Marco Island Academy History and Culture Club Explores Greece and Italy

After successfully raising enough money to cover the cost of trip expenses at their car washes, and finishing out the school year, Marco Island Academy (MIA) History and Culture Club excitedly piled into a bus at the crack of dawn on June 6th to head to the airport where they would later depart for their long-awaited two-week Europe trip.

This year the club traveled with 40 students, five official school chaperones, and nine other adults, the largest group that has ever traveled with the MIA History and Culture Club. MIA’s History and Culture Club sponsors, Mrs. Lori Galiana and Señor Fernando Higuera, worked hard to ensure that things run as smoothly as possible. The club’s official tour guide, Alex Gabriel, who has traveled with the club in past years, provided enriching information and an in-depth history surrounding the various cultures, landmarks, and traditions the club explored.

After arriving in Athens, Greece, the students were provided time to sightsee in Athens, followed by a visit to the local Acropolis, a sightseeing stop at the Parthenon, and a visit to the Acropolis Museum, which contained artifacts from the slopes of the Acropolis and the detailed history of the Acropolis during the Archaic period. Later in the evening, the club had the pleasure of attending the ‘Zafiro Experience,’ an interactive Greek dancing dinner show, where students got to participate in the dancing and the smashing of plates, a ritual known to express abundance and ward off evil spirits.

The following day, students were able to visit the archaeological site of Delphi, hiking the steep, uneven path leading up the mountain. Dating back to 1400 BC, the Oracle of Delphi was the most important shrine in all of Greece, and in theory, all Greeks respected its independence. Built around a sacred spring, Delphi was considered to be the ‘omphalos,’ the navel of the world. A guided tour with accompanying audio headsets helped students to learn the history and gain more from the experience.

After crossing the Gulf of Corinth via the Rion-Antirion Fixed Link Bridge and boarding the overnight ferry from Patras to Bari, the group arrived in the excavated Roman city of Pompeii. A guide, well-educated and specially trained in the history and culture of Pompei, accompanied the group. The Roman city, recognized by UNESCO as a treasure of Western Civilization, revealed to the club how well-to-do Romans lived 2,000 years ago until Mt Vesuvius destroyed the city in one day and preserved it for all time.

In Capri, the group travels by funicular to the town of Capri's main square (Piazzetta), passing tropical gardens on the way. On the island stands Villa Jovis, the imperial residence from which Tiberius once ruled his empire. Before a ferry took the group to the isle of Capri, the club spent a day in Sorrento, the fabled town of poets and sunsets, well known for its embroidery and intarsia (wood inlay). In Sorrento, students got to experience the unique delicacies and exquisite cuisine of the culture, indulging in pasta dishes and authentic Italian food.

At around the seventh day of the trip, the group then traveled from Capri to Rome to see the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. Students got to walk through some of the best-known monuments in Ancient Rome and visit the Palatine Hill archaeological site and its museum. The group also made their way up the hill to visit the oldest and most prestigious residential area of Ancient Rome. The following day students visited the Vatican Museum and observed exceptional statues from antiquity, such as Laocoon and His Son and the Apollo Belvedere, as well as stunning Renaissance paintings, notably The School of Athens Fresco in the Raphael Rooms. 

To get to Florence, the club traveled via high-speed trains to Firenze, often called the "Jewel of the Renaissance." It is believed that never in the history of mankind has so much genius, in all its forms, been concentrated in one place as it was in Florence during the 15th century. Located in Florence, in the nave of the Cattedrale Santa Maria del Fiore, better known as the Duomo, students marvel at a cathedral begun in 1296 that remains one of the largest in Christendom. It houses precious masterpieces, notably Domenico di Michelino's 1320 painting titled “La Davina Commedia di Dante” (Dante holding the Divine Comedy).

While in Florence, students were able to marvel at beautiful artworks from the 15th and 16th centuries at the Galleria dell'Accademia, which included one of the most well-known of all Florentine treasures, Michelangelo's David. Additionally, students were able to visit the church that's known as the final resting place of luminaries such as Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and Galileo. After seeing the sights and attractions of Florence, the club took a train to Venice, the final destination of the trip.

The group was able to learn about the cultural history and beauty from the club’s tour guide and visit St. Mark's Basilica, which dates back to the 11th century and houses precious treasures behind its elaborate façade. Next, students visited the Doges Palace, which was built in the 14th century and reflects Venice's Golden Age as a center of trade and exploration. The Doges Palace held architectural treasures such as its Golden Staircase, decorated with gold leaf, the Giants' Staircase, all marble, the Compass Room, and most notably, the Chamber of the Great Council, which is one of the largest rooms in Europe.

Through the duration of the twelve-day trip, the MIA History and Culture club was able to observe some of the most beautiful art and architectural wonders of Europe, be enriched with an in-depth history from local guides, indulge in the flavorful local cuisine, and traverse through some of the most sacred places in Ancient Greek, Roman, & Italian History. You can help support the club and next year’s trip to Paris, Switzerland, and the Alps by donating or taking advantage of the club’s Car Washes at Kretch’s.