Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
AThENS • mYcENAE “ the minoan civilization was TAlENTEd, cUlTIVATEd ANd EXTrEmElY rIch ” mONEmVASíA • KNOSSOS crETE • SYrAcUSE • mAlTA TrApANI • SEGESTA JOHN JULIUS NORWICH pAlErmO • mONrEAlE ATHENS TO ROME – A MEDITERRANEAN SPRING VOYAGE FROM MINOAN CRETE TO THE TREASURES OF BYZANTINE SICILY This journey to Athens, Crete, Malta and Sicily not only offers you the opportunity to visit some of the greatest sites of antiquity but also the possibility to enjoy some much needed spring sunshine. The usually good weather points to the importance that climate played in the development of the great classical civilizations: the short, mild winters and long, warm summers created the perfect conditions for these remarkable societies to thrive. Springtime in Greece is truly wonderful: the wild flowers are starting to bloom, the temperatures are warming up and the crowds have not yet descended on the major sites. This is the perfect time to explore the treasures of classical Athens including, of course, the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum. The countryside surrounding the ancient city of Mycenae and the Byzantine churches of Monemvasía will be coming to life adding to the splendor of these remarkable places. The relative lack of crowds will be a real bonus for those who take the option of visiting the magnificent theater at Epidaurus. As your journey continues to Crete and Malta, you will see the remains of two early civilizations: the Minoan Palace at Knossos dating from the second millennia BC and the even earlier Megalithic Tombs of Malta (c.5000BC). It is your final destination before returning home, however, that demonstrates the importance of environmental and geographical factors on the development of Mediterranean civilization. With its benevolent climate and superb strategic position, Sicily has been coveted, fought over and colonized. The Phoenicians, Athenians, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Byzantines and Bourbons have all made their mark on this astonishing island. The architectural and artistic legacies of these great civilizations have left Sicily with a number of unique buildings and archaeological sites. Sicily is a celebration of the greatest achievements of western civilization: the superbly well-preserved Greek temples of Segesta, the Norman Royal Palace and Palatine Chapel in Palermo and the dazzling mosaics of Monreale Cathedral. Civitavecchia ITALY Trapani GREECE Palermo SICILY Syracuse Valle!a MALTA 15 dAYS frOm Athens Nauplia Monemvasía Rethimnon Mycenæ Mediterranean Sea $3,795 pEr pErSON* INclUdING 2-NIGhT prE-crUISE hOTEl STAY IN AThENS departing march 18, 2012 24 CRETE Heraklion * For full cruise fares, please see pages 100, 101 VOYAGE ITINErArY day 1 depart usa day 2 athens, GrEEcE Arrive in Athens and transfer to hotel. dAY 3 athens A full-morning’s guided tour of the ancient citadel of Athens, the Acropolis. Built during the “Golden Age” of Athens between 447-438BC under the orders of the great statesman Pericles, the Acropolis represents the magnificent achievements of Athenian culture during this era. You will also visit the recently opened Acropolis Museum. After lunch you are free to relax or continue exploring the city. dAY 4 athens/piraeus Minoan Palace of Knossos, Crete malta and the riddle oF the tombs There is very little known about the origins of Malta’s unique Hypogeum (underground temple complex) and megalithic tombs. The Hypogeum, discovered in 1902, has a labyrinth of corridors and chambers on three levels that were cut from the soft limestone about 5,000 years ago. It is believed to have been a place of worship and a burial chamber (the remains of over 7,000 bodies have been found). Another mystery is the construction of the two other ancient temple sites of Hagar Qim and Mnajdra: some of the standing stones here are so large that archaeologists are baffled as to how they were raised upright. After spending a morning in Athens when you are free to visit the marvellous National Archaeological Museum, the ancient Agora and the magnificent Hephaisteion or simply wander through the streets of the bustling Plaka district, you check out of your hotel and transfer to the port of Piraeus to board Aegean Odyssey. Nightime departure for Nauplia. dAY 5 nauplia/mycenae/ epidaurus Anchor off the port of Nauplia in time for breakfast. The morning will be dedicated to exploring the great Mycenaean culture that flourished in this area, known as the Argolid plain, between 1600-1300BC. At its heart is the ancient city of Mycenae, reputedly the capital of Agamemnon and the “well-built citadel” of Homer’s Iliad. In the afternoon there is the option to visit Epidaurus, sacred to Asclepios, the god of medicine, and the site of the best preserved of all ancient Greek theaters. Or you may choose to visit the elegant town of Nauplia where you will find an excellent Archaeological Museum, housed in the impressive former Venetian arsenal. Return to Aegean Odyssey for a night-time sailing to Monemvasía. day 6 monemvasía A massive rock rising from the sea and joined to the mainland by a causeway built in the 6th century, it is easy to see how Monemvasía got its nickname “the Gibraltar of Greece.” The morning will be spent on a walking tour of the lower town, which includes the 13th- century Christós Elkómenos cathedral with its Venetian belfry. In the afternoon, for those who feel energetic, there is a path leading to the upper town to see the Byzantine church of Agia Sofia. Alternatively you can choose to take a full-day optional excursion to the remains of ancient Sparta and the glorious array of Byzantine monuments in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Mystras. Late evening departure for Crete. 25 dAY 12 trapani/segesta, sicily Valletta, Malta day 7 heraklion, crete day 10 syracuse, sicily dAY 13 palermo The heyday of Minoan civilization (2000-1600BC) was marked by the construction of great palaces, the best known of which is Knossos. Excavations were begun in 1899 by the British archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans, who controversially “restored” the palace with his own eccentric ideas of Minoan interior design. The morning is dedicated to the Minoan site of Knossos. After lunch, you are free to visit Heraklion’s other treasures including the church of Agios Markos, built by the Venetians in 1239. Overnight sail to Rethimnon. The Greek theater in Syracuse is one of the best examples of ancient theater architecture anywhere and is one of the sites we will be visiting this morning. Before lunch, you will also be guided around the wonderful Archaeological Museum. The afternoon will be spent on the island of Ortygia, the picturesque original heart of Syracuse. Here you will see the ruins of the Temple of Apollo, the cathedral which has been built on to an original Greek temple, and the fortifications of the Castello Eurialo built by the Greeks in 402BC to defend Syracuse. Late evening departure for Valletta, Malta. This morning, there is a tour of the Norman Royal Palace and the Palatine Chapel, the perfect illustration of that miraculous Norman combination of Latin, Byzantine and Arab culture. Close by is San Giovanni degli Eremiti, a Norman church decorated with Arabic domes and an exquisite Romanesque cloister. A short walk will take you to Palermo Cathedral and the tremendous porphyry tombs of Roger II, his daughter Constance, his son-in-law the Emperor Henry VI and his grandson the Emperor Frederick II. An afternoon at leisure to relax on board or continue your visit to the sites of Palermo. Overnight Palermo. day 8 rethimnon/chaniÁ The morning will be spent visiting the well-preserved Venetian and Ottoman architecture in Rethimnon. In the afternoon, there is an option to see the beautiful town of Chaniá, one of the main Venetian strongholds on Crete. Return to the ship for the sail to Syracuse, Sicily. day 9 at sea A chance to relax and enjoy the program of lectures as you make your way to Syracuse in Sicily. 26 Arrive at the port of Trapani at lunchtime and in the afternoon you will visit the ancient Greek city of Segesta with its majestic 36-columned, 5th-century BC temple and stunning Greek theater. Evening departure for Palermo. day 11 valletta, malta dAY 14 palermo The capital city of Malta, Valletta was founded by the Knights of St John in 1566. The morning will be spent touring the city including the Baroque St John’s Co-Cathedral (which houses Caravaggio’s masterpiece The Beheading of St John) and the magnificent Palace of the Grand Masters. A little way outside Valletta is Malta’s ancient capital, Mdina. A trip to this enchanting medieval town is another highlight of this morning’s tour. In the afternoon you are free to continue exploring fascinating and beautiful Valletta. Evening sail to Trapani, Sicily. After breakfast, you will travel the small distance out of Palermo to experience the beauty and grace of Monreale Cathedral, with its glorious 12th-century mosaics covering over 11/2 acres of wall space and its cloister, perhaps the most magnificent in the world. Lunchtime departure for Civitavecchia. dAY 15 fly home Transfer to Rome Airport for the flight home. archimedes oF syracuse (c287-212bc) Among the many inventions of the great Greek polymath was a fearsome weapon known as the “Claw of Archimedes”. Designed to defend the city of Syracuse, the claw or “ship shaker” as it was also known, comprised a crane-like arm from which was suspended a metal grappling hook. This device would fall upon enemy ships and lift them out of the water. However, even this archaic weapon of mass destruction was not enough to defeat the Romans when they besieged the city in 214212BC and when Syracuse fell, Archimedes was slain by an enemy soldier despite the orders of the Roman general Marcellus to spare his life. ITINERARY INSPIRATIONS GUEST SPEAKER TOPICS INCLUDE: GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE: THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CLASSICAL CIVILIZATIONS THE FIRST SOCIETIES: THE MINOANS AND THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE MEDITERRANEAN TRADING PLACES: HOW COMMERCE SHAPED THE CLASSICAL WORLD Palatine Chapel, Royal Palace, Palermo 27