Final-year school trip to the Dolomites and Venice: Bolzano, the Pordoi Pass, Alpe di Siusi, Lake Carezza, St Mark’s Square and the Grand Canal (8 days)

Day 1: Departure from your school and drive to southern Germany

• Departure from your school early in the morning, at the agreed time, and daytime drive to Germany (about 550 to 700 km, i.e. 7 to 8.5 hours excluding breaks depending on the departure point).
• Our drivers drive for a maximum of 3 hours, then take a 30-minute break, day and night.
• Two drivers take turns at the wheel; lunch at your own expense at a motorway service area.
• Overnight stop in the Ulm or Augsburg area, dinner and a quiet evening.

Day 2: The Brenner, Bolzano and the Val di Fassa

• Departure after breakfast and drive through Austria and over the Brenner Pass to Bolzano (about 350 to 400 km, i.e. 4.5 to 5 hours excluding breaks).
• Lunch at your own expense, then a walk from Piazza Walther to the arcades of Via dei Portici.
• Visit to the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology and Ötzi, the 5,300-year-old Iceman (on request).
• Drive to the Val di Fassa (about 1 hr 15 min) and check-in at the accommodation in Canazei, Campitello or the surrounding area for three nights; dinner and a quiet evening.

Day 3: The Pordoi Pass and the Marmolada

• Drive to the Pordoi Pass (about 20 min), at an altitude of 2,239 m.
• Cable car up to Sass Pordoi, at almost 3,000 m, on the Sella massif (on request).
• Easy hike on the Viel del Pan, a panoramic trail facing the Marmolada glacier, supervised by the teachers.
• Lunch at your own expense on the way, then supervised free time in Canazei.
• Dinner and supervised evening.

Day 4: Val Gardena and Alpe di Siusi

• Drive to Ortisei, in Val Gardena (about 1 hr).
• Gondola ride up to Alpe di Siusi, Europe’s largest high-altitude pasture (on request).
• Easy hike on the plateau, facing the Sassolungo and the Sciliar, and lunch at your own expense.
• Supervised free time in Ortisei, the village of woodcarvers, then back to the Val di Fassa.
• Dinner and last evening in the mountains.

Day 5: Lake Carezza and drive to Venice

• Rooms vacated after breakfast and drive to Lake Carezza (about 30 min).
• Walk around the emerald-green lake at the foot of the Latemar massif.
• Drive to Venice via Bolzano, Trento and the Valsugana (about 270 km, 4 hours excluding breaks), lunch at your own expense on the way.
• Check-in at the accommodation in Venice-Mestre, Lido di Jesolo or the surrounding area for two nights, dinner and a quiet evening.

Day 6: Venice, from St Mark’s to the Rialto

• Boat crossing to the centre and trip down the Grand Canal by vaporetto, past palaces and churches.
• St Mark’s Square and visit to St Mark’s Basilica and its golden mosaics (on request).
• Visit to the Doge’s Palace and walk across the Bridge of Sighs (on request).
• Lunch at your own expense, then a walk to the Rialto Bridge and through Dorsoduro; gondola ride (on request).
• Dinner and last evening in Italy.

Day 7: Drive to the overnight stop

• Rooms vacated after breakfast and departure around 8 am.
• Daytime drive over the Brenner Pass and through Austria to Germany (about 500 to 550 km, i.e. 6.5 to 7 hours excluding breaks).
• Lunch at your own expense on the way.
• Overnight stop in the Munich or Augsburg area, dinner and a quiet evening.

Day 8: Return to Belgium

• Departure after breakfast, around 7.30 am.
• Daytime drive back to Belgium (about 600 to 750 km depending on your school), with two drivers and regular breaks.
• Lunch at your own expense on the way.
• Arrival at your school in the evening.