Today was our first full day in Athens. After a hearty breakfast, we jumped on the bus and headed to Acropolis. The plan was to visit the ancient site, then head to the Acropolis museum, have lunch and visit the markets in the afternoon. But when we got the Acropolis, we quickly realized this would not happen.

The line to get to the entrance of the site rivaled any Disney World line for the hottest, new ride! I have never seen a line here so long. You would think we going to visit the Pope. Our Greek guide was also surprised and credited to the “school season”. In Rhode Island we have Slater Mill, middle schoolers in Athens have the Acropolis.

So, change of plan. We decided to visit the Acropolis Museum first, then lunch and the markets, then visit the National Archeological Museum in the afternoon. That museum was for tomorrow, but if we went today, we could swap that visit with the Acropolis visit.

This change worked out well! No lines, no waiting, no issues. The museum was not crowded at all and everyone felt comfortable listening to the description of the more important artifacts and even asking questions!

Lunch was next, and we ate at the tiny restaurants bordering the ancient site. First time many of our students had tried gyros and souvlaki. I think they liked it.

The Plaka, the labyrinth of shops, restaurants, and monuments, was our next stop. Everyone made it out (Thank you, iPhone!) and back to the bus for the last stop of the day, the National Archeological Museum.

If you have ever taken a course on art history or humanities, there is a very good chance you saw a picture of some object in this museum. The gold face mask of Agamemnon? The enormous pottery vases with geometric designs, the very large white Cycladic art figures? The bronze statue of Poseidon throwing his trident (without the trident—just him)? All of these are in this treasury house of Greece and our students stopped man reflected upon each.

The evening was reserved for “A for Athens”, the bar and restaurant with arguably one of the best views in the world. From its balcony you see the Acropolis lit up like a beacon of western civilization. Drinks, conversation about Socrates, and questions about where we had gone filled our time there.

Tomorrow, looking forward to Cape Sounion and the Acropolis visit 2.0