We began our summer 2019 trip in Athens, the capital of Greece. Having marveled over Athenian civilization in social studies classes, I expected to be wowed by the overwhelming history of a city that was once the cultural center of the world. I anticipated a city that would look a lot like Rome — a city built around its well-preserved ruins. Athens is similar to Rome in that the expansive city revolves around the Acropolis, but it felt like the city valued its history far less than Rome did. Ancient relics felt randomly interspersed amongst the bustling traffic and sprawls of apartment buildings. The Acropolis itself was a true wonder, but part of the experience was muffled by construction on the Parthenon. For travelers going to Athens: you really don’t need more than a day to cover the highlights.