Day 2 - Arrival in Athens & Walking Tour
Saturday, July 25th
Kalimera from Athens! After an uneventful 10-hour flight, we were happy to step off the plane! After getting our Greek stamps in our passports, we collected our luggage and headed to our hotel, located right in the centre of Athens.
After a quick break at the hotel and setting up our Greek SIM cards, we were off on our orientation walking tour.
The first stop on our walk started in Monastiraki Square, where everyone had an opportunity to grab a fresh fruit smoothie, gelato or explore the souvenir shops.
We then learned how to use the Athens metro system, a relatively new system that opened in 2004 just in time for the Summer Olympics and explored the many ancient ruins uncovered during the construction of the metro station.
Our tour continued at the Hellenic Parliament, the seat of democracy in Greece, also home to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Students learned about the importance of the memorial, the history of its ceremonial guard, and the unbelievable conditions they endure while on guard.
After jumping back on the metro and getting off at the Acropolis stop, we enjoyed our leisurely walk through the Plaka shopping district, ending back at Syntagma Square.
We then continued down Ermou, Athens’ famous shopping streets and quickly realized that maybe we didn’t bring enough money on this program!
After freshening up at the hotel, we walked back into town for our first dinner as a group.
We got our full Greek on tonight as dinner featured Greek salad, tzatziki and a traditional BBQ chicken. We finished off dinner with a stop for gelato.
Jetlagged and tired from a long day of travelling, we stocked up on water and snacks at the mini market before heading back to the hotel for some much-needed sleep.
We’re looking forward to our first day of classes tomorrow morning and our walking tour of the Acropolis!
Bertan
Program Manager
