Opa! From Myth to Reality: Da Vinci’s Atlas Program in Greece
This spring, 45 Da Vinci students stepped off the plane and into a living myth. Over nine extraordinary days, they wandered Classical and Medieval ruins, tasted food kissed by olive oil and sea salt, and felt the spirit of thousands of years of history beneath their feet — all across four legendary destinations: Athens, Delphi, Meteora, and Thessaloniki.
In Athens, they climbed toward the sky to stand before the Parthenon, its ancient marble columns glowing gold in the Grecian sun. In Delphi, they walked the same sacred path that people once traveled to consult the Oracle, surrounded by the wild mountain of Parnassus. At Meteora, where the rain and clouds made this experience even more magical, students ascended the monasteries impossibly perched atop soaring rock pinnacles — a sight that left all our students awestruck. You should really Google “Meteora”. It’s incredible! And in Thessaloniki, they descended into the cool darkness of the royal tombs of King Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, touching the edge of one of history's greatest empires. A dedicated professional tour director and local, Eva, was with us 24/7, weaving stories into every cobblestone and column, making sure we understood everything we saw and experienced.
But Greece wasn't just monuments — it was meals shared over plates piled high with spanakopita and souvlaki, afternoons lost in beautiful market streets hunting for the perfect souvenir. One student shares, “my favorite highlights from the Greece trip have to be the new food I’ve tried and the new friends I made along the way….”
The Atlas travel program has been sending Da Vinci students across the world for over 13 years, partnering with EF Educational Tours to create journeys that are as educational as they are unforgettable. Led by teachers Frank Solis and Jennifer Shinn, Atlas has now travelled to more than 16 countries — and every trip positively changes the students who take it. As one student put it: “I would recommend the Atlas trips because it’s a good way to get to see other places around the world with your friends. It’s cool because we learn a lot on the trips but have a lot of fun as well.”
All Da Vinci high school students are welcome on these amazing trips that help connect our educational community and foster a keen curiosity to learn more about the world. Biannca shared, “One of my favorite highlights from the trip was making new friends and meeting people from the different Da Vinci schools who I didn’t think I’d ever talk to. We got to build connections with people that could last through the rest of our high school years or hopefully even beyond.”
In spring 2027, the Da Vinci Schools Atlas program will go to Peru! The 2028 destination will be announced at the beginning of the 2026-27 school year. Stay tuned via school blogs and social media. These trips cost between $3800 and $4500 and enrollment begins 18 months prior to departure.
For more information, contact Frank Solis at fsolis@davincischools.org or Jennifer Shinn at jshinn@davincischools.org.
