Roman Colosseum, Capitoline Museum and Harry Potter!

Our second day in Rome was one of our busiest yet. We woke up early and walked to the Roman Colosseum. The Colosseum, originally called the Flavian Amphitheatre is located in the center of the city and is one of Rome’s most famous sites. It is estimated that the giant amphitheatre had the capacity to hold 50,000 spectators. From there it was a quick walk to the Roman Forum also located in the center of Rome between the Palatine and Capitoline hills. The site itself contains the ruins of many important government buildings of ancient Rome. Next was a visit to the Capitonline Museum. We then quickly returned to the hotel to change and grab a quick dinner because it was time for our last group activity of the day. Our program director managed to find the only movie theater in Rome playing Harry Potter in its original English version. Everybody, students and staff included had been patiently waiting to see the final installment of a beloved series all day and could hardly contain their excitement anymore. 

First day in Rome and Day trip to Pompeii

We arrived in Rome early Thursday morning and went straight to our hotel to check in. Hotel Smeraldo is in a fabulous location just minutes from the Pantheon and three blocks from Il Campo de Fiori, a lively square with great restaurants, trendy shops and plenty of places to get gelato. We started our Roman adventure with a cultural walk (our first of many) and a visit to the Pantheon, a temple built for the gods of ancient Rome.

The next day we boarded a bus and began our full day excursion to Pompeii. As we headed south, we made a short stop in Naples to visit the Naples National Archaeological Museum, the most important Italian archaeological museum and one of the oldest museums in Europe. The museum contains many collections of Greek and Roman antiquities including Roman artifacts from Pompeii. For lunch we stopped at a pizzeria in Pompeii where everyone got their own individual margherita pizza. After lunch it was time to explore the ruins of Pompeii. The city was completely destroyed in the year AD 79 when the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius completely buried the city in ash and pumice. The ancient city was lost until its rediscovery in 1749 and is still being excavated today.

Our first group dinner in Italy.

The students help Chris with a reading at Pompeii. Talk about experiential learning!

Group picture at Pompeii with Mount Vesuvius in the background.

Samara, Jennifer, Suzi and Katie pose on an ancient crosswalk at Pompeii.

Last days in Athens!

Julie, Melissa and Jessica pose for a picture on the steps of the National Archaeological Museum.

Casey, Rita and Katie work on an assignment at the National Archaeological Museum, the largest Archaeological Museum in Greece.

The museum is also well known for its beautiful cafe garden. Student pose in the inner courtyard next to the status of Herakles (Hercules) however, the real star of the photo was one of the garden's many friendly turtles!

All of the ladies pose for a picture after lunch in the Exarchia district, famous as the meeting place for modern and contemporary Greek artists, philosophers and academics.

We were just having too much fun!

Rita, Emily and Moira from the top of Lykavitos Hill- what an incredible view, well worth the steep hike! Behind our students you will find the Acropolis, Athens city center stretching out to the sea along with Pireaus Port. 

Students attempt to locate our hotel while battling a mighty breeze!

The students started up a friendly game of volleyball at Glyfada Beach Resort.

Alex, Anna and Rachael at Glyfada Beach Resort.

Brendan, Hanna, Jennifer and Nico as we prepare to leave Glyfada. Everyone had a great time.

Sarah and Jake on our last night in Athens at an authentic Greek Taverna.

Jonathan, Melissa and Sam are all smiles after our delicious meal that consisted of dolmadas, fava, lamb, beefteki, chicken and homemade Halva and fresh watermelon for dessert.

Jordan and Lindsay dressed to impress!

Moira and Suzie with Program Director Emily on our last night in Athens. After dinner, students had the chance to write postcards to send home so be sure to watch for them in the mail!

Day Trip! Time flies when you’re having fun!!!!!

Today we took a charter bus on a full day excursion to Mycenae and Nafplion. On our way we stopped at the Canal of Corinth that separates the main land from the Peloponnese. The canal project was begun under Emperor Nero and was completed in 1893.  Mycenae, an ancient stone citadel so large that the Greeks though it must have been built by giants calling the walls “cyclopean”.  After a trip up and around the ancient palace complex and a view of the surrounding valley we visited the treasury of Atreus, a beehive shape underground tomb around 3 millennia years old.  Our next stop was Nafplion, a coastal town in the Peloponnese surrounded on three sides by water.  Nafplion, called Napoli di Romania “the Naples of Byzantium” in the Middle Ages is famous for its large fortress complexes built by the Mycenaean’s who occupied the territory in the 15^th and 16^th centuries and again in the nearly the 18^th century.  We took the 999 steps down from Palamidi Castle to the beach were the students were able to cool down in the clear blue water of the Argolic Gulf.  After a long day full of activities, we opted for a group picnic on the rooftop of our hotel enjoying the gorgeous view of the city.

Nico and Sam at the Canal of Corinth as a ship makes its way through.

A great group photo and an amazing view of the Argolic Gulf from Palamidi Castle. 

Students enjoy some shade and lunch at the beach in Nafplion. 

Sam has fun cooling off as he jumps into the water in Nafplion.

Acropolis and Greek Sandal Making

Sunday we woke up early and walked to the Acropolis. We processed on the Panathenaic Way through the monumental gates which frame the Acropolis built as a monument to Athenian Democracy.  We gathered under the olive tree some believe was planted by Athena in a contest to win the right to name the city.  Later in the afternoon, students were given free time and many opted to visit a local sandal maker to purchase handmade leather sandals.  Later that evening we enjoyed a group dinner at a Cretan restaurant tasting a variety of traditional Cretan foods including a group favorite, tomato pancakes with mint sauce.

Students pause for a moment to take in the view of the city as we make our way down from the Acropolis.

Everyone left with very high spirits from such an awe-inspiring site.

Students make their way down the steps from the entrance of the Acropolis.

Rachael, Rachel and Alex try on different styles of handmade leather sandals at the local sandal maker shop.    

Ancient Athens: Agora and Acropolis Museum

Saturday was our first full day in Athens.  We started the morning with a lecture at the Agora.  The Agora, which means open space was the meeting place for the citizens of Athenian democracy. There is a relatively new onsite museum, the Stoa of Attalos that displays artifacts found at the Agora.  Later in the day, we also visited the new Acropolis Museum.  Our instructors, John and Chris were our guides as they lead two groups of students through the museum.  The students had the rare opportunity to witness the restoration of one of the caryatids, the columns on the Arectheon porch, which is done using laser technology.  While at the museum, we also watched a scheduled viewing of a documentary about the history of the Parthenon.  For dinner, as a special treat the staff hosted smaller groups of students and took them out to dinner in the hip Psiri district just outside of Plaka.  Each staff member chose their most favorite restaurant from the neighborhood and students enjoyed a sit down dinner and the chance to get to better know their staff members and one another.

Students enjoy their first taste of experiential learning onsite at the ancient Agora.

Roommates Emily and Julia relax against one of the pillars at the Stoa of Attalos.  

Program Director Emily takes her group of students to a Greek Italian fusion restaurant. Where they enjoyed everything from squid and goat cheese crostini to moussaka and spanakopita.

We’ve Arrived!!

We arrived safe and sound in Athens today.  After checking in, showering and much needed downtime we headed out for our first delicious authentic Greek meal that consisted of traditional Greek village salad or, “Xoriatiki Salata,” tzatziki  (cucumber yogurt dip) and bread, teropitas (fluffy tasty cheese pies!), keftedas (homemade Greek meatballs), loukaniko village sausage, spiced filleto kotopolo and refreshments.  Needless to say, we left with our bellies fully satisfied!

            On the walk to and from dinner John and Chris, our program instructors, along with Emily, our Program Director and a native of Greece, gave us an explanation of the surrounding areas. On our walk from our hotel, we passed through Monesteraki Square, which gets its name from the many small monestaries located around the plaza, stopped to admire the beautiful view of the Acropolis and got a brief introduction to the modern-ay Grecian Agora which exists along side the Ancient Agora. During dinner, we enjoyed an incredible view of the Acropolis, the temple of Hefestus and a rare aerial view of a section of the ancient Greek agora, which, is currently under excavation by archeologists of The American School of Athens. While walking back to our hotel on the pedestrian promenade at the base of the Acropolis, we learned why the marble used to construct the Acropolis and many Greek structures and sculptures is so famous. This Penteli Marble, which appears white during the day, acquires a beautiful golden hue at night as it absorbs the last light of the day. Athens is one of the only places in the world to host this type of marble as it hails from Mt. Penteli whose ancient quarry is protected by law.  Pieces of it may be seen in other cities, but we will learn more about how they came to be located outside Modern Greece later in the week.

            Everyone is settled into their rooms at present as we enjoy a well deserved night’s sleep! Tomorrow brings with it an exciting first day of experiential learning: A visit to the ancient Agora and on-site lesson including an oration at the very stone Socrates was said to have been condemned to death, a student-staff luncheon in the hip Psiri district and a visit to the New Acropolis Museum, which recently celebrated its one-year anniversary June 1^st of 2011. We will also have the pleasure of a guest lecture by a current PhD student of Princeton University and colleague of John who specializes in early Byzantine Art and Architecture.  Until our next post, we leave you with these first images from our group!

John and Emily giving background information to students about our neighborhood of Plaka at Monesteraki Square.

Group dinner picture.

Group dinner picture 

Group dinner picture. 

Katie and Brenna learning about Peneteli Marble. 

Sam, Hanna and Mickey from our rooftop patio.

Rita, Emilee and Moira from our rooftop patio with a lit up Acropolis in the background.