EUROPE
The legendary Parthenon has stood sentinel over Athens for nearly 2,500 years.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORES ANCIENT GREECE This trip was inspired by National Geographic’s new PBS series The Greeks and the July 2016 National Geographic magazine photo-essay on ancient Greece. View the companion exhibition, The Greeks: From Agamemnon to Alexander the Great—featuring hundreds of magnificent artifacts—at the National Geographic Museum in Washington, D.C., from June 1 to October 10, 2016.
Náfplio for a festive evening of dinner and Greek dancing. (B, L, D) DAY 5 OLYMPIA
Discover the picturesque mountain villages of Arcadia on our way to Olympia, birthplace of the Olympic Games and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Explore this evocative collection of ancient temples, altars, and a stadium; and visit the archaeological museum to learn about Olympia’s origins as a sanctuary honoring Zeus. HOTEL EUROPA (B, L, D) DAYS 6 AND 7 DELPHI
Depart the Peloponnese for mainland Greece, stopping to visit an olive farm, where we’ll learn
about the process for harvesting and pressing olives and then enjoy an olive oil tasting. Arrive at the sanctuary of Delphi, considered by ancient Greeks to be the center of the world. Walk the sacred way to the Temple of Apollo, and explore Delphi’s aweinspiring ruins of the theatre, a stadium, treasuries, and altars. Enjoy a weaving demonstration in the hilltop village of Aráhova and venture to the 11thcentury monastery of Hosios Loukas, a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. AMALIA HOTEL DELPHI (B, L, D; B, L)
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a striking mural by the Greek visual artist iNO, whose artistic process was captured in the National Geographic television series The Greeks. Board a ferry to the island of Aegina, once an important maritime power. Explore the fifth-century B.C. Temple of Aphaia and have lunch at a family home, dining among pistachio and olive trees. Return by ferry to Athens and depart for the airport the next day. ST. GEORGE LYCABETTUS (B, L, D; B)
DAYS 8 AND 9 KALAMBÁKA/METEORA/ ATHENS
Journey to the mountain pass of Thermopylae, where Persian and Greek armies clashed in 480 B.C. Continue through the fertile plain of Thessaly to Kalambáka, our base for exploring the extraordinary monasteries of Meteora. Built atop sandstone megaliths that rise some 1,200 feet from the valley floor, these monasteries offered refuge from hostile attacks during the waning days of the Byzantine Empire. Venture into chapels and courtyards adorned with beautiful frescoes, and take in panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, when on a clear day, you can see as far as Mt. Olympus. AMALIA HOTEL KALAMBAKA; ST. GEORGE LYCABETTUS (B, D; B, L) DAYS 10 AND 11 ATHENS/AEGINA
Travel to the port city of Piraeus, stopping to view
The sanctuary of Athena Pronaia once served as the gateway to ancient Delphi.
I N F O R M AT I O N Dates: 2017: May 21–31 • June 11–21 • Sept. 3–13 Oct. 8–18 • Oct. 22–Nov. 1 Expedition Cost: $6,495 Price is per person, double occupancy. For a single room, add $1,195. Airfare to/from Athens is not included in the expedition cost. Optional Extension: Extend your trip to the island of Santorini, Greece with a stay at Kapari Natural Resort, a member of the National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World collection. Visit our website or call for details.
CALL 1-888-966-8687 OR VISIT NATGEOEXPEDITIONS.COM
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