When I found out I was spending three months in Europe, my Italian heritage put Italy at the top of my must-visit list. However, not much compares to the feeling I got stepping through the Propylea and seeing the Parthenon for the first time. Studying it in architectural history and then being able to stand in front of it were so different. It was a surreal experience, and even though we only spent an hour there, that visit has stayed so close to my heart.