By: Jess Larkin ~Copy Editor~

Cincinnatu Metro introduced a new guided tour in conjunction with Xavier’s International Student and Scholar Services.

Students had the chance to explore downtown Cincinnati hotspots and learn about the rich history of the Queen City.

The students began their trip at a conveniently-located bus stop at Dana and Woodburn Avenues.
Equipped with a $10 stored value card and trip guides, students boarded the buses and made their way around the city, stopping at iconic Cincinnati venues like Findlay Market, Washington Park and Fountain Square.

“I came up with the idea of the guided tour as a fun way to introduce students to our bus system and also show them how easy it is to get downtown,” Ridership Development Manager for Metro Kim Lahman said.

“If people have a good experience riding the bus while seeing a few of the hot spots in our city, they will most likely start visiting more places independently and enjoying the diverse activities our city has to offer.”

With the tour, students not only learn about Cincinnati’s history and most famous landmarks, but they also learn to navigate the city using the mass transit system.

Because of the tour, students were given a means through which to discover and identify major city landmarks that otherwise may have remained unexplored.

“My favorite part was Findlay Market,” staff member of the Department of Classic and Modern Languages Paula Marnelli said. “It’s lively, interesting and colorful and it offers great products, so it’s good to know we can get there by bus.”

“I really liked how much time they took to take us around, getting us used to the bus system and combining it with facts about the city,” Sebastian Koppers, a participant in the first group of tours, said. “My favorite part of the tour was Over-The-Rhine. I loved Findlay Market and Washington Park.”

For international students at Xavier, the tour was a prime way to integrate themselves into the community and learn more about the city. The first group of students raved about the trip and thought it was a great experience.