
I recently had the pleasure and opportunity to travel to Greece through the Center for Global Education, hosted by Bryn Wiragh, Michelle Rios, and Jesher Velasquez. This experience opened me up to my first trip abroad, with beautifully made food and exquisite views.
During the nine-day experience, I and twenty other students could fully soak in Greece’s history and culture. We stayed in Athens, the heart of Greece.
Each day was action-packed. We indulged in Greek food, ancient sites, and their amazing culture.
The Acropolis and its Museum
Our first full day was an early one. We traversed to the Acropolis, Athens’s highest peak (well, second highest peak). Sitting atop this picturesque location, are the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, the Temple of Athena Nike, and the Propylaea.
Originally in the Neolithic Era, this peak was used for defense but then later evolved into a fortified palace for kings and a religious center during the Mycenaean Period. During the Golden Age of Athens, the Acropolis was transformed into the monumental complex that it is known as today. It is now a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site.

Had a pork gyros — magnificent!

National Gardens. Panathenaic Stadium, and a Surprise Cooking Class!
The National Gardens was the main scenery on our journey to the Pnathenaic Stadium. Although it wasn’t in full bloom, the trees and plants were beautiful. The winding paths had occasional statues and plaques, inviting us to learn more about Greek history.

The track and field athlete part of me enjoyed the short walk to the Panathenaic Stadium, the first Olympic stadium. We were able to stand on the old marble podiums, climb to the top of the stands, and take in the view. One of the other track and field student-athletes, Geoffrey Kleinberg, ran a lap around the track, while I pretended to throw in the old throwing circle. We athletes were joking about getting our workout in for the day (we definitely did this with the amount of walking we accomplished).

A surprise activity had been advertised at the start of the trip. Some of us thought it would be a day trip to Santorini or a fancy restaurant, but it ended up being a cooking class! We had the chance to make several dishes: fried cheese pies, stuffed peppers, tzatziki, dolmadakia (stuffed grape leaves), savory baklava rolls, pork and chicken kleftiko, and eggplant with onions.
Needless to say, we did have a feast. My favorite dish from the class was definitely the fried cheese pies. Luckily, we were provided with an extensive recipe list of everything we created!
The afternoon became our free time to explore the city, which meant a few of us were able to enjoy the nightlife in a rooftop restaurant. We had a perfect view of the Acropolis, which was lit up like a Christmas tree.
Delphi and Arachova
In the south of mainland Greece, Delphi offers extensive archeological finds. A switch from the bustling city of Athens, this was definitely a day for hiking boots. The further we hiked up the mountain the more sanctuaries of Apollo emerged. The site contained an ancient theater and an ancient stadium, both fairly well preserved.

This trek was not for the weak (we climbed close to 44 flights of stairs).
In the small museum that housed countless ancient artifacts, we learned about the gold statues and intricate temples that scattered the site. Vases, statues, and flakes of gold filled the small museum.
On the way back to Athens from Delphi, our wonderful bus driver, Dimitri (a legend), pulled over so we could view the mountain town of Arachova from a distance. This might have been one of my favorite views.

The Island of Aegina, the Church of Agios Nektarios, and the Abundance of Stray Cats
The morning of the island trip was like any other: early and chilly. We boarded a large ferry to take us across the Saronic Gulf to the island of Aegina. The view of the sea mixed with the misty breeze was fabulous.
When we arrived, we took a bus tour to some of the higher peaks of the island. During our excursion, we discovered that cats have slowly taken over the island! One even decided to eat dinner with us!

The food that we had on the island was probably some of the best food that I have ever had. I had the fish and chips, and calamari, and tried some of the fried zucchini. Oh, and tzatziki of course! The fish was fresh, light, and fluffy, and the fries were almost like fried mashed potato balls.

Several people in our group had some pistachio-flavored food items because the island was known for its homegrown pistachios. There were fields of pistachio trees that had been since harvested.
The abundance of pistachio trees was especially prominent near the Church of Agios Nektarios. Its opulence was amazing. High arches, marbled halls, and gold decor filled the structure. We took time to travel the grounds and pay respects to their people and culture.

Nafplion, Mycenae, Epidarus, and Castles Galore!
Mycenae had amazing archaeological sites, including a king’s tomb and castle ruins. Olive trees surrounded the sites, some of them not harvested yet. Several of our group members tried some of the olives from the trees and discovered that they were extremely bitter.
What we were most excited about was our overnight stay in Nafplion, which felt like an island. It was almost completely surrounded by water, making it a beautiful coastal city. We had a lot of free time to explore and find some cool trinkets and souvenirs.

I went to a restaurant with a few of our group members and had the most amazing lamb Souvlaki. This was the best meat I had on the trip. Hands down.
The next morning we drove up to Palamidi Castle. None of us wanted to attempt the 1,000-strike climb to the top of the hill. The view from the top was spectacular because the castle itself was very well preserved. The turquoise water sparkled, reflecting the afternoon sun. It didn’t feel real.

On the long drive back to Athens, we stopped at the Epidarus Amphitheater. We were told that the acoustics were perfect and you could hear someone whisper at the center all the way at the top. We tested it out and it was true!
Our last night ended with a farewell dinner. We shared funny stories, our favorite food, and anything we could to recap the trip. This was one of the best experiences I have ever had. Already, I’m thinking of how to go back!