A group of 48 students from St. Mary’s Secondary School, Mallow, spent much of the mid-term break basking in the sunshine of Italy. The school tour was accompanied by six brave St. Mary’s staff members. The tour set off from a wet and windy Cork airport on Monday 28th October. Having landed in Bergamo, Milan, the excited group of second and fifth year girls travelled by coach to the picturesque town of Sirmione where they were treated to a feast of Italian cuisine. A stroll around Sirmione revealed medieval castles, stony streets and sandy beaches. Later that evening they took a boat trip to the town of Garda. Surrounded by glittering lakes and high peaked mountains, Garda was nothing short of paradise. Tuesday was spent in the beautiful city of Venice. The city itself is a collection of islands separated by canals and linked bridges. Such is its architecture and scenic nature, the entire city is understandably listed as a World Heritage Site. The following day they headed for Malcesine from where the Mallow tour took a cable car high up into the majestic Alps. Staff and students alike were awestruck by the panoramic views on offer. The final evening was spent sightseeing and shopping in the city of Verona; a city made famous by Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’. The unseasonably tanned St. Mary’s tour reluctantly arrived back on Thursday having enjoyed a wonderful trip. Organising such an amazing adventure is no easy task. As such, great credit must go to Sr. Bríd Biggane and accompanying staff members Sr. Anne-Marie, Donna Lyons, Connie Curtin, Louise Heavin and Ronnie Barrow for masterminding the once-in-a-lifetime experience for the second and fifth year girls. No doubt everyone was exhausted and glad of three more days of mid-term, having safely returned to Mallow