 
Annually, the American International School-Salzburg invites all students to participate in overnight excursions to a variety of destinations in Europe. Being at the heart of one of the most culturally-rich places on the face of the earth, the school feels it important to introduce the students to the experience of travel and a broadening of their personal horizons.
With payment of tuition and fees, three excursions per year are organized and led by the school's outstanding care staff. Professional tour guides, travel operators, and accommodations which are comfortable and convenient are the hallmark of our trimesterly outings. Each year, the excursion destinations are changed so that students who are enrolled for up to six years will see much of the European continent. Excursions planned for the 2008-2009 school year are as follows
On a relatively overcast morning, the students and staff of AIS-Salzburg boarded a double-decker bus for the schools first ever fall excursion to Geneva, Switzerland. Geneva ranks second in population behind the city of Zürich in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie (the French-speaking part of Switzerland). Geneva is situated where the Rhône River exits Lake Geneva. it is also the capital of the Republic and Canton of Geneva.
Geneva is best known as a worldwide center for diplomacy and international cooperation. Geneva is also considered a global city, mainly because of the large number of international organizations, including the headquarters of many of the agencies of the United Nations and the Red Cross. It is also the place where the Geneva Convention was signed, which deals with the treatment of wartime non-combatants and prisoners of war.
The drive began by exiting Austria and moving thru Germany before heading back into Austria before reaching the Swiss border town of St. Margrethen. After clearing the border, the bus continued along its journey in the direction of Zurich. A breathtaking journey thru the mountains, along lakes, and a vast countryside glistening in the afternoon sunshine.
The bus arrived after a long day at the hostel situated close to the city center and after a hearty meal, the students and staff walked to the city center to find out what Geneva had to offer. After some free time, the group met and returned to the hotel for a good nights rest and an anticipation of the morning city tour.
Breakfast was early and the travelers from AIS-Salzburg got on the bus after the two tour guides met at the hostel. It was a rainy morning and luckily, most of the two hour tour was on the bus. The students received an educational background of Geneva including history about the University system and the many famous names from times long gone including John Calvin. One major highlight of the trip was a chance to see the Jet d Eau on Lake Geneva, a water fountain which shoots 459 feet in the air!! After the bus tour, the students had time for lunch in the city before embarking on a boat tour on Lake Geneva. At the conclusion of the day, the students visited the Reformation Museum and then returned to the hostel for a warm dinner!!
On Friday, the students boarded the bus for Montreux. The journey from Geneva to Montreux took around one hour and the day was clear and the sunshine lit up the mountains and Lake Geneva for all to see. Upon arrival, the school had set up a tour of the Chateu de Chillon. The oldest parts of the castle have not been definitively dated, but the first written record of the castle is in 1160 or 1005- From the mid 12th century, the castle was home to the Counts of Savoy, and it was greatly expanded in the 13th century by Pietro II. The Castle was never taken in a siege, but did change hands through treaties. The students were taken thru secret tunnels, shown the dungeons, and given a royal tour of the cooks kitchen!!
The students had free time for lunch along the lake and on this day there was an antique market which presented a variety of souvenirs for everyone. After a bit of shopping, walking around the market, and a Montreux ice, the students boarded the bus back to Geneva!! The night activities included bowling, billiards, arcade games, and fun for all.
On Saturday morning, the itinerary called for a short forty minute trip to Lausanne and the Olympic Museum. The gardens surrounding the museum were set-up to reflect the most recent summer games in Beijing with a tribute to the culture of China. Once inside, the students had a chance to see exhibits and watch movies of all the Olympic games. Memorabilia from different athletes was included and there was something for everybody.
The trip to Geneva had come to an end and the students boarded the bus for the last time for the return journey to Salzburg. The five day excursion was packed with many highlights and memories for everyone who was able to join us!!
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On Thursday, February 5th, the students and staff woke-up to a brisk morning air filled with sunshine. Fifty-two students filled the AIS-Salzburg main hallway with ski equipment and luggage for a four day journey into the mountains of Innsbruck. With a warm breakfast in their stomachs and anticipation in their eyes, everyone boarded the bus for a two hour getaway sure to have a bit of everything for skiers and non-skiers alike.
The Winter Ski Trip is a student favorite and this year returned to the travel program of AIS-Salzburg. For the past twenty years, students from AIS-Salzburg have taken a four day trip to Axamer-Lizum in Innsbruck where the Olympic Games took place in 1964 & 1976. Axamer-Lizum is the perfect ski resort for skiers of all levels, with an averaged size beginner slope, fun park for the "extreme" enthusiasts, and long runs leading to many chair lifts for the pure skiers.
About a week before departure, Axams received a good amount of snowfall and the conditions were perfect on Thursday upon arrival. After a good two hours of skiing, students met for lunch and some went up to the Sunnalm where the menu boast a tremendous gulasch soup! The non-skiers were able to take a trip into town and before departure, enjoyed a hot chocolate in the snow!
On Friday, the conditions severely changed. As the bus pulled into Axams, the parking lot was looking a bit empty. A light snow was falling and there was a strong wind coming from the North. The main chair lift was closed and everyone had to lug their skies and snowboards up to the train for a journey to the top. Once at the top, the wind was howling and blowing with ferocious force. A small group of skiers and staff braved the elements and headed down the mountain, skiing thru snow drifts along the way. Without many people on the slopes, those who dared take the journey enjoyed an open run on the slopes. After about two hours of waiting out the weather in the Sunnalm Hut, the decision was made to take the bus back into the city and not risk any injury. The students who did not partake in skiing, enjoyed a visit to the Innsbruck Zoo and later a trip to the city center for shopping.
Saturday morning on the way up the mountain, the bus came thru a snowy patch of road. To the West, there was sunshine, to the East clouds, and directly at the top of Axams there was a mix of both. Beginning to ski, the staff and students were faced with a mixed bag of conditions and quickly the Sunnalm Hut was the destination for hot chocolate and lunch. Then like something out of a movie, the clouds and snow cleared away giving rise to a perfect ski afternoon. As we skied the slopes, the conditions were perfect and everyone was having a great time. By far, Saturday's afternoon weather was the best Axams could offer! No trip to Innsbruck would be complete without a visit to the Swarovski Glass factory in Wattens and today's non-skiers spent a few hours looking at the amazing Swarovski collections.
Sunday morning, the bus didn't get very far when we read the sign on the mountain "chains required." Our bus driver worked fervently to get chains on the big bus tires and after about twenty minutes of wrestling and assistance from Mr. B, the bus was ready for the snowy trek up the mountain to the ski resort. A beautiful morning snow was falling and everything was covered in white. As we arrived at the top of the resort, the avid "off piste" skiers were getting more and more excited about the prospect of "deep snow" skiing. AIS-Salzburg has some very experienced and good skiers in the group and Sunday, they enjoyed the conditions to the utmost. Everywhere you looked on the mountain was fresh powder!!
At the end of the fourth and final day, the students and staff boarded the bus for the journey back to Salzburg. After about thirty minutes, the bus was quiet and many students took this time to sleep. During this week, the stories of last week's trip have been told over and over. There is already an anticipation of next year's trip back to our friends at Axamer-Lizum!!!
It was a beautiful sun shiny day as AIS-Salzburg embarked on their annual Spring Excursion. This year Italy was the destination for what promised to be both a adventurous and educational journey. Before the trip, Mrs. Gundringer made sure that everyone would not miss out on some good ole Easter chocolate.
Before reaching the destination of Arco, the bus made a stop in the town of Sirmione. This town sits directly on Lago di Garda and is absolutely beautiful. It was a good chance to stretch the legs, get some ice cream, and look at the Catullus Villa and Grotte built by the Romans to secure the city.
The itinerary for this year's trip was full of interesting stops and cultural displays. The first two days would be spent in the beautiful small town of Arco, Italy. Arco is internationally known as a "rock climbers" paradise. The "old style" streets with narrow alleys and shops was very interesting for the casual on looker. But, as you began exploring inside the shops and alleys, there you really found the essence of Arco.
On Sunday morning, everyone awoke with an anticipation of the days activity. AIS-Salzburg was headed to Gardaland, one of Italy's biggest Amusement parks. The weather was cooperative, not so hot, but more importantly, no rain. Upon departure from Arco, the bus drove along the winding mountain roads of the Garda Lake region. Windsurfers, boaters, and para sailers could be seen early in the morning catching a good wind. The trip was about forty-five minutes to the park and the anticipation was mounting. Once in the park, students and staff spread out together in search or rollercoasters, water rides, food specialities, and sheer adventure. There was something for everyone and even Mr. McLean and Mr. B rode the fierce "Magic Mountain" rollercoaster!! After a long day in the sunshine and fresh air, the group headed back to Aroc for a good Italian dinner.
Monday was travel day!! Off to Verona! No trip to Verona would be complete without a look inside the famous arena! The arena has seen many impressive stars come through and give concerts, but more importantly, it was the sight of gladiators fighting during Roman times. It is the center of the city and a very impressive sight to gaze upon. If you come into Verona for the first time and follow the crowds, you will probably come to the second biggest attraction in Verona. The balcony from Romeo and Juliet. Picture seekers will gaze upon the balcony and close their eyes to get an image of this famous play from Shakespeare where Romeo wooded Juliet.
Verona was a good stop, but the main destination of the day was Genoa. It is one of the most important seaports in Italy. From our hotel directly on the sea, you could see huge freighter ships coming into port as well as container ships four stories high. On our boat tour of Genoa, we passed by the massive cranes and tankers that come into the port on a daily basis. No trip to Genoa would be complete without a trip to the second largest aquarium in Europe. Once inside, the sea world came to life with dolphins, seals, sharks, and various underwater species. A big hit with the students was their chance to touch manta rays (without their tails) as they swam by in a shallow petting pond!
The trip to Genoa left good memories and on an overcast drizzling morning, the bus once again packed up for the next stop, Florence. On the next stop, the bus took in the small islands on the Ligurian Coast. Portovenere was the stop and the adventurers took a boat ride to remember. There is a small channel that opens up into the Adriatic and on the land side is the port city of Portovenere. Students took a break for a good lunch and some souvenir shopping before boarding the bus for Florence.
Florence is the city known for Michaelanglo's David. The two days were full of city tours, a tour of the Uffizi, and lessons in history of the city. Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and also has a University which brings together people from all over the world. Students had time for shopping in-between tours and also got the chance to sample the local cuisine!!
The last leg of the journey was a stop familiar to AIS-Salzburg, Venice. city stretches across eighteen small islands in the marshy Venetian lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy. The timing of arrival was perfect, as the bus was directed to the ferry for Lido island. Everyone got quickly checked into the hotel and caught the next boat for Venice. In all the years of excursions at AIS-Salzburg, the weather could not have been more perfect then it was for this journey. Sunshine and warm temperatures greeted the travelers every step of the way. Everyone took time to watch the bells chime in Piazzo San Marco.
This year's Spring Excursion was the last one offered, as next year, AIS-Salzburg will close during the Easter Holidays and give everyone a chance to go home and be with their families before beginning the final part of the school year with AP Exams and Final Exams.
The twenty-seven students and four staff members who participated in this year's trip were given perfect weather and a trip which will be forever engraved in memory!!
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Last update: Monday, August 10, 2009
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