Day
1 |
Fly
out of Detroit to Athens. |
|
Arrive
in Athens Airport. |
|
Immediate
departure for Nauplion. |
|
Stop
at and walk over the Corinth
Canal. |
|
Visit
Corinth. Coffee and snacks at a waterfront café. |
|
Arrive
in Nauplion. |
|
Dinner
and overnight at the Hotel Rex. |
|
Nauplion
by night: Optional after dinner walk by the water. |
Day
2 |
Breakfast
at the Hotel Rex. |
|
Explore
Nauplion (the first capital of Greece after the Revolution of
1821) and its surroundings. |
|
Visit
the imposing Venician fortress of Palamidi from which the
view is breathtaking. |
|
Take
a brief boat ride to the charming islet of Bourtzi. |
|
Walk
through the castle, experience history's everlasting presence. |
|
Have
Lunch by the water. |
|
Visit
the Nauplion Archaeological Museum |
|
Stroll
through the charming streets of Nauplion. |
|
Afternoon
at the Arvanitia Beach. |
|
Dinner
at the Hotel Rex. |
|
Enchanting,
evening walk around the hill of Acronauplia
by moonlight
(something to look forward to!!!). |
Day
3 |
Breakfast
at the Hotel Rex. |
|
Visit
the 13th century BC Cyclopean citadel of Tiryns, which Homer
called "wall-girt" (Iliad 2.559). Here, the legends of
Amphitryon, Alcmene, Zeus and Heracles will come alive. |
|
Pass
through Argos, the most ancient of Greek cities, which in
antiquity was sacred to Hera, and was connected with the myth of
Danaos and his fifty pitiful daughters. |
|
Visit
the impressive prehistoric site of Mycenae, which was uncovered in
1874 by Schlieman. Its Cyclopean Walls, its Lion
Gate, its secret
stairway, its tholos tombs are all awe inspiring. |
|
Lunch |
|
Visit
Nemea, presently famous for its wines, but more well known in
antiquity for its athletic games, and Heracles' first labor; for
it was here that the hero had killed the fierce lion whose skin he
always wore. |
|
Return
to Nauplion |
|
Visit
the Arvanitia beach if time allows. |
|
Dinner
at the Hotel Rex. |
Day
4 |
Breakfast
at the Hotel Rex. |
|
Day
at Epidaurus, famous for its sanctuary of Asplepeios, the healer
son of Apollo, and its outstanding ancient theater. |
|
Visit
the entire site and the museum. |
|
Lunch
and afternoon at the beach |
|
Dinner
on our own today. During dinner we will analyze the play we will
see this evening |
|
Attend
evening Greek Drama performance at the ancient theater. |
|
Return
to Nauplion. Overnight at Hotel Rex. |
Day
5 |
Breakfast
at the Hotel Rex. |
|
Depart
from Nauplion |
|
Pass
through Lerna, the place where Heracles killed the multi-headed
monster Hydra. |
|
Stop
at Tripolis, which played an important part during the
Greek Revolution. |
|
Lunch
in Sparta, one of the most powerful city states of ancient Greece. |
|
Afternoon
exploration of Mystras, the last major cultural center of the
Byzantine Empire. Its haunting castles, with the panoramic view,
its monasteries, churches and palaces will revive Greece’s
medieval
history, and will keep us captive for hours. |
|
Arrive
in Gythion. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Pantheon. |
Day
6 |
After
breakfast we will visit the spectacular Diros
Caves. In a thirty
minute boat ride in the caves, we will marvel at the overhanging
stalactites, which are reflected by the stream water below. |
|
Lunch |
|
Afternoon
visit and exploration of Monemvasia, which reached its prime in
the 15th century . It is nicknamed "the Gibraltar of
Greece," and it is the birth place of the famous 20th century
poet Yannis Ritsos. The upper town here is in ruins, but the lower
town is restored and awe inspiring. |
|
Return
to Gythion. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Pantheon. |
Day
7 |
After
breakfast we will explore Mani. |
|
We
will enjoy lunch and the beach at Neo Oityeo. |
|
Drive
to Kalamata. |
|
Dinner
and overnight at Hotel Pharea |
|
Optional
evening city strolling. |
Day
8 |
After
breakfast we will visit the intriguing site of Messene, whose
towers, bouleuterion and temples date from the 4rth century BC. |
|
Lunch |
|
Visit
Koroni, Methoni, Pylos, Sfakteria, and Nestor’s Palace, where
Homer’s stories will come alive. |
|
Arrive
in Olympia. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Europa. |
Day
9 |
After
breakfast visit the Ancient Site and the Archeological Museum of Olympia, where the
Olympic Games originated in 776 BC. |
|
Late
lunch by the beach. |
|
Stop
for coffee and a short visit at Patras. |
|
Dinner
at Xylocastro (on our own). |
|
Arrive
in Athens. |
|
Overnight
at the Hotel St. George
Lycabettus. |
Day
10 |
After
breakfast we will celebrate the golden age of Athens by exploring
the Acropolis and the Agora areas with their multiple monuments
and their museums. |
|
Lunch
at the surrounding area. |
|
Return
to the Hotel. Rest |
|
Evening
walk and dinner at Plaka, below the Acropolis (on our own). |
|
Overnight
at the Hotel St. George
Lycabettus. |
Day
11 |
After
breakfast leave for an extensive sight seeing tour of Athens. It
will include ancient
monuments, byzantine churches, modern
neoclassical buildings, the Panathenaic Stadium, the National
Garden, the
Parliament House in front of which we will watch the impressive
change of the
guard by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. |
|
Lunch
at the Garden of the National Museum. |
|
Visit
the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. |
|
Return
to the Hotel. Rest. |
|
Evening
Visit and dinner at the Lecabettus Hill from which the view is
majestic. |
|
Overnight
at the Hotel St. George
Lecabettus. |
Day
12 |
After
breakfast depart for:
a) The airport to return to the USA
b) The optional 4 day Aegean Island Cruise |