Adventure With Julia

In July I went on a school trip with 102 students to Greece and Italy with the company ACIS. It was an overall amazing trip and we all made so many memories. Here is an overview of our time in Greece:

We arrived in Athens after an overnight flight from the states, and hit the ground running. Right after landing we hopped on the bus and sat for about an hour until arriving at the hotel to drop off our luggage. We then walked to the Plaka and had free time to have lunch and shop. We were all very jet lagged but also excited about the upcoming adventures and spent the afternoon in an excited haze. For me adjusting to the time difference wasn’t bad, but the weather adjustment was difficult. It was scorching and dry, especially in the sun. The temperature was around 100 every day, and in the sunshine it felt even hotter. Definitely the warmest temperatures I have ever experienced. We explored the Plaka and found a nice lunch restraurant where we had Greek salads and pizza and it was all delicious. We made the mistake of ordering way too much food! When visiting keep in mind that in general the food portions are big in Greece! One salad can be split with a table of four.

After exploring we returned to the hotel and had two hours to relax. To stay awake we explored the Divani Palace Acropolis Hotel and swam in the pool. This hotel has a great central location and is very pleasant. From the roof you can see the acropolis, which is especially impressive at night when it is lit up.

After our brief break we walked through the city, stopping at various places where our wonderful tour guide explained the history behind the sites. Our final destination was a beautiful viewpoint that was a short hike up a hill. From atop the hillit felt as if you could see the whole city. For miles all I could see was endless white and orange buildings surrounded by mountains. After taking in the views we walked to group dinner. Everyone was extremely tired from the day’s travels and many people fell asleep at the table. Still, if you are traveling abroad I recommend staying awake for the day to minimize jet lag.

Day two started with a walking tour of Athens, including watching the changing of the guards. As Americans we were all very mesmerized by the procedure and found it very unique. After the tour we had some time to explore more of the Plaka. If you want a classic Greek souvenir this is the place! Here I bought several of the Evil-eye bracelets to bring back home for my friends. It is said that these bracelets will keep evil spirits away when you wear them. This souvenir is so cute and well worth the 2 euros. 

Our next destination was the Acropolis. We toured the Acropolis museum which was a great break from the heat. Afternoon learning the history of the structure, we began a short walk to the top of the hill. The Acropolis is amazing and well worth the time in the heat. Athens was also VERY windy throughout our trip and that helped keep us cooler. The Parthenon is beautiful, but the views from atop are an added bonus. From here you can view the distant ocean and beautiful city below. Truly a unique 360 view. 

To finish our day we rode the bus to a restaurant up in the mountains. We had time before dinner where we saw turtles and took in the perfect city views. We tried Greek olive oil and bread and enjoyed a Greek Buffet dinner. While we ate we watched the Greek dancers and even got to join in on the dancing. The dance was simple and easy to learn, and a fun moment of our trip. Everyone loved the plate breaking after the meal, along with yelling “Opa!”. After we ate we stepped outside to see the sunset over the city. The view was wonderful and I wished to stare out at it all day.

Our last day in Greece was chaos of the best kind. We left the hotel early and started driving across the southern part of the country. We sat on the bus for a long time and most of of us slept, but while we were awake we enjoyed beautiful views of the mountainous countryside. We passed many small villages, and all kinds of beautiful beaches. Finally we arrived at Delphi. This is a major historical destination in Greece where you can hike the mountainside to view ancient ruins. First we toured the Archaeological museum which was full of interesting artifacts. After learning about the historical sight we started our ascent. The views were spectacular all around us. We could see the ancient stadium and other ruins, with a wonderful scenic backdrop. This was my favorite thing we did in Greece. It was a great break from our bus ride and a excellent experience.

After our stop at Delphi, we continued driving west. One of the tour buses had a flat tire and we had to wait at a rest stop for it to be fixed. This unexpected event became a great memory. This snack stop was located right by the Aegean Sea. First I enjoyed my ice cream, which I found was delicious everywhere in Greece, and then we all ran across the road and down to the sea. We were here for several hours and enjoyed some time spent by the water skipping rocks. This was the best possible place to have a flat tire.

When all of our buses were intact again, we drove even more. Finally arriving for dinner on the Mediterranean coast. We enjoyed a sunset over the water and some overcooked chicken. By this point we were all very tired from a long day and were ready to board the ferry to Italy. However, it was not that simple. To sum up a long five hours, we eventuallyboarded a ferry and made it to our rooms at 2am. The best way I can describe this briefly is just chaotic. But, this craziness was welcomed and was a unique memory of our time in Greece. We went to sleep as soon as possible, ready for the next day of adventure.

Thanks for reading! If you want to learn more about our ACIS trip I will be posting about Italy soon.

Written by Julia Gordee 11/2/24