How to Be a Greek God: Exploring Athens and The Acropolis

The occasional breeze of air was fresh and the sun was hot on my skin. I looked over to my best friend, her curls blowing in the wind and smiled.

“Do you know how blessed we are to be only 20 years old and be able to see this beautiful view?” I asked her.

A huge smile came on to both of our faces . We continued to take in the scenery that seemed like a painting. Above is a picture I captured when I visited the famous Acropolis of Athens, Greece. Acropolis translates to “high city” and it is located at one of the highest points in Greece. Acropolis has been around since about 490 B.C and is home to several ancient buildings where the Greek Gods once resided.

If you look closely there is a church sitting on a hill in the middle of the picture. In that church there is actually a piece of the cross that Jesus Christ was crucified on. Its baffling how everywhere you look there is history, even when it’s on a far away hill. Greece in itself is a whole different universe- From the beautiful artwork that can be seen throughout the streets to the history that is written in stone. Aside from the art, I learned during my stay there that Athens is the city that never sleeps.

The seats are completely filled with people. Everyone looking down at actors and singers performing on the marbled stage. A roar of cheers, clapping and screaming fill the air. Everyone goes wild. The energy is high and everyone is beaming with joy after another beautiful performance that was put on by the people of Greece. This is how I imagine this marvelous coliseum to be like in Ancient Greece.

The coliseum in Acropolis is where everyone would gather to enjoy theater and other art shows. This arena is one of the first things I saw when I walked into the Acropolis and it is something truly breathtaking. The moment you walk onto this ancient land you feel the energy shift. You are no longer in the streets of Athens, but you are apart of a completely different world- the Greek Gods’ world.

As I stood there taking in everything, I thought how perfectly placed The Coliseum is. While you’re in your own little world watching what is happening on those marbled floors, you are able to see all of Athens. The sun hitting the remains of the coliseum made everything shine so bright and I understood why this was known as high city. Not just because of the location, but because if you just stand there close your eyes and you feel the energy. You can hear the cheers that once filled the arena. You feel the history of so many years ago and your mind goes wild with the amount of things that we know happened here and the unknown. This is a truly sacred place that everyone has to see. What’s a better way to feel like a Greek God than in Acropolis?

There’s No Place Like Home

11 days. 11 days filled with adventures, tears, smiles, laughs and every other emotion you can think of. That is how long my three friends and I were in Greece for our getaway. We were all itching to see the world but there’s nothing like returning to Italy, our home away from home. Pictured above is one of the many famous cathedrals that are in Italy- This one is in the heart of Florence. Nine out of ten times you pass this cathedral to go home, go to work, get food or go to class- the list goes on and on. It becomes a part of your daily routine.

A couple of days after our arrival from Greece, I went out to enjoy the fresh air of Florence. I looked up at the beautiful Duomo and the full moon that was present in the sky and I smiled.I stood there appreciatively for a couple of seconds and thanked God for all of the blessings that have been coming my way and that I will continue to receive. Florence is my home, for the next four months, and after a long trip nothing feels better than being home. Sometimes all you have to do is look up and thank the universe and that is exactly what I did. 

Kimberly Sacchi is a student at The College of Saint Rose and an ISA Featured Photo Blogger. She studied abroad with ISA in Florence, Italy.