New York excursion 2025

Since last year, students and teachers from Gimnazija Vič were excited about the possibility of an excursion to North America. The October holidays gave us the perfect opportunity and, from the beginning of the school year, plans were made to make this a perfect trip.

Our journey began on 25th October with an early bus drive to the airport in Italy. After our flight, we arrived in Toronto in the afternoon. Once we passed through border control, we checked into our hotel and took some time to explore the city. It was our first impression of North America, and the modern skyline and multicultural atmosphere, as well as the positive and friendly people made Toronto feel exciting and welcoming. In the evening, we had the chance to see the whole city from the top of the CN Tower.

On the second day, we visited the famous Niagara Falls. Although the weather didn’t allow us to experience the boat trip, the view didn’t disappoint! To be able to experience such incredible wonders of nature in person is truly an unforgettable experience and something that words can’t describe. Later that day, we continued our journey by bus across the border into the United States and travelled to New Jersey, where we spent the night.

The third day was dedicated to exploring New York City. Early in the morning, we took a boat trip to Liberty Island to see the Statue of Liberty, one of the most iconic symbols of America. We continued to Ellis Island, where we learned about the millions of immigrants who once arrived in search of a better life and about those who are still searching for it. After returning to Manhattan, we visited the 9/11 Memorial, walked through the financial district, stopped at Wall Street, and saw the Charging Bull statue. In the evening, we had the opportunity to attend a Broadway musical of our choice. The most popular options were Chicago, Aladdin, and Hadestown which gave us a taste of the incredible dancing and singing abilities on Broadway.

On the fourth day, we explored even more of Manhattan. We visited Rockefeller Center, Times Square, Fifth Avenue, Madison Square Garden, Chelsea, and the Flatiron District with its unique triangular building. Later, we took the subway to Brooklyn and walked around the Dumbo neighbourhood, where we enjoyed some of the best views of the Manhattan skyline. Then we walked back to Manhattan across the Brooklyn Bridge, one of the city’s most famous landmarks. Afterwards, we had some free time for our own activities, including shopping or visiting other tourist attractions such as the Empire State Building.

The fifth day was more relaxed and we had free time in Newark until it was time to get ready for our flight back. Arriving in Italy, we travelled back to Ljubljana full of memories and stories of our fantastic few days.

We would like to thank all those who worked hard to organise this excursion and the teachers who took the time to join us on this trip.

Jan Rac