Group photo at the Parthenon!

Over spring break students had the opportunity to tour Italy and Greece.

Students began in Rome, exploring the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, the Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps; walking through Piazza Navona and the Pantheon; and crossing the Bridge of Angels into Vatican City.

Students stood in quiet awe inside St. Peter’s Basilica and later laughed their way through a pasta and tiramisu lesson. They learned about the layers of Rome – how new cities were built directly upon ancient ones, how modern Romans live inside a living, breathing museum of art and history.

From Rome students traveled to Florence, where the Renaissance came to life. Students visited the Accademia to see Michelangelo’s David, explored the Boboli Gardens, walked past Dante’s house, and marveled at the Duomo.

Greece greeted the students differently; many students found the country – and the people –  warmer and more personal. They traveled to Meteora, where ancient monasteries perch on impossibly tall sandstone rock pillars, accessible for centuries only by rope ladder or by net and pulley.

Student then traveled to Delphi, climbing through the sanctuary of Apollo to the ancient stadium at the top, and spent time in the museum with the omphalos stone and a fragment of rock bearing the oldest written music notes known to humanity.

Finally – Athens. Antiquity came to life at the Acropolis. The guide fired off questions about Greek history and mythology… and our students answered like pros. They explored the newer Acropolis museum and walked through the excavation site. One student left seriously considering a career path in archaeology.

Our final evening ended with a Greek dinner party. Food, live music, and dancing. Opa! The energy of our seniors was infectious, and pretty much everyone took a turn on the dance floor.

A few numbers worth noting: our average step count was 18,000 per day, with a single-day high of 25,000. We estimate a minimum of 1,000 stairs climbed across the trip.