St. Augustine’s Best – 1 Day
Students spend a day diving into the rich history of the Oldest City in America.
Program Summary
You’ll visit St. Augustine, founded in September 1565. St. Augustine is the oldest continually inhabited European- founded city in the United States – sometimes referred to as the “Oldest City in America”. Your visit to St. Augustine will have you dive into more than four centuries of history that owes much to the Spanish, English, Greeks, Native Americans, and African Americans.
Program Highlights & Inclusions
- Professional ETA Tour Manager throughout your trip
- Transportation throughout your trip
- Guided tour of Mission Nombre de Dios & Shrine of Our Lady
of La Leche - Guided trolley tour of Old Town
- Admission to Castillo de San Marcos
- Visit to Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine
- Free time for shopping on St. George Street
Daily Itinerary
When you arrive in St. Augustine, you will meet your tour manager.
Your first adventure will be a guided tour of Mission Nombre de Dios, which traces its origins to the founding of the City of St. Augustine in 1565. On September 8, 1565, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés landed and proclaimed this site for Spain and the Church. It was here that Menéndez knelt to kiss a wooden cross presented to him by Father Francisco López de Mendoza Grajales, chaplain of his expedition. It was on these grounds that Fr. López would celebrate the first parish Mass and begin the work at America’s first mission. It was at this sacred spot that the Spanish settlers would begin the devotion to Our Lady of La Leche that continues into the present with a shrine in her honor. Before you leave, you’ll have time to get a class photo with the welcoming statue of Jesus at the Mission.
You’ll be picked up at the Mission de Nombre Dios by the Old Town Trolley and you’ll take a narrated trolley tour through St. Augustine, America’s oldest city with a fun mix of trivia and humorous stories. Afterwards, you’ll enjoy a packed lunch. The trolley will drop you off at Castillo de San Marcos after the tour.
Next, you’ll take a guided tour of Castillo de San Marcos Fort located on the shore of Matanzas Bay. The Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States.
This evening you’ll visit the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine, Florida’s oldest church. After the Cathedral you’ll walk five minutes to St. George Street where you’ll have free time for shopping. Tonight your trip to St. Augustine comes to a close as you begin your return trip home.
