Odyssey Through Ancient GreeceAPRIL 6 – 19, 2019

Walk the streets of Socrates, explore the home of a Trojan War hero, experience the glory of an Olympian… and the food, beaches and sea.

For centuries, Greece has served as a symbol of Western culture. The birthplace of democracy, philosophy, theatre and history, Greece has influenced cultures throughout the world. This is an amazing opportunity to wander the streets where some of civilization’s most important ideas and advances took shape and enjoy regional food and wine, while taking in the architectural masterpieces from the glorious Greek periods long past. Few countries can compete with its Classical origins, art, architecture, literary traditions, beaches or cuisine. Our trip is designed to familiarize you with Greece’s key historical, cultural and artistic aspects from its earliest beginnings in the Bronze Age through to the extensive cultural achievements of the Classical period.

ItineraryAPRIL 6-7 Depart Calgary for Athens. Upon arrival, we will familiarize ourselves with the city and explore the Plaka. In the evening we will gather in Monastiraki Square, with its amazing open-air markets and restaurants, to enjoy our first delicious Greek meal together. D

APRIL 8 After breakfast, we begin our odyssey with a light climb up the hill of the Areopagus (“Rock of Ares”), followed by the Hill of the Pnyx – the first site of democracy! You can see where great orators like Demosthenes, Pericles, and Themistocles addressed the Athenians. In the afternoon, we embark on a panoramic tour of Athens and its most important monuments and landmarks. B

APRIL 9 We spend the morning in Athens visiting the National Archaeological Museum, which is considered one of the greatest museums in the world! After lunch, we explore the ruins of the ancient Athenian Agora, and walk in the footsteps of Socrates and Plato. We then follow the Panathenaic Way to the main city gate of antiquity, the Dipylon, the starting point for the great procession of the Panathenaea, the highlight of the most important festival in ancient Athens. We will also explore the Street of Tombs and its excellent museum, which gives us a vivid sense of ancient life. The remainder of the day will be open to explore at your leisure. B

$3,695Includes land, tuition and GST

$1,495Estimated air travel

MealsIncluded meals are shown B: Breakfast, L: Lunch, D: Dinner

Activity Level: Moderate

Orientation Course March 20 and April 3 | W 7 - 9:30 p.m. | UCalgary campus

Topics for discussion: history, art, literature and culture of ancient Greece, with emphasis on the Archaic and Classical periods, as well as background information for the sites we will be visiting.

GREECE

Delphi

Olympia Tolo

Athens

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APRIL 10 We begin this busy day visiting the Theatre of Dionysus, the world’s first theatre and birthplace of Greek tragedy and comedy. From there, we take a short stroll to the Acropolis Museum and the top-floor Parthenon Gallery, a glass atrium housing the famous Parthenon’s temple’s frieze, metopes and sculptures. In the late afternoon we visit the Acropolis and its monuments, which all stand as visible reminders of the artistic and cultural achievements of 5th century Athens. We spend our evening at an authentic tavern, enjoying traditional Greek cuisine, music and dance. B

APRIL 11 After an early breakfast, we travel by coach to Marathon, on the coast of the Aegean. The town may be small, but in 490 BCE, the surrounding plain was the site of one of the most important battles in world history where Athenian soldiers bravely defended Greece from a Persian invasion. All over the area, you can see traces of the event – most importantly the enormous burial mound of the 192 Athenians who bravely fell in battle. After lunch we explore the Byzantine monastery, Hosios Loukas, a UNESCO World Heritage site and founded in the early 10th century CE by the hermit Saint Luke. Finally, we make our way to the National Park of Parnassus just in time for dinner in the famous town of Delphi. B

APRIL 12 After breakfast, we climb up to the archaeological site of Ancient Delphi, considered by the ancient Greeks the “navel” of the world and their most important religious site. Situated on the southern slope of Mount Parnassus with spectacular views of the Gulf of Corinth, it is easy to understand why Apollo chose this place to reveal himself to his followers! On our tour we will amble along the Sacred Way visiting the Temple of Apollo (where the Oracle was located), the Polygonal Wall of the old Athenian forum, the Amphitheatre, the circular Temple of Athena Pronaia and the Stadium and the Gymnasium where adults and children trained and competed in the Pythian Games. The afternoon is spent at your leisure, or take an optional hike along the foothills of Mount Parnassus. B

APRIL 13 We continue our Odyssey traveling westward by bus to Ancient Olympia, stopping for lunch at the medieval town of Nafpaktos. Because it is situated at the narrowest point of the Gulf of Corinth, in 1571 it was the site of the naval battle of Lepanto. This battle is particularly noteworthy for the participation of a young Spanish marine, Miguel de Cervantes, who lost his left hand in the fighting and upon returning to Spain wrote the masterpiece Don Quixote. A statue at the harbor entrance commemorates his brave contributions to the sea battle. After arriving in Olympia, we have a few hours to relax and explore the picturesque town. B

APRIL 14 An early morning takes us to the site of Ancient Olympia, which dates back to 776 BCE when Olympia hosted the most significant athletic competition in all of Greece to honour Zeus, and which gave rise to our modern Olympic Games. Anyone can run the track and earn eternal glory just as the ancient Greeks did! Afterward we visit the temples to Hera and Olympian Zeus (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World) and a shrine to Phillip II, father of Alexander the Great, as well as all the facilities where athletes from all corners of ancient Greece would prepare for months prior to their participation in the games. After lunch, we explore the Museum of the History of the Olympic Games. B

APRIL 15 Today we travel across the Kalamata region with its countless olive farms to visit the archaeological site of Messene, a UNESCO World Heritage site. In the shadow of Mount Ithome, Ancient Messene was founded in 371 BC by the Theban general Epaminondas who freed the local population from Spartan oppression and used the city as an outpost to keep watch over Sparta. The city is in an amazing state of preservation with a fully intact theatre, stadium, athletic centre, and a well-preserved agora. After lunch we continue across the Peloponnesus to the seaside town of Tolo, where we finish our day by dipping our toes in the blue waters of the Aegean and a delightful seafood dinner. B

APRIL 16 After breakfast we head to the UNESCO World Heritage archaeological sites of Mycenae and Tiryns, the two greatest cities of the powerful Mycenaean civilization, which dominated the eastern Mediterranean world from the 15th to the 12th century BCE. These cities are intimately linked to the great epics of Homer, the Iliad and The Odyssey, which have influenced European art and literature for more than three millennia. We explore the Epidaurus’ stadium, its various temples, the small museum with its fascinating collection of surgical instruments, and the sacred Abaton where suppliants spent the night in hopes of being visited in their dreams with a cure from Asclepius. However, the real draw of Epidaurus is the perfectly preserved ancient theatre with its astounding acoustics. Built in the fourth century BCE, the magnificent theatre is still in use today and seats up to 14,000 people. B

APRIL 17 After breakfast we travel to Nafplio, the first capital of independent Greece, to explore its castles and neoclassical mansions adorned with bougainvillea trees and Turkish fountains. For those with the energy, there will be opportunity to climb the 999 steps up to the Venetian Palamidi Castle for a view of the Aegean Sea and the famous Bourtzi Island. Late afternoon, we return to Tolo for some free time before another seaside dinner. B

APRIL 18 We depart Tolo to make our way back to Athens. On the way we stop at the archaeological site of Ancient Corinth, one of the largest and most important cities in ancient Greece. Our stop will include a visit to the Temple of Apollo, the Peribolos of Apollo, the ancient theatre and all the other amazing ruins the site has to offer. From there we make a short trip across the isthmus to the Corinth Canal, which was conceived in antiquity but not constructed until 1892. After a quick view of the spectacular vertical walls, we head back to the city of Athena for one last traditional Greek meal and a toast for a successful Odyssey. B, D

APRIL 19 We say yah sou (“Farewell”) to Greece and return to Calgary. B

Accompanying Instructor Scott Norris earned his MA from the University of Calgary and taught for many years in the Department of Greek and Roman Studies, and with Continuing Education. For the past 10+ years he has worked as an instructor and guide leading educational trips to Europe and all over the world. Scott has travelled extensively throughout Greece gaining a deep understanding of its culture and history. His knowledge will help facilitate authentic experiences and give the participants insight into Greece’s many wonders, and how this remarkable country has influenced our culture and civilization throughout the ages.

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Heather Richards 403.220.4632 heather.richards@ucalgary.ca

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