Journey through Ancient Greece

19 - 26 October 2002

Saturday: Depart Heathrow 16.35 for Athens by scheduled flight (Olympic Airways): Coach to Hotel Pythagorian in centre of Athens.

Sunday: Free day in Athens. We will lead a group through the Ancient Agora to the Temple of Hephaistos and then up to the Acropolis, to the Parthenon and the Erichtheum and the museum.
If you prefer you can go off to visit the National Archaeological Museum, the Kerameikon, go to the flea market, shopping, or linger over lunch in the Plaka. (all within walking distance of our hotel.) You could also visit the temple of Aphaia on the Island of Egina which is reached by frequent hydrofoils from Piraeus.
Monday: 0845 start for five day tour. We drive along the bay of Salamis to the Corinth canal, where we have a brief stop, to the Graeco-Roman city of Corinth. Then we go on to Homer's 'city of gold' of Mycenae, (built about 1250BC) with the famous 'Lion's gate'; an awe inspiring site, rich in history and mystery. After a lunch stop at 'La Belle Helene' (where Schliemann stayed during the excavations) we will visit 'wall girt' Tiryns, built 50 years before Mycenae and birthplace of Herakles
We stay for 2 nights in Nafplio, a charming and elegant Venetian seaside resort popular with Athenians. It is dominated by the Palamidi, a Frankish/Venetian fortress reached by 870 steps (or by our coach!). The promenade is a lovely place to watch the world go by over a coffee or a beer as the sun sets over the Bourtzi.
Tuesday: 0830 visit to the museum in Nafplio where there are many beautiful and interesting finds from the Argolid region, including a complete Mycenean suit of armour. We then make our first visit to the Sanctuary of Zeus and the stadium at Nemea* where Herakles overcame the lion, and where the Nemean games were held in thanksgiving. This is a lovely site with an excellent museum.
Next we go to the Epidaurus site of the spectacular theatre, built in the 3rd century BC with perfect acoustics and the Sanctuary of Asklepios.
If the weather is warm enough we will stop at Karetena beach near Nafplio for a swim.
Wednesday 0830 We leave Nafplio for nearby Argos, where we will visit the (modern!) market, the museum and the ancient Greek theatre and Roman public baths. We then go to Lerna (where Herakles tackled the Hydra) to the 'House of Tiles' built in 2200BC. A beautiful drive through the mountains brings us to the Temple of Apollo Epicurian at Vasses (Bassae). The picture shows it as it was before it was encased in an enormous tent; it is currently being extensively restored..
We stay overnight at Olympia,where our hotel is within walking distance of the site.
Thursday: Visit to the great sanctuary of Olympia, venue of the ancient pan-Hellenic games, and the magnificent museum containing the superb sculptures from the Temple of Zeus and the famous statue of Hermes by Praxitiles.
1300 leave for Patras and short ferry crossing of the Gulf of Corinth (maybe our last as the bridge is nearing completion). Scenic drive along the coast (with coffee stop at Clovino beach) to Delphi where we stay the night. (Our hotel is within walking distance of site; visit at sun rise optional!)

Friday Visit the Sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi, the most famous of the cult sites in Ancient Greece and the shrine of the Oracle, set at the foot of the dramatic crags of Mount Parnassus. The museum contains many beautiful works, including the bronze charioteer.
Leave Delphi at 13.30 for a lunch and shopping stop in Arachova, a few minutes drive away, famous for rugs and other woollen products. Return to Athens,

Saturday: Free day in Athens; (We will lead a group to the National Archaelogical Museum)
approx. 4.00pm: coach to airport, flight departs 7pm

Note: Some of the journeys are long, but much of the scenery is spectacular, our coach is comfortable and air conditioned and Christos, who has been driving us for 10 years, is a safe and careful driver.


Sunset over the Bourtzi at Nafplion

*To find out more about Nemea look at www.nemea.org

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