A Journey Through Germany, Austria, and Switzerland - San Pietro Summer Travel Prize

January 13, 2026

This past summer I was fortunate enough to have been awarded a San Pietro travel prize. This enabled me to travel to Germany, Austria and Switzerland – countries I’ve wanted to travel to ever since I took my first high school German class seven years ago. I visited Berlin, Nuremberg, Munich, Innsbruck, St. Moritz and Zurich – an assortment of locations that were chosen to help me experience the culture of those three countries while also fulfilling personal interests. These included visiting the site of the Nuremberg trials, where my great-grandfather was a translator, going to multiple aviation museums, and long trail runs in the Alps. The trip was incredible, far exceeding my expectations.

The specific locations of interest were all great, as they allowed me to learn more about my family, see aircraft not found in the United States and witness the beauty of the Alps firsthand. On top of that, I was also able to engage in the culture of the German-speaking countries, meeting nice, helpful people and partaking in the exceptional cuisine found throughout the region. The highlight of the trip, however, was when I got to see 2x Olympic champion, 4x world champion, 13x European track champion, 8x European cross country champion, 4x world record holder, and one of my idols, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, in St. Moritz. All in all, this was a truly incredible and life-changing experience for me and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to make this trip.

All photos by Miles Jones

Alpine Lakes above St. Moritz.