Submitted by Brianna Pisacane on the 2019 winter session program in Athens, Greece sponsored by the Department of English…
One of my favorite things about my study abroad program in Athens, Greece is the fact that we get to travel outside of Athens in order to see everything that this beautiful country has to offer. In our second and third weeks in Greece, we left Athens and embarked on two sets of overnight excursions that gave us the opportunity to see the towns of Delphi, Nafplio and Olympia. The first excursion was two days and one night, where my group traveled up to Delphi and got to see what was once the home of a legendary oracle. Delphi itself was absolutely breathtaking, with views of massive mountains from every direction. After seeing sites like The Temple of Apollo and The Delphi Archeological Museum, we spent the night in a cozy little ski area with a bunch of quaint restaurants and shops.
Our second excursion was three nights long, where we traveled to the Nafplio and Olympia. Nafplio was a beautiful coastal town where you could see the sparkling blue sea, palm trees and snow-capped mountains all in the same glance, making it a place unlike any I’ve visited before. The town was charming and offered a variety of restaurants and cafes overlooking the water. A few brave students actually swam in the chilly waters, while most others chose to explore the sea via boat ride instead. In our time there, we also got to explore an ancient fortress that offered stunning views of the sea and mountains in the distance. After our second night in Nafplio, we headed to the town of Olympia, where we got to see the remains of the site of the original Olympic Games. The history behind the original games was fascinating, and now I can say that I have much more of an understanding of the roots of this event that has become so cherished and widespread.
Ultimately, the opportunity to travel and see parts of Greece other than Athens during my program is something that is priceless to me. Getting to explore so many parts of this gorgeous country is something that has helped me to develop a greater appreciation for both nature and traveling alike.
