Art History & Greek Culture
A Summer for Fun, Friends, and Your Future
Explore
Have fun discovering Athens through the eyes of an artist and historian.
Network
Meet new friends and art history experts. Build your own community.
Get Inspired
Launch your future today! Create a diverse array of visual art, gain skills in ancient and modern techniques, and craft a portfolio.
The Destination
Welcome to Athens, where the city itself feels like an open-air museum.
Walking through Athens can feel like moving through thousands of years of art history at once. The nearly 2,500-year-old Parthenon still rises above the city, while ancient temples, marble statues, and ruins appear between apartment buildings and cafés. At the same time, neighborhoods like Psyrri, Gazi, and Exarchia are covered in huge murals and graffiti that reflect politics, protest, and modern Greek identity. Athens is a city where ancient ruins and modern art exist side by side.
The city’s neighborhoods are full of outdoor plazas, rooftop restaurants with views of the Acropolis, and markets selling antiques, ceramics, records, and vintage finds. Greek cuisine brings together fresh vegetables, olive oil, seafood, grilled meats, flaky pastries, and rich cheeses like feta. The National Archaeological Museum, home to more than 11,000 exhibits, gives you the chance to come face to face with some of the most famous works of the ancient world. By the end of the summer, you may leave Athens with a favorite museum, a favorite neighborhood, and a whole new way of seeing the world.
Cultural Awareness
CIEE wants all our students to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed while studying abroad. No matter where you choose to study abroad with CIEE, our staff will be on hand throughout your program to provide advice, resources, and support.
Social feed above may feature posts from all CIEE Study Abroad programs, including college programs.
Sample Itinerary
Top Rated Activities
Day Trip to Sounio and Lavrio
At Sounio, the nearly 2,500-year-old Temple of Poseidon rises high above the Aegean Sea on a dramatic cliff overlooking the water below. Built around 440 BCE and dedicated to the Greek god of the sea, it became an important landmark for ancient sailors approaching Athens, who could see its white marble columns from far away. According to mythology, this is also where King Aegeus threw himself into the sea after believing his son, Theseus, had died, giving the Aegean Sea its name.
Continue to Lavrio, a small seaside town about 15 kilometers away that was once one of the most important mining centers in ancient Greece. Silver from Lavrio helped pay for Athens’ navy and public buildings, shaping the city’s power and influence. Today, old industrial sites, colorful fishing boats, waterfront cafés, and neoclassical buildings give the town a completely different feel from Athens. It is the perfect place to see how different periods of Greek history leave their mark on architecture and design.
Trip to Nafplio
In Nafplio, it feels like you have stepped into a movie. Iron balconies hang over narrow stone streets. Bougainvillea spills down pastel buildings. Tiny gelato shops and cafés line the waterfront, and colorful boats bob in the harbor below the ancient fortress.
Located about two hours from Athens along the Argolic Gulf, Nafplio has a completely different look. Once the first capital of modern Greece, the town blends Venetian fortresses, Ottoman fountains and mosques, neoclassical mansions, and colorful seaside buildings. Wander through picturesque little plazas and narrow streets before climbing the nearly 900 steps of the Palamidi Fortress, a massive Venetian stronghold with thick stone walls, lookout towers, and sweeping views over the sea. From the top, you can look out toward Bourtzi Castle, which seems to float in the middle of the harbor. Whether you’re exploring its rich history or enjoying the stunning views, Nafplio offers a glimpse into Greece’s past and a charming escape by the sea.
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Eligibility
- Participants must be 14 years old and above.
- Program open to all current high school students: Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors.
- For scholarship eligibility requirements, please check our scholarship page.
- Please note: Due to the local cuisine and available food options, this program cannot accommodate a fully Kosher or Halal diet.
For more information, refer to the detailed Program Essential Eligibility Criteria.
Dates & Fees
Application Fee
$25
Program scholarships and tuition include iNext Travel Insurance, but do not cover the cost of flights. Find additional details about what’s included with your tuition.
More questions? Find answers, get application support, sign up for virtual presentations, or contact us!
Program |
Application Due |
Start Date |
End Date |
Costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program Summer Session I 2027 3 weeks | Start Date | End Date | Costs $6,500 | |
| Program Summer Session II 2027 3 weeks | Start Date | End Date | Costs $6,500 |
Ready to change your life?
What's Included
Interactive Classes
Housing
3 Meals/Day
(Dietary Needs Accommodated)
All Ground Transportation
(Once In-country)
Optional Flight Chaperone
(Flight Cost Not Included)
Pre-departure Advice and Orientation
Access to WIFI
(No international data plan or SIM card included)
All Cultural Activities and Excursions
Comprehensive Medical and Travel Protection
24/7 Emergency On-site Support
Our Staff
Program Leaders guide and support our High School Summer Abroad participants through every step of their program.
Vicky Kynourgiopoulou
Center Director
Get Started
1
2
Connect with your Teachers or Parents
Share your plans and confirm you're on track to meet all required steps to go abroad.
3
Contact Us
Send us an email if you still have questions or need information about enrolling.
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