"As you set out for Ithaka
Hope that the voyage is a long one
Full of adventure, full of discovery ...
Laistrygonians and Cyclops,
Angry Poseidon - don't be afraid of them:
You'll never find things like that on your way
As long as you keep your thoughts raised high,
As long as a rare excitement
Stirs your spirit and your body ...
Keep Ithaka always in your mind
Arriving there is what you are destined for".

Constantine Cavafy, from the poem 'Ithaka'

This three week study tour has an emphasis on the archaeological remains of ancient Greece. Our tour begins at the important classical site of Corinth. Here we see the ruins of the ancient city including the Temple of Apollo, and visit the superb Venetian and Ottoman castle on the 'Acrocorinth'. We head to Nauplion which is our base for exploring the wonderful Mycenaean remains in the Peloponnesus. We visit the ancient fortified citadels of Mycenae and Tiryns and explore their remarkable Late Bronze Age tholos tombs. In Nauplion we see the splendid collection of Mycenaean artefacts in the Archaeological Museum. From Nauplion we also see the classical temple of Zeus in Nemea, and the shrine of Asclepius in Epidaurus with its stunning classical theatre.

We then head west across the Peloponnesus to the site of Olympia. Here we explore the newly restored Archaeological Museum and the picturesque ruins of the ancient site, home of the ancient Olympic Games - highlights include the Temples of Zeus and Hera and the ancient running track. We then travel to Delphi where we explore the remains of the sanctuary of Apollo and visit the Delphi Museum with its wonderful collection of sculpture from the site.

We fly to Crete where we explore the ancient Minoan sites. Our tour begins at the Minoan Palace site of Knossos which was famously 'restored' by Arthur Evans in the late 19th Century. We see the Iraklion Archaeological Museum with its extensive collection of Minoan artefacts and also visit the Minoan Palace sites of Phaestus and Aghia Triadha. Located near the scenic southern coast of Crete, we enjoy the fabulous mountain scenery en route. We next travel by ferry to the island of Santorini where we have the opportunity of enjoying this spectacular place. The island is a flooded volcano and our hotel has fantastic panoramic views of the caldera. On Santorini we visit the Minoan ruins of Akrotiri and see the fascinating Archaeological Museum.

Our tour ends in Athens where we explore the outstanding remains of the Classical and Roman city. We take a walking tour of the ancient Agora and see the ruins of the Roman Forum. We spend a day exploring the fabulous National Archaeological Museum and walk up to the Acropolis to see the Parthenon and other temples. We visit the newly opened Acropolis Museum which contains stunning sculpture from the area. We also visit the nearby island of Aegina to enjoy the temple of Aphaia. Our program ends with a day trip by bus to see the picturesque Shrine of Artemis at Brauron and the marvellous Temple of Poseidon at Sounion.

The Parthenon on the Athenian Acropolis

ITINERARY*

Day 1: Depart Australia
Our flight on Singapore Airlines leaves Australia with a short stop over in Singapore.

Day 2: Arrive in Athens - Corinth - bus to Nauplion
We arrive in Athens in the early morning and are met by our bus. We travel the short distance to Corinth where we see the ruins of this important Greco-Roman city. The temple of Apollo is a highlight and the onsite museum contains interesting sculpture from the region. We then drive up to the 'Acrocorinth' to see the majestic Venetian and Ottoman castle which provides a superb view over the Gulf. In the afternoon we head to the picturesque seaside town of Nauplion where we check into our hotel - this will be our base for the next 4 days.

Day 3: Mycenae - Nemea
In the morning we travel north to Mycenae to see the impressive Late Bronze Age city and tombs. The enormous tholos tombs are particularly impressive as is the famous 'Lion Gate'. The site museum is excellent and has a fine collection of artefacts from the excavations. In the afternoon we see the recently reconstructed Temple of Zeus at Nemea and the nearby stadium for the pan-Hellenic Nemean games which still retains evidence of the original mechanism which operated the starting gates.


Day 4: Nauplion Museum - free afternoon
This morning we visit the Nauplion Museum which has recently been restored and is well laid out and labelled - artefacts include a number of suits of Mycenaean armour and numerous grave goods from the area. In the afternoon there is free time in Nauplion. The local castle can be visited, there are numerous shops to explore, or you can simply rest and relax.

Day 5: Tiryns - Epidaurus
In the morning we headed to Tiryns to see the splendid Mycenaean city walls and palace. Most impressive are the corbelled storage rooms and the well defended gates. We then head east to visit the site of Epidauros, home of a major cult to the healing god Asclepius. A highlight of the visit is the theatre at Epidauros, one of the best preserved from the ancient world. Much of the sanctuary is being restored including the tholos temple and sleeping quarters.

Day 6: Travel by bus to Olympia - Olympia Museum
From Nauplion we drive across the Peloponnesus to the site of Olympia. After lunch at a restaurant in town we explore the excellent site museum which contains a superb new display of the restored pedimental sculpture from the temples as well as numerous artefacts and statues from the sanctuaries.

Day 7: Olympia - travel by bus to Delphi
The day is set aside to survey the remains of Olympia, a large site with many well preserved buildings. Most impressive are the tholos temple and the Doric Temples of Hera and Zeus. The Olympic running track also gives one a good impression of the games. In the late afternoon we travel to Delphi, crossing the impressive suspension bridge over the Gulf of Corinth. The route is very scenic as we look out over a wide valley leading down to sea.

Day 8: Delphi
This day is set aside for our exploration of ancient Delphi - we walk up through the ancient sanctuary exploring the remains of numerous 'treasuries' to the Temple of Apollo, god of light and music. We then continue further up to see the magnificent theatre and stadium. The lower sanctuary with its distinctive tholos temple and gymnasium is also examined.


Day 9: Delphi Museum - Bus to Athens airport - fly to Iraklion in Crete
In the morning we visit the site museum of Delphi. The sculpture from the antiquities site is superb, and ranges from archaic kouroi statues to the famous bronze 'charioteer'. In the afternoon we leave Delphi and head south to Athens airport where we catch our one hour flight to Iraklion in Crete. We check into our new hotel which is our base for the next 3 nights.

Day 10: Knossos - Iraklion Archaeological Museum
In the morning we visit the fascinating ruins of the ancient Minoan palace of Knossos, located on a scenic hill overlooking a picturesque valley. Extensively 'restored' by Arthur Evans in the late 19th Century, the palace remains are extensive and we will take our time to fully understand them. In the afternoon we see the Iraklion archaeological museum which contains an impressive collection of artefacts from the Minoan palace sites (due to reopen in early 2010, otherwise we see the display of highlights).

Day 11: Phaestos - Aghia Triadha
Today we head into the interior of Crete, passing through some very scenic country on our way to the archaeological sites of Phastos and Aghia Triadha. The first site is a major Minaon palace with a spectacular view of the snow capped mountains in the distance; the private rooms of the palace are well preserved. Aghia Triadha is a small Minoan palace near the coast with many well preserved rooms.


Day 12: Ferry to Santorini - Free day on Santorini
This morning we catch a ferry to the island of Santorini. The 80 km trip takes about 2 hours. The island is a flooded volcano and one approaches the main ferry stop as the towering cliffs rise above you. The rest of the day is free to explore the many wonders of Santorini. The choices are endless: take a trip by ferry to the active volcano, take a walk along the edge of the volcano rim for magnificent views of the entire caldera, explore the numerous shops in the town, read a book, or simply relax while enjoying the splendid views from the hotel.

Day 13: Akrotiri - Fira Archaeological Museum
Today we explore the remarkable archaeological heritage of Santorini. We explore the fascinating ruins of the Minoan site of Akrotiri which is justly famous for its well preserved houses and frescoes (the site is under restoration and due to open in early 2010 - if it is not open we will visit the Hellenistic ruins of Thera instead). In the afternoon we see the Fira Archaeological Museum which contains numerous artefacts from Akrotiri.

Day 14: Fly to Athens - walking tour of the Agora and Roman Forum
In the morning we fly to Athens and check into our hotel. From here we walk to the Athenian Agora, the ancient heart of the city. This fascinating area retains numerous ancient structures from the classical period including the superb Temple of Hephaestus. The Agora Museum in the reconstructed Stoa of Attalus contains a wonderful selection of artefacts from the Agora area. After lunch we see the superb 'Library of Hadrian' in the Roman Forum. Most impressive is the 'Tower of the Winds' with beautiful relief scenes of personified breezes.

Day 15: Athens National Archaeological Museum
Today we have an extended look at the wonderful National Archaeological Museum in Athens. This remarkable collection of antiquities includes magnificent sculpture and reliefs, including the famous bronze statue of Poseidon. The interior rooms on the ground floor are dedicated to the Mycenaean treasures including the famous Death Mask of Agamemnon from Mycenae. After lunch in the Museum cafe we explore the extensive re-vamped collection of Greek pottery and the excellent display of artefacts from Akrotiri on Santorini.

Day 16: Walking tour of the Acropolis - Acropolis Museum
The day is set aside to visit the acropolis of Athens and the newly opened Acropolis Museum. Our walk begins with a visit to the Temple of Olympian Zeus at the base of the Acropolis. We then see the Theatre of Dionysus and the Asclepius Shrine, located on the south slope of the acropolis. We climb up to the summit of the acropolis to see the recently restored Parthenon and the beautiful Erechtheion Temple. The view across the city from the summit is stunning. After lunch we see the new Acropolis Museum which contains a stunning collection of sculpture from the area.


Day 17: Aegina - Temple of Aphaia
Today we visit the beautiful island of Aegina, located to the south of Athens in the Saronic Gulf. We catch the morning ferry from Piraeus Harbour to the island. We explore the ruins of the fortified Bronze Age city near the port, including the temple of Apollo and then make our way by bus across the island to see the beautiful Temple of Aphaia. This superb Doric shrine is located on a high point overlooking the sea and is very well preserved.

Day 18: Brauron Artemis sanctuary - Sounion Temple of Poseidon
In the morning we head to the ancient shrine of Artemis at Brauron. Set in a rural landscape the compound preserves evidence of ancient dining halls and temple. We have lunch by the seaside before making our way to the south coast of Attica to visit the remains of the picturesque Temple of Poseidon on the end of Cape Sounion. This beautiful Doric shrine was designed to give aid to travellers of the Aegean and commands a stunning view across the Saronic Gulf.

Day 19: Depart Athens
There is some free time in the morning. We board our plane for the flight back to Australia, stopping at Singapore on the way.

Day 20: Arrive in Australia
Arrive back in Australia.

* Please note that the Company reserves the right to make alterations to the itinerary in the period up to 60 days prior to a tour departure. The itinerary may also be subject to minor re-arrangement due to the scheduling of the operators and availability of access. If this occurs, the Company will endeavour to provide a comparable alternative.

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