This blog post written by Smithsonian student Amelia B.

The group got an early start to the day. We ate a quick breakfast at the hotel, and then made our way over to Kera by bus. The crew embarked on a hike through the mountains of Crete. The walk lasted about two and a half hours, and the views were worth the wait! There were beautiful mountain ranges with views of the water and an amazing reservoir.

After taking the time to take it all in, we began the walk down. For the last part, everyone was given the opportunity to partake in a solo hike. It was a silent walk so that we could take in the views and sounds of nature. At the end of that, the group ate an amazing home-cooked lunch on the mountain side.

We then made our way back to the bus and ventured off to see Zeus’s cave. Jonah explained the significance of this cave to the group on the way over while we continued to take in the views of Crete.

After taking a good look around, the crew made its way back to the bus, where we journeyed back to the hotel. Everyone shared a traditional Greek dinner with a sunset view. We ended the day with a walk along the water. It was an amazing day, despite being sore from our walking!