Greece/Turkey

Day 1

En route to Athens, Greece

We’ll rendezvous this evening at New York’s JFK International Airport and prepare to board our flight bound for Athens, the birth-place of Western civilization. You’ll enjoy seeing old friends or getting acquainted with new traveling companions as you share your anticipation of the exciting days ahead exploring the Mediterranean Antiquities together!

Day 2

Athens–Chersonisos, Crete

Upon arriving at the Athens International Airport, we’ll transfer to a domestic flight bound for the mythical Minoan island of Crete. Our route takes us over the island-studded, sapphire-colored Aegean Sea to the Cretan capital of Heraklion. Our hotel in the seaside town of Chersonisos will provide a welcome respite in preparation for tomorrow’s epic experiences.

Day 3

Chersonisos–Panormos, Crete
Lasithi, Birthplace of Zeus Walk 10 km, rated 1

This morning, we’ll walk in the fertile inland valley of Lasithi, legendary birthplace of Zeus, master of the Greek pantheon. Our walk wanders through traditional villages where women proudly hang their lacework out for sale and past farms where plows are still pulled by donkeys. Following the walk, we’ll continue to the fabled Palace of Knossos, home of King Minos and the legendary Minotaur. Our guide will explain what is known of the Minoans, whose advanced yet mysterious civilization controlled much of the Mediterranean in the 3rd and 2nd millenniums before Christ.

Day 4

Activities from Panormos
Imbros Gorge Walk 8 km, rated 2+

We’ll explore a little-visited corner of Crete today on a walk through Imbros Gorge. One of the most enjoyable gorge walks in Crete offers the fascination of narrow, shaded canyons and rich vegetation, with the bonus of charming Cretan villages at both ends. We’ll have the afternoon free to relax and explore the shops from our hotel back in Panormos.

Day 5

Panormos–Thira Town, Santorini

We board a ferry this morning bound for the Cycladic Island of Santorini. In the 15th century B.C., a violent explosion believed to be eight times more powerful than the largest eruption in recorded history (Krakatoa) devastated most of the Mediterranean region. The result was a layer of ash more than 200 feet thick, a tidal wave that rocked the Mediterranean, and a gigantic crater that filled with seawater when part of the rim was blasted away. Cruising between the remnants of the western wall into that sea-filled crater feels like passing through some geological Minoan time warp. Our hotel for the next two nights is perched atop the eastern rim of the crater.

Day 6

Activities from Thira Town
Santorini Jewel of the Aegean Walk 10 km, rated 3

This morning, we’ll visit the Archeological Museum to explore the mysteries of Europe’s earliest advanced civilization. The museum displays finds from the excavated Minoan town of Akrotiri, smothered by the layer of volcanic ash in the 15th century B.C. eruption. This afternoon, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in an unforgettable walk along the caldera rim offering breathtaking and nearly continuous views out over the sea-filled shell of the volcano.

Day 7

Thira Town–Tolo

Following an early morning flight to Athens, we’ll enjoy a panoramic drive along the Bay of Salamis. In 480 B.C., the Athenian navy defeated the Persians in these waters, saving Europe from Asian conquest in what is considered to be one of the most significant naval battles of all time. A stop at Epidaurus provides a chance for our guide to demonstrate the near perfect acoustics of the outdoor amphitheater from the Classical Age of Greece. After a day of travel through the beautifully varied scenery of the Peloponnese, we’ll arrive for a 2-night stay at our hotel in Tolo.

Day 8

Activities from Tolo
Mycenae Trojan War Walk 10 km, no rating available

Our morning begins with a walk that showcases the beauty of the Peloponnese countryside –wildflowers, pastoral farm scenes, and the palpable aura of several millennia of history. The route finishes at the archeological site of Mycenae, home of the Mycenaean civilization immortalized by the Greek poet Homer in the Iliad. Until 100 years ago, Homer’s work was thought to be pure fiction. Then, in 1871, amateur archeologist Heinrich Schliemann shocked the world by uncovering the city of Troy in Asia Minor (now Turkey). Three years later, Schliemann stunned the world yet again by discovering one of the world’s greatest treasure troves at Mycenae, possibly the home of Agamemnon, leader of the siege on Troy.

Day 9

Tolo–Athens
Peloponnese Rural Delights Walk  10 km, no rating available

Today’s route explores the Peloponnese countryside above the coastal town of Nafplion. A seaside trail leads us onto a paved promenade back into Nafplion. Upon returning to Athens, we’ll explore this ancient city with a guided coach tour, an excellent preparation for tomorrow’s exciting visits to the most important attractions of Athens. Our hotel for the next two nights is just a few minutes walk from the Acropolis and the delightful shopping lanes of the ancient Plaka that wind around its base.

Day 10

Activities in Athens

First on our list this morning is a walking tour of the Acropolis, with its proud and stately Parthenon, a 2500-year old symbol of the Golden Age of Greece. After time for lunch and shopping in the Plaka district, we’ll visit the National Archeological Museum. Our guided tour of these fascinating artifacts will provide a fitting review of the wide span of ancient history we’ve encountered over the past 10 days together.

Day 11

Athens–New York, USA

An early morning transfer to the airport prepares us to bid farewell to Greece. Some of us will return home to the USA; others will be continuing on to explore Turkey, yet another ancient corner of the Mediterranean Antiquities.

Day 1

En route to Istanbul, Turkey

You’ll meet other travelers at New York’s JFK International Airport this evening as you prepare for your flight to Istanbul and the start of your Walking Adventure in this ancient and intriguing corner of the Mediterranean. We look forward to sharing a cornucopia of history, culture, and scenery in this wondrous land!

Day 2

Arrive Istanbul

As you arrive in Istanbul, you’ll be met by our Turkish guide and transported to our hotel in the heart of Istanbul. Later, you’ll rendezvous with the group arriving from Greece on the Mediterranean Antiquities Adventure. After time to explore the fascinating neighborhood in the environs of the hotel, we’ll enjoy a welcome dinner in the quaint seaside neighborhood of Ortakoy. Here, a synagogue, mosque, and church stand side by side, a poignant testimony to the religious tolerance and mutual respect that are an abiding feature of Istanbul life.

Day 3

Activities in Istanbul

Our Adventure in Turkey hits full stride today with a multi-faceted tour of amazing Istanbul, gateway to Asia. Among the activities included will be a tour of the Spice Market; a cruise on a private boat along the Bosphorus, gliding past opulent palaces, exquisite mosques, imposing fortresses, and traditional wooden Ottoman mansions; a visit to the Mosque of Suleyman the Magnificent, built at the peak of the Ottoman Empire; a stop to view the unearthly beauty of the 14th century mosaics and frescoes of the Chora Church; and an opportunity to lose yourself in the labyrinthine tunnels of the Grand Bazaar, one of the oldest (1461) and largest covered marketplaces in the world.

Day 4

Activities in Istanbul
Historic Istanbul Walk  10 km, rated 1+

More of the wonders of Istanbul will be explored today on an all-day walking event punctuated with stops at world-class points of interest. Along the way, we’ll see the ancient Hippodrome (horse and chariot racing); the exquisite treasures of the Topkapi Palace, for centuries the palace of the Sultan; the massive architectural marvel Hagia Sophia, first a Byzantine church, now a mosque; the spectacular Blue Mosque; and the quirky, yet intriguing 6th century Underground Cistern.

Day 5

Istanbul–Cappadocia
Red Valley Hermits & Hoodoos Walk  10 km, no rating available

An early morning flight whisks us from Istanbul to Kayseri and the beginning of our travels in captivating Cappadocia. Our first activity is an unforgettable and at times contemplative walk in the Red Valley through fabulous volcanic rock formations and past rock-hewn hermit churches adorned with frescoes and paintings. Next, we’ll descend into the amazing underground city of Kaymakli, a maze of living quarters inhabited by Christians hiding from persecution some 1300 years ago. Finally, we will visit Soganli Valley, a peaceful and picturesque monastic rock settlement famous for its pigeon houses and rock formations in the shape of donkeys, camels, and dolls. We’ll spend the next two nights at the Kapadokya Lodge, uniquely situated to maximize our enjoyment of the uncommon beauty of Cappadocia.

Day 6

Activities in Cappadocia
Pigeon Valley Fairy Chimneys & Frescoes Walk 10 km, no rating available

Our day begins with a walk from Uchisar, renowned for its natural rock fortress, to Pigeon Valley. En route, we’ll pass through the intriguing Goreme Open-Air Museum with its fairy chimneys and early Byzantine churches. This afternoon we will discover traditional local handicrafts like carpet weaving and pottery making at Avanos, then visit Zelve Valley to see the oldest example of Cappadocian architecture, elaborate shelters carved into the rock by the earliest monastic settlers.

Day 7

Cappadocia–Kusadasi

After driving across Cappadocia to Ankara, the highlight of the day is a visit to the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, filled with treasures of the Hittite Civilization dating all the way back to the Paleolithic Age. Late this afternoon, a short flight will take us to Izmir, where we’ll find our hotel in Kusadasi on the shores of the Mediterranean.

Day 8

Activities from Kusadasi
Sirince Apple Wine Walk 10 km, no rating available

Today’s walk takes us through the historic village of Sirince, settled originally by Hellenistic Greeks, then by Ephesian Christians displaced during the Selcuk conquests, and finally by Muslims from Salonica. These last settlers created a farming community highly adept at winemaking, particularly apple wine, which we’ll be privileged to sample during our walk. Following a break for lunch, we’ll make a memorable visit to Ephesus, one of the best-preserved cities from the Roman era. We’ll stroll its marble streets past the Library of Celsus, the Roman Baths, the Gate of Hadrian, and the Roman Terrace Houses. The amphitheater where the apostle Paul was nearly executed during the riot of the idol-making silversmiths is still in good condition.

Day 9

Kusadasi–Istanbul
Istanbul Beyoglu Walk 10 km, rated 1+

A midmorning flight takes us back to Istanbul for the final walk of our Adventure. We’ll stroll the pleasant pedestrian zones of the Beyoglu District, lined by late 19th century European consulates and bustling with a plethora of shops, cafes, and restaurants. Later this evening, we’ll reminisce about this most exotic of Adventures during our Farewell Dinner.

Day 10

Istanbul–New York, USA

Our Mediterranean Antiquities Adventure comes to a close today with an early morning flight from Istanbul. We’ll return home with a knapsack full of memories from our exploration through the history, culture, and scenery of this wonderful land spanning the borders between Europe and Asia.