11 Day Tour: November 1-11, 2023
Pricing
- Base Pricing is always calculated for double occupancy.
- $700 supplemental for Solo Travelers.
Tour Highlights
9
UNESCO
Sites
6
Places to see
before you die
2 Ancient
Countries
- Athens
- Olympia
- Delphi
- Valetta
- Mosta
- Mdina
- Temple of Apollo
- Temple of Zeus
- The Acropolis
- Ghor Dalam Cave
- Hal Saflini Hypugeum
Tour Includes
- Round trip airfare from Chicago
- All Internal Flights
- First Class Hotel Accommodations
- Daily Breakfast
- Daily 7 Dinners
- Deluxe Motorcoach Transportation
- Admissions to all listed Attractions
- Roundtrip airport transfers in the Chicagoland area
- Guided by Bill Ball
- Baggage Handling
- All Gratuities
Tour Itinerary
Day One We depart from Chicago ready to step back in time to the beginning of philosophy, mathematics and democracy—Greece awaits us.
Day Two We begin our tour in Athens with an overview of this special city. A mix of the new with the ancient makes this one of the most unique destinations in the world.
Day Three Another day getting into the history of this once world power. We start at one of the great ancient sites of the world the Acropolis and Parthenon. This ancient hill once ruled over an empire that influenced man’s thought to this day. As the day unfolds, we will visit the fabled archeology museum, the Agora, Olympic Stadium, Temple of Zeus and the Parliament. A world class day, in a world class city.
Day Four Today we head to the ancient and Biblical city of Corinth. Both a Greek and Roman city sat at this site which influenced history for hundreds of years. Here is the famous Temple of Aphrodite where the multitude of priestess were sacred prostitutes for the pilgrims. Also the Temples to Jupiter and Demeter as well as a large theater can be seen. This afternoon, we find ourselves at another famous site—Mycenae, with it impressive Acropolis. Here the story of the Trojan War and the classical tragedies plays out with the great Kingdom of Agamemnon.
Day Five Today we visit two UNESCO World Heritage sites. The first is Mystrus, a fortified town and one of the most complete medieval towns in the world. There are incredible Byzantine Churches ancient architecture and gothic art. Our second UNESCO site is a single building, but an awesome one—the Temple of Apollo Epicurious. This was Greece’s first UNESCO site because of its multitude of unusual features. It is one of the largest most significant buildings of antiquity.
Day Six We now venture into the remains one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Though not as well preserved as its counterpart the Pyramids of Egypt, Olympia is still an impressive site. The area is known for the massive Temple of Zeus. It is said he resided here, ruling the earth. As the name implies the Olympic movement began here thousands of years ago. This is one of those sites found in history books that can come alive for you. And that is just the beginning, we also will visit the great oracle of Delphi. This is another of those great historic sites that is featured in ancient Greek literature and modern movies. Delphi was Apollo’s main sanctuary and the great pilgrimage destination for kings, priests and the wealthy to hear what path they should follow. You can do the same today if you have a fat calf to sacrifice.
Day Seven We start the day at Hosios Loukas, a historic walled monastery. It is one of the most important monuments of middle Byzantine architecture. The crypt and church has magnificent frescoes second to none. This afternoon we have one last UNESCO site to share—Daphni Monastery. This 6th century, wonderous former monastery church is full of frescoes—more important and beautiful than any we have seen before. So enjoy! We end our day back in Athens.
Day Eight We fly from Athens to Valletta—the capital of the tiny island nation of Malta. This crusader fortified spit of land has some of the oldest buildings on earth as well as a rich tapestry of cultures from Roman to Arabic to Byzantine to modern European. This is a treat to behold.
Day Nine This morning we tour the capital of Malta—Valletta which is linked with the military and charitable Order of St. John of Jerusalem. Built after the Ottoman siege of 1565, this fortified city has hundreds of historic monuments to see all within a relatively small area, making it one of the most concentrated historic cities in the world. The St. John Cathedral is a masterpiece noted for Carraggio’s Beheading of St. John. This UNESCO city is one of a kind. We will visit in the afternoon, some of the oldest temples in the world pre-dating the pyramids. The two temples we’ll visit—Hagar Qim and Mnajdra at World Heritage sites and demonstrate how large temples can be built with limited resources. We will also visit the Ghor Dalam Cave where archeologists have found a fascinating history within the layers of the cave. In the deepest parts—hippo, dwarf elephant and other strange beast’s bones were found. Early man dating to over 10,000 years ago is found in more recent layers.
Day Ten We begin our day at another World Heritage site—Hal Saflieni Hypogeum, a rock cut underground complex that was used both as a sanctuary and burial site. Discovered at the beginning of the 1900’s, it dates back to the pre-pyramid period. We will visit Mosta, a central island town made famous by its Rotunda Church which has the third largest dome in the world. Our next stop is the town of Ta’Qali near the British WWII outpost which has been converted to a native crafts complex. Here you can fulfill your shopping bug. Our final stop of the day is at Mdina. Its magnificent walls can be see for miles. This city contains the history of the island within its buildings—some dating to the Roman Occupation while others like the Arab Occupation Medina can be explored easily and those open to the buildings of the Knights of St. John.
Day Eleven We fly home today with the images of two of the great countries of antiquity. Great ruins, giant cathedrals, magnificent architecture and art and great cuisine make this a once-in-a-lifetime experience you can’t miss.
