Mrs. Lucente's Munich, Austria & Italy

June 23, 2025 - July 3, 2025

Leisha Lucente

• I’ve been a history teacher for 9 years!
• I’m a mama to a super cute 1 year old and a feisty 3 year old.
• As a teen I had the incredible opportunity to go on two student trips abroad. (Italy, France, England in 2006, and London in 2008)
• I want to pay this experience forward and lead student trips. I traveled with students to Berlin in 2019 and to the Netherlands and France in 2022.
• Why I choose to travel
• I think there is no better way to build empathy and learn compassion for others than traveling and experiencing new cultures!
• Why I selected this tour
• HISTORY!
• Beautiful landscapes, delicious food

Chris Buffone

• A little about me!
• Teaching for 12 years.
• I have a 3 year old, who wants me to let you know he is a medium boy, not a baby.
• Why I choose to travel
• New sights, people, and of course the food!

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Gohar Tahir

• A little about me!
• 5th year teacher.
• I have a fat cat named Panther, I went to JMU. I enjoy laughing, working out, reading, and more!
• Why I choose to travel
• Excited for new food and places!

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Claire Ko

• A little about me!
• 3rd year teacher!
• I have a dog named Beau, I went to Virginia Tech, and I love anything arts & crafts!
• Why I choose to travel
• Meet new people, eat great food, and sightseeing!

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Benefits of�Educational Travel

Expanded worldview

• Understanding and appreciation of different cultures

Personal growth

• Increased confidence and competence
• Language and cultural immersion

Life skills

• Demonstrates maturity and worldliness
• Enhances college and job applications

Travel impact by the numbers…

Why Explorica?

Proven experience

• 55 years of safe travel experiences
• More than 1 million travelers
• Tours to 75 countries on all 7 continents

Excellent value

• Fully inclusive
• Quality hotels, meals & activities
• Guaranteed best prices

Incredible Tour Directors

• Professionally trained, multilingual Tour Directors
• Specialized in student travel
• Local experts bring the destination to life
• With group 24/7

Exceptional safety record

• Proven systems in place at all levels of operations
• Worldwide network of support
• Local staff and partnerships
• Proactive risk management
• 24/7 On-Call Support Team
• Unmatched in industry

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Where we’re going

• Date of trip June 23, 2025 - July 3, 2025
• Trip length in 11 days

Lose yourself in the romance of Venice as you float down its meandering canals, visit Innsbruck, internationally recognized center for winter sports, surrounded by scenic snow-capped mountains, and tour Munich and its fanciful folk music-chiming Glockenspiel.

Munich, Austria & Italy

Next up

Our itinerary day by day 🡪

And why…

Tour Itinerary

DAY 1 | Start tour�

DAY 2 | Hallo Munich

• Meet your tour director and check into hotel
• Munich city walk
• Bavarian bratwurst dinner�

DAY 3 | Munich

• Munich guided sightseeing tour

Frauenkirche, Glockenspeil, Nymphenburg Palace visit, Olympic site of 1972

• Dachau Concentration Camp & Memorial visit

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DAY 4 | Munich

• Neuschwanstein & Oberammergau excursion

Neuschwanstein Castle visit, Passion Play backstage tour

OLIMPIC PARK

DACHAU CONCENTRATION CAMP

Tour Itinerary

DAY 5 | Munich -- Innsbruck

• Travel to Innsbruck
• Innsbruck Guided Sightseeing Tour
• Triumphbogen�

DAY 6 |  Innsbruck -- Venice

• Travel to Venice
• Gondola ride (time permitting)
• Venice guided walking sightseeing tour with Whisper headsets

St. Mark’s Square, St. Mark's Basilica, Doge's Palace guided visit

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DAY 7 | Venice

• Burano and Murano excursion�

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CHIESA DI SANTA CROCE

DUOMO

Tour Itinerary

�DAY 8 | Venice -- Florence

• Travel to Florence
• Uffizi Gallery visit
• Florence city walk

Archaeological Museum, Chiesa di Santa Croce, Ponte Vecchio, Duomo, Giotto’s Bell Tower, Dante's House

• Pizza dinner

DAY 9 | Florence

• Volterra & San Gimignano excursion�

DAY 10 | Florence

• Family-run Pasta Factory Excursion
• Outdoor Picnic Lunch
• Cooking class with dinner

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DAY 11 | End tour

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PONTE VECCHIO

COOKING CLASS

What’s included

Round-trip airfare

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All on-tour transportation

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Accommodation in triple or quad rooms with private bathrooms

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Full breakfast daily

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Hearty, authentic dinner daily

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Entrance fees to attractions per itinerary

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Guided sightseeing tours and city walks per itinerary

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Full-time, professional tour director

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Online Tour Diary^TM, so you can follow our journey from home

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24-hour emergency service

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Almost everything!

Your responsibilities

Acquiring a passport and visa (if applicable)

Travel to and from the airport, for departure and arrival back home

Tips for our tour director and bus driver (unless included).

Spending money for optional excursions, free-time activities, lunches, beverages/snacks, and souvenirs

These costs vary and are not included in the tour fee:

These are all necessities each traveler will be responsible for during the tour — please plan accordingly for them.

Your responsibilities

Travel Protection Plan

Travel Protection Plan PLUS

Educational travel is an investment in your child’s future. We recommend you protect that investment with our Travel Protection Plan, which covers you for the following events:

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• A traveler’s injury, sickness, or death of a�family member
• Theft of passport or visas
• Flight cancellations due to strike or bad weather
• Loss of luggage and personal effects
• Trip cancellation or trip interruption due to covered reasons such as a covered sickness, illness, or injury
• Trip cancellation or trip interruption due to terrorist acts, as defined

Along with providing you the same benefits as the Travel Protection Plan, our Travel Protection Plan Plus also includes the Cancel For Any Reason Benefit:

• If you cancel 48 hours (2 days) or more before your scheduled trip departure date for any reason not otherwise covered by this policy, we reimburse you for 75% of the non-refundable cancellation fees which apply to your trip

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Cost of plan is due in full at the time it is selected. �This plan must be selected before your final trip payment.

Cost of plan is due in full at the time it is selected. �This plan must be selected within 14 days of trip enrollment.

Learn more at

Optional travel protection

Passports & visas

Passports

• Passports are needed 3 months prior to your departure date.
• The application process takes 8-12 weeks, so plan accordingly.

Visas

• Since requirements vary for each nationality, we recommend all travelers verify the individual requirements for their nationality with the local consulate for all the countries to be visited, or VisaCentral, Explorica’s partner for travel visas.

All travelers are responsible for securing the necessary documentation for travel. These pieces of documentation�may include a passport and visa.

Important note: Passports must be valid for at least six months after our scheduled return date.

Tour Cost Breakdown

• -Upgraded hotels in city center to spend more time exploring and less on the bus!
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• -Upgraded dinner to include appetizer, entree, and dessert
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• -Tipping for Bus Driver and Tour Director
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• -Cooking Class dinner for our last evening!
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• -Travel (Basic) Insurance
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• -Private, personalized tour

Easy ways to pay

Pay in full at enrollment

Entire trip paid upon registration

No remaining balance

Payment rendered manually

Automatic monthly�payment plan

$50 deposit paid upon registration

Balance divided into equal monthly installments

Payments charged automatically

Manual payment plan

$99 deposit paid upon registration

Balance divided into 4 installments

Payments rendered manually

Making it possible for every student to travel

Any plan can be paid with Visa, MasterCard (credit and debit), checks, electronic checking account payments, online banking and money orders. Payments can be made online, over the telephone or by mail.

Easy ways to pay

Fundraising support

• Personal fundraising page on explorica.com
• Easily request and accept credit card donations from friends and family

Financial assistance

• Need-based support for qualifying families
• Confidential application

Making it possible for every student to travel

Academic Credit

• Students can complete assignments before, during, and/or after the tour.
• This option provides the opportunity to earn high school and/or college credit for their travel experience.

High school credit (students in grades 6-12)

• Middle and high school students can earn free high school credit in conjunction with their trip. To participate, choose a course from the options carefully paired with your travel program, then work at your own pace to complete the online coursework within six months of your tour. (.5 HS credits)

College credit (students in grades 9-12)

• Explorica partners with George Mason University to issue college credit in conjunction with our travel programs.
• High school students can earn college credit by successfully completing a course after they return from their travel program. Choose a 1-credit or 3-credit course option, then work at your own pace to complete the online coursework within six months of your tour.
• The cost of credits is based on George Mason University's competitive fees.

How this differs from a family trip

Give your child

• Explore exciting destinations
• Create lifelong memories and new friends
• Grow and mature as a person
• Prepare for a successful future

You’re in the position to encourage your child to:

the world

Ready to sign up?

Email Mrs. Lucente at Leisha.Lucente@lcps.org

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In the email please include:

1. Child’s first and last name
2. Parent/Guardian first and last name
3. Parent phone number
4. Parent Email
5. Who was/is your child’s 7th grade history teacher (Lucente, Buffone, Tahir, Ko)