Greece
Living Heritage: History & Cultural Discovery
About the Program
Bring classroom learning to life on Living Heritage, a nine-day Greece school trip exploring ancient history, mythology, and living Greek traditions. Based in the seaside town of Xylokastro, students visit the Acropolis and Ancient Agora in Athens, discover Ancient Corinth, and explore Ancient Olympia and the theatre of Epidaurus. A mountain excursion to Trikala Korinthias and Mount Ziria connects Greek mythology with the landscape. Along the way, cooking, music, dance, and theatre workshops turn cultural discovery into shared experiences with local people. Through guided inquiry, teamwork, and creative expression, students discover how Greece’s places, people, and values connect the ancient world with everyday life today.
Curriculum Connections
Connect classroom studies of ancient civilizations, democracy and citizenship, theatre and communication, and cultural studies with guided site visits and hands-on activities. Students examine public life in Athens, trade in Ancient Corinth, Olympic values in Olympia, and performance at Epidaurus, alongside contemporary Greek cooking, music, and dance.
Itinerary
This sample nine-day Greece itinerary includes an overnight flight on Day 1, arrival and the start of the program on Day 2, and return travel on Day 9. Based in Xylokastro, the journey combines ancient sites, local traditions, and hands-on learning. Tell us about your group’s goals and preferred travel dates to plan your school trip.
- Depart on an overnight flight to Athens, Greece.
- Arrive in Athens and meet your Global Works trip leader.
- Transfer to Xylokastro, the seaside town that serves as your home base, and settle into your hotel.
- Explore the town through a treasure hunt, discovering local places and working together to solve challenges, as arrival time allows.
- Begin connecting the places you encounter with the stories, traditions, and everyday life of Greece.
- Visit the Acropolis and Parthenon with a licensed heritage guide.
- Explore the Ancient Agora through interactive heritage investigations and a democracy role-play activity.
- Connect ancient ideas about public life and citizenship with the world students know today.
- Enjoy a meal at a traditional Greek taverna.
- Discover Ancient Corinth with a licensed heritage guide and examine its role in trade and cultural exchange.
- Explore Acrocorinth and consider how geography shaped strategic decisions.
- Visit the Corinth Canal and spend the afternoon in the town of Corinth.
- Share a meal at a traditional Greek taverna.
- Prepare a traditional Greek meal together under the guidance of local cooks in Xylokastro.
- Discover how food, hospitality, and family traditions keep cultural heritage alive.
- Join a music, dance, and storytelling workshop.
- Build a miniature baglamas while learning the history of this traditional Greek musical instrument.
- Explore Trikala Korinthias and follow part of the historic mountain path associated with the ancient traveler Pausanias.
- Enjoy lunch at a traditional taverna.
- Visit Mount Ziria, known in antiquity as Kyllene and associated in Greek mythology with the birthplace of Hermes.
- Connect myths and stories with the mountain landscape and consider why they continue to matter today.
- Explore the archaeological site of Ancient Olympia with a licensed heritage guide.
- Complete discovery challenges and missions at the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games.
- Discuss the values of respect, friendship, excellence, cooperation, and fair play.
- Put these values into practice through mini Olympic games.
- Visit the ancient theatre of Epidaurus and explore theatre as a place for dialogue, learning, and reflection.
- Take part in team theatre exercises, improvisation, and communication games.
- Share what you have learned about Greek history, traditions, and cultural identity.
- Close the journey with a group celebration.
- Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and say farewell to Greece.
- Transfer to Athens airport according to your flight schedule and begin your journey home.
Educational Focus & Highlights
Explore Athens & Ancient Corinth
Investigate the Acropolis, Ancient Agora, and Ancient Corinth through guided exploration and interactive activities. Connect ancient ideas about democracy, trade, and community with the world students know today.
Cook, Create & Connect
Prepare traditional food with local cooks, explore Greek music and dance, and build a miniature baglamas. Discover how shared meals and living traditions express hospitality and cultural identity.
Discover the Spirit of Olympia
Explore the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games through discovery challenges and mini Olympic activities. Put teamwork, cooperation, and fair play into practice.
Find Your Voice at Epidaurus
Experience the ancient theatre of Epidaurus through improvisation, group exercises, and communication games. Explore how performance helps people share ideas and understand one another.
Gallery
Lodging
Participants
Participants stay in shared hotel rooms in Xylokastro, a seaside town that serves as our base for exploring Greece. The proposed accommodation is Arion Hotel, located on the seafront and within walking distance of the town center.
Chaperones
Chaperones stay in private rooms at the same hotel as students, unless otherwise noted by the Global Works operations team. Global Works staff are also accommodated at the hotel.
Bring Your Classroom to the World
Collaborate with Global Works on an impactful service-learning travel program for your students.
