Over the summer of 2025, Greater Latrobe Senior High School foreign language students had the opportunity to travel to Europe for a trip to Spain and France. Traveling to Europe provided the students with an opportunity to experience the culture, languages, and diverse traditions. Getting to spend ten days in two different countries wasn’t just for the adventure of going; it was also an educational experience for the students who got to visit firsthand.
Allison Massaro is a junior at Greater Latrobe Senior High School and has been a part of the French language program for five years. Massaro claims that her world changed. “It was a life-changing 2 weeks,” she said.
While their first stop was Barcelona, the 9 students, Allison Massaro, Anna Riggs, McKinley Kyle, Addison Tinsley, Elise Moreland, Ely Goodman, Grace Baird, Elyse Lacarte, and Samantha Yothers, got to tour the city and went to Las Ramblas, which is in a city called Catalonia, and tried different varieties of fruits. While in Barcelona, they got to see the Parc de Gaudí and got to learn all about Gaudí architecture in Barcelona. The students also got to take a day trip to Sitges, which is a beautiful, small beach town just about twenty minutes away from Barcelona. They were able to swim in the Mediterranean Sea, try seafood, and shop around the town. In Barcelona, they got to visit the largest Sephora in the world, which has every product a girl can think of. Allison slid down a slide going from the top floor to the bottom floor.
While leaving Barcelona to go to Bilbao, the group made a stop in Zaragoza, Spain, where they went into the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Pillar, where they kissed the Blessed Virgin Mary. When the students arrived in Bilbao, they went to the Guggenheim Museum, which has many different types of art, including Picasso. Carrying on their journey, the group stopped at San Sebastian on their way to France, where they got lunch and saw beautiful ocean scenery.
When the students arrived in Biarritz, France, they explored the posh beach town and went to the Bastille Day Parties, which, according to Allison, “were so much fun.” They were able to swim in the ocean, but sadly, it was difficult due to strong currents. “While on this trip, we got to learn how to do a flamenco dance lesson in Spain; it was different but fun to learn.” The students left Biarritz and made their way to Paris.
In Paris, they explored the city, visited the Notre Dame, Musée d’Orsay, and walked past the Louvre, and got to learn a lot about the culture in Paris. The group got to go up the Eiffel Tower, and were lucky enough to see the magical Eiffel Tower light up. They even got to visit the Palace of Versailles. “We got to try different foods, like escargot in Paris, which was very good,” Allison said.
Ending their trip, the students got to visit Montmartre, which was Allison’s favorite spot in Paris. She loved the street artists, the art culture, and all the pretty flowers everywhere, including the scenic views of the city.
Allison said, “The thing that made this trip so amazing and memorable was getting to experience these new cultures, seeing incredible sights, and the people she went with. We rarely knew each other, and we all had so much fun together. My favorite part was the Bastille Day Party in Biarritz, where I got to have fun with my friends while also being exposed to French culture.”
Overall, the trip to Spain and France gave students a cherishable, memorable experience, from visiting famous monuments to learning and exploring different cultures. It gave students to learn by seeing it for themselves. The unforgettable opportunity to see places and build memories with their new and old friends will last a lifetime.
