded by the spectacular mountain landscape and the crystal-clear waters of Lago di Cavazzo, where students cooled off by swimming, kayaking, and paddle boarding.

The following morning, almost everyone was still asleep on the bus as it drove onto the ferry bound for the next hotel in Lido di Venezia. From there, water taxis carried the group into Venice, where they wandered through its labyrinth of narrow streets and famed canals, enjoyed gondola rides, toured the Doge’s Palace, and learned about the art of glassblowing on the island of Murano. Back at the hotel, the beach and the pool offered a welcome respite from the heat and the tens of thousands of steps logged throughout the day.

When the final day arrived, everyone loaded their souvenir-filled suitcases onto water taxis to Marco Polo Airport and boarded the flight back to New York. Needless to say, most slept through the flight home.

Back at Buckley, the reunion of parents and children was a joyful moment.

John Steinbeck wrote, “People don’t take trips—trips take people.” The experience in Europe this summer exemplified that observation. Students and teachers returned home with far more than souvenirs. They came back transformed, in ways both great and small, by the places they explored, the history they encountered, the people they met, the memories they shared, and the simple joy of discovering new corners of the world together.

Dr. Juhel expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the families who entrusted the Buckley team with their children, to the students whose enthusiasm, curiosity, and good humor made this journey such a memorable one, and “to my fellow chaperones who, year after year, join me on these adventures with unwavering dedication, patience, joy, and friendship. They are simply the best.”

Click here to watch a recap video of the trip, and here to see photos on Buckley’s SmugMug page.