Flag 2016 main brochure UK | Fully Priced

Journ e ys into the

A n cient World 2016

arranged by andante travelsÂ

expert-led archaeological and cultural tours since 1985

Special access on every tour in 2016!

Go behind-the-scenes at the Roman houses at Ephesus...

Aegean Coast of Turkey See page 146 for details 2

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WELCOME

Discover the best of the ancient world in 2016 Dear Traveller, It is with great pleasure that I present our full programme for 2016 and welcome travellers old and new – to dive in and get down to the difficult business of choosing your tour (or even tours) for next year.

This year, for the first time in our 31 year history, we have been able to offer special access to sites, museums and monuments on every single tour in this brochure. These are some really tremendous experiences. We have some headline-grabbing stuff: out of hours access to the Sistine Chapel and the Hagia Sophia; getting up close to Stonehenge and the Terracotta Warriors. And, equally worthy of mention, we have also arranged countless opportunities to meet local archaeologists, visit excavations, handle finds and go behind the scenes with museum curators.

These are the moments – an excavator describing the moment she unearthed a rare find: holding a flint hand-axe once wielded by our most distant prehistoric ancestors – that are at the heart of what Andante does.

If you are new to Andante, I would recommend turning to the next page to get a taste of our ethos. As you will see, we welcome everyone on Andante holidays; you don’t need to be an expert, just curious about the past and with a healthy sense of adventure!

If you have questions about any of our tours please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

With best wishes for happy travels.

Ian Finlay, Director Andante Travels

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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travelling with Andante putting archaeology first

Founded and run by archaeologists, Andante Travels is one of the UK’s leading specialist tour operators. We are proud to say that our tours were named ‘Trips of a Lifetime’ by the National Geographic Traveler five years in a row. We also received three (one silver and two bronze) British Travel Awards in 2014.

expert guides

small groups

Andante Travellers are interesting, intelligent people leading all manner of different lives - we aim to create an easy and informal atmosphere. Our maximum group size ranges from 14-25 guests, with the average group size currently 18.

value for money

Our tours are conceived, planned and led by articulate experts: archaeologists, historians, writers and broadcasters. Drawing on the ancient sites we visit, our Guide Lecturers are able to build up a vivid picture of life in the past with knowledge, good humour and skill.

Unless otherwise stated all our tours include: flights, Guide Lecturer, Tour Manager, all meals, hotel, wine, local travel, entry to all sites, field notes and tips. We also guarantee not to pass on any surcharges - the price of your tour will stay the same, no matter what the price of the pound, dollar or euro.

professional tour managers

great hotels & fabulous food

Our tours are also accompanied by a professional Tour Manager. Efficient and charming, our Tour Managers ensure that all the practical details of your holiday are taken care of. They are also excellent company and include linguists, writers, ornithologists, botanists and fellow travel enthusiasts.

exclusive special access

Ever wanted to go behind the scenes at the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg? Visit the trenches of a working excavation or stand amongst the stones at Stonehenge? Each of our tours features exclusive access to some of the greatest sites, monuments and museums the world has to offer.

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We hand-pick the hotels you stay in. The vast majority are 4*, but the occasional excellent 3* or 5* could appear along the way. Over and above the star-rating, we endeavour to offer guests an authentic hotel of character. Some of our choices are amongst the best in the world, whilst some are simple, but ideally located for visiting the sites. Most of our tours include all meals, and we have some spectacular ‘special meals’, from dinner on the roof of the Reichstag, to picnics in the flower-strewn hills of Sicily.

holidays everyone can enjoy

Our groups include people of all ages and from all walks of life. Some travel solo, some as couples or

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groups of friends. All you need is enthusiasm and an enquiring mind. We have had wonderful tours, travelling with engaged guests of all ages. Please note that all our tours are moderately active and involve walking so a reasonable level of fitness is required.

peace of mind

When you travel with us, you will be looked after around the clock. In the unlikely event of an emergency, Andante staff will be on hand to help you both on tour and from the UK. We are experts in dealing with the unexpected.

We have a 24-hour emergency number and you will be accompanied by Andante staff throughout.

full financial protection

All our holidays are fully bonded and protected. The air holiday packages in this brochure are ATOL Protected, since we hold an Air Travel Organiser’s Licence granted by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is ATOL 3552. ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel services in this brochure. Holidays without flights are protected by ABTOT. This means that in the unlikely event of our insolvency, your holiday would be completed or refunded.

many prices held

We want to ensure that your travels don’t just offer the best archaeological experiences but the best possible value too. With that in mind, many of our returning 2015 tours have been held at the same price in 2016. We want our single travellers to get a great deal too, so we keep our single supplements as low as possible.

for further advice, information and to book, ask our in-house experts

01722 713800

tours@andantetravels.com USA: 1-888-331-3476 Australia: 02 9191 2623 Follow andantetravels

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special access 2016 Does the past have anything new to offer? Of course it does. Take a look at our extra special 2016 tours...

Explore further than you could as an independent traveller and discover an unforgettable view of the past...

We like to think that the Special Access we offer sets us apart from all other travel companies. We weren’t satisfied with just offering it on a select few of our tours - we want every tour you take with us to be unforgettable. So we’ve added an exclusive extra to every tour...

Ever wanted to nose around in the Vatican Secret Archives? What about a wander through the Pope’s private gardens? Maybe you’d rather row a Viking longship. Or perhaps you’d like to measure up against a Terracotta Warrior? How about a visit away from the crowds at the Sistine Chapel? We also have some extra special access we can’t reveal just yet…

terracotta warriors

Get up close to the Terracotta Warriors - the funerary art sculptures buried with the Emperor Qin Shi Huang to protect him in the afterlife. Enjoy a tour of the iconic statues alongside the specialists who curate and conserve them.

See it on: China, p.28

sistine chapel

lake of the condors mummies

ephesus

barberini gardens

We enjoy a private viewing of the masterly Raphael rooms and the Sistine Chapel, the place where Renaissance art created individuality.

See it on: Rome with Sistine Chapel, p.82

The conservators working on the Roman houses at Ephesus - one of the world’s most famous ancient cities - will give a talk, enlightening us on excavations.

See it on: Aegean Coast of Turkey, p. 146

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Discover more about the famous mummies from the Lake of the Condors with special access from the founder of the Leymebamba Mummies Museum.

See it on: Northern Peru, p.122

Walk through the Pope’s private Barberini Gardens in Castel Gandolfo. Not usually open to the public, the gardens have been in papal hands since 1596.

See it on: Renaissance Villas, p.90

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ongti temples

sterkfontein caves

nefertari’s tomb

piscina Mirabilis

We have special permission to visit the temples, which were painstakingly restored by a team of dedicated monks.

We will also meet the monks who are carrying out the ongoing work.

See it on: Mongolia, p.118

Enjoy privileged access to a collection of tombs in Middle Egypt, including Nefertari’s Tomb - the largest and most spectacular in the Valley of the Queens.

See it on: Egypt - Queens & Nobles, p.36

Enjoy a private tour of the caves, led by the scientists working to record the early human remains found there. We also have special behind the scenes access to the excavator’s warehouse.

See it on: South Africa, p.128

Enter the usually closed to the public Piscina Mirabilis at Misenum. The gigantic cistern stored water for the Roman fleet and fed the towns of the Bay of Naples.

See it on: Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania, p.78

book of kells

Discover the illuminated Book of Kells during a private tour of Trinity College. You can also explore the impressive long room of the library, established in 1592.

See it on: Ireland, Boyne Valley & the Burren, p.72

Andante Archaeology Award Calling all archaeologists! Is your site interpretation lacking resources? Are there some radiocarbon dates you’d give anything to know? Do you have a valuable volunteer who needs training to become a fully fledged member of your team?

Maybe you’re ready to start an excavation, but lack the right tools? Or perhaps your post excavation work requires a specialist? Andante Travels might be able to help…

Every year, we offer funding to an archaeological project which needs an extra bit of help. We want to see entries from sites and scholars who already have a specific use for the funds in mind. For more iformation, please visit our website or email: sarah@andantetravels.com. The closing date for applications is the 25th September 2015.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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EXPERT Guide Lecturers Archaeologists, writers, broadcasters and historians, a constellation of expert guides able to bring the past to life.

Our Guide Lecturers accompany you from morning until night.

These are the people who make our tours unique...

dr denise allen

is Andante Travels’ Director of Archaeology, and a specialist in Roman glass. She has excavated all over the UK, including at Stonehenge, and overseas.

e have seen many guides in many different parts of the world and none have been in the same league.” Guests in 2014

brian ayers

martin brown

dr paul bahn

dr thomas brogan

dr tertia barnett

prof tim champion

dr julian bennett

prof john collis

peter berridge

ian colvin

dr edward bispham

dr paul croft

doru bogdan

david drew

is an archaeologist and Honorary Lecturer at the University of East Anglia. He specialises in Viking towns on the North Sea and has excavated widely.

is an expert in prehistoric rock art. He has authored many books and discovered the UK’s only confirmed example of Palaeolithic cave art.

is an Honorary Fellow at Edinburgh University and specialist in rock art. She has immense passion for her subject and has worked in Europe, Africa and the UK.

Our man in Turkey, Dr Bennett is Prof of Archaeology at Ankara University.

He specialises in Roman and Byzantine archaeology and has published widely.

is a researcher and museum archaeologist.

He has a wealth of experience, from major research at Stonehenge to being Head of Colchester Museums’ Service.

is a Classical historian and Associate Professor in Ancient History at Oxford University. His research crosses the divide between archaeology and history.

is a researcher and lecturer at the University of Alba Iulia, Romania. He specialises in Roman archaeology and has supervised excavations across Europe.

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“W

is an experienced archaeologist and regular broadcaster. He has undertaken Great War-related excavations in Britain, France and Belgium.

has excavated in Crete for over 25 years and is Director of the Aegean Prehistory Study Centre. He is one of the world’s foremost experts in Minoan pottery.

is Emeritus Professor of Archaeology at Southampton University. He spent some years working in Galway, and has an enduring interest in Irish prehistory.

is a leading expert on the European Iron Age who has excavated and published widely on this period. He is Emeritus Professor at Sheffield University.

Has been researching Georgian history and archaeology since 1992, and has directed excavations in Georgia since 1998 at the ancient city of Nokalakevi.

is an expert in Cypriot prehistory who lives and works on the island, managing the Lemba Archaeological Centre. He has many contacts with local archaeologists.

is a writer, archaeologist and broadcaster specialising in ancient Latin America. He studied at Oxford and UCL and has led numerous tours to Mexico and Peru.

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dr damian evans

nicholas jackson

dr neil faulkner

dr rick jones

dr andrew fear

dr gai jorayev

rosetta ferrari

prof tony king

lucia gahlin

dr john mcnabb

prof mike galaty

malcolm mcneill

dr ioannis georganas

dr alexander macgillivrary

oliver gilkes

dr mary macleod rivett

dr christina hatzimichael whitley

dr eireann marshall

is expatriate Director of the University of Sydney’s Research Centre in Siem Reap, Cambodia, where he is a co-director of the Greater Angkor Project.

is a Research Fellow at Bristol University.

A specialist in military history and Roman archaeology, he is the author of works including Rome - Empire of the Eagles.

is a lecturer in Classics at the University of Manchester. He specialises in Roman and Early Christian Spain, and also has a sneaking interest in the Peninsular Wars...

lived in Italy for many years and speaks Italian. She has a great interest in food and culture and is a member of the exclusive Italian Society of Cheese Tasters.

lectures in Egyptology for University College London, Bristol and Exeter. She has also worked at the archaeological site of Tell el-Amarna in Middle Egypt.

is Professor of Anthropology at Mississippi State University. He has led excavations in Greece, Albania and the USA and is the author of numerous books.

holds a PhD in Archaeology from the University of Nottingham. His research interests include weapons and warfare in Late Bronze and Early Iron Age Greece.

is one of the UK’s foremost experts on Albanian archaeology. A true Renaissance man, he also worked at the British School at Rome for many years.

is a tutor in Greek Archaeology at the Cardiff Centre for Lifelong Learning. She specialises in Minoan Crete, and is co-director of the Praisos Excavation Project in Crete.

is an archaeologist with several strings to his bow: he is a specialist in both the history of Berlin (where he lives) and the archaeology of the Middle East.

is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Leeds. He specialises in the social structures of the Roman Empire, especially in Pompeii.

is a researcher at the Archaeological Institute, UCL. He is Deputy Director of the Ancient Merv project, investigating every aspect of this great silk road city.

lectures in archaeology at the University of Winchester, specialising in animal remains. He has excavated extensively in Britain and abroad, including in Italy.

has been a Senior Lecturer in Palaeolithic Archaeology at Southampton University since 2010. He has researched widely within South Africa.

is a lecturer for SOAS, University of London. He has also worked at the British Museum and lectured for Asia House, Christies, and the V&A.

is a specialist in Minoan Crete. He worked at Knossos for over 20 years and now lives just outside Athens. He has excavated at Sparta, Paros, Kythno as well as on Crete.

is Lecturer in Archaeology at the University of the Highlands and Islands.

She is a Viking and Norse Period specialist, and lives in the Hebrides.

was raised in a 15th century villa in Vicenza, so was born to history! She lectures and researches in Classical Civilisation in Italy and North Africa.

prof john hines

is a Professor in the School of History and Archaeology at Cardiff University. He is a specialist in the archaeology of the early Medieval period.

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EXPERT Guide Lecturers dr katya melamed

dr karen ruebens

dr milena melfi

dr peter sharrock

dr iain morley

john shepherd

dr carrie murray

dr gillian shepherd

prof paul nicholson

dr anna simandiraki-grimshaw

tony o’connor

dr nick slope

julian richards

prof alastair small

terry richardson

dr judith toms

dr rita roussos

dr nicholas vella

works at the Bulgarian National Institute of Archaeology and has directed many excavations, especially at Bulgaria’s many fascinating ‘lost’ Medieval churches.

is a Lecturer in Classical art and archaeology at Oxford University. She is also Curator of casts of Greek and Roman sculptures at the Ashmolean Museum.

is a lecturer at the University of Oxford. He specialises in the Palaeolithic, particularly the emergence of ritual and religion, and the evolutionary origins of ancient music.

is Assistant Professor of Archaeology at Brock University, Canada. She has previously taught at Brown University and the University of Cambridge.

is Professor of Archaeology at Cardiff University. He has a passionate interest in Mongolian archaeology, and has travelled extensively around the country.

has excavated widely in Britain, Italy and Africa, and is now a museum archaeologist. He is one of our most popular guides to Pompeii and Tunisia.

is a Wessex-based archaeologist and broadcaster with a passion for Stonehenge.

He was the presenter of the long-running BBC2 series ‘Meet the Ancestors’.

has a background in Ancient History and Classical Civilisation and lived in Turkey.

He is the author of the Rough Guides to Turkey and Istanbul.

taught Archaeology and Art History at the American University of Athens. She has worked on many archaeological projects in Greece.

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is a Palaeolithic archaeologist who completed her PhD at the University of Southampton, specialising in Neanderthal studies.

is a Senior Teaching Fellow at SOAS, University of London. He researches Imperial politics through the sacred art of the Khmer civilisation in Vietnam.

is an archaeologist who has excavated all over Europe and the UK. He was a curator at the Museum of London for many years, setting up their Roman galleries.

is Director of the Trendall Centre for Ancient Mediterranean Studies, La Trobe, Australia. She returns as often as she can to Italy, where her research is based.

is an archaeologist with over 20 years of experience. Anna works for a number of institutions, including the Universities of Cambridge, Oxford, Kent and Bath.

is an archaeologist with an incredible depth and breadth of knowledge, from prehistory in the Near East, to uncovering remains of Nelson’s sailors in Egypt...

is Emeritus Professor at the University of Alberta, Canada, and Professorial Fellow in Classics at the University of Edinburgh.

He specialises in the history of South Italy.

is an Honorary Research Associate at the Institute of Archaeology in Oxford and has taught widely on the Etruscans and other Mediterranean civilisations.

is Head of Classics and Archaeology at the University of Malta. He is the author of many works and papers on the archaeology of the ancient Mediterranean.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

dr philippa walton

dr keith wilkinson

dr jennifer wexler

tony wilmott

prof ruth whitehouse

peter yeoman

is a Research Fellow at the University of Oxford and works at the Ashmolean Museum. She was previously a National Finds Adviser at the British Museum.

is an independent researcher and consultant in archaeology. She was Bronze Age Index Manager for the British Museum portable antiquities scheme.

is Emeritus Professor of Prehistoric Archaeology at UCL. She is also part of the Faculty of Archaeology, History and Letters at the British School at Rome.

is an archaeologist specialising in the Southern Caucasus and the Mediterranean.

He has led survey and excavation projects in Greece, Corsica and Spain.

is a Senior Archaeologist with English Heritage. He has directed numerous excavations and was Current Archaeology Archaeologist of the Year in 2012.

recently retired as the Head of Cultural Heritage at Historic Scotland. He has travelled extensively in Italy, studying the archaeology and history.

caroline wickham-jones

is a lecturer at the University of Aberdeen.

She has directed excavations on early sites on Orkney, as well as Rum and Skye and on the mainland at Applecross and in Fife.

our Tour Managers These wonderful people accompany you on tour, to make sure that everything runs efficiently for a happy holiday.

They possess an extraordinary array of talents and are helpful, convivial travel companions. A small selection are featured below...

stasa bailey

lois ferguson

odeh shobaki

angela bentley

sarah mayer

joe shingles

alex casey

mary reynolds

miranda spitha

anne chowne

jennie robson

“A

s always the tour was well managed and ran smoothly �

Guests in 2015

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Dalmatia & Dubrovnik

Discover The Dodecanese

Baltic Amber Trail

tours by country ALBANIA

Land of the Eagles........................... 16

CHINA

Beyond the Great Wall................ 28

Via Egnatia....................................... 18

CROATIA AUSTRIA, SWITZERLAND & GERMANY Hallstatt to La Tène......................... 20

Dalmatia & Dubrovnik................ 30

CYPRUS The South......................................... 32

NEW

FRANCE The Via Julia.....................................42 Corsica - Neolithic to Napoleon....44 Dordogne - Prehistoric Cave Art...46 Cathars & Crusaders......................48

GEORGIA

Georgia..........................................50

THE BALTIC STATES Baltic Amber Trail........................ 22

CZECH REPUBLIC Prehistoric Czech Republic......... 34

BULGARIA Thracian Treasures.......................... 24

CAMBODIA & VIETNAM Cambodia & Vietnam..................... 26

GERMANY Roman Germany.............................52 Short Break in Berlin.......................54

EGYPT Queens & Nobles............................. 36

GREECE

Land of the Pharaohs...................... 38

The Peloponnese.............................. 58 Thessaloniki.................................. 60 Crete & Santorini............................. 62

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Sicily Revisited

China Beyond the Great Wall

Samnites

Meet The Greeks............................. 64

Apulia............................................... 92

MEXICO

Discover the Dodecanese............ 66

Sardinia............................................. 94

The Maya........................................ 116

Wild Thrace................................... 68

Sicily Revisited............................. 96

Islands of the Cyclades................... 70

Latium - The Roman Rich.............. 98

IRELAND Boyne Valley & Burren................... 72

ISRAEL & PALESTINE

Israel & Palestine............................. 74

ITALY

Samnites - Enemies of Rome.... 100

Mongolia........................................ 118

The Ice Man & His World............ 102 Bologna........................................... 104 Basilicata & Calabria..................... 106 Umbria............................................ 108 Ravenna & Aquileia...................... 110

Pompeii & Herculaneum................ 78

JORDAN

Rome with the Sistine Chapel....... 82

Petra & the Desert Fortresses....... 112

Meet The Romans............................ 84

MONGOLIA

The Etruscans................................... 86

MALTA

Sicilia Antiqua................................. 88

Malta & Gozo................................. 114

PERU

Northern Peru............................. 122 Peru & Bolivia................................ 124

ROMANIA

The Frontier Lands........................ 126

SOUTH AFRICA South Africa................................ 128

Renaissance Villas........................... 90 Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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Festive Food in Bologna

Walking Prehistoric Wessex

Menorca Balearic Bliss

tours by country SPAIN

TURKEY

Romans, Visigoths & Viziers....... 130

The Aegean Coast..........................146

Menorca - Balearic Bliss............ 132

Walking Istanbul........................... 148

Rock Art of Altamira.....................134

The Hittites................................. 150

Roman Province of Lusitania...... 136

North-East Turkey......................... 152

SWEDEN

UK

Rock Art of Scandinavia........... 138

Walking Prehistoric Wessex......... 154

Meet the Vikings........................... 140

The Story of Wessex...................... 156

NEW

UZBEKISTAN

The Silk Road................................. 162

Scotland: Highlands & Islands.... 158

TUNISIA

Orkney & Shetland........................ 160

The Punic Wars..............................142

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Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

using this brochure

A guide to the signs & symbols you’ll see on the following pages...

practicalities special access To sites, monuments & museums - details are highlighted in green in the programme.

just one hotel No need to pack and unpack!

One hand-picked, charming hotel for the whole tour.

small group For those tours restricted to 16 or 18 participants.

by rail Prefer not to fly? We have a number of tours by rail in France & Germany.

low single supplement Any holiday where the single supplement is 10% or less of the total cost.

cultural excursion Touches that turn tours into real holidays... from truffle hunts to dinner on the Reichstag roof.

all inclusive All meals included, with wine where stated, except on travelling days.

christmas & new year Expert-led festive holidays exploring the ancient world what could be merrier?

Themes & Civilisations

As you flick through the pages in this brochure you will see we also include the symbols below as a guide to the types of archaeology you see on tour. Some pop-up in rather surprising places (the Ancient Greeks really did get about). No prior knowledge is required to enjoy any of our holidays, just enthusiasm and an enquiring mind...

rock art

roman

the new world

prehistory

vikings

conflict

egyptians

medieval

great cities

greeks

eastern

historic churches

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ALBANIA Land of The Eagles

A

lbania is like no other country in Europe – still very much off the mainstream tourist trail. This is a place where pristine ruins still stand in splendid isolation. In Classical times, the Greeks and Romans built cities overlooking the sparkling waters of the Ionian sea. Centuries later, Byzantine Christians and Ottoman Turks fought over dramatic mountain strongholds.

Our tour is led by Oliver Gilkes who directed excavations in Albania for over 20 years. Oliver has an encyclopedic knowledge of Albanian archaeology and culture and is able to secure privileged access to sites and museums all over the country. From Greek and Roman sites to communist bunkers, this is a fascinating tale of civilisations past and present on the shores of Illyria.

Fri 22nd - Sat 30th Apr 2016 Fri 7th - Sat 15th Oct 2016 Guide Lecturer: Oliver Gilkes 9 days Apr & Oct : £2,250 (sgl supp £195; without flights £1,900)

•

­Two thousand years of untouched archaeological heritage – from Classical cities to Byzantine churches and Ottoman mosques.

•

Special access to the Tirana Archaeological Museum and Zekate House, Ottoman Mansion in Gjirokastra, high in the mountains.

•

Includes a full day at the World Heritage Site of Butrint, where Guide Lecturer Oliver Gilkes directed excavations for many years.

ITINER ARY Day One We arrive in Tirana and drive to our hotel in the heart of the city.

beautiful Ionian coast, skirting the ‘Mountains of Thunder’ before we reach our hotel at Saranda this evening.

Day Two We begin with a full day in Albania’s lively capital, Tirana. We visit the National Historical Museum, the early 19th century Ethem Bey Mosque, and the National Gallery.

Day Four We spend the day at Butrint, Albania’s best-known site. Guide Lecturer Oliver Gilkes has directed excavations at Butrint for many years. It is one of the most striking archaeological sites in the Mediterranean: a breathtaking setting on the shores of the Ionian Sea, within sight of the island of Corfu. Walking the site, we chart Butrint’s rise and fall through the centuries - from the Bronze Age to the Napoleonic Wars.

After lunch, we continue to the Archaeological Museum, home to a vast collection and opened especially for our group.

Day Three We drive to Apollonia, founded by the Corinthians in 588 BC, one of the largest ancient cities on the Adriatic.

Today the ruins lie romantically covered by olive trees with grassy banks hinting at what is still buried.

This afternoon we drive along the

The mountain stronghold of Gijirokastra.

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Day Five We travel over the mountains to the town of Gjirokastra, a mountain stronghold, dramatically set amidst the limestone peaks. Here we visit the medieval fortress.

We enjoy special access to the late Ottoman mansion of Zekate House, one of the grandest examples of its kind.

Day Six We continue north through the rugged and changing landscape to the ruins of the remote city of Byllis (pictured top right). According to legend the city was founded by warriors led by the son of Achilles, returning from the Trojan wars. Archaeologists have yet to find evidence of Homeric heroes but have uncovered a Hellenistic era stadium, theatre and fortifications. We continue to Berat this evening.

Ali Pasha of Tepelena, reclining in his boat amongst the reeds...

Day Seven Today, we travel from Classical to Medieval times in the attractive town of Berat. The lower city along the riversides was the preserve of the Muslim inhabitants, while by agreement the Christians held the citadel. There are both Byzantine churches and mosques to visit, as well as the Onufri Museum. After lunch, those who wish can visit the Ethnographic Museum.

Day Eight We drive to Durres, Albania’s chief port and the starting point of the Via Egnatia. Here, we visit the 2nd century amphitheatre, the largest in the Balkans, as well as sections of the mighty 5th century walls. This afternoon we continue to Kruja, the last bastion of Christianity against the Ottoman Turks and now an interesting town set in beautiful countryside. We will visit the Skanderbeg Museum and wander through the Ottoman bazaar.

Day Nine We transfer to Tirana airport for our morning flight home or onward journeys.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Albania - Land Of the Eagles ALBANIA The early Byzantine cathedral at Byllis with its magnificent view over central Albania.

“L

and of Albania! Let me bend mine eyes on thee, thou rugged nurse of savage men” Lord Byron

GUIDE LECTURER

Kruja Durres

Apollonia

Tirana

Berat Byllis

Gjirokastra Saranda Butrint

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Tirana Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Low Single Supplement

All Inclusive

Hotels 2 + 1 nights in a 4* hotel in Tirana 2 nights in a comfortable hotel in the seaside town of Saranda 1 night in Gjirokastra with panoramic views from the restaurant and bar 2 nights in 2 charming hotels in Berat

Greeks

Romans

Medieval

Historic Churches

Oliver Gilkes is a leading expert on the archaeology of Albania, where he has worked for many years. His latest book is ‘Albania: An Archaeological Guide’, published in 2013. He has excavated extensively in Albania, directing research at both Butrint and Gjirokastra.

He also works in Andante’s archaeology department, planning and creating tours.

already travelled with oliver to albania?

He is also leading tours to...

Rome with the Sistine Chapel... p.82 Renaissance Villas.................... p.90 Samnites - Enemies of Rome... p.100

Tour Codes: April : Fri 22nd - Sat 30th (ALB16A) October : Fri 7th - Sat 15th (ALB16B)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

17

VIA EGNATIA Across the Balkans

A

journey through time and civilisations, across the dramatic landscapes of southeast Europe. Albania, Macedonia and the Balkans represent one vast patchwork of cultures and civilisations. Our tour takes in the tombs and treasures of Philip of Macedon, the late-imperial glories of Thessaloniki and the beautiful Medieval churches on the shores of Lake Ohrid.

Divided by mountains, the Balkans are united by roads which kept the disparate states and Empires in contact, and conflict. The greatest of these was the Via Egnatia, initially a series of traditional tracks used by the Romans to speed their conquest of Illyria and Macedonia and formalised as the great highway crossing mountain, river and marsh.

Tue 18th – Wed 26th Oct 2016 Guide Lecturer: Prof Michael Galaty 9 days Oct : £2,450 (sgl supp £195; without flights £2,000)

• The remarkable World Heritage Site of Lake Ohrid, dotted with Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman sites.

•

View the Tomb and golden treasures of King Philip of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great.

•

Receive special entry to the circular Forum of Anastasius where the northern branch of the Via Egnatia began.

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Tirana.

Day Two We begin our journey at Durrës, the principal terminus of the Via Egnatia, Albania’s largest and most bustling seaport with substantial monuments.

We have special permission to enter the circular Forum of Anastasius where the northern branch of the Via Egnatia began.

We make our way to Apollonia, a great Corinthian Greek colony which was vital for the Roman conquest of the Balkans. It was the starting point of the Via Egnatia’s southern branch.

Day Three We travel to Tirana, capital of Albania.

We see the Tirana mosaic, all that remains of a late Roman villa in the

One of the Stations of the Cross from St. Clement, Ohrid.

18

suburbs of the city. We then explore the National Historical Museum. We continue via the new road tunnel below the Krabbe Pass to Elbasan, ancient Scampis. We walk through the castrum, with its fine late Roman and Ottoman walls onto the line of the Via Egnatia.

Day Four We enjoy a day in wonderful Ohrid.

The ancient city boasts a Macedonian, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman past with impressive monuments from each era. We explore the 9th century fortress of Tsar Samuel and its unparalleled collection of churches, from the late Roman and 9th century churches of St. Panteleimon and St. Sofia, to the late Byzantine shrines of St. Clement. We stroll to St. Jovan Kaneo, romantically overlooking the lake.

Day Five We make our way to the Museum on the water at ‘the Bay of Bones’ - a partial reconstruction of a prehistoric village. We continue to Lake Prespa and St. Naum, before travelling over the spectacular mountains to Korbinovo by Lake Ohrid. We walk through the wooded landscape to the church of St George, with its fresco cycle of the time of the Commeni emperors and a resurgent Byzantium.

Day Six We start the day in Heraklea Lyncestis.

The remains of fine Roman and Byzantine buildings with impressive mosaics can be found throughout.

We explore Bitola, which still retains

Emperor Galerius vanquishes his foes: details from the arch of Galerius.

much of its late Ottoman atmosphere, with very fine 15th century mosques.

We also visit the fine Bitola museum, established in an old Turkish military college, where Kemal Ataturk studied.

Day Seven We visit the ancient site and thundering waterfalls in Edessa, which made the city famous in antiquity. We also find the Ottoman bridge that carried the Via Egnatia over the river. In ancient Aigai, the traditional Macedonian capital, we discover the great burial mound which covered the tombs of Macedonian royalty. This was one of the richest finds of grave goods in Europe.

Day Eight We explore Thessaloniki, the original terminus of the Via Egnatia. We visit the Agora and church of St. Demetrius and the remains of the palace complex of Galerius, the Rotonda, his intended mausoleum, and the great arch over the Via Egnatia. We visit the recently redisplayed and very fine Archaeological Museum and the adjacent Byzantine Museum.

Day Nine We return home from Thessaloniki today.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Via Egnatia - Across the Balkans ALBANIA

GUIDE LECTURER

The bouleuterion of Apollonia, ancient city of Illyria, near the Adriatic shore.

Ohrid

“H

ow highly should we honour the Macedonians, who for the greater part of their lives never cease from fighting with the barbarians for the sake of the security of Greece?”

Polybius

Durrës

Tirana Elbasan

Bitola Korbinovo Lake Prespa

Apollonia

Edessa

Thessaloniki Aigai

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - London to Tirana; Thessaloniki to London Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Low Single Supplement

All Inclusive

Hotels 2 nights in a comfortable hotel on a beach outside Durres 2 nights in a lake-side hotel in Ohrid overlooking the old city 1 night in a central hotel in Bitola 1 night in a friendly and well-located hotel on the outskirts of Edessa 2 nights in a 5* hotel in Thessaloniki with pool

Greeks

Romans

Medieval

Historic Churches

Professor Michael Galaty has worked in Greece, Hungary and the US, and was Director of the Albanian Shala Valley survey. He is Professor and Head Research Associate of Mississippi State University’s anthropology department. In 2011 Michael was named as one of nine academic trustees for the Archaeological Institute of America.

see more countries in the balkans...

Albania - Land of the Eagles..... p.16 Bulgaria - Thracian Treasures.. p.24 Dalmatia & Dubrovnik............. p.30 Frontier Lands of Romania..... p.126

Tour Code: (VIE16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

19

HALLSTATT to La Tène

O

ur tour of the European Iron Age travels through some of the most beautiful and dramatic landscapes in the world: huge lakes, craggy peaks, green forests and pretty Alpine towns. This fertile land attracted prehistoric settlers, and provided trade routes through the mountains for vital commodities such as salt, amber, precious metals and, eventually, strong iron.

The early Iron Age Hallstatt culture became wealthy from salt, building huge fortified settlements and rich burials. The later Tène culture, on Lac Neuchatel in Switzerland, is characterised by intricate metalwork, very well preserved. Led by Professor John Collis, an authority on the Iron Age, we delve into this time of traders and tribes in beautiful Austria and Switzerland.

Sun 11th - Mon 19th Sep 2016 Guide Lecturer: Prof John Collis 9 days Sep : £2,995 (sgl supp £460; without flights £2,775)

•

Iconic Iron Age archaeology introduced by leading authority Professor John Collis.

• Fantastically well-preserved finds, both waterlogged remains and vivid ‘Celtic’ art and metal work.

•

We have arranged special access to excavations at the Hallstatt Salt Mines, accompanied by the Director of Hallstatt Museum.

ITINER ARYED Day One We fly into Salzburg, and enjoy a scenic drive to Mondsee, once the site of Neolithic lake dwellings. We continue to our lakeside hotel in Hallstatt.

Day Two Today we explore the Iron Age Hallstatt Cemetery and Museum, which contains both fabulous elite grave goods and everyday artefacts from the salt mines. Amazingly, leather backpacks and miners’ shoes have been preserved in the salt.

This afternoon we get even closer to life in the Iron Age, with special access to excavations in Hallstatt Salt Mines with the Director of Hallstatt Museum.

Day Three We drive east to Hallein. Here, mining has been traced back 7,000 years and the name itself is derived from

Salt lamps from Hallein, home of the world’s earliest salt mines, source of Iron Age riches...

20

the Greek word for salt. We visit the impressive Celtic Museum with elaborate La Tène metalwork. Continue to the Hallein Salt Mines. This afternoon, we glimpse domestic life in the Iron Age at the re-constructed Celtic Village. Continue across the border to Germany.

Day Four A day above ground! We visit Manching Oppidum, a Celtic town which became one of the largest settlements north of the Alps by the late 2nd century BC. The many human remains found in certain depositions suggest ancestor worship. We also visit nearby Kelten Museum, home to a miniature golden oak tree found during rescue excavations on the site.

Day Five Today we visit another Iron Age hillfort and town, Kelheim Oppidum. The site is impressively situated on a peninsular between the Altmühl and Danube rivers. We walk the ramparts and admire finds from the fort displayed in the site museum. We enjoy a boat ride on the Danube this afternoon before returning to our hotel in Pfaffenhofen.

Day Six We climb the hillfort of the Heuneburg, built around 600 BC on a mountain spur, strategically positioned near the source of the Danube. Many of the rich grave goods found at Heuneburg are now on display at Heuneburg Museum, which we visit this afternoon, after lunch in a ‘Celtic style’ cafe.

Miniature ceramic horses c. 5th century BC in Hallstatt Museum.

Day Seven We pass a relaxing morning in Konstanz a beautiful lakeside town, first settled by the Romans and flourishing ever since. Afternoon visit to the Neues Museum in Biel/Bienne, with archaeological artefacts from the region, and displays charting the extraordinary prehistoric pile-dwellings found beneath the lake edge.

Day Eight We take a boat trip on the three lakes to the site of La Tène itself. Continue to Mont Vully Oppidum, destroyed by fire at around the time of the Roman conquest – signifying the end of Iron Age dominance. After lunch aboard ship we enter a new era at Aventicum, capital of Roman Switzerland.

Day Nine Our final morning is spent at Latenium Museum and Archaeological Park, with eclectic displays including reconstructions of a La Tène house, a Gallo-Roman ship and a Celtic bridge, as well as many original treasures of the La Tène period. Transfer to Geneva for our flights home.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Hallstatt - to La Tène AUSTRIA, SWITZERLAND & GERMANY The market town of Bad Goisern, on Lake Hallstatt.

GUIDE LECTURER

Germany Manching

“W

hat do we mean by Celts? People who spoke a Celtic language, or who were members of a political group or a physical type? Without a care we can be led into nonsense.”

John Collis, The European Iron Age

Heuneberg Konstanz Biel/Bienne

Nyon Geneva

Murten Switzerland

Salzburg Hallstatt Austria

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Salzburg; Geneva to London Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Prehistory

Hotels 2 nights in an idyllically situated hotel facing the lake in Hallstatt with charming and comfortable rooms 3 nights in a comfortable hotel in historic Munich 1 night in family-run hotel in the heart of the historic centre of Konstanz 2 nights in a 4* star hotel overlooking the harbour in Neuchatel

Romans

Professor John Collis is the leading expert on the European Iron Age. He has excavated widely - working in the UK, France, Spain and Italy throughout his long career.

He has published major books on the period, including ‘The European Iron Age’, which is the standard introductory text for the subject.

want to discover the prehistoric world?

Prehistoric Czech Republic....... p.34 The Ice Man and His World... p.102 Rock Art of Scandinavia......... p.138 Walking Prehistoric Wessex... p.154

Tour Code: (HAL16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

21

BALTIC AMBER TRAIL

T

he Baltic is famous for its amber, both today and throughout history, providing a wonderful focal point for an exploration of Lithuania and Latvia.

It was throughout this region, from the Bronze Age onwards, that amber was traded all over Europe in a route known as the amber route.

Although amber is our theme, we visit a range of archaeological sites within this exquisite and evocative land, from prehistoric hill forts, to Viking monuments, to Middle Age castles of the Teutonic Knights. We also touch on the more recent, heart-wrenching history and occupation of these previously Soviet nations. An excellent follow-up for anyone who has travelled with us to Albania, Romania or Bulgaria; or simply if you wish to discover more of the Baltic States.

Mon 12th - Tue 20th Sep 2016 Guide Lecturer: Prof John Hines 9 days Sep : £2,675 (sgl supp £250; without flights £2,385)

•

­Special Access to the archaeological complex of Kernavé, occupied from the Stone Age to the Middle Ages. We are introduced to the site by its Curator.

•

Visit the enchanting Medieval Castle of Trakai; its fairy-tale setting on a lake hides a long and turbulent history.

• Trace the story of the Amber trade, encountering traders knights and kings.

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. We begin our tour at the Amber Museum Gallery, a 17th century Baroque building that tells the history of the region’s amber.

destroyed during an attack by the Teutonic Knights, but has been rebuilt over the centuries. During the afternoon, we explore the colourful village that grew across the bridge from the castle.

Day Two We spend a day in Vilnius. At the National Museum, we view its collections from Prehistoric to postMedieval times. We move on to the Ducal Palace, constructed in the 15th century for the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. After lunch, we stroll around the UNESCO listed Old Town.

After exploring Vilnius cathedral, we visit several Orthodox and Catholic churches, marvelling at the exquisite baroque architecture that survives.

Day Four We visit Kernavė Medieval Complex which lies in the valley of the River Neris, where hillforts, settlements and burial sites show activity from the Stone Age to the Middle Ages.

Day Three We brave the defences of the island castle at Trakai, built between 1350 and 1377AD. The castle was largely

We travel on to Kaunas, a historic city located on the banks of the Nemunas River, where we explore the old town and visit the 14th castle.

Island castle at Trakai, built between 1350 and 1377AD.

22

We will be introduced to the site and the museum by the curator, who will tell us about the presentation and development of the archaeological complex.

Day Five In Klaipėda we explore Memel Castle, built by the Teutonic Knights. This has been the focus of extensive excavations, which may still be in progress during our visit. We also see the theatre balcony where Hitler gave his famous speech in 1939 when the Memel Land was annexed to Nazi Germany. We move on to the picturesque fishing village of Nida, dramatically located on the amazing sliver of white sand marking the westernmost point of Lithuania.

Vilnius, Lithuania.

Day Six We explore the Baltic resort of Palanga.

This was once the start of the amber trail and small pieces of amber still regularly wash ashore here. We visit the hill fort and the Amber Museum (in a former palace). This afternoon, we cross into Latvia and visit the Viking burial ground in Grobina.

Day Seven We explore Kuldiga an early member of the powerful Hanseatic League.

Here, we walk the narrow streets lined with well-preserved wooden buildings and visit the District Museum. This afternoon we continue to Kandava where we view the foundations of a 13th century castle and 14th century watchtower.

Day Eight We view the old town, museum, cathedral and Lutheran churches in Riga, Latvia’s capital. Founded in 1201 the old town is a World Heritage Site. After lunch, we also explore Riga Castle. We end our day at the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia, which details the history of the Soviet occupation.

Day Nine We fly home from Riga.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Baltic Amber Trail THE BALTIC STATES

NEW

Kaunas Castle, built in the 14th century, is the oldest masonry castle in Lithuania.

Kuldïga

“T

he stone interior would often hide small undamaged plants and insects, which must also have found their way inside by magic. That sufficed to arouse the curiosity of primitive man, with admiration & respect for this unusual gem.”

Elzbieta Mierzwinska, The Great Book of Amber

Palanga Klaipéda

Kandava

GUIDE LECTURER

Rïga

Lithuania

Nida Kaunas Trakai

Kernavé Vilnius

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Vilnius; Riga to London Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Prehistory

Vikings

Hotels 3 nights in a Luxury hotel in the heart of Old Town Vilnius 2 nights in an elegant hotel located on the shores of the Baltic coastline in Palanga.

1 night in a historic hotel in the Heart of Kuldiga.

2 nights in a boutique hotel in the heart of old town Riga

Medieval

John Hines is Professor of History and Archaeology at Cardiff University. He specialises in the archaeology, literature and languages of Medieval northern Europe.

Combining material culture with runes, myths, songs and epics, John brings a unique perspective to the history and peoples of the Baltic states.

interested in early autumn tours - why not consider...

Cathars & Crusaders................ p.48 The Etruscans........................... p.86 Frontier Lands of Romania .... p.126

Tour Code: (AMB16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

23

BULGARIA Thracian Treasures

B

ulgaria is, in archaeological terms, one of the richest countries in Europe.

The previous 10 years have been, almost literally, a golden age for Bulgarian archaeology, with spectacular sites and priceless finds coming to light. Hidden in the hills and forests are some of Europe’s oldest Neolithic settlements, Thracian tombs, replete with grave goods and exuberantly painted Medieval churches.

At the edge of Europe, in ancient times, Bulgaria was located at the apex of great civilisations. From the south and west Philip of Macedon and Roman Emperor Trajan founded cities here. From the east came Byzantine traders and Ottoman raiders. Dr Katya Melamed introduces the many ages of Bulgaria, from the Black Sea to the Rila Mountains, from the Neolithic to the Iron Curtain.

Sat 8th - Wed 19th Oct 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Katya Melamed 12 days Oct : £2,495 (sgl supp £245; without flights £2,245)

•

Spectacularly varied history and landscapes introduced by a Bulgarian archaeologist who has excavated all over the country.

•

From Neolithic houses of Stara Zagora, through Roman Plovdiv, to the exuberantly painted churches high in the Rila mountains.

• Visits to no fewer than 6 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

ITINER ARYED Day One Arrive in Sofia and transfer to Plovdiv.

Day Two We spend our first day on foot exploring the sites of Plovdiv, founded

by Philip of Macedon. Intense Roman activity on this site means that little is left of the early city, but a great deal of the Roman one including the forum, stadium, fortress and amphitheatre.

Day Three Drive north to the sleepy village of Hisarya, famed for its hot water mineral spring. We continue to ‘Valley of the Thracian Kings’ after pausing for a picnic at the site of Kazanlak Mound.

We hope once again for special permission to enter the Kazanlak tomb, which we have obtained on all our previous tours of Bulgaria.

The tomb is decorated with beautiful frescoes.

Day Four We visit the tomb of Aleksandrovo, dating from the 4th century BC. Continue this afternoon to Stara Zagora. This seemingly ordinary Bulgarian town hides extraordinary Neolithic houses under the city streets.

The dwellings are complete with shelves, pots and hearths.

Day Five We begin the day at the huge settlement mound of Karanovo. This ‘tell’ represents successive phases of occupation from the 6th to the 2nd millennium BC. We then drive east to Nessebar on the Black Sea Coast.

Founded by the Thracians, the town later became a thriving Greek trading colony. We visit the old town to view churches and walls. Continue to Varna.

Day Six We spend the morning in the superb History Museum in Varna housing intricately worked gold found at nearby Copper Age burial sites. After lunch we explore this coastal city including the Roman Baths and Marine Garden.

Day Seven Today, we visit the majestic Madara Horseman rock relief. Dating from the 8th century AD, the horseman rides triumphant, a vanquished lion at his feet. We continue to the Sveshtari Thracian tomb. Here, multi-coloured reliefs depict surreal half human, half plant-like figures.

Extraordinary chariot burial at Karanovo.

Day Eight We spend all day in Veliko Tarnovo, capital of the Medieval Bulgarian tsars.

The town is dramatically situated on a gorge over the river. We explore the large Medieval castle dominating the city, and some early monasteries.

Day Nine We drive to the ancient site of Nicopolis ad Istrum. A thriving Roman colony, the town was abandoned in the 5th century AD and eventually replaced by a much more modest Byzantine settlement. We continue to the preserved ‘museum villages’ of Arbanassi and Etar.

Day Ten We view the collections of the National Museum of History in Sofia before visiting Boyana Church with its remarkable 13th century frescoes. We continue along the walls of ancient Serdica (Sofia), to see St George’s Rotunda and St Sofia Basilica.

Day Eleven We head into the beautiful foothills of the Rila mountains, to visit Rila Monastery. This iconic (in the literal sense!) masterpiece is one of Bulgaria’s most famous and most beautiful sites.

Day Twelve We visit Sofia’s National Institute of Archaeology before our flight home.

Traditional village at Etar.

24

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Bulgaria -Thracian Treasures BULGARIA

GUIDE LECTURER

Rila Monastery.

Nicopolis ad Istrum Veliko Tarnovo Sofia

Hisarya

Varna

Etar Kazanlak Plovdiv

Rila

Arbanassi Madara

Dr Katya Melamed recently retired from the Bulgarian Institute of Archaeology, but still directs excavations. She has published widely in English and Bulgarian, and specialises in the Medieval period and is particularly interested in the continuity of burial practices.

Katya has led many tours for Andante.

Karanovo

Stara Zagora

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Sofia Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Low Single Supplement

All Inclusive

would you like to see more historic churches?

Hotels 3 nights in a modern hotel near the Maritsa River in Plovdiv 1 night in a hotel in central Stara Zagora with views of the Black Sea 2 nights in a central hotel with good views and modern rooms in Varna 2 nights in a comfortable, rustic hotel in Veliko Tarnovo 3 nights in a 4* hotel in central Sofia

Cultural

Prehistory

Greeks

Romans

You may also be interested in Dalmatia & Dubrovnik............. p.30 Cyprus - The South...................p.32 The Via Julia - Côte d’Azur...... p.42 Ravenna & Aquileia................ p.110

Medieval

Historic Churches

Tour Code: (BUL16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

25

CAMBODIA & VIETNAM

F

orbidden cities, colonial grandeur and above all, the vast magnificent temple complex of Angkor Wat. We are very privileged to welcome Dr Damian Evans, Director of the Great Angkor Project, to co-lead this tour. Dr Evans has secured special access, not only to Angkor itself, but to the many other temples and cities, deep in the forests which are constantly being uncovered...

In Vietnam, we explore the lands of the Champa, a maritime kingdom which flourished from the 7th to 10th century, with lavish monuments, temples and cities. Our tour culminates at Angkor, the great city thought to have sustained up to a million people. A testament to human ingenuity and to the ravages of time - that such a metropolis could be lost and swallowed back into the jungle.

Tue 9th - Sun 21st Aug 2016 Tue 8th - Sun 20th Nov 2016 Guide Lecturers: Dr Damian Evans & Dr Peter Sharrock 13 days Aug & Nov : £3,850 (sgl supp £520; without flights £2,750)

•

Special access: privileged introduction to Angkor Wat the largest religious monument in the world - with Director of the Greater Angkor Project, Dr Damian Evans.

•

Forbidden cities, temples and tombs of Vietnam with Dr Peter Sharrock, who was a correspondent during the Vietnam War.

•

Historic trading ports of Indo-China in Vietnam - lanternlit river fronts, boats: a riot of life and colour.

ITINER ARYED Day One - Two Fly from London to Hanoi, arriving on the morning of Day Two. This afternoon, you can choose to rest in our hotel, or explore the city with our Guide Lecturer and group. Visits include the History Museum, the Temple of Literature and excavations at Hanoi Citadel.

Day Three On our second day in Hanoi we visit the One Pillar Pagoda, and touch on more recent history at Ho Chi Minh’s house and tomb. After lunch we fly south to Hue, Vietnam’s capital until 1945, and view the Ta Duc Mausoleum - a beautiful royal tomb complex.

Day Four This morning we travel by dragon boat along the Perfume river to the Thien Mu Pagoda. Back on land, we enter the 19th century walled citadel at the heart of Hue, where the Imperial Forbidden City lies. We end the day at the Fine Arts Museum.

Day Five We head south along the coast, via the spectacular Hai Van Pass (‘Pass of the Mountain Clouds’) to Da Nang.

Massive stone heads at the Bayon Temple.

26

Here we visit the Cham Museum, with a superb collection of sculpture from the period. We continue through the Marble Mountains to the wellpreserved trading port and World Heritage Site of Hoi An. Day Six We travel inland to My Son, the religious centre of the Cham people from the 4th-14th centuries. This was the burial site of the Cham kings and there are more than 70 Hindu temples and tombs amongst the wooded hills.

We spend a full day in My Son before returning to Hoi An this evening.

Approaching the 9th century temples at Roluos.

through the architecture.

We reach the huge complex of Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world, built by Khmer rulers in the 12th century.

Dr Damian Evans provides special access and a unique introduction to the site and the latest discoveries which are constantly being made here.

Day Seven Enjoy free time in Hoi An to browse the shop, lanterns and charming old centre.

We return to Da Nang for a flight to Siem Reap. This evening we meet Dr Damian Evans for a lecture introducing Angkor Wat and the Khmer Kingdom.

Day Ten We visit the smaller temples of Ta Som and Preah Khan, Baray Reach Dak, rarely visited by Western tourists. We also spend time in Siem Reap Museum where fragments and finds from the temples are displayed.

Day Eight Our introduction to the Khmer Kings begins at the Roluos group of 9th century temples - some of the earliest Khmer structures found. We continue to the remote temple complex of Banteay Srei (‘Citadel of Beauty’) with exquisitely detailed carvings on pink sandstone.

Day Eleven Enjoy a free day at Angkor Wat.

Day Nine We drive north through beautiful countryside to Koh Ker, a 10th century Khmer city hidden in the forest and only recently opened to visitors. This afternoon we visit the Beng Mealea Temple complex, again amid the jungle, with massive tree roots snaking

Day Twelve Today, we discover lesser-known temples including: Buddhist monastery Ta Prohm, held together by banyan and strangler fig roots, Ta Nei and Ta Keo. We explore the fortified city of Angkor Thom dominated by giant heads of the Buddha.

Day Thirteen Fly home from Siem Reap, or fly independently to Phnom Penh to see the National Museum of Cambodia and other sites.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Cambodia & Vietnam BULGARIA & VIETNAM CAMBODIA Hanoi

GUIDE LECTURERS

Magnificent temple complex at Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world, covering over 1000 sq km.

“O

ne of these temples—a rival to that of Solomon, and erected by some ancient Michelangelo—might take an honourable place beside our most beautiful buildings. It is grander than anything left to us by Greece or Rome” Henri Mouhot, 19th century explorer of Angkor Wat

Hue Da Nang Hoi An

Vietnam Banteay Srei Koh Ker Siem Reap

Cambodia

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Hanoi; Hanoi to Hue; Da Nang to Siem Reap; Siem Reap to London (via Bangkok) Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach and river boat Meals - All meals included Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme, porterage and tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Cultural

Hotels 2 nights in a boutique hotel in the old town of Hanoi 2 nights in the heart of Hue city, close to the Perfume River 2 nights in a comfortable hotel in Hoi An on the banks of the Thu Bon River 6 nights in one of Siem Reap’s best hotels, ideally located for exploring Angkor and surrounding temples

Medieval

Eastern

Dr Damian Evans has lived and worked in South-East Asia for fifteen years. He is a Research Fellow for the French School of the Far East, based near Angkor Wat. Damian was Director of the Greater Angkor Project and led the team who carried out the groundbreaking LIDAR surveys of the vast Angkor complex.

Dr Peter Sharrock is a Senior Teaching Fellow at SOAS, University of London. He specialises in the spread of Buddhism across South-East Asia and works on the analysis of temple decoration and architecture.

His passion for Indochina began when he was a war correspondent in Vietnam.

Tour Codes: August: Tue 9th - Sun 21st (CAM16A) November: Tue 8th - Sun 20th (CAM16B)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

27

CHINA Beyond the Great Wall

C

hina has a remarkable history, spanning back over 10,000 years and remnants of its glorious past can be seen at every turn. We journey from Beijing to Shanghai, through vast and varied landscapes and archaeology.

Thu 13th - Sat 29th Oct 2016 Mon 31st Oct - Wed 16th Nov 2016 Guide Lecturer: Malcolm McNeil

From Buddhist temples, to the gargantuan monuments of imperial ambition, to lesser-known prehistoric settlements, this is the story of not one but many Chinas through the ages. We are delighted to have Malcolm McNeil, an expert on Chinese art and archeology, to lead this tour. Over 17 days, Malcolm puts the great sites we see into their historical context. We see the Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors and Ming Tombs not just as grand relics, but as products of the time, people and places that led to their creation.

17 days Oct : £4,750 (sgl supp £645; without flights £3,950)

•

­See some of China’s most famous sites in the company of a guide lecturer who will weave them into a narrative of China‘s history.

•

Come face to face with the famous Terracotta Warriors, as we have special access to the statues and meet the archaeologists who uncovered them.

•

Discover China’s remarkable prehistoric archaeology at sites such as Jinsha and Banpo, which tell the story of ordinary people in ancient China.

ITINER ARYED Day One & Two We fly overnight to Beijing and transfer to our hotel.

This is the traditional sacred centre of China. Excavations have uncovered ritual sites dating back to the Neolithic.

Day Three This morning we wander the lakes and gardens of the Summer Palace. On to to Fahai Temple, famed for its vivid frescoes from the Ming Dynasty.

Day Seven This morning, we visit the Shaolin Temple, where monks have practiced a distinct form of Buddhism for over 1,500 years. After lunch we continue to the Longmen Grottoes, home to up to 100,000 Buddhist statues.

Day Four Today we head to the Forbidden City to explore the Palace Museum. We touch on recent history at Tiananmen Square before continuing to the Temple of Heaven this afternoon.

Day Five We explore the Tombs of the Ming Dynasty. This afternoon, we visit the Great Wall. The Wall dates back to the 2nd century BC, although it was extended by the Ming Emperors.

Day Six We leave Beijing and fly to Luoyang.

Day Eight We take a train ride to Xi’an, one of the oldest cities in China. We have free time this afternoon where you could visit the Great Mosque and Bazaar in the Islamic quarter or walk the city walls.

Day Nine This morning we enjoy special access to the 2,200-year-old Terracotta Army. The 8000 statues were crafted for Emperor Qin Shi Huang. We view the assembled ranks and meet the archaeologists who excavate and conserve them.

After lunch we continue to Banpo Neolithic Village and Museum.

Day Ten We pay our respects at Famensi Temple, home to relics of the Buddha.

On to Han Jingdi Tomb to view its impressive terracotta figurines.

Longmen Grottoes - commissioned by empress Wu Zetian.

28

Day Eleven We fly to Chengdu. After lunch, we view the Qingyang Palace, one of the oldest and largest Taoist temples.

Bronze Bird Sanxingdui Museum Chengdu Sichuan.

Day Twelve Today we explore the 3,000-year-old settlement at Jinsha. Excavations here have uncovered exquisite jade, ivory and gold artefacts. We continue to Sanxingdui site and Museum.

Day Thirteen and Fourteen We fly to Shanghai Suzhou and enjoy free time in this ancient city. We visit Suzhou Museum and the lovely Garden of the Humble Administrator.

We contemplate Nirvana at the Buddhist Lion Forest Garden this afternoon.

Day Fifteen Today we reach Shanghai. After checking into our hotel we take a river boat along the Bund (quay) lined with 19th century trading houses.

Day Sixteen We have special access to a collection of objects which reveal the more recent history of communist China at the Shanghai Propoganda Poster Art Centre.

Day Seventeen We fly home from Shanghai.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

China - Beyond the Great Wall CHINA

NEW

GUIDE LECTURER

Beijing

Terracotta Warroiors at Xi’an.

China

“A

journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step” Chinese Proverb

Luoyang

Xi’an

Suzhou

Chengdu

Shanghai

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Bejing, Shanghai to London Domestic Flights - Beijing to Luoyang, Xi’an to Chengdu, Chengdu to Shanghai Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Cultural

Hotels 4 nights in Classic Chinese courtyard style accommodation in Beijing 2 nights in a modern hotel in Luoyang 3 nights in a Luxury hotel in Xian 2 nights in a hotel in a traditional courtyard-style building in Chengdu 2 nights in a stylish hotel located in scenic western Suzhou 2 nights in a modern luxurious hotel located in downtown Shanghai

Prehistory

Great Cities

Medieval

Eastern

Malcolm McNeil lectures at the History of Art and Archaeology department of SOAS, University of London.

A fluent Mandarin speaker, he has presented numerous papers on the art and history of Medieval China. Malcolm has also worked at the British Museum and lectured for Asia House, Christie’s, and the Victoria & Albert Museum.

looking for a new archaeological adventure?

Dalmatia and Dubrovnik.......... p.30 Georgia...................................... p.50 Northern Peru......................... p.122 South Africa............................ p.128

Tour Code: Oct: Thu 13th - Sat 29th (CAN16A) Oct: Mon 31st - Wed 16th Nov (CAN16B)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

29

DALMATIA & DUBROVNIK

E

xplore the spectacular archaeology of Croatia, from Zagreb to Zadar, Split to Dubrovnik. Against the backdrop of the breathtakingly beautiful Adriatic and its islands, we visit villas, temples, churches and palaces. Part of the Illyrian kingdom, the region succumbed to Roman rule around 32 BC. ‘Dalmatia’ acquired the characteristic trappings of a Roman province: Latin military camps, towns and roads. The province even furnished Rome with an Emperor, Diocletian, who returned in retirement and built a magnificent palace at Split.

Wed 25th May - Fri 3rd Jun 2016 Wed 5th - Fri 14th Oct 2016 Guide Lecturer: John Shepherd 10 days May & Oct : £2,945 (sgl supp £465; without flights £2,645)

Travel with Expert Guide John Shepherd, a Roman specialist and former Museum of London Curator. Let him take you on a leisurely tour through 2,000 years of fascinating Croatian history.

•

­Travel through Croatia, viewing Roman cities, red-roofed walled Medieval towns and the sparkling clear blue waters of the Adriatic.

•

Enjoy Special Access to Zagreb Archaeological Museum - the curator of the museum will take us on a tour of the museum and deliver a special talk.

•

Spend two days in Dubrovnik, and discover more about the walled city’s early beginnings, and its place in more recent history.

ITINER ARY Day One We arrive in Croatia’s capital, Zagreb and enjoy a walk around the Old Town during our first afternoon. We explore the picturesque Medieval Gradec Quarter, and the very fine Gothic and Romanesque, St Mark’s Church.

Day Two We begin our day with a special tour of Zagreb Archaeological Museum, followed by a talk from the museum’s curator.

This afternoon, we continue to the Roman settlement of Aquae Iasae in the town of Varaždinske Toplice. The site has been extensively excavated over the past fifty years and was built next to a natural thermal spring.

Day Three We spend the morning at Andautonia Archaeological Park just outside of

Zagreb. We explore the remains of a Roman town that have been uncovered, with inscriptions here suggesting it was the cultural and economic centre of the region between the 1st and 3rd century.

We drive to Zadar in the afternoon.

Day Four We spend the day in Zadar, an ancient Adriatic city which became a major trading centre under Roman rule. We explore the Kalelarga (main street) and visit Romanesque churches of the Middle Ages. After lunch, we stroll along the Zadarska Riva seafront and visit the unique ‘sea organ’, played by the wind and waves. Finally, we end the day at the Archaeological Museum of Zadar, which houses finds from prehistory onwards.

Day Five We wander around the excavated walls and visit the museum at Burnum Roman Camp. After lunch, we explore Krka National Park, famed for its beauty, preserved natural ecosystems, and remains of Medieval fortresses.

Day Six Enjoy a scenic drive along the Adriatic coastline to Šibenik. Later, we move on to Trogir, founded by Greek sailors in the 3rd century and later sacked and rebuilt in the Middle Ages. The town is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Afterward, we travel to Split.

Ancient amphitheatre in Split.

30

Day Seven We spend the morning in Salona, the ruins of a remarkable Roman city, and the former capital of Dalmatia. This

The ancient Adriatic city of Zadar.

afternoon we explore Diocletian’s Imperial Palace. Despite his lowly beginnings, Diocletian rose within the military ranks, and was made emperor in 284AD. Day Eight We depart from Split to Dubrovnik, enjoying a seafront picnic lunch. The historic Medieval walled town is one of the most famous in Europe. Before embarking on a detailed exploration, we touch on Croatia’s more troubled recent history at the Croatian War of Independence Museum.

Day Nine We spend a full day in Dubrovnik. We walk the city walls, which were built towards the end of the 8th century and were strong enough to defend against a 15 month invasion in the 9th century.

We continue to Lovrijenac Fortress.

Dubrovnik had a strong maritime culture and this afternoon we visit the old city harbour and Lazaretto, built to quarantine sailors in attempts to protect the city from imported disease.

Day Ten Time for final exploration and souvenir hunting before we fly home from Dubrovnik to London, via Zagreb.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Dalmatia & Dubrovnik CROATIA

NEW

GUIDE LECTURER

Aquae

Old City Dubrovnik.

Zagreb Croatia

“I

f you want to see paradise on earth come to Dubrovnik.”

George Bernard Shaw

Zadar

Burnum Sibenik Troy Split

Dubrovnik

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Zagreb & Dubrovnik to London Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Romans

Hotels 2 nights in a Luxury hotel in the centre of Zagreb 3 nights in a centrally located hotel in Zadar 2 nights in a 4 star seaside hotel in Split 2 nights in a Historic hotel located by the gates to Old Town Dubrovnik

Historic Churches

John Shepherd is an experienced archaeologist who has worked in France, Italy and Eastern Europe. He worked at the Museum of London for over 20 years. John specialises in the Roman period, and teaches at the Highgate Literary and Scientific Institute on various aspects of European archaeology.

interested in exploring more of the roman empire?

You may also be interested in Cyprus - The South................... p.32 Roman Germany....................... p.52 Meet the Romans...................... p.84 Romans, Visigoths & Viziers...p.130

Tour Codes: May : Wed 25th - Fri 3rd Jun (CRO16A) October : Wed 5th - Fri 14th (CRO16B)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

31

CYPRUS The South

T

his beautiful Mediterranean island has a rich Prehistoric, Classical and  Medieval past. Recent research has pushed back the dates for the earliest occupation of Cyprus to over 10,000 years ago, and over millennia the people of Cyprus developed their own distinctive artefacts, buildings, art and culture. From a Bronze Age olive oil ‘factory’, to Roman tombs, to vineyards once tended by crusaders, the remains of ancient Cyprus each tell a story.

A very beautiful journey through the land famed as the birthplace of Aphrodite. Dr Paul Croft, who has devoted his career to the study of Cypriot archaeology, leads us from mountain churches to Prehistoric and Classical sites, overlooking the clear blue waters of the Mediterranean.

Thu 14th - Thu 21st Apr 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Paul Croft 8 days Apr : £2,450 (sgl supp £295; without flights £2,100)

•

A privileged introduction to Cypriot archaeology - special access to sites, introduced by local archaeologists.

•

Fantastic, diverse archaeology from Neolithic houses, to a Bronze Age oil factory, to the fabulous mosaics at Paphos.

•

Journey into the unspoilt Troodos Mountains, with traditional villages and some spectacular Byzantine churches.

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Larnaca and transfer to our hotel in Limassol.

Day Two We begin our tour at the site of Khirokitia, an exceptionally preserved Neolithic walled village with over 60 stone roundhouses.

We have special access to the Bronze Age olive oil ‘factory’ excavations at Kalavasos, especially opened for our group.

After lunch we continue to the Crusader fortress of Kolossi, which stood by the vineyards from which the Knights of St John made their wine.

End the day at Limassol Castle.

Day Three All day in the Cypriot capital of Nicosia, founded in the Bronze

Gladiator Margaritis in combat, depicted in a mosaic at the ancient city of Kourion.

32

Age, the city has been continuously inhabited for almost 5000 years. We also visit the Cyprus Museum which houses the world’s most extensive collections of Cypriot archaeology. Free time to walk around the old town this afternoon, including the well-preserved Venetian walls, built in an (ultimately futile) attempt to defend the city from Ottoman invasion.

Day Four We drive into the beautiful Troodos mountains to visit a wonderful series of frescoed Byzantine churches many of which are World Heritage Sites. The lively detail and colours in the frescoes are remarkable. We also stop at the traditional town of Kakopetria, the Medieval streets picturesquely set amid thick forest, on the banks of two rivers.

Day Five Into Classical Cyprus at the ancient city of Kourion which blossomed under the Ptolemies and Romans.

Paul will introduce remains including a (reconstructed) Graeco-Roman theatre, and Roman houses with superb mosaics. Continue to the important religious centre known as the Sanctuary of Apollo Ylatis (‘of the woods’). We end the day at the Copper Age site at Souskiou, renowned for its famous cruciform figurines, such as the one seen on the Cyprus Euro coin.

Day Six Our first visit to the World Heritage site of Paphos. Today we explore the elaborate rock cut ‘Tombs of the Kings’

The rock where Aphrodite is said to have emerged from the sea...

which date from the 3rd century BC to the 3rd century AD. This morning we also have special access to the Lemba Archaeological Research Centre, with a handling session led by Paul. The centre has been the home of Prehistoric projects in western Cyprus for 30 years.

We visit sites in the vicinity including Kissonerga where some of the earliest water-wells in the world have been found. On to Maa, a Late Bronze Age site on a beautiful promontory.

Day Seven Our second day at the ancient city of Paphos, an important Roman city.

Remains include a Hellenistic pebble mosaic, but it is the 3rd century AD Roman mosaics which have made the site famous. After lunch we continue to the Paphos Archaeological Museum and the six-domed Church of Ayia Paraskevi.

Day Eight Before we return home, we visit Aphrodite’s Sanctuary at the World Heritage Site of Kouklia.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Cyprus - The South CYPRUS

GUIDE LECTURER

The Sanctuary of Apollo Ylatis at Kourion.

“T

o Sea-set Kypros [Cyprus] the moist breath of the western wind wafted Aphrodite over the waves of the loud-moaning sea in soft foam.” Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite, 7th century BC

Nicosia

Cyprus Kakopetria Kissonerga Skalia

Larnaca khirokitia Kalavasos

Paphos Kourion

Limassol

Kolossi Castle

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights from London to Larnaca, Paphos to London Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach; minibus to Souskiou Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine. We have a celebratory final dinner in the ‘best restaurant in Cyprus’ Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Prehistory

Romans

Hotels 4 nights in a seaside holiday hotel on the edge of Limassol overlooking the Mediterranean sea 3 nights in a 5* spa hotel just outside Paphos with access to a beach and plenty of space to absorb the tranquility of the area

Medieval

Historic Churches

Dr Paul Croft is a British prehistorian who lives in Cyprus. He reconstructs ancient buildings, excavates, and is a specialist in zooarchaeology. Paul holds a fellowship at the University of Edinburgh and manages the Lemba Archaeological Research Centre. He is also involved with numerous projects in Cyprus and the Near East.

want to see more of the ancient Mediterranean?

You may also be interested in Corsica: Neolithic to Napolean. p.44 Crete & Santorini........................p.62 Discover the Dodecanese........... p.66 Islands of the Cyclades...............p.70 Sicilia Antiqua............................p.88 Malta & Gozo......................... p.114

Tour Code: (CYP16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

33

PREHISTORIC Czech Republic

T

hink of Czech Republic and most likely Soviet struggles and the Gothic spires of Prague spring to mind. Yet the history of this beautiful country goes back thousands of years earlier to the Upper Palaeolithic, when the landscape was covered in forests and hunter gatherers were expertly fashioning stone tools to hunt their prey. Dr Karen Reubens paints a picture of what living during this time may have been like for our ancestors that traversed these lands.

The Czech Republic still has a wondrous prehistoric landscape, littered with caves and extraordinary sites that have unveiled a treasure trove of remains.

From Dolní Věstonice, a site dating back 28,000 years, to the earliest Mladeč settlement found in Europe, this tour is a must for Prehistory enthusiasts.

Thu 1st - Thu 8th Sep 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Karen Ruebens 8 days Sep : £2,145 (sgl supp £315; without flights £1,895)

•

Glimpse the lives of so-called ‘cave men’ at Koněpruské, where the remains of fearsome Ice Age animals, including sabre-tooth tigers have been found.

• Meet local archaeologists who discuss their findings and excavations.

• Travel through craggy, forested and almost primordial landscapes

in search of the lives of our distant prehistoric forebears.

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Prague and transfer to our hotel in the heart of the old town.

Day Two This morning, we visit the National Museum which houses a vast collection of artefacts, including ample prehistoric remains which will provide a context for our tour. No visit to Prague would be complete without exploring Prague Castle, one of the largest Medieval complexes in the world.

Day Three This morning we make our way to Pilsen and explore the Historical Underground, a 14th century labyrinth of passages, cellars and walls. In the afternoon we descend into Prehistory at the Koněpruské caves, where thousand of prehistoric animal bones including mastodon and sabre-tooth tigers have been found. Stone tools, and Neanderthal and Homo sapien remains have also been discovered.

Interior of the National Museum in Prague.

34

Day Four Today starts with a drive to Brno.

The afternoon is spent exploring the Moravian Museum in Brno, which displays prehistoric finds from across the Czech Republic.

Day Five We are introduced to the museum by local archaeologists, who discuss their work and the very latest developments in Czech archaeology.

We hunt for more prehistoric clues as we travel the Moravian Karst complex; home to over 1000 caverns, caves and gorges. Here we visit Kateřinská cave and Býčí skála cave. The final stop of the day is Sloupsko-sosuvke cave complex which includes Kulna cave, one of the largest Neanderthal sites in the region. It is rich in stone tools, Neanderthal fossils and butchered animal remains, spanning the time period of 120,000 to 40,000 years ago.

Day Six Today we visit the Upper Palaeolithic settlement of Dolní Vestonice. It is a significant site, known for mammoth bones, ivory, clay figurines such as the Venus of Vestonice and some of the oldest musical instruments. In 1986, skeletons of three young individuals were uncovered here lying side by side, over 27,000 years old. In the afternoon we visit the museum exhibition of

View over Prague’s old town with Prague castle behind.

Pasohlavky, situated on the edge of a beautiful lake. The museum displays finds from the tomb of a Germanic chieftain, thought to have been an ally to Rome during the 2nd century AD. Day Seven We visit Mladeč, a key Upper Palaeolithic site containing one of the oldest fossil remains of early modern humans in Europe, dating back 31,000 years. This afternoon we continue to the Museum at Předmostí. Here, we view remains from an important Upper Palaeolithic open-air site which contained some of the oldest evidence for dog domestication and systematic mammoth hunting. The site was unfortunately destroyed in the 1940s, but in situ mammoth bones are currently on display.

Day Eight We drive to Prague and transfer to the airport for return flights home.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Prehistoric Czech Republic CZECH REPUBLIC

NEW

GUIDE LECTURER

Moravian Karst, one of the most important karst areas in Central Europe.

“W

Prague

here the two rivers came together and the wet ground sustained the tender grasses of spring, the woolly mammoth... grazed, and the people...hunted and lived on the swamp.” James Shreeve, ‘The Neanderthal Enigma’

Pilsen

Konëpruské jeskynë

Czech Republic

Brno

Mladec Byci skala

Dolni Vëstonice

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Prague Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Prehistory

Hotels 3 nights in a 17th Century hotel in the heart of Old Town Prague 4 nights in a luxurious boutique hotel overlooking the town square of Brno

Great Cities

Dr Karen Ruebens is a Palaeolithic archaeologist who completed her PhD at the University of Southampton, specialising in Neanderthals.

She is now a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and the Monrepos Archaeological Museum and Research Centre for Human Behavioural Evolution.

want to discover the prehistoric world?

We have tours to...

Dordogne: Prehistoic Cave Art.p.46 South Africa............................ p.128 Rock Art of Altamira.............. p.134 Orkney and Shetland.............. p.160

Tour Code: (CPH16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

35

EGYPT Queens & Nobles

H

ere is your invitation to join Ancient Egypt’s high society: queens, nobles and courtiers who supported the great pharaohs. Receive private access to the tombs of this wealthy elite - which are often better preserved and certainly less crowded than the ostentatious pyramids of their rulers. Visit the tomb of Nefertari - great queen and wife of Ramesses II - decorations here are as fresh as the day they were painted; and pay homage to the great God Ra, at the sun temple of Abu Ghurab.

Mon 15th - Fri 26th Feb 2016 Guide Lecturer: Lucia Gahlin 12 days Feb : £3,495 (sgl supp £395; without flights £3,045)

Discover tales of lies, loyalty and Machievellian intrigue among the great and the good of ancient Egypt. Enjoy a very privileged exploration of this rarely-seen side of the Kingdoms on the Nile.

•

An invitation to join the high society of Ancient Egypt: queens, nobles and courtiers.

•

Special access to tombs not normally open to the public, including Nefertari’s Tomb.

• Led by Lucia Gahlin, who lectures on Ancient Egypt for numerous universities in the UK and internationally.

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Cairo.

Day Two We begin our journey with a day at the Saqqara, one of the most important sites in Egypt and final resting place of many nobles, including Tutankhamun’s treasurer, Maya. We will also visit the Serapeum, catacombs for burial of the Apis bulls, thought to be living manifestations of the creator god Ptah.

Day Three We have special access to the 4th dynasty pyramid at Abu Roash, the 5th dynasty pyramids at Abusir, and the unique Sun Temple at Abu Ghurab, rare in being solely intended to honour the God Ra, with no associated tombs or burials. We enter the tombs in splendid isolation.

Day Four We fly to Aswan, at the southern border of ancient Egypt.

Day Five A steep climb is rewarded with the Old and Middle Kingdom tombs of the nobles at Qubbet el-Hawa. We travel by boat to Kitchener’s Island, home of the Aswan Botanical Garden and its vast collections of rare sub-tropical species. We continue to Elephantine Island, one of the richest archaeological sites in Egypt. Visits include temples to the ram-headed god Khnum and his consort Satet going back to the beginnings of pharaonic history.

Day Six We visit another island in Aswan’s granite cataract region, Sehel Island.

We see rock-cut inscriptions including the famous ‘Famine Stela’. A change from pharaonic archaeology with a visit to St Simeon’s monastery in the desert.

Day Seven We take another boat trip, this time not on the Nile, but Lake Nasser, to visit New Kalabsha Island. Several of the temples here have been moved and re-erected to save them from being lost forever under the lake.

The Tomb of the noble Sarenput at Qubbet el-Hawa.

36

Day Eight Today we explore the important and most unusual tomb of Ankhtify at Mo’alla and the sandstone quarries of Gebel el-Silsila, with their evidence for ancient quarrying and a host of small rock-cut shrines. We continue to Luxor.

Colossal statue of Ramesses II gazing over the eastern delta at Tanis.

Day Nine We escape the Karnak Temple crowds by visiting areas not usually explored. We travel to the Mosque of Abu el-Haggag, built on top of Luxor Temple using pharaonic blocks, now visible as a result of a recent fire in the mosque. Tonight we pay a wonderful visit to Luxor Temple - to see it beautifully lit against the night sky.

Day Ten Enjoy exclusive access to Nefertari’s Tomb. This really is a breathtaking experience; the colours on the walls are as fresh as the day they were painted.

We move on to the Temple of Seti I, temple of one of the New Kingdom’s greatest pharaohs, father of Ramesses the Great. Our last visit today is to the Mummification Museum.

Day Eleven We explore the Tombs of the Nobles on the west bank. We continue on to the Merneptah Temple and Howard Carter’s House - his base when excavating Tutankhamun’s tomb.

Day Twelve We return home today.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Egypt - Queens & Nobles EGYPT Luxor Temple, built with golden Nubian sandstone to give the illusion of greater size, is full of allusion and symbolism.

GUIDE LECTURER

Tanis Saqqara

Cairo

Dashur

“E

gypt has more wonders in it than any other country in the world and provides more works that defy description than any other place.”

Herodotus

Egypt

Valley of the Queens

Karnak Luxor

Aswan

already travelled with lucia?

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Cairo; Luxor to London (via Cairo).

Tour Manager - Galal Alsinusy Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Egyptians

Lucia Gahlin is an Egyptologist who has worked extensively on Amarna material in London’s Petrie Museum. She has previously worked in Middle Egypt, at the archaeological site of Tell el-Amarna. Lucia is also an Honorary Research Associate at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London.

She is also leading ...

Hotels 3 nights in an historic hotel in Giza, ideally located for visiting the Pyramids 4 nights in a spacious, clean and comfortable hotel in Aswan 4 nights in a modern hotel with pretty gardens on the banks of the river in Luxor, with some spectacular views over the Nile

Egypt - Land of the Pharahos...p.38 Travelling to Egypt We consider safety the highest priority when choosing our hotels and planning our itineraries. Should UK Foreign Office advice discourage travel to Egypt, this tour will not go ahead. However, we feel that it is important to continue to support Egyptian heritage agencies by resuming our tours

Tour Code: (EQN16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

37

EGYPT Land of the Pharaohs

P

yramids, tombs and mummies – the archaeology of Ancient Egypt is one of the most instantly recognisable of all the great civilisations. This is a narrative of power, vision and ambition.

Fri 21st Oct - Mon 31st Oct 2016 Guide Lecturer: Lucia Gahlin

The monuments of Egypt are so much more than dry and dusty stones – through the real expertise of Guide Lecturer Lucia Gahlin we ‘meet’ the real ancient Egyptians: from the legendary pharaohs to the humble workers who laboured to build their tombs and palaces. We have also arranged special access inside the Great Pyramid and out of hours at Cairo Museum, making this a very privileged introduction to the long vanished kingdoms along the Nile.

11 days Oct : £3,165 (sgl supp £315; without flights £2,665)

• Special Access to the inner chamber of the Great Pyramid.

• Behind the scenes access to the treasures of the

Egyptian Museum, Cairo.

• Led by a seasoned Egyptologist who has excavated in Egypt.

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Cairo.

Day Two Our first stop is Saqqara, including the Imhotep museum, the Step Pyramid of Djoser and one of the mastaba tombs and pyramid of Teti with its Pyramid Texts. On to Dahshur, where there are several pyramids, two of which are thought to be the earliest and best preserved true pyramids in Egypt; the Bent and Red Pyramids.

Day Three Giza today, to visit the pyramids, the Solar Boat Museum with its original pharaonic boat, and the sphinx.

Special Access to the inner chambers of the Great Pyramid of Khufu.

We also have special out-of hours access to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Avoid the crowds and view the treasures of Tutankhamun and more.

Day Four Drive to Minya, stopping en route at the early pyramid complex at Meidum.

Drive South to Beni Hasan, a cemetery of tombs cut high in the desert cliff overlooking the Nile.

Day Five Today we explore Tell el-Amarna, the most significant surviving city site from ancient Egypt. Its ancient name was Akhetaten, the ‘Horizon of the Aten’ and was the capital of the so-called heretic pharaoh Akhenaten.

Day Six We spend a day at Abydos, where we see the beautiful temple of Seti I. Behind the temple is an intriguing structure known as the Osirieion. This is a type of monument known as an ‘Osiris Tomb’ and designed to mimic the appearance of the mythical tomb of Osiris. In Dendera we see the Temple of Hathor, with its depiction of Cleopatra VII and Caesarion. On to Luxor.

Day Seven We visit the famous Colossi of Memnon on the West Bank at Thebes.

Then we move on to the temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahri.

This is followed by a visit to the Valley of the Kings including the tomb of Tutankhamun.

Ceremonial avenue of ram-headed sphinxes at Karnak.

38

The Pyramids of Khufu (Cheops) and his son, Khafre (Chephren) at Giza.

Day Eight We see Medinet Habu arguably the best preserved temple of the New Kingdom, and Ramesseum, with its fallen colossus of Ramesses II. Deir el Medina, the village of the workers who constructed the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. Here we come closest to the daily lives of a group of individuals living in a community.

Day Nine This morning we visit Karnak, the cult temple of Amun-Ra, chief of the deities of the New Kingdom. This is a spectacular multi-period site with wealth of religious and historical inscriptions. We visit Luxor Museum home to many well-known works of art including the famous statue of Tuthmosis III. Day Ten We take an early morning drive out to temples at El Kab and Edfu. We later return to Luxor for a felucca ride on the Nile.

Day Eleven Return home via Cairo.

The tombs worked as the pyramids did; securing the safe passage of the deceased into the afterlife.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Egypt - Land Of The Pharaohs EGYPT

GUIDE LECTURER

A partially surviving relief in the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut.

Cairo Giza

It

was a sight surpassing all precedent, and one we never dreamed of seeing” Howard Carter

Memphis Saqqara Tell el-Amarna Egypt Dendera Valley of the Kings Deir el-Medina

Karnak Luxor

Lucia Gahlin is an Egyptologist who has worked extensively on Amarna material in London’s Petrie Museum. She has previously worked in Middle Egypt, at the archaeological site of Tell el-Amarna. Lucia is also an Honorary Research Associate at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London.

Edfu

already travelled with lucia?

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Cairo; internal flights: Cairo/Luxor Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach; boat down the Nile; Meals - All meals included Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Egyptians

She is also leading ...

Hotels 3 nights in a famous historic 5* hotel in Giza 1 night in a centrally located hotel in Minya 1 night in a comfortable hotel in Assiut 5 nights in a luxury resort in Luxor on the banks of the Nile

Egypt - Queens and Nobles.......p. 36 Travelling to Egypt We consider safety the highest priority when choosing our hotels and planning our itineraries. Should UK Foreign Office advice discourage travel to Egypt, this tour will not go ahead. However, we feel that it is important to continue to support Egyptian heritage agencies by resuming our tours.

Tour Code: (EGY16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

39

40

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

france

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

41

THE VIA JULIA Côte d’Azur

O

ver six days, we explore the Roman sites and cities along the great Via Julia Augusta’s route. The road began in Arles, one of the foremost Roman provincial cities, then ran south across France and Italy. Our journey includes mighty works of Roman engineering, and the sites of earlier Greek settlers and Iron Age tribes. One of our highest-rated tours in 2014, it offers a panoramic exploration of Roman and Gaulish life in the South of France.

John Shepherd explores the Roman origins of the sparkling Côte d’Azur. Much more than a playground for the rich the area remains a hotbed of archaeology.

April is a wonderful time to explore the South of France, with very pleasant temperatures and spring in the air, but well before the peak tourist season.

Sat 9th - Sat 16th Apr 2016 Guide Lecturer: John Shepherd 8 days Apr : £2,150 (sgl supp £305; without flights £1,930)

•

Follow the route forged by the Romans from their newly acquired territory in Gaul, across the Alps to the heartlands of Roman Italy.

•

Mighty Roman monuments, extraordinarily well-preserved, as well as the history of the Gauls who preceded and lived alongside them.

• Glorious scenery of the Côte d’Azur - sun, sea and the Romans!

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Marseille and transfer to our hotel in Arles.

important pre-Roman settlement once held a shrine to the grisly Celtic cult of the severed head.

Day Two A day in Arles, a city on the Rhône and one of the major centres of Roman France. It became the capital of all Gaul in the 4th and 5th centuries AD and was the western terminus of the Via Julia Augusta. We visit surviving Roman monuments including the amphitheatre, theatre, circus, tombs and forum, as well as the archaeological museum.

Day Four A day in Marseille, the ancient city of Massilia, the premier Greek colony of Gaul. We visit the site of the ancient harbour and museum, before moving across the waterfront to the Roman Docks Museum. After lunch, choose either free time to explore the city, or join John Shepherd to visit St Laurent’s church and the fort Saint Jean.

Day Three The Romans were greater users of water-powered mills than is commonly realised, as we see at Barbegal a multiple mill with 16 waterwheels fed by an aqueduct. Continue to the St Chamas Bridge which carried the Via Julia Augusta over the River Touloubre.

After lunch, we step back into the Iron Age at the town of Entremont. This

Day Five A lovely drive east along the coast to the pretty seaside town of Fréjus.

Formerly Forum Julii, this small town was one of Caesar’s colonies.

We have a talk by local archaeologists who introduce the many excellent Roman remains here.

Mosaic of a sea nymph carried by a seahorse, Arles Museum.

After free time in Fréjus, we drive on to the ‘Pearl of France,’ the small border town of Menton.

Day Six Travel to the elegant city of Nice, where we explore the extensive archaeological zone, with its arena, amphitheatre and bath complex. We continue to Beaulieu-sur-Mer and the recreated Greek Villa Kerylos beautifully set overlooking the sea. We ascend to the Trophée des Alpes, the highest point on the Via Julia Augusta, marked by Augustus’ monument celebrating the conquest of the mountain tribes.

Day Seven We cross to Ventimiglia, in Italy where we have arranged special access to the Roman site of Albintimilium, introduced by local archaeologists.

After lunch we see finds from the site at the Museo Civico, before free time this afternoon.

Day Eight We explore the Prehistoric caves of Balzi Rossi before returning home.

Villa Kerylos, the beautiful 1920 recreation of a Grecian villa at Beaulieu-sur-Mer. 42

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

The Via Julia - Côte D’Azur FRANCE

GUIDE LECTURER

The wonderfully preserved Roman amphitheatre at Arles.

Italy France

“T

o the Emperor Augustus…in commemoration that, under his leadership and auspices, all the Alpine peoples, from the Upper Sea to the Lower Sea, were submitted to the Imperium of the Roman People.”

Inscription on the Trophée des Alpes, at the highest point of the Via Julia Augusta.

Ventimiglia Menton Nice

Arles Marseille

Frejus

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - London to Marseille; Nice to London Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Prehistory

Greeks

Hotels 2 nights in an attractive historic building (17th century) in Arles 2 nights in a traditionally furnished, comfortable 4* hotel overlooking the old port in Marseille 3 nights in an elegant, newly refurbished hotel on the sea front of Menton

Romans

Medieval

Historic Churches

John Shepherd is an experienced archaeologist who specialises in the Roman period. He has worked on archaeological projects in Bulgaria, France, Italy and the UK. He worked at the Museum of London for over 20 years and now teaches at the Highgate Literary and Scientific Institute on various aspects of European archaeology.

already travelled with john to the côte d’ azur?

He is also leading tours to...

Dalmatia & Dubrovnik .......... ..p.30 Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania............................... ...p.78 Meet the Romans.......................p.84

Tour Code: (VJA16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

43

CORSICA Neolithic to Napoleon

T

he rugged heights of Corsica cloak a long history ranging from the Neolithic and Bronze Age, through colonisation by Etruscans, Carthaginians and Romans. Highlights include well-preserved Carthaginian and Roman cities, mysterious anthropomorphic giants, and the largest collection of standing stones in the Mediterranean.

The island’s later history is dominated by the struggle for control between the rulers of Italy, France and Spain. Napoleon, Corsica’s most famous son, saw the beginning of his world-changing career here. Led by an archaeologist who has led research here, our tour allows this little-visited island to take its rightful place alongside Sicily and Sardinia in the epic history of the Mediterranean.

Sun 22nd - Sun 29th May 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Keith Wilkinson 8 days May : £2,295 (sgl supp £270; without flights £2,045)

•

Explore the prehistoric sites of Filitosa, U Palatinu and I Calanchi, with their great stone alignments and anthropomorphic figures.

•

Discover the city of Bonifacio, dating back to the early Middle Ages, precariously balanced on towering cliffs.

•

Special behind-the-scenes access and tour of the Museé Jérôme Carcopino in the ancient town of Aleria.

ITINER ARYED Day One Fly to Ajaccio. Once a flourishing Roman port the city became the principal base for the merchant fleets of the Republic of Genoa from the 13th century in its struggle for control of Mediterranean trade. The city is perhaps best known as the birthplace of Napoleon. We visit the Musée d’Histoire Corse to begin our exploration of the island’s past.

Day Two To the Taravu Valley, home to the most famous of the island’s intriguing megalithic sites. We begin at the Neolithic and Bronze Age village at Filitosa. The site is home to a series of two to three metre high standing stones carved with faces, torsos and weapons. We also admire the great anthropomorphic figure of U Palatinu.

After lunch we visit I Calanchi, a site of Neolithic and Bronze Age houses with splendid views across the valley.

Day Three Finds from prehistoric Corsica abound at the Musée Departmental de la Préhistoire, in the lovely hill town of Sartène where we spend our morning.

After lunch, we continue to the great plateau of Cauria. Here we find more alignments of tall standing stones, dating from the late Neolithic. We end the day at Palaggiu, where a further 258 standing stones are gathered, some carved, the greatest concentration in the Mediterranean.

Day Four We travel south to the coastal town of Bonifacio, perched precariously above towering cliffs and dominated by its castle. The city was constructed by the Margrave Boniface II of Tuscany in the 9th century as an impregnable fortress to protect Corsica from the Saracens. The castle retains its Medieval towers and citadel and the steep stairway descending the cliffs, by the extraordinary ‘King of Aragon’s steps.

Day Five Begin at the Neolithic monument at Arragiu, before moving on to Aleria.

This coastal city was originally founded by the Phoenicians, before becoming the capital of Roman Corsica. We explore the town’s Roman remains.

Historic seaside town of Bonifacio, now in danger from erosion of the cliffs.

44

We end the day with a special tour of the Musée Jérôme Carcopino, introduced by local archaeologists. Here finds are displayed from extensive excavations of Aleria.

Great stone alignments at Filitosa.

Day Six Full day exploring Corte, high in the mountains and the centre of the Corsican Independence movement.

The Museu di a Corsica provides an unparalleled insight into the traditional lives of islanders as shepherds and pastoralists, charting their fierce allegiance to their vision of an independent Corsica. The museum is set within the walls of the 15th century citadel, crowned by the ‘Eagle’s Nest’ castle.

Day Seven We visit the recently excavated open site of Sidossi, where stone buildings dating from the Neolithic to Iron Age are now partially covered by a picturesque lake. Continue to the Depot Musée Licninoi which contains finds from the local area, including hard-toreach mountain sites. Afternoon walk around beautiful Calacuccia Lake, formerly one of the most remote places on the island, traditionally the haunt of bandits, independence fighters and folk heroes.

Day Eight We transfer to Bastia airport for flights home or onward.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Corsica - Neolithic to Napoleon FRANCE The fortified town of Corte, high in the mountains.

Bastia

Niolu

“O

n Corsica I was given life, and with that life I was also given a fierce love for this my ill-starred homeland and fierce desire for her independence.”

Napoleon Bonaparte

Corte Aleria

Ajaccio Filitosa

GUIDE LECTURER Dr Keith Wilkinson is a geoarchaeologist and reader in environmental archaeology at University of Winchester. He has led excavations in Greece, Corsica and Spain. His research interests include the evolution of Mediterranean landscapes.

Sarténe Bonifacio

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Ajaccio; Bastia to London Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Prehistory

Romans

Hotels 3 nights in historic Sartène, with spectacular views over the rugged countryside 1 night in a small hotel situated at the tip of the peninsula town of Bonifacio, overlooking the cliffs 3 nights in a quiet secluded hotel near Corte set in beautiful gardens with a pool

Medieval

Rock Art

want to see more of the ancient Mediterranean?

You may also be interested in...

Cyprus - The South................... p.32 Discover the Dodecanese........... p.66 Islands of the Cyclades.............. p.70 Sicilia Antiqua.......................... p.88 Sardinia..................................... p.94 Malta & Gozo......................... p.114

Tour Code: (CSC16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

45

DORDOGNE Prehistoric Cave Art

T

he caves of the Dordogne Valley are home to one of the earliest, and most extraordinary, displays of human creativity. Daubed in ochre, and etched on cave walls are horses, bison, mammoths and human figures up to 35,000 years old. A profound and fascinating stage of human development.

Dr Paul Bahn and Dr Iain Morley tell the story of the art, its discovery and what is known of the people who created it. The first true ‘old masters’ caught in the extreme cold of the last Ice Age. We have organised special entry to some of the world-famous rock-art sites - taking you as close at it is possible to get to the lives of our remotest Ice-Age ancestors.

Mon 23rd - Mon 30th May 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Paul Bahn Mon 19th - Mon 26th Sep 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Iain Morley 8 days May & Sep : £2,495 (sgl supp £380; without trains £2,295)

•

Small group tours led by experts in rock art and the archaeology of the last Ice Age - Dr Paul Bahn and Dr Iain Morley.

•

Special access to an extraordinary range of original engravings, sculptures and paintings, created between 35,000 -10,000 BC.

•

Extended itinerary taking in both the verdant landscapes and limestone plateaux of the Dordogne and the sites around Poitiers.

ITINER ARYED Day One Travel by Eurostar and TGV to Brive, and transfer to our hotel in Les Eyzies.

Day Two We begin our journey at Bernifal cave to see its wonderful depictions of mammoths. We continue to the rock shelter at Cap Blanc, a rare example of Ice Age sculpted bas-reliefs and the best still in situ which are open to the public. Travel by electric train into the cave system of Rouffignac, more than five miles long. About one-third of all mammoth depictions known from cave art come from this cave.

Day Three Our morning is spent viewing the complete facsimile of the world famous painted cave at Lascaux, long since closed to the public. This is the most famous and spectacular of all

The practice of using the cliffs and overhanging rocks as habitation and shelter continues in the Dordogne.

46

decorated caves, with hundreds of paintings and 1,500 engravings, bestknown for its awe inspiring depictions of aurochs, horses and deer. Continue to the park at Le Thot, where animals which would have been extant in the Ice Age are bred and kept. We take a short drive to Font de Gaume, the only decorated cave in France with multicoloured paintings which remains open to the public.

We have special access to the National Museum of Prehistory in Les Eyzies - where we have the opportunity to handle replicas of palaeolithic objects.

Day Four We drive to the fascinating site of Laugerie Haute, with remains of occupation dating from the Upper Palaeolithic. Onto the small rock shelter known as Abri du Poisson, famed for the bas-relief of a male salmon across the ceiling, more than 1m in length, and once painted red. We continue to Le Moustier, site of several Neanderthal burials. Returning to Les Eyzies we visit the excavations at Abri Pataud where archaeologists have been attempting to trace artistic progress through the millennia. End the day at the new Cro-Magnon Museum.

Day Five We travel south towards Gourdon to see two geologically beautiful caves decorated by both humans, and nature.

Our first visit is to Cougnac which

The Dordogne river flows through the beautiful and verdant countryside with picturesque villages.

contains the claw-marks of cave bears.

We also see paintings of mammoths, ibex, human type figures and three megaloceros, many of which take advantage of the natural shapes of the cave wall. Continue to Pech Merle, with painted black outline aurochs, mammoth, spotted-horses, geometric shapes and hand prints.

Day Six Visit La Chaire à Calvin, a rock shelter with frieze dating back around 15,000 years. Evidence of rhinoceros, red deer, auroch and many other animals has been found here, along with bone and stone tools. We move on to the Lussac Museum of Prehistory.

Day Seven We spend our final day viewing the excellent facsimile at Angles surl’Anglin, one of the greatest sculpted friezes from the Ice Age, with several life-size ibex, and, very unusually, several human females, as well as bison, horses and cats. We end our programme of visits with an afternoon at the Museum at Pressigny.

Day Eight If time allows we will visit Poitiers Museum before boarding our train to Paris and then home.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Dordogne - Prehistoric Cave Art FRANCE

SMALL GROUP

Pressigny

Lascaux: the world’s most famous painted cave - with hundreds of paintings and over a thousand engravings.

Poitiers

Angles sur-l’Anglin Lussac

“W

e have discovered nothing” Picasso on modern art after emerging from Lascaux.

France Brive La Gaillarde Rouffignac Laugerie-Haute Le Thot Les Eyzies de Tayac Cap Blanc

GUIDE LECTURERS Dr Paul Bahn is a renowned expert on prehistoric rock art worldwide. He is not only a leading academic but also an exponent of popular and accessible archaeology. He is the author of many books including ‘A Guide to the Decorated Caves of Europe’.

Cougnac Pech Merle

WHAT’S INCLUDED Trains - Eurostar and local rail from London to Brive La Gaillarde and from Poitiers to London Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access Small Group

By Rail

All Inclusive

Hotel 5 nights in in a charming traditional hotel with a swimming pool and shady terrace on the outskirts of Les Eyzies.

2 nights in a 4* hotel in the historic centre of Poitiers

Rock Art

Prehistory

Dr Iain Morley is Lecturer in palaeoanthropology and Human Sciences at the University of Oxford. He specialises in the Palaeolithic and, in particular, the emergence of ritual and religion, and the evolutionary origins and archaeology of ancient music.

Tour Codes: May: Mon 23rd - Mon 30th (DOR16A) September: Mon 19th - Mon 26th (DOR16B)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

47

languedoc Cathars & Crusaders

S

outhwest France was once a thriving and distinctive kingdom, the home of Catharism – an ascetic Christian sect that eschewed and threatened the power of Rome. In 1209 Pope Innocent III launched the Albigensian Crusade to eliminate the ‘heretics’ of Languedoc. Twenty years of fighting followed, leaving behind spectacular castles and abbeys, and fundamentally altering the religious landscapes of Medieval Europe.

We explore Cathar cities and Catholic abbeys; grand ruinous castles perched on craggy hilltops, and the polished turrets of Carcassonne. Led by experts, this tour draws on the art, archaeology and written sources, delving into deadly consequences of religious defiance in 13th century France.

Mon 5th - Sun 11th Sep 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Nick Slope 7 days Sep : £2,325 (sgl supp £345; without flights £2,125)

• Ruined castles and deserted villages atop craggy hills, in beautiful green rolling landscapes.

•

Heretics and Holy War, the struggle for hearts and minds in Medieval France.

• Stay within the walls of Carcassonne and in a restored 16th century castle in Couiza.

ITINER ARYED Day One Fly to Montpellier, then drive to Béziers, a Cathar stronghold, it was the first city sacked during the Albigensian Crusade. Up to 20,000 townspeople perished here when the Abbot of Citeaux famously ordered Catholics to be massacred along with Cathars. We travel on to our hotel, within the walls of the ancient town of Carcassonne.

Day Two We explore the wonderfully situated town of Minerve, which withstood a Catholic siege for six weeks before surrendering. We continue to Lastours, home to no fewer than four Cathar castles on a rocky ridge. Our steep walk is rewarded with spectacular views.

Day Three We travel to the Cathar castle and village at Termes, on a promontory defended on three sides by deep

ravines. After a hard siege of the castle it fell to Simon de Montfort in 1210.

We have special access to both parts of the Abbey at Lagrasse and are able to visit areas not usually open to the public.

We spend an afternoon in Carcassonne.

Occupied since Neolithic times, the city was fortified by the Romans 1,000 years before it became a Cathar stronghold.

Day Four This morning we leave Carcassonne and head west to Fanjeaux. Here, we visit the village church, home of St Dominic, founder of the Catholic church’s Dominican order. We continue to Foix Castle on a rock dominating the town; we also visit the Abbey before driving to our hotel at Couiza, in the beautiful foothills of the Pyrenees.

The fairy-tale turrets of Carcassonne restored in the 19th century.

Day Five We explore Puivert this morning, a 12th century castle once owned by practising Cathars. We move on to the castle of Montségur, one of the most evocative and famous of all the Cathar sites, and the scene of a dramatic and tragic siege which finally ended with the burning of 220 Cathars at the foot of the castle hill. We visit the castrum and museum here.

Day Six This morning we pay a visit to Albi. The term Albigensian, used to describe heretics with dualist beliefs, derives from this town. We spend our afternoon in the Medieval citadel of Lavaur, defended by Cathar Lady Girauda during its siege in 1211 but taken by Simon de Montfort – a memorial marks the spot where Lady Girauda was killed.

Day Seven Enjoy some free time to explore the Medieval heart of Toulouse, before our flight home.

Montségur Castle, the fall of the original Cathar fortress sparked bloody conflict, and legend has it the Cathars spirited away ‘a great treasure’ within its walls.

48

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Languedoc - Cathars & Crusaders FRANCE The four crusader castles of Lastours.

Albi

France

Lavaur Toulouse

“I

Montpellier

Lastours

f they choose to take refuge in the house of a whore, let them die like whores”.

Abbot of Citreaux, on setting fire to the Church of the Magdalene filled with Cathar refugees

Fanjeaux Foix

GUIDE LECTURER

Minerve

Béziers

Carcassonne Lagrasse Termes Couiza

Montségur

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Montpellier; Toulouse to London Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Romans

Hotels 3 nights in a comfortable hotel close to the castle of Carcassonne 1 night in a former 16th century castle with a pool in Couiza 2 nights in a 4 star hotel in central Toulouse

Medieval

Historic Churches

Conflict

Dr Nick Slope is an independent archaeologist and military historian. Nick has a particular interest in the Crusades. He has supervised many excavations at Crusader sites, including the Crusader church at Tel Jezreel in Israel.

He has published a book on Medieval warfare and has also excavated at a Medieval abbey.

interested in early autumn tours - why not consider...

The Etruscans..........................p.86 Frontier Lands of Romania..... p.126 Roman Province of Lusitania...p.136

Tour Code: (LCR16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

49

GEORGIA

R

arely visited by modern tourists, the region was well-known to the ancient Greeks. Indeed, legend has it that Jason travelled to Georgia (Ancient Colchis) to seek out the Golden Fleece. Like us, the Argonauts would surely have marvelled at its snow-capped mountain peaks and forested river valleys.

Georgia has an impressive archaeological record, rich in prehistoric monuments, Roman remains and monasteries of the Middle Ages. In addition to Classical sites, we discover Tbilisi ‘city of light’, dramatically-set mountain churches, and the more sobering birthplace of Stalin. Our Guide Lecturer for this tour, Ian Colvin has worked extensively in Georgia and shares his intimate knowledge of the history and culture of the Caucasus.

Mon 6th - Tue 14th Jun 2016 Guide Lecturer: Ian Colvin 9 days Jun : £2,595 (sgl supp £260; without flights £2,120)

•

­Enjoy special access to Ian Colvin’s excavations at the immense Byzantine Fortress of Nokalakevi.

•

Classical cities, royal citadels, vertiginous monasteries and some of the world’s oldest wineries.

•

Journey through unspoilt landscapes: dramatic mountain scenery, fertile river valleys and the Black Sea coast.

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Tbilisi. After checking into our hotel, we take an evening stroll, before dinner in a local restaurant.

Day Two We explore Tbilisi in earnest today We travel by cable car to Narikala Fortress, the fortification has a long history of destruction and rebuilding. We admire the grand civic buildings on Rustaveli Avenue, and those who wish can take an optional steam bath. Invigorated, we end the day at the Georgian History Museum.

Day Three We drive over the spectacular Gombori pass to Tsinandali, a grand country house, or summer palace of the princely Chavchavadze family. In the 19th century the owners built a winery on the estate and we enjoy some of the local vintage this lunchtime. We continue to to Iqalto Monastery, in a

Cave cluster ruins in Uplistsikhe.

50

peaceful spot, famous for its medieval academy.

Day Four We visit the 12th century university and monastic complex of Mtskheta, a World Heritage Site. Our visits include Jvari Church and Sveti Tskhoveli (the church of the living column). After lunch, we cross the river to visit the ancient royal citadel of Armaztsikhe.

Mentioned in classical sources, the site dates back to the 3rd century BC and remains include a royal palace, bathhouse, tombs and great hall.

Day Five We take a long but spectacular drive through the mountains to Kazbegi and Gergeti Sameba Church. Dating from the 14th century, the church is still home to an active congregation, despite its remote and dramatic setting. We continue to Dariali Gorge and Tamar’s fortress on the Russian border. The pass - known as the Alan Gates - was used by invading waves of steppe nomads right up until the 20th century.

Day Six We visit the rock-cut Greek and lateantique city of Uplistsikhe where houses, rooms, halls and churches were carved into a rocky outcrop above the rushing River Mtkvari. This afternoon we venture into 20th century history as we continue to nearby Gori, birthplace of Stalin who is still regarded as something of a hero in the area. We consider the dictator and his legacy at the town’s controversial museum.

Gelati is a monastic complex near Kutaisi, Imereti.

Day Seven We travel to Kutaisi and explore Gelati Monastery. Founded in the early 12th century, the church was a centre of learning in Georgia. It is also the burial site of David the Builder, one of the great Georgian kings. We also visit Bagrati Cathedral. Continue to Motsameta Monastery, peacefully set above a lush tree-filled river gorge – founded in the 11th century in memory of two martyred brothers Day Eight Today we have special access to Ian Colvin’s excavations at Nokalakevi - including the 6th century fortress and Hellenistic necropolis.

After lunch we drive west to Batumi on the Black Sea coast where we spend our final evening.

Day Nine We visit the Roman fort at GonioApsarus, known for its theatre, hippodrome and bath-house. We transfer to the airport for flights home or onward journeys.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Georgia GEORGIA

NEW

The Monastic complex of Mtskheta.

Dariali Gorge Kazbegi

“T

he early Georgian chronicles, compiled between the 8th and 11th centuries possibly from lost early records, provide a narrative in which myth evolves in to plausible legend, and finally into verifiable fact”

Gudauri

Nokalakevi Kutaisi Gori

Uplistsikhe Tbilisi

Batumi

Alaverdi

Donald Rayfield, Edge of Empires: A History of Georgia

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Tbilisi, Batumi to London Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Low Single Supplement

Romans

Hotels 3 nights in a modern 5 star hotel overlooking the City and River of Tibilisi 2 nights in a Ski resort hotel in Gudauri 2 nights in a Modern hotel in Tskaltubo 1 night in a 5* Hotel in Central Batumi

Greeks

Medieval

Historic Churches

GUIDE LECTURER Ian Colvin specialises in the Late Roman and Byzantine history of the Caucasus regions. He studied classical and modern Georgian after receiving his Masters in Byzantine Studies. Ian devotes much time to excavations at the site of Nokalakevi, where a late Roman period administrative centre and Hellenistic period cemetery are being uncovered.

would you like to see more historic churches?

Dalmatia & Dubrovnik............. p.30 Cyprus - The South................... p.32 The Via Julia - Côte d’Azur...... p.42 Ravenna & Aquileia................ p.110 North East Turkey.................. p.152

Tour Code: (GEO16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

51

ROMAN GERMANY

I

n 9AD the largest army of the Roman Empire was amassed along the Rhine frontier, preparing to march into what the historian Tacitus described as ‘the bristling forests and foul swamps’ of Germany. They suffered a huge and unprecedented defeat. In response, the Limes was constructed - a defence system of bank, ditch, wall, towers and forts built along the Rhine and Danube.

Safe behind this border, Roman cities prospered. Left behind are grand villas and exquisite mosaics. This is a delightful tour in a beautiful and accessible part of Europe often overlooked by tourists.

Sun 15th - Tue 24th May 2016 Guide Lecturer: Tony Wilmott 10 days May : £2,495 (sgl supp £240; without trains £2,345)

•

­A frontier five times longer than Hadrian’s Wall along the Rhine and Danube - the longest structure Europe has ever seen.

•

Meet military history at its most exciting, in unexpectedly beautiful countryside and handsome German cities.

•

Follow the story of early Roman pioneers and entrepreneurs through to the creation of an Imperial capital at Trier.

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Cologne via Eurostar.

Day Two We drive north to Xanten where the Roman town of Colonia Ulpia Traiana has been reconstructed, controversially overlying the archaeological remains.

Day Three We explore the remarkable and prolific remains of Roman Cologne. This was the capital of the province of Germania Inferior and we visit the excellent collections of the RömischGermanisches Museum, which was built on the site of an opulent Roman villa. After lunch we visit the governor’s residence (the Praetorium) and walk along the Roman sewers.

Day Four Today we pay a visit to the opulent Ahrweiler villa where the fortuitous discovery of a large “executive” house,

possibly the home of a local official, has been transformed into an excellent museum. On to Boppar, a charming, mostly medieval village on the Rhine, where we seek out the remains of the walls and towers of the late Roman fortifications. We travel by boat on the Rhine to our next hotel in Braubach.

Day Five We reach the Limes – a 500km boundary of cleared land fortified with great banks and ditches overlooked by 900 watchtowers and patrolled from 60 forts backed up by the legionary bases.

We visit the reconstructed watchtower at Zugmantel and then on to Saalburg.

Day Six A beautiful drive along the Rhine, dotted with castles and pretty towns, to Mainz. This was the capital of Germania Superior, its administrative centre and, at times, a double legionary base. We see the theatre and the remains of a Temple to Isis.

This afternoon we visit the Schiffahrtsmuseum for a special guided tour of the excavated ships and their reconstructions.

Continue to Trier.

Trier, the roman Porta Nigra.

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Day Seven Our first day in imperial Roman Trier, one of the Late Roman capital cities of the Western Empire which is now an iconic German Rhineland town.

We begin with Porta Nigra, then the

Limes tower of the romans.

Episcopal museum and Constantine’s basilica.

Day Eight Morning visit to the remains of Trier’s Amphitheatre set into the hillside and then the packed galleries of the Rheinisches Landesmuseum. On to the funerary monument of Igel, decorated with remarkable detail of wool merchants’ lives. We visit the Villa Nennig, with a collection of mosaics followed by the enterprising reconstruction of the Villa Borg, a unique chance to experience a Roman middle class home in 3D. Day Nine Drive to Aachen, the capital of Charlemagne’s renewed Roman Empire of the 8th century. We visit the treasury, the richest in western Europe with gifts and acquisitions made by Holy Roman Emperors throughout the Middle Ages. Continue to Dom. Day Ten Before returning home, we stop off at the Gothic Rathaus, the town hall which began life as part of the early medieval palace complex and was the audience chamber of Charlemagne himself.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Roman Germany GERMANY One of a set of delightful portraits of ladies of the court - ceiling paintings from a palatial dwelling discovered under Trier cathedral following war damage.

Germany

Xanten

Cologne

“G

reat empires are not maintained by timidity.”

Tacitus

Braubach Aachen

Kastell Zugmantel Boppard Mainz

Trier

WHAT’S INCLUDED Travel - Train to Cologne Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

By Rail

Romans

Medieval

Hotels 3 nights in a pleasant modern hotel in Cologne 2 nights in a Rhineside village hotel in Braubach 3 nights in a lovely hotel in the centre of Trier 1 night in a grand hotel in Aachen

Conflict

Historic Churches

GUIDE LECTURER Tony Wilmott is renowned for his trailblazing excavations at Chester, Birdoswald and Maryport.

He is a Senior Archaeologist with English Heritage and specialises in the Roman period. In 2012, Tony was named Archaeologist of the Year by Current Archaeology Magazine.

interested in exploring more of the roman empire?

You may wish to consider...

Via Julia - Côte d’Azur............. p.42 Meet the Romans...................... p.84 Sicilia Antiqua.......................... p.88 Romans, Visigoths & Viziers...p.130

Tour Code: (GER16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

53

short break in berlin

N

owhere are the forces and pressures of Europe’s past, present and future more vividly on display than in Berlin - from Frederick the Great to the GDR. At the heart of the continent, the city has often been caught at the nexus of world-events, with sometimes triumphant, sometimes tragic consequences.

We trace the development of the city over 600 years: from Prussian capital and leading cultural light of Northern Europe during the Enlightenment, to the most modern town in the world during the 1920s. Nick Jackson, an archaeologist and long-term Berlin-resident, also introduces the darker days of the 20th century, with the rise of Nazism and division under the Berlin Wall. The highs and lows of a city divided and reunited.

Thu 25th - Mon 29th Aug 2016 Guide Lecturer: Nick Jackson 5 days Aug : £1,475 (sgl supp £145; without flights £1,475) International travel not included

•

Beyond the Berlin Wall - from proud Prussian capital to years of division as the Iron Curtain descended.

•

Grand parks and iconic palaces - we visit the World Heritage Site of Potsdam.

• Dinner on the roof of the Reichstag with panoramic views over the city.

ITINER ARYED Day One Meet at our hotel for an early evening stroll (before dinner) through the classical cultural forum of Friederick the Great. We take in the Opera House, Humboldt University and the site of the infamous Nazi book burning.

Day Two This morning we start our tour of Berlin at Märkisches Museum. Although Berlin is best known for its 20th century history, we can find a historical narrative here that stretches back over centuries. Within the museum there are artefacts from the Palaeolithic, to 9th century Slavic settlements to the Middle Ages. We continue our journey of Berlin through the ages at the German Historical Museum.

This afternoon, we have lunch in a traditional restaurant, before continuing to the Old Jewish Quarter of the City.

You can enjoy free time here or choose to join Nick’s optional Architectural Secrets tour.

Day Three Today we travel to Potsdam whose grand parks and palaces now form part of Germany’s largest World Heritage Site. We spend an afternoon at Frederick the Great’s summer palace Sanssouci (literally ‘without cares’). Often described as the German Versailles, the palace itself is quite a modest affair (only 11 rooms), but is surrounded by lavish landscaped gardens, with enough follies, avenues, temples and lawns to satisfy even the grandest Prussian monarch.

Day Four Today to Zossen, a World War II and Cold War bunker complex that included 19 air defence shelters. Back to the centre of Berlin. We alight at Alexanderplaz – the heart of the former GDR. From here we walk to Karl Marx Allee, a monumental, Moscowstyle boulevard. The Berlin Wall once ran down the length of Bernauer Strasse - a section of the Wall has been preserved here as a memorial.

We continue to Nordbahnhof Station, which hosts a poignant exhibition of photos, placards and testimonies by East Berliners. Finally, we take the train to the World War II complex of bunkers at Gesundbrunnen, used to shelter from Allied raids.

Folly in the gardens at Sanssouci, the Prussian answer to Versailles.

Day Five We walk in the 17th century square Gendarmenmarkt, which was badly damaged in World War II and not fully restored until 1994. Here, we view the French and German domed cathedrals, the former built as refuge for Protestant Huguenots expelled from France in 1685. Continue to Wilhelmstrasse: centre of Nazi administration – site of the SS and Gestapo HQ, and Friedrichstrasse bisected by the Berlin Wall and home of ‘Checkpoint Charlie’, the infamous crossing point between East and West.

Our final visit is to Potsdamer Platz, which in the 1920s was the centre of the notoriously permissive Berlin ‘scene’ as immortalised by Brecht, Isherwood and Weill. Our programme will end after lunch when we disperse.

We have organised a special dinner on the roof of the iconic Reichstag this evening.

The Reichstag cupola, designed by Sir Norman Foster, symbol of Germany’s reunification.

54

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Short Break In Berlin GERMANY

SMALL GROUP

GUIDE LECTURER

The Reichstag Building, seat of the German parliament, is one of Berlin’s most historic landmarks. Enjoy an unforgettable private dinner on the roof during your tour.

Nick Jackson has lived in Berlin for many years and is passionately interested in the history of his adopted home. He has led many tours of the city for Andante to rave reviews from guests! He is also a specialist in the archaeology of the Middle East and has supervised excavations in Jordan, Turkey and Syria.

“B

erlin is the newest city I have come across. Even Chicago would appear old and grey in comparison.”

Mark Twain , 1892

Right: Schiller statue at the Gendarmenmarkt, Berlin

WHAT’S INCLUDED Local Travel - Private a/c coach and trains Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Low Single Supplement

All Inclusive

Hotel 4 nights in a stylishly furnished hotel in the Auguststrasse Gallery District of former East Berlin. Ideally situated for exploration of the city

Just One Hotel

Cultural

Medieval

Conflict

Considering a city break? We also offer tours to...

Thessaloniki............................... p.60 Rome with the Sistine Chapel...p.82 Walking Istanbul.................... p.148

Great Cities

Tour Code: (BER16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

55

56

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

greece

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

57

the peloponnese Homer & Beyond

A

n odyssey through the great sites of Ancient Greece. Beginning in Athens, we walk amongst the Acropolis and the Agora - where merchants haggled and great philosophers came to debate. We then journey as the ancients did, to seek the advice of the great oracle at Delphi before continuing into the ruggedly beautiful Peloponnesian hills.

Join our Expert Guides as they unpick myth from reality, tracing the development of ancient Greece from its earliest Bronze origins to Classical glory and beyond. This is the holiday for anyone who has ever dreamed of standing at the starting line of the ancient Olympics or following in the footsteps of Hercules.

Mon 4th - Fri 15th Apr 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Ioannis Georganas Mon 3rd - Fri 14th Oct 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Rita Roussos 12 days Apr & Oct : £2,650 (sgl supp £315; without flights £2,410)

•

Visit the Corinth Museum and enjoy a specially arranged talk by the Museum Curator.

•

The land of Homer’s heroes and the great Bronze Age citadels from which they came.

•

The ‘big names’ of Classical Greece: Athens, Delphi, Olympia, Epidaurus, Mycenae and Corinth.

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Athens.

Day Two Spend a day on foot in ancient Athens, founded, according to legend, by King Theseus (best known for his Minotaur slaying heroics in Crete). We climb to the Acropolis, to visit the Parthenon, Theatre of Dionysus and Temple of Athena. Afternoon at the Acropolis Museum built to house every artefact found at the Acropolis.

Day Three We continue our exploration of Athens with a walk through the sites of the Agora, the political and commercial heart of ancient Athens where Socrates stood trial and free-born male Athenian citizens could come to cast their vote.

After lunch we enjoy our first drive through the Peloponnesian hills to our hotel at Delphi.

Day Four Spend a day at the Panhellenic Sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi. The oracle was given by a priestess called the Pythia who sat over a chasm in the inner sanctum and, inhaling the vapours which issued from it, uttered prophecies in a trance. Cross the RionAntirion bridge to the Peloponnese peninsula at Olympia.

Day Five We explore Olympia, home of the first and greatest Panhellenic Games and the most important religious centre in the 8th century BC. The major festivals here provided opportunities for the meeting of representatives from the Greek states.

Day Six A more relaxed day, beginning at the Museum at Khora which houses finds from Pylos. Free afternoon. You could enjoy an optional boat trip in the bay, or to Methoni.

Day Seven A day in Messene, one of the most beautiful ancient cities in Greece.

Excavations at the city have continued for over a century, revealing wellpreserved stadium and odeon and many other buildings.

Gold mask from Mycenae which prompted Schliemann’s famous (wrong) utterance: “I have looked upon the face of Agamemnon”.

58

Day Eight We visit the ruins of the Byzantine town of Mistra. Perched on the slopes of a hill the town has both some of the finest examples of 14th and 15th century architecture in Greece, and

The famous carving of lions above the gate at Mycenae shows the influence of the Hittite Near East.

some of the finest views. Continue to ancient walled citadel of Tiryns.

Day Nine We visit the Argive Heraion, a sanctuary of Hera, with wonderful vistas across the Argive plain. Continue to Nemea, famously where Hercules slew a great mountain lion. End the day at the magnificent theatre of Epidaurus.

Day Ten We explore the great Bronze Age hilltop site of Mycenae - according to Greek tradition, capital of King Agamemnon. Excavations support Homer’s claim of a city ‘well built and rich in gold’. On to the lovely town of Nafplion where we visit the museum.

Drive to Corinth where we visit the Museum and enjoy a specially arranged talk by the Museum Curator.

Day Eleven We return to Athens to visit the National Museum.

Day Twelve Transfer to the airport for flights home.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

The Peloponnese - Homer & Beyond GREECE The temple of Apollo at Corinth, with the lofty heights of Acrocorinth (Upper Corinth) just visible in the background.

GUIDE LECTURERS

Delphi

Corinth

“W

hat you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.”

Pericles

Olympia

Palace of Nestor Pylos Methoni

Athens

Mycenae Argive Heraion

Epidavros

Greece Messene Mistra Kalamata

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights from London to Athens Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Prehistory

Greeks

Hotels 2+1 nights in a hotel with rooftop garden views of the Parthenon, close to the Acropolis in Athens; 1 night in a traditional style hotel close to the site at Delphi; 1 night in a small familyrun hotel near Olympia; 2 nights in a simple hotel in central Pylos; 1 night in a comfortable hotel at Mistra; 3 nights in a simple (and very charming) hotel near Mycenae

Romans

Great Cities

Historic Churches

Dr Ioannis Georganas holds a PhD in Archaeology from the University of Nottingham. He is particularly interested in weapons and warfare in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age Greece. As a field archaeologist, Ioannis has supervised many excavations across Greece.

Dr Rita Roussos is a native Athenian and taught Archaeology at the American University of Athens. She has worked on archaeological projects at all over Greece. Rita’s research interests include the place of women in ancient Greece and Rome as well as 4th century sculpture from Greece.

Tour Codes: April: Mon 4th - Fri 15th (PEL16A) October: Mon 3rd - Fri 14th (PEL16B)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

59

THESSALONIKI

F

ounded in 315 BC, Thessaloniki is a city whose historical importance and legacy can be said to rival that of Athens. In antiquity, the city served as both Macedonian and Roman capital. The streets of Thessaloniki are rich in the monuments of this illustrious past; the palace and mausoleum of Emperor Galerius, Byzantine walls, ancient Orthodox churches, and Ottoman mosques.

Thessaloniki is also home to numerous churches and mighty city walls from the Byzantine period. On tour, we enjoy special access to glorious frescoes of the Church of St Nicholas Orfanos. We also venture beyond the city walls to picturesque ancient Dion and the Enipeas Ravine, at the foot of Mount Olympus.

Tue 19th - Mon 25th Apr 2016 Thu 22nd - Wed 28th Dec 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Christina Hatzimichael Whitley 7 days Apr & Dec : £2,250 (sgl supp £290; without flights £1,900)

•

From the tomb of Alexander the Great to the Imperial Roman Palace, vibrant Byzantine churches and historic old town.

•

Unique tour - no other holiday company offers such an in-depth exploration of this harbour city (a World Heritage Site).

•

Enjoy six nights in one of the best hotels in the city - with views overlooking the sea and perfect for exploring.

ITINER ARY Day One We arrive in Thessaloniki.

Day Two We spend a full day exploring Thessalonki. Beginning at the Agora and Forum, we continue to the great Church of Agios Dimitrios. We then delve into the city’s Roman imperial past at the palace complex of Galerius, built around 300 AD. Here, we view the Arch of Galerius, the Palace, Octagon, and Rotunda - intended as a mausoleum to the Emperor, it was later converted into a Christian church by Constantine I. In the afternoon, we visit the Museum of Byzantine Culture, with collections from the later Roman period into the later middle ages.

Day Three We drive to Pella, second Macedonian Capital, only discovered in the 1950s.

The birthplace of both Philip II and Alexander the Great, Pella is renowned

for its exceptional mosaics made from carefully-selected natural pebbles.

Continue to the original capital, Verghina (ancient Aigai), where the ‘great tumulus’ mounds are believed by some to contain the remains of the great Macedonian kings. The painted tombs are remarkable, along with the equally beautiful gold and precious grave goods, displayed in the site museum.

Day Four This morning we drive out to Olynthos, a site that is considered as the ‘Pompeii of Classical Greece.’ The site has been extensively excavated since the 1920s, and tells us much about every day life (and town planning) in archaic and Classical Greece. We visit the museum here that houses the finds uncovered during investigations.

Return to Thessaloniki and enjoy a free afternoon, you may wish to visit the excellent Archaeological Museum.

Rotunda of the Emperor Galerius, built in the early 4th century AD.

Day Five After a brief visit to the church of the Agia Sophia, we drive to Veria a typical town whose history reflects the turbulent history of the region, with Christian, Jewish and Ottoman monuments. Veria was home to one of the oldest Jewish communities in Macedonia and we visit the synagogue and the parish church. We return to Thessaloniki and walk the city walls, stopping at the Ataturk Museum.

We end the day with special access to the Church of St Nicholas Orfanos and marvel at the beautiful frescoes.

Day Six Drive out to ancient Dion, seated on the borders of Thessaly at the foot of Mount Olympus. This was the site of an important temple dedicated to Zeus and has been extensively excavated.

We shall take a short walk in the Enipeas Ravine, a beautiful forested valley where one can easily imagine the Greek gods lounging among the waterfalls and pools...

Remains of the great walls of Thessaloniki, which for centuries encircled the city protecting it from siege and invasion...

60

Day Seven Free time in Thessaloniki this morning before we return home.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Thessaloniki GREECE

NEW

GUIDE LECTURER

Mosaic detail from the interior of the Galerius Rotunda. Right: The ancient ruins of Dion.

Dr Christina Hatzimichael Whitley is co-director of the Praisos Excavation Project in Crete. She specialises in Minoan Crete. Christina is also a tutor in Greek Archaeology at the Cardiff Centre for Lifelong Learning (LEARN). She is Greek and now lives in Cardiff with her family.

“T

his church, like a mother bereft of her children, should also enjoy with us the mercies and privileges of the all-gracious giver.”

Eusebius on the conversion of Thessaloniki to Christianity

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Thessaloniki Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Just One Hotel

Cultural

Hotel 6 nights in a 5* hotel in the historic centre of Thessaloniki, close to the site of the ancient agora. One of the best hotels in the city, with views overlooking the sea and the main square

Christmas - New Year

Greeks

Romans

Great Cities

Considering a city break? We also offer these tours...

Including...

Short Break in Berlin................ p.54 Rome - with Sistine Chapel...... p.82 Walking Istanbul.................... p.148

Historic Churches

Tour Codes: April: Tue 19th - Mon 25th (TAX16A) December: Thu 22nd -Wed 28th (TAX16B)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

61

CRETE & SANTORINI Rise & Fall of Minoan Civilisation

T

he Minoans are best known for their huge labyrinthine ‘palaces’ - the greatest of which, at Knossos, was supposedly where Theseus slew the Minotaur. Knossos and all of the Minoan sites we visit have their own unique and characteristic charm and elegance, demonstrated in a lively and free artistic expression, and an obvious delight in realistic decoration.

Begin on the beautiful, tiny island of Santorini, ‘Pompeii of the Aegean’, buried suddenly during the cataclysmic eruption of Thera - which signalled the ‘beginning of the end’ of Minoan civilization. In Crete we continue to trace the story of the Minoans, whose writing, organization and ambition had a profound influence on the development of ancient Greece, and thus the western world.

Tue 19th - Tue 26th Apr 2016 Tue 17th - Tue 24th May 2016 Tue 11th - Tue 18th Oct 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Sandy MacGilivray Tue 3rd - Tue 10th May 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Ioannis Georganas Sat 17th - Sat 24th Sept 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Christina Hatzimichael Whitley 8 days Apr, May, Sep & Oct : £2,450 (sgl supp £195; without flights £2,150)

•

Special access to the British School of Athens at Knossos, with an introduction by the Curator to the latest findings from this iconic site.

•

The re-opened city of Akrotiri, the ‘Pompeii of the Aegean’ buried and preserved by the eruption of 1500 BC.

•

Elegant sites, wild-flowers, expert guides and the warm waters of the Mediterranean... Who could ask for more?!

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Santorini.

Day Two We begin our first full day on the lovely island of Santorini at the Prehistoric Museum in Fira, which houses the wall-paintings from the Minoan mansion at Akrotiri. Having set the scene, we continue to the site of Akrotiri. Destroyed by a catastrophic volcanic eruption in 1500BC, the city is reminiscent of Pompeii, with houses preserved up to three storeys high.

Day Three We visit the ancient city of Thera, built 360m above sea level. The site has been under excavation since 1904, and findings from the city have contributed immensely to our understanding of Minoan culture and history. We travel by catamaran to Heraklion, where we arrive in time for dinner.

View from Oia over the caldera at Santorini.

62

Day Four We visit the Bronze Age palace site of Knossos, one of the pivotal sites of Bronze Age Greece. Excavations here have been overseen by the British School at Athens and the Greek authorities for many years.

The Curator of the British School of Athens will offer a privileged introduction to the school’s latest findings, discuss the work of the school and give a tour of the study centre at Knossos.

We continue to the Minoan house at Vathypetro with elaborate shrine and a well-preserved wine press. We return to Heraklion and the Heraklion Museum, with its exquisite jewellery and brightly-coloured wallpaintings.

Day Five We enjoy a morning at the important Graeco-Roman site of Gortyn. The site is best-known for its collection of 5th century stone blocks, inscribed with the law codes of classical Greece, which provide fascinating insights into property division, adoption, slavery and adultery. We return to the Minoan era at the elegant ‘palace’ at Phaistos, which dominates the fertile plain of the Mesara. Famous finds include the terracotta ‘Phaistos Disc’, stamped with a series of pictographic symbols; and thousands of documents, some inscribed with the earliest known occurrence of the (still undeciphered) writing of the Minoans - Linear A script. We continue to Ayia Triadha,

Famous bull-headed rhyton (libation vessel).

a grand but ruinous Bronze Age villa.

Lavish finds include a cache of copper ingots, bronze figurines and three elaborately-carved stone vessels.

Day Six We visit the well-preserved Minoan town of Gournia on the northern coast.

The remains are clustered around the sides of a hill which is crowned by a ‘palace’. The majority of the houses are on the east slope, built up against each other along paved and stepped streets.

Continue to the town of Lato, a Dorian city strategically positioned overlooking a bay between two peaks. Afternoon option of a boat trip to the haunting and evocative island of Spinalonga, site of a former leper colony.

Day Seven We travel by fishing boat to the tiny island of Mochlos, once a peninsula, on which stood an important Minoan town. We walk up to the ruins at beautifully situated ruins of Chamaizi, most famous for a Middle Minoan building located on the summit of the hill. We enjoy lunch in a seaside taverna before returning to our hotel.

Day Eight Our final visit is to the palace of Malia, a huge Minoan complex, before our return flight from Heraklion.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Crete & Santorini - Rise & Fall of ...

GREECE The Bronze Age Palace at Knossos, based on the vivid bright colours of the original fragments.

Fira Monolithos Pyrgos Santorini Akrotiri

“E

vans found everything he hoped for on the Kephala hill... the Labyrinth of Daedalus, built to house a minotaur; the palace of King Minos...” The discovery of Knossos from ‘Minotaur’, Alexander MacGillivray

Heraklion Malia Spinalonga Vathypetro Gournia Crete

Mochlos

Timpaki Gortyn

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - London to Santorini; Heraklion to London Tour Managers Local Travel - Private a/c coach, boat & catamaran Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Low Single Supplement

All Inclusive

Hotels 2 nights in a hotel with a swimming pool located on the East of the Island 5 nights in a contemporary-style hotel in Heraklion, close to the museum and harbour

Prehistory

Greeks

Romans

GUIDE LECTURERS Dr Christina Hatzimichael Whitley is a tutor in Greek Archaeology at the Cardiff Centre for Lifelong Learning. She is Greek, but lives with her family in Cardiff.

Dr Ioannis Georganas is a field archaeologist and has supervised many excavations across Greece. He holds a PhD from the University of Nottingham.

Dr Alexander (Sandy) MacGillivray is a specialist in Minoan Crete, and has authored a number of books on the subject.

Tour Codes: April: Tue 19th - Tue 26th (CRE16A) May: Tue 3rd - Tue 10th (CRE16B) May: Tue 17th - Tue 24th (CRE16C) September: Sat 17th - Sat 24th (CRE16D) October: Tue 11th - Tue 18th (CRE16E)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

63

meet the greeks

T

he ‘Greatest Hits’ of the Greek world: gods, heroes, monsters and kings.

The stories and legends, customs and politics of the Greek world continue to echo through the ages. From Achilles’ heel to Herculean struggles, election voting to frequenting the theatre. How did a rowdy group of rival kingdoms dominate the ancient Aegean for so many centuries?

Wed 25th May - Wed 1st Jun 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Rita Roussos Wed 7th - Wed 14th Sep 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Anna Simandiraki-Grimshaw

Our journey begins in the Peloponnesian hills, dramatic landscapes where myth and legend endured for millennia: where the hero Hercules began his twelve tasks, and King Agamemnon set out to rescue Helen and capture Troy. Continue to Classical Athens a city whose Golden Age led to astonishing advances in art, philosophy, science and politics.

8 days May & Sep : £2,495 (sgl supp £305; without flights £2,195)

•

From the heroic exploits of Hercules, to the Trojan Wars, to the Golden age of Classical Athens.

•

The perfect introduction to the unruly genius of the people who kick-started 2000 years of Western civilisation.

• Receive a special talk at Eleusis with the site director.

ITINER ARY Day One We arrive in Athens.

Day Two We journey to the site of Mycenae and tread the path up to the Lion Gate of the legendary King Agamemnon’s imposing citadel, before visiting the enormous tomb better known as the vast treasury of his father, Atreus. We visit the ancient hillfort of Tiryns, where the hero Hercules is said to have been born. Both these fascinating sites have truly ancient origins, inhabited at least as far back as the Bronze Age, the supposed time of the Trojan War. Day Three We visit the magnificent theatre at Epidaurus. This huge space has pitch-perfect acoustics, a testament to the engineering skills of its original builders. You can hear a person on stage perfectly, even from the cheap seats at the back!

We continue to the ruins of ancient Corinth, where we receive a special talk from the retired site director. The city was occupied from as early as 6500 BC, and grew to become one of the largest cities in Classical Greece.

Day Four We spend a day in Classical Athens, ascending the Acropolis to visit the glorious Parthenon and viewing artefacts at the Acropolis Museum.

Enjoy some free time in the afternoon to explore Athens. You could walk up Philopappos Hill to see the Roman monument, or go along the lines of the Long Walls for views of the Acropolis.

Day Five We travel to Marathon to see where the invading Persian army of Darius I was defeated by the Athenian’s army.

We continue to Paleo Fliro, to view the reconstructed trireme Olympias.

Delphi charioteer , cast in incredible detail (down to the eyelashes!).

Day Six We leave the city behind, and make a pilgrimage to the great sanctuary of Delphi, where female followers of the god Apollo formed a cult of divination.

Inhaling natural vapours issuing from the rocks, the Pythia, head priestess, was said to speak with the voice of Apollo and see into the future. From the outcome of wars to more mundane crises and love affairs, this far-seeing oracle would also answer those brave enough to seek knowledge of their fates. We end the day at the church of Hosios Loukas, a much later place of pilgrimage founded in the 10th century.

Day Seven We explore the birthplace of democracy We start the day at Eleusis.

We enjoy exclusive access to the archaeological site and museum with the site director. at the Agora, scene of turbulent debate and philosophical discourse. We also visit the National Museum which holds finds from all over Greece.

View over the hills at Delphi, where those who dared consulted the high priestess or Pythia who would foretell their fate 64

Day Eight After time for further exploring of Athens we return home.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Meet The Greeks GREECE

GUIDE LECTURER

The Parthenon which has dominated the skyline of Athens for nearly 2500 years.

Delphi

“F

Marathon

uture ages will wonder at us, as the present age wonders at us now.”

Pericles.

Greece Mycenae Tiryns

Athens Epidauros Nafplion

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights from London to Athens Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach.

Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Greeks

Great Cities

Hotels 2 nights in a well situated hotel, just off the main square and close to museums in the beautiful town of Nafplion; 5 nights in a modern city hotel with rooftop garden views of the Parthenon, close to the Acropolis in Athens

Historic Churches

Dr Rita Roussos taught Archaeology at the American University of Athens. She is a native Athenian and has worked on archaeological projects at Isthmia, Kato Loussous and Mantinea. Her research interests include the ‘place of women in ancient Greece and Rome’ and 4th century BC sculpture from Greece.

Dr. Anna SimandirakiGrimshaw is an experienced archaeologist. She works for a number of universities including the Universities of Cambridge, Oxford, Kent and Bath. Anna’s interests include pottery, religion and the human body, with a focus on the Prehistoric Aegean.

Tour Codes: May: Wed 25th May - Wed 1st Jun (IGR16A) September : Wed 7th Sep - Wed 14th Oct (IGR16B)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

65

discover the dodecanese S

ee another side of the lovely holiday islands of Rhodes and Kos and rediscover their ancient origins - Hellenistic sanctuaries, Roman villas and Medieval castles. Following in the mythical footsteps of Herakles, we explore sites including Kalymnos where we visit the Castle of Chrysocheria, built by the Knights Hopi Helas to protect the islanders from pirates.

The islands joined the modern Greek state in 1948, following centuries of rule by the Crusaders, Ottomans and Italians. Their legacy is still ever present on the landscape, where a wonderful blend of architectural styles and cultures awaits you...

Fri 3rd - Fri 10th Jun 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Rita Roussos Sat 17th - Sat 24th Sep 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Ioannis Georganas 8 days Jun & Sep : £2,695 (sgl supp £285; without flights £2,295)

•

Discover Hellenistic sanctuaries, Roman villas and Medieval castles and grandiose public buildings dotting the landscape.

•

Enjoy a special guided tour around the new Archaeological Museum of Kalymnos, which was launched in 2009.

•

New for 2016 - Discover the Aegean gems voted as one of the Top 10 trips you wanted Andante Travels to run.

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Rhodes, the largest of the Dodecanese and the historic capital.

Day Two We explore Rhodes, occupied by the Knights of the order of St John of Jerusalem from 1309 to 1523. During this time fortifications were built to defend against attackers, but were no match for the Ottomans, who took control in the 16th century and constructed many of the buildings that you see today. Although the island’s Medieval remnants are very visible, its prosperity has origins in the Classical period. We visit the Archaeological Museum and the Acropolis of Rhodes, with its temple dedicated to the god Apollo, a stadium and small open air theatre.

Day Three We visit the picturesque village of

Ruins of the Rhodes Acropolis and Olympic stadium.

66

Lindos, which was founded by the Dorians in the 10th century BC. We continue to the Temple of Athena, lodged within the ruins of a medieval castle. We travel on to Kalavarda, a well-preserved Hellenistic and Roman city with superb views of the ocean.

Day Four The ancient city of Ialyssos lies at the highest point of the Filerimos hill, overlooking Rhodes. We visit the Doric Temple to Athena Polias, built on top of an earlier Classical temple.

When Christianity came to Greece, churches were built in the locations of the old temples, and we see further continuity of worship in the Monastery of Filerimos, a 3rd to 5th century Early Christian basilica. We fly to the island of Kos, famed throughout the ancient world for its sanctuary to the healing god Aeslepios, where the father of medicine, Hippocrates learnt his craft.

Day Five We make our way to Kos town, and the substantial ruins of a 14th century castle built by the Knights of the Order of St John. Perhaps the most famous landmark here is Hippocrates’ Plane Tree, thought to be the oldest tree in Europe. Legend has it that Hippocrates taught his students under this very tree.

There are many Graeco-Roman ruins scattered through the town, including streets and houses, the agora and the Pandemos Aphrodite Sanctuary. We also visit the Western Excavation area, which includes a pool dating back to the 2nd century BC.

Port in Kalymnos.

Day Six We travel along the cypress-lined road to the Asklepieion, a healing sanctuary dedicated to the god Asclepios, built in the 4th century BC. Formed along three terraces up the side of a hill, we find wonderful views here across to the sea and coast. We continue to the Castle of Antimachia, the target of Turkish attacks in the Middle Ages. Finally, we stop at the ruins of Early Christian basilica, Agios Stephanos.

Day Seven We enjoy a day trip to the beautiful island of Kalymnos, described as ‘rich in honey’ by Homer. We explore the Castle of Chrysocheria, built in the 15th century by the Knights Hospitaller, and also discover some of the beautiful white early churches which dot the hills.

We take a special guided tour around the Kalymnos Archaeological Museum from the island’s local archaeologist and see the statue known as the Lady of Kalymnos.

Day Eight We return home.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Discover The Dodecanese GREECE

NEW

GUIDE LECTURER

The Sanctuary of Asklepios, on Kos. Kalymnos

Kos

“I

swear by Apollo the physician, and Aesculapius the surgeon, likewise Hygeia and Panacea, and call all the gods and goddesses to witness, that I will observe and keep this underwritten oath, to the utmost of my power and judgment.” Hippocratic Oath

Rhodes Kalavarda

Lindos

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Rhodes; Kos to London Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Greeks

Hotels 3 nights in a stylish hotel close to the medieval town of Rhodes 4 nights in a charming resort in a quiet area of Kos Town

Historic Churches

Dr Rita Roussos taught Archaeology at the American University of Athens. She is a native Athenian and has worked on archaeological projects at Isthmia, Kato Loussous and Mantinea. Her research interests include the ‘place of women in ancient Greece and Rome’ and 4th century BC sculpture from Greece.

Dr Ioannis Georganas holds a PhD in Archaeology from the University of Nottingham. He is particularly interested in weapons and warfare in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age Greece. As a field archaeologist, Ioannis has supervised many excavations across Greece.

Tour Codes: June: Fri 3rd - Fri 10th (DOD16A) September: Sat 17th - Sat 24th (DOD16B)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

67

WILD THRACE

E

ast of Thessaloniki are the mountains and plains of Thrace. Its ancient kingdoms were alternately at war with and allied to Persians, Greeks and Macedonians. Discover the strategic cities that grew up in the wake of passing conquerors Phillipi, Mesembria with its Romano-Thracian chariot burials, and catch a glimpse of the city of Amphipolis.

Thrace’s landmark archaeological sites and Byzantine, Medieval, and Ottoman monuments add to its rich cultural heritage. This wild land is notable for the peaceful co-existence of Christian and Muslim traditions.

Tue 7th - Wed 15th Jun 2016 Tue 6th - Wed 14th Sep 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Christina Hatzimichael Whitley 9 days Jun & Sep : £2,345 (sgl supp £145; without flights £2,045)

•

­Discover the traces of Roman, Medieval and Ottoman history which remain across the region.

•

View one of the most important religious complexes in Greece - the famous Classical sanctuary of the Great Gods in Samothrace.

•

Explore Mikri Doxipara Zoni tumuli, where we have special access to the decorated tombs.

ITINER ARY Day One We arrive in Thessaloniki via the much heralded site of Amphipolis. This was once Athens’ main power base on the Thracian coast.

Day Two We visit the site of Phillipi and its museum. This was an important early Christian centre, right up to the 14th century. Remains here include an early Christian basilica, a good stretch of the Via Egnatia and a fine museum.

We continue to Kavala, an important Roman city and later a Byzantine fortress. The town is famous for its large, originally Roman, aqueduct which was rebuilt by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.

Day Three We travel over the water to the Island of Thasos and visit the remains of the classical city, acropolis and the Limenas Museum. This was originally a Parian

Village of Chora on Samothrace island.

68

colony, enriched by its gold and silver mines. Marble was the island’s other commodity, and some of its beaches are composed of white marble sand.

Day Four We explore Abdera, once an important member of the Delian League. The city was heavily involved in the politics of the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars.

After lunch we explore the picturesque Xanthi old town, once an important trading city, which played a big part in the wealthy Balkan tobacco trade.

Happily, much of the traditional architecture has survived here.

Day Five We head east to Komotini with its Byzantine fortress and archaeological museum. We continue to Alexandroupolis, named not for Alexander the Great, but Alexander I, King of Greece. The King succumbed to the effects of a monkey bite, dying at the age of 27. We catch an ferry to Samothrace this afternoon.

Day Six We spend the morning exploring the famous Classical sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothrace. This was one of the most important religious complexes in Greece, set up in honour of the “Great Gods” of Samothrace before the arrival of Greek colonists.

We also visit Chora village, which is now the capital of the island. It is dominated by the ruins of an imposing castle which was built by the Galluzzi family in the 14th century, when Venice controlled large parts of the Aegean.

Remains of Ancient Greece near Amphipolis.

Day Seven We visit Didymoteicho, the birthplace of several Byzantine Emperors, and scene of the first Ottoman Turkish victory in Europe. A number of fine Ottoman monuments survive, including the Ҫelebi Sultan Mehmet Mosque built by Mehmet the Conqueror, and the ruined ’Silent Baths’- earliest Turkish bath in Europe.

We have special access to the decorated tombs of Mikri Doxipara Zoni tumuli. This series of burial mounds dates to the Roman period when burial continued in the local native Thracian style.

Day Eight We explore the ruins at Mesembria, beautifully situated on the coast near the mouth of the stream Shabla Dere, now identified as the ancient Greek polis of Zone. Remains here include a small sanctuary of Demeter and a temple of Apollo, and an important find was a set of inscribed potsherds bearing the first decipherable texts in the Thracian language.

Day Nine We return home.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Wild Thrace GREECE

NEW

GUIDE LECTURER

The Sanctuary of the Great Gods, one of the principal Pan-Hellenic religious sanctuaries, on the island of Samothrace.

Xanthi

“I

n the deep still woods upon the Thracian mountains, Orpheus with his singing lyre led the trees, led the wild beasts of the wilderness.”

Apollonius of Rhodes

Kavala

Alexandroupolis Thasos

Dr Christina Hatzimichael Whitley is co-director of the Praisos excavation Project in Crete. She specialises in Minoan Crete. Christina is also a tutor in Greek Archaeology at the Cardiff Centre for Lifelong Learning. She now lives in Cardiff with her family.

Samothrace

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Thessaloniki; Alexandroupolis to London Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Low Single Supplement

All Inclusive

Hotels 4 nights in a 4 star hotel in central Kavala 1 night in a centrally located hotel close to the beach in Samothrace 3 nights in a 5 star hotel located on the coast near Alexandroupolis

Greeks

Medieval

Historic Churches

want to discover more about greece?

Consider these tours...

Discover the Dodecanese........... p.30 Crete & Santorini..................... p.62 Islands of the Cyclades.............. p.70

Tour Codes: June: Tue 7th - Wed 15th (WEI16A) September: Tue 6th - Wed 14th (WEI16B)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

69

islands of the cyclades

O

f all the thousands of Greek Islands which are scattered over the Aegean Sea, the Cyclades have the most evocative mythology. The archipelago is named for its encircling of the sacred isle of Delos, the legendary birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. Its surrounding islands are no less fascinating - from Tinos, with its temple dedicated to Poseiden, to Naxos with its spectacular unfinished kouroi (male statues).

Sunlight bouncing off the sparkling surface of the Aegean, creamy marble set against an azure sky, the cool depths of prehistoric tombs – and, if we are lucky, dolphins following in our wake as we travel from port to ancient port.

Thu 9th - Sun 19th Jun 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Sandy MacGillivray Tue 6th - Fri 16th Sep 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Rita Roussos 11 days Jun & Sep : £2,895 (sgl supp £415; without flights £2,420)

•

The sacred island of Delos, where the atmospheric ruins include Apollo’s oracle.

• Explore Naxos, forever associated with Dionysus and Ariadne.

• Enjoy exclusive access to the largest Mycenean tholos tomb in the Cyclades.

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Mykonos.

Day Two We explore Mykonos, including the Archaeological Museum, which has funerary statues, pots and other fine artefacts from the island.

We have special access to the largest Mycenean tholos tomb in the Cyclades, which was excavated in 1991, and sits on a hill at Angelika. The burial is dated to the late 15th century BC. The grave goods here include an exquisite necklace.

Day Three Our day starts with a short boat ride to the island of Tinos, with its important Doric temple dedicated to Poseidon and his wife, Amphitrite. Enjoy a free afternoon in Mykonos.

Gateway of the Temple of Apollo, Naxos.

70

Day Four & Five We spend two full days in the temples, houses, agorae and oracular sancturies of Delos, the lovely island where Leto is said to have given birth to Apollo.

Greek legend tells us that Apollo’s mother was cursed by a jealous Hera, who prevented her from giving birth anywhere on land. Delos was a floating island, around which circled all the other Cyclades, so Apollo and his twin Artemis were born here.

Day Six We travel to Naxos, the largest of the Cyclades, where a number of ancient sanctuaries still survive - including the Sanctuaries of Dionysus and Demeter.

We continue to the never finished Temple of Apollo, erected beside the harbour by the tyrant Lygdamis in the 6th century BC. Day Seven Today we explore Naxos further. We begin the day examining two giant unfinished Kouroi (male statues) lying near quarries close to the villages of Melanes and Apollonas. We also visit a Mycenean Tholos tomb in the north of the island.

Day Eight We travel to Iroulas Temple, recently excavated near Sangri, in the centre of the Island. A large temple of circa 530 BC was later incorporated into a Christian church. We also hike up to the large fortress, begun in the Byzantine era at Kastro Apalirou and the fascinating underground Naxos

Classical remains of the city of Palaiopolis.

Museum, constructed at the centre of the former Greek town. We have lunch at a mountain tavern today. You can enjoy some free time this afternoon, or take an optional guided walk around Chora and the Venetian Museum.

Day Nine We spend a full day exploring the Byzantine remains on Naxos, including the 6th century church of Panagia Drosiani, which has been restored in recent years and features many beautiful frescoes.

Day Ten We fly to Athens and spend the day exploring the famous Agora of Athens.

Located north-west of the Acropolis, it dates back to the 6th century BC and is the best-known example of an ancient Greek agora. It was the centre of political and public life in Athens, and would have been utilised for commerce, political, religious and military activity.

Day Eleven Our final day begins at the Parthenon, dedicated to the goddess Athena. We also visit Kerameikos cemetery, the most important cemetery of ancient Athens, before we return to the UK.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Islands Of The Cyclades GREECE

GUIDE LECTURERS

The theatre at Delos - many hymns of praise to Apollo must have once echoed here.

“D

elos, if you would be willing to be the abode of my son Phoebus Apollo and make him a rich temple …”

Homeric Hymn to Delian Apollo

Athens

Delos

Mykonos

Naxos

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - London to Mykonos; Athens to London Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach, boat & catamaran Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Cultural

Prehistory

Hotels 5 nights in a hotel with a swimming pool close to Mykonos City 4 nights in a stylish hotel with a swimming pool within walking distance to Naxos Town 1 night in a hotel with rooftop garden views of the Parthenon, close to the Acropolis in Athens

Greeks

Dr Sandy MacGillivray is an archaeologist specialising in the Aegean Bronze Age. He has excavated at Sparta, Paros and Kythnos, in Greece, and at Knossos in Crete. Sandy is particularly interested in the relationship between Greece, the Cyclades and Crete and the cultures of Turkey and the Levant during this turbulent period.

Dr Rita Roussos is a native Athenian and has worked on archaeological projects at Isthmia, Kato Loussous and Mantinea.

She has taught Archaeology at the American University of Athens. Her research interests include the ‘place of women in ancient Greece and Rome’ and sculpture from Greece.

Tour Codes: June: Thu 9th - Sun 19th (CYC16A) September: Tue 6th - Fri 16th (CYC16B)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

71

IRELAND Boyne Valley & The Burren

T

his tour links two equally fascinating regions of Ireland, both rich in archaeological sites, and exceptional wild landscapes, all steeped in history. From Dublin and the Neolithic monuments of the Boyne Valley, we cross the island westwards to the Atlantic Coast and Galway. The unifying theme of Irish art is overwhelming, from the sinuous hammered patterns of the Neolithic passage graves to the illustrated Celtic Crosses of early Christianity, and the spectacular illuminated Book of Kells.

Tue 6th - Mon 12th Sep 2016 Guide Lecturer: Prof Tim Champion

Our journey takes us through the turbulent story of Ireland from prehistory, to the Vikings, the glorious days of High Kings, saints and miracles to the traumas of conquest and dissolution.

International travel not included

7 days Sep : £1,995 (sgl supp £285)

•

­Unique Neolithic tombs – Newgrange with its sparkling quartz face, and Knowth - a veritable prehistoric art gallery.

• Special access to the Book of Kells • Empty and dramatic landscapes of the limestone Burren

on the Atlantic coast, with forts, tombs and abbeys.

ITINER ARYED Day One We meet in Ireland’s capital, Dublin.

From here we travel north for a day to the Boyne Valley, where we visit the passage grave of Newgrange, famously aligned towards the rising sun on the midwinter solstice. We continue to the passage grave of Knowth with its decorated panels, and cluster of satellite tombs and other monuments.

Day Two A full day on foot in Dublin. We begin at the National Museum of Ireland, with its major collections and a superb overview of Irish archaeology.

We have special access to Trinity College, including the impressive long room of the library, established in 1592, and the illuminated Book of Kells.

The tumbling spirals decorating the kerb stone at Newgrange.

72

After lunch, we continue to Christchurch Cathedral and St Patrick’s Cathedral.

Day Three We explore the hill-top complex and sacred landscapes of Tara, with its long sequence of prehistoric monuments.

This landscape has been central to Irish identity across the centuries: from the time when the King of Tara was the most powerful in Ireland to the 19th century when Daniel O’Connell held meetings here in his Repeal campaign.

Continue to the Hill of Ward, an important prehistoric ceremonial site.

Day Four On foot in the old city of Galway. This thriving centre, founded by the Kings of Connacht, became the principal Irish port for trade with France and Spain during the Medieval period. Now a vibrant modern city, the streets are dotted with remains from this time (if you know where to look). In the afternoon we visit Cong Abbey, the dwelling place of Rory O’Connor, last High King of Ireland. On to Ross Errily Friary, founded in the 15th century and one of the best-preserved Medieval monasteries in Ireland.

Day Five We speed across the waves to the Aran Islands, a stronghold of Irish tradition, where we visit the remains of the spectacular prehistoric fort at Dun Aengus on the dizzying cliffs of Inishmore. The fort is the most impressive of several located on the

The library of Trinity College, Dublin.

Aran Islands. If time allows, we visit the other forts, and the much earlier Neolithic “wedge” tombs which are also found on Inishmore.

Day Six We leave Galway behind and travel southwards to the Cistercian abbey at Corcomroe, founded in the 13th century. Continue along the coast to Ballyvaughan, site of a ruined castle destroyed by fire, then inland to the limestone landscape of the Burren.

Here we see an evocative Neolithic dolmen tomb at Poulnabrone and the stone fort at Cahercommaun, where settlement began in the Iron Age. End the day at the early Christian monastic site at Kilfenora.

Day Seven Across the country to Clonmacnoise Monastery, one of the most ancient and famous Irish monasteries, where many of the High Kings of Tara and Connacht were buried. Clonmacnoise is formed from a complex of buildings, dating from the 10th century AD, and boasts some of the finest carved Celtic crosses anywhere in the world. Continue to Dublin for onward travel.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Ireland - Boyne Valley & The Burren IRELAND

SMALL GROUP

GUIDE LECTURER

Neolithic dolmen tomb at Poulnabrone.

Knowth Cong Abbey

“W

here are now the warring kings, An idle word is now their glory, By the stammering schoolboy said, Reading some entangled story: the kings of the old time are dead ” W.B. Yeats, The Song of the Happy Shepherd.

Galway Ballyvaughan Poulnabrone Kilfenora Aran Islands

Clonmacnoise

Dublin

WHAT’S INCLUDED Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach; boat Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Prehistory

Medieval

Hotels 2 nights in a historic and traditional hotel in the centre of Dublin, close to the National Museum 4 nights in a hotel with beautiful grounds and gardens overlooking Galway Bay

Great Cities

Historic Churches

Professor Tim Champion is a specialist in the later prehistory of Western Europe, with a focus on the Iron Age of Britain and Ireland.

He is Emeritus Professor of Archaeology at the University of Southampton and previously taught at the National University of Ireland, Galway.

Tim has a wide knowledge of all periods of Irish archaeology.

looking for a tour that’s a bit closer to home...

Why not consider...

Walking Prehistoric Wessex... p.154 Scotland.................................. p.158 Orkney & Shetland................. p.160

Tour Code: (IRB16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

73

ISRAEL & PALESTINE

T

here are few places on earth that can boast such a rich and varied archaeological heritage as Israel and Palestine. Over the millennia, this ancient land has felt the tread of conquerors and settlers: Canaanites, Israelites, Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Crusaders, Ottomans and Imperial Britons, all of whom left their signature.

Dr Nick Slope has excavated at sites all over the Holy Land, and will introduce you to his archaeological colleagues who have directed excavations here. Discover the archaeology of that most holy of cities, Jerusalem; the tragedy of Masada, and visit one of the oldest cities in the world, Jericho.

Tue 1st - Fri 11th Nov 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Nick Slope 11 days Nov: £3,395 (sgl supp £735; without flights £3,065)

•

Walk the streets of one of the world’s oldest cities - Jericho, founded over 10,000 years ago and occupied ever since.

•

A plethora of iconic ancient sites - from the spectacular, tragic fortress at Masada, to the coastal Crusader town of Akko (Acre).

•

3 days in Jerusalem - including special access to excavations and museums, and dinner with leading local archaeologists.

ITINER ARYED Day One Fly to Tel Aviv and transfer to our hotel on the shores of Lake Tiberias.

Day Two We spend our first morning at the Roman and Byzantine city of Beth She’an, and the 6th century synagogue of Beth Alpha. After lunch, we continue to the beautiful Jezreel Valley, a fertile ‘land of milk and honey’. Here we explore Tel Megiddo, better known as Armageddon, and of great strategic importance in the ancient world.

Continue to Tel Jezreel.

Day Three We visit Tel Dan - the most northerly Israelite city, with a remarkable Bronze Age mud-brick gateway still in-situ. We also visit Tel Hazor before continuing to Belvoir Crusader Fortress. This was a bastion of the Knights Hospitallers until it was eventually besieged and captured by Saladin’s forces in 1189.

Day Four We drive to Tzipori, a fortified city perched on a mound in the Netofah Valley. Continue to Akko (Acre) one of world’s oldest continuously occupied cities - mentioned in Egyptian, Biblical, Greek and Persian mythology and a vital crusader stronghold.

Day Five We explore the Roman harbour city of Caesarea Maritima, constructed by Herod the Great. The city is described vividly by 1st century historian Josephus as: “adorned with the most magnificent palaces...” We spend the afternoon at the Israel Museum which houses the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Day Six We spend the day in Jerusalem with archaeologists who have excavated in the city extensively. We begin at the Lion Gate and the Bethesda Pool. Continue to excavations on Mount Zion.

We visit the Armenian Museum, opened specially for our group.

Tel Megiddo, otherwise known as Armageddon, named in the Book of Revelation as the site of the final battle at the end of days.

74

Day Seven We start the day at Herodium, where Herod built a fortress, palace and small town. Continue to Jericho, our visits here include the Herodian Winter Palace complex, and a cable car ride to the Monastery of the Mount of Temptation (Karnatal). This evening we

The City of David, walled Bronze Age settlement and fabled capital of the biblical ruler.

enjoy dinner with local archaeologists.

Day Eight We continue to explore Jerusalem, visiting the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Western Wall and the City of David. After lunch we drive to Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity. We hope to visit new excavations scheduled here in 2016.

Day Nine We travel to Tel Lachish, a huge city with commanding views over the hills and the coastal plain. We continue to the walled city of Beer Sheba, where we have a picnic lunch. We stop at the prehistoric site of Tel Arad before continuing to the Dead Sea. Day Ten We ascend to Masada, a Herodian fortress high up on the cliffs (access by cable car). The defenders of the fortress committed mass suicide rather than surrender to the Romans in AD 73. Afternoon in En Gedi National Park, with beautiful oasis. We also visit Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.

Day Eleven We drive to Tel Aviv for flight home.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Israel & Palestine ISRAEL & PALESTINE Photo: Godot13

GUIDE LECTURER

Tel Dan

The dramatic mountain-top site of Masada.

Dr Nick Slope is an independent archaeologist who has excavated widely in Israel and Palestine. He supervised the excavation of the Crusader (Templar) Church in Tel Jezreel. Dr Slope is also a keen military historian and author of a popular book on Medieval Georgiawarfare. He is Honorary Secretary of the Anglo-Israel Archaeological Society.

Tiberias Caesarea Maritima

“B

rave and loyal followers!

Long ago we resolved to serve neither the Romans nor anyone other than God Himself... we have never submitted to slavery. We must not choose slavery now. We die nobly and as free men and leave this world in company with our wives and children.”

Final speech by Elazar Ben Yair, last commander at Masada, c AD 73

Tel Megiddo

Tzipori Jezreel Valley Belvoir

Beth She’an Tel Aviv Jericho Jerusalem Lachish Tel Beer Sheva

Tel Arad Dead Sea

Ein Gedi Masada

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - London to Tel Aviv Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Cultural

Prehistory

Hotels 4 nights in a kibbutz hotel ideally located beside Lake Tiberias, with swimming pool and private beach 4 + 1 nights in a comfortable hotel in Jerusalem with views over to the old city walls 1 night in a modern resort hotel overlooking the Dead Sea

Greeks

Romans

Medieval

Great Cities

looking for a new archaeological adventure?

Cambodia & Vietnam............... p.26 Georgia...................................... p.50 Northern Peru......................... p.122 South Africa............................p.128

Historic Churches

Tour Code: (ISR16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

75

ITALY

pompeii, herculaneum & Classical Campania N

owhere in the world could give a deeper insight into Roman life than the dramatic seaside towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Before the eruption of Vesuvius these were thriving, lively seaside towns - the Brighton and Hove of the ancient world! Bars, shops and brothels did a roaring trade and Pompeii was well-equipped to entertain the passing traveller with amphitheatre, baths and theatre.

All this came to an abrupt halt, however, one August day in AD 79 - when Vesuvius - previously thought to be extinct - erupted with cataclysmic force. Two thousand years later, the sites of the Bay of Naples confront the modern visitor with a vivid, haunting immediacy like nothing else in the ancient world. In some cases we even know the names, professions and personal histories of the people who owned the villas and shops we visit.

Your guide lecturer will bring to life the ordinary people of Pompeii, Herculaneum and beyond. New discoveries are constantly being made, and new areas of the site constantly opened up. Lose yourself in the past, walking the ancient streets in the footsteps of gladiators, slaves, senators and citizens...

• Access to new, rarely-visited villas in Pompeii only recently opened.

• Led by expert guides – all specialists in Roman Archaeology

or Ancient History.

•

Special access to the Piscina Mirabilis - giant Roman cistern which provided water to the cities of the Bay of Naples.

Mon 25th Jan - Mon 1st Feb 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Gillian Shepherd Mon 7th - Mon 14th Mar 2016 Guide Lecturer: Tony Wilmott Mon 11th - Mon 18th Apr 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Neil Faulkner Mon 18th - Mon 25th Apr 2016 Guide Lecturer: John Shepherd Mon 9th - Mon 16th May 2016 Guide Lecturer: Peter Berridge Tue 10th - Tue 17th May 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Eireann Marshall Mon 5th - Mon 12th Sep 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Neil Faulkner Mon 12th - Mon 19th Sep 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Rick Jones Mon 10th - Mon 17th Oct 2016 Guide Lecturer: Tony O’Connor Mon 31st Oct - Mon 7th Nov 2016 Guide Lecturer: John Shepherd 8 days Jan, Mar, Apr, May, Sep & Oct: £1,895 (sgl supp £185; without flights £1,695)

“I

t was not clear from which mountain the cloud was rising, but it was like an umbrella pine... Ashes were already falling, hotter and thicker, followed by bits of pumice and blackened stones. On Mount Vesuvius broad sheets of fire and leaping flames blazed at several points... They debated whether to stay indoors or take their chance in the open, for the buildings were now shaking with violent shocks, and seemed to be swaying to and fro as if they were torn from their foundations.”

Pliny the Younger in a letter to the historian Tacitus.

A young woman shows off her literacy, poised with stylus ready to write.

pompeii and herculaneum - at a glance Day One - Fly to Naples, transfer to our 4* hotel.

Day Two - Before the Romans, we visit the glorious Greek Temples at Paestum.

Day Three - Whole day at Pompeii, the world’s greatest archaeological site.

Day Four - View the treasures of Naples Museum, collected over 200 years of excavation. Afternoon at the amphitheatre at Pozzuoli and Piscina Mirabilis.

Day Five - View the little-visited grand villa of Stabiae, off the tourist trail.

Day Six - Visit the town of Herculaneum with extraordinary preservation.

Day Seven - A morning climb is rewarded with spectacular views from the crater of Vesuvius, then a villa fit for the wife of an emperor at Oplontis.

Casts of the those unlucky enough to be caught in the catastrophic eruption of Vesuvius.

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Day Eight - Return to Naples for flight home.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Pompeii & Herculaneum ITALY The forum at Pompeii - with Vesuvius looming behind it.

Roman specialists, classical scholars and archaeologists. See Pompeii with experts who have studied and worked at this most extraordinary ancient site...

Dr Rick Jones is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Leeds. He specialises in the social structures of the Roman Empire, especially in Pompeii where he co-directed excavations of a complete block of the ancient town.

Dr Gillian Shepherd PhD is Director of the Trendall Centre for Ancient Mediterranean Studies, La Trobe, Australia. She specialises in the archaeology and history of Italy and Sicily.

Peter Berridge has had a long career in archaeology and was Head of Colchester Museum Service for six years. He now works as a freelance Heritage Consultant all over the UK.

Dr Eireann Marshall is an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Exeter. She specialises in Classical Civilisation in Italy and North Africa and is a fluent Italian speaker.

John Shepherd is an archaeologist who has excavated in Italy & the UK. He is a former Curator at the Museum of London, where he set up the Museum’s Roman Galleries

Dr Neil Faulkner FSA is a Research Fellow at Bristol University. A lecturer, writer and broadcaster, he specialises in Roman and military archaeology.

Tony O’Connor FSA has excavated widely in Britain, Italy and Libya, and is now a museum archaeologist.

He specialises in the Roman world and numismatics.

Tony Wilmott FSA is an archaeologist with Historic England, specialising in the Roman and medieval periods with interests in frontiers and military architecture.

GUIDE LECTURERS

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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pompeii, herculaneum & Classical Campania ITINER ARYED stepping stones, wheel ruts; the graffiti on house walls. Travelling by the best routes to avoid the crowd we visit several villas which have only recently re-opened to the public. Many of our Guide Lecturers have excavated at Pompeii and will introduce the very latest research that is shedding light on this extraordinary site and thus, the whole Roman world.

Porta Nocera, near the ‘street of the tombs’ where many of the great and the good of Pompeii were buried.

Day One We arrive in Naples.

Day Two We drive south to explore the temples, site and museum at Paestum. Long before the Romans came, this was a thriving Greek city, part of the Ancient Greek empire from the 6th century BC. We wander among the three mighty temples, some of the best preserved anywhere in the Greek world. After lunch, we visit Paestum Museum which houses the unique painted ‘Tomb of the Diver’ dated to around 480 BC. Day Three We devote a whole day to Pompeii. No other site can compare in revealing the scale and proportions of a Roman town.

We visit some of the best-preserved buildings, as well as an amphitheatre, theatre, forum, bathhouses, bars and brothels. The fountains in the street, worn where thousands of people have rested their hands to take a drink; the

Day Four Today we marvel at the exceptional collections of artefacts at the National Archaeological Museum at Naples.

Many of the best wall-paintings and statues were brought here in the early years of the excavations. More poignant, perhaps, are the tableware, glass beads, dice and other incidental objects of everyday life. After lunch in Naples, we continue to Pozzuoli to see one of the best-preserved amphitheatres in the world. We explore the passage-ways where gladiators would once have awaited their fate...

in splendid isolation. Free time this afternoon to return to Pompeii or relax.

Day Six We visit the town of Herculaneum, which perfectly complements a visit to Pompeii. The town was buried to a much greater depth than Pompeii.

Here, you wander streets with almost complete Roman houses rising on either side, preserved up to their rooftops in some cases! Until relatively recently it was thought that most of the population of Herculaneum escaped the eruption. However excavations have now uncovered over 300 skeletons of townsfolk who had taken refuge in boat

We have special access to the cavernous Piscina Mirabilis at Misenum, usually closed to the public. This gigantic cistern stored water for the Roman fleet and fed the towns of the Bay of Naples.

Day Five We go off the beaten track to the villas of Stabiae, an exclusive Roman resort for the very wealthy. The vast Villa San Marco is one of the most opulent along this coast - and remains very impressive in its scale. The Villa Ariadne gives wonderful views over the Bay of Naples and is remarkably little visited. We walk through the grand rooms, chambers and gardens

A rather exhausted-looking Venus adjusting her sandal.

chambers along the shore. After lunch we visit another ‘hidden gem’ of the Bay of Naples, the modest farm-house that has been discovered at Boscoreale, named the Villa Regina, now with a fine small museum.

Day Seven Our final full day, we ascend to the great volcanic crater of Vesuvius.

Most of our journey is by bus, but the last part requires a short walk. We are rewarded with amazing views both down into the crater and out across the Bay of Naples, putting everything we have seen during the week into perspective. After lunch we spend the afternoon at the villa at Oplontis; buried and preserved, the villa is thought to have been the home of Poppea, wife of Nero. It is grander even than those at Stabaie and makes a fitting end to our tour.

Day Eight We return home this morning.

Mosaic showing the wonderful and various sea life from the Bay of Naples, Pompeii.

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Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Pompeii & Herculaneum ITALY

“I

t was a lifetime ambition to visit this area and the tour was above all expectations. The visits were wonderful. Of course Pompeii and Herculaneum were magnificent, and the impromptu fast-paced walk through the streets of Naples.

And glorious sunshine, no doubt specially ordered by Andante!”

already travelled with andante to pompeii?

The Temple of Athena at Paestum, one of three, among the best-preserved in the world.

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“P

ompeii and Herculaneum were amazing, but we expected that.

What we didn’t expect was the unknown archaeological gems hiding in the area.

We are so glad to have learned about them and had the chance to explore.”

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Our hotel in the hills above Pompeii.

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights with BA from London to Naples Tour Managers Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included with wine at dinner, except lunch at Pompeii.

Entries & tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Low Single Supplement

Just One Hotel

Greeks

Hotel 7 nights in a lovely, characterful familyrun hotel in the tiny village of Corpo di Cava, with a covered outdoor pool, set in the wooded hills above Cava dei Tirreni. The hotel has been in existence since 1821, owned and run by the same family for all that time. It is set in beautiful gardens, with fabulous views out over the hills. Just below the hotel is a huge rock-cut monastery and abbey, one of the largest Benedictine foundations in Italy.

Romans

Historic Churches

Please Note For 25th January - 1st February and 10th 17th May tours we will spend; 7 nights in a grand historic hotel in the centre of naples, overlooking the Marina. Spacious and stylishly furnished rooms.

Tour Codes: January: Mon 25th - Mon 1st Feb (POM16A) May: Tue 10th - Tue 17th (POM16F) March: Mon 7th - Mon 14th (POM16B) September: Mon 5th - Mon 12th (POM16G) April: Mon 11th - Mon 18th (POM16C) September: Mon 12th - Mon 19th (POM16H) April: Mon 18th - Mon 25th (POM16D) October: Mon 10th - Mon 17th (POM16I) May: Mon 9th - Mon 16th (POM16E) October: Mon 31st Oct - Mon 7th Nov (POM16J)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

81

ROME with the Sistine Chapel

R

ome is one of the most charismatic and engaging of all the great cities of the world. Its monuments are an omnipresent testament to a past where the Romans controlled an Empire reaching from Scotland to Syria. Surprisingly, it is an intimate city, still centred on a core 2000 years old.

Mon 7th - Sat 12th Mar 2016 Mon 24th - Sat 29th Oct 2016 Wed 21st - Mon 26th Dec 2016 Guide Lecturer: Oliver Gilkes

This exquisite city is introduced in delightful detail by an expert who knows it well and speaks fluent Italian. In addition to the wealth of Roman ruins, we have arranged private access for an exclusive evening visit to the Sistine Chapel - one of the most famous sites of Rome, but in our case without the usual crowds. A rare opportunity to see Michelangelo’s masterwork in peace and quiet.

6 days Mar & Oct: £2,400 Dec: £2,495 (Mar/Oct: sgl supp £360; without flights £2,160) (Dec: sgl supp £170; without flights £2,225)

• Private evening visit to the Sistine Chapel.

• On foot through the glories of the Eternal City from

Trajan’s column to the Colosseum; the Forum to the Vatican.

•

Special dinner at the British School at Rome, with a talk from the Director of the School in March.

• Based in one charming hotel just behind the Pantheon.

ITINER ARY Day One We arrive in Rome.

Day Two We begin at the iconic Colosseum, the Flavian amphitheatre. Here we have a specially arranged visit to the underground service tunnels and the upper levels. An afternoon walk through the heart of ancient Rome, including the Forum and Palatine, the venues of profound historical events such as the Gracchi riots, Caesar’s funeral, and triumph of Alaric the Goth. Here were the major public institutions of the state, the senate, the popular assembly, the chief temples and the imperial palaces. We end by walking along the later imperial fora ending at the incomparable Trajan’s column.

The Roman Forum - centre of Ancient Rome.

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Day Three A morning guided visit around the vast collections of the Vatican Museum.

After lunch we enjoy some free time to explore St. Peter’s Basilica. You could choose to ascend the great dome, or visit the burial place of Popes in St. Peter’s crypt.

We return to the Vatican Museum for a private viewing of the masterly Raphael rooms and the Sistine Chapel, the place where Renaissance art created individuality.

Day Four We visit the Villa Borghese Museum.

The 17th century Galleria Borghese houses a substantial part of the great art collection assembled by the Borghese family, one of Rome’s most illustrious princely families. Work by Bernini, Titian, and Canova are among the incredible assemblage of art to be discovered. On to the innovative Montemartini Museum and the Pyramid of Gaius Cestius. Tucked inside the Aurelian wall, and right beside the impressive funeral pyramid of Gaius Cestius is the ‘non-catholic’ cemetery of Rome. The scene of many illustrious burials, including John Keats and Shelley’s ashes and heart.

The mighty dome of the Pantheon - still the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world.

corner from our hotel, the inspirational building built by Emperor Hadrian to be a shrine for all the Roman Gods.

Its roof is still the largest unreinforced concrete dome ever built. On to the Piazza Navona, the former stadium of emperor Domitian, and the Column of Marcus Aurelius celebrating his victories in the Marcomannic Wars. End at the Ara Pacis, the great altar of peace built by Augustus with its famous frieze of the imperial family and Senators in procession. A free afternoon to explore this fascinating city.

Day Six Before returning home, a morning to explore Ostia Antica the original port of ancient Rome. In places this sprawling city is as well preserved as Pompeii. It has all the features expected for urban life: a forum, baths, temples, private houses and tenements, and of course warehouses and wharves for collecting and storing the supplies to keep the imperial capital fed. We transfer to the airport for flights home.

Day Five We walk through the winding lanes and alleys of medieval Rome, through the region known as the Field of Mars.

Visit to the Pantheon just around the

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Rome with the Sistine Chapel ITALY

GUIDE LECTURER

Part of Michaelangelo’s glorious Last Judgment, on an altar wall of the Sistine Chapel.

Oliver Gilkes has worked as an archaeologist in the UK, Italy, Albania and Libya. He is a specialist in Roman archaeology as well as the wider history of Italy. A true polymath, Oliver’s breadth and depth of knowledge: from poetry to military history and the finer points of Italian cuisine, are sure to dazzle all who travel with him.

“A

fter a sleepless night, I trod, with a lofty step, the ruins of the Forum; each memorable spot where Romulus stood, or Tully spoke, or Caesar fell…”

Edward Gibbon

Right: Piazza Navona built in 1st century AD.

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Return flights from London to Rome Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach for airport transfers, otherwise on foot Meals - Most meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Just One Hotel

Cultural

Hotel 5 nights in a hotel housed in a Patrician building and run by the same family since 1898, we have chosen this hotel for its perfect location behind the Pantheon, in the absolute heart of ‘Roman Rome’.

There are very comfortable bedrooms, a small bar and breakfast room and overall very pleasing ambience.

Christmas - New Year

Romans

Medieval

Great Cities

have you already travelled to rome with oliver?

He is also leading tours to...

Albania - Land of the Eagles..... p.16 Renaissance Villas.................... p.90 Samnites - Enemies of Rome... p.100

Historic Churches

Tour Codes: March: Mon 7th - Sat 12th (ROM15A) October: Mon 24th - Sat 29th (ROM15B) December: Wed 21st - Mon 26th (ROM15C)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

83

MEET THE ROMANS

B

loodthirsty Imperialists or the greatest Empire the world has ever known?

At its peak, the Roman Empire covered a vast territory, ruled by powerful, often capricious Emperors, whose names remain familiar 2,000 years later.

In this tour we contrast the grand marble monuments of Rome with the humbler, but exceptionally preserved cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Led by passionate Roman specialists, we follow the path of the Roman elite, travelling between two great, contrasting ancient cities. In Rome, we get a feel for life in an Imperial capital; before we take the holiday route of wealthy Romans to the ordinary seaside Roman town of Pompeii.

Sun 13th - Mon 21st Mar 2016 Guide Lecturer: John Shepherd Mon 7th - Tue 15th Nov 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Denise Allen 9 days Mar & Nov : £2,495 (sgl supp £420; without flights £2,305)

•

The glorious Imperial monuments of Rome are waiting to be seen: the Colosseum, Pantheon, Forum... and so much more!

•

Extraordinary, haunting cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum an unbeatable introduction to ordinary Roman life.

•

Enjoy an exclusive lecture and private dinner at the illustrious British School at Rome.

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Rome.

Day Two Our busy day begins at the Church of San Clemente, before we move on to the infamous Colosseum where up to 50,000 spectators could come to watch the gladiatorial contests. We spend our afternoon in the heart of Roman power. We head to the Roman Forum, the political and commercial hub of the city. We visit the Via Sacra, and the beautifully situated palaces of the Emperor on the Palatine Hill. We continue to Trajan’s column, built to celebrate his military prowess.

We dine at the British School at Rome and enjoy a lecture over dinner.

Day Three We go beyond the usual tourist trail to the ornately decorated Baths of Emperor Caracalla. Built as an act of “public relations”, they provided the city with a public library, shopping centre and bathing facilities. We pass through the great walls of the city, and travel down to the coast, to visit the port city of Ostia, where the riches of the Empire were transported to Rome.

Day Four We spend the morning on foot, walking between the monuments designed to “shock and awe” citizens, enemies and barbarians. We visit the Pantheon, rebuilt by the architecturally daring Emperor Hadrian with its wonderful domed roof. We gain insight into Augustus’ political outlook by viewing Ara Pacis, the Altar of Augustan Peace.

The afternoon is free to explore Rome at your own pace or take an optional visit the Capitoline Museum with your Guide Lecturer.

Day Five We follow in the footsteps of Emperors, fleeing the hustle and bustle of the city, to travel into the countryside and to the villa of the Emperor Hadrian at Tivoli.

Set in the beautiful Sabine hills, the villa’s famous fountains and gardens have their own artificial island, only part of the opulence with which this magnificent complex was constructed.

We return to Rome for some free time.

The haunting streets of Pompeii, with Vesuvius looming ominously in the background.

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“I found a city of brick and left a city of marble.”

Augustus.

The Forum in Rome, heart of imperial power.

Day Six We travel along the same route that ancient pleasure seekers followed to the Roman holiday resorts of the Bay of Naples. We visit the Villa Quintilli, one of the luxury homes of the Roman elite. We visit Naples Museum in the afternoon, to meet the Roman inhabitants of Campania.

Day Seven We enjoy a day at the exceptionally well-preserved Pompeii. The one-time seaside resort was devestated by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79AD. After years of excavations, we can now see houses, bars and brothels that filled this town- even to the graffiti scrawled on their walls.

Day Eight We explore Herculaneum, smaller than Pompeii but much better preserved.

This is one of only a few ancient cities that can be found in almost its original glory; burning mud of Vesuvius preserved roof tops, building beams and even food in some areas.

Day Nine Time for final exploration before transfer to the airport.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Meet The Romans ITALY

GUIDE LECTURERS

The Colosseum, largest amphitheatre in the Roman world, where up to 50,000 spectators came for their fill of ‘bread and circuses’.

John Shepherd is an archaeologist with field experience in Bulgaria, France, Italy and the UK. Much of his career has focused upon Roman provincial archaeology, working at the Museum of London for over 20 years. He left the Museum in 2004 to develop the use of museum archaeological collections in universities and schools.

“T

he world of Rome, with its wars of conquest, slave labour and bloody games can be seen as a terrible one. Or thinking of engineering, bath-houses, literature, a peak of human achievement.”

Neil Faulkner

Right: Hail Caesar, Julius celebrates his triumph, now on display in Rome.

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights from London to Rome; Naples to London Tour Managers Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - Most meals included except for two lunches - dinners with wine Entries & tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Cultural

Great Cities

Romans

Hotels 5 nights in a long-established stylish hotel in the very heart of ancient Rome, very close to the Pantheon; 3 nights in a hotel overlooking the Bay of Naples.

Dr Denise Allen is Director of Archaeology at Andante Travels.

She organises and arranges our tour programme. She began her archaeological career as a fulltime digger, working on sites all over the UK. She studied archaeology at Cardiff University and returned there to complete a PhD on Roman Glass.

Tour Codes: March: Sun 13th - Mon 21st (IRO16A) November: Mon 7th - Tue 15th (IRO16B)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

85

THE ETRUSCANS

B

efore the rise of Rome the Etruscans dominated much of Italy. At the height of their power and prosperity during the 6th century BC, Etruscan power, influence and ambition rivalled the ancient Greeks and Phoenicians.

In their homeland in the Tuscan hills, they built cities, vast cemeteries monumental tombs and a startling abundance of finely crafted objects.

This is a beautiful and rural part of Italy, and we stay in just two hotels: a converted convent, and a 17th century palazzo. Expert Guide Lecturer Judith Toms, introduces hilltop cities, spectacular finds and lavish painted tombs.

Life before the Romans: a fascinating alternative view of classical Italy.

Sun 10th - Sun 17th April 2016 Sun 11th - Sun 18th Sept 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Judith Toms 8 days Apr & Sep : £2,250 (sgl supp £295; without flights £1,950)

•

We have secured special access to the Tomb of the Lion and Pellegrina Tomb, beautifully decorated with Etruscan funerary art.

•

Explore every aspect of Etruscan life and culture from great cities to beautiful artefacts and everyday objects.

•

Beautiful scenery with sites spread across rolling Tuscan Hills, many of which later developed into charming Medieval towns.

ITINER ARY Day One We arrive in Pisa.

Day Two We spend our first day in Volterra, located on windswept, dramatic hills.

Here we visit the Guarnacci Museum, famed for its cinerary urns carved from the local alabaster. After lunch, we and walk through the town viewing Etruscan temple foundations, an Etruscan city gate, the Porta all’Arco, a well-preserved Roman theatre.

Day Three Today we explore Vetulonia, an Etruscan city site located on a hilltop with views to the Tyrrhenian Sea. We travel to the little-visited tombs, and see a rare example of Etruscan domestic architecture, before viewing finds from the site in the well-furnished museum.

After a picnic lunch we continue to the coastal site of Populonia this afternoon.

Excavations at the site of Vetulonia.

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Day Four We spend the day at the key inland city of northern Etruria - Chiusi. The collections in the excellent museum are drawn from the area, and include finely carved cinerary chests and tomb markers in local sandstone.

This afternoon we have special access to some of the characteristic Etruscan painted tombs including the Tomb of the Lion and the Pellegrina Tomb. The interiors of both are vividly decorated with scenes of animals and humans.

Day Five We visit Veii this morning. Highlights here include life-size terracotta figures.

The site was at the Southern limit of Etruscan territory. We explore the remains of the Portonaccio Temple, dedicated to Apollo. We enjoy an afternoon on the outskirts of Rome at the Villa Giulia Museum which houses one of the world’s best collections of Etruscan art and artefacts.

Finds from Portonaccio Temple can be found here - allowing us to imagine the ctiy in its glory days, adorned with the art and statuary we will view later in the Villa Giulia.

Day Six We visit Tarquinia to see the archaeological museum and exquisitely painted subterranean chamber tombs.

The museum has a fine collection of grave goods, including the remarkable terracotta winged horses from the Ara della Regina Temple. Over 6000 tombs

have been discovered at the Monterozzi cemetery, (which we visit next), making this one of the largest burial grounds of the ancient world. We see a selection, some with vivid depictions of banquets and funerary games.

Day Seven Today we have an opportunity to explore Orvieto, which the Etruscans presumably established because of the excellent defensive opportunities offered by the spectacular volcanic citadel. There is much to see in the town including two archaeological museums, ‘underground Orvieto’, and the magnificent Renaissance cathedral.

After lunch we visit the Belvedere Temple Podium, and the small Etruscan cemetery of Crocifisso del Tufo which has the family name carved above the entrance to each tomb.

Day Eight Our tour culminates at the remarkable Banditaccia cemetery at Cerveteri, a truly extraordinary Etruscan site. This is a real ‘city of the dead’ with rockcut tombs under tumuli or arranged in rows along streets. Many interiors are carved to imitate houses and temples.

One tomb even has painted relief depictions of armour, household goods, furniture, and the family dog. Transfer to Rome airport for flight home.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

The Etruscans ITALY Pisa

GUIDE LECTURER

Volterra

Painted funerary casket from Chiusi, with a scene of warriors in combat with Amazons.

Chiusi Populonia

Italy

“B

ut who wants object-lessons about vanished races? What one wants is a contact. The Etruscans are not a theory or a thesis. If they are anything, they are an experience.”

D.H. Lawrence, Sketches of Etruscan Places

Orvieto

Tarquinia

Castellana

Cerveteri

Veii

Rome

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights, London to Pisa, Rome to London Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Prehistory

Hotels 3 nights in a friendly converted convent hotel in the centre of Volterra 4 nights in a 4* hotel converted from a 17th century palazzo in the historic centre of Civita Castellana. It has an Etruscan cave in the basement!

Greeks

Romans

Historic Churches

Dr Judith Toms teaches in London and Oxford, focusing on the ancient art and archaeology of the central Mediterranean. Her research mainly concerns Etruscan civilisation and its neighbours.

She has worked on excavations from late Neolithic and Bronze Age sites in Scotland and Germany, and Etruscan and Roman sites in Italy.

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Tour Codes: April : Sun 10th - Sun 17th (ETR16A) September : Sun 11th - Sun 18th (ETR16B)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

87

SICILIA ANTIQUA

I

slands in the Mediterranean are inevitably influenced by all passing trades and peoples. Sicily is perhaps the ultimate example of this. First came Bronze Age traders, followed by the Greeks and Romans, leaving behind a rich legacy of temples to their gods, graceful monuments which often still stand among the beautiful flower-strewn hills. Later, Normans used Byzantine and Arab artists and craftsmen to create glowing gold-in-glass mosaics in ornate cathedrals and palaces.

This tour will leave memories of beautiful bays and ruinous ancient cities; honey coloured columns against a clear blue sky. Of exquisite Roman and Norman mosaics, mighty Mt Etna (fabled home of Cyclops), and of picnicking in the wild surrounded by prehistoric tombs in the hills of Pantalica.

Thu 14th - Sun 24th Apr 2016 Thu 22nd Sep - Sun 2nd Oct 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Eireann Marshall Thu 5th - Sun 15th May 2016 Guide Lecturer: Tony O’Connor Thu 29th Sep - Sun 9th Oct 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Milena Melfi 11 days Apr, May & Sep : £2,675 (sgl supp £330; without flights £2,325)

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Island at the centre of the Mediterranean, a multicultural nucleus packed with spectacular monuments.

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Exceptionally fine mosaics at Piazza Armerina, a palatial Roman villa, re-opened after extensive refurbishment.

•

From columns to cathedrals - explore honey-coloured Greek temples and gleaming gold-in-glass Norman mosaics.

ITINER ARYED Day One We fly to Palermo and drive to the hotel.

Day Two Our journey begins with the famous unfinished Doric temple at Segesta, set amongst rolling hills. There is also a fine theatre on the hilltop above. We continue to the magnificent Norman cathedral and abbey founded by William II in 1174 at Monreale.

Day Three We spend all day in Palermo, where we see the Church of La Martorana, and the Duomo.

We have a specially arranged early evening visit to the Cappella Palatina of Roger II, a glittering jewel of Norman architecture, with cosmatesque inlays in the lower walls, goldin-glass mosaics above, and an exquisite stalactite ceiling of wood.

Day Four Today we take a boat across the shallow salt lagoon to the Phoenician island stronghold of Motya – bought and excavated in the 19th century by a family whose fortune was based on Marsala wine. We continue to the important port town of Marsala, ancient Lilybaeum.

Day Five In Marsala we see the remains of a Punic warship, sunk on its maiden voyage during the First Punic War. We continue on to the ancient quarries at Cave di Cusa, from which came the stone for the temples at Selinunte – unfinished column drums still lie abandoned here. We head to the site of Selinunte, dramatically situated overlooking the sea and strewn with wild flowers and celery.

Day Six All day among the magnificent Greek temples of Agrigento, imposingly ranked along the southern ridge of the ancient city - built to impress all those approaching.

Day Seven We start the day in opulent Roman style, at the palatial Roman villa with exceptionally fine mosaics at Piazza Armerina. These have been left in situ and can be viewed from raised walkways. Continue to the ancient settlement of Morgantina.

Surprisingly contemporary-looking mosaic at Piazza Armerina.

88

The great unfinished temple at Segesta, masterpiece of Ancient Greek architecture.

the ancient city of Syracuse. We see the exquisite artefacts in the Archaeological Museum; the Greek theatre, still often used for performances; the huge Altar of Hieron II and the ancient quarries, where many prisoners of the Peloponnesian War met their end.

Day Nine Free time to explore lovely Baroque Ortygia, then drive north to the Graeco-Roman theatre at Taormina, with its amazing scenic backdrop which includes a view of Mount Etna.

Day Ten Our final day is spent at Euryalus fort, constructed at the beginning of the 4th century BC by Dionysius the Elder, and one of the few Greek fortifications surviving from this date. We then drive right out of the city to the unspoilt interior of the island. We explore the prehistoric tombs at Pantalica with stunning views over the hills.

Day Eleven We return home.

Day Eight We spend all day discovering

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Sicilia Antiqua ITALY

GUIDE LECTURERS

The so-called temple of Castor and Pollux at Agrigento, reconstructed in the 19th century.

“T

hese monuments of the past, magnificent yet incomprehensible because not built by us and yet standing round us like lovely mute ghosts; all those rulers who landed by main force from every direction who were at once obeyed.”

Giuseppe di Lampedusa, The Leopard

Palermo Monreale Segesta

Sicily

Marsala

Agrigento

Morgantina Catania Piazza Armerina Syracuse Noto Tellaro

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Palermo, Catania to London Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach; boat Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Cultural

Prehistory

Dr Eireann Marshall is an Honorary Research Fellow at Exeter University and Research Associate and Associate Lecturer with the Open University.

Hotels 3 nights in an elegant and historic hotel in the heart of Palermo 1 night in a historic hotel in the centre of Marsala 2 nights in a hotel overlooking the temples in Agrigento 4 nights in a small, newly refurbished hotel on the seafront, in beautiful Ortygia, Syracuse

Greeks

Romans

Medieval

Historic Churches

Dr Milena Melfi is a Lecturer in Archaeology at Oxford University and expert in Greek sculpture.

Tony O’Connor is a Museum Curator and specialist on the Roman Empire. He has excavated widely across Britain and Europe.

Tour Codes: April: Thu 14th - Sun 24th (SIC16A) May: Thu 5th - Sun 15th (SIC16B) September: Thu 22nd Sep - Sun 2nd Oct (SIC16C) September: Thu 29th Sep - Sun 9th Oct (SIC16D)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

89

RENAISSANCE VILLAS

F

antastically elaborate, brimming with sculpture and symbolism, the villas of Lazio embody the high art and low political intrigues of Renaissance Italy.

Built for Pope and princes, these villas hark back to a much older tradition: when Roman Emperors would retreat to their palaces in the Sabine hills.

Oliver Gilkes, an archaeologist who has excavated extensively in Italy, explores the ‘villa’ in all its many and various forms. From the rustic farms of antiquity, beloved of Roman poets, to the vast complexes of later eras, villas reflected their owners’ wealth and status – whether modest farms or palaces. Iconic sites set in the rolling hills of central Italy: the setting or hothouse politics and veritable treasuries of architecture and art.

Mon 9th - Sun 15th May 2016 Guide Lecturer: Oliver Gilkes 7 days May : £2,225 (sgl supp £220; without flights £1,995)

•

­The spectacular villas built by classical and Renaissance grandees with their elaborate gardens.

•

The evocative countryside of South Etruria and the Sabine and Alban Hills, forests, hills and mountains.

•

Special access to the magnificent Barberini Gardens, laid out over the remains of an Imperial Roman villa.

ITINER ARYED Day One We fly to Rome and transfer to Frascati.

Day Two We drive into the beautiful Sabine Hills, the retreat of Renaissance princes and Roman Emperors. Our first stop is at the rustic Villa of Horace, Licenza.

Onwards to Arcinazzo Romano where we view the sprawling remains of Emperor Trajan’s villa and hunting lodge. No doubt providing the Emperor with some ‘R and R’ after a hard campaign subduing the edges of Empire... In the afternoon visit Subiaco, Sacro Speco, St. Benedict’s first abbey founded near the ruins of Nero’s villa.

Day Three We have special access to the Barberini Gardens, laid out over the remains of a grand villa of Emperor Domitian. The gardens are attached to the Papal Villa at Castelgandolfo.

A ‘monster’ from the eccentric Park of Wonders at Bomarzo.

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We continue to Lake Nemi, where excavations recovered the remains of two ‘floating’ villa ships, built

by Caligula. Having survived the end of Rome, the ships were sadly destroyed in WWII, but a museum tells their story. After lunch, we continue to Frascati and the baroque Villa Aldobrandini, with extensive gardens and 17th century ‘water theatre’.

Day Four We travel north to Farfa Abbey founded c.600AD by St. Lawrence the Syrian, in a ruined villa. At the height of their power, in the 12th century, the monks of Farfa owned over 600 churches and 130 castles, as well as saltmines, mills and seaports.

Not quite how one imagines a life of monastic poverty! We walk around the ancient town of Civita Castellana (Falerii Veteres). Originally an iron Age settlement, called Falerii, the town was abandoned until the early Middle Ages.

It was then repopulated and became a flourishing independent commune, often contended by the Pope and the Holy Roman Empire.

Day Five We spend the morning at Caprarola to visit the staggering conception of the Villa Farnese built by Alexander Farnese, nephew of Pope Paul III, to an elaborate architectural scheme of the architect Giacomo Vignola. The mannerist and ‘wild’ gardens conceal a ‘secret garden’ and smaller villa. Then on to the Orsini/Odescalchi castle by Lake Bracciano. One of the largest

Farfa Abbey, a symbol of monastic power and influence in the early Middle Ages.

strongholds in Italy, in the 15th century the Orsini family managed to repel attempts by Pope Alexander VI and the notorious Cesare Borgia to capture it.

The castle was rebuilt as a luxurious fortified retreat and houses a museum.

Day Six We enjoy a day of gardens today. The famous mannerist gardens of Villa Lante at Bagnaia are our first stop.

They consist of an extravaganza of 16th century hydraulic engineering which has created cascades and the famous outdoor water dining table. We later visit the enigmatic Park of Wonders (Park of Monsters) at Bomarzo. This ‘sacred wood’ is home to carved, mosscovered monsters and giants, waiting to pounce, highlighted by rushing waters.

Day Seven We catch a glimpse of how the other half lived as we stop at Calcata in the Treia valley on our last day. The valley was originally inhabited by local farmers who tunnelled their way through the soft tufa stone to build their dwellings. We continue to Rome for our flight to London.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Renaissance Villas ITALY

GUIDE LECTURER

Bomarzo

The crowning cupola of Vignola’s magnificent spiral staircase at Palazzo Farnese, Caprarola.

Bagnaia Caprarola Castellana Calcata

“N

Farfa

ot much was really invented during the Renaissance, if you don’t count modern civilisation.”

P J O’Rourke

Subiaco Rome Frascati Gandolfo

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Rome Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included with water, plus wine with dinners Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Low Single Supplement

All Inclusive

Hotels 3 nights in a delightful historic villa, with private gardens, in the centre of Frascati 3 nights in a 4* hotel in the historic centre of Civita Castellana, formed from a tangle of buildings dating from the 1600’s including a convent and former Palazzo

Cultural

Romans

Medieval

Historic Churches

Oliver Gilkes has worked as an archaeologist in the UK, Italy, Albania and Libya. He is a specialist in Roman archaeology as well as the wider history of Italy. A true polymath, Oliver’s breadth and depth of knowledge: from poetry to military history and the finer points of Italian cuisine, are sure to dazzle all who travel with him.

enjoy travelling with oliver gilkes?

He is also leading tours to...

Albania - Land of the Eagles..... p.16 Via Egnatia............................... p.18 Rome with the Sistine Chapel... p.82

Tour Code: (LRV16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

91

APULIA Caves, Castles & Cathedrals

A

pulia is a fascinating area quite unlike the rest of Italy, characterised by high plateaux, coastal lagoons and lovely old seaside towns.

This remarkable region has been home to many successive peoples and cultures, who have each left their own unique archaeological trace on the landscape, producing rock-cut cities and churches, and conical trulli.

Apulia was a cross-cultural bridge between east and west, attracting new settlers whose influence was absorbed and adapted to this particular terrain. This is a wonderful exploration of how this diverse and beautiful region has been forged by the great sweep of history.

Mon 9th - Mon 16th May 2016 Guide Lecturer: Prof Alastair Small Mon 12th - Mon 19th Sept 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Eireann Marshall 8 days May & Sep : £2,300 (sgl supp £295; without flights £1,980)

•

The little-visited heel of Italy: discover Roman battlefields, dramatic rock-cut churches and magnificent castles and cathedrals.

•

We enjoy a special visit to the Santomasi foundation - an atmospheric museum with beautiful collections and an impressive library.

•

The famous pepper-pot ‘trulli’ at Alberobello - built using the same techniques from Prehistoric to modern times and a World Heritage Site.

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Bari drive to Trani.

Day Two We travel north to the attractive Church of San Leonardo di Siponto, which features very fine Romanesque carving.

Siponto was once the main port of northern Apulia. We continue to the Manfredonia Castle, named after its 13th century Hohenstauffen founder.

The castle houses a remarkable collection of Daunian Iron Age stelae sculptured images of warriors, women and ships. We finish the day at Monte Sant’Angelo, site of one of the most ancient Christian shrines in Italy, the cave sanctuary of the Archangel Michael, high on the Gargano plateau.

Day Three We visit Castel del Monte and see the spectacular 13th century hunting lodge of the Emperor Frederick II. We move on to Canosa to see the tomb of

Cavalryman bearing down on an unfortunate tribesman. Greek gravestone of the 4th century BC from Tarentum.

92

the mighty crusader Bohemond. We spend the afternoon at Cannae, scene of Hannibal’s greatest victory over the Romans. In Barletta, we see the colossal statue of a late Roman Emperor, the largest surviving bronze statue from the ancient world.

Day Four We enjoy a morning in the harbour town of Trani where we see the splendid Norman cathedral and harbour, thought by many to be the finest in Apulia. We travel on to Gravina, the name recording the fact that the city is located on the edge of a deep ravine.

We have exclusive access to the prestigious Santomasi foundation, where we will see amazing finds discovered from excavations across the city.

We also see the frescoes in the Byzantine tradition from the rock-cut church of San Vito Vecchio. We also stop at the museum at Goia del Colle.

Day Five We explore Alberobello, famous for its trulli, pepper-pot houses with corbelled roofs, the stones of which gradually taper inwards to a capstone. We move on to Massafra to see two medieval rock-cut churches decorated with Byzantine tradition frescoes. We end the day in Taranto, viewing the superb collections of Hellenistic and Roman artefacts in the museum.

Late Roman Basilical church near Siponto originally built on top of a Roman public building.

Day Six We spend the day in the pretty seaside town of Otranto. Our first visit is to the Byzantine church of San Pietro and its excellent 10th century frescoes.The town’s Norman cathedral is famous for its medieval mosaic floor depicting biblical stories. We also explore the massive Aragonese Castle, built as a bastion against the Turks who had captured Otranto in 1480.

Day Seven We enjoy a whole day in Lecce, the best-preserved Baroque city in the Mediterranean. We visit some of the churches, and the amphitheatre of the Roman city of Lupiae, as well as the museum. When Lecce became part of the Kingdom of Naples, it took on a new cultural identity, becoming the ‘Apulian Athens’. Between the 16th to 18th century, this status enabled the development of the ‘Lecce Baroque’, characterised by exuberant carving.

Day Eight We return home from Bari airport.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Apulia - Caves, Castles & Cathedrals ITALY Castel del Monte, a unique piece of Medieval military architecture.

GUIDE LECTURERS

Monte S. Angelo Manfredonia Siponto Canosa Trani

“A

man of extraordinary culture, energy, and ability – called by a contemporary chronicler stupor mundi (the wonder of the world), by Nietzsche the first European, and by many historians the first modern ruler.”

Donald Detwiler on Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II.

Castel Del Monte

Bari

Gravina

Alberobello

Martina Franca Massafra

Taranto Lecce

Italy

Otranto

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Bari Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Prehistory

Hotels 3 nights in a handsome former convent in Trani 2 nights in a hotel near Martina Franca. Built as a farm in the 1600s, this conversion is surrounded by lovely Italian gardens 2 nights in a stately converted palazzo in Baroque Lecce, now a prestigious 5* hotel

Romans

Medieval

Historic Churches

Dr Eireann Marshall is a Research Associate and Associate Lecturer with the Open University as well as an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Exeter.

She specialises in Classical Civilisation in Italy and North Africa. Eireann has led many tours for Andante and is a fluent Italian speaker.

Prof Alastair Small is Emeritus Professor of Classics at the University of Alberta. He began his research career investigating the influence of Greek styles on local pottery in Apulia.

From 2000-2010 he directed an international programme of excavation and study at Vagnari, near Gravina.

Tour Codes: May: Mon 9th - Mon 16th (APU16A) September: Mon 12th - Mon 19th (APU16B)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

93

SARDINIA

S

ardinia’s archaeology tells the story of rich Prehistoric and Classical cultures regularly in contact with the wider Mediterranean world.

Their greatest period of prosperity and architectural splendour was during the Bronze Age, when the inhabitants built thousands of Nuraghi - fortified stone towers, some surrounded by villages.

Our tour takes you on an exploration of a variety of sites, building up a picture of this intriguing island society, before we move on to later Phoenician colonies and the coming of the Romans.

Tombs, temples, traders and invaders on the rugged shores of this culturally and archaeologically unique Mediterranean island.

Mon 16th - Tue 24th May 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Judith Toms 9 days May: £2,450 (sgl supp £290; without flights £2,080)

•

Over 7000 well-preserved ‘nuraghi’ – fortified towers, including the World Heritage Site of Su Nuraxi di Barumini.

•

Conquest and invasion at the Phoenician stronghold of Sulcis, ancient city perched on an isthmus at the very edge of the island.

•

Wildly beautiful landscapes, with rich and varied flowers and wildlife.

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Cagliari and drive to Alghero.

Day Two Our first stop is the Museum at Sassari, where there are excellent collections of Nuragic and other antiquities including Neolithic figurines, ceramics and some fine bronzetti. After lunch we visit Monte d’Accoddi, an impressive Prehistoric temple site.

Day Three We visit the Nuragic settlement at Palmavera, one of the more elaborate Nuragic complexes dating to the 15th -14th century BC. Into the countryside to visit Pre-Nuragic tombs at Anghelu Ruju. Here are 36 chamber tombs, evidently in use over a long period of time, of varying form and size and containing numerous burials. Free time to wander through the shops or take

Pre- Nuragic chambered tombs at Anghelu Ruju.

94

an aperitivo in the delightful centre of Alghero, a very pretty harbour town.

Day Four To Santu Antine, to explore one of the most complete towers, with three internal storeys and originally a protruding parapet on the top.

Continue to the nuraghe at Losa, a great two-storey tower which stands alone on an island plain. On to the hill town of Dorgali.

Day Five All day adventure in 4x4s: Morning at S’Ena e Thomes, a fine example of a megalithic chamber tomb unique to this island, having a curved facade of megaliths which suggests a backdrop for ceremonies held in an open forecourt. Continue to Su Tempiesu which consists of a single monument, a sacred well, finely built in ashlar blocks, with a superstructure in the shape of a small house. The site is reached via a winding road, heading up into the hills.

We journey to the town of Orune and beyond to a wooded valley with views of a distant mountain range. Afternoon visit to Sa Sedda e Sos Carros.

Day Six Visit the Nuragic village and sacred well at Santa Cristina. We continue to the most famous and complex of all Nuragic sites, Su Nuraxi at Barumini, with a series of towers and concentric curtain walls which demonstrate a remarkably complex and sophisticated architecture from 1500 BC onwards - a highlight of our tour. South to Pula.

Megalithic chamber tomb in glorious, wild Sardinian countryside at S’Ena e Thomes.

Day Seven We spend the morning in the Archaeological Museum in the capital, Cagliari. The museum holds the most important finds from the whole island.

A free afternoon to explore.

Day Eight Today we visit Sant’Antioco, the modern name for the ancient Phoenician colonial settlement Sulcis.

Founded in the late 8th century BC, it rapidly developed into a large and prosperous town. After lunch we visit Monte Sirai. The excavated ruins of this Phoenician settlement, dating from the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, give a good idea of what a late Punic town looked like.

Here we have a specially arranged visit to meet the excavators working at this site.

Day Nine We visit Nora, a Phoenician trading settlement blessed with calm waters and good anchorage. The settlement was continuously occupied, rebuilt and restructured until early Medieval times.

Return flight from Cagliari.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Sardinia ITALY Seafront of the pretty Aragonese town of Alghero.

Olbia

Alghero

“L

ife in Sardinia is probably the best a man can wish: twentyfour-thousands kilometers of forests, countryside, shores immersed in a miraculous sea, this corresponds to what I would suggest God to give us as Paradise.”

Fabrizio De Andrè, 1996

Sassari Palmavera Santu Antine Su Tempiesu Dorgali Sardinia

Su Nuraxi

Monte Sirai

Cagliari

Special Access

All Inclusive

Prehistory

Dr Judith Toms teaches in London and Oxford, focusing on ancient art and archaeology of the central Mediterranean. She has worked on excavations from late Neolithic and Bronze Age sites in Scotland and Germany, and Etruscan and Roman sites in Italy.

Pula

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights from London Stansted to Cagliari Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach; mountain excursion in 4x4s Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

GUIDE LECTURER

Hotels 3 nights in a smart, recently refurbished 4* hotel with pool on the coast, within walking distance of Alghero centre 2 nights in a simple country hotel set in olive groves on the edge of the very small town of Dorgali; 3 nights in a 4* resort hotel, set in extensive grounds, in Pula

Romans

want to see more of the ancient Mediterranean?

Why not consider...

Cyprus - The South................... p.32 Discover the Dodecanese........... p.66 Islands of the Cyclades.............. p.70 Sicilia Antiqua.......................... p.88 Sardinia..................................... p.94 Malta & Gozo......................... p.114

Tour Code: (SAR16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

95

SICILY REVISITED The Other Sicily

T

he meeting point between Africa and Europe, East and West - there’s so much more to the Sicily you think you know. Go far beyond the ordinary; travel alongside Expert Guides who will help you uncover the other side of one of Europe’s most alluring destinations.

The classically beautiful heart of the Mediterranean has been praised by poets and became the prize of countless cultures – Phoenicians, Romans, Greeks and more. The sun-soaked island is home to wonderfully preserved Greek temples, Roman villas and Norman cathedrals - many filled with glorious mosaics. Its beautiful sea, volcano and mountain scenery was once the site of fierce ancient battles; but was also a creative centre of philosophy, art and learning.

Fri 20th - Fri 27th May 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Eireann Marshall Sun 4th - Sun 11th Sep 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Jennifer Wexler 8 days May & Oct : £2,425 (sgl supp £125; without flights £2,125)

•

Enjoy an exclusive out-of-hours tour of the spectacular mosaic filled rooms of the Piazza Armerina Roman villa.

•

Visit the beautiful Greek city of Heraclea Minoa, which overlooks the sea at the mouth of the ancient Halykos River.

•

Receive special access to the 5th century frescoes still surviving in the Grotto of the Sibyl of Lilybaeum.

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Palermo.

Day Two We explore Marsala. We see the ruins of the ancient town, including some very fine mosaics at the Archaeological Park on Cape Boeo.

Enjoy an exclusive viewing of the 5th century frescoes found in the Grotto of the Sibyl of Lilybaeum - which lies under the Church of San Giovanni.

We move on to Erice, ancient Eryx, where the famous Temple of Aphrodite lies beneath the castle.

Day Three We fly to the island of Pantelleria for the day. The legendary home of Calypso who lured Odysseus to delay his journey home. Excavations here

Mosaic in Villa Romana del Casale, Piazza Armerina.

96

have revealed a Bronze Age villa at Mursia, many tombs at Grand Sesi, and the Roman acropolis.

Day Four We visit the Museum of the Dancing Satyr, housed in the former church of Sant’Egidio at Mazara del Vallo.

We continue along the south coast to Selinunte where we walk around the ancient city to the Sanctuary of Demeter Malophorus, where many figurines now housed in Palermo Museum came from. We travel inland to Partanna, to visit the ongoing excavations of an important Neolithic settlement and necropolis in Stretto Archaeological Park.

Day Five We visit Heraclea Minoa, an ancient Greek city in a beautiful location that overlooks the sea at the mouth of the ancient Halykos River. We move on to Agrigento. We concentrate on some lesser-visited Greek sanctuaries here, including San Biagio, and those encapsulated within the church of Santa Maria dei Greci. We continue to Enna, where Persephone was supposedly abducted by Pluto and taken to the underworld. A temple dedicated to her mother, the corn goddess Demeter, still stands here and offers exquisite views across the island.

Roman amphitheater in Catania.

evening. We visit the fine museum in Aidone this afternoon, which houses finds from ancient sites in the area.

This evening, we have special out-of-hours access to Piazza Armerina Roman villa where spectacular mosaics still lie on the floors of more than 50 rooms.

Day Seven We travel to the lovely seaside town of Cefalu, famous for its Norman Cathedral built by Roger II. We find a huge gold-in-glass mosaic figure of Christ Pantocrater in the apse. We move along the coast to Termini Imeresi, site of the victory temple built after the great battle of Himera between Greeks and Carthaginians in 480B. Day Eight We explore the city of Catania, at the base of Mount Etna. We visit the Roman Theatre and Odeon here, before we return home.

Day Six Enjoy some free time in Enna this morning. You may wish to join a lecture on the Piazza Armerina at the hotel, prior to our visit there later in the

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

GUIDE LECTURERS

The beautiful coast town of Trapani was founded by the Bronze Age Elymians, to guard the nearby mountaintop town of Erice.

Palermo

Erice

“A

Cefalú

Marsala

nd anyone who has once known this land can never be quite free from the nostalgia for it.”

D. H. Lawrence

Partana Selinute Sciacca

Eraclea Minoa

Enna

Catania

Agrigento

Pantelleria

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Palermo; Catania to London Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included with water, plus wine with dinners Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Low Single Supplement

Sicily Revisited - The Other Sicily ITALY

NEW

All Inclusive

Hotels 3 nights in a historic hotel in the centre of Masala 1 night on the seafront in Sciacca 3 nights in a family-run hotel in the centre of Enna

Greeks

Romans

Historic Churches

Dr Eireann Marshall is a Research Associate and Associate Lecturer with the Open University as well as an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Exeter.

She specialises in Classical Civilisation in Italy and North Africa. Eireann has led many tours for Andante and is a fluent Italian speaker.

Dr Jennifer Wexler is an independent researcher and consultant. She has worked extensively across Sicily as a field and museum archaeologist. Jennifer specialises in archaeological landscapes and the prehistoric and ancient archaeology of the Mediterranean and Western Europe landscape.

Tour Codes: May: Fri 20th - Fri 27th (SRV16A) September: Sun 4th - Sun 11th (SRV16B)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

97

LATIUM The Roman Rich

T

he picturesque Sabine Hills were an ideal retreat for the great and good of Imperial Rome, who came to escape the oppressive summer heat of the Eternal City. Emperor Hadrian himself built a villa complex here in the beautiful setting of Tivoli - his opulent and extravagant creation is one of the ‘blockbuster’ sites you’ll see on this tour.

While guests often come to see the justly famous Roman ruins at Ostia and Tivoli, it is often the smaller, lesser-known places which enchant them. Acres of landscaped botanical gardens at Ninfa, for example, built around the remains of a deserted medieval village; Alba Fucens is another hidden gem, up in the Apennine mountains.

Sun 22nd - Sun 29th May 2016 Guide Lecturer: Prof Tony King 8 days May : £2,395 (sgl supp £285; without flights £2,095)

•

A holiday fit for a senator! Opulent Imperial villas, secluded hills and an ancient superhighway (the Via Appia).

•

Sprawling and extravagant villas at Tivoli and Sperlonga, built by Hadrian and Tiberius as a retreat from the politics and pressures of Rome.

•

Rome’s fertile hinterland, from the coast to the foothills of the Apennines and the famous gardens at Ninfa - lush and in bloom in May.

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Rome.

Day Two We begin in Terracina, an important Roman town on the Via Appia.

We find the ancient remains of the hilltop sanctuary of Jupiter Anxur here. We continue to the remains of the amazing seashore villa built for Emperor Tiberius at Sperlonga. Its most remarkable feature is an outdoor dining room located at the mouth of a cave filled with gigantic sculptures of mythological scenes.

Day Three We have special access to the famous gardens at Ninfa, which overlie a former Medieval town. The ruins were landscaped into botanical gardens in the 1920s. They are now recognised as some of Europe’s best gardens.

View over the Maritime Theatre in Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli, where the reputedly taciturn Emperor would retreat in search of solitude.

98

In the afternoon we follow the road which climbs from the Pontine plain to the Latin town and Roman colony at Norba. The views over the Pontine Marshes are magnificent.

Day Four We travel to the remains of the Roman colony of Minturnae, where we find the well-preserved aqueduct, a section of the Via Appia, the theatre, and other features of Roman urbanism. As well as having impressive Roman ruins, it is an attractive town today. We visit Alatri, a city of the Hernici tribe. As loyal allies of Rome, they enjoyed a relatively quiet life!

Day Five We visit Hadrian’s Villa which sprawls across the rolling countryside at the foot of the hills below the town of Tivoli. Beginning around AD 117 Hadrian took a small family villa owned by his wife and added on a whole series of grand pavilions, many of them modelled after places he had seen on his travels around the empire.

The complex ended up larger than most Roman cities. We visit the town this afternoon and pay a visit to the great 16th century Villa D’Este. Built

by Cardinal Ippolito D’Este, the son of Lucrezia Borgia and a major figure in the church politics of the era.

Day Six We travel to Tusculum, one of the largest Roman cities in the Alban Hills today. The stones of the walls were siezed as spoils of war by Rome.

The famous gardens at Ninfa, overlying a medieval town, landscaped into botanical gardens in the 1920s.

After its destruction, the land became woodland and pasture lands.

We have arranged special access to see the lesser-known Roman town and its wellpreserved theatre.

Tusculum was Cicero’s local town and his suburban villa could be found nearby. We continue to Palestrina, ancient Praeneste, once dominated by a magnificent Sanctuary of Fortuna Primigenia, the first example of ‘dynastic’ architecture in Roman Italy.

Day Seven We head for the hills today, to visit Alba Fucens, strategically positioned on the main route to the Adriatic. The large site stretches over a hill with three spurs. This spectacularly situated city is often mentioned as a highlight by guests on this tour.

Day Eight We finish our tour with a visit to Ostia Antica, the harbour city at the mouth of the Tiber - a classic site to rival even Pompeii. After lunch, we fly home.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Latium - The Roman Rich ITALY The ancient Roman city of Alba Fucens, at the base of Monte Velino. This is an archaeological jewel that should definitely be explored.

GUIDE LECTURER

Alba Fucens

Italy

“A

s he was dining near Terracina in a villa called the Grotto, many huge rocks fell from the ceiling and crushed a number of the guests and servants [...] The emperor himself had a narrow escape.”

Suetonius on Emperor Tiberius

Rome

Palestrina Frascati Norba Ninfa Terracina

Alatri

Gaeta Minturnae

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights from London to Rome Tour Managers Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - Most meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Cultural

Romans

Medieval

Hotels 3 nights in a lovely hotel in Gaeta, built on the site of a 1st century villa, situated on a headland overlooking the sea; 4 nights in a delightful historic villa, with private gardens, in the centre of Frascati

Professor Tony King is a lecturer in archaeology at the University of Winchester and a specialist in Roman archaeology. He has excavated extensively in Britain and abroad. His areas of interest range from Roman Britain, to Gaul and Italy. Tony is also an expert in the analysis of animal bones, and has analyzed remains from a variety of sites.

looking to explore more of ancient italy?

You may also wish to visit ...

Sicilia Antiqua.........................p.88 Apulia - Caves, Castles & Cathedrals.................................p.92 Sardinia....................................p.94 Umbri - Archaeology in the Hill Towns.......................................p.108

Tour Code: (LAT16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

99

SAMNITES Enemies of Rome

T

he unknown Italy set high in the Apennine Mountains, home of the Samnite tribes. These hardy warriors ‘taught the Romans how to fight’ and were some of their most implacable foes. Their mountain life created a particular culture, and during our tour, we visit some of the great sanctuaries, fortresses and towns they left behind.

The Samnite Wars helped to establish Rome as the supreme power in Italy.

The final Samnite defeat effectively signed the death warrant for their entire independence. An ethnic cleansing campaign against the Sabines was put into place by Roman dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla in 82 BC. They were quickly absorbed into Roman Italy, disappearing as a recognisably distinct people.

Mon 30th May - Sun 5th Jun 2016 Guide Lecturer: Oliver Gilkes 7 days May : £1,975 (sgl supp £120; without flights £1,730)

•

­Receive exclusive access to the restoration work at L’Aquila, severely damaged by an earthquake in 2009.

•

Discover Agnone, the remarkable home of the Papal bell foundry - official bellcaster to the Pope - owned and run by the same family for 800 years.

•

Go behind-the-scenes at excavations sites in San Vincenzo, where Guide Lecturer Oliver Gilkes worked for many years.

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Rome. During our first afternoon, we visit Aminternum, one of the gateways to Samnium. We explore a 2nd century theatre and amphitheatre here, as well as a much later aristocratic house.

Day Two Founded as an Imperial city by ambitious Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, L’Aquila is full of bold new architecture.

A major earthquake severely damaged the city in 2009. We have special access to see the restoration work in progress.

We continue to the tiny village of Bominaco, and its wonderful churches: Abbey church of Santa Maria Assunta, a 12th century Romanesque church; and the marvellous painted Oratory of San Pellegrino. We move on to

The Arch of Trajan, an ancient Roman triumphal arch in Benevento.

100

Calascio, where we enjoy staggering views across the Abruzzi mountains.

This afternoon, we visit the Sanctuary of Hercules Curino, built at an early date on a series of imposing terraces.

Day Three Today we visit Chieti Museum and find an early Iron Age sculpture of the Capestrano warrior, with his wide ‘sombrero’ hat. Dramatically situated on an overhanging crag we find the castle of Rocca Scalegna, a Lombard watchtower before it expanded to become a feudal castle. We continue to Iuvanum, one of the smallest capitals of ancient Italy, it underscores the rustic, dispersed nature of Samnite settlement.

Day Four We travel to Schiavi di Abruzzi, a mountaintop village with a series of fine reconstructed Samnite temples high up the mountainside. We move on to Piettrabondante, ritual centre of the Pentri tribe, one of the greatest of the Samnite peoples. This afternoon we visit the sleepy Molise town of Agnone, home of the Papal bell foundry, owned and run by the Marinelli family for 800 years. The foundry is still the official bellcaster to the Pope, and continues to receive regular commissions.

Day Five We explore the fortress city Isernia.

The Samnite settlement controlled the vital high passes across the Apennines.

Fragments of its ancient walls survive amidst the medieval houses. We reach the source of the River Volturno, high

The historic Benedictine monastery of San Vincenzo al Volturno.

in the mountains, where the great abbey of San Vincenzo al Volturno lies. Built over an ancient Samnite settlement, it was one of the beacons of the early Middle Ages.

Your Guide Lecturer excavated in San Vincenzo for many years, and has arranged special access to the site where the church of San Vincenzo Maggiore was uncovered.

Day Six We begin at the Sanctuary of Maria Santissima Addolorata, built over the site of an alleged miracle. We continue to Benevento. Among the ancient remains here is the wonderful Lombard church of Santa Sofia. We continue to Saepinum, founded in the very centre of the high valley that was the heart of Samnium. The city was endowed with walls, a forum and a theatre, but was clearly maintained by Imperial interest.

Day Seven In the morning, we make our way down the long winding valley of the River Volturno to Venafro. We visit the amphitheatr, museum and a few fragments which have survived from the town. We return home in the afternoon.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Samnites - Enemies of Rome ITALY

NEW

GUIDE LECTURER

The picturesque village Colledimezzo, in Abruzzo, on a rocky outcrop which dominates San Vincenzo the Val di Sangro.

“T

here in the brutal hills the men scratched at stony plots, the women spun wool; they worshipped oak groves and springs and woodpeckers, and their talk was of war. From time to time the Samnites would descend to the poppy-strewn fields of Campania, which they devastated.”

Ann Wroe, 1991

Calascio

L’Aquila

Chieti Bominaco

Rome Isernia Venafro Benevento

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Rome Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Low Single Supplement

All Inclusive

Hotels 1 night in a family-run hotel outside of L’Aquila 2 nights in a 4* modern hotel outside of Chieti 3 nights in a resort hotel in the Sanctuary of Castelpetroso, Isernia

Romans

Historic Churches

Conflict

Oliver Gilkes has worked as an archaeologist in the UK, Italy, Albania and Libya. He is a specialist in Roman archaeology as well as the wider history of Italy. A true polymath, Oliver’s breadth and depth of knowledge: from poetry to military history and the finer points of Italian cuisine, are sure to dazzle all who travel with him.

looking for new and exciting tours?

New tours for 2016 include...

Baltic Amber Trail.................... p.22 China - Beyond the Great Wall...p.28 Dalmatia & Dubrovnik............. p.30 Georgia...................................... p.50 Wild Thrace...............................p.68 Northern Peru.........................p.122

Tour Code: (EOR16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

101

the ice man and His World

T

he Alpine valleys of Val Camonica hold one of the largest collections of Prehistoric rock art in the world - Italy’s first World Heritage Site. The images depict every facet of life from Neolithic through to Roman times.

Each depiction is unique, creating a varied and concentrated gallery of prehistoric life: there are animals, humans, boats, carts, huts - some strung together into narratives - an almost overwhelming profusion of detail.

Having set the scene, we venture into the mountains to visit the ice-man ‘Ötzi’ - an emissary from 5000 years ago. Hikers stumbled across Ötzi in 1991, and for over two decades analysis of his body, and the extraordinary Prehistoric tool kit he carried, has given us a glimpse in the Ice Man’s world...

Sat 4th - Thu 9th Jun 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Tertia Barnett 6 days Jun : £1,700 (sgl supp £95; without flights £1,550)

•

Special tour of Bolzano Museum, home to the Ice Man, Ötzi, with the curators who preserve him.

•

Discover the Prehistoric gallery of over 100,000 rockart depictions in the Val Camonica national park

•

Remarkable waterlogged wooden structures and everyday items preserved in the mud at the edge of Lake Ledro.

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Verona.

Day Two We begin our tour with the first of two days exploring Val Camonica. Today we see rock art sites in Naquane Park.

The valley is 75 km long and contains around 300,000 Prehistoric rock art images, depicting weapons, tools and animals that are now extinct. During Prehistory this area was the contact zone between the rest of Italy and central Europe, and it was through this Alpine pass that people and their ideas moved. This afternoon we contrast art with domestic life as we view reconstructed Prehistoric houses at Foppa di Nadro.

Day Three View rock art sites in the archaeological park of Serdina-Bedolini, also in Val Camonica. After lunch, we continue to the huge engraved stones at Massi di

Reconstructed lake dwelling at Lago de Ledro.

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Cemmo where excavations have also uncovered a Bronze Age sanctuary.

We end the day at the Museum of Prehistoric Art and Life.

Day Four We enjoy a morning in Ledro on the scenic shores of a mountain lake, where waterlogged remains of Bronze Age lake dwellings have been found, some of which have been reconstructed.

Images of possible Prehistoric houses carved in the rocks at Val Camonica may represent settlements such as these. The remarkable finds excavated from the lake village include bread baked by being moulded around heated stones. We continue to Riva del Garda and La Rocca Museum, where the exhibits include Copper Age statues. On to our next base, Trento.

Depictions of huts at Naquane Park.

he died, his diet, parasitic infestation, and body decoration: the tattoos on his back and legs are thought to indicate acupuncture points. Free time this afternoon - either return to Bolzano or join an optional cable car ride into the Alps - to view the dramatic mountain landscapes Ötzi might have travelled through.

Day Six After time for further exploring or souvenir shopping we return home.

Day Five We drive further into the Alps to Bolzano Museum, home of the Ice Man. Here we have special access to the Museum, which is introduced by scientists and archaeologists.

The original artefacts are very well displayed, along with excellent reconstructions, and are irresistibly fascinating. They include a birch-bark box for carrying the embers of the Ice Man’s fire; antibiotic fungus as part of a portable medical kit; elegantly stitched leather clothing, a dried grass cloak and insulated walking shoes. Ötzi’s body has yielded information on how

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

The Ice Man and His World ITALY

SMALL GROUP

GUIDE LECTURER

Depictions of animals found at Naquane Park.

Bolzano

“O

n a clear day in September 1991 a couple hiking along a high ridge in the Alps came upon a corpse melting out of the ice” The Iceman Reconsidered - James Dickson et al.

Trento

Boario

Riva del Garda

Valcamonica Verona

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Verona Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Low Single Supplement

All Inclusive

Hotels 3 nights in an attractive older hotel, situated nearthe spa in Boario Terme 2 nights in a pleasant older hotel in the centre of Trento

Prehistory

Rock Art

Dr Tertia Barnett works for the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland and is Honorary Fellow at the University of Edinburgh. She is particularly interested in the rock art of Italy and North Africa. Tertia has conducted fieldwork projects in regions as diverse as Libya and Northumberland.

interested in prehistoric art?

You may also wish to visit...

The Dordogne............................ p.46 Altamira.................................. p.134 South Africa............................ p.128

Tour Code: (PHI16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

103

bologna

T

he Etruscans reached as far north to the region known as Emilia Romagna today. They ruled Felsina (Bologna) from the 7th century BC and were regarded by the Romans as obsessed with drinking and feasting. When better to taste the millennial fruits of culinary evolution than in the rich autumn and at New Year?

Led by a renowned archaeologist and an expert in Italian food this tour explores the culinary and archaeological heritage of Emilia Romagna. From Etruscan feasting, to the secret recipes of 15th-century nuns, we sample the fruits of over two millennia of gastronomic evolution. A unique tour that will satisfy the most voracious of appetites for food and for history!

Thu 15th - Thu 22nd Sep 2016 Guide Lecturers: John Shepherd & Rosetta Ferrari Thu 29th Dec 2016 - Thu 5th Jan 2017 Guide Lecturers: Tony O’Connor & Rosetta Ferrari 8 days Dec : £2,495 (sgl supp £190; without flights £2,285)

•

The glories of “La Grassa,” the Fat City of Italy - towering medieval edifices, beautiful Renaissance architecture, and the best of Italian cuisine.

•

Some of the best museums in Italy, incorporating Roman river boats, intricate gold-working and fine Greek sculptures.

•

Hunt for truffles, make your own fresh pasta, see how Parmesan is made, in the company of an archaeologist and an expert in Italian cuisine.

ITINER ARY Day One We arrive in Bologna and begin by enjoying a cookery presentation of the city’s famous dish: tagliatelle al ragú.

We can have a go at making our own fresh pasta and sauce, or just watch as the simplest of ingredients are transformed into a sublime supper.

Day Two Out into the medieval streets of Bologna this morning, beginning the day at the vast collections of the Bologna Archaeological Museum.

On to the church of San Petronio, named after the 5th century bishop of Bologna. We walk through the city markets to learn about some of the local produce on our way to lunch, including Bologna’s most identifiable product, mortadella. On to the unique Museum of Gelato. Here we discover the surprising history as well as the true ingredients and methods which distinguish gelato from ice-cream and

Photo courtesy of Marco Varisco CC BY-SA 2.0

sorbets. We will, of course, also sample some of the delights produced here.

Day Three Drive to Ferrara where we taste the Panpepato first produced by local nuns many years ago. We visit the Este Castle, a moated medieval castle in the centre of Ferrara and the cathedral.

A walk through the historic heart of Ferrara to the Archaeological Museum.

We will also visit the Palazzo Schifanoia to view the Salone dei Mesi (“Hall of the Months”), with its renowned 15th century frescoes.

Day Four Another morning exploring the exquisite delights of Bologna on foot and marvel at its patchwork of Renaissance and Romanesque architecture. To the historic city of Modena this afternoon, where we visit the Piazza Grande and Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum, which contains unusual finds from the Neolithic and Bronze Age. Day Five An early start to see and taste the region’s most famous cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano produced at an artisan factory. We make our way to a local winery and discover the home and tradition of the real Lambrusco.

After lunch we visit the family run production of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar. We will have the chance the taste this exclusive product at various stages of ageing.

Towering Romanesque Cathedral of Modena.

Day Six A walk in the woods with a local expert who will describe a typical truffle hunt. With any luck we will find an elusive truffle or two and eat them for lunch!

We head to the Etruscan town of Marzabotto where will visit the site museum and explore the excavated site including the extra mural cemetery, capitol, and urban area with shops and temples.

Day Seven We visit Velleia, an important Roman centre of agricultural trade. On to the Archaeological Museum in Parma which houses an impressive assortment of artefacts collected by the Farnese family. Here we see the superb group of Julio Claudian statues and the unique Tabula Alimentaria from Velleia. We walk to the splendid cathedral and Gothic baptistery in the heart of the city.

Day Eight Before returning home, we ascend the leaning Asinelli tower.

The famous panpepato of Ferrara.

104

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Bologna ITALY

GUIDE LECTURERS

The fine Romanesque interior of Ferrara Cathedral.

Tony O’Connor FSA has excavated widely in Britain, Libya and in the Ferrara region of Italy. He specialises in the Roman world, in particular Roman coinage.

“B

ologna is celebrated for producing popes, painters, and sausage.” Lord Byron

Right: Basket of black truffles - one of the region’s many delicacies

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Bologna Local Travel - Private a/c coach and on foot Meals - All meals included - wine with dinners Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Low Single Supplement

All Inclusive

Just One Hotel

Hotel 7 nights in a very comfortable hotel in the historic centre of Bologna, ideally situated for strolling out on foot in this lovely Italian city.

Cultural

Christmas New Year

Prehistory

Romans

Rosetta Ferrari lived in Italy for many years.

She has a great interest in food and culture and is a member of the Italian Society of Cheese Tasters!

John Shepherd is an archaeologist with field experience in Bulgaria, France, Italy and the UK. Much of his career has focused upon Roman provincial archaeology.

Great Cities

Historic Churches

Tour Codes: December: Thu 29th - Thu 5th Jan (BFF16A) September: Thu 15th - Thu 22nd (BFF16B)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

105

basilicata & calabria

A

wonderful introduction to the unspoilt mountains and hills of the ‘toe and instep’ of Southern Italy - much favoured by ancient colonists though little-visited by tourists today. Journeying along the coast, we travel through more than 2000 years of an immemorial story.

Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Norman and Spanish invaders not only ‘came and conquered’ but stayed – producing cities, castles and churches from the Classical period onwards. This abundance of sites includes some real treasures: the Codex Purpureus at Rossano, the Byzantine church at Stilo and the 5th century BC Greek bronze warriors rescued from the sea at Riace – two of the finest sculptures to have survived from the Greek world.

Sat 24th Sep - Sun 2nd Oct 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Edward Bispham 9 days Sep : £2,425 (sgl supp £285; without flights £2,125)

•

­Italy beyond the tourist trail, with many unexpected treasures: Byzantine Stilo and the birthplace of Horace.

•

The World Heritage Site of Matera; a maze of rock-cut cave dwellings occupied for up to 9000 years.

•

The magnificent Riace Bronzes, now restored to their former glory at Reggio Di Calabria.

ITINER ARYED Day One We fly to Bari and transfer to Matera.

Day Two We explore the extraordinary Sassi of Matera, a network of rock-cut cave dwellings and later Byzantine chapels. We enjoy panoramic views as we drive into the Belvedere areas to explore Sassi further. This afternoon we have some free time for independent wandering, and perhaps for the Carlo Levi Museum with evocative paintings of people and life.

Day Three Early start to see the heartland of Norman Italy at Venosa, birthplace of the Roman lyric poet, Horace, and a major Medieval centre. We visit the Archaeological Museum, housed in a Spanish castle and the unfinished Norman Cathedral, La Trinità. After lunch we continue to Melfi, first Norman capital in southern Italy, with a fine surviving castle and cathedral.

Riace bronze warriors, rescued from the seabed and displayed in Reggio di Calabria.

106

Day Four Drive along the coast road to Crotone to the museum and excavations at the site of ancient Sybaris; once renowned for its easy, luxurious living. Continue to the hilltop town of Rossano, which produced two of Italy’s greatest religious treasures. The first is a small fresco of the 8th century AD housed in a Baroque shrine. The second, and rarer, is the Codex Purpureus, a Greek evangeliary with letters from St Eusebius of Caesarea and the 10 Tables of Law from the 6th century AD. Day Five We visit the museum and old town at Crotone originally founded by the Greeks in the 5th century BC, and later the residence of Pythagoras. Continue to the sanctuary of Hera Lacinia.

Afternoon at the well-preserved hill town with Norman and Spanish castle and cathedral at Santa Severina.

Day Six Drive to the Norman basilica and Roman excavations at Roccelletta di Borgia (ancient Skylletion) that have produced some sublime examples of Roman statuary, which can now be seen in the new on-site museum. Drive south down the coast to the lovely hill town of Stilo, with its gem of a Byzantine cross-in-square church.

Day Seven Another beautiful Medieval hilltown, Gerace, with magnificent panorama of the coast and sea from its belvedere. We explore the town on foot including the

Detail from the Codex Purpureus; St Mark writing his Gospel guided by the Virgin.

Spanish cathedral, the largest religious building in Calabria, reconsecrated in the presence of Frederick II. Ancient site of Locri, one of the principal cities of Magna Grecia, ruins and site museum. This was the last port of call for ships going to Sicily from Greece, and it also controlled the route through the mountains to the Tyrrhenian coast.

Day Eight Drive through the mountains, past the attractive town of Scilla, home of the legendary sea monster which once terrorised ancient sailors.

Our trip culminates with special access to the famous Riace Bronzes, wonderfully restored at Reggio di Calabria, believed to have been washed overboard from a trading vessel and rescued thousands of years later after a diver saw an arm reaching from the seabed. The two complete statues are now displayed to great effect.

Day Nine We transfer to the airport for flight home or onward journeys.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Basilicata & Calabria ITALY Melfi

Medieval hilltown of Gerace.

Venosa

Bari Matera

Italy

“H

Sybaris

e saw a hand and arm protruding from the sea bed. Closer investigation brought to light a complete and more than life-size statue of a young warrior.” The discovery of the Riace bronzes by a diver on holiday in 1972

Rossano Santa Severina Roccelleta

Crotone Le Castella

Stilo Reggio di Calabria

GUIDE LECTURER Dr Edward Bispham is a scholar of wide interests. He is currently Lecturer in Classics at Oxford and is also a Fellow of Brasenose College. He has been closely involved in Classical archaeology in Italy, and was co-director of the Sangro Valley project. Edward has directed excavations at Monte Pallano and San Vincenzo al Volturno.

Locri Bovalino

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights from London to Bari; Reggio di Calabria to London Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Greeks

Hotels 3 nights in a Sassi (cave) hotel carved into the cliffs in Matera; 2 nights in a historic hotel, in central Crotone, overlooking the seafront; 2 nights in a grand hotel outside of Roccella Ionica 1 night in Reggio di Calabria in a modern hotel with good food and service, very conveniently located, close to the museum

Romans

Medieval

Historic Churches

want to explore the lesser-known classical world?

Albania - Land of the Eagles..... p.16 Bulgaria - Thracian Treasures...p.24 Sardinia..................................... p.94 Sicily Revisited - The Other Sicily......................................... p.96

Tour Code: (BAC16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

107

UMBRIA

Archaeology in the Hill Towns

T

he name Umbria, comes from the Umbri - a Bronze and Iron Age people, who founded hundreds of cities between the 9th-4th centuries BC. On tour, we visit Assisi, Perugia and Todi - all built on Umbri sites.

Weakened by wars with arch-rivals, the Etruscans, the Umbri were in no position to defend against the coming of the Romans. Umbria’s hills, olive groves and cypress trees were under Roman rule as early as 260 BC.

Mon 10th - Mon 17th Oct 2016 Guide Lecturer: Peter Yeoman 8 days Oct : £2,250 (sgl supp £215; without flights £2,070)

Travelling the landscapes of central Italy, we unravel the long and complex history of Umbria’s charming hilltowns. From Iron Age settlements, to Roman cities strung out along the mighty Via Flaminia, to defense Medieval fortifications. A wonderful partner to our Rome and Etruscan tours, or simply a fascinating way to travel through a very beautiful region of Italy

•

Over 2,000 years of history – from Iron Age tribes to Medieval hill towns – etched into classic Italian landscapes.

•

Based in just one hotel – an attractively renovated 15th century house on the plain of Assisi.

•

Includes a full day in Assisi. We reveal the hidden Roman, as well as the Medieval, monuments of the home of St Francis.

ITINER ARY Day One We arrive in Rome.

Day Two We spend a full day in Assisi. We begin by climbing to La Rocca Maggiore, the principal fortress which dominates the town.

We continue to the ‘Roman Houses of Assisi’. Here we have special access to several well-preserved Roman villas excavated below the modern city.

We end the day at the grandiose double Basilica of St Francis of Assisi (11811226), which dominates the town.

Day Three Explore Spello, Roman Hispellum, which benefited from its proximity to the Via Flaminia. We visit the Roman gateways, the beautifully preserved

La Rocca Maggiore, the principal fortress in Assisi.

108

Roman wall and the church of Santa Maria Maggiore. The afternoon is spent in historic Bevagna where a large 1st century theatre has been completely embedded within later houses. A small temple was later converted into a church, resulting in a remarkable state of preservation.

Day Four A day in Perugia, the capital city of modern Umbria and one of the great cities of the Etruscan League.

Controlled by Rome from the 3rd century BC it played a vital part in the Roman Civil Wars. We visit the outstanding Archaeological Museum with a grand collection of Umbrian, Etruscan and other antiquities, and see the imposing Porta Sant Angelo, a Roman gate on Etruscan foundations.

On to the cathedral of San Lorenzo in Piazza Priori and the Palazzo Priori.

Day Five We travel to the ancient city of Spoleto, probably the largest Roman colony in Umbria. Substantial remains of the Roman town survive. We visit a first century Roman house with several in-situ mosaic floors.

The Roman forum is now the Piazza del Mercato, and at one end of it a monumental arch, the Arch of Drusus.

Day Six We spend the day visiting the Roman sites along the Via Flaminia: Narni, birthplace of the Emperor Nerva, occupies a high spur on precipitous crags overlooking the river Nar. It is famous for its great Roman bridge

The ruins of Ocriculum, setting of our picnic.

which allows passage for anyone crossing between Latium and Umbria.

Continue to the site of Ocriculum, which has been under excavation since the 18th century. On the banks of the Tiber, we find a ruinous town in delightful countryside. Today’s final visit is to Carsulae, a deserted Roman town with forum, temples and theatre.

Day Seven Full day in Gubbio to visit the magnificent Palazzo dei Consoli and museum which houses the Iguvine Tablets. These seven bronze tablets were found near the Roman theatre and are covered in writing in the Umbrian language. This afternoon, there is an optional visit (either on foot or by cable car) to the Church of Sant’ Ubaldo far above the town, where the Ceri are kept - three figures of saints, 4 metres high.

The church is the finishing point for the annual ‘Corsa dei Ceri’ race.

Day Eight Begin the day at San Fortunato convent before ending our tour in Montefalco.

Here there are fine wines to be sampled and purchased. We continue to Rome for our flight home.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Umbria - Archaeology in the Hill Towns ITALY Gubbio

GUIDE LECTURER

Ospedalicchio Assisi

The city of Spoleto, the Rocca Albornoziana and its grand Medieval aqueduct.

Spello Bevagna Montefalco

Todi Carsulae

“T

he Umbrian people are thought the oldest in Italy; they are believed to have been called Ombrii “the people of the thunderstorm,” by the Greeks.” Pliny the Elder

Spoleto

Narni Ocriculum

Italy

Rome

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Rome Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Low Single Supplement

All Inclusive

Just One Hotel

Hotel 7 nights in just one hotel, a very attractively renovated 15th century fortified house in the village of Ospedalicchio. Previous guests have much enjoyed the food here: “A super hotel ... the food was amazing and the chef superb. He even gave up his day off so he cooked for us all seven nights. The range of food, and its quality, was fantastic. ”

Cultural

Prehistory

Romans

Medieval

Peter Yeoman, recently retired as Head of Cultural Heritage at Historic Scotland.

He was part of the team which completed the re-interpretation of Iona Abbey along with a new museum dedicated to the carved stone crosses. Peter has written a number of official guidebooks. He has travelled extensively in Italy, studying the archaeology and history in the course of his work.

interested in italy beyond the romans?

You may also with to explore The Etruscans........................... p.86 Apulia - Caves, Castles & Cathedrals................................. p.92 Samnites - Enemies of Rome... p.100 Basilicata & Calabria ............. p.106

Historic Churches

Tour Codes: October: Mon 10th - Mon 17th (UMB16B)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

109

RAVENNA & AQUILEIA

I

n AD 402 the Roman Imperial court fled from Rome to Ravenna, and for a period this was the political centre of what remained of the Western Empire. The result? An astonishing flowering of art and architecture created in the dying days of Empire. To this day, the city’s numerous churches, palaces and mausolea remain resplendent with shimmering mosaics.

Our journey begins in Aquileia, one of the great cities of the late Roman Empire, which played host to emperors and archbishops. We continue to Ravenna, one of the ‘must-see’ archaeological cities with unparalleled mosaics.

We marvel at the artistry and explore the stories behind the glittering tiles: the struggles of a dying empire, the growing power of Christianity.

Sun 6th - Sun 13th Nov 2016 Guide Lecturer: Prof Tony King 8 days Nov : £2,295 (sgl supp £285; without flights £2,070)

•

The glorious final days of the Roman Empire, an astonishing flowering of decorative arts and architecture.

•

Heaven for mosaic lovers - some of the finest late-Roman mosaics anywhere, culminating in the glorious collections at Ravenna.

•

Special out of hours access to the Church of San Vitale, with a private evening viewing of the magnificent mosaics.

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Venice and transfer to our hotel in Grado.

Day Two From Grado we travel to Aquileia.

Founded by the Romans in 180BC on marshy ground between the mountains and the lagoons, the city lay on an important route between eastern and western Empires, and thrived in the late Roman period. We explore the Cathedral, its Christian and earlier mosaics under the campanile. Walk along the port to the excavated 6th century church of Monastero and museum. Afternoon visit to the National Archaeological Museum.

Day Three Head into the foothills of the Alps to the first Lombard city of Cividale. Here we visit the Tempietto Longobardo, an exquisite ducal chapel with wonderful stucco work. After lunch, we visit

The Church of San Vitale.

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the Archaeological Museum which displays splendid finds such as armour, jewellery and glass from Lombard graves. Return to Grado, a historic walled town with lagoon scenery. We visit the 6th century Cathedral with good mosaics and Roman sarcophagi, and other churches.

Day Four Founded as a Roman colony in 42BC Concordia Sagittaria, which we visit this morning, is the site of an important early Christian basilica discovered and laid out below the floor of the present cathedral. We continue to the Abbey of Pomposa, founded in the 7th century.

It has a fine 12th century mosaic floor and frescoes and is claimed to be the place where modern musical notation was invented.

Day Five The first of our two days in Ravenna with its remarkable collection of churches and other monuments.

Today we see the Arian Baptistry; the Neonian Baptistry; the Cathedral; the Bishop’s Palace, now a museum, with internationally important early Christian artefacts; and the Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra, a richly decorated Roman house. We end the day at the National Museum, housing a cornucopia of finds from Ravenna.

Day Six Our second full day in Ravenna. We see San Vitale, the Mausoleum of Galla Placida, tiny and smothered with rich and evocative mosaics. On

Mosaic showing the baptism of Christ at the Arian Baptistry.

to Theodoric’s Palace - built over the old site of the Imperial and Royal palace. We also explore the Church of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, built as the Royal church by King Theoderic, and San Giovanni Evangelista – built by the Empress Galla Placidia after being saved from shipwreck.

Day Seven View the church of San Francesco and Dante’s Tomb before leaving Ravenna to visit Classe (just south of the city).

Because the topography of the area has changed so much, with the land gaining on the sea, it is difficult to envisage that Classe was once the biggest naval base of the Adriatic. We see the Church of Sant’Apollinare in Classe, where there are more glorious mosaics. Return to Ravenna and visit the Mausoleum of King Theoderic.

This evening we visit the Church of San Vitale for a special private evening viewing of the mosaics. This great church is famed for its dazzling mosaics, specially the panels depicting rulers Justinian and Theodora.

Day Eight We drive to Bologna for flight home.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Ravenna & Aquileia ITALY Italy

Gold-in-glass mosaic of Christ in the Church of Sant’ Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna - a Byzantine technique of the 6th century AD.

Cividale Aquileia

Concordia Sagittaria

Grado

Venice

“O

ur history now plunges from a kingdom of silver and gold to one of iron and rust.”

Eutropius

Pomposa

Bologna Ravenna

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights from London to Venice, Bologna to London Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Romans

Hotels 4 nights in a friendly 4* hotel in Grado 3 nights in a modern hotel in the heart of old Ravenna

Medieval

Historic Churches

GUIDE LECTURER Professor Tony King is a lecturer in archaeology at the University of Winchester and a specialist in Roman archaeology. He has excavated extensively in Britain and abroad. His areas of interest range from Roman Britain, to Gaul and Italy. Tony is also an expert in the analysis of animal bones, and has analyzed remains from a variety of sites.

hunting for the finest mosaics?

You may wish to consider...

Cyprus - The South................... p.32 Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania.................................. p.78 Sicilia Antiqua.......................... p.88 Tunisia - The Punic Wars...... p.142

Tour Code: (RAV16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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JORDAN Petra & the Desert Fortresses

N

othing can prepare you for Petra: the scale, the colours and the grandeur. The city is a staggering feat of ancient architecture: with elaborate tombs, colonnaded streets, and temples carved into rose-red rock.

During its brief moment of glory Petra must have been an extradordinary city: a fusion of Nabatean Arab and classical architecture - lively, cosmopolitan and rich with gods from every corner of the known world.

For all their magnificence, the tombs and temples of Petra are only a fraction of a much greater historical story. We explore the remains left by biblical tribes, Roman legions, crusaders and Islamic caliphates. A promised land of archaeology!

Tue 29th Mar - Thu 7th Apr 2016 Guide Lecturer: Nick Jackson 10 days Mar : £2,695 (sgl supp £525; without flights £2,235)

•

­Two full days in the monumental city of Petra - home of the Nabateans.

•

The land of the Old Testament, where the stories of the Bible and Bronze Age archaeology meet.

•

Mighty crusader castle at Kerak - one of the best preserved in the Middle East.

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Amman.

Day Two We begin at the remains of a well preserved Greek Palace that lie in a remote valley at Qasr-al-Abd. On to the Dead Sea, with the opportunity to swim - or more accurately float - in the salt-saturated waters.

Day Three Two Roman cities today. We visit Umm Qais (Gadara) which overlooks the edge of the Jordan River valley, offering views over the Sea of Galilee. Jerash is set in the pine valleys of the biblical land of Gilead, and is one of the bestpreserved Roman cities in the East. The architecture is particularly fine, and a unique feature of the Oval Plaza framed by the magnificent colonnade.

Day Four The morning in Jordan’s modern

capital Amman. Here we visit the Citadel of ancient Philadelphia and its museum. This is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world, where there are the ruins of the Roman temple of Hercules and the palaces of the Omayyad Caliphs.

We proceed onwards to Mount Nebo where we marvel at the 6th century Madaba mosaic map. This schematic depiction of the Holy Land, with Jerusalem at the centre, has all sorts of lively detail depicting life beside the ancient River Jordan.

Day Five Today we explore the dramatic basalt city at Umm al-Jimal – even the doors are made of huge black slabs, and some of them still operate! On to desert castles, Qasr Kharaneh and Azraq, with far-reaching views over the surrounding empty landscape. We end our day at the hunting lodge at Amra which has remarkable painted baths.

Day Six We visit the church and mosaics at Umm Al-Rasas. A Roman and Byzantine site, the mosaic floor of the church has depictions of the principal cities of the region. On to the mighty crusader castle of Kerak which was built by Pagan the Butler at the Order of King Fulk of Jerusalem in 1132.

The colonnade of a major thoroughfare in Jerash.

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Day Seven The first of two full days in Petra, ancient capital of the Nabatean Kingdom. We walk into the site, both for the sense of discovery, and

The ‘‘siq’ the narrow winding gorge which leads into Petra.

because there are so many interesting monuments in the Siq, the famous entrance ravine. The city and its tombs cover a huge area, all built into the richly coloured rock – it is called the ‘rose red city’ for good reason.

There are two (optional) climbs to the Nabatean ‘High Places’, which afford incredible views over the surrounding terrain.

A specially arranged tour of Petra by night tonight.

Day Eight A further opportunity to explore the magnificence of Petra.

Day Nine Drive to Wadi Rum, where we take 4x4s through spectacular desert scenery, made famous by the filming of “Lawrence of Arabia”. There are also several fine rock art sites to be explored here, with carvings from very early times to the fairly recent past – this was how nomadic peoples left messages for each other. We also see the Neolithic site of Beidha, where prehistoric houses can still be seen.

Day Ten We return to Amman for our flight home.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Jordan - Petra & Desert Fortresses JORDAN

GUIDE LECTURER

Umm Qais The view of the Nabatean tomb known as ‘the Monastery’, Petra.

Jerash

Umm al Jimal Azraq Amra Qasr Kharaneh

Amman Qasr al-Abd Mount Nebo Madaba Umm al-Rasas

“V

ast, echoing and god-like.”

T.E Lawrence on Wadi Rum, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom

Kerak Jordan Beidha Petra

Wadi Rum

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights direct from London to Amman Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach; 4x4 pick-up trucks at Wadi Rum Meals - All meals included Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Cultural

Rock Art

Hotels 5 nights in a very comfortable business-style hotel in Amman 4 nights in a stylish hotel next to the entrance for Petra

Prehistory

Romans

Medieval

Historic Churches

Nick Jackson is an archaeologist and travel journalist specialising in the Bronze Age. He graduated with an Archaeology degree from University College London. Nick has supervised numerous excavations across Jordan, Syria and Turkey. After a research post at Cambridge University he made Berlin his home.

already travelled to jordan with nick jackson?

He is also leading tours to...

Short Break in Berlin................ p.54

Tour Code: (JOR16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

113

MALTA & GOZO

A

thousand years before the Great Pyramid at Giza was constructed, people on the tiny island of Malta were moving stones weighing up to 50 tonnes. At 5500 years old, the megalithic temples of Malta and Gozo are among the oldest ritual structures in the world - decorated with some of the most extraordinary art to be found anywhere in the Mediterranean.

Led by an archaeologist specialising in Maltese history and archaeology, we explore the many ages of Malta: from those ancient temples through Roman rule and into the Medieval period. We also spend a day in Valletta, a World Heritage Site, built by the crusading Knights Hospitaller, having defeated the Ottoman Turks in the great siege of 1565.

Mon 28th Mar - Sun 3rd Apr 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Nicholas Vella 7 days Mar : £2,050 (sgl supp £365; without flights £1,850)

•

Extraordinary prehistoric culture whose stone monuments predate the Great Pyramid at Giza by over 1000 years.

•

A strategic gem, coveted by empires throughout the ages – from the Romans to the British.

• Special access to the dolmens and megalithic gallery grave at Ta’ Cenc.

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Valletta.

Day Two We begin with the two conjoined temples of Ta’ Ħaġrat and Mġarr, built during the 4th millennium BC. Continue to Skorba, an excavated settlement site which has made a significant contribution to the understanding of early Maltese prehistory, proving a stratigraphy from c.5000 to 1500BC. Afternoon at the ancient capital of Malta, Mdina, a walled city with winding streets. On to Buskett to view some of the enigmatic ‘cart ruts’ cut into the hilllside, features that occur on both Malta and Gozo, worn into the bedrock. Are these ancient roads? Or something with more of a ritual significance?

Day Three A day exploring Valletta on foot.

Founded by the Knights following the Great Siege of 1565, this is a Unesco World Heritage Site

Limestone statuette from the Xagħra stone circle.

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occupying a commanding position over two harbours. We begin with the exceptional array of artefacts from Malta’s unique prehistoric periods in the Archaeological Museum, from man’s first arrival on the island, up to the end of the Bronze Age. We also visit St John’s Co-Cathedral and, if not booked for a state function, the Grand Master’s Palace with façades of some of the many Auberges of the Knights.

Day Four By boat to the island of Gozo where we visit Ggantija, a prehistoric temple constructed of massive stone, and Xaghra, the stone circle and funerary complex associated with nearby Ggantija.

We have special access to Ta’ Cenc prehistoric temple with dolmens and passage graves.

This afternoon to Victoria Citadel, the 17th century fortress of Gozo, to visit the Archaeology Museum.

Day Five Back on Malta we visit the magnificent Hagar Qim and Mnajdra - part of a cluster of temple sites evocatively located on a hillside by the sea. We continue to Tarxien the most elaborate of all the Maltese Megalithic temples which has undergone extensive excavation and restoration. Continue to Ghar Dalam cave which consists of a water-worn tunnel accessible by humans for about 80m in which large quantities of Pleistocene faunal remains

Ħaġar Qim, now covered by a protective sail to preserve the finely decorated stonework from the elements.

were found, together with evidence for human activity (the earliest known on the island).

Day Six Harbour cruise in the morning to view the port of Valletta from the sea.

Afloat, one can imagine the assembled might of the Ottoman Turkish armada, estimated to contain up to 45,000 men.

The siege, which lasted for 4 months in the summer of 1565, was a turning point, which undermined the perceived invincibility of the Ottoman army. As Queen Elizabeth wrote “If the Turks should prevail against the isle of Malta, it is uncertain what further peril might follow to the rest of Christendom” We return to shore for free time this afternoon - a chance for souvenir shopping and a final stroll in the old town.

Day Seven Transfer to the airport for flight home.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Malta & Gozo MALTA The scenically located temple at Mnajdra.

Gozo Victoria

“H

ere lies La Valette...

Once the scourge of Africa and Asia from whence he expelled the barbarians, he is the first to be buried in this, the beloved city which he founded” Burial inscription of Knights Hospitaller Grand Master Jean de la Valette 1568.

GUIDE LECTURER Ggantija

Mgarr

Skorba Malta

Rabat Buskett

Mdina Hal Salflieni Mnajdra

Valletta

Tarxien Hagar Qim Ghar Dalam

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights from London to Valletta Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach and boat trip Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Just One Hotel

Cultural

Prehistory

Hotel 6 nights in a grand 5* hotel on the edge of the historic centre of Valletta, a short walk from the sea front and ideally placed to explore the many sites of the old town.

Romans

Medieval

Conflict

Historic Churches

Dr Nicholas Vella is Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Classics & Archaeology at the University of Malta. He is a specialist in the archaeology of the Phoenicians. He was supervisor of excavations at the Phoenician sanctuary site of Tas-Silg and co-director of the excavations of a Punic shrine on Gozo at Ghar ix-Xih.

looking for more island tours in 2016?

Why not join us in...

Corsica - Neolithic to Napoleon................................... p.44 Discover the Dodecanese........... p.66 Sardinia..................................... p.94 Menorca - Balearic Bliss........ p.132

Tour Code: (MAL16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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MEXICO The Maya

O

f all Mesoamerican civilisations, the Maya have enjoyed the most enduring hold on the popular imagination. For a long time their jungle clad ruins remained intriguing, yet shrouded in mystery. But recent progress in the decipherment of Maya writing has unlocked many of their secrets, revealing a society as complex as their art and architecture suggested.

This is one of Andante’s most adventurous trips, starting with the superb museums of Mexico City, then travelling via the uplands of Chiapas, into the jungle and the great river Usumacinta, before driving up the Yucatan peninsula. A thrilling journey through the rich and colourful landscapes of Mexico to see some of the greatest of the Maya cities.

Mon 10th - Tue 25th Oct 2016 Guide Lecturer: David Drew 16 days Oct : £3,995 (sgl supp £515; without flights £3,315)

•

Travel by plane, 4x4 and motor-launch to sites deep in the jungles of the Maya, and up in the pine-clad highlands.

•

Exciting archaeology - lost cities, spectacular temples, and vibrant art.

•

World-class museums hold a cornucopia of artefacts from every Mexican civilisation...

ITINER ARYED Day One Fly to Mexico City and transfer to our hotel in the centre of the city.

town of San Cristóbal. Here, we inspect the wares of some of the many hundreds of local weavers.

Day Two We explore Mexico City, built on the site of Aztec city of Tenochtitlán.

Day Five A relaxed day exploring the colonial churches and markets of San Cristóbal.

We have special access to the remains of the Aztec Templo Mayor, which is introduced by local excavators.

Day Three Still in Mexico City, we view the wealth of artefacts at the National Museum of Anthropology, one of the finest museums in the world, with collections from every era of Mexico’s history.

After lunch, we visit the city’s artisan quarter to see Frida Kahlo’s house.

Day Four We fly south to the Chiapas Highlands, and drive to the handsome colonial

Day Six We drive east to Toniná, a spectacular site, in the lush, fertile Ocosingo valley.

The ceremonial heart of the city was carved into the hillside Day Seven We spend a full day in Palenque, nestling in the jungle. The city possesses art and architecture of unique quality and originality. Most famous of all is the Temple of the Inscriptions, where Palenque’s greatest king, Pakal is buried in a massive sarcophagus.

Day Eight Today, we see the wonderfully preserved, vivid murals and the detailed carved stelae of Bonampak.

Then an adventurous journey by motorlaunch along the wide Usumacinta River to the jungle site of Yaxchilán.

Day Nine We drive north to the coastal city of Campeche, founded by the Spanish, with fine colonial centre and museums.

Chichén Itzá, centre for the worship of Kukulkan, the feathered serpent.

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Day Ten Today we visit the remote site of Edzná, with grand plaza and a complex system of dams and canals. Continue to Sayil and to K’abah, famed for it “Palace of

Macuilxochitl, god of pleasure, gambling and excess.

the Masks” a façade decorated with hundreds of stone masks.

Day Eleven We reach Uxmal. This great Maya city is famed for its elegant architecture and excellent preservation. We continue to colonial Mérida, enjoying a free afternoon to explore the city centre.

Day Twelve In the morning we stay in Mérida to visit the new Mundo Maya Museum.

We continue to Izamal to visit the large Franciscan Monastery.

Day Thirteen We explore vast Chichén Itzá, the most famous of all Maya sites, with its striking images of sacrifice and feathered serpents. Continue to the walled city of Ek Balam.

Day Fourteen Morning at the Cobá ruins, where intriguing figures of the “diving god” adorn the highest pyramid. On to beach side site of Tulum, spectacularly situated against the Caribbean sea.

Day Fifteen / Sixteen We spend the morning relaxing at our beach side hotel before we return home.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Mexico - The Maya MEXICO

GUIDE LECTURER

View over the jungle site at Palenque, from one of the high temples.

Mérida Uxmal Campeche Mexico City

Cancun Izamal Chichén Itza Tulum Edzná

Palenque Mexico Toniná Yaxchilán Tuxtla Gutiérrez Bonampak San Cristóbal

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Mexico City; Cancún to London.

Domestic flights Mexico City/Tuxtla Gutiérrez Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach; minibuses Meals - All meals included Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

New World

Hotels - 3 nights in a hotel in the centre of Mexico City; 2 nights in a hotel with tropical gardens, full of Mexican character, in San Cristóbal; 3 nights in a bungalow hotel with a lovely pool near Palenque; 1 night in a colonial style hotel in Campeche; 1 night in an original hacienda in Uxmal; 1 night in colonial Mérida; 2 nights in a hotel very close to Chichén Itzá; 1 night in cabanas on the white sand of the Caribbean

Historic Churches

Conflict

David Drew is an archaeologist, writer and broadcaster who studied at Oxford and UCL. He excavated in Peru for many years and is involved with a British NGO, the Cusichaca Trust, working with Andean farming communities. He is author of ‘The Lost Chronicles of the Maya Kings’ and has made many TV documentaries in the Maya area.

interested in travelling further with david drew...

He is also leading tours to...

Northern Peru......................... p.122 Peru, Bolivia & the Nazca Lines........................................ p.124

Tour Code: (MEX16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

117

MONGOLIA

I

n the 13th century AD, Genghis Khan, the son of a nomad chieftain united the warring tribes of Central Asia and, in an astonishingly short time, came to rule over the largest land empire the world has ever known. We trace Mongolia’s most famous and terrible son across the open steppe to his capital at Karakorum.

En route we explore the remains of once thriving trading cities, Buddhist citadels, enigmatic prehistoric monuments and fossil-rich ‘Flaming Cliffs’.

Isolation has ensured the survival of a traditional way of life here and families continue to follow their herds through the steep valleys and mountains. A true adventure through some of the wildest and most spectacular landscapes on earth, filled with intriguing traces of the peoples who once wandered here.

Sat 6th - Sat 20th Aug 2016 Guide Lecturer: Prof Paul Nicholson 15 days Aug : £4,995 (sgl supp £295; without flights £3,795)

•

The land of the blue sky - heart of the greatest land empire the world has ever known, that of Genghis Khan.

• Open steppe, grazed by wild horses and dotted with the snow white ‘ger’ tents of Mongolia’s nomadic peoples.

•

Engraved stelae rearing to the vast sky, enigmatic Bronze Age tombs and remote monasteries.

ITINER ARYED Day One Fly from London to Ulaanbaatar.

a fortress. We also view numerous Bronze Age burial mounds nearby.

Day Two We arrive in Ulaanbaatar and venture into the city to view Sukhbaatar Square, constructed on the site of an ancient monastery, and the Russian Monument. Free time this afternoon.

Day Six To the great monuments of Khushuu Tsaidam - three inscription stelae constructed in the 8th century. On to the site of Kharbalgas, capital of the first Uyghur Khanate.

Day Three Today we visit the Winter Palace, now a museum. Afternoon visit to the National History Museum, with finds from across the country. This evening we head to the Mongolian theatre.

Day Seven We explore the Mongol remains and the 16th century temple of Erdene Zuu, with beautiful tapestries and paintings.

This afternoon we reach Karakorum, the great capital of Genghis Khan, now a romantically windswept site, whose story is told at Karakorum Museum.

Day Four Leave the city behind and head to Khiid Monastery, the centre of Mongolian Buddhism. We continue to Khustain National Park, scattered with burials and Bronze Age “deer” stones.

Day Five We travel to the ruined monastery of Khar Bukhiin Balgas; built over

Day Eight We drive along the verdant Orkhon Valley, surrounded by mountains, with eagles wheeling overhead! There are many burial mounds here, which we visit en route to our Ger Camp.

Day Nine We head towards the Gobi Desert.

We have special access to Ongii temples, a complex of shrines. We meet the monks who are carrying out on-going restoration.

Day Ten We travel on into the Gobi Desert and the famous Flaming Cliffs at Bayanzag, source of a wealth of dinosaur fossils.

One of the (very comfortable) traditional Ger camps where we stay on our journey across the steppe.

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Day Eleven We drive to Khavtsgait, where enigmatic art is etched into the

Guide Lecturer Paul Nicholson ventures towards the famous Flaming Cliffs.

mountain boulders. We continue to the edges of the Khongoryn Els, high sand dunes that “sing” as the wind passes over them. Those who wish can take an optional sunset camel ride.

Day Twelve Long drive north to the fossil fields of Tsagaan Suvarga. The striped layers of rock cliffs are reminiscent of Mongolian stupas, with their pointed domes.

Day Thirteen We continue north to the temples of Sum Khokh Burd, built in the 10th century, set on an island in the midst of a small seasonal lake. They were originally constructed from stone mined over 300km away - a vast effort of transport across the surrounding plains.

Day Fourteen Drive northwards, back to Ulaanbaatar, stopping at the new Genghis Khan Memorial. This vast monument, a new museum capped with a colossal steel statue, is a remarkable testament to modern Mongolian devotion to the past - and makes an ideal place to reflect on our adventure.

Day Fifteen Fly back from Ulaanbaatar to London.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Mongolia MONGOLIA

SMALL GROUP

GUIDE LECTURER

Erdene Zuu Monastery, Karakorum.

Khushuu Tsaida

Khar Bukiin

Kharkhorin

“B

e of one mind and one faith, that you may conquer your enemies and lead long and happy lives” Ghengis Khan

Ulaanbaatar Khustain Nuruu

Khokh Burd Sum Ongii Bayanzag Khongoryn Els Mount Sevrei Mongolia

Tsagaan

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled return flights London to Ulaanbaatar Tour Manager Local Travel - 4x4 except in Ulaanbaatar Meals - All meals included with water, plus wine with dinners Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Small Group

Low Single Supplement

Hotels 2+1 nights in a comfortable modern hotel in Ulaanbaatar 10 nights in traditional ‘Ger Camps’ or yurts - these are a very comfortable permanent tent-like structures, snugly furnished with wood-burning stoves, brightly-coloured textiles and proper beds. A real adventure and a true experience of the Mongolian steppe

All Inclusive

Cultural

Rock Art

Prehistory

Professor Paul Nicholson is Professor of Archaeology at Cardiff University. He has a passionate interest in Mongolian archaeology, and has travelled extensively around the country.

Professor Nicholson has also widely excavated in Egypt and in 2011, won the Andante Archaeology Award for his work at the Catacombs at Saqqara.

wish to follow in the footsteps of great warlords?

We also have tours to...

China - Beyond the Great Wall..p.28 Romans, Visigoths & Viziers. p.130 Meet the Vikings..................... p.140 Uzbekistan - The Silk Road..... p.162

Medieval

Tour Code: (MON16A)

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120

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

peru

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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NORTHERN PERU

A

new journey through Northern Peru on the trail of the Chachapoya, ‘the people of the cloud forest’ - warriors and traders who initially resisted Inca conquest. We explore the imposing Chachapoya city of Kuelap, magnificently perched above the Utcubamba Valley. A highlight of our tour is special access to the ‘mummies of Leymebamba’, 200 well-preserved Chachapoya mummies found in tiny houses on a cliff face above the remote ‘Lake of the Condors’. The founder of the Leymebamba Mummies Museum tells us their remarkable story.

Mon 9th - Thu 26th May 2016 Guide Lecturer: David Drew 18 days May : £ 4,995 (sgl supp £760; without flights £4,315)

Led by David Drew, this unique tour which showcases the glories of Peru beyond Machu Picchu. Travel through spectacular mountain scenery and enter a lost world of Andean cultures - little-seen and still being uncovered.

• Special access to the famous mummies from the Lake of the Condors • A unique tour with our very popular Guide Lecturer,

David Drew, going beyond the usual Inca sites.

•

Cover a vast time span, from 4000 year old temples to the coming of the Spanish, journeying through the lush Andean highlands.

ITINER ARYED Day One / Two Fly London to Lima. After time to recover in our hotel, we visit the National Archaeological Museum, Plaza de Armas and colonial houses.

Day Three We fly to Trujillo to visit Huaca del Dragon. We continue to Chan Chan, the capital of the Chimu people, a vast city with royal compounds and acres of baked clay architecture.

Day Four Still in Trujillo, we see the multilayered Temples of the Sun and Moon. Excavation within the latter is uncovering wonderfully preserved architecture and decoration.

Day Five We travel north to explore the El Brujo complex, with temples and burial mounds of the Moche people. Continue to Huaca Prieta. We return to Trujillo and visit the Cassinelli Museum.

Day Six We travel into the remote highlands and the ruins at Kuntur Wasi, the ‘House of the Condor’. Excavations have revealed tombs, temples and elaborately carved standing stones of the early 1st millennium BC. Day Seven Morning exploring Cajamarca, with Spanish colonial architecture, including the so-called Ransom Room, said to have been filled with gold by the Inca emperor, Atahualpa, in exchange for his freedom – a deal which was not honoured. Free time this afternoon.

Day Eight Drive north east, into the mountains of the Chachapoyas region – ‘land of the Cloud People’ – so-called by the Inca who conquered them shortly before the arrival of the Spanish in Peru.

Day Nine We have special access at Leymebamba Museum to view the famous Mummies of the Lake of the Condors.

We also visit the Revash Tombs.

Day Ten We drive north to the immense stone fortress at Kuelap, where the mighty walls surround a large and complex settlement, begun c AD500.

Kuelap, the extraordinary archaeological site near Chachapoyas.

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Day Eleven We visit the mysterious sarcophagi of Karajia, home to seven 2.5 metre tall figures, made of sticks and grasses.

One of the oldest churches in Lima that has survived several major earthquakes.

Day Twelve Long but beautiful drive to Chiclayo.

Day Thirteen We explore the royal tombs and the world-class Sipan Museum, where layer upon layer of personal jewellery and ritual objects from these burials are on display.

Day Fourteen We travel to the newly excavated, very early site of Ventarron, with wonderful murals. Continue to Tucume, with its vast pyramids.

Day Fifteen We wander through the market of Chiclayo. Continue to the 16th century Andean chapel of Morrope before our flights to Lima this evening.

Day Sixteen To Caral, the oldest town in the new world, dating to 2600 BC. The pyramids here are 100 years older than those at Giza.

Day Seventeen / Eighteen We spend our final morning at the Larco Herrera Museum, housed in an 18th-century building constructed over a 7th-century pyramid. We fly home from Lima, arriving on Day Eighteen.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Northern Peru PERU

NEW

GUIDE LECTURER

The ruins of Kuelap, located at the summit of a hill that rises on the left bank of the Utcubamba.

Peru

“T

he whitest and most handsome of all the people that I have seen, and their wives were so beautiful that because of their gentleness, many of them deserved to be the Incas’ wives and to also be taken to the Sun Temple.”

- Pedro Cieza de Leon, discussing the ‘Cloud People’ of Chachapoyas

Mórrope

Chachapoyas Túcume

Chiclayo El Brujo Trujillo

Nuevo Tingo Leymebamba Cajamarca

Caral

David Drew is an archaeologist and writer who studied at Oxford and UCL. He excavated in Peru for many years and is involved with a British NGO, the Cusichaca Trust, working with Andean farming communities. He is author of ‘The Lost Chronicles of the Maya Kings’ and has made many TV documentaries in Latin America.

Lima

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Lima; domestic flight Lima to Trujillo/ Chiclayo to Lima Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included Hotels 2+2 nights in in a stylish hotel in the Miraflores region of Lima

Special Access

New World

Historic Churches

3 nights in a converted colonial mansion in Trujillo 2 nights in a hotel on the main square of Cajamarca 1 night in a traditional family-run hotel in Leymebamba 2 nights in a rustic hacienda near Nuevo Tingo 1 night in the town of Chachapoyas 3 nights in a comfortable hotel with swimming pool in Chiclayo

interested in travelling with david drew?

He is also leading tours to...

Mexico - The Maya................. p.116 Peru, Bolivia & The Nazca Lines..... p.124

Tour Code: (NPE16A)

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123

PERU,BOLIVIA & The Nazca Lines

T

he image of Machu Picchu emerging out of the morning mist from the vantage point of the Sun Gate, precariously perched on a jungle-clad ridge is an archaeological traveller’s dream.

Wed 7th - Tue 27th Sep 2016 Guide Lecturer: David Drew

We explore the breathtaking sites of the Incas as well as the intriguing remains of their lesser-known ancestors. We climb into the highlands, to the heartland of the Inca empire, which once covered over 2 million sq km. Remote sites, royal estates, the temples of Tiwanaku and Lake Titicaca, and breathtaking golden artefacts from the earliest Andean civilisations to the coming of the Conquistadors.

21 days Sep : £5,225 (sgl supp £975; without flights £4,385)

•

The heart of Andean civilisation with a leading expert in the archaeology of South America.

•

Superlative sites: Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, Cuzco and many, many others.

•

The enigmatic Nazca Lines, etched into the desert: hundreds of enormous, mysterious lines, trapezoids and images of animals.

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Lima.

Day Two Day exploring colonial Lima: we visit the National Museum of Anthropology & Archaeology.

Day Seven All day in Arequipa, first to the Museo Santuarios Andinos, which houses ‘Juanita’ a young sacrificial victim of the Inca period. On to the Convent of Santa Catalina.

Day Three Visit the regional Museum in Ica to see a wide wealth of artefacts, en route to Nazca.

Day Eight Fly to Juliaca, to visit the spectacular funerary towers of Sillustani. Continue to Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca, and the restored Yavari Steam Ship.

Day Four A visit to the Maria Reiche Museum and the Antonini museum. On to the Nazca ceremonial centre at Cahuachi.

Day Nine We travel towards Bolivia, stopping at Pomata en route. On to Copacabana for a visit to the Cathedral.

Day Five Those who wish can take an optional flight over the Nazca Lines. We head south to the fishing village of Chala and walk to nearby site of Puerto Inca.

Day Ten On the shores of Lake Titicaca we board our boat to the Islands of the Moon and Sun, sacred to the Incas. We explore the site of Pilko Kaima and other parts of the Island of the Sun.

Day Six We drive to the city of Arequipa, 2300m high and surrounded by volcanoes. Its historic centre is a UNESCO world heritage site.

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Day Fourteen Explore imperial Cuzco with visits to the Inca Coricancha and Inca Museum.

Day Fifteen The beautiful royal estate of Chinchero, with a painted church built on top of a great Inca hall.

A specially arranged visit to a local family of weavers.

On to the well-preserved Inca town of Ollantaytambo.

Day Sixteen / Seventeen We spend two days in Machu Picchu.

Day Eleven We make our way to La Paz and tour the city centre.

Day Eighteen All day in Cuzco. We visit the Spanish Colonial city and the Machu Picchu museum.

Day Twelve The Inca site of Tiwanaku, imposing columns, temples and stelae. Visit Puma Punku and then on to Puno.

Day Nineteen Drive to Pisac, to its imposing ruins and bustling market.

Day Thirteen Depart on the famous high altitude train which takes us on a long but spectacular journey to the Inca capital of Cuzco.

View across Lake Titicaca from the Island of the Sun.

Andean women in traditional dress, still handwoven in the region.

Day Twenty / Twenty One We fly from Cuzco to Lima, and visit the marvellous Larco Herrera Museum.

Flight to London.

NB Please note this tour includes sites at high-altitude. Please contact us if you have concerns about your fitness.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Peru, Bolivia & The Nazca Lines PERU & BOLIVIA

SMALL GROUP

GUIDE LECTURER

Machu Picchu

Lima

Pachacutec, the great ruler who began Inca Imperial expansion in the early 15th century, created Machu Picchu as a royal retreat, sacred centre and statement of power.

Ollantaytambo Cuzco Nazca Peru

Cahuachi

“T

o think that God should have permitted something so great to remain hidden from the world for so long and then let it be discovered and won all in our own time!” Pedro Cieza de Leon, Chronicles of Peru

Bolivia Chala

Puno La Paz Copacabana Tiwanaku Arequipa

David Drew is an archaeologist, writer and broadcaster who studied at Oxford and UCL. He excavated in Peru for many years and is involved with a British NGO, the Cusichaca Trust, working with Andean farming communities. He has also made a number of TV documentaries in Peru.

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - London to Lima (via Amsterdam); domestic flights Arequipa/Juliaca; Cuzco/Lima (Nazca Line flight not included) Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach, domestic flights, boat and train Meals - All meals included Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips

Special Access

Small Group

All Inclusive

Cultural

Hotels - 2 nights in a stylish hotel in the Miraflores region of Lima; 2 nights in Nazca; 1 night in a chalet in the bay of Chala; 2 nights in a hotel in Arequipa, formerly part of Santa Catalina monastery; 1+1 nights in a comfortable hotel in Puno; 2 nights in Copacabana on the shores of the lake; 1 night in an international hotel in central La Paz near the museum; 2+3 nights in a converted colonial mansion in Cuzco; 1 night Ollantaytambo; 1 night in a modern hotel in Aguas Calientes, near Machu Pichu

New World

Historic Churches

interested in travelling with david drew?

He is also leading tours to...

Mexico - The Maya................. p.116 Northern Peru......................... p.122

Tour Code: (SAM16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

125

Frontier Lands of

A

ROMANIA

t the eastern edge of Europe lies the ring of the Carpathian Mountains.

The plains within these mountains were once the homeland of the Dacians, one of Rome’s great enemies, who were conquered in AD106.

Sat 10th - Mon 19th Sep 2016 Guide Lecturer: Doru Bogdan

Here the Romans stretched their defensive frontier from the Danube across the Carpathians to the Black Sea, in a complex system combining the naturally defensive geography with forts, walls and ditches. Once again at the frontier of empires in the medieval period, nobles and princes fortified themselves behind Gothic castle walls, inspiring all sorts of Transylvanian legends....

10 days Sep : £2,575 (sgl supp £250; without flights £2,225)

•

Fascinating part of Eastern Europe which was the Dacian border of the Roman Empire and continued to be a frontier land.

•

Led by an expert in Romanian archaeology, with special access to ongoing excavations.

•

From the Dacians to Dracula! Unique programme covering Greek, Roman, Saxon and Gothic archaeology.

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Bucharest and transfer to Constanţa.

Day Two Explore Constanţa, the ancient city of Tomis. The large museum has impressive collections including the famous “Sculpture treasury”. On to the coastal town of Mangalia originally a Greek colony, with an impressive necropolis.

Here we have arranged a special finds handling session.

Day Three We spend the day at Histria, the largest excavated site in Romania, on the Black Sea coast. Once a Milesian Greek trading colony, it passed through the hands of the Romans and Byzantines.

Day Four Today Adamclisi / Tropaeum Traiani to see the triumphal monument erected in

celebration of Trajan’s victory over the Dacians. Cut by the legionary masons this was the provincial counterpart to Trajan’s column in Rome. We visit the reconstructed monument and museum where the original reliefs are impressively displayed.

Day Five A day in Bucharest, Romania’s ‘Beaux Arts’ and ‘Art Deco’ capital city. We visit the National Museum of History with its archaeological collections and walk around The Old Town where a number of 15th century churches remain in use. An afternoon visit to the Philharmonia/Academy, a fine 19th century auditorium. On to the House of the People before visiting the Village Museum of Romanian Ethnography.

Day Six We drive along the Prahova valley river corridor to Bran Castle, a 14th century castle which was a major frontier post between Wallachia and Transylvania.

We have a guided tour of the castle, now owned by the Hapsburgs. On to Brasov Saxon Medieval town.

Day Seven We start the day at Brasov Archaeological Museum. On to the Black Church, perhaps the largest gothic church in south-eastern Europe.

We drive on to Sibiu, with a brief stop at Cisnădie- a fine example of the typical 12th-15th century fortified churches of Transylvania.

Modern triumphal arch in Bucharest - a city which is changing fast ...

Day Eight An exciting and adventurous day as we take off-road vehicles high into the Transylvanian mountains where amongst the green forest lies Sarmizegetusa Regia, the Dacian capital and the target of Emperor Trajan’s campaigns. Monumental architecture with Greek influences.

Defensive walls, artificial terraces, temples and sanctuaries. The heart of Dacian power in the heart of barbaricum.

Day Nine An early start to see Hunyad Castle, the gothic castle to end them all, built

by Jan Hunyadi to cement his power in the region. Then on the road to Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa, intended as the Roman capital city of the Roman province of Dacia. Equipped with amphitheatre, temples, forum, and the residence of the province’s financial procurator, the city was designed as the monumental ritual centre of Roman power north of the Danube.

Day Ten We return to Bucharest for flight home.

Beautiful rolling hills of rural Transylvania.

126

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Frontier Lands of Romania ROMANIA

GUIDE LECTURER

14th century Bran Castle, popularly linked with Dracula.

Romania

“C

onquered for strategic as well as political reasons... Dacia provides unique insight into the conquest and occupation at the height of Rome’s power.”

Dr Ioanna Oltean, Dacia

Hunedoara Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa

Deva Sibiu

Brasov Bran Castle Sarmizegetusa Regia Bucharest

Histria Constanta Adamclisi

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights from London to Bucharest Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach and 4x4s Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Cultural

Greeks

Hotels 3 nights in a historic hotel near the beach in Constanta; 2 nights in a modern hotel in the city of Bucharest; 1 night in a hotel in Brasov, close to the famous ‘Black Church’; 1 + 1 nights in a historic hotel in central Sibiu; 1 night in a small conveniently located hotel near Hunedoara

Romans

Medieval

Historic Churches

Doru Bogdan is a researcher and lecturer at the University of Alba Iulia, Romania. He specialises in Roman archaeology and has supervised excavations in Carnuntum, Austria, Pompeii, Catalhöyük and Birdoswald.

He also directed numerous archaeological excavations in Transylvania.

interested in early autumn tours?

Languedoc ................................ p.48 The Etruscans........................... p.86 Roman Province of Lusitania. p.136

Tour Code: (RMN16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

127

SOUTH AFRICA

S

outh Africa’s vast and open expanses hide a wealth of archaeology – from some of the earliest evidence of human ancestors who left behind stone tools and skeletons to kingdoms who traded gold and ivory past China. There are thousands of Stone Age sites in the wild – caves and rock shelters; inland and along the coast – that have recorded the way of life and history of people in the region over nearly two million years...

This is a unique opportunity to explore the far-depths of the human past, while revelling in landscapes and wildlife that retain primeval splendour even today.

Led by an expert in human origins, this tour is a truly unique adventure through beautiful breathtaking landscapes.

Sat 19th - Wed 30th March 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr John McNabb 12 days Mar : £4,450 (sgl supp £295; without flights £3,765)

• ­Go back to where it all began – The Cradle of Humankind.

• On the hunt for rock art, we see some of the oldest rock formations in

the world that have been enhanced by our ancestors over the millennia.

• Wilderness and wildlife – experience a South African safari.

ITINER ARYED Day One Flight from London to Johannesburg.

Day Two After landing in Johannesburg we drive out to Maropeng. Here we have a gentle introduction to human origins at the Maropeng Visitor Centre.

Day Three Today we continue our exploration of the Cradle of Humankind, commencing with the Sterkfontein Caves. It was here that the famous and important two million year old fossilised skull of one of our early hominid ancestors was discovered.

Here we have special behind the scenes access to the excavator’s warehouse.

We visit Swartkrans this afternoon, a farm near Sterkfontein, notable for being extremely rich in archaeological material, particularly hominid remains.

Day Four Our exploration of the evolution of mankind continues with a visit to the Origins Centre in Braamfontein.

Offering a stark contrast to the morning we visit the Apartheid Museum, to acknowledge much more recent historical events.

Day Five En route to Polokwane in Limpopo, we visit Arend Dieperink Museum, a charming museum that sets the scene for tomorrow’s explorations.

Day Six Today we have a 4x4 adventure at Makapansgat, an important Palaeolithic site that is littered with caves. We discover the Makapansgat limeworks, the oldest cave within the whole complex. Many fossil bones have been recovered here, amongst them the remains of our ancestors that roamed these parts between 2 and 3 million years ago. On to the Cave of the Hearths, where excavations have unearthed a remarkable snapshot of how our early ancestors lived.

Day Seven We make our way to Mapungubwe National Park, an expansive savannah landscape which was once a large kingdom before its abandonment in the 14th century. We explore the bush land and climb up to the site’s lost city on the Mapungubwe Hill.

Hominid skulls at the Maropeng Visitor Centre in the Cradle of Humankind.

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Day Eight We drive to Koaxa’s Shelter in the

Mapungubwe National Park and World Heritage Site.

search of rock art. The finely detailed images here depict at least 16 animal species including antelope, giraffes and mongooses.

Day Nine We travel to Kruger National Park today. This area has an incredibly diverse ecosystem. Spot elephants, antelope and hippos in their natural environment. The park is home to an impressive array of wildlife; lions, cheetahs, rhinos, and buffalo wander a 20,000 km square expanse of park land.

We enjoy a safari in 4x4s across the park this afternoon. The chance to view the majestic wildlife; lions, cheetahs, rhinos, and buffalo. A truly exhilarating experience.

Day Ten An adventure today at Berg-en-Dal where we trek across bush land on the hunt for rock art scattered on boulders across the landscape.

Day Eleven Our final rock art tour this morning at Bongani Mountain Lodge. A final traverse across the South African landscape as we make our way back to Johannesburg for our flight home, arriving on Day Twelve.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

NEW

South Africa SOUTH AFRICA

SMALL GROUP

The rocky landscape and huts found in Mapungubwe National Park.

GUIDE LECTURER

Mapungubwe National Park

“I

always knew that someday I would once again feel the grass under my feet and walk in the sunshine as a free man” Nelson Mandela

Kruger National Park

Polokwane Mokopane

Tzaneen Bongani Lodge

Maropeng

Johannesburg

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Return flights London to Johannesburg Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach; off road vehicles.

Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Low Single Supplement

All Inclusive

Hotels 3 nights in a hotel in the foothills of the Zwartkops Mountains on the edge of the Cradle of Humankind; 2 nights in an acclaimed hotel in Polokwane; 1 night at a game lodge surrounded by Baobab trees on the edge of a national reserve; 1 night at a hotel in Tzaneen; 2 nights in a comfortable hotel with spectacular views of Kruger National Park

Small Group

Prehistory

Rock Art

Dr John McNabb has been a Senior Lecturer in Palaeolithic Archaeology at Southampton University since 2010. He has researched widely within South Africa, including Makapansgat. He is also involved in projects in Tanzania. John is the author of a number of books and articles on the British and South African Palaeolithic period.

on the search for prehistoric rock art?

We also have tours to...

Dordogne - Prehistoric Cave Art............................................. p.46 Rock Art of Altamira.............. p.134 Rock Art of Scandinavia......... p.138

Tour Code: (SAF16A)

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129

romans, visigoths & viziers S

outhern Spain, rich in silver, gold, wine and olive oil, has attracted the attention of many would-be conquerors over the centuries. From North Africa came the Carthaginians, superseded by the Romans who (true to form) built cities and criss-crossed the mountainous plains with 1000s of miles of roads. Then the Visigoths, fresh from sacking the city of Rome, built churches until they too were vanquished by the Moors. As Europe entered ‘the Dark Ages’ Al-Andalus flourished under Islamic Viziers who fashioned marvellous palaces, with arches, artwork and gardens that still grace Córdoba and Granada.

From prehistory to Christopher Columbus, our tour progresses through the many ages of this vibrant, beautiful and fascinating region.

Sun 3rd - Sun 10th Apr 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Andrew Fear Sun 2nd - Sun 9th Oct 2016 Guide Lecturer: Prof Tony King 8 days Apr & Oct : £2,250 (sgl supp £285; without flights £2,050)

•

The Golden Triangle of southern Spain – vibrant Seville, Moorish Cordoba and Granada, home of the Alhambra.

•

Follow the scenic route of the Via Augusta over the Viadela Plata, discovering little-known remote sites along the way.

• Led by Dr Andrew Fear, an expert in Hispanic archaeology.

ITINER ARY Day One We arrive in Seville and transfer to our hotel in the historic city centre.

Day Two We have a day exploring Seville, including the Alcázar Royal Palace, built in the mid 14th century using Moorish craftsmen. We also see the immense Cathedral, where the sarcophagus of Christopher Columbus resides. The belfry – the Giralda – has a ramp, not steps, to allow an ascent on horseback. Continue this afternoon to the General Archive of the Indies an amazing record of Spanish colonisation.

Day Three In Seville, we visit the Archaeological Museum - with gold jewellery dating back to the Iron Age, as well as Roman and later treasures. We continue to the beautiful Maria Luisa Park with its famous tiled Plaza de España. In the afternoon, we take a trip to Roman Carmona, an ancient city and fortress, famed for its extensive necropolis

The spectacular Moorish city of Córdoba.

130

where wealthy Romans were buried in rock-cut chambers. Some of the carving is quite elaborate, as in the ‘Tomb of the Elephant’, where the elephant is struck by the rays of the sun at the Winter solstice. We travel on to Cordoba.

Day Four We follow the scenic route of the Roman Via Augusta - the Roman road which once criss-crossed almost the whole of Spain - to Córdoba, with evidence for human activity of many periods along the way. We travel to the ruinous town of Casas de Reina to see the Roman city of Regina, overlooked by a Moorish castle. We also view the mysterious Phoenician ash altar at Cancho Roano, and stop at Llerena, one of the last homes of the Spanish Inquisition.

Day Five We travel out of the city this morning to explore the ruined Moorish palace of Medina Azahara, once the centre of government for almost all Spain. We return to Córdoba, controlled by the Visigoths until the 8th century, when the city was conquered by the Moors.

We explore the Mezquita (built as a Mosque with striped arches now an elaborate gilt cathedral). This afternoon we visit the Jewish Quarter and the Archaeological Museum.

Day Six We begin the day at the typically Andalucian city of Jaén – considered to be the world capital of olive oil. We see the museum which houses some wonderful Iberian sculptures.

Alcàzar of Seville.

We have special access to Castulo, a ruinous and important Iberian city, scene of a major Carthaginian victory against the Romans in 213 BC, when 40,000 North African troops joined local Iberian mercenaries to defeat the Roman army.

Day Seven We devote our final full day to exploring Granada, seat of the last Moorish kingdom in Spain, conquered in 1492 by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. A fitting end to our tour is the magnificent Alhambra Palace, a Moorish and Renaissance fantasy set on a hilltop against the backdrop of the Sierra Morena. Built for the last Muslim rulers of Spain, the palace is particularly known for its gardens, where fountains cascade and nightingales still sing.

Day Eight We return to Málaga, to fly back to the UK.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Romans, Visigoths & Viziers SPAIN

GUIDE LECTURER

The ruined Moorish palace of Medina Azahara.

Córdoba

“I

am the garden appearing every morning with adorned beauty; Contemplate my beauty and you will be penetrated with understanding.

I excel through the generosity of my lord the imam Muhammad for all who come and go…”

Poem on the wall of the Hall of the Two Sisters in the Alhambra

Jaén

Carmona Seville Granada

Málaga

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Seville; Málaga to London Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - wine with dinners Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Cultural

Prehistory

Hotels 2 nights in a 4* hotel in central Seville 3 nights in a hotel in Córdoba overlooking the Guadalquivir river 2 nights in a comfortable hotel in Granada

Romans

Historic Churches

Dr Andrew Fear is a Lecturer at the University of Manchester. He specialises in Roman history, particularly the later Roman Empire, the establishment of Christianity and the arrival of the Visigoths into Hispania. Closer to home, he has authored books on the Roman archaeology of Cheshire and Staffordshire.

Professor Tony King is a lecturer in archaeology at the University of Winchester and a specialist in Roman archaeology. He has excavated extensively in Britain and abroad. His areas of interest range from Roman Britain, to Gaul and Italy. Tony is also an expert in the analysis of animal bones.

Tour Codes: April : Sun 3rd - Sun 10th (VIS16A) October : Sun 2nd - Sun 9th Oct (VIS16B)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

131

MENORCA Balearic Bliss

M

enorca lies at the centre of the western Mediterranean, and has been inhabited since the early Bronze Age. These settlers left a legacy set in stone - distinctive and evocative monuments that were constructed across the island over three and a half thousand years ago. Today, the prehistoric landscape of Menorca, which is at the heart of this tour, is still visible within its rugged terrain.

The towns of Ciutadella and Mao offer a dynamic contrast, having been occupied by the British, French and Spanish at various points in their more recent history, reflecting an island with an ever-changing identity.

Mon 11th - Sun 17th Apr 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Ruth Whitehouse 7 days Sep : £2,250 (sgl supp £195; without flights £2,000)

•

An exploration of a rugged landscape, finding stone remnants of the prehistoric past at every turn.

• See current excavations and hear about the latest archaeological findings.

• Impressive views and charming towns.

ITINER ARYED Day One Arrive on Menorca.

Day Two This morning we explore Ciutadella, the island’s capital until the early 18th century. It is still full of grand summer mansions, cobbled streets and has a smart yacht-filled harbour. Its 13th century cathedral is built on the site of the mosque which preceded it. The afternoon is spent in the Municipal Museum with a wonderful variety of finds from Menorca’s past, including important prehistoric finds discovered during excavations at Cova di Càrritx.

Day Three The island has a unique set of megalithic monuments scattered all around the island. Today we begin our exploration of this prehistoric landscape, beginning at Cala Morell (or Necropolis) Caves. These 14 man-made caves were used as a burial ground

Torre d’En Gaumés, the largest talaiotic settlement on the island.

132

over a long period of time. On to the Naveta d’Es Tudons, a megalithic tomb probably constructed in the Bronze Age. When it was first excavated in the 1950s more than 100 skeletons were uncovered.

Day Four We travel across the island to Mao (Mahon) where we explore the current capital city and visit churches such as the 18th century catholic church, Iglesia de Santa Maria. This afternoon we see two settlements of the Talaiotic period (Bronze and Iron Ages): Talatí de Dalt and Talaiot at Trepuco. Each has a prominent talaiot, a tower-like structure of uncertain function and a taula, formed of a large horizontal slab placed on top of a vertical one, which may have served a religious purpose.

While talaiots are also found on the neighbouring island of Mallorca, taulas are unique to Menorca.

Day Five Torre d’En Gaumés is the largest talaiotic settlement on the island. It comprises three talaiots, two taulas and the remains of many other structures. It was founded early in the Talaiotic period, around 1400 BC and continued to grow until the end of the Roman occupation. On to El Toro, the highest point on Menorca which offers impressive views of the island. We stop here for lunch. On to explore the ruins of Santa Agueda Castle this afternoon.

Jutting out of the rugged landscape, this was thought to have been built in the 13th century.

Talaiot de Trepuco a megalithic table-shaped monument.

Day Six The Tower of Fornells is one of the largest defence towers built on the island, constructed during the English occupation in the 19th century. This afternoon we continue to Cap de Cavelleria for stunning scenic views of the coast-land and out to sea.

This afternoon we visit current excavations at Sanisera. This was once a Roman city of Sanitja which has its own ancient harbour.

Day Seven We return home.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Menorca - Balearic Bliss SPAIN

NEW

GUIDE LECTURER

Cala Morell Necropolis Cave, the man made caves used as a burial ground.

Cap de Cavelleria Cala Morell

“I

t is thought good to kill an admiral from time to time to encourage the others” Voltaire, Candide, 1759 - the famous remark regarding the execution of British Admiral Byng after he failed to defend Menorca from the French.

El Toro

Ciutadella Menorca

Mao Mahon

Trepuco

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Return flights London to Menorca.

Tour Managers Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Low Single Supplement

All Inclusive

Hotels 6 nights in a recently converted palace in the historic centre of Ciutadella

Dr Ruth Whitehouse is Emeritus Professor of Prehistoric Archaeology at UCL. She completed her BA, MA and PhD studies at Cambridge University.

Her main research area is prehistoric Italy. She is part of the Faculty of Archaeology, History and Letters at the British School at Rome.

On the hunt for standing stones?

You may wish to consider....

The Story of Wessex................ p.156 Scotland.................................. p.158 Orkney and Shetland.............. p.160

Just One Hotel

Prehistory

Medieval

Historic Churches

Tour Code: (MNR16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

133

rock art of Altamira

D

ecorated 40,000 - 10,000 years ago, the caves of Altamira still display some of humankind’s first, and arguably greatest, artistic achievements. A rare chance to view vivid images of bison, horse and deer; their unique style has come to epitomise Palaeolithic art. Our tour is set in the hills of Northern Spain, and we stay in fine hotels in the historic towns of Bilbao, Oviedo and Santillana del Mar. Led by rock art expert Dr Paul Bahn, we have arranged special access to numerous caves and rock art sites. A visit to an Ice Age cave really is a tremendous privilege. Where else could you approach original masterpieces of such immense antiquity? Or see the images precisely where they were created, standing or crouching exactly as the original artists did...

Mon 6th - Mon 13th Jun 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Paul Bahn 8 days Jun : £2,145 (sgl supp £290; without flights £1,975)

•

Special access to eight original painted caves with renowned expert Dr Paul Bahn.

•

A uniquely close encounter with our Stone Age antecedants, frequently standing on the same spot as the artists.

•

See the juxtaposition of the most ancient art and the most contemporary with a visit to the Guggenheim Museum.

ITINER ARYED Day One We fly to Bilbao and transfer to our hotel.

Day Two This morning we drive to the facsimile of the painted cave discovered in 1969 at Ekain in the Basque country, with some of the most realistic colourful depictions of horse and bison.

We leave the prehistoric era behind this afternoon, with a visit to the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. Here we have a behind the scenes tour note the stark contrast between ancient and modern art...

Day Three We have an attractive drive through the mountains to the small cave of Covalanas, decorated with deer drawn entirely in red dotted outline. There is a steep walk up to this cave, and only

Typical depictions of prehistoric bison in the caves at Altamira.

134

a few people may enter at once, but it is worth the wait! After lunch we visit the cave of El Pendo, which hides a panel 8.8m long of painted animals.

Portable art in bone and antler was also found here, perhaps the tools used by the ancient artists to create their work.

Day Four Today we reach the famous cave of Altamira; we approach the cave on foot, a pleasant short walk up a country road. We see the superb facsimile of the cave and the museum. Continue along the coast to El Pindal, a cave set into the cliffs above the sea - one of the most beautiful and spectacular locations of all the decorated caves. Here there is a series of geometric signs, and a variety of animal figures, including bison, deer, a fish and an unusual painting of a mammoth.

Day Five Travel into the hills to the south of Santillana, site of several decorated caves, two of which we will visit: Las Monedas is a large, labyrinthine cave in which bear bones were also found. The art in this cave is extremely homogenous and it is considered likely that it was produced by just one person. The art of El Castillo, by contrast, clearly belongs to a number of different phases, and recently produced the earliest dates for cave art in the world, more than 40,000 years. There are hundreds of animal figures and 50 red hand stencils. The cave is so large, and the art so abundant that only a fraction can be seen during our visit.

Beautiful countryside around Santillana de Mar.

This afternoon there will be free time to explore the historic town of Santillana.

Day Six We drive west along the coast into the mountainous region of Asturias to La Loja - a cave with some fine engravings which stand out clearly in white against the dark rock. This afternoon we see the huge and famous cave of Tito Bustillo which was only discovered in 1968 by a group of young cavers. The main panel here is one of the glories of Ice Age art. The cave is rich in artworks, but is most famed for a spectacular frieze of horses and reindeer.

Day Seven We visit Candamo,where the most famous engraving is a big stag turning its head, and apparently pierced by many spears. We also view many other fine figures, some in surprising locations. Our final visit of the tour is to the Prehistoric park at Teverga, for a superb final overview of the caves, and their discovery.

Day Eight Free time in the historic town of Oviedo before we return home.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Rock Art of Altamira SPAIN

SMALL GROUP

GUIDE LECTURER

Painting by Abbé Breuil of a bison on the ceiling of Altamira.

“I

was overcome with amazement, What I saw made me so excited I could hardly speak.”

Marcelino Sanz de Sautuola, who discovered the paintings at Altamira with his young daughter in 1879.

Candamo Oviedo Teverga

Santillana del Mar Bilbao

El Pindal

Spain

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Bilbao; Oviedo to London Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - wine with dinners Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Small Group

All Inclusive

Cultural

Hotels 2 nights in a 5* hotel in Bilbao 3 nights in Santillana del Mar in a small traditional hotel 2 nights in an historic hotel, recently refurbished, in centre of Oviedo old town

Prehistory

Rock Art

Dr Paul Bahn is a leading expert on prehistoric rock art. In 2003, he led the team which discovered the first Ice Age cave art in Britain.

He has led tours for Andante Travels since 2000, inspiring our travellers in the famous caves of France and Spain, in open air rock shelters in Portugal, and in Chile and Easter Island.

already travelled with paul on this tour?

He is also leading tours to...

Prehistoric Cave Art................. p.34 Dordogne .................................. p.46

Tour Code: (ALT16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

135

roman province of Lusitania

M

érida, the capital of Roman Lusitania was founded in 25BC by the victorious army of Emperor Augustus. During its imperial glory days, a plethora of grand Roman monuments were erected; many, including the Forum, triumphal arch and amphitheatre, dominate the town to this day.

Whilst the superb evidence of Romanisation here is the focus of our programme, it is enhanced by some spectacular prehistoric and Medieval sites along the way. Our journey takes us from the coast at Lisbon through beautiful countryside; we see prehistoric tombs, Roman towns, and the sites of the 19th century Peninsular War. Andy Fear is an expert on all things Iberian and will bring the vanished world of Roman Lusitania to life.

Mon 9th - Mon 16th May 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Denise Allen Sun 4th - Sun 11th Sep 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Andrew Fear 8 days Sep : £2,150 (sgl supp £290; without flights £1,930)

•

Glorious Roman monuments and feats of engineering in Spain and Portugal

•

A unique programme, we also take in prehistoric and medieval sites from the coast at Lisbon into Spanish Extremadura.

• Led by Roman expert and Hispanophile Dr Andrew Fear.

ITINER ARYED Day One Fly to Lisbon and drive to our Pousada hotel in Palmela.

Day Two By ferry to the site of Tróia, the largest fish-sauce production centre known from the Roman world. There are some 52 factories here in which the layers of salt and fish rotted to produce the ubiquitous sauces of the ancient world. We spend the afternoon exploring Évora, a former Roman town, and now a World Heritage Site. It still has Roman remains, notably, and in the late Medieval period was a favourite haunt of Portuguese monarchs.

Day Three We have a specially arranged visit of the palatial remains at the major Roman Villa of Pisões, which is usually closed to the public.

Gory boar hunt depicted in a mosaic in the Villa de las Tiendas, Merida.

136

We move on to São Cucufate, a Roman villa that was rebuilt on a grand scale with gardens and a small temple. We glimpse the pre-Roman past at the major prehistoric site of Os Almendres, the largest group of megaliths in Portugal. Finally, we visit Anta Grande do Zambujeiro, the largest prehistoric burial chamber in the Iberian peninsula.

Day Four Today, we drive to the border town of Badajoz, a town with a Moorish past, famously besieged by the British in 1812 during the Peninsular War. We visit the Alcazaba Museum, with its major collection of warrior stelae, we then continue to Mérida (Roman Emerita Augusta) named after the veterans who were settled here by Augustus.

Day Five Spend all day exploring Roman Mérida, a simple Spanish provincial town still dominated by the remains of its Roman past. It was important throughout the Roman period and beyond. The Roman remains are outstanding, including the bridge over the River Guadiana, a large amphitheatre, a splendid theatre, a fine circus and the ‘Temple of Diana’.

The Archaeological Museum has fine displays of objects, including mosaics.

View over the countryside from Medellín.

Continue to the old town of Cáceres, a perfectly preserved example of a Medieval town. We return to Mérida.

Day Seven We briefly leave the Romans behind to visit the castle at Medellín, the birthplace of conquistador and conqueror of the Aztecs, Hernan Cortés. This afternoon we return to Mérida for further exploration: including the Visigothic basilica of Sta Eulalia, who was martyred here in AD 304, and buried beneath the medieval parish church. We also visit the well preserved Roman circus nearby, where up to 30,000 spectators once gathered to watch the chariots race. We also marvel at the Roman dam of La Proserpina, which stored water for Roman Mérida to be transported by aqueduct.

Day Eight We visit the huge arches of the aqueduct known as Los Milagros, standing over 100 feet high, which brought water from the dam to the city.

Drive to Lisbon via the fortress town of Elvas; fly home.

Day Six We travel to Alcántara, home of one of Spain’s orders of crusading knights, and with a remarkable Roman bridge.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Roman Province of Lusitania SPAIN

GUIDE LECTURER

The Roman theatre at Mérida, originally constructed in the 1st century BC, with many subsequent additions and renovations throughout antiquity.

Portugal

“O

Alcántara Cáceres

ur ancestors waged war and wearied by it sought peace and paid tribute: for tribute is the price of peace.”

Orosius, Spanish priest of the 5th century AD

La Proserpina Elvas Lisbon Palmela Evora Troia Os Almendres Sâo Cucufate

Medellin Mérida Badajoz Spain

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Return flights London to Lisbon Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach, ferry Meals - All meals included - wine with dinners Entries & Tips: entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Prehistory

Hotel 1 night in a 4* Pousada hotel in a converted convent attached to a 17th century castle, on the hillside at Palmela; 2 nights in a 4* hotel within the walls of the historic centre of Évora with a pleasant garden and swimming pool; 4 nights in a Parador, another former convent, in central Mérida

Romans

Medieval

Historic Churches

Dr Denise Allen is Director of Archaeology at Andante Travels. She organises and arranges our tour programme. She began her archaeological career as a fulltime digger, working on sites all over the UK. She studied archaeology at Cardiff University and returned there to complete a PhD on Roman Glass.

Dr Andrew Fear is a Lecturer at the University of Manchester.

His main interests include Roman history, especially the later Roman Empire, the establishment of Christianity and the arrival of the Visigoths into Hispania.

He has authored books on the Roman archaeology of Cheshire and Staffordshire.

Tour Codes: May: Mon 9th - Mon 16th (SPA16A) September: Sun 4th - Sun 11th (SPA16B)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

137

rock art of scandinavia

R

ock art dating from the Neolithic through to the Iron Age is scattered throughout the landscape of Scandinavia. Our journey through Sweden and Norway takes us to the best of these enigmatic depictions - scenes of fighting, sun worship, chariots and boats that shed light on the everyday life and beliefs of the people inhabiting these dramatic landscapes over 3500 years ago.

Led by expert Dr Tertia Barnett, discover a Scandinavia that you never knew existed - stone circles, cairns and carved boulders hidden within Sweden and Norway’s varied and dramatic landscape.

Fri 1st - Fri 8th Jul 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Tertia Barnett 8 days Jul : £3,145 (sgl supp £535; without flights £2,945)

•

Ships, warriors and strange mythical beings - explore Scandinavia’s prehistory through the artistic traces left behind by its inhabitants.

• Visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Alta Rock Art Museum.

• Special evening visit to Tanum to see rock art depictions in a whole new

light.

ITINER ARYED Day One Fly to Oslo and drive to our hotel in Tanumshede.

Day Two We visit the Vitlycke museum which provides us with a comprehensive overview of Norway’s ancient rock carvings. A short walk to encounter remarkable rock art dating to the Neolithic including the famous ‘Bridal Couple’, sometimes also called the ’Holy Wedding’. We continue to see some of the excellent, wellpresented Bronze and Iron Age rock art sites in the Tanum region – such as Aspeberget, Litsleby, Fossum, Tegneby, Backa and Ryk. Here we can see varied depictions of ships, warriors, weapons, horses and solar symbolism, including the giant 3m high carving of the spearwielding warrior at Litsleby, thought to be an Iron Age representation of Odin.

Rock art of Alta - Norway’s only prehistoric World Heritage Site.

138

Day Three We traverse attractive woodland and rolling farmland on the hunt for more rock art at Tanum. An afternoon visit to Underslös Museum where we are met by the museum’s specialists.

A special evening visit in Tanum led by the museum’s curator, where we see the area’s carvings in torchlight, offering a completely different perspective.

Day Four We drive north back across the Norwegian border to the Østfold region, where we visit the Solberg Tower interpretation centre, an innovative portal (with fabulous views towards the coastline). Here we explore the rich history of the surrounding region. This includes medieval castles and manors, but above all a fine selection of Neolithic rock carvings and other monuments. After lunch we visit some of these sites, including Hunn, where there are 9 stone circles in addition to burial cairns. We continue to Oslo.

Day Five In Oslo where we see the Viking Ship Museum within the Museum of Cultural History. Highlights are the wonderfully elegant Gokstad and Oseberg ships as well as a host of archaeological material from elsewhere in the country. We then fly to Alta situated in the far north of Norway.

Hunn graveyard on the Østfold ‘Prehistoric Road’ stone circles and burial mounds can be seen here.

Day Six We visit Alta Rock Art Museum, which is the centre for the study and interpretation of the northern group of rock carvings, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Many of these carvings seem to have been made by huntergatherers along the ancient shoreline as early as 5200BC. The innovative display includes a number of rock art boulders. Trails from the museum lead around the bay to a series of panels and friezes depicting clusters and herds of animals. We continue our exploration with the rock art at Hjemmeluft, which includes a huge panel with over 1500 figures, thought to depict mythical scenes from the prehistoric belief system.

Day Seven A further morning’s exploration of the rock art at Hjemmeluft. We then take a boat trip along the Alta River to see some of the spectacular scenery and hopefully some local wildlife.

Day Eight We return back to London.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

NEW

Rock Art of Scandinavia SWEDEN & NORWAY

SMALL GROUP

Alta

Rock art found at Tanum. Depictions are often of people, animals and boats.

“B

ehind the mountain are people too” Swedish Proverb

Ostfold

Oslo Tanumshed Gothenburg

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Return flights London to Gothenburg. (Domestic flights Oslo to Alta inc. in without flights price) Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Rock Art

Prehistory

Vikings

Hotels 3 nights in a heritage listed hotel in Tanumshede 1 night in a hotel in Oslo 3 nights in a 4* modern hotel in Alta

GUIDE LECTURER Dr Tertia Barnett currently works for the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. She is particularly interested in the rock art of Britain and Europe. Tertia has conducted fieldwork projects in regions as diverse as Libya and Northumberland, and is working to raise awareness of Scotland’s rural past.

on the lookout for world heritage sites?

UNESCO sites also feature in...

Cambodia & Vietnam............... p.26 Dalmatia & Dubrovnik ............ p.30 Georgia ..................................... p.50 Mexico..................................... p.116 South Africa............................p.128 The Hittites............................. p.150 Uzbekistan.............................. p.162

Tour Code: (SRA16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

139

MEET THE VIKINGS

T

he Vikings were the great seafarers, raiders and traders of the Early Middle Ages. Far from being a race of unwashed barbarians, they presided over a trading network which extended from Greenland to Baghdad. They fought with swords forged from Afghan steel, imported silk from China, reached the coast of North America and sent mercenaries to Constantinople.

Following in the Vikings’ footsteps, we make our own epic voyage across Europe. Beginning in York, we continue to Germany, Denmark and Sweden.

Led by Viking expert Brian Ayers, we seek out trading towns, treasure, kings and longships. Trace the rise of this great civilisation whose ruthless skill and daring inspired awe and terror throughout Northern Europe and beyond.

Sat 9th - Thu 21st Jul 2016 Guide Lecturer: Brian Ayers 13 days Jul : £3,925 (sgl supp £595; without flights £3,705)

•

Britain, Germany, Denmark, Sweden: a unique and epic sweep through the lands of the Vikings.

•

Raiders, traders, explorers and craftsmen; discover every aspect of this great Northern European people.

•

Sail and row a Viking longship. Visit runestones, kingly burials and the great trading ports of Hedeby, Ribe and Birka.

ITINER ARYED Day One & Two We meet in York and plunge into the Viking era at the Jorvik Viking Centre with its fascinating recreation of life in Viking-Age York. York was a Viking city after its conquest by Ivar the Boneless in AD 867 and remained a thorn in the side of the emerging Kingdom of England. After lunch we continue to Yorkshire Museum to see their Anglo Scandinavian collection.

Day Three Continue our exploration of Viking York, before driving to Manchester for our flights to Hamburg.

Day Four An introduction to Viking Germany at Hedeby, a trading settlement on the Baltic coast, while Ribe, in Denmark, was on the North Sea. They were the greatest Viking cities of their time and excavations at both have revealed the Viking’s international links.

Day Five Begin the day at Ravning Enge where excavations have revealed the remains of a huge bridge, a considerable feat of Viking engineering, and Jelling famous for its huge decorated runestones.

On to Silkeborg Museum to see the preserved body of the Iron Age Tollund Man, a victim buried and preserved in a peat bog.

Day Six Visit the only known example of a ship burial in Denmark at Ladby where the excavated ship can be seen below a reconstructed mound. We also visit the Trelleborg ring fortress – one of a number of extraordinary, well-planned circular forts built at the time of King Harald Bluetooth in the 10th century.

On to Copenhagen.

Day Seven Trade was not the only source of wealth and rural manors were a vital sign of power and source of income. We visit Gammel Lejre – a major royal rural centre, with traces of settlements.

Special access to Roskilde Ship Museum where we have the chance to row and sail a Viking longship!

Ale Stenar ship burial in Sweden.

140

Day Eight We spend a full day in Copenhagen to see the Viking treasures at the National Museum of Denmark. Afternoon optional walk around Copenhagen’s historic centre or free time to explore the Danish capital at your leisure.

Grand romanesque architecture of Lund Cathedral.

Day Nine Into Sweden to see how the Vikings lived at Foteviken, an expertly reconstructed Viking era village complete with long-houses, weaponry, market and longship. We drive to Ystad to see the Ale Stenar ship burial.

Day Ten We explore the trading city of Lund, once the meeting place of the Thing, the governing body of Viking Sweden.

Visit the cathedral and museum before taking the train to Stockholm.

Day Eleven We begin the day visiting the runestones and mound at Anundshög, a Viking assembly place. In the afternoon we visit Gamla Uppsala, the old royal centre of Sweden.

Day Twelve Spend our final day at the great Swedish trading port of Birka where goods were prepared for their journeys throughout the Viking world.

Day Thirteen Our last visit is the amazingly complete Vasa warship, which sank 1300 m into her maiden voyage in 1628, and was excavated from the seabed. We then fly back to Manchester.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Meet The Vikings SWEDEN, GERMANY, DENMARK & UK

SMALL GROUP

GUIDE LECTURER

Above - Ship settings at Anundshög; Right - the fearsome prow of a Viking longship.

Brian Ayers is an expert in Medieval archaeology, and is Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of East Anglia.

He has a keen interest in the rise of the Vikings across Northern Europe and beyond.

Brian is an expert in the origins and development of towns on both sides of the North Sea during the early Medieval period.

“O

ur supreme and holy Grace, protecting us and ours, deliver us, God, from the savage race of Northmen which lays waste our realms” 9th-century prayer

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - (Domestic flights Manchester to Hamburg inc. in without flights price) Stockholm to Manchester Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - Most meals included Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included *No flights price includes flight Manchester to Hamburg on Day 3

Special Access

Small Group

Cultural

Prehistory

Hotels 2 nights in a hotel in historic York 1 night in a comfortable hotel in Schleswig 2 nights in a modern hotel in the historic centre of Arhus, 3 nights in a stylish hotel in Copenhagen 1 night in a comfortable hotel in Lund 3 nights in a modern Stockholm hotel

Vikings

Medieval

Conflict

Great Cities

want to discover the prehistoric world?

You may wish to consider....

Baltic Amber Trail.................... p.22 Prehistoric Czech Republic....... p.34 The Ice Man and His World... p.102 Rock Art of Scandinavia......... p.138

Tour Code: (IVI16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

141

TUNISIA-PUNIC WARS

T

his is where dramatic events changed ancient history - the superpowers of Carthage and Rome clashed in three Punic Wars. Lasting more than 100 years the conflict ultimately resulted in the destruction of Carthage and assured Roman ascendancy. Join us to explore the ruins of the Roman era, which stand, still majestic, in the beautiful, verdant North African countryside.

We travel from the ruins of Carthage itself to the magnificent Roman towns and monuments of Roman Tunisia. These are places which should truly be on the wish list of every archaeological traveller: the amphitheatre at El Djem; the beautiful, remote site of Dougga and vast intricate mosaics, which bring the world of Roman Africa vividly to life.

Thu 24th Mar - Fri 1st Apr 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Julian Bennett 9 days Mar : £2,095 (sgl supp £195; without flights £1,775)

• Carthage vs. Rome: a clash of superpowers which changed the ancient world forever.

•

Three of the world’s finest mosaic museums recently refurbished and re-opened: the Bardo in Tunis, Sousse and El Djem.

•

Unrivalled classical archaeology: from the capitol at Dougga to the amphitheatre at El Djem.

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Tunis and transfer to our hotel in the historic centre of the city.

Day Two We begin with a visit to the Bardo Museum, housed in a former Royal Palace and full of colourful mosaics with detailed scenes of Roman life and mythology. On to Carthage itself. We explore the Byrsa Hill, where ill-fated Queen Dido is said to have first founded her city. The foundations of the Roman Forum later smashed through Punic houses. We then examine the enormous Roman Antonine Baths and other sites in the city.

Day Three We take a beautiful drive to see the stone quarries at El Haouaria, from where building material was shipped to Carthage. Continue to the ruinous town of Kerkouane, the only Phoenician

The Capitol at Thuburbo Maius - pagan temple which became an olive oil factory in early Christian times.

142

settlement found in Tunisia which was not built over in Roman times. We have a picnic lunch here before we head to Nabeul, Roman Neapolis, which has a small museum with some very fine mosaics, as well as the remains of ‘garum’ tanks where the fermented fish sauce was made, surprisingly close to some wealthy villas.

Day Four One of the highlights of our tour is the site of Dougga, possibly the most famous site in Roman Tunisia, which stands majestically against a steep hillside, with sweeping views out over the surrounding countryside. We explore the capitol, which is one of the most aesthetically pleasing ruins in the world, and the many houses which surround it, with mosaics in situ.

Day Five Short drive to Musti, little visited now but once an important colony where veteran Roman soldiers were rewarded with land. We continue to Makhtar, with a spectacular paved forum, huge baths and an amphitheatre. Continue to Kairouan.

Day Six We travel across the plains to Thuburbo Maius, a Roman city lying untouched amidst the fields, in a plain surrounded by distant hills and mountains - a particularly beautiful setting. After a picnic lunch on site we continue to the graceful arches of the aqueduct which once carried water from Zaghouan to Carthage.

The Capitol at Dougga, with the apotheosis of Antoninus Pius.

Day Seven Today we visit Sousse Museum, full of wonderful mosaics and reopened after being extensively refurbished. We spend the afternoon on foot in Kairouan, exploring the town’s historic Medina and mosques.

Day Eight We reach the spectacular amphitheatre at El Djem, one of the largest in the Roman world, and the southern extent of our tour. The huge drum of the seating area still dominates the modern town. We visit the site museum of Roman Thysdrus at El Djem, which has an exceptional collection of mosaics.

Return to Kairouan where we have free time this afternoon.

Day Nine On our final morning we have a special tour of the ancient hot spring at Jebel Oust and the Enfida Byzantine Mosaic Museum.

We then transfer to the airport for return flights home from Tunis.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Tunisia - Punic Wars TUNISIA

GUIDE LECTURER

A young Dionysus rides a lion in procession with his followers - mosaic in El Djem museum.

“C

arthage must be destroyed.”

Tunis

Bulla Regia

Cato, 175 BC

Dougga

Chemtou Oudna

Carthage

Kerkouane

Nabeul Sousse Kairouan

Tunisia

El Djem

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Return flights from London to Tunis Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - wine with dinners Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Low Single Supplement

All Inclusive

Hotels 3 nights in an excellent 4* hotel in central Tunis, close to the medina 1 night in a very simple hotel close to Dougga - the only available hotel which allows us to spend a whole day on site 4 nights in a stylish 4* hotel in Kairouan converted from the kasbah

Cultural

Romans

Conflict

Dr Julian Bennett lives and works in Ankara, where he is Assistant Professor in the Department of Archaeology at Bilkent University. A Roman specialist, he is particularly interested in the military history, art and architecture of the late Eastern Roman Empire.

interested in roman warfare?

Roman Germany....................... p.52 Samnites - Enemies of Rome... p.100 Romans, Visigoths & Viziers. p.130

Tour Code: (TUN16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

143

turkey

the aegean coast of Turkey

T

he ruined cities of the Aegean coast were once some of the most powerful city states of the ancient world. Ephesus, Miletus and Pergamon: famed since antiquity for their temples and libraries. They form some of the most beautifully-situated archaeological ruins in the world: golden columns and terraced theatres nestling in the hills above the Aegean sea.

We finish by the sea at the mouth of the Maeander to see Miletus, home of philosophers and the beginning of the processional way to Didyma, where the oracular god could be consulted. Visit Ephesus, one of the most famous of the ancient cities. It may be much visited, but there are some still-hidden and lesser-known architectural treasures waiting to be discovered...

Sat 2nd - Tue 12th April 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Denise Allen Sat 24th Sep - Tue 4th Oct 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Philippa Walton 11 days Apr & Oct : £2,575 (sgl supp £495; without flights £2,255)

•

Gaze on the mighty walls of Troy, and follow in the footsteps of Achilles and Alexander the Great.

•

Great Classical cities - Ephesus, Pergamon, Miletus, Aphrodisias - as well as evocative lesser-known ruins.

•

Beautiful landscapes of the Aegean Coast: blue sea, rugged hills, traditional villages away from the resorts.

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Istanbul and transfer to our hotel overlooking the Bosphorus.

Day Two We travel to Çannakale and continue to the site of ancient Troy, evoking Homer’s epic poem and the efforts of archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann. It is tantalising to imagine the Greek army ranged across the landscape, while Paris strode the walls of the city and Hector duelled with Achilles.

Day Three This morning we take a scenic drive high into the hills to the site of Assos, on a rocky ridge, one of the most beautifully situated ancient sites in the world. We explore the well-preserved Doric temple to Athena.

Day Four We spend the day at the great Greek city of Pergamon, where the remains

The extraordinarily steep Hellenistic theatre on the acropolis at Pergamon.

146

are spread over a wide area. Our explorations include the Aesclepion, which was famous as a healing centre.

Continue to the Acropolis, the theatre, and altar of Zeus.

Day Five Brief brush with the Hittites – an ancient Bronze Age Turkish civilisation - at the Karabel rock relief, then drive inland to Sardis, with its massive gymnasium and bath-house and finely preserved Temple of Artemis. On to Pamukkale, the limescale ‘cotton castle’.

Day Six We explore ancient Hierapolis, with extensive tombs, a ‘Plutonium’ (shrine to the underworld deity Pluto) and oracular Temple of Apollo. The limescale formations with cascading pools and hot springs make this site very picturesque. Free afternoon.

Day Seven Drive east up the valley of the Maeander river, through some magnificent scenery to the site of Aphrodisias. The mountains produced very fine white marble, and the city became famous for its sculptors.

Day Eight We venture off the beaten track to the ancient site of Alinda, in a very beautiful setting. Not much is known of the site’s early history, but its impressive remains include a threestoreyed market. Alternatively you may wish to have a day at rest in Kusadasi.

Goddess from the baths at Aphrodisias. The paint in her eyes and hair still survives.

Day Nine We spend the morning at the magical site of Priene, on a peaceful wooded hillside. The Temple of Athena, theatre and agora stand as very substantial ruins. We follow in the footsteps of the Greeks to Didyma, a huge temple which housed a shrine to Apollo.

End the day at Miletus, home of philosophers and scientists.

Day Ten Our tour culminates at Ephesus, one of the highlights of western Turkey. This was one of the richest cities in Asia Minor and continued to thrive through the Roman period.

We have special access to the Roman terraced houses, with painted walls and mosaics now beautifully restored, with a talk from the curator.

After exploring the city we visit the newly reopened museum, housing treasures from the site. End the day at the fortifications and Basilica of St John at Selçuk, the city which replaced Ephesus in Medieval times Day Eleven Drive to Izmir for flights home via Istanbul.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

The Aegean Coast Of Turkey TURKEY Tekirdag

The Library of Celsus at Ephesus would have stored 12,000 scrolls and was also a monumental tomb built by a son for his father.

GUIDE LECTURERS

Istanbul

Canakkale Troy

“S

Assos Ayvalik Pergamon

ing, goddess, of Achilles ruinous anger Which brought ten thousand pains to the Achaeans, And cast the souls of many stalwart heroes To Hades, and their bodies to the dogs and birds of prey.”

Opening lines of Homer’s Illiad, charting the siege of Troy

Izmir

Turkey

Karabel

Hierapolis

Sardis Ephesus Priene Miletus

Pamukkale Aphrodisias

Selçuk Kusadasi Didyma

Alinda

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Scheduled flights London to Istanbul; Izmir to London Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Prehistory

Hotels -1 night in a modern and comfortable hotel in Tekirdag; 1 night in a hotel situated in the old fishing harbour at Assos, conveniently close to the site; 1 night in a seafront hotel on a small island, in Ayvalik; 1 night in a comfortable hotel in Izmir city centre; 2 nights in a modern hotel with a pool, in Pamukkale; 4 nights in a hotel near the centre of Kusadasi on the seafront

Greeks

Romans

Medieval

Historic Churches

Dr Denise Allen FSA is Andante Travels Director of Archaeology and a specialist in the Roman and Classical World. She has published many reports and books on Roman glass. In her role at Andante she has travelled all over the Classical world and continues to plan, research and lead many of our tours.

Dr Philippa Walton is a Research Fellow at the University of Oxford specialising in the classical civilisations of the Eastern Mediterranean. She studied Classics at Cambridge, and completed her doctoral research at UCL. She has excavated extensively in Turkey.

Tour Codes: April: Sat 2nd - Tue 12th (AEG16A) September: Sat 24th - Tue 4th Oct (AEG16B)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

147

WALKING ISTANBUL

E

scape the crowds around Istanbul’s major monuments and discover the hidden corners and vibrant street life of this great city, in the company of a man who knows Istanbul inside out. Walk in the shadow of the 5th-century AD Theodosian Walls through back streets and alleyways; past mosques, churches, market gardens and local bazaars.

Not for the faint hearted, this is a walking tour through the densely populated and often chaotic metropolis of Istanbul and its suburbs. Make your way through crowded bazaars, and bustling streets; although along the Theodosian Walls we will find surprisingly quiet areas of market gardens, cemeteries and parks. Join us and escape the tourist traps, and go off the beaten track.

Mon 25th Apr - Sun 1st May 2016 Thu 6th - Wed 12th Oct 2016 Guide Lecturer: Terry Richardson 7 days Apr & Oct : £2,215 (sgl supp £465; without flights £2,125)

•

Visit the newly restored Mihrimah Sultan Camii, the most prominent landmark in Istanbul.

•

Let the the author of the ‘Rough Guides’ to Turkey and Istanbul, Terry Richardson, guide you through the largest city in Turkey.

•

Located in the heart of old city centre, your hotel is the perfect base - just a short walk from the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, the Underground Cistern, Grand Bazaar and many more must-see attractions.

ITINER ARY Day One We arrive in Istanbul.

Day Two We pay our first visit to the magnificent Walls of Theodosius, which protected Constantinople for over 1000 years.

We’ll travel to the great Ottoman Turkish fortification of Yedikule and the Golden Gate. We enter the old city through the Mevlana Gate, and then visit Zoodochus Pege, a 19th century Greek Orthodox church, built over older Byzantine foundations. We’ll end the day at the Panorama 1453 Museum.

Day Three Today’s journey begins atop the city’s third hill, at the sublime Suleymaniye Mosque complex. We’ll drop down through a bustling bazaar to the Rustem Pasa Camii. After exploring the Ottoman-era Spice Bazaar, we cross the Galata Bridge to the ‘European’ side of the city. We visit the Jewish

Arches of the aqueduct of Valens.

148

Museum, then ride the late 19th century underground funicular towards the Crimean Memorial Church.

Time for cake and coffee and Lebon Patisserie, then the Galata Mevelevi Museum and Galata Tower, one of the city’s most striking landmarks. We end the day by visiting the Arap Mosque, once the largest church in Galata and the only example of medieval religious Gothic architecture left in Turkey.

Day Four We spend today visiting the famous landmarks of Sultanahmet, the historic centre of Istanbul. The Topkapı Palace was the rambling palace complex of the Ottoman sultans until they moved in the 19th century to a French-style palace on the Bosphorus water-front.

The Topkapı Palace is now a museum, and is a veritable treasure-house of architecture and applied arts. The great basilica of Haghia Sophia, the church of the Holy Wisdom of God, was built

by Justinian in the early 6th century.

We also see the famous mosque of Sultan Ahmet (‘Blue Mosque’), with its cascading domes, multiple minarets, and beautiful interior, richly blue with the finest tiles from the imperial tilemakers of Iznik. We finish at the nearby Hippodrome, once filled with the roar of the crowd watching chariot races.

Day Five Today, we walk from the aqueduct of Valens to the Golden Horn. Along the way, we pass by the remains of the Church of St Polyeuctus, then head north to the Fatih Mosque. We continue to Sultan and Aspar cisterns,

Rustem Pasa Camii mosque.

then Yavuz Selim tomb and Mosque and Fethiye Museum.

We have special access to the church of Mary of the Mongols this afternoon.

You can then choose whether to end your day with a short cruise on the Bosphorus, or a visit to the marvellous Istanbul Archaeological Museum.

Day Six After breakfast, we walk along the walls from Topkapi. We begin at the Mihrimah Camii, a newly-restored Ottoman mosque, set on the old city’s highest hill. We continue north to the Kariye Museum, which was once the Church of St Saviour Chora. We’ll pass the remnants of the Palace of Porphyrogenitus and continue along Egri Gate and past a tomb of a follower of Mohammed. We wind our way down the steep slope to the end of the Land Walls, completing the circuit begun on our first day in the city.

Day Seven We return home.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Walking Istanbul TURKEY

SMALL GROUP

GUIDE LECTURER

Above: The entrance to the Blue Mosque.

Terry Richardson has a background in Ancient History and Classical Civilisation. He is the author of the Rough Guides to Turkey and Istanbul, and is the co-author of ‘The Lycian Way’. He has lived in southwest Turkey and speaks Turkish.

“I

f one had but a single glance to give the world, one should gaze on Istanbul.”

Alphonse de Lamartine

Right: Entrance to the Topkapi Palace.

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Return flights London to Istanbul Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Small Group

Hotels 6 nights in 1 hotel located in the heart of old city centre - just a short walk from attractions including: the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and Grand Bazaar.

Just One Hotel

Medieval

Great Cities

Historic Churches

already travelled with terry on this tour?

He is also leading tours to...

Bulgaria..................................... p.24 Corsica...................................... p.44 North-East Turkey.................. p.152

Tour Codes: April : Mon 25th - Sun 1st May (IST16A) October : Thu 6th - Wed 12th (IST16B)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

149

THE HITTITES

A

sk most archaeology enthusiasts about the Hittites and they will most likely meet you with a blank face. Extraordinary really, when you consider that this Bronze Age, Anatolian civilisation ruled a vast swathe of Asia Minor, building cities designing monumental engineering and developing Iron-Age technology from 1600 to 1100BC. Join us as we shine a light on the Hittites amid the beautiful hills and plains of Anatolia. From Ankara to Alaca Höyük, this tour offers a real exploration of Ancient Turkey. We encounter ancient citadels, formidable fortifications and rock reliefs and tombs. Venture away from the tourist trail. This trip is a must for anyone wishing to see an entirely different Turkey.

Mon 9th - Mon 16th May 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Michael Brown 8 days May : £2,450 (sgl supp £210; without flights £1,995)

•

Discover the world of the Hittites, one of the dominant civilisations of the Bronze Age.

•

Follow the story through to the Iron Age, and the Phrygians who were their successors.

•

Based in Ankara, with the opportunity to explore Turkey’s capital city, and a two night excursion to Bogazkale, in the Hittite heartland

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Ankara.

Day Two We begin with an introduction to the archaeology of Turkey in the splendid Museum of Anatolian Civilisations - situated in two historic Ottoman buildings near Ankara Castle. Amongst the treasures we will find from the Hittite sites include bronze ceremonial standards and statues, and a relief of the God of War from the King’s Gate at Hattuşa. Enjoy a guided walk around the old town and citadel of Ankara, dating from the 9th century. The city was perhaps first settled in the Hittite period, although surviving remains (baths, temple and column) date from the Roman period, when it became the capital of the province of Galatia. It was named capital of Turkey in 1923. Enjoy some free time this afternoon. You can visit more modern marvels such as the huge mausoleum built for Ataturk.

Day Three We travel east to the great capital of the Hittites at Hattuşa, identified as such in the early 20th century and excavated on and off ever since. The fortifications enclose a huge area of royal residences, temples and administrative buildings, and have an elaborate ceremonial entrance which may have been used for processions. An elaborate shrine has been found not far away at Yazılıkaya, decorated with carved processions of deities, male and female, as well as a large figure of King Tudhaliya IV. We spend tonight in Asikoglu in Bogazkale.

Day Four Alaca Höyük an important late Hittite walled settlement with early Bronze Age tombs. Nearby is a reconstructed Hittite dam. Şapinuva was only discovered relatively recently, and excavations have shown it to be a high status Hittite town. About 4000 cuneiform tablets have been found here dating to the early 14th century BC. The finds are in Çorum Museum.

Day Five Kerkenes Dag, a low mountain once sacred to the Hittites, and later inhabited by Phrygians. Their city of Pteria is the largest known in Anatolia before the time of Alexander the Great.

Ruins of old Hittite capital Hattusa

150

A tunnel in the ancient city of Gordion.

Day Six We explore Gordion, the early Iron Age Phrygian capital today, which takes our story beyond the collapse of the Hittite civilisation. It was later made famous

by Alexander the Great’s visit, during which he solved the problem of the Gordian knot by slicing through it to fulfil the prophecy of becoming king of the world….. for a short time.

Day Seven We discover two lesser known sites outside Ankara: Gavur Kalesi, with Hittite rock reliefs and rock cut tombs, and Karaoglan, where there are huge Phrygian tumuli. We return to Ankara on our last afternoon. There will be more time for exploration – or you could even do some shopping in Ankara’s many department stores and bazaars….

Day Eight We return home today.

We have special access here both to the excavations and the eco-project involving the villagers – who provide us with a delicious traditional lunch.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

The Hittites TURKEY

NEW

GUIDE LECTURER

The Sphinx Gate at Alaca Höyük.

“S

o, too, we may imagine that the sight of the hieroglyphs of Egypt, and the knowledge that thoughts could be conveyed by them, suggested to some Hittite genius the idea of inventing a similar means of intercommunication for his own people” A.H. Sayce, The Hittites: The Story of a Forgotten Empire

Sapinuva Bogazkale

Ankara Gordion

Karaoglan

Kerkenes Dagi

Gavurkale Aniti

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Return flights London to Ankara Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Low Single Supplement

All Inclusive

Hotels 2+3 nights in a large modern hotel in Ankara 2 nights in a simple hotel in Bogazkale

Prehistory

Greeks

Dr Michael Brown is an archaeologist who specialises in the Mediterranean and Near Eastern Bronze and Iron Ages, particularly the Hittite period.

He is especially interested in prehistoric landscapes. He has excavated in Cyprus, Jordan, Syria and the UK.

keen to explore other bronze age civilisations?

Cyprus - The South................... p.32 Egypt - Land of the Pharaohs.... p.38 Crete & Santorini..................... p.62

Tour Code: (HIT16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

151

NORTH EAST TURKEY

T

he dramatic landscapes between the Black Sea and Lake Van include the snow-capped peak of the extinct volcano of Mount Ararat. The name Ararat is a derivation of ‘Urartu’, an enigmatic ancient kingdom which wielded great power over a huge highland territory. We visit a number of their spectacularly situated citadels, built during the political upheavals of the 1st century BC. The kingdom was taken by the Armenians, whose conversion to Christianity in AD301 by St Gregory the Illuminator brought a new religious landscape to the region. Our tour finishes at the glorious Lake Van - a fitting end to an exceptionally beautiful journey,exploring this remote region, far beyond the reach of most tourists.

Sat 24th Sep - Tue 4th Oct 2016 Guide Lecturer: Terry Richardson 11 days Sep : £3,100 (sgl supp £415; without flights £2,695)

•

Remote highland kingdom of the Urartu, an extraordinarily advanced Bronze-Age people who left behind immense fortified cities.

•

Spectacular scenery – snow-capped peaks, volcanic craters and the blue waters of Lake Van.

• Medieval castles, churches and monasteries on the lake shore.

• We will talk with excavators at either Ani on Day 5 or Ahlat on Day 7.

ITINER ARYED Day One We arrive in Trabzon.

Day Two We begin at the Black Sea city of Trabzon, once a stop on the silk road, and where Greek General Xenophon marched in 401BC with 10,000 troops from the Zigana Pass, as recorded in his Anabasis. We visit the Church of Haghia Sofia, with Byzantine murals, and the citadel.

Day Three Leave Trabzon and travel to Sumela Monastery, which dates from the 6th century, although most visible remains are 13th and 14th. The monastery was hastily abandoned in 1923, when Christian and Muslim populations were separated in Turkey and Greece, and has recently undergone extensive restoration. We drive on over the Zigana Pass and along the old silk road to Erzurum, the highest city in Turkey.

Day Four We visit the 13th century mosque Cifte Minare Medrese at Erzurum. The city, once a military stronghold of the Eastern Roman Empire, also has a fine archaeological museum, which we visit to view examples of Urartian pottery.

We continue to Kars, historic town originally founded by the Armenians.

Day Five We continue our exploration of early Armenian history at Ani. If excavation dates coincide, we will have a talk by one of the excavators here.

It was a natural fortress, defended on two sides by deep ravines, and with built fortifications of sandstone and volcanic rock to the north. The medieval city has some impressive remains, including a Cathedral, a Citadel, and the Church of the Holy Apostles. The 13th century Church of St Gregory the Illuminator still has some fine frescoes. In the afternoon we return to Kars, to visit to the citadel and church of the Holy Apostles.

Day Six We drive to Dogubayazit, a town, castle and palace, with view of Mount Ararat.

There is a fine Urartian rock relief to the west of the castle, which can be seen from afar. We visit the nearby 17th century Ishak Pasha Palace.

Dogubayazit castle.

of Ahlat with monumental tombs (kumbets) and elaborately decorated gravestones (khachtars), largely of the Mongol period. We continue to Tatvan Fortress constructed by the Seljuk Turks.

Day Eight We drive up to the volcanic crater rim of Nemrut Dag, overlooking the west end of Lake Van. The name means ‘Mountain of Nimrud’, the legendary hunter. We continue to Bitlis, and the formerly Armenian village of Por. Day Nine We travel around the south shore of Lake Van to visit the famous 10th century Akhtamar Island Church with Old Testament scenes in relief, including David and Goliath.

Day Ten We explore Old Van, including the burial chambers of the Urartian King Argishti in the western wing of Van Kale, the Citadel and Museum.

Day Eleven We fly from Van to London via Istanbul.

Day Seven We continue to the Medieval city Akhtamar Church on Lake Van. 152

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

North East Turkey TURKEY

GUIDE LECTURER

The remains of statues of Gods and Kings in Nemrut Dag, Mount Nemrut.

Trabzon

“T

Kars

he gods had to clear out the canals; Had to clear channels, the lifelines of the land; The gods dug out the Tigris river bed; And then they dug out the Euphrates.”

Sumerian Creation myth.

Ani

Erzurum Dogubeyazit

Turkey

Terry Richardson has a university background in Ancient History and Classical Civilisation. He is the author of the Rough Guides to Turkey and Istanbul, and is the co-author and photographer of ‘The Lycian Way’. He has lived and worked in southwest Turkey and speaks Turkish.

Ahlat Nemrut Dag Van Tatvan Akhtamar Hosap

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - London to Trabzon; Van to London, both via Istanbul Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme and tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Cultural

Prehistory

Hotels 2 nights in a hotel in Trabzon 1 night in a comfortable hotel in Erzurum with mountain views 2 nights in a hotel in Kars 1 night in a hotel near Dogubayazit with Mount Ararat in the background 1 night in a lodge near Mt Nemrut 3 nights in a new, modern hotel in the centre of Van

Romans

Medieval

Historic Churches

considering a city break?

We also offer tours to...

Berlin........................................ p.54 Thessaloniki............................... p.60 Rome with the Sistine Chapel...p.82

Tour Code: (NET16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

153

walking prehistoric wessex T

he green valleys and rolling chalk downlands of Wessex were once the ceremonial heartlands of prehistoric Britain - the focus of such intense and sustained ritual activity that the resulting monuments have defined these landscapes ever since. Explore on foot this timeless landscape, from the source to the mouth of the River Avon. Discover ancient henges, Bronze Age barrows, Roman villages, and Norman cathedrals.

Follow in the footsteps of ancient, prehistoric people whose profound mark on the British landscape endures to this day. Big things really do come in small packages. Nowhere else in the world could you find such an outstanding selection of sites covering thousands of years of history.

Sat 14th - Fri 20th May 2016 Guide Lecturer: Martin Brown 7 days May: £1,845 (sgl supp £200)

•

A landscape of rites and ritual - deciphered by expert guides who have spent their careers investigating these great prehistoric monuments.

•

The perfect ‘first taste’ of Andante - we have been introducing guests to the henges, barrows, lumps and bumps for more than 30 years!

•

Enjoy a handling session of the amazing archaeological collections assembled by farmer and archaeologist Dr. Martin Green, and receive a special tour of his farm.

ITINER ARYED Day One We meet in Devizes (optional pick-up from Salisbury Railway Station).

Day Two We begin at the fresh water spring at Stanton St Bernard, one of the primary sources of the River Avon as it bubbles its way onwards. We take a steep walk up the chalk escarpment to Marden village, where we see the least known of all the Wessex Henge monuments.

We are rewarded with fantastic views over the Vale of Pewsey in one direction and Salisbury Plain from the other.

We visit the hillfort of Casterley Camp before returning to the river at West Chisenbury. 9.5 miles We stop to see the huge Iron Age midden and field lynchets at East Chisenbury, during a specially arranged visit onto MOD land.

11th century Christchurch Priory, Dorset.

154

We have special permission to walk over the military ranges on MOD land to the east of the Avon.

Day Three We move on to Chisenbury Warren Roman Village, an earthwork site. We follow Old Marlborough road, taking a slight diversion to Snail Down barrow cemetery. We walk to Sidbury Hillfort, and examine a series of Bronze Age linear ditches and fields. We also view a First World War practice trench system at Dunch Hill. (10.5 miles) Day Four We begin at Old Sarum. Originally an Iron Age hillfort, it became the focus of Old Sarum, the medieval city with its Norman cathedral, and walk into ‘New Sarum’, Salisbury, to visit the mighty Gothic cathedral and close. We enjoy an afternoon visit to the South Wiltshire Museum, where we view the archaeological collections. We carry on to the 15th century church of St. Thomas Becket to view the fine mural of the last Judgement. (3 miles) Day Five We start at Cranbourne Chase, where British field archaeology was created in the 19th century. First stop is Martin Down Nature Reserve, then Bockerley Dyke, a massive Iron Age bank and ditch system. We follow this for a few miles, passing the long barrows at the end of the Dorset cursus to ‘Grim’s Ditch.’ We also stop at the prehistoric

Old Sarum, the predecessor to the nearby site of New Sarum or Salisbury.

settlement on Tidpit Common and Rockbourne Roman Villa.

(10.5 miles) We visit Dr. Martin Green’s farm, for a special tour and handling session of the amazing archaeological collections he has assembled.

Day Six We spend the day in a completely different landscape, the New Forest.

We walk alongside the Avon then cross onto the forest proper. We discover Bronze Age round barrows and the sites of Roman kilns - part of the once extensive New Forest pottery industry.

We end the day on Rockford Common.

(10 miles) Day Seven We arrive at the mouth of the Avon.

We explore Christchurch, its castle, Minster church and museum. This afternoon we continue westwards along the river to Devil’s Dykes Iron Age fortification. Our last visit is to Hengistbury Head, the great Iron Age emporium in its dyked enclosure. We depart for our return to Salisbury and Devizes, for those who have cars there.

(4 miles)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Walking Prehistoric Wessex UK

SMALL GROUP

GUIDE LECTURER

Above: The remains of Christchurch castle, Dorset; Right: Rockford Common in the New Forest.

Martin Brown is an experienced archaeologist and regular broadcaster.

He previously managed the MOD’s historic landscapes.

He has undertaken Great War-related excavations in Britain, France and Belgium.

Martin views the battlefields as cultural landscapes with many layers of meaning and association and as a part of a continuing landscape story.

“H

aving retired from active service on account of ill-health, and being incapable of strong physical exercise, I determined to devote the remaining portion of my life chiefly to an examination of the antiquities on my own property.”

Pitt Rivers: Excavations in Cranborne Chase

WHAT’S INCLUDED Meet at our hotel in Devizes Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach to the beginning and from the end of each day’s walking with occasional optional drop-out points Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Hotels 2 nights in a friendly historic inn in Devizes 4 nights in a characteristic hotel dating back to the 17th century in Salisbury

Special Access

All Inclusive

Small Group

Low Single Supplement

N.B We will walk around 10 miles a day from Day 2 - 6. We will walk around 4 miles on Day 7.

Romans

Prehistory

want to discover the prehistoric world?

He is also leading tours to...

Baltic Amber Trail.................... p.22 Prehistoric Czech Republic....... p.34 The Ice Man and His World... p.102 Rock Art of Scandinavia......... p.138

Tour Code: (WWA16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

155

the story of wessex

T

he chalk downs of the ancient kingdom of Wessex have been a focus for monumental building and funerary ritual over more than five millennia.

Henges, burial mounds of all shapes and sizes, causewayed camps, early field systems and ‘cursus’ monuments are scattered everywhere, forming a landscape full of clues and interest.

This was the very first Andante Tour, and our experts have been introducing people to these monuments for several decades now! This very privileged tour includes private access inside the stones at Stonehenge in the early morning.

Extraordinary access to Britain’s best-known archaeological site, whose monumental bluestones have graced the landscape for thousands of years.

Fri 20th - Sun 22nd May 2016 Guide Lecturer: Julian Richards 3 days May : £595 No single supplement

•

Private visit inside the stones at Stonehenge in the early morning.

• A landscape of rites and ritual - deciphered by expert Julian Richards.

• Special access to Devizes Museum, with a guided tour by the

Museum Director followed by dinner at the museum.

ITINER ARYED Day One We meet in Devizes for an introductory lecture before dinner.

Day Two Begin at the great henge of Avebury, so huge that part of the modern village still lies within it. With intact ditch and bank fortifications, it is one of the best-preserved and largest henges in Europe. We walk to West Kennet long barrow, a Neolithic chambered tomb.

We also pass by the still-mysterious Silbury Hill. The largest man-made mound in Europe.

This evening we have special access to Wiltshire Heritage Museum, Devizes, which houses collections including gold work from around Stonehenge. We have a guided tour by Museum Director, David Dawson and a special dinner at the Museum.

Day Three We have an early start this morning to take advantage of our special access to Stonehenge - an unforgettable experience amongst the huge stones.

The new visitor centre has transformed the setting of the monument. We walk through the wider prehistoric landscape – the cursus, King Barrow and the avenue.

unyielding raw material. We return to Devizes, where we disperse.

After lunch at a local restaurant we visit Salisbury Museum to see the excellent new Wessex Gallery. We have also arranged a private demonstration of flint-knapping. Much enjoyed by previous guests, this gives a real sense of the skill and craftsmanship of our prehistoric forebears. You cannot help but admire their ability to fashion not only functional (and sharp!) but also very beautiful tools out of such

“It does as much exceed in greatness the so renowned Stonehenge as a Cathedral doeth a parish church” 18th century antiquarian John Aubrey describing the stones at Avebury.

156

The stones at Avebury, Europe’s largest stone circle.

Surviving the Neolithic! Flint- knapping demonstration...

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

The Story of Wessex UK

GUIDE LECTURER

The great stones of Stonehenge: we have special access to the centre in the early morning.

Avebury Devizes

“I

t is Stonehenge!” said Clare.

“The heathen temple, you mean?”

“Yes. Older than the centuries; older than the d’Urbervilles!”

Tess of the d’Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy

England Stonehenge Salisbury

WHAT’S INCLUDED Meet in Devises Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Just One Hotel

Cultural

Hotel 2 nights in a friendly historic inn in Devizes

Prehistory

Julian Richards is a Wessex based archaeologist and broadcaster with a passion for Stonehenge and over 30 years experience of fieldwork and publication. He ran the Stonehenge Environs Project, a detailed study of Stonehenge and its surrounding landscape.

Julian also presented BBC2’s long-running ‘Meet the Ancestors’ series.

looking for a tour that’s a bit closer to home...

Ireland....................................... p.72 Walking Prehistoric Wessex... p.154 Scotland.................................. p.158 Orkney & Shetland................. p.160

Tour Code: (WES16A)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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SCOTLAND Highlands & Islands

U

ncover the fascinating archaeology of the Western Isles at the very edge of the known ancient world. Follow Scotland’s story through the prehistoric and early Pictish peoples, to the arrival of the Romans and their early ambition to take all of Britain. We also visit the monastery founded by St Columba, who brought Christianity to Scotland from Ireland.

The challenging environment was the stimulus for all manner of ingenious responses by the early population: ‘crannogs’, dwellings built on small islands or on stilts in the lochs; ‘brochs’ and fortified towers with walls so thick that people could walk around inside them. An adventurous journey through the glorious and dramatic landscapes of the Highlands and Islands.

Sun 26th Jun - Mon 4th Jul 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Mary Macleod Rivett 9 days Jun : £2,195 (sgl supp £455)

•

Expert Guide Mary MacLeod is joined throughout by local archaeologists who have excavated at the sites we visit.

•

Exceptional prehistory in Kilmartin Glen - monuments and rock art, an ancient centre of settlement and ritual.

•

The fascinating archaeology of the Western Isles - from enigmatic prehistoric henges and tombs to passage graves.

ITINER ARYED Day One We meet in Edinburgh and enjoy an introductory lecture and dinner.

Day Two We take a guided walk through the streets of Edinburgh.

We are delighted to have secured special access to the innovative National Museum of Scotland. We have an introduction from one of the museum curators.

Day Three We explore some of the sites along the Antonine Wall, built around 20 years after Hadrian completed his wall to the South. Originally around 40 miles in length, we view the many turf walls and ditches and its forts and fortlets which are still discernible. We continue to the fort at Rough Castle, built to house around 500 Roman soldiers and the Roman Baths at Bearsden. We head

north in the afternoon for our drive along the beautiful shores of Loch Lomond up to Loch Melfort. En route we visit Achnabreck in the Kilmartin Valley to see wonderful rock art.

Day Four Today we visit the site of Kilmartin Glen, which is like an open air museum spread over several square miles. We visit the museum and have a talk with local experts. Continuing to the sites, we see standing stones, stone circles, chambered cairns, and areas of rock carvings. This was clearly a centre of settlement and ritual over thousands of years.

Day Five We travel by boat to delightful Iona - Holy Isle. This tiny island is surrounded by beaches of white sand and reached via the long island of Mull. There are few houses on Iona and a definite element of time-warp about the island. We visit the Abbey of St Columba, named after the missionary from Ireland who brought Christianity to Scotland and who settled on Iona in AD 563. The abbey is still home to a working monastic community.

Day Six We drive north past Oban following the coast inland in the direction of Skye.

Our route will take us through some beautiful and remote countryside to meet local archaeologist Steven Birch in the gentle glen in which Iron Age people built three fortified towers.

We visit the towers - Dun Telve, Dun

The Crannog Centre on Loch Tay.

Troddan and then cross over the sea to Skye to see Dun Beag.

Day Seven By ferry to the Isle of Harris and drive north into Lewis to see the Standing Stones of Callanish – a unique megalith with a passage grave near its centre. Some kind of astronomical purpose seems evident; there is much to discuss! We then drive to the Broch at Carloway, one of the most complete of the Iron Age fortified brochs of Scotland. We end the day at the Black House Museum, which shows a way of life which has now died out.

Day Eight Returning from Skye we skirt the southern edge of Loch Ness to the Scottish Crannog Centre to find out about these ancient circular lochdwellings, which were in use from the Bronze Age into the Viking period.

Day Nine Our last morning is spent considering the Gask Ridge and the Roman fort at Ardoch, the defences of which are still clearly visible. We drop off at Edinburgh Airport and Waverley Station for onward travel or further exploration of Scotland’s capital.

Spectacular scenery on the road to Skye.

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Scotland - Highlands & Islands UK

GUIDE LECTURER

The Stones of Callanish, Isle of Lewis.

Carloway Broch Standing Stones

“N

o one in Scotland can escape from the past. It is everywhere, haunting like a ghost.”

Geddes Macgregor.

Dun Beag

Skye Dun Telve

Iona

Aberfeldy Crannog Centre

Loch Melfort

Kilmartin Glen

Edinburgh

Scotland

WHAT’S INCLUDED Meet in Edinburgh Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach and ferry Meals - Most meals included - dinners with wine Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Rock Art

Prehistory

Romans

Hotels - 2 nights in a new and smart hotel in central Edinburgh, close to the railway station; 3 nights in a 3* country hotel set in the stunning landscape of the Scottish West Highlands on the edge of Loch Melfort; 2 nights in a characterful hotel, converted from fishermen’s cottages, situated on the harbour front of Portree on Skye; 1 night in a large country hotel near Aberfeldy

Medieval

Great Cities

Historic Churches

Dr Mary MacLeod Rivett is a lecturer in archaeology at the University of the Highlands and Islands.

Mary studied at Cambridge, York and Glasgow Universities, and has worked on projects across the world. She is a specialist in the Viking, Norse and Mediaeval archaeology of the North Atlantic, particularly the north of Scotland.

would you like to see more historic churches?

Dalmatia & Dubrovnik............. p.30 Cyprus - The South................... p.32 The Via Julia............................. p.42 Ravenna & Aquileia................ p.110

Tour Code: (GBS16A)

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159

orkney & shetland

T

he islands beyond the northernmost tip of Scotland glory in some of the most beautiful and rugged landscapes in the world. For more than five thousand years they have been home to farmers and fishermen, who left monuments so impressive that this has been called an archaeologists’ paradise.

During the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age, the people of Orkney and Shetland were among the first in Britain to begin building megalithic chamber tombs and later henge monuments. The islands are also blessed with an extraordinary natural beauty. Wild flowers bloom throughout the summer, covering the green cliffs with colour and the exquisite scent of heather.

Thu 21st - Sun 31st Jul 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Mary MacLeod Rivett Mon 1st - Thu 11th Aug 2016 Guide Lecturer: Caroline Wickham Jones 11 days Jul & Aug : £2,695 (sgl supp £370)

•

The most northerly and remote outposts of the British Isles with an extraordinarily complex Neolithic culture and outstanding wildlife.

•

The World Heritage Sites of Skara Brae, Maes Howe and the Ring of Brodgar - uniquely rich and evocative ancient sites.

•

Visit sites at the cutting edge of archaeological research where new discoveries are shedding light on every aspect of Stone Age life.

ITINER ARYED Day One We meet in Kirkwall, Orkney.

Day Two We begin at the Neolithic village at Skara Brae, amazingly well preserved beneath the sand, occupied for over 600 years. After lunch we visit Gurness Broch, an Iron Age drystone tower with an extensive surrounding settlement.

Day Three Drive to Maes Howe: a zenith in European prehistoric architecture, this chambered tomb has been a distinctive presence in the landscape for millennia.

The rays of the midwinter sun shine down the passage to illuminate the central chamber. On to the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar.

Special access to excavations at the Ness of Brodgar – where archaeologists are uncovering a Neolithic settlement in extraordinary detail.

Day Four We travel to the Island of Rousay to explore Midhowe chambered tomb, sealed 4,500 years ago containing the remains of 25 people. On to the much later Iron Age defensive structure of Midhowe Broch which stands on the rocky foreshore of Rousay between two inlets and consists of a circular tower with a very thick exterior wall. End the day at the double chambered tomb of Taversoe Tuick.

Day Five We explore Orkney’s capital, Kirkwall highlights include Bishop’s Palace and St Magnus Cathedral.

Day Six We visit the Tomb of the Eagles at Isbister, a stalled cairn built before 3,000BC. Continue to the Burnt Mound at Liddle, a communal cooking place - a taste of domesticity in the Bronze Age! End the day on a very different note at the Italian Chapel, built by prisoners of war in the 1940’s. We board our ferry to Shetland this evening.

Day Seven We arrive in Lerwick this morning. Our first stop is Clickhimin Broch, a stone wall fort dating to the Iron Age. This once occupied an island set in the Loch.

Continue to Shetland Museum and then to Scalloway Castle.

One of the houses at Skara Brae, amazingly well-preserved Neolithic village, with a ‘dresser’.

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Day Eight We visit Stanydale Temple part of a surrounding prehistoric landscape and the Scord of Brouster with chambered

Shetland ponies.

cairn and houses. We spend some time at the amazing site of Jarlshof: originally constructed by Neolithic farmers around 2,400BC. We view the oval, almost cosy-looking, Bronze Age houses, Iron Age fortifications, Pictish symbols and the remains of a Viking long house. On to Scatness, an extensive settlement site and, if time, Sumburgh Head.

Day Nine Ferry ride to Mousa Broch, the tallest of this unique Iron Age tower structure surviving in Scotland. Continue to South Voe Croft Museum, an engaging evocation of rural life in Shetland. We then explore St Ninian’s Isle where we see the Church - a striking white shell sand spit links the islands. Excavation revealed a fabulous hoard of Pictish silver.

Day Ten Our final full day, exploring Unst. We view Viking houses at Underhoull, and the replica Viking house and ship at Brookpoint. We spend the afternoon at the Gannet Colony at Hermaness and the Castle at Muness.

Day Eleven Time for further exploring before we end our tour in Lerwick.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Orkney & Shetland UK

GUIDE LECTURERS

Scatness, Shetland - ancient settlement built and rebuilt over 1000s of years with remains from every period of the island’s long history.

Shetland Clickhimin Broch

“O

n the far curving shore of the bay lies Skara Brae, hazy through the sea-haar.”

George Mackay Brown Rockpools and Daffodils

Scatness

Lerwick Mousa Jarlshof

Orkney Isbister Skara Brae Maes Howe

Isle of Rousay Gurness Broch Kirkwall Italian Chapel

WHAT’S INCLUDED Meet at our hotel in Kirkwall Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach; Ferry Kirkwall/Lerwick. Ferries to and from the islands of Rousay and Mousa Meals - All meals included - wine with dinners Entries & Tip - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

All Inclusive

Cultural

Hotels 5 nights in a harbour-side hotel in Kirkwall 1 night overnight ferry between Kirkwall and Lerwick 4 nights in a comfortable hotel on the seashore, in the north west of the main island of Shetland

Prehistory

Vikings

Historic Churches

Dr Mary MacLeod Rivett is a lecturer at the University of the Highlands and Islands and specialises in North Atlantic archaeology.

Before settling in the Hebrides, Mary studied at Cambridge, York and Glasgow Universities, working on projects in Kenya, Sweden and Malta, as well as in the UK.

Caroline Wickham-Jones is a lecturer in the Department of Archaeology at the University of Aberdeen.

She has directed excavations on early sites on Orkney. She is particularly interested in the relationship between people in the past and the natural world, and in the origins of the first peoples to inhabit Scotland.

Tour Codes: July: Thu 21st - Sun 31st (OAS16A) August: Mon 1st - Thu 11th (OAS16B)

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

161

UZBEKISTAN The Silk Road

W

e explore the sites and cities of the Silk Road, which once ran all the way from China to Europe, with Uzbekistan right at its heart. The stepped deserts, mountains and gleaming blue-tiled cities tell a story of trade and conquest. Join us in 2016 on the road to Samarkand and Bukhara; cities built to dazzle the travellers who have passed by for thousands of years.

For centuries (if not millennia) this is where not only goods, but knowledge, ideas and cultures crossed from East to West. We journey in the footsteps of those ancient caravans, from grassy plain to the desert. Crossing Uzbekistan we pass blue-tiled architectural beauty and dusty, forgotten citadels; this is an unforgettable journey through one of the great melting pots of civilisation.

Fri 13th - Fri 27th May 2016 Guide Lecturer: Dr Gai Jorayev 15 days May : £3,295 (sgl supp £325; without flights £2,745)

•

We visit no less than three World Heritage Sites: Samarkand, Shahrisabz, and Bukhara.

•

Explore the winding streets of the great Silk Road cities, dazzling blue-tiled domes, mosques and centres of learning.

•

Travel the ancient trade routes, where caravans of silk, spice and textiles once crossed the landscape.

ITINER ARYED Day One Fly overnight to Tashkent.

Day Two We arrive in Tashkent, a great trading city, destroyed by the Mongols and restored by Tamerlane. Time to rest before an afternoon visit to the History Museum.

Day Three We drive to Shahrukhiyah, an important Silk Road city, now hidden beneath a green and verdant mound.

Return to Taskhent for a walking tour this afternoon.

Day Four Fly to Nukus to visit Gyaur Kala, a fortress of the First Persian Empire with mud brick walls and towers still visible. We continue to the necopolis of Mizdakhkan this afternoon.

Day Five We visit Savitsky Museum, which contains one of the finest archaeological collections in Central Asia. We travel

on to Khiva and, on the way, visit the fortress of Chilpik Dakhma where there is a Zoroastrian tower of silence used in funerary ‘sky burial’ rituals.

Day Six We travel to the three mighty fortresses of Ayaz Kala built between the 4th century BC and the 7th century AD, destroyed in the Arab invasions.

Continue to the citadel Toprak Kala, whose long line of crumbling city walls are visible long before it is reached.

Day Twelve A full day in Samarkand to visit this focal point of the Silk Road. The original core of the city survives along with later monuments. We visit the Afroysiab, the Shakhi Zenda ensemble and Registan Square.

Day Eight We drive across the Karakum desert to Bukhara, with its shifting dunes and modern caravanserai, and Tea Houses huddled around the communications antennae. Fine views of the Ama Daryu River and the Turkmenistan beyond.

Day Thirteen We transfer to smaller vehicles for the drive to Shahrisabz, the birthplace of Tamerlane with his stupendous White Palace and the emperor’s original tomb.

Day Ten

162

Day Eleven On the road to Samarkand, another long but very scenic drive. On the way we stop at Ribat-i Malik an 11th century caravanserai.

Day Seven We spend a day in the Arabian Nights city of Khiva, full of narrow alleys, graceful minarets and markets. It was the centre of an independent Uzbek Khanate until it was captured by the Russians in the 19th century.

Day Nine We spend a whole day in the evocative World Heritage Site city of Bukhara, one of the great centres of the Silk Road. Visit the Ismail Samani mausoleum and the Kalyan minaret.

Fortress of Ayaz Kala.

The Arabian Nights city of Khiva.

Special access to excavations at the ruined city of Paykent.

Once a rival to Bukhara, deserted in the Middle Ages.

Day Fourteen We spend our final day exploring central Samarkand. visit the Gur I Emir mausoleum complex where Tamerlane was buried, Ulegbeg Observatory and Bibi Khanum Mosque. We return to Tashkent this afternoon by train.

Day Fifteen Our final visit is to the modern Timur museum to finalise the story of Uzbekistan’s national hero. We transfer to the airport for our flights home.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Uzbekistan -The Silk Road UZBEKISTAN

GUIDE LECTURER

The great blue domes of Samarkand.

Ayaz-Kala Fortress

“L

ook ‘round thee now on Samarcand, Is she not queen of earth? her pride Above all cities? in her hand Their destinies? with all beside Of glory, which the world hath known?

Stand she not proudly and alone? ” Edgar Allan Poe - Tamarlane

Nukus Toprak Kala Chilpik Dakhma Khiva

Tashkent Shahrukhiyah Bukhara

Samarkand Shahrisabz

WHAT’S INCLUDED Flights - Return flights London to Taskhent Tour Manager Local Travel - Private a/c coach, train, internal flights and cars Meals - All meals included Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme; tips included

Special Access

Low Single Supplement

All Inclusive

Hotels 2 + 1 nights in a business hotel in central Taskhent 1 night in a simple hotel in Nukus, the best available 3 nights in a pleasant hotel in Khiva; 3 nights in a small hotel in the old town of Bukhara 3 nights in an excellent location for exploring Samarkand

Cultural

Prehistory

Medieval

Dr Gai Jorayev hails from Turkmenistan. He lives in London and works at University College London.

He regularly participates in archaeological expeditions to Central Asia and collaborates with institutions and museums in the region. Gai’s primary interests are in Medieval cities and the modern uses of heritage in the region.

looking for a new archaeological adventure?

New tours for 2016 to...

China......................................... p.28 Georgia...................................... p.50 Northern Peru......................... p.122 South Africa............................ p.128

Tour Code: (UZB16A)

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163

2016 Calendar

april

january Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania Mon 25 - Mon 1 Feb with Dr Gillian Shepherd

Italy

78

february Egypt - Queens & Nobles Mon 15 - Fri 26 with Lucia Gahlin

Egypt

36

march

The Aegean Coast of Turkey Sat 2 - Tue 12 with Dr Denise Allen

Turkey

146

Romans, Visigoths and Viziers Sun 3 - Sun 10 with Dr Andrew Fear

Spain

130

The Peloponnese - Homer & Beyond Mon 4 - Fri 15 with Dr Ioannis Georganas

Greece

58

Via Julia - Côte d’Azur Sat 9 - Sat 16 with John Shepherd

France

42

The Etruscans Sun 10 - Sun 17 with Dr Judith Toms

Italy

86

Menorca - Balearic Bliss - NEW Mon 11 - Sun 17 with Dr Ruth Whitehouse

Spain

132

Italy

78

Rome - with the Sistine Chapel Mon 7 - Sat 12 with Oliver Gilkes

Italy

82

Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania Mon 11 - Mon 18 with Dr Neil Faulkner

Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania Mon 7 - Mon 14 with Tony Wilmott

Italy

78

Cyprus - The South Thu 14 - Thu 21 with Dr Paul Croft

Cyprus

32

Italy

88

Meet the Romans Sun 13 - Mon 21 with John Shepherd

Italy

Sicilia Antiqua Thu 14 - Sun 24 with Dr Eireann Marshall

Italy

78

South Africa - NEW Sat 19 - Wed 30 with Dr John McNabb

South Africa

128

Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania Mon 18 - Mon 25 with John Shepherd

Tunisia-Punic Wars Thu 24 - Fri 1 Apr with Dr Julian Bennett

Tunisia

142

Thessaloniki - NEW Tue 19 - Mon 25 with Dr Christina Hatzimichael Whitley

Greece

60

Malta & Gozo Mon 28 - Sun 3 Apr with Dr Nicholas Vella

Malta

114

Crete & Santorini - Rise & Fall of Minoan Civilisation Tue 19 - Tue 26 with Dr Alexander (Sandy) MacGillivray

Greece

62

Jordan - Petra & the Desert Fortresses Tue 29 - Thu 7 Apr with Nick Jackson

Jordan

112

Albania - Land of the Eagles Fri 22 - Sat 30 with Oliver Gilkes

Albania

16

Walking Istanbul Mon 25 Apr - Sun 1 May with Terry Richardson

Turkey

148

164

84

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may

may continued Dordogne - Prehistoric Cave Art Mon 23 - Mon 30 with Dr Paul Bahn

France

46

Greece

64

88

Meet the Greeks Wed 25 - Wed 1 Jun with Dr Rita Roussos

Croatia

30

90

Dalmatia & Dubrovnik - NEW Wed 25 - Fri 3 Jun with John Shepherd

Italy

100

Italy

78

Samnites - Enemies of Rome - NEW Mon 30 - Sun 5 Jun with Oliver Gilkes

Roman Province of Lusitania Mon 9 - Mon 16 with Dr Denise Allen

Spain

136

Apulia - Caves, Castles & Cathedrals Mon 9 - Mon 16 with Prof Alastair Small

Italy

92

The Hittites - NEW Mon 9 - Mon 16 with Dr Michael Brown

Turkey

150

Northern Peru - NEW Mon 9 - Thu 26 with David Drew

Peru

122

Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania Tue 10 - Tue 17 with Dr Eireann Marshall

Italy

78

Uzbekistan - The Silk Road Fri 13 - Fri 27 with Dr Gai Jorayev

Uzbekistan

Walking Prehistoric Wessex Sat 14 - Fri 20 with Martin Brown

UK

Roman Germany Sun 15 - Tue 24 with Tony Wilmott

Germany

52

Sardinia Mon 16 - Tue 24 with Dr Judith Toms

Italy

94

Crete & Santorini - Rise & Fall of Minoan Civilisation Tue 17 - Tue 24 with Dr Alexander (Sandy) MacGillivray

Greece

62

The Story of Wessex Fri 20 - Sun 22 with Julian Richards

UK

156

Sicily Revisited - The Other Sicily - NEW Fri 20 - Fri 27 with Dr Eireann Marshall

Italy

96

Corsica - Neolithic to Napoleon Sun 22 - Sun 29 with Dr Keith Wilkinson

France

44

Latium - The Roman Rich Sun 22 - Sun 29 with Prof Tony King

Italy

98

Crete & Santorini - Rise & Fall of Minoan Civilisation Tue 3 - Tue 10 with Dr Ioannis Georganas

Greece

Sicilia Antiqua Thu 5 - Sun 15 with Tony O’Connor

Italy

Renaissance Villas Mon 9 - Sun 15 with Oliver Gilkes

Italy

Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania Mon 9 - Mon 16 with Peter Berridge

62

162

154

june Discover the Dodecanese - NEW Fri 3 - Fri 10 with Dr Rita Roussos

Greece

66

The Ice Man and his World Sat 4 - Thu 9 with Dr Tertia Barnett

Italy

102

Rock Art of Altamira Mon 6 - Mon 13 with Dr Paul Bahn

Spain

134

Georgia - NEW Mon 6 - Tue 14 with Ian Colvin

Georgia

50

Wild Thrace - NEW Tue 7 - Wed 15 with Dr Christina Hatzimichael Whitley

Greece

68

Islands of the Cyclades Thu 9 - Sun 19 with Dr Alexander (Sandy) MacGillivray

Greece

70

Scotland - Highlands & Islands Sun 26 - Mon 4 Jul with Dr Mary MacLeod Rivett

UK

158

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165

july

september continued

Rock Art of Scandinavia - NEW Fri 1 - Fri 8 with Dr Tertia Barnett

Sweden & Norway

138

Meet the Greeks Wed 7 - Wed 14 with Dr. Anna Simandiraki-Grimshaw

Greece

64

Meet the Vikings Sat 9 - Thu 21 with Brian Ayers

Sweden

140

Peru, Bolivia and the Nazca Lines Wed 7 - Tue 27 with David Drew

Peru & Bolivia

124

Orkney & Shetland Thu 21 - Sun 31 with Dr Mary MacLeod Rivett

UK

160

Frontier Lands of Romania Sat 10 - Mon 19 with Doru Bogdan

Romania

126

The Etruscans Sun 11 - Sun 18 with Dr Judith Toms

Italy

86

Hallstatt to La Tène Sun 11 - Mon 19 with Prof John Collis

Austria/ Germany/ Switzerland

20

Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania Mon 12 - Mon 19 with Dr Rick Jones

Italy

78

august Orkney & Shetland Mon 1 - Thu 11 with Caroline Wickham-Jones

UK

160

92

Mongolia

118

Apulia - Caves, Castles & Cathedrals Mon 12 - Mon 19 with Dr Eireann Marshall

Italy

Mongolia Sat 6 - Sat 20 with Prof Paul Nicholson

22

Cambodia/ Vietnam

26

Baltic Amber Trail - NEW Mon 12 - Tue 20 with Prof John Hines

Baltic States

Cambodia & Vietnam Tue 9 - Sun 21 with Dr Damian Evans & Dr Peter Sharrock

104

Germany

54

Bologna Thu 15 - Thu 22 with John Shepherd & Rosetta Ferrari

Italy

Short Break in Berlin Thu 25 - Mon 29 with Nick Jackson

Crete & Santorini - Rise & Fall of Minoan Civilisation Sat 17 - Sat 24 with Dr Christina Hatzimichael Whitley

Greece

62

Discover the Dodecanese - NEW Sat 17 - Sat 24 with Dr Ioannis Georganas

Greece

66

Dordogne - Prehistoric Cave Art Mon 19 - Mon 26 with Dr Iain Morley

France

46

Sicilia Antiqua Thu 22 - Sun 2 Oct with Dr Eireann Marshall

Italy

88

Basilicata & Calabria Sat 24 - Sun 2 Oct with Dr Edward Bispham

Italy

106

North East Turkey Sat 24 - Tue 4 Oct with Terry Richardson

Turkey

152

The Aegean Coast of Turkey Sat 24 - Tue 4 Oct with Dr Philippa Walton

Turkey

146

Sicilia Antiqua Thu 29 - Sun 9 Oct with Dr Milena Melfi

Italy

88

september Prehistoric Czech Republic - NEW Thu 1 - Thu 8 with Dr Karen Ruebens

Czech Republic

34

Roman Province of Lusitania Sun 4 - Sun 11 with Dr Andrew Fear

Spain

136

Sicily Revisited - The Other Sicily - NEW Sun 4 - Sun 11 with Dr Jennifer Wexler

Italy

96

Languedoc - Cathars & Crusaders Mon 5 - Sun 11 with Dr Nick Slope

France

48

Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania Mon 5 - Mon 12 with Dr Neil Faulkner

Italy

78

Ireland - Boyne Valley & The Burren Tue 6 - Mon 12 with Prof Tim Champion

Ireland

72

Wild Thrace - NEW Tue 6 - Wed 14 with Dr Christina Hatzimichael Whitley

Greece

68

Islands of the Cyclades Tue 6 - Fri 16 with Dr Rita Roussos

Greece

70

166

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

october

november

Romans, Visigoths and Viziers Sun 2 - Sun 9 with Prof Tony King

Spain

130

Israel & Palestine Tue 1 - Fri 11 with Dr Nick Slope

Israel/ Palestine

74

The Peloponnese - Homer & Beyond Mon 3 - Fri 14 with Dr Rita Roussos

Greece

58

Ravenna & Aquileia Sun 6 - Sun 13 with Prof Tony King

Italy

110

Dalmatia & Dubrovnik - NEW Wed 5 - Fri 14 with John Shepherd

Croatia

30

Meet the Romans Mon 7 - Tue 15 with Dr Denise Allen

Italy

84

Walking Istanbul Thu 6 - Wed 12 with Terry Richardson

Turkey

148

Cambodia & Vietnam Tue 8 - Sun 20 with Dr Damian Evans & Dr Peter Sharrock

Cambodia/ Vietnam

26

Albania - Land of the Eagles Fri 7 - Sat 15 with Oliver Gilkes

Albania

16

Bulgaria - Thracian Treasures Sat 8 - Wed 19 with Dr Katya Melamed

Bulgaria

Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania Mon 10 - Mon 17 with Tony O’Connor

Italy

Umbria - Archaeology in the Hill Towns Mon 10 - Mon 17 with Peter Yeoman

Italy

108

Mexico - The Maya Mon 10 - Tue 25 with David Drew

Mexico

116

Crete & Santorini - Rise & Fall of Minoan Civilisation Tue 11 - Tue 18 with Dr Alexander (Sandy) MacGillivray

Greece

62

China - NEW Thu 13 - Sat 29 with Malcolm McNeill

China

28

Via Egnatia - Across the Balkans Tue 18 - Wed 26 with Prof Mike Galaty

Albania

18

Egypt - Land of the Pharaohs Fri 21 - Mon 31 with Lucia Gahlin

Egypt

38

Rome with the Sistine Chapel Mon 24 - Sat 29 with Oliver Gilkes

Italy

82

Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania Mon 31 - Mon 7 Nov with John Shepherd

Italy

78

China - NEW Thu 31 - Wed 16 Nov with Malcolm McNeill

China

28

december 24

78

Rome at Christmas Wed 21 - Mon 26 with Oliver Gilkes

Italy

82

Thessaloniki at Christmas Thu 22 - Wed 28 with TBC

Greece

60

Festive Food in Bologna Thu 29 - Thu 5 Jan 2017 with Tony O’Connor & Rosetta Ferrari

Italy

104

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

167

ESSENTIAL

booking information Useful information to guide you through the booking process. Please note that bookings with Andante Travels Ltd are accepted only in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in our full booking conditions, which can be found on our website or are available on request. how to Book You can book now on any of the tours listed in this brochure. We are happy to hold bookings on our tours without commitment for seven days. After this, we require a deposit to confirm your place (see left for deposit amounts).

Balance payments will be requested 2 months before you depart for most tours and we will then send you practical information regarding the tour, flights, hotels, joining instructions and Field notes, detailing the archaeological sites you see on the tour. Your tickets will then be sent 10 days before departure.

programme will be exactly as described in the brochure. Occasionally we do make changes to the order or number of visits. This is usually due to opening hours, or in order to include a re-opened site or museum. We always try to tell guests in advance of any changes.

insurance It is a condition of booking that all travellers are covered by comprehensive travel insurance and do not travel against medical advice. You should organise it when you book, to ensure you have cover against possible cancellation charges, medical treatment and repatriation. We will need to know book by phone, by email or online the details of your policy 4 weeks before For bookings made by telephone or departure at the latest. email, payment can be made by card deposits or cheque (payable to Andante Travels £300 for tours costing up to £2000 Ltd). You can pay securely via our website, in either sterling or dollars. We £400 for tours costing £2001 to £3000 accept Visa, MasterCard and Visa Debit £450 for tours costing £3001 to £4000 cards. For payments in sterling by credit £500 for tours costing over £4000 card or overseas debit card there is a charge of 2.5% of the transaction. We do cancellation by you Cancellation charges payable to not accept post-dated cheques, nor do Andante are calculated on time prior to we keep your card details. departure as follows: Up to 56 days: Deposit* / 55 - 41 days: programme changes 35% of tour cost / 40 - 29 days: 55% of For the vast majority of our tours, the 168

tour cost / 28 - 8 days: 75% of tour cost / 7 days to date of departure: 100% of tour cost | *plus any invoiced flight costs. cancellation by us If we have to cancel your holiday before the date of departure, you will have the choice of taking an alternative holiday (and paying or receiving a refund/ credit in respect of any price difference) or accepting a full refund of all monies paid. financial protection Flight inclusive tours: we hold an Air Travel Organiser’s Licence issued by the CAA (ATOL No. 3552) which provides for your protection in the event of Andante’s insolvency. The price of your air holiday packages includes the ATOL Protection Contribution (APC) we pay to the CAA. This charge is included in our advertised prices. When you buy an ATOL protected flight or flight inclusive holiday from us you will receive an ATOL Certificate. This lists what is financially protected, where you can get information on what this means for you and who to contact if things go wrong.

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Not all holiday or travel services offered and sold by us will be protected by the ATOL scheme as explained below.

Tours without flights arranged by us: The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT) provides financial protection under the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992 for Andante Travels, and in the event of their insolvency, protection is provided for the following: 1. non-flight packages commencing in and returning to the UK; 2. non-flight packages commencing and returning to a country other than the UK; and 3. flight inclusive packages that commence outside of the UK, which are sold to customers outside of the UK. 1, 2 and 3 provides for a refund in the event you have not yet travelled. 1 and 3 provides for repatriation. Please note that bookings made outside the UK are only protected by ABTOT when purchased directly with Andante Travels. aito quality charter Andante Travels is a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators. The Association represents Britain’s leading independent tour operators and encourages high

standards of quality and service.

Andante Travels abides by the Association’s Code of Conduct and adheres to the AITO Quality Charter which can be viewed on www.aito.com.

Visit the website to find out more about the Association or call 020 8744 9280.

We are ANDANTE TRAVELS LTD, registered limited company no. 1969761. Registered offices: The Clock Tower, Unit 4 Oakridge Office Park, Southampton Road, Whaddon, Salisbury, SP5 3HT.

what’s included • Expert Guide Lecturer • Tour Manager (with all groups of 15+) • Scheduled flights unless otherwise stated • Accommodation • Meals with wine where stated; meals are not provided on travelling days • Field notes, tips, entrance to all sites in the programme committed to sustainable tourism We work hard to ensure our visits have a positive impact on the ancient places we go to and acknowledge the importance of AITO’s sustainable tourism ethos, which recognises the social, economic and environmental responsibilities of tour operating.

The prices in this brochure are valid for all bookings taken from 1st July 2015.

Last revised June 2015.

The vast majority of the pictures in this brochure were taken by our guests while on tours. We’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who sends us photos, we look forward to seeing you again next year!

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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3 more ways to

discover the ancient world At Andante, we know that different people prefer different kinds of holidays. You might like more free time to revisit your favourite sites, or perhaps you’d like an added burst of culture included in your tour.

From independent Bare Bones Tours, to exclusive Hidden Cities, we have an incredible range of journeys, all over the ancient world:

relaxed breaks

hidden cities

Discover the past at your own pace

Special access to the secrets of the ancient world

• Relaxed Argolid - the heart of mythical Ancient Greece • Hidden Berlin - with dinner on the roof of the Reichstag • Relaxed Cyprus - archaeology spanning 12,000 years • Hidden Rome - explore the Secret Vatican Archives • Relaxed Provence - Roman remains in idyllic landscapes • Hidden Venice - take a ‘secret’ tour of the Doge’s Palace Very civilised explorations of the ancient world... one lovely hotel, free time, all meals included. Let our Expert Guides take you on an extra special tour through history. Enjoy cultural excursions to wineries, serene boat trips, and amazing special access to private areas.

These are real holidays, with time to digest the sites.

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Go further than the tourist-traps and delve beyond the well-known monuments. Travel in small groups and stay in hand-picked 5* hotels. Dine in Paris’ oldest restaurant; enjoy a feast worthy of a Greek symposia in Athens; and access rarely seen Ottoman palaces in Istanbul. Discover a secret world of little-known sites...

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

bare bones

Excellent value, Independence & Adventure

view more online now...

This is just a preview of all we have to share... Our Relaxed Breaks offer ancient stories, stunning sites, wonderful scenery and unrivalled expertise. From the Secret Vatican Archives, to walking beneath Istanbul’s Hippodrome, our Hidden City tours offer a truly privileged view of Europe. Wherever you join us, our Bare Bones tours offer the perfect balance of sites, visits and independent exploring.

You can view all of our 2016 tours and book online now, by visiting our website: www.andantetravels.com

for further advice, information and to book ask our in-house experts

• Bare Bones Troy - iconic sites of the Ancient World • Bare Bones Pompeii - beyond compare archaeology • Bare Bones Sicily - temples, villas, cathedrals and more This isn’t your average Andante trip… these are tours for real travellers, whose sense of adventure can’t be contained within a daily schedule. These excellent value tours are led with a light touch by our Expert Guides offering plenty of free time to explore and freedom to choose where and when you eat each day.

Between them, our office staff speak 10 languages and hold 18 archaeology and history degrees (including 2 PhDs and 5 MAs).

The telephones at Andante are answered by the people who plan - and have often been on or led - our tours. They are on hand Monday to Friday 9-5 GMT to advise on any and all aspects of your holiday: from what to wear to the oracle at Delphi, to the best times of year to visit Pompeii...

01722 713800

tours@andantetravels.com USA: 1-888-331-3476 Follow andantetravels

Call: 01722 713800 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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the world leader in archaeological travel the clock tower, unit 4 oakridge office park, southampton road, whaddon, salisbury, sp5 3ht

Call 01722 713800 - tours@andantetravels.com - www.andantetravels.com