Today was a very exciting day exploring the Acropolis.  From the top of the Acropolis we could see Athens and the Aegean Sea.  The tour guides we had were very informative and were able to blend together the Acropolis’ history and its influence on Greek mythology.  It was amazing to see all the restoration efforts on the Parthenon.  Our tour guide told us that the restoration project will be complete sometime in 2020 and I hope I can travel to Athens again when it is completed.  It was amazing to see that the Acropolis was as amazing as the photos my YiaYia took in the early 1950s.

-Dimitria Yeannakopoulou

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A lot of people are focusing on the Acropolis, which was awesome, so I am going to focus on class and the food! In class today after only 2 lessons, I was finding that I could actually sort of read Greek letters and pronounce words correctly. That was so exciting for me! As for food, today for lunch after seeing the Acropolis and the Parthenon, we went to a rooftop tavern at a restaurant. All of the meals we have had so far have been multiple courses and really delicious. The first thing we had today I didn’t know the name of, but it seemed like vegetarian mousaka. Then we had regular mousaka, followed by a beef dish and ending with baklava and ice cream! It was all delicious, although my favorite part is always the feta. For dinner we had carry out souvlaki in the dorms, which was also extremely delicious! I cannot wait for the rest of this trip, it has already been incredible.

-Haroula Tzamaras

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Today (Tuesday June 16th-our fourth day here) we went downtown and visited the Acropolis and the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. Although the heat was almost unbearable as we were climbing up to the top of the Acropolis, it was an unforgettable experience. It was amazing learning more about the history of the Parthenon and truly understanding how this monument symbolizes Ancient Greece, Athenian democracy, western civilization, and our ancestors. After we were finished with our tour we went to a roof top restaurant for lunch with a breathtaking view of the Acropolis and the rest of Athens. The abundance of history that was reflected throughout the day made me even prouder to be Greek.

-Juliana Barounis

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Yesterday, we visited the Acropolis, arguably one of the most historic spots in the world. We got a different perspective of the sites with a tour about Greek mythology. From the top, there are incredible views of the whole city, and it was an incredibly powerful sight. We ended the day with a delicious traditional Greek meal and a trip to the new Acropolis museum, which only deepened the cultural experience.

-Kathryn Stefos (παρέα)

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I missed the beginning of the tour but had the opportunity to spend three hours at the Acropolis Museum. Many buildings to various Gods have graced the Acropolis over the past few thousand years. This museum contains artifacts from both major and minor temples that have been found on the Acropolis over the centuries. Located on the slope going up to the first floor are the items found on the slopes of the Acropolis. Some of the most interesting artifacts where Vases called Loutrophor decorated with wedding scenes that where gifted to the Goddess Nymphe, who was the protectress of marriage and wedding ceremonies. On the first floor was the remains of an elaborate temple that predated the Parthenon. Which was destroyed during the Persian invasion in 450 BCE. After the war the pieces were subsequently buried to make way for a new structure.  On this floor there were also the kora girls that were statue gifts to the gods. And the Kritios boy one of the most important statues ever made. As it was one of first statues to break the tradition of rigid formality in favor of showing natural movement. On the second floor there is an incredible restaurant with views of the Parthenon. I highly recommend going there if you get the chance. And, on the third floor are the statues of the Erechteion and the Parthenon reliefs most of which are plasters of the ones in the British museum. Both beautiful in their own right.

-Anastasia Adams