Studying abroad in Greece provides students a plethora of sites, views, and places to visit. CYA organizes three field trips a semester to different regions of Greece. However, there’s much more to see beyond those field trips. Previously, we compiled a list of must-see Greek islands, now we’ve asked CYA students, faculty and staff for their favorite places to visit in mainland Greece.

During my time here in Greece, I’m taking a beginning modern Greek class, MGKL 101. I had very little knowledge of modern Greek before arriving in Athens, so I was excited, but nervous, as learning new languages doesn’t come easily to me.

Our Greek professor, Marinetta Papahimona, encourages us to go out and practice our Greek: “While many people you will meet in Athens want to practice their English, you should stress that you want to practice your Greek.”

Just a few blocks from CYA, a farmer’s market, or λαϊκή, takes place on Archimidous street every Friday. Since CYA students do not have classes on Fridays, it’s an excellent time to get fresh fruit and vegetables for the week. I went to the market with the aim to practice my Greek and made a short video about some helpful Greek phrases that I use a lot at the market. Enjoy!

1. Souvlaki (Greek: σουβλάκι [suˈvlaci]) 

The most popular Greek fast food and a no-brainer for all CYAers. Tender pieces of meat tossed in herbs and grilled on skewers, served in warm pita bread and topped with juicy tomatoes, onions fries and tzatziki.

Coffee is no joke in Greece. During our CYA orientation, we learned how to make frappé, an iced coffee, shaken by hand. As every student will tell you, coffeeshops are essential for studying, socializing and caffeinating. Here we’ve gathered students, staff and faculty picks for the best cafes in Athens:

Our Student Ambassadors want to share their CYA experience and encourage others on their home campuses to consider the life-changing beauty of Greece and its inhabitants. One of the first questions we always ask them is: “What do you wish you knew before starting your study abroad experience”?

In this post, we present to you the top 10 pieces of advice for current and future CYAers:

As a non-profit study abroad institution, we aim to help our students find as many options as possible for financial assistance.