Following a successful trip by the Classical Civilisation Department to Athens in the spring of 2015, a further fifteen students of the Classical world visited Athens this spring for a four day study tour of the wonderful Greek capital.

Classics teacher Julia Drumm reports that there were many highlights to the trip.  These included watching the changing of the guard by the Greek Evzones outside the Greek Parliament, exploring the ancient Acropolis, the heart of classical Athens with its sanctuary to the goddess of war and wisdom, Athene, and visiting the National Archaeological Museum, which houses many of the stunning statues about which students learn in their study of Greek art and architecture, including the work of Polykleitos and the magnificent bronze statue of Zeus of Cape Artemision.

Whilst in Athens students enjoyed a sunny climate, tasty Greek food (and tonnes of frozen yoghurt) and live Greek dancing, with some students joining in with the dancing amongst the rembetika musicians.

Particularly successful was the day trip to the ancient site of Delphi, the sanctuary of Apollo, a three hour drive from Athens into the hills of Mount Parnassus, where it was T-shirt weather and so warm regular rests were needed amongst the tall pine trees as we headed up the hillside to the stadium.  Delphi was the site of the oracle of Apollo, which gave advice to delegations from all over the Greek world.  It was also believed to be the centre of the world and, in myth, was visited by no less than Herakles, Oedipus and Odysseus.  Whilst at Delphi students enjoyed performing a brief episode from the Greek tragedy Agamemnon, as well as clambering over the hills and the ruins and looking down the hillside, through the valley to the gulf of Itea some 7km away, where a leisurely lunch was later enjoyed by the Mediterranean shore.

We all had fun and wished it had been longer.  See you next year Hellas.