ATL 2017 Preview Brochure US Edition

Journ e ys into the

An c ient World 2017 preview

arranged by andante travelsÂ

expert-led archaeological and cultural tours since 1985

6, 1 20 R W O F NO LY E K AC IC L U 7P Q 1 T 20 U O UR LD YO SO VE AN SER IR RE

Our most popular tour of 2016...

Discover ancient Persian majesty at Persepolis, Naqsh-e Rustam and Pasargadae

Iran: Kings, Shahs and Gardens Dates throughout 2017 — see page 48 for full details 2

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WELCOME

Discover the best of the ancient world in 2017 Dear Traveler, The wait is over! It is with great pleasure that I introduce our complete, new 2017 tour programme. Many regular customers have been asking for hints of what 2017 might contain, so it is something of a relief to finally have the whole thing committed to paper.

As we do each year, we asked you – our travelers – to vote on ideas for new trips in 2017. I have to confess, it came as something of a surprise to me to see Kazakhstan at the top of the poll, but that was before I saw Dr Jorayev’s itinerary, packed with warring Medieval dynasties, the rolling steppe, tiled cities and the almost otherworldly blue of Almaty lake (see p. 72).

The fantastic archaeology of Central Asia is very much on display in 2017 – as Iran (opposite), Uzbekistan and Armenia all take their rightful place amongst our tours. In the West, we might think of these countries as far-flung, but of course, the Silk Road was once the meeting point of the civilized world. It is a phenomenal region to explore, where the great sweep of history is visible everywhere from Genghis Khan, to Tamerlane; Samarkand to Armenia’s mountain-top churches.

Adventure, discovery and illumination are the hallmarks of all our trips. Whether it’s Pompeii or Stonehenge, the Great Wall of China or the Paleolithic caves of Southern France, our aim is always to bring you closer to the past.

I do hope you enjoy the brochure, and it only remains for me to wish you happy travels this year and next.

Martin Adams US Customer Care Manager, Andante Travels

Remember, you can view full itineraries for all 2017 tours on our website

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you asked, we listened We’ve added an exciting mix of brand new “E tours to our 2017 program...

As we do every year, we did some research into what you’d like to see in an Andante catalog next, and you certainly didn’t let us down! Longer tours, far-flung exotic destinations, and border-crossing trips taking in more than one country were all on your lists. Now, thanks to you, they’re on ours too...

very day brought something new and extraordinary.”

Guest, 2015 - The Peloponnese

Take a look at nine of the highest rated new tours, as suggested by you, that can be enjoyed with Andante Travels in 2017.

Although we’re sure these great tours will inspire you to travel with us, they aren’t all we have to offer; there are even more brand new tours and a full selection of our tried and tested tours to tempt you in 2017...

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athens to istanbul

Continental gateways, centers of culture, theaters of war —encounter all incarnations of these two great cities as you retrace an ancient path from West to East, uncovering ancient stories of power and conflict.

During our tour, enjoy a private, out-of-hours visit to Istanbul’s iconic Hagia Sofia. During its lifetime it has been a Byzantine church, Ottoman mosque, and is now a fascinating museum. The Hagia Sophia is universally acknowledged as one of the world’s greatest buildings.

14 days | November | See it on p 43

2

ireland & scotland

A trip to Ireland and Scotland truly distills the essence of the human story: visit prehistoric dwellings and medieval friaries, venturing all the way through to the modern centers of Dublin and Glasgow.

3

italy - meet the romans

Travel from Rome, the imperial capital; to Pompeii, vacation town of the Roman rich, we get a feel for the lives of the people who made up the famous empire. Were they great, or grisly? Decide for yourself...

12 days | April | See it on p 65

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Tucked away in the rocky hills of Brittany and Dordogne lies an abundance of prehistoric art. These paintings and engravings afford us a privileged insight into the lives of the early humans who lived here.

11 days | May | See it on p 30

13 days | May | See it on p 88

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brittany to dordogne

5

the romans in london & paris

As vital overseas strongholds of the Western Roman Empire, London and Paris form the crux of this tour.

At their centers, we visit world-class museums, while around them, we find the remnants of ancient structures.

12 days | September |See it on p 86

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We’ve added an exciting mix of brand new tours to our 2017 programme...

6 7 kazakhstan phoenicians in spain Join us on a varied and unique journey through Kazakhstan— from the blue-tiled wonder of the mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, to the fascinating dead city of Sauran and beyond...

Tour the scenic coastal landscape of Andalucia, immortalized in 19th century art and prized in the ancient world as a strategic gem. Explore strongholds and necropolises, and discover a different side to Ibiza...

See it on p 72

See it on p 80

tanzania & zanzibar

Return to the “Cradle of Mankind”at Olduvai, a steep-sided gorge which carves through the grasslands of the Serengeti; and discover 3.6 million year old human footprints in Laetoli.

See it on p 83

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central america | grand tour Central America is the epicenter of discovery—from magnificent Maya ruins to colonial architecture.

Stratovolcanoes to heavenly cloud forests, and ancient sites set on the jungle-rich slopes.

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See it on p 75

THE CYCLADES|GULET TOUR

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Set sail on the Aegean and explore the beautiful islands of the Cyclades on-board a luxury vessel...

Shrouded in myth and legend, Cycladic archaeology stretches back to prehistory...

See a different side to the islands during our first ever gulet tour. This is anything but your typical cruise.

These traditional small sailing ships are designed with full comfort and total relaxation in mind. Travel with small groups, sample delicious food, and enjoy leisurely dips in the azure Aegean waters.

The sacred island of Delos—the legendary birthplace of Apollo and Artemis—is just one highlight of our very special tour. Discover Minoan Bronze Age settlements and dedications to Apollo, explore mysterious ancient castles; and enjoy dinner overlooking illuminated temples.

Discover more about this brand new tour on page 44

Remember, if you book your place on a 2016 tour before June 17 2016 you only pay $500pp deposit.

Please get in touch by phone or email for more information, and to secure your place.

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on tour experiences We are always here to tell you more about our tours, but who could be a better judge of the on-tour experience than our guests themselves?

We ask travelers to rate all our tours - feedback helps us refine and improve our programs year after year.

“T

he opportunity to closely explore with an expert an area I have been interested in since childhood.”

“I

t was truly Hidden Rome. The trip included most of what I had not seen, which was a pleasure.”

Shelley Schermer, Washington - The Story of Wessex: Stonehenge & Avebury

Sandra Rogers, Virginia - Hidden Rome

“T

here are so many things I enjoyed that it is hard to make a single choice.”

James Miller, Ohio - Egypt - Land of the Pharaohs

“A

marvelous lecturer and wonderful itinerary.”

Irene Ward, Tennessee - The Aegean Coast of Turkey

“I

enjoyed traveling with Paul Bahn, whom I find to be very knowledgeable and very willing to share what he knows about the subject” Diane Balmer, Wisconsin - Roack Art of Altamira

“V

isiting out of the way places with a knowledgeable expert on Roman history.”

Cynthia Kahn - Latium Countryside

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“T “W

e particularly enjoyed the Cambodia segment: great Guide Lecturer and local guide; excellent hotel; very interesting sites; great organization.”

he opportunity to view sites I never even knew existed!”

Cynthia Bach, Colorado - Hidden Rome

Joan Buntzen, California - Cambodia & Vietnam

“I

enjoyed all of it!”

Tony will lead Vintage Provence (p. 27), Relaxed Capri (p. 56), Sicily Wine of the Gods (p. 67) and Festive Food Bologna (p. 70)

John Shepherd “The sights were amazing, of course, but the whole thing was brought to life by John.”

“I

Priscilla Older, Wisonsin - Jordan: Petra & the Desert Fortresses

Our Guide Lecturers received an impressive average score of 9.4 out of 10 in 2015. They are too modest to tell you their individual scores, but here are a few of the stars of 2015: Tony O’Connor “The best guide I have ever come across in 55 years of international travel.”

Jeffrey West, New Mexico - Jordan: Petra & the Desert Fortresses

enjoyed the range of sites we visited, from Neolithic to Byzantine so that by the end of the tour I felt I had a sense of Jordan’s history and cultures.”

Highly Recommended

Hidden Paris (p. 32), Via Julia (p. 49), Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania (p. 50) and Roman Britons & Gallo-Romans (p. 86)

“A

wonderful way to spend our first Christmas abroad” Festive Food in Bologna - p. 70

Dr Sandy MacGillivray “Sandy was a treasure-trove of information.”

Sandy will lead Crete & Santorini (p. 36), Athens & the Glories of Pericles (p. 38), Crete Revisited (p. 42) and the Cyclades Gulet Tour (p. 44)

Dr Paul Bahn “The expert knowledge and enthusiasm of Paul Bahn contributed greatly to the enjoyment of the tour.”

Paul will lead Dordogne Cave Art (p. 31), Namibian Rock Art (p. 74) and Foz Côa Rock Art (p. 77) and Festive Food Bologna (p. 70)

Oliver Gilkes “With Oliver as our Guide, each site came to life as he shared his knowledge with us”.

Land of the Eagles (p. 18), Albania, Montenegro & Kosovo (p. 19), Ancient Wonders of Sicily (p. 52), Hidden Rome (p. 54) and Renaissance Villas (p. 60)

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traveling with Andante putting archaeology first

Founded and run by archaeologists, Andante Travels is a leading specialist tour operator. We are proud to say that we work with the CBA (Council for British Archaeology) and CWA (Current World Archaeology), and each year awards our own Andante Archaeology Award to deserving projects.

expert guides

small groups

Andante Travelers 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 guest size currently being 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 humor and skill.

Unless otherwise stated, all our tours include: 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 currency 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 and 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 vacation 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 explore the Sistine Chapel, one of the most famous sites of Rome, but without the usual crowds? Visit the trenches of a working excavation, or stand amongst the very stones of Stonehenge? Each of our tours features exclusive access to some of the greatest sites, monuments and museums in the world.

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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 endeavor 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.

vacations everyone can enjoy

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

All you need is enthusiasm and an enquiring mind. We

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a little something extra Link up, get more We offer the option to link two or more tours together for a truly personalized voyage. So if one particular area or period piques your interest, or if you would like to extend your journey, why not consider linking? See p. 13 for some examples, or the bottom of each tour page for handpicked suggestions on where to go next.

Come fly with us The tours listed in this catalog do not include flights, but we are happy to organize international travel to suit you. Just let us know when you wish to fly, and where from, and we will do our best to meet your needs.

have had wonderful tours, traveling 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 in the US. We are experts in dealing with the unexpected.

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

full financial protection

All our vacations are fully bonded and protected. The air vacation packages in this catalog 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 vacation and travel services in this catalog. Vacations without flights are protected by ABTOT. This means that in the unlikely event of our insolvency, your vacation would be completed or refunded.

Bespoke travel Are you a group or society organizer looking for something different for your members?

Please do get in contact to discuss your group, budgets and requirement and we will get you on your way to your perfect archaeological tour!

Secure your place If you book before June 17 we will hold your deposit at just $500, regardless of the final price of the tour.

Full itineraries available online You will find full itineraries for all our New, Hidden and Relaxed tours in this brochure.

Detailed day-by-day programs for all our other 2017 tours can be found on our website at www.andantetravels.com. If you don’t have access to the web and would like more detail on any tour, get in touch and we will be happy to put a copy in the mail to you.

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

1-888-331-3476

tours@andantetravels.com UK: 01722 713800 Australia: 02 9191 2623 Call: 1-888-331-3476 | 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...

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

dr denise allen

dr michael brown

brian ayers

ian colvin

dr paul bahn

dr jon coulston

dr tertia barnett

dr paul croft

peter berridge

francois desset

dr edward bispham

dr sophy downes

diana blumberg

david drew

david brotherson

dr mark driessen

is an experienced archaeologist and a specialist in Roman glass. She has excavated all over the UK, including at Stonehenge, and overseas.

is an archaeologist and Honorary Lecturer at the University of East Anglia. He specializes 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.

is a research 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 an archaeological scientist specializing in the analysis of materials. She has worked on field schools in Pompeii and Portus and has excavated in the UK.

has been conducting research in Cambodia since 2009. Along with fellow guide Dr Damian Evans, he is a member of the international Greater Angkor Project.

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“W

is a highly experienced archaeologist and regular broadcaster. He previously worked in the management of the MOD’s historic landscapes.

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

is Lecturer in Archaeology and Ancient History at St Andrews University. He is a Roman specialist with a particular interest in the City of Rome.

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

is an archaeologist specializing in Near Eastern Archaeology. He obtained his PhD from the Sorbonne, and currently works on Bronze Age Iran at Tehran University.

is a teaching fellow in Classical Archaeology at the University of Edinburgh, having previously lectured in the Department of Archaeology at UCL.

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

is an archaeology lecturer and researcher at Leiden University. His expertise spans from Roman provincial archaeology to ancient logistics and trade.

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dr neil faulkner

dr nicolas james

dr andy fear

dr gai jorayev

rosetta ferrari

dr veronica kalas

oliver gilkes

prof tony king

dr jamie hampson

prof. steve lekson

dr christina hatzimichael whitley

fernando lópez sánchez

prof. valerie higgins

dr john mcnabb

deborah hodson

dr sandy macgillivray

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.

has worked on the archaeology of indigenous American cultures for more than 35 years, and is currently based at the University of Cambridge.

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

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.

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.

is an art historian and archaeologist with expertise in the ancient through Byzantine periods. She has taught courses on topics from ancient Rome to Medieval art.

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.

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

is a University of York research fellow, specializing in rock art and indigenous studies. He works in the USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia, and India.

is an archaeologist working in the U.S. Southwest, and Curator of Anthropology at the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History.

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

received his Bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Zaragoza before going on to conduct post-doctoral research at Wolfson College, Oxford.

is currently Chair of Arts and Humanities at The American University of Rome, where she teaches archaeology. She specializes in the study of human remains.

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

is currently Head of Engagement and Learning at the National Museum of the Royal Navy, having previously studied the archaeology of the Roman Empire.

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.

nick jackson

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.

“W

e had amazing guides providing the historic details and context for what we were seeing.”

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EXPERT Guide Lecturers dr mary macleod rivett

jayson orton

dr kelli ann malone

carolyn perry

oren margolis

claudia pinci

dr eireann marshall

terry richardson

dr katya melamed

julian richards

prof John Mitchell

prof michael roaf

dr iain morley

dr rita roussos

dr hassan fazeli nashli

dr mûge şevketoğlu

tony o’connor

dr gillian shepherd

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.

is an archaeologist and lecturer in Irish History and Archaeology. She has over 20 years experience in the heritage and tourism industry.

is a lecturer in Early Modern History at the University of Oxford and a fellow of Somerville College. His research focuses mainly on Renaissance humanism.

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

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

is Professor of the History of Art at UEA. He specializes in Italian history, archaeology, religious architecture and iconography, and epigraphy.

is a lecturer of Paleoanthropology and Human Sciences and a fellow of St Hugh’s College, Oxford. He has worked as a field archaeologist all over the world.

is currently a lecturer at the University of Reading, having worked for 20 years in the Department of Archaeology at the University of Tehran.

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.

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is an Honorary Research Associate at the University of Cape Town. He has also engaged in academic research with a focus on Later Stone Age archaeology.

is an archaeologist with extensive experience in the Mediterranean. She is currently a lecturer in Greek History and Mythology at University of London.

is a lecturer and Roman archaeologist. She has done field work in Italy, at Pompeii and beyond, and has worked for a series of archaeological companies in Britain.

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.

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.

is a leading specialist in the archaeology of Iran, Iraq, and the Middle East. He is now retired from a professorship at the University of Munich.

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

is an archaeologist and is Director of the Center for Archaeology, Cultural Heritage and Conservation at International Cyprus University.

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

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john shepherd

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.

dr nick slope

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...

dr robyn veal

is a research fellow at University of Cambridge. She has excavated and advised on environmental archaeology all over Italy, including Pompeii and Sicily.

dr nicholas vella

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.

dr nick thorpe

dr keith wilkinson

paul tubb

tony wilmott

dr val turner

paul wordsworth

is a senior lecturer in archaeology at the University of Winchester. He has published books and articles on prehistoric Wessex, Britain, and Europe.

is a tutor in the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Bristol, and has been a field archaeologist for 30 years.

Dr Val Turner has been Shetland’s Regional Archaeologist since the post was created in 1986. She has project managed large-scale excavations across Scotland.

is an archaeologist specializing 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.

is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford. His research interests include early Islamic and landscape archaeology.

want more? try a linked tour If one Andante Travels tour just isn’t enough, why not extend your vacation by adding another? New lands and endless discoveries await...

CYPRUS – NORTH AND SOUTH

Eight days in the South of Cyprus (p.25)—surrounded by fantastic finds, great company, and the sparkling Mediterranean—becomes a true voyage of discovery with the addition of Road to Salamis (p.26).

LATIUM TO PROVENCE

After visiting the homes of the rich and powerful in Latium (p.61) do as the Romans did in Vintage Provence (p.27). The rustic charm and fine wines of Provence are the perfect successor to a study of decadence.

THRACE – DALMATIA & DUBROVNIK

Heading from the shores of the Aegean to the Adriatic, exchange the rugged mountains and plains of Wild Thrace (p.40) for the unique historic architecture of Dalmatia & Dubrovnik (p.25) on a linked tour.

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tours by country ALBANIA

CROATIA

Via Egnatia....................................... 18 Albania, Montenegro & Kosovo.19

CYPRUS

Land of the Eagles........................... 18

ARMENIA Bastion of the Caucasus.............. 20

AUSTRIA & HUNGARY

The Danube.................................. 21

BULGARIA Thracians & Churches.................... 22

CAMBODIA & LAOS Cambodia & Laos........................ 23

CENTRAL AMERICA Nicaragua & Costa Rica.............. 75

CHILE

The South......................................... 25 The North: Road to Salamis....... 26

FRANCE Côte d’Azur | Via Julia................... 27 Vintage Provence.............................27 Relaxed Provence.........................28 Corsica..............................................29 Pyrenees Rock Art...........................29 Dordogne Prehistoric Cave Art....32

GERMANY Roman Germany.............................34 Hidden Berlin...............................35

GREECE Crete & Santorini............................. 36 Athens & the Glories of Pericles.38 Thessaloniki..................................... 39 The Peloponnese.............................. 39 Wild Thrace...................................... 40 Meet the Greeks............................... 40 Islands of the Cyclades................... 41

Brittany to Dordogne......................31 Brittany Carnac & Beyond.............31

Chile & Easter Island...................... 22

CHINA

Beyond the Great Wall.................... 24

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Relaxed Split................................. 24 Dalmatia & Dubrovnik................... 25

Languedoc........................................34

Hidden Paris....................................32 Romans on the Rhône & Saône.. 33 Corsica..............................................35

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Crete Revisited............................. 42

Apulia|Food & Archaeology.... 55

Umbria.............................................. 68

Athens to Istanbul....................... 43

Relaxed Capri............................ 56

Sicily Revisited................................. 68

The Cyclades Gulet Tour............ 44

Relaxed Tuscany....................... 57

Ravenna & Aquileia........................ 69

GUATEMALA

Classical Sicily.................................. 58

Turin Festive Food........................... 69

Guatemala, Belize & Honduras.... 46

Rome with the Sistine Chapel....... 60

Ravenna at Christmas..................... 70

HOLLAND

Renaissance Villas........................... 60

Festive Food in Bologna................. 70

Amsterdam at Christmas............... 46

Latium | The Roman Rich............. 61

Venice at New Year......................... 71

Hidden Amsterdam................. 47

Samnites | Enemies of Rome........ 61

IRAN

Hidden Florence & Siena............ 62

Iran|Kings, Shahs & Gardens....... 48

The Ice Man & His World.............. 63

ISRAEL & PALESTINE

Basilicata & Calabria....................... 63

Israel & Palestine............................. 49

Pompeii & Amalfi............................ 64

ITALY

The Etruscans................................... 64

Pompeii & Herculaneum................ 50

Meet The Romans............................ 65

Ancient Wonders of Sicily.......... 52

Relaxed Siracusa.......................... 66

Hidden Venice.............................. 53

Apulia............................................... 67

Hidden Rome............................... 54

Sicily|The Wine of the Gods......... 67

new for 2017 hidden cities relaxed breaks

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tours by country JORDAN

SPAIN & PORTUGAL

UK

Petra & Desert Fortresses............... 71

Foz Côa|Rock Art of Portugal...... 77

Wessex Weekend............................ 85

KAZAKHSTAN

Romans, Visigoths & Viziers......... 79

Romans in London & Paris........ 86

Rock Art of Altamira...................... 79

Over the Sea to Skye................... 87

Phoenicians in Spain................... 80

Duns, Dolmen, & Castles........... 88

Malta & Gozo................................... 73

Barcelona at New Year.................... 81

Kingdom of the Picts.................. 89

MEXICO

Roman Province of Lusitania........ 81

Orkney & Shetland......................... 90

Mexico Revisited............................. 73

SWEDEN

USA

Mexico - The Maya.......................... 74

Meet the Vikings............................. 82

Native American Pueblos.............. 90

NAMIBIA

Sweden & Norway|Rock Art........ 82

UZBEKISTAN

Kazakhstan................................... 72

MALTA

Rock Art in the Namibian Wild.... 74

PERU

Northern Peru.................................. 76 Peru & the Nazca Lines.................. 76

SOUTH AFRICA South Africa..................................... 77 The Western Cape........................ 78 16

TANZANIA

The Silk Road.................................. 91

Tanzania & Zanzibar...................... 83

TURKEY The Aegean Coast of Turkey.......... 84 Central Anatolia & Cappadocia.... 84 Walking Istanbul............................. 85

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

practicalities special access Exclusive sites, monuments & museums are highlighted in green on every tour page.

SMALL GROUP Tours limited to a maximum of 16 or 18 guests NEW Tours that have never run before, brand new for 2017

you can book on any tour in this catalog... ... without commitment You can call, email or book online on any of the tours in this catalog. All we need is $500 to confirm your place. If you change your mind when our priced catalog is published we will happily refund your deposit or transfer you to another tour.

More details on how to book, insurance and our financial security can be found on pages 96-97. You can also call the office - we are open 9-5 EST Monday to Friday and will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

1-888-331-3476

tours@andantetravels.com UK: 01722 713800 Australia: 02 9191 2623

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17

ALBANIA | LAND OF THE EAGLES with Guide Lecturer: Oliver Gilkes Albania is a country like no other in Europe; a place where pristine ruins stand in splendid isolation. In Classical times, the Greeks and Romans built cities overlooking the sparkling Ionian Sea. Centuries later, Byzantine Christians and Ottoman Turks fought over dramatic mountain strongholds. Oliver Gilkes has directed excavations in Albania for over 20 years. He offers his encyclopedic knowledge of Highlights Albanian archaeology and culture • Two thousand years of - and is able to secure privileged untouched archaeological access to sites. Discover Albania’s heritage past and present, from Greek sites • Durres - Albania’s chief to communist bunkers. port and the starting point of the Via Egnatia We visit these key sites: Apollonia, • Includes a full day at the Gjirokastra and Byllis.

World Heritage Site of Butrint

Special Access Enjoy a private tour of the Archaeological Museum in Tirana, home to a vast collection; and special access to the late Ottoman mansion of Zekate House.

Fri 21st - Sat 29th April 2017

Why not link this tour with Aegean Coast of Turkey (p.84)?

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

ALBANIA & MACEDONIA | VIA EGNATIA with Guide Lecturer: Oliver Gilkes A journey across the dramatic landscapes of southeast Europe.

Albania, Macedonia and the Balkans represent a vast patchwork of cultures. We take in the tombs and treasures of Philip of Macedon and 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 Highlights conflict. The greatest of these was the Via Egnatia, initially a series • The remarkable World of traditional tracks used by the Heritage Site of Lake Ohrid Romans to speed their conquests, • View the tomb and golden and formalized as the great treasures of King Philip of highway crossing mountain, river Macedon and marsh.

• Trace the great road from its starting point in the We visit these key sites: Tirana, circular Forum at Durres Elbasan, and Bitola.

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

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Tue 10th - Wed 18th Oct 2017 Why not link this tour with Relaxed Siracusa (p.66)?

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

NEW

Highlights • Travel alongside an expert of Albanian archaeology • Explore the excavations of the Roman city of Ulpiana • Discover the towering mountains of northern Albania and Montenegro • Visit the former stronghold of the Bushatli Pashas – Shkodra • Admire the beautiful Adriatic coast and the sublime Bay of Kotor • Enjoy a spectacular voyage along the valley of the Black Drin

Special Access

ALBANIA, MONTENEGRO & KOSOVO with Guide Lecturer: Oliver Gilkes

Travel from the shores of the Adriatic high up into the Albanian mountains, and into Montenegro, ‘the pearl of the Mediterranean’. This is a tour that veers very much away from the mainstream tourist trail. There is a wonderful sense of discovery about Albanian archaeology: pristine ruins stand untouched amid beautiful and dramatic landscapes. Journey through the ancient coastal cities, visit attractive Medieval towns, and discover Ottoman mosques jostling for space along narrow streets. Join us as we trace the many civilizations who have left their mark on these lands...

Itinerary Day One Upon arrival in Tirana, we transfer to our hotel in Shkodra.

continue to Deçan, and visit the Serbian Orthodox monastery Peja Patriarchate.

Day Two We explore Shkodra, one of Europe’s oldest cities. We visit one of Albania’s largest castles, the Rozafa Castle. From its imposing position upon a rocky hill, we are treated to stunning views.

Day Six We make our way to Prishtina Museum this morning. We also visit the Novo Berde fortress, and the Tomb of Sultan Murad in Ulpiana.

Day Three Today, we cross the border to visit the ruined Roman town of Doclea. We continue to Cetinje - a site with numerous points of interest, including the Cetinje Monastery and Vlaška church.

Thu 28th Sept - Sun 8th Oct, 2017 Oliver Gilkes is an eclectic archaeologist. He currently works for Andante Travels in the archaeology department, designing new tours. He previously worked at the World Heritage Site of Butrint.

What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecturer, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

During our tour we will be joined by a local archaeologist who will provide us with insights into Albanian archaeology. They will present a special talk which will further unravel the mysteries of this beautiful and endlessly fascinating land.

Day Four We enjoy a day of exploration in Budva. The coastal area around the town is known for its well preserved medieval walled city.

Day Five We travel from Kotor to the Kosovo Border this morning. We

Day Seven We travel to Prizren, stopping at the fortress, where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the city below. We continue to Korisha la fortress.

Day Eight We explore Shiroka and its many tumuli. We make our way to Fieza to catch the Black Drin ferry. We travel along the Black Drin river, back towards Shkodra.

Day Nine We visit Lezhë, a former ancient Greek colony, before transfering to the airport.

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NEW

Highlights • Explore the temple of the Sun God Mihr at Garni built

by King Tridates • Discover fortified medieval monasteries - Khor Virap and Tatev - perched on their mountain seats • Enter the spiritual center of the Armenian world, Echmiadzin cathedral • Visit Areni cave and one of the oldest excavated wine production facilities in the world dating to 6000 BC • Travel through an unforgettable landscape

Special Access

ARMENIA | BASTION OF THE CAUCASUS with Guide Lecturer: Ian Colvin

Explore the ancient lands of Armenia. A mythical land even in ancient times, this is where Jason and the Argonauts quested for the Golden Fleece. Over the centuries harsher reality struck the region in the form of innumerable invasions, each leaving their mark on the landscapes, culture and archaeology of the Caucasus. Join us as we unravel the myths woven into the dramatic landscape. The rugged mountainous terrain features high passes, upland plains, and broad lakes. All are dwarfed by the titanic bulk of Mount Ararat, which provides a spectacular backdrop to our tour...

Itinerary Day One We arrive in Yerevan.

Day Two We visit the Holy City of Echmiadzin; and the spiritual center of the Armenian world, Echmiadzin cathedral. We return to Yerevan to visit the Archaeological Museum.

Day Three Our day begins at Metsamor Fortress, where we are joined

by Professor Pilipossyan. We explore Yerevan Shengavit’s Bronze Age sites; and visit the Urartian site of Erebuni.

Tue 6th - Wed 14th June 2017 Ian Colvin is a historian and archaeologist who specializes in the Late Roman and Byzantine history of the Caucasus regions. He studied classical and modern Georgian, as well as the Byzantine World.

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What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecturer, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

Discover more about the important recent research which has been undertaken at Erebuni.

Renowned local archaeologist Professor Pilipossyan will present a special talk on the Urartian Bronze Age Kingdom.

Day Four We travel to the monastery complex of Geghard. We return to Yerevan, where we discover the Illuminated Manuscript Museum of Matenaderan. We also visit the Graeco-Roman site of Garni.

Day Five We travel to Khor Virap and

stop at the monastery at the foot of Mount Ararat. We visit Areni Cave, the world’s oldest winery, with a local archaeologist.

Day Six We discover the Tatev Monastery on the edge of a deep gorge of the Vorotan River. The Tatev plateau which it stands on has been in use since the pre-Christian era, and originally hosted a pagan temple.

Day Seven We journey over the Selim Pass to Noratus katchkar field, this morning. We end the day at Sevanavank Monastery.

Day Eight We discover Amberd Fortress complex at the foot of Mount Aragats; and the 13th-century Armenian monastic complex Saghmosavank.

Day Nine We return home today.

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NEW

Highlights • Take a boat ride along the Danube from Budapest to Vienna.

• Visit castles nestled within stunning riverside scenery.

• Discover astounding reconstructions of Neolithic and Bronze Age houses at Százhalombatta Archaeological Park • Examine the impressive ruins of Carnuntum’s Roman military camp • Explore Buda Castle, which has transformed many times over the centuries

Special Access

AUSTRIA & HUNGARY | THE DANUBE with Guide Lecturer: Dr Kelli Ann Malone

Known as the lifeblood of Europe, the Danube basin was the site of some of the earliest human cultures. The mighty river rises in the Black Forest mountains of western Germany and flows through to the Black Sea – passing through ten countries on its way. Travel with us from Budapest to Vienna, and explore what was once described by Napoleon as “the king of Europe’s rivers”. Discover the Danube of Prehistory, Roman Occupation, Early Christian era and The Ottoman Empire at an unforgettable array of sites. From marvelous old-world capitals, to ornate cathedrals and picturesque villages...

Itinerary Day One We arrive in Budapest and transfer to our hotel.

Day Two Receive an introduction to the Danube at the Hungarian National Museum. Walking along the Danube, we explore the oldest parts of Budapest, including Buda Castle.

Day Three We travel to Százhalombatta Archaeological Park this morning. After lunch at Ebatta Restaurant, we continue to Matrica Museum. We go behind-the-scenes at the museum, and receive a specially arranged talk from the director, Magdi Vizce.

Mon 18th - Mon 25th Sep, 2017 Dr Kelli Ann Malone is an anthropologist with interests in transitional phases between the Neolithic and Bronze Age. She also works in the field of heritage site interpretation and tourism.

What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecturer, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

Receive special access to Matrica Museum and the adjoining Archeological Park - which features burial mounds raised in the early Iron-age and reconstructed Bronze and Iron Age settlements. We will also enjoy a special talk from Magdi Vizce, the museum’s director.

Day Four We discover the Danube of Roman Occupation today. We begin at the ruined ancient city of Aquincum. We explore the little town of Szentendre this afternoon - stopping at the open-air Szentendre Skanzan

Folklore Museum.

Day Five Our day begins in Pecs, at the ornately decorated tombs of Sopianae Cemetery. We view the remains of the Ottoman Empire at Jakawali Hassan Mosque and the Mosque of Pasha Gazi Kassim.

Day Six We travel by boat from Budapest to Vienna today.

Day Seven We enjoy a tour of the Wien Museum this morning. We continue to the excellent Carnuntum Archaeological Park this afternoon.

Day Eight We visit the former imperial summer residence of Schloss Schönbrunn and Melk Abbey.

Enjoy some free time during your final afternoon on tour.

Day Nine We visit the Imperial Palace and then return home this afternoon.

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21

BULGARIA | THRACIANS & CHURCHES with Guide Lecturer: Dr Katya Melamed Bulgaria is one of the richest countries in Europe for archaeology, possessing some spectacular sites and finds of international importance - priceless both in the literal sense, and in helping to shed light on Bulgaria’s expansive history. Its long tradition of religious art is evident wherever you go, with timeless icons appearing in Highlights numerous churches, monasteries • Varied history and and museums. The glorious rural landscapes introduced by a landscape has changed little over Bulgarian archaeologist the centuries; many sites remain remarkably intact.

We visit these key sites: Stara Zagora, Plodiv and Veliko Tarnavo.

Special Access We have special permission to enter the Thracian Kazanlak tomb, which is decorated with beautiful frescos. The vaultedbrickwork “beehive” tomb is part of a large necropolis.

SMALL GROUP

• Visits to 6 UNESCO World Heritage Sites • Thracian tombs of Kazanlak and Sveshtari with beautiful 4th century BC frescoes and reliefs

Sat 7th - Wed 18th Oct 2017

Why not link this tour with Sicily Revisited (p.68)?

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

CHILE & EASTER ISLAND with Guide Lecturer: Dr Paul Bahn This is an adventure indeed - travel across the globe with an international expert to see some of the strangest rock art in the world in vast and remote landscapes. We journey down the coast of northern Chile, into the Atacama desert, and fly over the Pacific to the tiny archaeological jewel that is Easter Island. We discover places seldom visited, which our ancestors chose to decorate with huge earth pictures and complex rock art. Some of the sites we see Highlights are simply extraordinary - their • The giant imposing, Moai gigantic scale makes us ask why statues on Easter Island and for whom such things were • Extraordinary rock art created... amid the Atacama Desert We visit these key sites: Azapa Valley, Rano Raraku, Tongariki and Easter Island.

Special Access Enjoy special lectures by archaeologists, conservators and researchers, who will give unique insights into their work to protect local heritage.

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• Thrilling introduction to some of the world’s most spectacular ancient sites

Mon 13th - Thurs 30th Nov 2017 Why not link this tour with Hidden Venice (p.53)?

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

NEW

Highlights • Discover Angkor Wat – the great legacy of the Khmer kings of Angkor • Explore Beng Melea – a 12th century temple that has been reclaimed by the Cambodian jungle • Tour Ta Prohm – an atmospheric 13th century temple-monastery • View the mysterious Plain of Jars that litter the landscape in Laos • Visit rural Cambodian villages, dotted with sugar palm trees

Special Access

CAMBODIA & LAOS with Guide Lecturers: David Brotherson & Dr Damian Evans

Forbidden cities, deep forests, colonial grandeur... We find perfect balance of this in Cambodia, home of the vast and magnificent temple complex of Angkor Wat. We are very privileged to have secured a special guided visit with Dr Damian Evans, Director of the Great Angkor Project. Laos is the perfect tour companion to Cambodia. Rolling mountains, remote villages, and saffron-robed monks await you, but there’s so much more to see. Discover authentic Asia at its best; and enjoy an unforgettable adventure in one incomparable itinerary, beginning in Laos and continuing in Cambodia...

Tue 14th - Sun 28th Feb 2017 Tue 7th - Sun 21st Nov 2017 David Brotherson has been conducting research in Cambodia since 2009. He and Dr Damian Evans are members of the international Greater Angkor Project.

What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecturer, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

Receive a privileged introduction to Angkor Wat - the largest religious monument in the world - from the Director of the Greater Angkor Project, Dr Damian Evans. We have also arranged special access to the conservation stores at the French Institute.

Itinerary Days One &Two Independent flights arriving in Laos on Day Two. Day Three We tour Vientiane, stopping at Wat Si Muang. We also visit Lao National Museum.

Day Four We explore the Tham Sang Triangle - four interesting caves near Vang Vieng.

Day Nine We begin the Cambodia portion of our tour, arriving in Banteay Srei today.

Day Ten We spend the day traveling to Phnom Penh - the sites we see along the way are breath-taking.

Day Eleven We visit the Loli, Preah Ko and Bakong temples today.

Day Five We travel to Hmong Village. We continue to Muang Khoun for Wat Phiawat.

Day Twelve We explore the 10th century Khmer city in Koh Ker; and Beng Melea temple.

Day Six We discover the mysterious Plain of Jars in Phonsavan.

Day Thirteen We travel to Siem Reap and discover the magnificent Angkor Wat.

Day Seven We travel to Luang Prabang and visit the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Center.

Day Eight We walk through the Old Town of Luang Prabang.

Day Fourteen Following our special tour of the French Institute, we visit Angkor Thom.

Day Fifteen We return home today.

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23

CHINA | BEYOND THE GREAT WALL Guide Lecturer to be confirmed, see our website for latest updates China has a remarkable history, spanning back over 10,000 years.

Remnants of its glorious past can be seen at every turn as we journey through vast and varied landscapes. From Buddhist temples, to the gargantuan monuments of imperial ambition, to prehistoric settlements, this is the story of China through the ages... In this panoramic tour, we explore some of the oldest Chinese cities still Highlights standing and admire beautiful • Observe the Terracotta frescoes amongst the gardens of Warriors from the lower imperial palaces. We see the Great viewing platform Wall, Terracotta Warriors and Ming • Visit the Shaolin Temple, Tombs, not just as grand relics, but a monastery dating back as products of the time, people and 1,500 years places that led to their creation.

• Step into the Forbidden City, China’s political We visit these key sites: Xi’an, the center from 1420 — 1912 Great Wall and Jinsa.

Special Access Receive a privileged viewing of the Terracotta Warriors and special access to Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Center’s collection of communist artifacts.

SMALL GROUP

Thurs 14th - Sat 30th Sept 2017 Why not link this tour with Walking Istanbul (p.85)?

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

CROATIA | RELAXED SPLIT with Guide Lecturer: John Shepherd Discover 2,000 years of history - ordinary and extraordinary - in this lovely corner of the Mediterranean. Join us ‘underground and overground’, as we explore Europe’s most complete Roman palace. We descend below the modern city, and it is incredible to see just how much of the medieval and modern town is supported

by Roman foundations – a Highlights testament to the genius of Roman engineering – still standing strong • Trace the walls of Emperor after 2000 years! Our tour also Diocletian’s palace includes trips along the coast to • Glimpse into the lives of the Island of Hvar and Trogir, ordinary Romans at Split glorious examples of Renaissance Archaeological Museum and Medieval architecture on the • Explore Trogir, a jewel of limpid shores of the Adriatic. a town

Special Access Enjoy a special dinner and tasting of local wines – which have been produced in southern Croatia for over 2,500 years.

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Sat 6 - Sat 13 May 2017 & Sat 14 - Sat 21 Oct 2017

Why not link this tour with Relaxed Provence (p.28)?

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

CROATIA | DALMATIA & DUBROVNIK with Guide Lecturer: John Shepherd Explore the spectacular archaeology of Croatia. Against the backdrop of the 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 trappings of a Roman province: military camps, towns and roads.

Highlights The province even furnished Rome • Travel through Croatia, with an Emperor, Diocletian, who viewing Roman cities and returned in retirement and built a walled Medieval towns magnificent palace at Split. Enjoy a leisurely tour through 2,000 years of fascinating Croatian history.

• Explore Diocletian’s Imperial Palace in Split

We visit these key sites: Zadar, Split and Dubrovnik.

• Spend two days in Dubrovnik exploring the walled city

Special Access We experience a special tour of Zagreb Archaeological Museum which is followed by a talk from the museum’s curator.

Wed 24th May - Fri 2nd Jun 2017 Why not link your tour with the Ice Man and His World?

See p.25...

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

CYPRUS | THE SOUTH with Guide Lecturer: Dr Paul Croft Travel with us on a beautiful journey through Cyprus, the land famed as the birthplace of Aphrodite. Dr Paul Croft will accompany you throughout your tour, and has devoted his career to the study of Cypriot archaeology. Discover mountain churches, and Prehistoric and Classical sites, overlooking the serenely clear blue waters of the Mediterranean. From Bronze Age olive oil factories, to Roman tombs, and vineyards once tended by crusaders - the remains of ancient Highlights Cyprus each tell a fascinating story.

• Discover fantastic, diverse archaeology from Neolithic We visit these key sites: Amathus, houses to fabulous mosaics Khirokitia, and Paphos. at Paphos • Journey into the unspoilt Troodos Mountains

Special Access We have special access to the Lemba Archaeological Research Project. Your guide lecturer, Dr Paul Croft is the manager of the project, and is perfectly placed to introduce it.

Thurs 20th - 27th April 2017

Why not link your tour of south Cyprus with a tour of the north? Turn over...

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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Highlights

NEW

• Explore vast archaeological sites of once mighty classical cities - with a mammoth Gymnasium complex, Roman baths and a partially restored theater • Discover the meandering site of Salamis, an ancient Roman city, and the former capital of the island • Visit Kition, one of the most important ancient cities and trading center of the eastern Mediterranean • Enjoy scenic tours through an unspoilt natural landscape

Special Access

NORTH CYPRUS | ROAD TO SALAMIS with Guide Lecturer: Dr Müge Şevketoğlu

Northern Cyprus offers a beautiful setting for archaeological discovery. Amidst the unspoilt natural landscape of this sun-blanched land, we find an array of Medieval castles, expansive classical sites, and gentle villages. Meet with local archaeologists who offer real insight into the ongoing excavations on the island. Salamis is the true highlight of our tour. The ancient Roman city covers a stretch of land along the Cyprus shore - discover the fully restored Roman amphitheater, a gymnasium with marble baths, and a fascinating collection of mosaics.

Itinerary Day One Arrive in Larnaca and explore ancient Kition enroute to our hotel.

Day Two We spend the day strolling through Kyrenia - the ancient town of Girne. We also stop at the Folk Art and Shipwreck museums; and take a guided tour of Kyrenia Castle.

Day Three Today begins at the Neolithic settlement of Akanthou, where we have special access to ongoing excavations. We continue to the eco-village of Buyukkonuk, to see traditional methods of olive oil production.

Thu 27th Apr - Fri 5th May 2017 Dr Müge Şevketoğlu is an archaeologist and director of the Center for Archaeology, Cultural Heritage and Conservation at International Cyprus University.

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What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecturer, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

We meet with local experts and directors to discover more about the ongoing excavations across the island. They will be on hand to deliver unmatched insights into the area’s local archaeology, at a number of projects and museums.

morning. We visit the late Bronze Age site of Myrtou Pighades, the classical city of Soli, and the 5th century BC palace at Vouni.

Day Six We discover the magnificent St. Hilarion Castle and Buffavento Castle in the Kyrenia mountains today.

Day Seven We travel to Karpaz to visit the site of Ayios Philon and Trias, historic churches built on much older Phoenician settlements.

We also enjoy a walking tour of Medieval Famagusta.

Day Four We travel to Nicosia to visit the Archaeological Museum and ancient Idalion. We also travel to Nicosia’s old town.

Day Eight We enjoy a full day at the ancient site of Salamis. We view the archaic period “Royal Tombs” and Cellarka cemetery.

We also have special access to the Bronze Age city of Enkomi.

Day Five We travel to Güzelyurt this

Day Nine We return home today.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

FRANCE | CÔTE D’AZUR - VIA JULIA with Guide Lecturer: John Shepherd Discover the Roman sites and cities along the great route of the Via Julia Augusta, beginning in golden Arles, one of the foremost Roman provincial cities, and traveling south across France and Italy. Our journey includes mighty works of Roman engineering, and the sites of earlier Greek settlers and Iron Age tribes. We offer a panoramic Highlights exploration of Roman and Gaulish • Explore the beautiful life in the Côte d’Azur, a hotbed of marble Roman bath archaeology. April, when spring complexes of Nice hovers in the warm air, is the perfect time to explore the South of France.

• See France and Italy in the natural splendour of stunning early spring

We visit these key sites: Tropaeum Alpium and Menton.

• Visit the ancient harbour of Massilia, now Marseilles

Special Access Local archaeologists introduce you to the the Roman sites of Albintimilium, on the Italian border, and Fréjus, one of Julius Caesar’s colonies.

Sat 1st - Sat 8th April 2017

Why not link this tour with the Aegean Coast of Turkey (p.84)?

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

FRANCE | VINTAGE PROVENCE with Guide Lecturer: Tony O’Connor Andante Travels have joined forces with Arblaster & Clarke Wine Tours to offer Wine & Archaeology tours...

One of the joys of traveling to Provence is soaking up the variety of landscapes: ancient olive groves, and maquis-cloaked hills. This idyllic landscape is home to some Roman remains and equally historic vineyards – this is one of the oldest wine producing regions in France and the only place in the country to specialize in rosé.

Highlights Embrace the Provençal way of • Discover remarkably life: extraordinary archaeology, complete monuments, gorgeous surroundings, and including the amazing Pont delicious wines. du Gard aqueduct We visit these key sites: Arles, Orange and Pont du Gard.

Special Access Enjoy exclusive access to the beautiful Pont du Gard, the Roman aqueduct crossing the River Gardon. The bridge is part of the Nîmes aqueduct, built in the first century AD.

• Meet members of the winemaking teams at each of our visits and tastings

Sun 28th May - Sat 3rd Jun 2017 Why not link this tour with Hidden Berlin? See p.35...

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

27

Highlights

SMALL GROUP

• Small group sizes and one charmingly individual hotel in beautiful St Rémy • See the beautiful Pont du Gard, a remarkable feat of Roman engineering, with an optional swim beneath the famous arches • Free time to absorb the atmosphere and epicurean lifestyle of the area at your own pace • Enjoy the Roman architecture of Nîmes, including the white marble baths and the perfectly preserved Maison Carée

Special Access

FRANCE | RELAXED PROVENCE

Enjoy an exclusive private wine tasting and lunch at the renowned Vergers des Papes at Châteauneuf du Pape restaurant.

with Guide Lecturer: Dr Denise Allen

The idyllic landscapes of Provence are home to some of Europe’s finest Roman remains. Arches, amphitheaters and aqueducts — simultaneously feats of engineering and a marble message of power to native tribes. Hannibal marched his troops across these Provençal hills en route to cross the Alps, a century and a half before Julius Caesar made his name conquering the region. Our tour is a little less action-packed — as always on our Relaxed Breaks, there is plenty of free time to unwind, explore or revisit sites. You might wish to visit St Paul de Mausole, or the spectacular defended hilltop at Les Baux.

Mon 15th - Sun 21st May; Mon 18th - Sun 24th Sep & Mon 25th Sep - Sun 1st Oct 2017 Dr Denise Allen is an archaeologist and specialist in Roman glass. She has worked on sites and in museums across the UK and abroad.

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What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecturer, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

Itinerary Day One Fly to Marseille and transfer to our hotel in St. Rémy.

Papes (Châtennauf du Pape) before free time to digest and relax in the afternoon.

Day Two We begin in Nîmes, once a thriving Roman town with a population of c. 60,000.

Nîmes was ‘gifted’ numerous monuments under Roman rule, many still surviving today. Visits include the arena and the Maison Carée, the best preserved Roman temple anywhere in the empire.

Day Five Marvel at the remarkably complete Roman monuments of golden Arles, including amphitheater, theater, and underground passageways. We return in the afternoon via the extraordinary Roman Mills at Barbegal.

Day Three Enjoy a free morning in St Rémy, Van Gogh’s chosen home.

In the afternoon, we drive to the dramatic ruins of Roman Glanum - an abandoned town set in a cleft in the rocks of Les Alpilles.

Day Six We visit the spectacular Roman aqueduct at Pont du Gard, where those who wish have a chance to swim beneath its serene yet magnificent arches.

Day Seven Transfer to airport for US flights home or onward journeys.

Day Four Morning visit to Orange to see its famous theater and triumphal Roman arch. We have a private wine tasting at the Vergers des

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

CORSICA | NEOLITHIC TO NAPOLEON with Guide Lecturer: Dr Keith Wilkinson The rugged heights of Corsica cloak a long history, from the Neolithic through colonization by Etruscans, Carthaginians and Romans, while the island’s later history is dominated by the struggle for control between Italy, France and Spain. Led by an archaeologist, our tour allows this little-visited island to take its Highlights rightful place alongside Sicily and • Special access to the Museé Sardinia in Mediterranean history.

Jérôme Carcopino in the Highlights include Carthaginian ancient town of Aleria. and the largest collection of carved standing-stones in the Mediterranean.

• Explore the prehistoric sites of Filitosa, U Palatinu and I Calanchi

We visit these key sites: Taravu Valley, Bonifacio and Corte.

• Discover the Medieval city of Bonifacio, precariously balanced on towering cliffs

Special Access We experience a special tour of the Musée Jérôme Carcopino, introduced by local archaeologists, with finds from extensive excavations of Aleria.

Sun 28th May - Sun 4th Jun 2017 Why not link this tour with Hidden Berlin? See p.35...

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

FRANCE | PYRENEES ROCK ART with Guide Lecturer: Dr Jamie Hampson & Dr Paul Bahn Created by our ancestors around 10-35,000 years ago, at a time when Europe lay in the grip of an Ice Age, cave art provides one of the most direct connections possible with our distant past. The astonishing feature of rock art is that, preserved by the constant temperature of their environment, these drawings and paintings have remained intact and in situ for millennia. Our guides are able to arrange superb access to the caves hidden in these rugged mountain Highlights landscapes, where we delve into • Experience the best the artistic minds of our distant possible access to caves and European ancestors. rock shelters We visit these key sites: Mas d’Azil, Gargas and Bédeilhac.

Special Access Enjoy privileged access to cave sites usually closed to the public, in the company of a worldwide authority on prehistoric rock art.

• Traverse a rugged landscape rich in Palaeolithic art

Mon 24th - Sun 30th Apr & Mon 29th May - Sun 4th June 2017

Why not link this tour with Cave Art in Dordogne (p.31)?

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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Highlights

NEW

• Enjoy the newly-appointed Cro-Magnon museum, with interactive exhibits providing an insight into everyday prehistoric life • Explore the picturesque towns of Poitiers and Vannes, filled with Gothic, Baroque, and Romanesque architecture • Languish in the bucolic landscapes of Dordogne, where the famous river feeds verdant fields and forests • Come face-to-face with prehistoric man at Bernifal

Special Access

FRANCE | BRITTANY TO DORDOGNE

Enjoy special lectures by archaeologists, conservators and researchers, who will give unique insights into their work to protect local heritage.

With Guide Lecturer: Dr Jamie Hampson

Allow yourself to be taken back to humankind’s prehistoric beginnings with an in-depth look at its early artistic expression. Paintings and megaliths remain: intriguing clues to the hopes, fears, and realities of early man, and there is no shortage of them on this tour. The natural shelter of Cap Blanc, the Rouffignac Cave —h ome to over 250 paintings and engravings — and Lascaux II, to name but a few. Explore fantastic museums, meant to aid our understanding of the humans who preceded us. All this, supplemented by visits to charming towns and villages and glorious landscapes.

Itinerary Day One We arrive in Carnac.

afternoon, we visit Le Grand Pressigny Museum.

Day Two We begin our tour with a visit to Locmariaquer. We also take in Lud and the Table des Marchands.

Day Seven We begin the day with a visit to Bougon Tumulus Museum. We continue to Le Chaire a Calvin and then on to Les Eyzies.

Day Three We visit Plouharnel and Erdeven before driving to Vannes for a visit to the Archaeological Museum.

Day Eight We visit the natural rock shelter of Cap Blanc, and explore the rock art. After lunch we visit Rouffignac Cave, home to over 250 paintings and engravings.

Day Four We take a guided tour of Carnac and continue to Le Menec megalithic stones. After lunch we visit Carnac Museum of Prehistory.

Mon 29th May - Thu 8th June 2017 Dr Jamie Hampson is a University of York research fellow, specializing in rock art and indigenous studies. He works in the USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia, and India.

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What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecturer, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

Day Five We travel to Poitiers and visit Poitiers Museum.

Day Six We visit an array of dolmen and menhir standing stones north of Poitiers in the morning. In the

Days Nine and Ten Over these two days we visit a selection of impressive prehistoric cave art sites, including Pech Merle, Lascaux II, Cougnac, Les Eyzies and the Cro-Magnon Museum.

Day Eleven Our tour culminates with a visit to Bernifal Cave before we transfer to the airport for US flights or onward journeys.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

FRANCE | DORDOGNE CAVE ART with Guide Lecturers: Dr Paul Bahn & Dr Iain Morley The caves of the Dordogne Valley are home to one of the earliest displays of human creativity. Daubed in ocher and etched on cave walls are wild animals and human figures up to 35,000 years old. Dr Paul Bahn tells the story of the art, its discovery and what is known of the people who created it — the first true ‘old masters’, caught in Highlights the extreme cold of the last Ice Age. • Small group tours led by We have organized special entry to an expert in rock art and some of the world-famous rock-art the archaeology of the last sites - taking you as close as it is Ice Age - Dr Paul Bahn possible to get to the lives of our remotest Ice-Age ancestors.

• Visit a stunning range of prehistoric cave sites

We visit these key sites: Pech Merle and Bernifal Cave.

• Extended itinerary taking in Dordogne and Poitiers

Special Access Enjoy the opportunity to handle replica Palaeolithic objects during special access to the National Museum of Prehistory in Les Eyzies.

Mon 5th - Mon 12th June & Mon 18th - Mon 25th Sep 2017

Why not link this tour with Romans on the Rhône (p.33)?

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

BRITTANY | CARNAC & BEYOND with Guide Lecturer: Dr Nick Thorpe Brittany is home to some of the greatest prehistoric monuments set across a landscape of dramatic coastline, medieval towns and thick forests. Our tour encompasses an array of megalithic monuments and offers a memorable insight into the rites and rituals of our Stone Age ancestors. As we tour the dramatic landscape, Dr Nick Thorpe traces the elusive nature of the Neolithic. Was this a classless utopia, or a strict hierarchy where the great and the good were rewarded with Highlights opulent burials?

• Includes a whole day at Carnac, where 10,000 stone We visit these key sites: Carnac, ‘Menhirs’ have stood for Rondossec and Er-Lannic. over 4,000 years • Locmariaquer, a picturesque fishing village surrounded by monuments

Special Access Enjoy a private boat excursion to the island of Gavrinis in the Gulf of Morbihan, with a large and important passage grave constructed around 3500 BC.

Mon 28th Aug - Sun 3rd Sep 2017 Why not link this tour with Roman Lusitania? See p.81...

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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Highlights

SMALL GROUP

• Go beyond the Parisian boulevards to the hidden medieval streets and secret sites closed to the public • Dine in the Michelin-starred Tour d’Argent, believed to be the oldest restaurant in Paris - overlooking the Seine and Notre-Dame • Spend six nights in a faultless luxury hotel in one of the most exclusive areas of historic Paris

Special Access Enjoy unrivaled special access to the Roman baths that lurk below the Medieval wonders of the Musée de Cluny. We also enjoy a specially arranged visit to St-Denis Archaeological Unit - which carries out ‘rescue archaeology operations’ each year.

FRANCE | HIDDEN PARIS Guide Lecturer: John Shepherd

Paris is elegant, ageless - the ultimate architectural triumph of grace and refinement. Beyond the manicured lawns and Bourbon palaces lies a deeper, darker history of the city of light. Leave the tourist trail to explore the turbulent history behind the beautiful façades and discover forgotten Parisian gems. Visit the great crypt of St-Denis, where monarchs rest beneath the earth, the network of subterranean catacombs, and the Roman arena secreted within lush parkland. Let us lift the veil and give you a private introduction to the French capital, with fine dining, elegant wines and one flawless hotel.

Mon 2nd - Sun 8th Oct 2017 John Shepherd is an archaeologist with field experience in France, Italy and the UK. Much of his career has focused upon Roman provincial archaeology.

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What’s Included Luxury hotel, all dinners (with wine), exclusive site permits, guide lecturer and tour manager.

Itinerary Day One Arrival in Paris. Relaxed visit to the Marias district, preferred postcode of Parisian nobility over the centuries.

Day Two We begin the day at the great Notre-Dame, with a visit to the archaeological excavations and hidden underground crypts.

We visit Sainte Chappelle before heading to the Louvre where we tour the Department of Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities. Enjoy free time at the gallery.

Day Three Today we visit the Égouts de Paris - the arteries of the old subterranean sewer system, some of which date back to the medieval period. This afternoon we leave Paris briefly for the Archaeological Museum at St-Germain-en-Laye.

Day Four We take a special tour of the

St-Denis Archaeological Unit and enjoy an exclusive finds handling session before moving on to the Church and Archaeological Crypt of St Denis. Our dinner this evening is at the Michelin-starred Tour d’Argent.

Day Five We view the Montmartre Cemetery and the snow-white confection of the Sacré-Cœur Basilica, including the crypt with relics and tombs. In the afternoon we visit the Montmartre Museum before an evening tour of historic Paris.

Day Six We visit the Arènes de Lutèce and take a stroll to the old city wall on Rue Clovis. After lunch, we have special access to the Roman baths hidden below the Musée de Cluny, a museum of the Middle Ages.

Day Seven Transfer to the airport.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

NEW

Highlights • Discover more about Alesia: the site of the climactic battle of the Roman conquest of Gaul • Explore beautiful Lyon and the wonderful collections of the Musee Gallo-Romain • View the temple of Augustus and Livia at Vienne: the best preserved Roman temple in France • Visit Cluny: The greatest abbey of Western Europe • Enjoy scenic routes through the beautiful heartland of Burgundy

Special Access

FRANCE | ROMANS ON THE RHÔNE with Guide Lecturer: Professor Tony King

Realizing the importance of the Rhône in their ambitions for Gaul, the Romans conquered the Rhône valley in 121 BC. Join us in Burgundy, served by the conjoining Rhône and Saône.

Amidst its mustard field-dotted rolling green hills, we find cobbled Medieval streets, glorious Gallo-Roman and Celtic antiquity and important Western churches and monasteries of the Middle Ages. Aside from its historical pedigree, this is a region where two great French passions collide: wine and food. Examine Burgundy’s centuries-old history of viticulture during a relaxed vineyard visit and tasting session.

Itinerary

Day Two

afternoon. This was once a busy port, acting as a distribution point for local wines which were sent up and down the Saône river.

We visit Chatillon in Vix this morning. We continue to Alesia, site of Caesar’s final Gallic victory, and its museum. We also view the Vercingetorix statue.

Day Six We enjoy an entire day dedicated to Lyon. Discover a fascinating range of theaters, museums, cathedrals and more

Day One We arrive in Lyon and transfer to our hotel in Dijon.

Day Three We stop at a number of sites this morning, including: Autun museum, the nearby theater and gate, and the Temple of Janus.

We continue to Bibracte, one of the most important hillforts in Gaul, this afternoon.

Mon 12th - Mon 19th Jun 2017 Professor Tony King is a professor of archaeology at the University of Winchester and a specialist in Roman archaeology. He has excavated extensively in Britain and abroad.

What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecturer, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

Gain new understanding of the siege of Alesia - one of the most important battles during Caesar’s conquest of Gaul. We will enjoy a special presentation from a renowned local archaeologist during our tour.

Day Four We begin the day at Dijon Museum, housed in the Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy. We also visit Nuits St Georges Museum and temple site.

Day Seven We spend the morning at the Lyon aqueducts, on the slopes of Mont Pilat. We continue to the Temple d’Auguste et de Livie in Vienne, and the St Romain en Gal Roman houses.

Day Eight After an early visit to Anse Roman walls, we transfer to the airport for US flights or onward journeys.

Day Five We travel to Lyon and explore Chalon sur Saone this

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

33

LANGUEDOC | CATHARS & CRUSADERS with Guide Lecturer: Dr Nick Slope Amid a landscape of hills and forests lies Languedoc, once a thriving kingdom and home of Catharism – an ascetic Christian sect that eschewed the power of Rome. In 1209 Pope Innocent III launched the Albigensian Crusade to eliminate the ‘heretics’ of Languedoc.

Twenty years of fighting followed, fundamentally altering the religious landscapes of Medieval Europe. We visit castles built Highlights high on rocky ridges and hills, a • Stay within the walls of promontory defended on three Carcassonne sides by deep ravines and fortified • Heretics and Holy War, citadels build to withstand sieges the struggle for hearts and a dramatic landscape manipulated minds in Medieval France to defend the power of Languedoc.

• Ruined castles and deserted villages atop We visit these key sites: Albi, craggy hills Béziers and Carcassonne.

Special Access Enjoy special access to both parts of the Abbey at Lagrasse; experience privileged visits to areas not usually open to the public.

Mon 4th - Sun 10th Sep 2017

Why not link this tour with Foz Côa Rock Art? See p.77...

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

ROMAN GERMANY with Guide Lecturer: Tony Wilmott In 9 AD the largest army of the Roman Empire amassed along the Rhine frontier, preparing to march into what Tacitus described as ‘the bristling forests’ of Germany — and suffered an unprecedented defeat. In response, they constructed the Limes, a defense system of fortifications built along the Danube and Rhine borders. Safe behind this frontier, Roman cities Highlights prospered. Our tour explores that which time has left behind: • See the remarkable and grand villas, Roman towns and prolific remains of Roman Cologne the remains of a once imposing frontier in a beautiful, unspoilt part • Step beneath a Roman of Europe. amphitheater at Trier We visit these key sites: Cologne, Mainz, Zugmantel.

• Walk into a reconstructed Roman town at Xanten Archaeological Park

Special Access

Sun 28th May - Tue 6th Jun 2017

Enjoy a special tour of the exciting Schiffarts Museum

by Dr. Anna Kibburg. The shipping museum is part of the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Scientific Community.

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Why not link this tour with Armenia: Bastion of the Caucasus? See p.20...

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Highlights

SMALL GROUP

• Go behind the scenes at Berlin’s most celebrated museums • Uncover sites behind Berlin’s imperial facade, such as Tempelhof airport • Enjoy a special evening meal on top of the Reichstag building • Stay in a 5* hotel in central Berlin • Enjoy excellent food paired with classical music in the unique setting of Berlin’s historic Charlottenburg Palace Orangery

Special Access Enjoy a private tour of Stasi Headquarters. Get involved with a special finds handling session with museum curators at the State Archaeological Museum.

The curator of Brandenburg State Museum will also present a special talk during our tour.

HIDDEN BERLIN with Guide Lecturer: Professor Nick Jackson

Home to stunning monuments, architecture and museums, Berlin is an icon of 20th century history. Beyond the tourist hotspots, there is an even more intriguing Berlin to explore.

Uncover a lesser known past: visit the underground Stasi headquarters; and enjoy a special talk from the curator of Brandenburg State Museum. Archaeologist Nick Jackson leads this exclusive tour as we explore the highs and lows of a city torn apart... and pieced back together again. This tour is a must for those wishing to get at the heart of Berlin’s dynamic and hidden history as well as its finest gastronomic delights.

Mon 5th - Sat 10th Jun 2017 & Mon 28th Aug - Sat 2nd Sep 2017 Nick Jackson is an archaeologist specializing in the Bronze Age. He lives in Berlin, and has supervised excavations in Jordan, Syria and Turkey.

Itinerary Day One We arrive in Berlin and enjoy an orientation tour of the city.

Hohenschönhausen Jail and experience a private tour around the Stasi Headquarters.

Day Two We explore the beginnings of Berlin and its fascination with the ancient as we visit Museum Island, visiting the Altes and Bode museums. In the afternoon we enjoy a lecture from our Guide.

Day Five We explore Berlin’s most recent history with a walk of the Berlin Wall. In the afternoon we experience a specially arranged Under the Berlin Wall tour, where we discover stories of hope, a betrayal and an attempt to tunnel to freedom with reconstructed escape tunnels.

Day Three A day in Brandenburg. We visit the State Archaeological Museum, and have a special finds handling session with the museum curators. After lunch we trace the history of early Prussia, including visits to Cathedral of St Peter and Paul, and St Catherine’s Church.

What’s Included Luxury hotel, all dinners (with wine), exclusive site permits, guide lecturer and tour manager.

Day Four We look behind the wall and explore the site of the old GDR, beginning at Tempelhof, Berlin’s oldest airport, redesigned into a gateway to Hitler’s ‘World Capital’. After lunch we visit

Day Six We take a walking tour of World War II Berlin and make our way to the German Resistance Memorial Center, where resistance fighters were executed in 1944. We transfer to the airport for US flights or onward journeys.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

35

GREECE | CRETE & SANTORINI with Guide Lecturers: Dr Sandy MacGillivray and Dr Christina Hatzimichael Whitley

The Minoans are best known for their labyrinthine ‘palaces’ — the greatest of which, at Knossos, was supposedly where Theseus slew the Minotaur. Our journey across these two beautiful islands will demonstrate the impressive architectural and artistic skills of this Bronze Age civilization. Begin on the beautiful island of Santorini, buried suddenly during the cataclysmic eruption of Thera, which signaled 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.

Itinerary

Day One We arrive in Santorini.

Day Two We begin our first day with a visit to the Prehistoric Museum in Fira. We then continue to Akrotiri. Destroyed by a volcanic eruption in 1,500 BC, it is often described as the Aegean’s answer to Pompeii and Herculaneum; with houses preserved up to three stories high in some cases.

Day Three We visit the ancient city of Thera, which has been under archaeological investigation since 1904. Findings from the city have been invaluable contributions to our understanding of Minoan culture and history. Late in the afternoon, we have an exciting journey by catamaran to Heraklion on Crete, arriving in time for dinner.

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Day Four We visit the Bronze Age palace site of Knossos. The Curator provides a privileged introduction to the British School of Athens’ Knossos study center. In the afternoon we continue to the Minoan house at Vathypetro and then return to Heraklion for a visit to the Heraklion Museum.

Day Five We enjoy a morning at the Graeco-Roman site of Gortyn, best known for its important collection of 5th century inscribed stone blocks. We travel to the elegant ‘palace’ at Phaistos and continue to Ayai Triadha, a grand but ruinous Bronze Age villa.

Day Six We visit the ruins of the Minoan town of Gournia on the northern coast. The remains are clustered around the sides

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Highlights • The re-opened city of Akrotiri, the ‘Pompeii of the Aegean’ buried and preserved by the eruption of 1500 BC • Elegant sites, wildflowers, expert guides and the warm waters of the Mediterranean

Special Access Special Access Cuptur? Ihiciducimi, con es dolorepe nobit quisquas de et qui nita vitaest quiasp Itis mos estist ommo eumqu aspero quis de rem fugit labo.

Faccullant pedion.

of a hill, just feet from the splashing waves of the Aegean.

We also visit Lato, a Doric city defensively situated between two peaks. Afternoon option of a boat trip to picturesque Spinalonga, the site of a former leper colony, just off the northern tip of the Kolokytha Peninsula.

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 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 transfering to the airport.

What’s Included • Guide Lecturer • Tour Manager • Local Travel - Private a/c coach & catamaran • Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine • Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme & tips

Enjoy special access to the British School at Athens’ study center at Knossos. The curator will discuss the work of the School and give a tour of the study center.

Guide Lecturer Dr Sandy MacGillivray is an archaeologist specializing in the civilizations of Crete, the Cyclades and mainland Greece during the Aegean Bronze Age. He has excavated widely, including at Knossos in Crete.

Dr Christina Hatzimichael Whitley is Tutor in Greek Archaeology at the Cardiff Center for Lifelong Learning (LEARN).

She specializes in Minoan Crete, and is co-director of the Praisos survey and excavation Project (Crete).

• Field Notes

Dates

Crete & Santorini in 2016

Tue 14th - Tue 21st Mar 2017

If you can’t wait until 2017 to discover Crete & Santorini, join us in 2016 instead.

Tue 18th - Tue 25th Apr 2017

We still have a number of spaces remaining on our May, September and October tours in 2016. Please visit our website for full details.

Tue 12th - Tue 19th Sep 2017 Tue 26th Sep - Tue 3rd Oct 2017 Tue 10th Oct - Tue 17th Oct 2017

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

37

Highlights

NEW

• Visit the Parthenon, built on the acropolis of Athens and dedicated to the goddess of Athena.

• Discover Delphi, an important ancient Greek religious sanctuary sacred to the god Apollo • Explore Eleusis, where the cult of the goddess Demeter existed for centuries and the Eleusinian mysteries were held • Tour Kerameikos Cemetery, Athens’s most famous cemetery

Special Access

ATHENS & THE GLORIES OF PERICLES with Guide Lecturer: Dr Sandy MacGillivray & Dr Christina Hatzimichael Whitley

Pericles was Greece’s most prominent and influential Greek statesman and orator. Join us and explore Athens as he knew it — during the Golden Age. Athens is often referred to as the world’s ancient capital — iconic monuments lie moments away from fascinating museums, and endless ancient landmarks.

The center of Athens is, in itself an open-air museum. From the magnificent Acropolis, you can glimpse Athens’ modern face, the sprawling modern metropolis which sits below. Join us at the Acropolis and the Agora, where merchants haggled and great philosophers came to debate.

Wed 26th Apr - Wed 3rd May 2017 with Dr Sandy MacGillivray Mon 18th Sep - Mon 25th Sep 2017 with Dr Christina Hatzimichael-Whitley

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What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecturer, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

Receive special access to the Lascaridis Foundation Historic Library. Following a private tour of the library, we enjoy exclusive access to ancient and historic documents, and take part in a handling session of some of the artifacts in their private collections.

Itinerary Day One Arrive in Athens and enjoy a free afternoon in the city.

Day Two Our first full day will be dedicated to Athens and its rich history. We will spend all day here, visiting the splendid Acropolis Museum to set the archaeological background for our tour. Afterwards, we continue our exploration with a walk around town.

Day Three We enjoy a pleasant journey out to Delphi, located on the spur of Mount Parnassus. We view the extensive archaeological remains of the impressive classical site, famous for its oracle at the Sanctuary of Apollo.

Day Four We return to Athens where we continue our exploration of the Acropolis. We visit the Temple of Olympean Zeus, Roman Forum and Hadrian’s

Library. After lunch, we travel to Philopappos Hill, home to the Church of St. Dimitrios Loumbardiaris with its fine frescoes, and the tomb of Philipappos, an ancient mausoleum dedicated to the prominent Roman consul and administrator.

Day Five We spend the morning at Eleusis, best known for the Eleusinian Mysteries, one of the most famous religious events of ancient Greece. The on-site museum contains superb examples of Greek statues and artifacts from the area. We return to Athens this afternoon, and the fantastic Cycladic Art Museum. Its notable collection of artifacts, from the mainland and Greek islands, includes the marvelous figurines of the Cyclades and some cruciform figurines from Cyprus.

Day Six We return home today.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

GREECE | THESSALONIKI with Guide Lecturer: Dr Christina Hatzimichael Whitley Founded in 315 BC, Thessaloniki is a city whose historical importance and legacy can be said to rival that of Athens. The streets of Thessaloniki are rich in the monuments of its illustrious past; the palace and mausoleum of Emperor Galerius, Byzantine walls, ancient Orthodox churches, and Ottoman mosques. Venture beyond Highlights the city walls to ancient Dion and • Discover a selection of the Enipeas Ravine, at the foot vibrant Byzantine churches of Mount Olympus. Ancient and and a historic old town modern worlds happily coexist here: the famous White Tower, anchoring a waterfront of cafés.

• Enjoy many archaeological highlights - including the Imperial Roman Palace

We visit these key sites: the Hagia Sophia and Dion.

• Enjoy six nights in one of the best hotels in the city perfect for exploring

Special Access Visit the Church of St Nicholas Orfanos and enjoy special access to the beautiful frescoes that adorn the inside of the building.

Tue 4th - Mon 10th Apr 2017

Why not link this tour with Uzbekistan? See p.91...

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

GREECE | THE PELOPONNESE with Guide Lecturer: Dr Rita Roussos An odyssey through the great sites of Ancient Greece: monuments from every period, and significant archaeological sites set across the backdrop of a rich and varied natural landscape. We traverse the region, accompanied by archaeologist and early Greek specialist Dr Rita Roussos, and explore sites straight out of myth and legend.

Rita unpicks myth from reality as we trace the development of ancient Greece from its earliest prehistoric origins to Classical Highlights glory and beyond on our tour of • The land of Homer’s the Peloponnesian region. heroes We visit these key sites: Argos, Corinth, Mycenae, Olympia and Aigosthena.

Special Access Experience a special visit to the Museum at Corinth where we enjoy a specially arranged talk by the Museum Curator.

• A full day exploring the archaeological splendors of ancient Argos

Mon 3rd - Fri 14th Apr & Mon 4th - Fri 15th Sep 2017

Why not link this tour with Hidden Rome? See p.54...

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

39

GREECE| WILD THRACE with Guide Lecturer: Dr Christina Hatzimichael Whitley East of Thessaloniki are the mountains and plains of ancient Thrace, birthplace of Phillip II and Alexander the Great. Thrace was a land 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, an important Christian center, and Mesembria with its chariot burials.

Among mountain landscapes, Highlights expanses of wilderness, and plains • Discover traces of Roman, of sunflowers, we find Thrace’s Medieval and Ottoman stunning archaeological sites - from history the grand Tomb of Amphipolis • Explore the costal ruins to Didymoteicho, birthplace of of Mesembria, the ancient Byzantine Emperors.

Greek polis of Zone We visit these key sites: Kavala, Samothrace, and Komontini.

Special Access We have special access to the decorated tombs of Mikri Doxipara Zoni tumuli - a series of burials dating to the Roman period but in the native Thracian style.

• Visit the sanctuary of the Great Gods in Samothrace

Tue 16th - Wed 24rd May 2017 & Tue 5th - Wed 13th Sep 2017 Why not link this tour with Dalmatia and Dubrovnik in May? See p.25...

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

GREECE| MEET THE GREEKS with Guide Lecturer: Dr Rita Roussos 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 theater - how did a group of rival kingdoms dominate the ancient Aegean for so many centuries? We begin in the Peloponnesian hills, where Highlights King Agamemnon set out to rescue Helen and capture Troy.

• Discover the Golden age of We continue to Classical Athens, Classical Athens a city whose Golden Age led • Receive a special talk from to astonishing advances in art, the director at Eleusis philosophy, science and politics.

• A perfect introduction to the people who dominated We visit these key sites: Athens, 2,000 years of Western Mycenae and Delphi. civilisation

Special Access Travel to the site of ancient Corinth and receive a special talk from an archaeologist who previously worked here. The ancient city was one of the largest in ancient Greece.

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Wed 17th - Wed 24th May 2017

Why not combine your Greek odyssey with a tour of Croatia?

See p.25...

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

GREECE | THE CYCLADES (LAND TOUR) with Guide Lecturer: Dr Rita Roussos Of all the thousands of Greek Islands that 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 Highlights to Poseidon, to Naxos with its • Discover the Agora of spectacular unfinished kouroi Athens, the ancient center (male statues). We explore the cool of Athenian life depths of prehistoric tombs and spectacular temples dedicated to ancient gods.

If you would rather cruise along the Aegean, discover our new Cyclades gulet tour (p. 44).

Special Access Experience exclusive access to the largest Mycenean tholos tomb in the Cyclades excavated in 1991 - situated on a hill at Angelika.

• Explore Naxos, forever associated with Dionysus and Ariadne • Visit the sacred island of Delos, with the impressive atmospheric ruins

Thurs 21st Sep - Sun 1st Oct 2017 Why not link this tour with Pompeii? See p.50...

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

CAN’T WAIT FOR 2017?

TRAVEL WITH US IN 2016 Spaces have been filling fast on our 2016 tours, with many tours now sold out. The usual suspects, such as Pompeii and Sicily, have been tempting travelers once again, but our Hidden Cities tours have proven popular too. We wouldn’t want anyone to miss out, so we have added a number of new departures to our program, including: Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania new May & September departures Sicilia Antiqua new October departure Malta & Gozo new October departure Hidden Rome new November departure Hidden Venice new November departure Book your place on any of our 2016 tours by calling, emailing or visiting us online.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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Highlights

NEW

• Explore the beautiful Mediterranean island of Crete and its lesser known archaeological remains • Wander through Armeni, where 200 chamber tombs have been discovered • Discover the once powerful ancient city-state of Aptera • Feel inspired in Apollonia, the birthplace of philosopher Diogenes and the tragic poet Ametor • Enjoy scenic routes through traditional Cretan villages

Special Access Discover more about the important recent research which has been undertaken in Western Crete, during special talks from local archaeologists during our tour.

GREECE | CRETE REVISITED with Guide Lecturer: Dr Sandy MacGillivray

The largest and most populous of the Greek islands, Crete is a well-trodden destination... but it still has secrets and surprises waiting to be uncovered. Join us as we explore the famous Minoan ‘palaces’ and settlements; trace the fortunes of the island through the Classical Greek and Roman periods. As we journey through the Cretan landscape, we witness it unfold in an undeniably artistic way, a magical tapestry of beaches, ancient treasures, vibrant cities and enigmatic villages. The natural beauty we find, is surpassed only by the richness of its history.

Itinerary Day One Arrive in Chania and transfer to our hotel. In the afternoon we enjoy our first lecture from our expert guide.

Day Two We spend the morning discovering the Chania Archaeological Museum, and ancient Kydonia. In the afternoon we enjoy a walking tour of Chania’s historic center.

Day Three We begin the day at Kissamos Museum. We explore the ancient city of Polyrhenia and the Hellenistic town of Phalasarna, with its harbor.

Tue 17th - Tue 24th October 2017 Dr Sandy MacGillivray is an archaeologist specializing in the Aegean Bronze Age and the civilizations of Crete. He has excavated at Sparta, Paros and Kythnos, in Greece, and at Knossos in Crete.

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What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecturer, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

Day Four We travel to Elyros, an important Doric and Roman town with two harbors. We continue to Sougia for lunch and then take a boat to Lissos, an ancient city famous for its Temple of Asklepios. We return to Chania in the afternoon.

Day Five On our journey to Rethymnon we visit Aptera and a Mycenaean cemetery at Armeni.

In the afternoon, enjoy free time to explore the sites of Rethymnon.

Day Six Discover the archaeological site and museum at Eleutherna which reveals finds from the Neolithic period through to the Byzantine. After lunch we visit Arkadi Monastery.

Day Seven This morning we explore Rethymnon Archaeological Museum. Afternoon, we visit a late Minoan villa at Amnisos and take a walking tour of historic Rethymnon.

Day Eight We return to Chania and transfer to the airport for US flights or onward travel.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

NEW

Highlights • Experience the very best of two superpowers of the ancient world • Glide along the mighty Bosphorous on a relaxed river cruise • Take in the sublime views over Attica from the high plateaus of Delphi • See the merging of two major world religions at former Christian basilica the Hagia Sofia • Enjoy an al fresco lunch at one of Greek history’s most important battle sites

Special Access We have the privilege of a special talk from local archaeologists, and of an out-of-hours visit to Istanbul’s iconic Hagia Sofia.

ATHENS TO ISTANBUL with Guide Lecturers: Dr Veronica Kalas & Terry Richardson

The ancient cities of Athens and Istanbul have existed in many incarnations — as continental gateways, centers of culture, and theaters of war. In the present, wonders of the ancient world have lost none of their awe-inspiring power, and this tour is dotted with sites bound to spark your curiosity and wonder: the emblematic Parthenon and Hagia Sofia, the once-buzzing Hippodrome of Constantinople, and the legendladen sanctuary of Delphi. Our journey sees us retrace an ancient path from West to East, re-imagining a historic clash of empires all the way through to the modern day.

Thu 9th - Wed 22nd Nov 2017 Dr Veronika Kalas is an art historian and archaeologist who specializes in the ancient through to Byzantine periods.

Terry Richardson is author of the ‘Rough Guide: Turkey’, and co-author/ photographer of ‘The Lycian Way’.

What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecturer, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

Itinerary Day One We arrive in Athens.

Day Two We explore ancient Athens on foot, visiting the Theater of Dionysus and Kerameikos cemetery.

Day Eight We enjoy a walking tour of Thessaloniki.

Day Nine We discover the site of Philippoi and the Kasta tumulus in Amphipolis.

Day Three Our day begins at the Agora of Athens, the best-known example in ancient Greece.

Day Ten We explore the Sanctuaries of Apollo and Demeter in the Zoni-Mesimvria.

Day Four We travel to the sanctuary of Eleusis, thought to have been in use for over 2,000 years.

Day Eleven We fly to Istanbul. We visit the Hagia Sofia, and Blue Mosque, and enjoy a Bosphorus Cruise.

Day Five We discover the Panhellenic Sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi.

Day Twelve We visit Topkapi Palace and Hagia Iriene today.

Day Six We visit the Castle of Lamia and the town of Phthiotis.

Day Thirteen We explore the Sulemaniye Mosque complex, walk to Eminonu waterfront and Rustem Pasa Mosque.

Day Seven We travel to Thessaloniki, stopping at the Acropolis of Pyrasos en route.

Day Fourteen We return home.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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NEW

SMALL GROUP

GREECE | THE CYCLADES BY GULET with Guide Lecturers: Dr Sandy MacGillivray & Dr Rita Roussos

Join us as we take a meandering route around the Cyclades island by gulet. Discover atmospheric archaeological sites, amidst rugged, sun-drenched outcrops of rock, which stand within sparkling azure seas. Travel to the sacred island of Delos — mythical birthplace of twins Apollo and Artemis. Standing amongst this sprawling ruin, we can easily imagine the magnificent city that once was. Santorini’s multicolored cliffs are certain to capture your imagination, as will the fascinating Minoan site of Akrotiri. Aside from our archaeological pursuits, we make sure to reserve time for a swim in the beautiful turquoise waters and island grottoes.

Itinerary

Day One We arrive in Santorini.

Day Two Our day begins with breakfast overlooking the Caldera. We visit the ancient city of Thera, a site under excavation since 1904. We continue to Akrotiri: destroyed by a catastrophic volcanic eruption in 1,500 BC. After lunch, you can enjoy a free afternoon in Santorini or join your guide for a walking excursion tour.

Day Three We spend the day at the hilly island of Ios. We visit the Roman Aqueduct, Homer’s tomb and the on-site Archaeological Museum. We sail to Koufonisia for a late afternoon swim in the beautiful turquoise waters and grottoes of the islands.

Day Four We enjoy a full day on Naxos,

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the largest of the Cyclades We visit the interesting Archaeological Site of Grotta, before continuing to the Mycenean Tholos tomb at Koronida. We also examine the two giant unfinished Kouroi lying near quarries close to the villages of Melanes and Apollonas.

Day Five We continue exploring Naxos today. A number of ancient sanctuaries still survive here, including the Sanctuaries of Dionysus and Demeter. We continue to the never-finished Temple of Apollo, erected by the tyrant Lygdamis in the 6th century Days Six & Seven We spend two full days in the temples, houses, agorae and oracular sancturies of Delos.

The lovely island where Leto purportedly gave birth to Apollo and his twin Artemis.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Sailing with Andante Travels Gulet cruising allows you to experience a completely different side to the Cyclades Islands. Enjoy a friendly and informal atmosphere on board ­— as each tour is limited to a maximum of 18 guests.

The Boat

Gulet tours are unlike any other cruise experiences.

The vessels are designed to offer total relaxation; making them the perfect partner to an Andante Travels tour. Enjoy beautiful food, and plenty of swimming opportunities, alongside our fascinating archaeological excursions.

Enjoy single sittings during on-board dinners; ample space for sunbathing on deck, and plenty of shaded areas to relax in too. The comfort also extends to your cabin: all are air conditioned, with en-suite bathrooms.

Historically, gulets were used as transport and fishing vessels along the southern coasts of Turkey. Today they are designed with full comfort and not trade in mind — which you will see as soon as you come aboard...

Highlights • Discover the most wellknown Minoan Bronze Age settlement in the world — Santorini • Explore the Terrace of the Lions, dedicated to Apollo • Visit the ancient and Mysterious Castles of Andros • Enjoy dinner overlooking the illuminated temples of Cape Sounion

What’s Included • Expert Guide Lecturer & 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

Day Eight We visit Syros — one of the smallest islands of the Cyclades — and discover its archaeological reserve and early cemetery site.

We sail to Andros via Gyaros, where we view the deserted prison buildings.

Day Nine We explore Andros and enjoy a refreshing morning trail-hike to the archaeological site of Zagora.

We continue to Palaiopolis before enjoying a walking tour of Chora and the Castle of Pano Kastro.

Day Ten We enjoy a final day in Kea. The charming island is characterized by its rocky spires, verdant orchard-filled valleys and striking walking trails. We sail to Cape Sounion for dinner overlooking the Illuminated Temples.

Day Eleven We return home.

• Field Notes

Guide Lecturers

Dates

Dr Sandy MacGillivray is an archaeologist specializing in the Aegean Bronze Age, and the civilizations of Crete, the Cyclades and mainland Greece during this period. He has excavated at Sparta, Paros and Kythnos, in Greece, and at Knossos in Crete, and he co-directed excavations at Palaikastro.

Sat 30th Sep - Tue 10th Oct 2017 with Dr Sandy MacGillivray

Dr Rita Roussos is a native Athenian and taught Archaeology and Art History at the American University of Athens. She has worked on archaeological projects at Isthmia, Kato Lossous and Mantinea. Rita’s research interests include the place of women in ancient Greece and Rome as well as fourth century sculpture from Greece.

Wed 11th - Sun 22nd Oct 2017 with Dr Rita Roussos

Please note that whilst both tour will visit all of the same sites, they will visit them in a different order. The second date of our tour begins in Kea and ends in Santorini.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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GUATEMALA, BELIZE & HONDURAS with Guide Lecturer: David Drew Meet the Maya, a people of both cultural sophistication and extreme brutality, in the same breathtaking surroundings where they made their home. As we traverse the dense jungle that still covers much of Guatemala and Belize, and dine with the calls of the howler monkeys and brilliant macaws in the branches above, it becomes ever easier to imagine the lives of those who worked, fought, and Highlights lived there. This, coupled with • Get incomparable insight beautifully-preserved metropolises into ancient Mayan life and soaring temples, blue-green with fantastic museums lakes and emerald forests, make for and sites a truly incomparable insight into • Experience a sense of this enigmatic civilization. adventure with jungle treks to remote sites We visit these key sites: Copàn, Quirigua, Tikal

Special Access Enjoy a special talk on the archaeology of the Copan area at the site, presented by a colleague of David Drew.

Tue 14th - Tue 28 Feb 2017 Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

AMSTERDAM AT CHRISTMAS with Guide Lecturer: Dr Mark Driessen Amsterdam is a city like no other. Once the northernmost reach of Rome’s continental empire, it later became known for its 17th century Golden Age. Amsterdam offers the perfect combination of historical atmosphere and an intimate, welcoming character.

The city really comes alive at Christmas—with markets, parades, and performances making it the Highlights perfect time for visiting. Explore the city’s Roman influence at • Experience the festive Forum Hadriani, experience World Christmas Circus Christmas Vespers at the Basilica • Discover the history of of St Nicholas, and marvel at the Forum Hadriani and the Illuminated Christmas Canal nearby Roman harbour Parade.

• Explore the ruins of the Roman town of Nijmegen We visit these key sites: De Nieuwe Kerk and Forum Hadriani

Special Access Experience the Illuminated Christmas Canal Parade on Christmas Eve, and enjoy a performance of Wereldkerstcircus at Carré Theater on Christmas Day. 46

Wed 20th - Tue 26th Dec 2017

Why not continue the festivities with Barcelona at New Year?

See p. 81...

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Highlights

NEW

• Discover ‘Our Lord in the Attic’, a Catholic church hidden inside a 17th-century canal house • Visit one of the most renowned museums in the Netherlands—the formidable Rijksmuseum • Amsterdam as a real culinary hotspot — enjoy an unforgettable Michelinstarred meal on tour • A sumptuous luxury hotel makes the perfect base from which to discover this inscrutable city

Special Access Take advantage of special access at a number of museums on this tour—we have a behindthe-scenes visit and a curatorled talk at the Allard Pierson Museum, and after hours access to the Dutch National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden and ‘DOMunder Utrecht’

HIDDEN AMSTERDAM with Guide Lecturer: Dr Mark Driessen

The city reclaimed from the sea... Amsterdam is more easily experienced than defined. It’s a uniquely intimate setting where time seems to stop. The city was made to be explored, littered as it is with atmospheric lanes and quarters. Join us as we wander through historic towns, decorated with monumental medieval architecture. Wherever you find yourself, a masterpiece will be within reach. The Van Gogh Museum holds the world’s largest collection of Gogh’s work, whilst the Rijksmuseum is brimming with Vermeers, Rembrandts and so much more.

Itinerary Day One After arriving in Amsterdam, our first visit is to the Museum Amstelkring, and the Church of Our Lord in the Attic concealed inside the Museum’s roof. This afternoon, we take in the classical stylings of the Amsterdam Royal Palace, followed by the striking 15th century Nieuwe Kerk.

Day Two We visit the Allard Pierson Museum, where we enjoy behind-the-scenes access and a special talk by one of the museum’s curators. After lunch, we visit Forum Hadriani, before returning to Amsterdam for a talk by our guide lecturer.

Tue 11th - Wed 17th May 2017 Dr Mark Driessen is a lecturer and researcher at Leiden University.

His expertise spans across topics of Roman Provincial Archaeology and the archaeology of the Netherlands and Jordan.

What’s Included Luxury hotel, all dinners (with wine), exclusive site permits, guide lecturer and tour manager.

Day Three This morning we tour the Roman fortress of Castellum and its Museum Hoge Woerd.

After lunch, we continue to Muider to see a beautifullypreserved medieval castle.

Day Four We drive to Nijmegen to tour the Museum Het Valkhof. Later, upon returning to Amsterdam, we visit the Van Gogh Museum.

Day Five We drive to Leiden’s Dutch National Museum of Antiquities, where we have special access. We continue to historical Oudewater and Haastrecht, then depart for Utrecht. Here, we discover 2,000 years of history hidden underground at DOMunder Utrecht, where we also have special access after hours.

Day Six We spend all day at the worldrenowned Rijksmuseum, the architecturally eclectic home of works by Dutch masters Rembrandt and Vermeer.

Day Seven We transfer to the airport for US flights or onward journeys.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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Highlights • Visit ancient Persian majesty at Persepolis, Naqsh-e Rustam, and Pasargadae, and trace the mysterious Zoroastrians • Uncover old-style Iranian hammams, stunning architecture, and the finest example of a Persian Garden in the world • Spend time in Iran’s busiest, biggest, and best bazaars and shop for exceptional local crafts • Encounter overwhelming hospitality and taste delicious Iranian cuisine

Special Access

IRAN | KINGS, SHAHS AND GARDENS

Enjoy special lectures by archaeologists, conservators and researchers, who will give unique insights into their work to protect local heritage.

with Guide Lecturers: Francois Desset, Prof Michael Roaf, Hassan Nashli & Carolyn Perry

A land of mystery, and unparalleled hospitality, Iran is rich in antiquities, its intricately decorated monumental legacy bearing witness to the sweep of its epic history. Explore the Persian Kingdom, and walk in the footsteps of Cyrus the Great, and Xerxes at their palaces. We visit monumental citadels at the circular city of Firuzabad and discover the mysteries of the Zoroastrians. Visit the Islamic splendors of Safavid and Qajar Persia in the beautiful cities of Shiraz and Esfahan, and wonder at the legacy of the Pahlavi monarchs in Tehran. This tour sold out fast in 2016 - don’t miss your chance to see this great land.

Itinerary Day One Arrive in Shiraz and transfer by coach to our hotel.

Day Two Arrive early morning. Stroll around Shiraz after lunch, visiting Karim Khan Castle and Eram Garden.

Day Three Drive to Firuzabad to visit Qaleh-i-Dukhtar Palace.

Day Four Full day at Nagsh-e Rostam, Takht-e Jamshid, and Naghshe-Rajab. Return to Shiraz.

Thurs 6th - Sun 23rd Apr 2017 Thurs 14th - Sat 30th Sep 2017 Thurs 21st Sep - Sat 7th Oct 2017 Thurs 12th - Sat 28th Oct 2017 with Guide Lecturers: Francois Desset, Hassan Nashli, Prof Michael Roaf & Carolyn Perry 48

What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecturer, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

Day Five All day in Shiraz. Morning visit to the tombs of Hafez and Saadi. Explore Naranjestan Palace, Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque and the city’s traditional bazaar.

Day Six Drive to Kerman via Pasargadae, capital of the Achaemenian Empire

Day Seven All day in Kerman, exploring the 17th century Ganjali Khan complex and Shazde Garden.

Days Eight & Nine Explore the desert city of Yazd, center of Zoroastrian culture.

Days Ten to Thirteen Visit Esfahan via Na’in. Explore stunning Islamic architecture, the second largest square in the world, and some glorious churches.

Day Fourteen Depart Esfahan for Tehran, Iran’s cosmopolitan capital, via Kashan, famous for its Fin Garden.

Days Fifteen & Sixteen Visit Tehran’s museums and palaces.

Day Seventeen Transfer to the airport for US flights or onward journeys.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

ISRAEL AND PALESTINE with Guide Lecturer: Dr Nick Slope There 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. Dr Highlights Nick Slope will introduce you to • Walk the streets of one of his colleagues who have directed the world’s oldest cities, excavations here. Discover the inhabited for 10,000 years archaeology of that most holy of cities, Jerusalem and visit one of the oldest cities in the world, Jericho.

• A plethora of iconic ancient sites, including the tragic fortress at Masada

We visit these key sites: Tel Dan, Masada and Qumran.

• Three days in Jerusalem, including special access to excavations and museums

Special Access

Tue 31st Oct - Fri 10th Nov 2017

We visit the Armenian Museum, opened specially for our group. We are also introduced to Dr Slope’s team at the Tel Jezreel excavation site.

Why not link this tour with Namibia? See p.74...

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

CAN’T WAIT FOR 2017?

TRAVEL WITH US IN 2016 Spaces have been filling fast on our 2016 tours, with many tours now sold out. The usual suspects, such as Pompeii and Sicily, have been tempting travelers once again, but our Hidden Cities tours have proven popular too. We wouldn’t want anyone to miss out, so we have added a number of new departures to our program, including: Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania new May & September departures Sicilia Antiqua new October departure Malta & Gozo new October departure Hidden Rome new November departure Hidden Venice new November departure Book your place on any of our 2016 tours by calling, emailing or visiting us online.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

49

POMPEII, HERCULANEUM & CLASSICAL CAMPANIA Uncover everyday life in a Roman town...

Nowhere 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. Bars, shops and brothels did a roaring trade and Pompeii was well-equipped to entertain the passing traveler with amphitheater, baths and theater. All this came to an abrupt halt, however, one August day in AD 79 when Vesuvius erupted with cataclysmic force. Lose yourself in the past, walking the ancient streets in the footsteps of gladiators, slaves, senators and citizens...

Itinerary

Day One Arrive in Naples and transfer to our 4* hotel.

Day Two Beginning our story before the arrival of the Romans, we visit Paestum, home to glorious Greek temples and a museum which houses the painted “Tomb of the Diver”, dated to around 480 BC. Day Three Spend the whole day at Pompeii, the world’s greatest archaeological site. No other site can compare in revealing the scale and proportions of a Roman town, and we visit some of its best-preserved structures, including an ampitheater, theater, forum, bathhouses, bars, and brothels. Many of our lecturers have excavated at Pompeii and will introduce the very latest research on this site, shedding light on this

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extraordinary town.

Day Four We view the treasures of Naples’ National Archaeological Museum, collected over 200 years of excavation. After lunch, we spend the afternoon at Pozzuoli, home to one of the best-preserved ampitheaters in the world. Later, we discover Piscina Mirabilis, the largest freshwater Roman cistern still in existence.

Day Five We leave the beaten track to explore the exclusive Roman resort of Stabiae, where we find two stunning villas. These are the vast Villa San Marco, and the little-visited Villa Ariadne, which offers wonderful views over the Bay of Naples. We enjoy free time in the afternoon to return to Pompeii or relax.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Highlights • With over thirty years experience of leading tours to Pompeii nobody knows it better than Andante • Access to rarely-visited villas in Pompeii only recently opened • Whole day exploring the wonders of Pompeii • Led by expert guides – all specialists in Roman Archaeology or Ancient History

Special Access Enjoy private access to the cavernous Piscina Mirabilis at Misenum, usually closed to the public. This giant cistern stored water for the Roman fleet and fed the towns of the Bay of Naples.

Day Six Today we complement our earlier visit to Pompeii with an excursion to Herculaneum, buried to a much greater depth, and equally fascinating. After lunch, we visit another hidden gem: a farmhouse at Boscoreale. The modest dwelling has been named the Villa Regina, and now has a fine small museum on site.

Day Seven On our final full day, a morning climb is rewarded with spectacular views across the Bay of Naples from the crater of Vesuvius. After lunch, we spend the afternoon at a villa fit for the wife of an emperor 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 and regal end to our tour.

Day Eight We return home.

What’s Included

Guide Lecturers and Dates Dr Eireann Marshall: 6th- 13th Mar Dr Eireann Marshall is an Open University Research Associate and Honorary Research Fellow at Exeter University.

Dr Sophy Downes: 18th - 25th Sep Dr Sophy Downes is a teaching fellow in classical archaeology at the University of Edinburgh, having previously taught at UCL.

• Meals - All meals included with wine at dinner, except lunch at Pompeii

Prof. Tony King: 3rd - 10th Apr Prof. Tony King is an archaeology lecturer at the University of Winchester and an expert in Roman archaeology.

Dr Denise Allen: 2nd - 9th Oct Dr Denise Allen began her career as a full-time digger and was director of archaeology at Andante for over twenty years.

• Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme & tips

John Shepherd: 17th - 24th Apr | 11th - 18th Sep John Shepherd is an archaeologist wih field experience in Bulgaria, France, Italy, and the UK, specialising in the Roman period.

Dr Robyn Veal: 9th - 16th Oct Dr Robyn Veal is a research fellow at the University of Cambridge who has excavated and advised on environmental archaeology.

• Guide Lecturer • Tour Manager • Local Travel - Private a/c coach

• Field Notes • Hotel - a lovely familyrun hotel in the tiny village of Corpo di Cava. The hotel opened in 1821 and has been passed through generations of the same family ever since. Set in beautiful gardens, it has fabulous views out over the hills, and sits just above a rock-cut monastery.

Tony Wilmott: 15th - 22nd May | 25th Sep - 2nd Oct Tony Wilmott is an archaeologist specialising in the Roman and medieval period, with interests in frontiers and military architecture.

Dr Neil Faulkner: 16th - 23rd Oct Dr is a Research Fellow at Bristol University and a specialist in Roman archaeology. He is a regular contributor to TV documentaries in the UK.

Oliver Gilkes: 22nd - 29th May Oliver Gilkes has worked as a field and museum archaeologist in the UK, Italy, Albania, and Libya.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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Highlights

NEW

• Visit a landscape of ancient civilisations; from Greek temples to Roman villas, Norman cathedrals to the ruins of age-old fortresses • Visit the remains of ancient Syracuse, the greatest Greek city in the western Mediterranean • Enjoy Piazza Armerina, the villa of a Late Roman aristocrat with a taste for expensive mosaics • Visit some of Italy’s most striking landscapes, from mountainous Etna to the azure Mediterranean sea

Special Access

ITALY | ANCIENT WONDERS OF SICILY with Guide Lecturers: Dr Denise Allen & Oliver Gilkes

Let us introduce you to Sicily: seductively beautiful and perfectly placed in the heart of the Mediterranean. Discover an epicenter of philosophy, art and learning; and the prize of countless cultures. The island is home to Greek temples, Roman villas and Norman cathedrals - many filled with glorious mosaics. Its sea, volcano and mountain scenery the once the site of many ancient battles; the city of Piazza Armerina, boasts a plethora of monuments that tell of its glorious past. For a more in-depth experience, you may wish to consider our comprehensive Classical Sicily tour (p.58).

Itinerary Day One Arrive in Palermo, enjoying an introductory lunch in Syracuse.

Day Two On our first full day, we visit the Norman cathedral of Monreale before spending the early afternoon at leisure. Afterwards, we visit the Cappella Palatina and one of the town’s numerous and dazzling palazzi.

Day Three Our morning is spent discovering the temple and theater of ancient Segesta, before traveling to Selinunte in the afternoon, and, finally, departing for Agrigento.

Wed 15th - Wed 22nd Mar 2017 with Denise Allen Wed 13th - Wed 20th Sep 2017 with Oliver Gilkes

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What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecturer, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

On this tour, we have special access to one of Palermo’s many fine aristocratic palaces and a guided tour of the Neapolis Archaeological Park. We also take a boat trip from the Grand Harbour of Ortygia.

Day Four We spend a full day exploring Agrigento—first its excellent museum, then its splendid temples.

Day Five We spend our day first traveling to, then discovering Piazza

Armerina, a town developed during the Norman domination of Sicily. Later, we drive to Syracuse.

Day Six This morning we enjoy a guided tour of the Neapolis Archaeological Park in Syracuse, before being drawn in by the exhibits of the Paolo Orsi Archaeological Museum. After lunch, we see the ruined Greek fortress of Castello Eurialo.

Day Seven We tour Ortygia, taking in the Piazza del Duomo, the Grand Harbour and the Fountain of Arethusa, before taking an idyllic boat trip from the harbour. The afternoon is yours to spend as you wish: at leisure, or in exploration.

Day Eight We transfer to the airport for US flights or onward travel.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Highlights

SMALL GROUP

• Private evening visit to the great Byzantine church, St Mark’s Basilica • Explore the byways of one of Europe’s most evocative cities • Take a vaporetto ride across the lagoon • Dine at Michelin starred restaurant with unforgettable views of Venice • Stay in a 14th century palazzo, right on the waterfront of Riva delgi Schiavoni

Special Access

ITALY | HIDDEN VENICE with Guide Lecturers: Dr Eireann Marshall & Prof. John Mitchell

Kissed by the waters of the northern Adriatic, the city of Venice is a jigsaw of low islands, grand canals, and labyrinthine streets. Traveling in a small group of just sixteen, we view the great and the lesser-known facets of the city. Our tour includes special access to St Mark’s Basilica, the greatest Byzantine church in the West, and the formidable Doge’s Palace. Escaping the labyrinthine streets of the city, we take vaporetto rides to Torcello, across the lagoon, to explore this first settlement of Venice and the 7th century cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta.

Mon 20th - Sat 25th Mar with Dr Eireann Marshall Mon 30th Oct - Sat 4th Nov with Prof. John Mitchell Mon 6th - Sat 11th Nov 2017 with Dr Eireann Marshall

What’s Included Luxury hotel, all dinners (with wine), exclusive site permits, guide lecturer and tour manager.

We take a “secret itinerary” of the Doge’s Palace, or Palazzo Ducale, which winds us through private back rooms, closed-off prisons, and hidden offices of state. We later enjoy an evening visit to St Mark’s Basilica, also known by the nickname Chiesa d’Oro (Church of Gold).

Itinerary Day One We arrive. We visit Altinum, a small Roman city destroyed

by Atilla the Hun, before continuing to Venice.

Day Two We take a vaporetto to the island of Torcello and explore the cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and the Archaeological Museum. We continue to Murano Island, home to the Venetian glass trade, where we have a special tour of the glass factory.

Day Three Today we explore St Mark’s Square, taking in the facades, colonnades and arcades. The seemingly endless arcades hide a plethora of secrets. We visit the seat of power of the Venetian Republic at Doge’s Palace, and take a ‘secret itinerary’, which winds us through the back rooms of the Palace. We visit the Archaeological Museum before an evening visit to St Mark’s Basilica.

Day Four We tour Venice on foot and by vaporetto, exploring the grand church of San Giorgio Maggiore where we ascend the campanile and savour a panoramic view. We also visit the frescoed Church of San Zan Degola. This evening we enjoy a splendid evening meal in a Michelin-starred eatery in St Mark’s Square.

Day Five We take a walking tour of the city, considering its principal bridges - including the Rialto Bridge — the oldest bridge over the Grand Canal. We explore the Castello zone and wind our way through the Venetian calle to a former cathedral of the city, San Pietro di Castello. We end the day with a boat trip along the Grand Canal.

Day Six We transfer to the airport for flights to the US or onward journeys.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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Highlights

SMALL GROUP

• Prestigious 5* hotel minutes away from Piazza Navona, where the lobby is almost a museum in itself • Dinner at the only restaurant in Rome with the honour of three Michelin stars • An insider’s guide to ancient Rome, with out-of-hours museum tours and access to ongoing excavations and hidden sites • Out of hours access to the world-famous Capitoline Museum

Special Access

ITALY | HIDDEN ROME with Guide Lecturers: Oliver Gilkes, Dr Johnathan Coulston, Dr Eireann Marshall and Dr Gillian Shepherd

Rome is much more than you see on the surface. Behind the grand Renaissance architecture, the city is laid out on ancient Roman lines. To truly appreciate this legacy, you have to delve beyond the usual marble monuments and beneath the modern streets . In our exclusive tour, we explore a hidden world of buried houses, underground temples, and secret catacombs usually only accessible to specialists. A truly exclusive break, Hidden Rome also takes care of all your needs; enjoy a 5* hotel in the heart of the ancient city, and a spectacular Michelinstarred meal overlooking the dome of St Peter’s Basilica.

Mon 6th - Sat 11th Feb Mon 13th - Sat 18th Mar Mon 24th - Sat 29th Apr & Mon 18th - Sat 23rd Sep 2017 with Oliver Gilkes, Dr Jonathan Coulston, Dr Eireann Marshall and Dr Gillian Shepherd

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What’s Included Luxury hotel, all dinners (with wine), exclusive site permits, guide lecturer and tour manager.

Receive access to the Secret Archives of the Vatican, usually only permitted to officials and scholars. We also have special access to the underground Mithraeum of the Circus Maximus and permit-only sites, including the tombs of the Scipios and of Pomponius Hylas.

Itinerary Day One Arrival in Rome.

Day Two We stroll up the Aventine Hill for churches, castles, myths and legends, before our special access visit to the underground Mithraeum of the Circus Maximus. After lunch, we visit the titanic Baths of Caracalla before ending the day at the Tomb of Pomponius Hylas and the Tomb of the Scipios, both usually closed to the public.

Day Three We travel out of the city to the Via Nomentana, one of Rome’s ancient roads. We visit Santa Constanza, the circular mausoleum of Constantine the Great’s daughter, before continuing to the Appian Way to see ancient villas, including the villa of the senatorial Quintilli. After dinner, we enjoy a private visit to the Capitoline Museum, one of the world’s greatest museums.

Day Four We step into the secret Roman temple and altar hidden beneath the lavishly frescoed church of San Clemente before visiting Palazzo Valentini. Dinner tonight is at La Pergola, Rome’s only three Michelin-starred restaurant.

Day Five We visit the Cripta Balbi museum and excavations before Palazzo Spada and Borromini Gallery, one of Rome’s great Renaissance palaces. In the afternoon, we pay our respects at St Peter’s Tomb before our special access visit to the Secret Archives of the Vatican, where we discover kings’ letters and papal decrees, and enjoy a rare view of Rome from the Tower of the Winds.

Day Six We wave farewell to Rome from Monte Testaccio, a hill of fifteen million olive oil amphorae, before transfering to the airport.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

NEW

Highlights • The little-visited heel of Italy: discover Roman battlefields, dramatic rock-cut churches and magnificent castles and cathedrals • Enjoy a spectacular combination of gastronomic delights and archaeological treasures, in a region famed for both • Learn the techniques behind traditional Italian recipes, from orecchiette pasta to mozzarella, olive oil to Italian bread

Special Access

ITALY | APULIA - FOOD & ARCHAEOLOGY with Guide Lecturers: Deborah Hodson & Rosetta Ferrari

Following on from our much-loved Bologna tour, we present Apulia: Food & Archaeology. The fascinating area is quite unlike the rest of Italy; characterised by wild rocky plateau, dramatic coastline, and vast flat plains dotted with olive trees. Apulia has played host to many successive peoples and cultures - each leaving their own unique archaeological trace on the landscape; from rock-cut cities and churches to conical trulli. Enjoy an authentic, multi-sensory Italian experience, featuring: hands on cookery classes, mozzarella making, visits to durum wheat farms, and DOC wine tasting sessions.

Itinerary Day One We arrive in Bari, and transfer to our hotel in Trani.

Day Two We enjoy a morning exploring the archaeological delights of Trani. This afternoon we learn how to make orecchiette, a pasta shape native to Apulia.

Day Three We begin the morning with a mozzarella making class and enjoy visits to Il Parco and Manfredonia Museum before a traditional Manfredonian fish lunch. We finish the day at Monte Sant’Angelo, site of one of the most ancient Christian shrines in Italy.

Sun 23rd Apr - Mon 1st May & Sun 1st - Mon 9th Oct 2017 with Guide Lecturers: Deborah Hodson & Rosetta Ferrari

What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecturer, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

We have exclusive access to the prestigious Santomasi Foundation in Gravina, where amazing finds discovered from extensive excavations in and around the city are housed. We also have a private visit and wine tasting at the Ceci Estate.

Day Four After a visit to a Modesti farmhouse, we devote the morning to culinary delights learning about durum wheat at Murgini and visiting Altmura for a traditional bread making class. This afternoon we explore Gravina.

Day Five On to Ascoli Satriano this morning, for a special opening of Polo Museum and a visit to Faragola Villa where we enjoy a Roman themed lunch.

This afternoon we experience a private visit and wine tasting at the Ceci Estate.

Day Six Today we visit Caseificio and Castel Del Monte. This afternoon we explore Andria Vecchia and visit the Museo del Confetto.

Day Seven We enjoy a morning exploring Canosa’s archaeological sites: a Roman bridge, acropolis and Basilica di San Pietro. This afternoon we experience an olive oil tasting in Cerignola.

Day Eight Our final morning is spent exploring Bari - including a visit to San Nicola Cathedral. We return home this afternoon.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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NEW

Highlights

SMALL GROUP

• Stroll through the most magnificent and best conserved of all island residences, Villa Jovis • Spend some time in the fantastic setting of the splendid Villa San Michele and its gardens in Anacapri • Enjoy the stunning panoramic view from the summit of Monte Solaro • Relax during a boat trip to the volcanic Isola d’ Ischia, where we visit the Area Archeologica di Santa Restituta

Special Access Enjoy special lectures by archaeologists, conservators and researchers, who will give unique insights into their work to protect local heritage.

ITALY | RELAXED CAPRI with Guide Lecturer: Tony O’Connor

Beguiling Capri has charmed Roman emperors, Russian revolutionaries and Hollywood stars alike. The legendary idyll presents the perfect microcosm of Mediterranean appeal. Inhabited from the Palaeolithic period, Capri was briefly occupied by the Greeks, before it became the private playground of Emperor Augustus and retirement home of Tiberius. Beyond the cafés and boutiques, we find a Capri of unspoilt charm. A rugged landscape, peppered with relaxing beaches and picturesque villages overlook the deep blue waters that lap into secluded coves and mysterious grottoes...

Mon 24th - Sat 29th Apr 2017 Mon 23rd - Sat 28th Oct 2017 Tony O’Connor is a Museum Curator and a specialist on the Roman Empire.

He has excavated widely across Britain, Italy and Africa.

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What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecturer, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

Itinerary Day One Arrive in Naples for a beautiful hour’s drive to Sorrento, where we take a short ferry over the Tyrrhenian Sea to Capri.

Day Two We visit the Museum of Villa San Michele and wander through the stunning historic center of Anacapri. This afternoon, we move on to Villa Damecuta, followed by Grotta Azzuro, a short boat trip away.

an hour away. We visit the Archaeological Museum and the Area Archaeologica di Santa Restituta before stepping into the medieval Castello Aragonese.

Day Five An imperial morning — we visit Villa Jovis, palace of Tiberius, second emperor of Rome, along with the nearby Tiberian baths.

This afternoon we walk along Pizzolungo.

Day Three Drive south to Marina Piccola, where we visit the lovely Augustus Gardens and St. Giacomo’s Charterhouse before lunch at Marina Piccola, with view of Faraglioni. The afternoon is free for you to explore Marina Grande, perhaps taking a boat to Palazzo a Mare or Piazetta.

Day Six We travel to Mount Solaro, called ‘Acchiappanuvole’ (cloudcatcher) by locals for its misty morning crown. We ascend in chairlifts to Barbarossa Castle, passing over lush green pathways on a beautiful journey uphill. This afternoon we visit Punta Carena, Italy’s second tallest lighthouse.

Day Four Another beautiful little boat trip — this time to Ischia, just

Day Seven We transfer to the airport for flights home or onwards travel.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

NEW

Highlights

SMALL GROUP

• Explore the newly restored chapel of the Legends of the True Cross • Discover the breath-taking Boboli Gardens • Explore the Medici fortress at Poggibonsi, a stronghold of the Florentine Empire under Cosimo Medici • Journey through the rolling countryside of Tuscany, punctuated with villas and avenues of Cypress trees • Visit fascinating stores and restoration laboratories in Florence

Special Access Enjoy a specially organised visit to the Tomba della Montagnala, the famous Etruscan tholos tomb. We also enjoy special entry to the spectacular Etruscan tomb of the Infernal Chariot at Sarteano.

ITALY | RELAXED TUSCANY with Guide Lecturer: Oren Margolis

A wealth of archaeological sites are hidden amongst the rolling hills and golden landscapes of Tuscany. The region has seduced countless civilisations for centuries. It all began with the Etruscans, but the Romans, medieval Christians, British aristocrats, and plundering Napoleon all share a space in the region’s fascinating history. Our visually stimulating tour is set in set in the rolling Tuscan countryside - a gorgeous land of villas and vineyards. Traverse a landscape of streets, squares, palaces and churches in Florence, the epicenter of the Renaissance.

Mon 11th - Sat 16th May 2017 Oren Margolis is a lecturer in Early Modern History at the University of Oxford and a fellow of Somerville College. His research focuses mainly on Renaissance humanism.

What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecturer, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

Itinerary Day One We arrive in Florence.

Day Two We explore Siena this morning, the last town to hold out against the rise of the Medici. The Republic invested heavily in its wondrous Duomo which we visit. Enjoy plenty of time to explore the marvellous Palazzo Comunale, and perhaps ascend its bell tower for the exceptional view. Free time this afternoon.

Day Three We travel to Arezzo, another proud city state. We explore the life and work of Giorgio Vasari, court architect to Cosimo I and biographer of the great artists, and the Duomo. You can enjoy some free time this morning, or visit the Archaeological Museum alongside your guide lecturer.

We enjoy the culinary delights of Tuscany tonight, at one of the region’s fabulous Michelinstarred restaurants.

Day Four Enjoy a day in Cortona. Seated on the skirts of the mountains, this is almost the archetypal medieval Italian city. We discover the Accademia Etrusca, an 18th century esoteric society and its fine museum, and the Diocesan Museum with works

by Fra Angelico.

Day Five We visit the Boboli Gardens this morning. They are home to a wonderful collection of sculptures and Roman antiquities. Enjoy some free time this afternoon, or enjoy an optional visit to the Uffizi Gallery with your Guide Lecturer, Oren Margolis.

Day Six We enjoy a final visit to the great Medici fortress at Poggibonsi, relied upon by the Florentine Empire of Cosimo Medici. We transfer to the airport for return flights home or onward travel.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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ITALY | CLASSICAL SICILY The whole story of Sicilia Antiqua...

The meeting point between Africa and Europe, East and West - there’s so much more to the Sicily you think you know.

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 center of philosophy, art and learning.

Itinerary

Day One We arrive in Palermo.

Day Two We begin at the famous unfinished Doric temple in the rolling hills of Segesta, where a fine theater sits on the hilltop.

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 evening visit to the Cappella Palatina of Roger II, a glittering jewel of Norman architecture.

Day Four Today we take a boat across the shallow salt lagoon to the Phoenician island stronghold of Motya. We continue to the important port town of Marsala, ancient Lilybaeum.

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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. We head to the site of Selinunte, dramatically situated overlooking the sea and strewn with wild flowers.

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. Continue to the ancient settlement of Morgantina.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Highlights • Exclusive out-of-hours tour of the spectacular mosaic filled rooms of the Piazza Armerina Roman villa • The beautiful Greek city of Heraclea Minoa with its impressive theater set against the sparkling Mediterranean sea • Special access to the spectacular frescoes still surviving in the Grotto of the Sibyl of Lilybaeum

Special Access Enjoy 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 Eight We spend all day discovering the ancient city of Syracuse. We see the huge Altar of Hieron II, Greek theater, the ancient quarries and the exquisite artefacts in the Archaeological Museum.

Day Nine Free time to explore lovely Baroque Ortygia, then drive north to the Graeco-Roman theater at Taormina, with its amazing scenic backdrop which includes a view of Mount Etna.

Day Ten Today is spent at Euryalus fort, constructed at the beginning of the 4th century BC by Dionysius the Elder. We drive out of the city to the unspoilt interior of the island where we explore the prehistoric tombs at Pantalica.

Day Eleven We return home.

What’s Included • Guide Lecturer • Tour Manager • Local Travel - Private a/c coach • Meals - All meals included - dinners with wine • Entries & Tips - Entry to all sites in programme & tips • Field Notes

Dates Thu 30th Mar - Sun 9th Apr 2017 Thu 20th - Sun 30th Apr 2017 Thu 11th - Sun 21st May 2017 Thu 14th - Sun 24th Sep 2017 Thu 28th Sep - Sun 8th Oct 2017 Thu 5th - Sun 15th Oct 2017

Guide Lecturer Dr Denise Allen is a specialist in the Roman and Classical World. She began her archaeology career as a full-time digger, working on sites all over the UK. She received her PhD on Roman glass from Cardiff University.

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 specializes in Classical Civilisation in Italy.

Oliver Gilkes is a leading expert on the archaeology of Albania. He has excavated extensively in Albania, directing research at both Butrint and Gjirokastra. He also works in Andante’s archaeology department, planning tours.

Tony O’Connor is a specialist in the Roman Empire, who has excavated widely across Britain, Europe and North Africa. Tony is deeply interested in the study of Roman coinage, and in numismatics.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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ITALY | ROME WITH SISTINE CHAPEL with Guide Lecturer: Claudia Pinci & Diana Blumberg The once fearsome hub of the Roman Empire, Rome is an exhilarating and intimate destination... Rome is, in many ways, the superlative classical city, home to ancient heavy-weight icons including the Colosseum, Roman Forum and the Pantheon.

Ancient treasures have been brought here from every corner of the globe to enrich world-class museums, art-soaked churches and Highlights medieval piazzas. The exquisite • On foot through the glories Sistine Chapel is a tourist favorite, of the Eternal City from but you can escape the crowds Trajan’s column to the and enjoy a serene private viewing Colosseum of Michelangelo’s masterpiece in • Private evening visit to the peace and quiet.

Sistine Chapel We visit these key sites: the Colosseum, St. Peter’s Basilica and Villa Borghese Museum.

Special Access Visit the Vatican Museum and enjoy a private viewing of the spectacular Raphael rooms and the famously beautiful Sistine Chapel itself.

• Based in one charming hotel, centrally located

Mon 8th - Sat 13th May 2017 Mon 25th - Sat 30th Sep 2017

Why not extend your stay in Italy with a Renaissance Villas tour? See below...

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

ITALY | RENAISSANCE VILLAS with Guide Lecturer: Oliver Gilkes Fantastically elaborate, brimming with sculpture and symbolism, the villas of central Italy embody the high art and low political intrigues of the Renaissance. Built for popes and princes, these villas hark back to a much older tradition, when Roman Emperors would retreat to their palaces in the Sabine hills. We explore the villa in its many and various forms, from the rustic farms of antiquity, beloved of Highlights Roman poets, to the vast complexes • Spectacular villas built by of later eras, when villas reflected classical and Renaissance grandees their owners’ wealth and status.

We visit these key sites: Lake Nemi, Villa Aldobrandini, Farfa Abbey and the Villa of Horace.

Special Access We have special access to enoy the magnificent Barberini Gardens, summer residence of the Pope, laid out over the remains of an Imperial Roman villa.

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• Be astonished by the unique Mannerist sculptures of the Gardens of Bomarzo, colloquially known as the ‘Park of the Monsters’

Mon 15th - Sun 21st May 2017 Why not link this tour with Latium - The Roman Rich?

Turn over...

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

ITALY | LATIUM - THE ROMAN RICH with Guide Lecturer: Prof. Tony King The 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. Guests often come to see the justly famous Roman ruins at Ostia and Tivoli, it is often the Highlights smaller, lesser-known places which • Opulent Imperial villas, enchant them, such as the acres of secluded hills, and an landscaped botanical gardens at ancient superhighway Ninfa, and Alba Fucens, a hidden gem in the Appenine mountains.

We visit these key sites: Hadrian’s Villa at Tivoli, Sperlonga, Minturnae

Special Access Experience special access to the famous Gardens of Ninfa, built on the ruins of a medieval town and internationally recognised as some of Europe’s best landscape gardens.

• Sprawling and extravagant villas at Tivoli and Sperlonga • Rome’s fertile hinterland, from the coast to the foothills of the Apennines

Sun 21st - Sun 28th May 2017

Why not extend your stay in Europe with a tour of vintage Provence? See p.27...

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

ITALY | SAMNITES - ENEMIES OF ROME with Guide Lecturer: Oliver Gilkes The fierce Samnite tribes of beautiful south-central Italy were some of the last to hold out against the Roman republic, and when they were finally vanquished, Strabo wrote that ‘the towns of Samnium have become villages, and most have vanished altogether.’ Yet this was not quite true; the spinal Apennine Mountains play host to the sanctuaries and fortresses shaped by their unique culture. Visit cragclinging castles, follow winding river paths and delve into unspoilt Highlights valleys on the trail of some of • Visit L’Aquila, interspersed Rome’s most implacable foes. with bold new architecture We visit these key sites: L’Aquila, Saepinum and Rocca Scalegna.

• See wonderful churches in Bominaco • Follow the winding path of the Volturno River to Venafro

Special Access A major earthquake severely damaged the Roman city of L’Aquila in 2009. We have special access to see the restoration work in progress.

Mon 22nd - Sun 28th May 2017 Why not link this tour with Roman Germany? See p.34...

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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Highlights

SMALL GROUP

• The wonderful collection of the Grand Dukes of Tuscany in Florence’s Archaeological Museum • The recently discovered Tomb of the Infernal Chariot at Sarteano • Privileged access to the National Archaeology Museum, the Opificio delle Pietre Dure, and the Tomba della Montagnala • Stay at 5* hotels and enjoy exquisite food at the 3* Michelin Enoteca Pinchiorri restaurant

Special Access

ITALY | HIDDEN VENICE with Guide Lecturers: Dr Eireann Marshall & Prof. John Mitchell

Enjoy the ultimate Tuscan experience, across a lyrical landscape of world-class art and cucina contadina (the farmer’s kitchen). Florence is a magnetic, romantic city. A feast of world-class art is woven within its urban fabric; a thousand tales are waiting to be told within its narrow streets. Siena is a Gothic open-air museum - replete with spiritual and secular medieval monuments. Discover hidden corners of this center of culture, including the resting place of Renaissance heroes and the recently uncovered Tomb of the Infernal Chariot. All perfectly complemented by a number of gastronomic delights.

Sun 3 - Sun 9th April 2017 Oren Margolis is a lecturer in Early Modern History at the University of Oxford and a fellow of Somerville College. His research focuses mainly on Renaissance humanism.

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What’s Included Luxury hotel, all dinners (with wine), exclusive site permits, guide lecturer and tour manager.

On this tour, we are able to go behind the scenes at the National Archaeological Museum in Florence, the Opificio delle Pietre Dure, and the spectacular Etruscan Tomb of the Infernal Chariot. We also enjoy a specially organised visit to the Tomba della Montagnala.

Itinerary Day One Arrive in Florence and transfer to the hotel.

Day Two We visit the National Archaeological Museum to see the remarkable RomanoEtruscan Orator and Chimera of Arezzo. After lunch, we visit the Basilica of Santa Croce, burial place of Renaissance heroes including Michelangelo and Galileo, and decorated with frescoes by Giotto.

Day Three This morning, we discover the famous Duomo di Firenze, and the buried Crypt of Santa Reparata, as well as the site’s new museum. This afternoon, we pay a visit to the Opificio delle Pietre Dure, complete with an exclusive tour of their labs to see restoration in progress.

Tomba della Montagnola before exploring the Medici Villas of Villa Corsini and Poggio a Caiano. Later, we drive to Siena.

Day Five This morning is spent exploring the Palazzo Pubblico, particularly its bell tower and political frescoes. Later, we marvel at the spectacular architecture of the Duomo di Siena and the artworks of the Museo delle Opere.

Day Six We drive to Sarteano to see the stunning Tomb of the Infernal Chariot, and to visit the town’s museum and formidable castle.

Later, we visit Monte Oliveto Abbey for a wine tasting before returning to Siena.

Day Seven We enjoy a free morning in Siena before driving to Florence for US flights or onward travel.

Day Four Today, we visit the Etruscan

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

SMALL GROUP

ITALY | THE ICE MAN AND HIS WORLD with Guide Lecturer: Dr Tertia Barnett The 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 the Neolithic through to Roman times. Experience the artistic endeavours of these early people, and gain a better understanding of how they lived Highlights day to day, with a visit to the • Marvel at the rock art sites reconstructed houses at Foppe di of Naquane Park, a 74km Nadro. Finally, we venture further long valley holding around into the mountains to visit the 300,000 Prehistoric images ice-man, “Otzi”, a truly remarkable emissary from 5000 years ago.

We visit these key sites: Naquane Park and Bolzano Musem.

Special Access We visit the Bolzano Museum, the home of Otzi the Ice Man nestled in the Alps. We have special access to the museum, which is introduced to us by scientists and archaeologists.

• Experience everyday Prehistoric life at the houses of Foppa di Nadro • Relax on the scenic shores of a mountain lake at Ledro

Sat 3rd- Thur 8th Jun 2017

Why not link with Dalmatia & Dubrovnik? See p.25...

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

ITALY | BASILICATA & CALABRIA with Guide Lecturer: Dr Ed Bispham A wonderful introduction to the unspoilt mountains and hills of the “toe and instep” of southern Italy, much favored by ancient colonists though little-visited by tourists today. Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Norman and Spanish invaders not only came, saw and conquered, but stayed, building cities, castles and churches. The abundance of sites includes some real treasures: the Codex Purpureus at Rossano, the Byzantine church at Stilo, and the 5th century BC Greek bronze Highlights warriors rescued from the sea at • Discover Italy beyond the Riace. tourist trail We visit these key sites: Matera, Venosa, Gerace, Crotone and Le Castella.

• The World Heritage Site of Matera; a maze of rock-cut cave dwellings • Visit treasures including the church at Stilo

Special Access Our trip culminates with special access to the famous Riace Bronzes, wonderfully restored at Reggio di Calabria after having been rescued from the seabed.

Sat 23rd Sep - Sun 1st Oct 2017 Why not link this tour with Apulia? See p.55...

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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POMPEII & AMALFI - WINE & ARCHAEOLOGY with Guide Lecturer: John Shepherd Andante Travels have joined forces with Arblaster & Clarke to offer combined Wine & Archaeology tours.

Southern Italy is an incredibly rich region, its abundant archaeology perfectly complemented by its 4,000-year wine legacy. We explore rock-cut abbeys, remnants of ancient towns and cities devastated

by Vesuvius. Wine is the lifeblood of the region­classically known as Highlights Campania and named “land of • An irresistible combination wine” by the Greeks. Bold, fullof archaeological sites and bodied and supremely satisfying, mouth-watering wines these wines were adored by the • Full day to walk along the Romans and it’s not hard to see well-preserved streets of why.

Pompeii.

We visit these key sites: Paestum, Pompeii, and Herculaneum.

Special Access Stopping en route to the Cilento coast at Corpo di Cava dei Tirreni, we can take advantage of special access at the abbey’s library and rich public and private archives.

• Wine tastings in local family-run vineyards

Sat 23th - Sat 30th Sep 2017

Why not link this tour with Apulia? See p.55...

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

ITALY | THE ETRUSCANS with Guide Lecturer: Dr Robyn Veal Before the rise of Rome, the Etruscans dominated much of Italy.

At the height of their power and prosperity during the 6th century BC, Etruscan influence and ambition rivalled that of 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.

Highlights In this beautiful part of rural Italy, we stay in just two hotels: • Special access to the a converted convent and a 17th exquisite Tomb of the Lion and Pellegrina Tomb century palazzo, the perfect bases from which to explore hilltop cities • Explore every aspect of and spectacular finds.

Etruscan life and culture, We visit these key sites: Volterra, Vulci and Chiusi.

Special Access We have special access to some of the characteristic Etruscan painted tombs, including the Tomb of the Lion and the Pellegrina Tomb at Chiusi, both exquisitely decorated.

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• Immerse yourself in the beautiful scenery of the rolling Tuscan hills

Sun 24th Sep - Sun 1st Oct 2017 Why not link this tour with Hidden Paris? See p.32...

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

Highlights • View the glorious Imperial monuments of Rome - the Colosseum, Pantheon, Forum and so much more!

• Discover the extraordinary, haunting cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum an unbeatable introduction to ordinary Roman life • Visit the remains of the ornately decorated Baths of Emperor Caracalla • Explore the sprawling villa of the Emperor Hadrian at Tivoli, and discover a blend of ancient architectural styles

Special Access We enjoy special access to the cavernous Piscina Mirabilis at Misenum - a gigantic cistern - usually closed to the public.

We also enjoy an exclusive evening visit to the Capitoline Hill Museum, which houses an exquisite collection of classical sculpture.

ITALY | MEET THE ROMANS with Guide Lecturer: Dr Neil Faulkner

Bloodthirsty 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 today. In this tour we contrast the grand marble monuments of Rome with the humbler cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Led by passionate Roman specialists, we follow the path of the Roman elite, traveling between two great ancient cities. In Rome, we get a feel for life in an Imperial capital; before we take the route of wealthy Romans to the ordinary seaside Roman town of Pompeii.

Itinerary Day One We arrive in Rome.

Day Two We visit the Church of San Clemente and the infamous Colosseum. This afternoon is spent among the many temples of the Roman Forum.

Day Three Following a day of visits to the Piazza Navona and Pantheon, we enjoy a special access evening visit to the worldfamous Capitoline Museum.

Mon 3rd - Fri 14th April 2017 Dr Neil Faulkner is a Research Fellow at Bristol University. A specialist in Roman, Anglo-Saxon, and First World War archaeology, he also works as a historian.

What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecturer, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

Day Seven We travel to Naples, stopping at the Villa of Quintilli en route and visit Naples Museum.

Day Eight We devote a whole day to Pompeii, caught in time. Few other sites compare in revealing the true scale and proportions of a Roman town.

Day Nine We explore the temples, site and museum at Paestum and the Heraion of River Sele.

Day Four We travel to the enormous ruin of the Baths of Caracalla and visit the well-preserved Ostia Antica.

Day Ten We view the amphitheaters at Pozzuoli; and also enjoy special access to the Piscina Mirablis at the gulf of Naples.

Day Five This morning we explore the sprawling Vatican City Museums. Free afternoon.

Day Eleven This morning, we visit Herculaneum before spending the afternoon at the wellpreserved villa at Oplontis.

Day Six We visit the vast complex of Hadrian’s Villa at Tivoli.

Day Twelve We return home.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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Highlights

SMALL GROUP

• Historic Ortygia, with its glorious piazzas and sea views • Verdant Pantalica, wonderfully alive with native bird and plant life • A relaxed approach to discovering Syracuse, with ample time to explore • All based in a charming hotel in Ortygia - a beautifully restored and chic area of Siracusa, across a causeway from the main part of the city

Special Access Enjoy specially arranged access to the sprawling Catacombs of San Giovanni – truly a necropolis, where whole streets of tombs run off below the city.

Discover evidence that portions of the catacombs originally followed the route of a disused Greek aqueduct.

ITALY | RELAXED SIRACUSA Guide Lecturer: John Shepherd

With a history stretching back almost 3,000 years, the city of Syracuse has the rare accolade of being classed in its entirety as a World Heritage Site. At the heart of the ancient city is Ortygia, painstakingly and dazzlingly restored. We follow in the footsteps of the Greeks, Romans, and much later civilisations who landed upon these shores. Based in one hotel on the seafront, with a balance of free time and guided visits, this tour provides ample leisure time — perhaps take a boat trip from the Great Harbour, or explore Syracuse’s imposing Castello Maniace.

Mon 9th - Sun 15th Oct 2017 John Shepherd 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.

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What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecturer, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

Itinerary Day One Arrive in Catania and drive to our hotel in Ortygia, Siracusa.

Day Two We spend the morning exploring historic Ortygia on foot. We see the Temple of Athena, assimilated within the fabric of the Cathedral. We also see the Temple of Apollo, the Fountain of Arethusa and the Great Harbour. After lunch in one of the many chic restaurants in Ortygia, the rest of the afternoon is free to enjoy the piazzas, cafés and sea views.

Day Three Free morning to either explore the markets and sites of Ortygia, or perhaps take a leisurely boat journey. After lunch we drive south out of the city to visit the hilltop city of Noto, famous for its Baroque architecture.

Day Four Drive to the palatial Roman villa at Piazza Armerina, with more

than fifty rooms showcasing exceptionally fine mosaics depicting vivid scenes from mythology and real life.

Day Five We further explore the city of Siracusa, crossing to the mainland to visit the very fine Paolo Orsi Museum, and also the archaeological area surrounding the theater, the amphitheater and the Altar of Zeus. After lunch we have special access to the Catacombs of San Giovanni.

Day Six We drive inland to the hills of Pantalica, honeycombed with ancient Sikel tombs and alive with wonderful plant and bird life - an opportunity to appreciate Sicily’s wild side. We enjoy a local agriturismo lunch in Belvedere before a visit to the ancient Greek castle of Euryalus.

Day Seven Transfer to the airport.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

ITALY | APULIA with Guide Lecturer: Claudia Pinci Apulia is a fascinating area quite unlike the rest of Italy, characterised by high plateaux, coastal lagoons, and seaside towns.

This remarkable region has been home to many peoples, who have left their own unique trace on the landscape - from rock-cut cities and churches, to conical trulli.

Apulia was a cross-cultural bridge Highlights between east and west, attracting • Discover often-overlooked new settlers whose influence was archaeological gems in the absorbed and adapted. We explore little-visited heel of Italy the treasures of Apulia, from beautiful Byzantine frescoes to grand Norman architecture.

We visit these key sites: Trani, Cannae and Lecce.

Special Access Enjoy special lectures by archaeologists, conservators and researchers, who will give unique insights into their work to protect local heritage.

• Otranto’s Norman cathedral, famous for a medieval mosaic depicting mosaic scenes • The famous pepper-pot trulli at Alberobello­

Mon 2nd - Mon 9th Oct 2017

Why not link this tour with Crete & Santorini (p. 36)?

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

ITALY | SICILY - WINE OF THE GODS Guide Lecturer to be confirmed, see our website for latest updates Wine of the Gods is one of our combined wine & archaeology tours, developed in conjunction with Arblaster & Clarke. The beautiful oceanic and volcanic scenery of Sicily has formed the backdrop of many ancient battles, yet the island was also a hub of ancient philosophy and art, and wine has been made here for millenia.

Join us for an all-encompassing Highlights tour of classical temples, elegant vineyards, vintage wine cellars, • Visit Punic War Ship & museums, cathedrals and even Museum, installed in a traditional wine factory Punic war ships, interspersed with relaxed wine tastings.

• Introductory wine tasting We visit these key sites: Tasca D’Almerita winery, Segesta and the Valley of the Temples.

Special Access Enjoy tastings and tours at some of Sicily’s leading wineries, from historic Marsala cellars to cutting-edge producers in Menfi.

with our wine guide

• Step into Agrigento’s Valley of the Temples, the largest archaeological site in the world.

Sat 14th - Sat 21st Oct 2017

Why not link this tour with Ravenna and Aquileia? See p.69...

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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ITALY | UMBRIA with Guide Lecturer: Peter Berridge The name Umbria comes from the Umbri, a Bronze and Iron Age people who founded hundreds of cities between the 9th and 4th centuries BC. On tour, we visit beautiful Assisi, historic Perugia, and fairytale-pretty Todi, all built on Umbri sites and all under Roman rule as early as 260 BC. We unravel the long and complex history of Umbria’s charming hilltowns, from Roman cities strung out along Highlights the mighty Via Flaminia to the • Over 2,000 years of history, defensive medieval fortifications of from the Iron Age onwards central Italy.

• Based in just one hotel, an attractively renovated 15th We visit these key sites: Perugia century house on the plain Archaeological Museum, of Assisi Rocca Maggiore, and Carsulae • Includes a full day in Archaeological Park.

Assisi revealing hidden monuments

Special Access We have privileged access to several well-excavated underground streets and houses hidden beneath the streets and buildings of modern Assisi.

Mon 16th - Mon 23rd Oct 2017 Why not link this tour with Relaxed Capri? See p.56...

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

ITALY | SICILY REVISITED with Guide Lecturer: Dr Sophy Downes Sicily, the beautiful heart of the Mediterranean, has been praised by poets and prized by countless cultures – Phoenicians, Romans, Greeks and more. It’s the meeting point between Africa and Europe, East and West — but there’s so much more to the Sicily you think you know. Go far beyond the ordinary; visit archaeological parks on coastal capes, discover temples Highlights hidden beneath castles and even spend a day on the island of • A day trip to Tyndari, Pantelleria, legendary home of the following the region’s picturesque coastline goddess Calypso. Our expert guide helps you uncover the other Sicily.

• Discover some lesserWe visit these key sites: ancient Eryx, the island of Pantelleria and the Grotto of the Sibyl.

Special Access We enjoy a special, private visit to the palatial Roman villa at Piazza Armerina, characterised by its fifty rooms of stunning mosaics.

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visited Greek sanctuaries in beautiful Agrigento

• Become immersed in myth at the legendary sanctuary of Demeter

Thu 19th - Thu 26th Oct 2017

Why not link this tour withVia Egnatia? See p.18...

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

ITALY | RAVENNA & AQUILEIA with Guide Lecturer: Prof. Tony King In AD 402, the Roman Imperial court fled from Rome to northern Italy. For a time, this became the political center of what remained of the Western Empire. The result? An astonishing flowering of art and architecture, blooming in the dying days of the Empire. Our tour of Rome’s heirs begins in Aquileia, one of the great cities of the late empire, beautifully set between mountains and lagoon, and moves Highlights on to the must-see mosaics of • Discover the glorious final Ravenna, where we explore the days of the Roman Empire stories behind their glittering tiles.

• View some of the finest late-Roman mosaics found We visit these key sites: Concordia anywhere in Europe Sagittaria, Dante’s Tomb, and San • Enjoy special out of hours Vitale. access to the Church of San Vitale

Special Access We enjoy special out-of-hours access to the Church of San Vitale, with a private evening viewing of the magnificent mosaics housed there.

Sun 22nd - Sun 29th Oct 2017 Why not link this tour with Hidden Venice? See p.53...

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

ITALY | TURIN FESTIVE FOOD with Guide Lecturer: Rosetta Ferrari & Prof. Valerie Higgins Nestled on three sides by the towering Alpine and Apennine mountains, Piedmont is a province as famous for its gourmet delicacies as its feuding fiefdoms. Home to the Savoy dynasty and battlefield of many wars, Piedmont’s vibrant history, archaeology, and architecture define the region. Join us as we visit sites that really bring history to life. Explore the wine cellars of Canelli and descend Highlights beneath Alba to the Roman city • Discover a Roman colony below. Take a tour of the local hidden beneath the streets of modern day Alba food through the winding streets of Turin, sampling traditional • Enjoy a visit to Porta Gramolino cake as well as the Palatina, followed by a region’s famous white truffles. traditional Christmas lunch We visit these key sites: Porta Palatina, Galliate, and Lucedio.

Special Access We receive special access to the 15th –16th century fresco cycle at the remains of the Abbey of San Sileno.

• Wander the winding streets of Turin

Wed 20th - Tue 26th Dec 2017

Why not extend the celebrations into the New Year with Bologna Festive Food? See p.70...

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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ITALY | RAVENNA AT CHRISTMAS with Guide Lecturer: Prof. Tony King What filled the gap between the Roman Empire and the rise of the Middle Ages? It was Ravenna. This is a must-see archaeological city, replete with unparalleled mosaics. While the rest of Italy struggle at the hands of barbarian invaders, the city of Ravenna enjoyed a golden age of creation. Marvel at the artistry and explore the stories behind the shimmering tiles. On Christmas Eve you’ll Highlights find a fireworks display, set to • Discover the glorious classical music, taking place in final days of the Roman the Town Square; we follow this Empire... with Midnight Mass, an incredibly • Heaven for mosaic lovers important part of Italian Christmas home to some of the finest tradition. late-Roman mosaics We visit these key sites: Concordia Sagittaria, Dante’s Tomb, and San Vitale.

Special Access We enjoy special out-of-hours access to the Church of San Vitale, with a private evening viewing of the magnificent mosaics housed there.

• Enjoy a private viewing of the Church of San Vitale’s magnificent mosaics

Thur 21st - Thur 28th Dec 2017 Why not extend your stay in Italy with nearby Venice at New Year? See p.71...

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

ITALY | FESTIVE FOOD IN BOLOGNA with Guide Lecturer: Rosetta Ferrari & Tony O’Connor The Etruscans, who ruled Bologna from the 7th century BC, were seen by the Romans as being obsessed with drinking and feasting.

Archaeological evidence shows that the Mediterranean diet was later altered by northern influences, leading to the heartier cuisine typical today — including Italy’s most famous products, such as Parmesan cheese and Parma ham.

Highlights When better to taste the fruits of millennia of culinary evolution • The glories of “La Grassa”, than at Christmas, between visits the Fat City of Italy— beautiful architecture and to medieval castles, archaeological the best of Italian cuisine museums and Renaissance frescoes?

We visit these key sites: Este Castle, Bologna and Modena.

Special Access We enjoy a number of special culinary experiences, including: a visit to a Parmesan cheese producer, and a traditional truffle hunt.

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• Enjoy some of the best museums in Italy • Hunt for truffles, make your own fresh pasta, and see how Parmesan is made

Thur 28th Dec 2017 - Thur 4th Jan 2018

Why not link this tour with Ravenna at Christmas (p.70)?

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

ITALY | VENICE AT NEW YEAR with Guide Lecturer: Dr Eireann Marshall At the head of the Adriatic, floating on the ephemeral islets of the lagoon, lies the city of Venice. We explore great churches, palaces and museums, and archaeological remains still being uncovered.

We visit the islands of Torcello and Murano, where underwater investigation has revealed much about the glass trade that fuelled Venice’s rise to greatness. We have privileged access to the Doge’s Highlights palace, where we visit the cells and • New Year fireworks at St. historic state offices, and a private Mark’s Square evening visit to the Venetian • Sail to Murano, home of Patriarch’s ‘Church of Gold’ — St the ancient Murano glass Mark’s Basilica. trade We visit these key sites: the Doge’s Palace, St. Mark’s Square and Murano Island.

Special Access Enjoy private evening access to the iconic St Mark’s Basilica and see the hidden rooms of the Doge’s Palace.

• Walk over the iconic Rialto Bridge, which has defied engineers and architects since the Renaissance

Thu 28th Dec - 3rd Wed Jan 2018 Why not link this tour with Turin Festive Food? See p.69...

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

JORDAN | PETRA & DESERT FORTRESSES with Guide Lecturer: Nick Jackson Nothing can prepare you for Petra: only by standing in its streets can you appreciate its scale, its colors and its grandeur. With goods from every corner of the known world, Ancient Petra was an extradordinary city. Its streets were swathed in a fusion of Nabatean, Arab and classical architecture — elaborate tombs, colonnaded streets, and temples carved into rose-red rock — yet Petra’s tombs Highlights and temples are only a fraction of • Visit Jerash, set in the pine Jordan’s story. We explore traces valleys of the biblical land of biblical tribes, Roman legions, of Gilead, one of the best Christian crusaders and Islamic preserved Roman cities in caliphates in this promised land of the East archaeology.

• Ride 4x4s through Wadi Rum’s spectacular desert, We visit these key sites: Petra, Wadi made famous by the film Rum and Amman.

“Lawrence of Arabia”

Special Access Special tour of Petra, ‘the Rose City’, by night, when the city is lit by lanterns and flickering candles — a rare treat under the stars.

Tue 28th Mar - Thurs 6th Apr & Tue 10th - Thurs 19th Oct 2017

Why not link this tour with Foz Côa Rock Art? See p.77...

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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NEW

Highlights • Discover the blue tiled wonder of the mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi • View the thousands of petroglyphs decorating the rocks at Tamgaly from the Bronze and Iron Ages • Explore the dead city of Sauran, a former hub of the Silk Road which now stands alone amidst the Kazakh Steppe • Stand before the sombre remains of the Aral Sea • Enjoy a truly varied and unique tour

Special Access Receive a special tour and enjoy exclusive access at Otrar. This is your Guide Lecturer, Dr Gai Jorayev’s current research project. He is perfectly placed to enlighten us on the work currently being carried out at the archaeological site.

KAZAKHSTAN with Guide Lecturer: Dr Gai Jorayev

Kazakhstan was the land of the Saka - scene of many bloody, and devastating wars. By the early Middle Ages, horticulture and brisk trade gained prominence; and by the 15th century the first khanates appeared, hinting at the single political entity that the country would become. Discover an interesting landscape - high mountains, green valleys, lake-dotted steppe, western deserts and remote underground mosques... and affluent cities. Join us on a varied and unique journey - passing through the lands of the ancient residents of Kazakh, and tour wild steppes where nomads lived in harmony with nature...

Itinerary Days One & Two Independent US flights arriving in Almaty on Day 2.

Day Three Morning at Tamgaly-Tas rock art and Altyn-Emel National Park to see the Sakae tumuli.

Afternoon at Almaty Panfilov to see the WWII memorial and Zenkov Cathedral.

Day Four Morning at Tamgaly World Heritage Site Rock Art. Afternoon in Almaty.

Day Five We visit the Necropolis of Boralday and Almaty Lake.

Afternoon departure to Taraz.

Thu 11th - Wed 24th May & Sat 23rd Sep - Fri 6th Oct 2017 Dr Gai Jorayev lives in London and works at University College London. He regularly participates in archaeological expeditions to Central Asia.

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What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecturer, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

Day Six Today we visit 2,000 year old Taraz, the reconstructed caravanserai, and City Museum.

Day Seven Visit Akyrtas Karluk followed

by Aysha-Bibi mausoleum.

Day Eight Begin at Shymkent museum followed by a visit to the medieval complex of Otrar.

Day Nine All day in Turkistan city.

Day Ten Into the vast steppe to the remains of Sauran Medieval cities. Afternoon at Sygnak settlement.

Day Eleven Monuments of Dzhetyasar Oasis. On to Baikonur City.

Day Twelve Exploration of the history of the Soviet space programme.

Days Thirteen & Fourteen Travel to Astana, where we spend a full day exploring.

Days Fifteen & Sixteen Sightseeing in Astana before transfering to the airport.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

MALTA & GOZO with Guide Lecturer: Dr Nicholas Vella At 5,500 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 found anywhere in the Mediterranean.

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 Highlights Hospitaller. We will also sail out • Visit Ggantija, the earliest to see this elegant city from its megalithic temple complex surrounding waters. Our tour is led in Gozo and so large that by an archaeologist specialising in local folklore whispers it Maltese history and archaeology. was built by giants We visit these key sites: Ghar Dalam Cave, Ta’ Ħaġrat and Mġarr and Tarxien Temple.

Special Access Special access to Ta’ Cenc prehistoric temple with dolmens and passage graves, set against the dramatic coastal cliffs of Sannat

• Morning harbour cruise to view the port of Valletta, besieged by the Ottomans in the sixteenth century

Mon 17th - Sun 23rd April 2017 Why not link this tour with Relaxed Capri? See p.56...

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

MEXICO REVISITED|OAXACA & BEYOND with Guide Lecturer: David Drew The varied landscapes of Mexico were the homelands of many fascinating cultures. Journeying from Mexico City to the Oaxaca highlands, we explore the legacy not only of the Aztec and Maya, but myriad other peoples: the Totonacs, Toltecs, the Cholulans, the Zapotecs and Mixtecs. Sometimes allies, sometimes enemies and sometimes rivals, they shared the same calendar systems and Highlights worshipped the same gods. Yet • Beyond the Aztecs - a they produced a vivacious array of fascinating and unique strikingly individualistic styles of journey discovering the art and architecture. numerous peoples of We visit these key sites: Costa Esmerelda, Monte Alban and Teotihuacan

Special Access Enjoy special lectures by archaeologists, conservators and researchers, who will give unique insights into their work to protect local heritage.

ancient Mexico

• From the Veracruz jungles to the uplands of Oaxaca - visit superb indigenous sites and museums

Mon 16th - Tue 31st October 2017

You may also be interested in Mexico - The Maya See p.74...

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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MEXICO | THE MAYA with Guide Lecturer: David Drew For a long time the jungle-clad ruins of the Maya remained shrouded in mystery, but no longer. We explore the imposing citadels decorated with hieroglyphics and symbolic carvings that remain, discovering the people behind the pyramids. This is one of Andante’s most adventurous trips, starting with the superb Mexico City museums, then traveling via the uplands of Chiapas, into Highlights the jungle and the great river • Adventurous journey by Usumacinta, before driving up motor launch along the the Yucatan peninsula. A thrilling wide Usumacinta River to journey through the rich and the jungle site of Yaxchilán colorful landscapes of Mexico to • Explore vast Chichén Itzá, see some of the greatest of the the most famous of all Maya cities.

Maya sites, with its striking We visit these key sites: Uxmal, Cobá and Toniná Pyramid.

Special Access Special access to Aztec Templo Mayor, dedicated to two gods — Huitzilopochtli, god of war, and Tlaloc, god of rain and agriculture.

SMALL GROUP

images of sacrifice and feathered serpents

Mon 13th - Tues 28th Nov 2017 You may also be interested in Mexico Revisited See p.73...

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

ROCK ART IN THE NAMIBIAN WILDS with Guide Lecturer: Dr Paul Bahn The rock art of the Khoisan people is a tradition which has continued over thousands of years. This aspect of an ancient culture is brought to life by the stunning scenery, almost unchanged by humanity and still populated by the same wild creatures depicted in the earliest art. With us are Dr Paul Bahn, the authority on rock art, and Namibian guides who know the landscape and the game. Desert Highlights excursions, sea trips, plentiful • Opportunity to spot game viewing and optional flights elephants, zebra and giraffe in Etosha National Park over the famous dunes make this the trip of a lifetime.

• See vivid art in the caves We visit these key sites: Okonjima, Twyfelfontein and the Spitzkoppe Mountains.

Special Access Enjoy exclusive visits to remote sites that are unaccessible to the general public, where we see spectacular examples of Khoisan rock art.

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and shelters of the Erongo Mountains

• Experience world-famous rock art in the photogenic Brandberg Range

Sun 15th - Mon 30th Oct 2017

You may also be interested in Cave Art in the Pyrenees p.29...

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

NEW

Highlights • Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Joya de Cerén in El-Salvador • Discover the Ancient footprints of Acahualinca in Nicaragua • Travel to the ceremonial center of the ancient Chorotega people, Zapatera • Explore Guayabo de Turrialba set on the junglerich slopes of the Turrialba Volcano • View the best natural reserves of the region

Special Access

NICARAGUA & COSTA RICA | GRAND TOUR

Enjoy special lectures by archaeologists, conservators and researchers, who will give unique insights into their work to protect local heritage.

with Guide Lecturer: Dr Nicholas James

Turquoise seas, magnificent Maya ruins, bustling markets and coffee farms, stratovolcanoes and heavenly cloud forests...

Central America is an epicenter of discovery. A tapestry of cultures have left their mark on this fascinating land. In Central America’s most underrated country, El Salvador, we find coffee plantations clinging to volcanoes, colorful Spanish colonial towns, and sublime national parks. In Nicaragua we are greeted by colonial architecture, and pristine forests that are at worst breathtaking. Finally, in Costa Rica we discover ancient pre-Columbian sites set on the jungle-rich slopes.

Itinerary Days One and Two We arrive in San Salvador. We explore the cathedral, Iglesia El Rosario, Museo Nacional Antropologia, and the Palacio Nacional. Your guide lecturer will present a lecture tonight.

Day Three Drive to Cihuatan en route to Joya de Ceren and San Andres. Continue to Santa Ana, stopping in Parque Nacional Los Volcanes and Lago Coatepeque.

Days Four and Five Visit Chalchuapa and Casa Blanca. On day five we fly to Managua and tour the city.

Mon 13th - Wed 29th 2017 Nicholas James graduated from Oxford before teaching at Cambridge.

He is now a consultant in management of historical resources, and a veteran leader of Latin American tours.

What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecturer, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

Days Six and Seven Visit the Huellas de Acahualinca and the ruins of León Viejo en route to Leon. On day seven, we have free time in Granada, a picturesque colonial town.

Days Eight and Nine Travel to Parque Nacional

Archipelago Zapatera and enjoy a boat tour Las Isletas.

Days Ten and Eleven We drive to Monteverde in Costa Rica, home of the Arenal Volcano. In the afternoon, relax or take an optional nature excursion.

Day Twelve Drive to San Jose to visit the Jade and Gold Museums.

Days Thirteen and Fourteen Visit Poas Volcano crater lake and Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo. We travel to the Orosi Valley and Las Ruinas de Ujarrás before an afternoon visit to the ruins of Cartago.

Day Fifteen Visit Las Mercedes archaeological site and the Guayabo National Monument.

Days Sixteen and Seventeen We visit San Jose PreColumbian Museum before returning home.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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NORTHERN PERU with Guide Lecturer: David Drew Travel through spectacular Peruvian mountain scenery, entering a lost world of Andean cultures on the trail of the Chachapoya, ‘the people of the cloud forest’ - warriors and traders who initially resisted Inca conquest, and whose city of Kuelap rests magnificently above the Utcubamba Valley. Led by David Drew, this unique tour showcases the glories of Peru beyond Machu Picchu. See Highlights sarcophagi, temples, pyramids • Drive into the mountains of and abandoned clay cities as we the Chachapoyas region – step into a lost world of Andean ‘land of the Cloud People’ archaeology and architecture • Full day in Lima, - little-seen and still being including the National uncovered.

Archaeological Museum We visit these key sites: the Tucume Pyramids, Huaca del Dragon and Kuelap Fortress

Special Access Meet the ‘mummies of Leymebamba’, 200 wellpreserved Chachapoya mummies found at the Lake of the Condors. The museum’s founder tells us their story.

• See beautiful views from Kuelap Fortress, a citadel in the mountains

Mon 8th - Thurs 25th May 2017 You may also be interested in Mexico Revisited See p.73...

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

PERU & THE NAZCA LINES with Guide Lecturer: David Drew With access to Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca and the enormous, enigmatic Nazca Lines, this is our classic tour of Peru and Bolivia.

Explore the breathtaking sites of the Incas as well as the intriguing remains of their lesser-known predecessors as we climb into the highlands, to the ancient heartland of the Inca empire, which once covered over two million sq km.

Highlights Explore remote sites, royal estates, the temples of Tiwanaku and Lake • Optional flight over the Titicaca, and breathtaking golden mysterious and unique Nazca Lines artefacts from the earliest Andean civilisations to the coming of the • Visit iconic Machu Picchu, Conquistadors. with majestic views down We visit these key sites: Machu Picchu, Cuzco and Tiwanaku

Special Access Enjoy special visits in Ollantaytambo, where we are introduced to introduce to a variety of reviving local crafts.

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into the Cuzco valleys

• Visit the Inca temples on the Islands of the Moon and Sun in Lake Titicaca

Wed 6th - Tue 26th Sep 2017

You may also be interested in Mexico - The Maya See p.74...

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

SMALL GROUP

FOZ CÔA | ROCK ART OF PORTUGAL with Guide Lecturer: Dr Paul Bahn This is a rare opportunity to visit open-air rock art sites in the unspoilt countryside of the Spanish-Portuguese border region. The Foz Côa Valley engravings were only discovered 20 years ago, when they were about to be drowned as part of a huge dam project, but an international outcry saved the rock art for posterity. This is not Highlights only the largest outdoor collection • See a gallery of rock art of Palaeolithic images, but also the over thousands of years, only known place showcasing rock spread over 17 km of river art from the Upper Palaeolithic valleys through to recent centuries, uniting • Take a beautiful train artists across history. journey along the Douro We visit these key sites: Canada do Inferno, and Riberia de Piscos

Special Access Enjoy special lectures by archaeologists, conservators and researchers, who will give unique insights into their work to protect local heritage.

SMALL GROUP

• Visit the beautiful Fôz Coa Museum and learn about the fight to preserve the art

Mon 11th - Sun 17th Sep 2017 Why not link this tour with Languedoc? See p.34...

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

SOUTH AFRICA with Guide Lecturer: Dr John McNabb South Africa’s vast expanses hide a wealth of archaeology. There are thousands of Stone Age sites in the wilderness — caves and rock shelters, inland and along the coast. John McNabb uncovers all, from the earliest evidence of our human ancestors, who left behind stone tools and skeletons, to the vestiges of kingdoms who traded gold and ivory past China. This tour is a true adventure, providing a unique Highlights opportunity to explore the depths • Visit Makapansgat, an of humanity’s past, revelling in important Palaeolithic site strewn with caves landscapes and wildlife that retain primeval splendour even today.

• Safari in Kruger National We visit these key sites: the Cradle of Humankind and Kruger National Park

Special Access Behind the scenes access to the excavator’s warehouse at Sterkfontein Caves, findspot of the two million year old Australopithecus skull now nicknamed Mrs Ples.

Park, with the chance to see African lions, elephants, buffalo, leopards and rhino

• Step into the Cradle of Humankind itself

Sat 25th Mar - Wed 5th Apr 2017 You may also be interested in The Western Cape, overleaf...

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

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Highlights • Explore South Africa’s Western Cape’s glorious golden coast • Visit inviting vineyards of the winelands • Discover the rich history of the Mother City - from prehistoric rock art to the early colonisation • Tour Langebaan, home of Eve’s footprints, left behind by an anatomically-modern female 117 000 years ago • Viewan array of indigenous rock art depictions in the Cederberg Mountains

Special Access

SOUTH AFRICA | THE WESTERN CAPE with Guide Lecturer: Jayson Orton

Discover South Africa’s deepest origins, with access to the fossilised remains of animals who roamed the land 5 million years ago, at West Coast Fossil Park. View an array of rock art, depictions that have been created by the indigenous people of this land for thousands of years in Clanwilliam’s Cederberg Mountains. Encounter South Africa’s darker history at Robben Island - used for the segregation of political prisoners and outcasts, notably Nelson Mandela. Explore a land of splendours: breath-taking mountains, world-class vineyards, and a history filled by a melting pot of cultures.

Itinerary Day One & Two Overnight flights to Cape Town, arriving on Day Two. Arrive and transfer to Langebaan. Free time this afternoon to relax or explore the lagoon.

Day Three This morning we will visit the West Coast Fossil Park before returning to Langebaan for a boat trip around the West Coast Nature Reserve.

Day Four We begin the day with a visit to Clanwilliam to the Sevilla bushman rock art trail. The 4km trail is home to ten fascinating sites.

Tue 28th - Thu 7th Dec 2017 Jayson Orton studied at Oxford University and now runs his own heritage consultancy that operates throughout western South Africa. He specializes in the Later Stone Age in the region.

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What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecturer, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

Enjoy a specia visit to the Heritage Museum, on the SolmsDelta Wine Estate. The excavated site has revealed an original farm complex dating to 1690.

Laid trenches containing small stone tools, giving us a wealth of information about foraging culture in the area.

Day Five We take a drive along the coast this morning to Cape Town.

We visit Iziko museum to view the pre-colonial and colonial collections there.

Day Six Today we visit Fish Hoek

Valley Museum, which houses 15,000 year old Palaeolithic remains. We walk to Peer’s cave where Palaeolithic finds were discovered. We have special access to Solms-Delta Wine Estate, the site of extensive excavations.

Day Seven We enjoy a cable car ride to the top of Table Mountain National Park, followed by a visit to Cape Point.

Day Eight Today we visit the Castle of Good Hope built by the Dutch East India Company, followed by visits to the Military Museum and the Slave Lodge.

Day Nine We visit the UNESCO site of Robben Island this morning.

After lunch we will visit Chavonnes Battery Museum.

Day Ten We return home today.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

SPAIN | ROMANS, VISIGOTHS & VIZIERS with Guide Lecturer: Dr Andy Fear Mountainous southern Spain, rich in silver, gold, wine and olive oil, has attracted the attention of many would-be conquerors over the centuries — Carthaginians, Romans, Visigoths, and the Ummayad Caliphate. As Europe entered ‘the Dark Ages’, Al-Andalus flourished under Islamic viziers who fashioned palaces with art, Highlights arches and grand gardens that • The Golden Triangle of still grace Córdoba and Granada. southern Spain – vibrant From prehistory to Christopher Seville, Moorish Cordoba Columbus, our tour progresses and Granada, home of the through the many ages of this Alhambra vibrant, beautiful region.

• Follow the scenic route of the Via Augusta over the We visit these key sites: the Viadela Plata, discovering Alhambra and the Mezquita little-known remote sites along the way.

Special Access We enjoy a private visit to El Palacio de Lebrija, a sixteenth century palace known for its stunning collection of Roman mosaics that pave the entire ground floor.

SMALL GROUP

Sun 2nd - Sun 9th April 2017

ou may also be interested in our Phoenicians tour over the page?

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

SPAIN | ROCK ART OF ALTAMIRA with Guide Lecturer: Dr Paul Bahn Decorated 10 - 40,000 years ago, the caves of Altamira still display some of humankind’s first great artistic achievements. This is a unique chance to view the vivid images of bison, horse and deer that have come to epitomise Palaeolithic art. We stay in the historic towns in the hills of Northern Spain, with special access to numerous sites.

A visit to an Ice Age cave really is a tremendous privilege; where Highlights else could you approach original • Visit the huge and famous masterpieces of such immense cave of Tito Bustillo, only antiquity, standing exactly where discovered in 1968 by a the original artists did? group of young cavers We visit these key sites: the Guggenheim Museum, El Pindal sea cave and Santillana

Special Access Go behind the scenes at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. The spectacular museum is made of titanium, glass, and limestone.

• Step into El Castillo, which recently produced some of the earliest dates for cave art in the world

Mon 15th - Mon 22nd May 2017 Why not extend your stay in Spain with our Phoenicians tour over the page?

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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Highlights • Explore Cartagena, Carthaginians in 223BC • Discover Carteia, a Phoenician and Roman town, originally founded as a trading settlement • View the biggest and best conserved necropolis of the Phoenician-Punic culture at El Puig des Molins • Journey through the scenic coastal landscape of Andalucia • Cruise to the foremost natural island of the Balearics, Formentera

Special Access Enjoy special access at a number of archaeological projects.

Receive a special talk by the museum director at El Castillo de Doña. Tour the necropolis of El Puig des Molins with a local guide who knows the site, and receive behind the scenes access to the grave material recovered.

PHOENICIANS IN SPAIN with Guide Lecturer: Fernando López Sánchez

Join us as we tour the scenic coastal landscape of southern Spain, Andalucia. Immortalised in operas and 19th-century artworks, it’s almost a synonym for ancient Spain as a whole.

We also explore ancient Cartagena, former capital of the general Hannibal, before the Romans had their way. Explore the Phoenician and Roman town, of K’rt - its strategic location, was utilised by Carthaginian admirals during the Punic Wars. Discover the Bronze Age at Los Cipreses reconstructed ancient village; and see another side of Ibiza - home of the best conserved necropolis of the Phoenician-Punic culture...

Itinerary Day One Arrive in Seville.

Day Two We visit El Castillo de Doña, for a special talk from the Museum Director, and San Fernando.

Day Three We explore the Bay of Cadiz, including a visit to the Sanctuary of Astarte.

We also explore the Castle of San Sebastián and Cadiz Archaeological Museum.

Day Four We travel to Malaga, via La Silla de Papa and the PunicRoman city of Carteia.

Mon 22nd May - Thu 1st June & Mon 2nd - Thu 12th Oct 2017 Fernando López Sánchez received his Bachelor in history from the University of Zaragoza. The main focus of his research is on the Roman Empire from Numidia to Scandinavia, and the Hellenistic aspects of warfare.

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What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecturer, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

Day Seven We explore archaeological parks from the Bronze Age: La Bastida and Los Cipreses.

Day Eight We enjoy a full day in beautiful Cartegena, exploring a wealth of history.

Day Nine We travel to Denia, enjoying a visit to the Mazarrón Phoenician Boat Interpretation Center. We also visit Mucia Archaeological Museum and the site of La Fonteta en-route.

Day Five We visit the Phoenician sites of Cerro del Mar, Los Toscanos and Cerro de Villar.

Day Ten We enjoy special access to El Puig des Molins necropolis and visit the Punic site of Sa Caleta ande also visit the Archaeological Museum of Ibiza.

Day Six We visit Morro de Mezquitilla and the necropolis of Trayamar.

This afternoon we explore Sexi.

Day Eleven We enjoy a free morning in the Citadel of Eivissa before transfering to the airport.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

SPAIN | BARCELONA AT NEW YEAR with Guide Lecturer: Fernando López Sánchez Barcelona sits at the heart of Catalonian culture, possessing a captivating mix of ancient and modern architecture, from ancient Greek archaeology through to modern art and architecture. Our tour examines the rich heritage that Barcelona and the surrounding area have to offer, set against the backdrop of the New Year Highlights festivities. The city’s origins date • Discover the historical back to the Roman occupation of heart of Barcelona during the 1st century BC, but the region a walking tour of the Old is also home to archaeological sites City of the Greeks and Iberians.

We visit these key sites: Les Ferreres Aqueduct, Empuries and the Sagrada Família

Special Access On New Year’s Eve we enjoy a special gala dinner, followed— optionally—by Barcelonastyle New Year’s celebrations including a light show and firework display.

• See in the New Year with a gala dinner and Barcelona’s light show and firework display at the Magic Fountain of Montjuic

28th Dec - 2nd Jan 2017 & 28th Dec - 2nd Jan 2018

Why not link this tour with Ravenna at Christmas (p.70)?

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

SPAIN & PORTUGAL | ROMAN LUSITANIA with Guide Lecturer: Dr Andy Fear Mérida, the capital of Roman Lusitania, was founded in 25BC by the victorious army of the emperor Augustus. During its imperial glory days, a plethora of Roman monuments were erected; many, including the Forum, triumphal arch and amphitheater, 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 Highlights prehistoric and medieval sites • Glorious Roman along the way. Our journey takes monuments and feats of us from the Lisbon coast through engineering in Spain and beautiful countryside to prehistoric Portugal tombs, Roman towns, and even • A unique program, we sites of the Peninsular War. also take in prehistoric and medieval sites from We visit these key sites: Los the coast at Lisbon into Milagros, Pisões and Mérida.

Spanish Extremadura

Special Access Specially arranged visit to the palatial remains at the major Roman Villa of Pisões, which is usually closed to the public.

Sun 16th - Sun 23rd Apr & Sun 3rd - Sun 10th Oct 2017

Why not link this tour with Malta & Gozo? See p.73...

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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SWEDEN, GERMANY, DENMARK & UK | MEET THE VIKINGS with Guide Lecturer: Brian Ayers The Vikings were great seafarers, raiders and traders of the Early Middle Ages. Far from being a race of barbarians, they presided over an extensive trading network. They fought with swords of Afghan steel, imported silk from China, and reached the coast of North America. Following in the Vikings’ footsteps, we make our own epic voyage across Europe. Beginning in York, we continue to Germany, Highlights Denmark and Sweden. We seek • Explore the Viking out trading towns, treasure, kings homelands of Sweden and and longships. Trace the rise of this Denmark great civilization whose ruthless • Discover a great Viking skill and inspired awe and terror trading port at Birka, throughout Northern Europe and Sweden beyond.

• Visit runestones, kingly burials and great trading We visit these key sites: Ystad, ports Hedeby and Gammel Lejre.

Special Access Enjoy special access to Roskilde Ship Museum where we have the chance to row and sail a replica Viking longship.

SMALL GROUP

Sun 9th - Fri 21st July 2017

You may also be interested in Sweden & Norway, below...

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

SWEDEN & NORWAY | ROCK ART with Guide Lecturer: Dr Tertia Barnett Rock art dating from the Neolithic through to the Iron Age is scattered throughout the Scandinavian landscape. 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 Highlights beliefs of the people inhabiting these dramatic landscapes • Visit the impressive Oslo over 3,500 years ago. Explore a Viking Ship Museum Scandinavia that you never knew • Glide along the Alta existed - stone circles, cairns and River to see some of the carved boulders hidden within spectacular scenery varied and dramatic landscapes.

• The rock art at Hjemmeluft, including a We visit these key sites: Alta Rock huge panel with over 1500 Art Museum and the Hjemmeluft mythical figures panel.

Special Access 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.

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Sat 15th - Sat 22nd July 2017

You may also be interested in Meet the Vikings, above...

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

SMALL GROUP

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Highlights • Discover the legacy of Persian princes and Omani sultans in Zanzibar • Visit Laetoli to see 3.6 million year old human footprints • Explore Olduvai Gorge – home of the oldest humans • Watch lions, leopards, cheetah, giraffes and zebras on safari in Ruaha National Park • Enjoy stunning coastal views and exotic experiences in Zanzibar

Special Access Enjoy a specially arranged visit to Olduvai Gorge. This is one of the most important paleoanthropological sites in the world; it has proven invaluable in furthering understanding of early human evolution.

TANZANIA & ZANZIBAR with Guide Lecturer: Dr John McNabb

Olduvai Gorge is a spectacular, steep-sided canyon, carved by the passage of water in Tanzania that has revealed many fossils of our ancient ancestors. Join us as we journey through centuries of Tanzania and Zanzibar’s history. Visit the courts of Swahili princes and Omani sultans; immerse yourself in an exotic natural landscape during a satisfying safari experience in Laetoli and enjoy a quintessential Indian Ocean experience, where pastel sunsets and languid coastal rhythms provide the perfect backdrop to our tour.

Itinerary Days One & Two Arrive in Dar Es Salaam, where we enjoy a walking tour and visit the National Museum.

Day Eight We drive to Dodoma and visit the Gadaffi Mosque and the Museum of Geoscience.

Day Three We visit Kaole Ruins, with the 13th century mosque at the center, the Village Museum and Carvers Market.

Day Nine Drive to Kondoa Irangi Rock Paintings and view the cave series. Continue to Karatu.

Day Four Morning ferry to Zanzibar. We explore the historic Stone Town, with its Old Fort.

Day Five Free day to explore the island including Darajani Bazaar.

Mon11th - Mon 25th Sep 2017 Dr John McNabb is Senior

Lecturer in Palaeolithic Archaeology at Southampton University.

He has researched widely within South Africa.

What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecturer, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

Day Six We ferry back to Dar Es Salaam and visit the Azania Front Lutheran Church. Afternoon flight to Iringa.

Day Seven Visit to Isimila Site and Museum followed by a safari at Ruaha National Park.

Day Ten We spend the day at Olduvai Gorge along with its museum.

Day Eleven Today we visit the bushmen tribes from Lake Eyasi.

Day Twelve We visit Engaruka ruins, followed by wildlife watching.

Day Thirteen Morning visit to the Laetoli footprints. Free afternoon.

Day Fourteen Transfer to the airport for US flights or onward journeys.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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THE AEGEAN COAST OF TURKEY with Guide Lecturer: Terry Richardson The ruined cities of the Aegean coast were once some of the most powerful city-states of the ancient world. We start at Troy, site of the legendary conflict between Greeks and Trojans - if Homer is to be believed. This is one of our best-established tours, which we have now revised to include the upper Maeander Valley, the World Heritage Site of Hierapolis with its white limestone formations, Highlights hot pools, and Pluto’s Gate.

• Great and famous Classical We also visit the beautiful site cities - Ephesus, Pergamon, of Aphrodisias, famous for the Miletus, Aphrodisias - as sculptors who exploited the well as evocative lesserlocal white marble to splendid known ruins. architectural effect.

• Beautiful landscapes of the Aegean Coast: blue sea, We visit these key sites: Troy, rugged hills and traditional Pergamon, Miletus and Ephesus. villages

Special Access We have special access to the Roman terraced houses of Ephesus, with painted walls and mosaics now beautifully restored, with a talk from the curator.

Sat 8th - Tue 18th April 2017

Why not link this tour with Cyprus: The South? See p.25...

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

TURKEY | ANATOLIA & CAPPADOCIA with Guide Lecturer: Dr Michael Brown Highly recommended: a kaleidoscopic journey through the heartlands of Turkey, beginning in Çatal Höyük, arguably the earliest city in the world, to Hittite Hattusas and the Phrygian capital of King Midas. Central Anatolia was part of the beautiful Fertile Crescent, where early farmers Highlights settled down to build permanent occupation sites and temples • Extraordinary volcanic to their gods. The otherworldly landscapes: whole geology of Cappadocia is matched underground cities and rock-cut monasteries in the by the unique archaeology: pinnacles of tufa. underground cities and frescoed churches carved high in the rocks.

We visit these key sites: Çatal Höyük and the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations.

Special Access We enjoy a special lecture on Anatolian Archaeology, presented by a colleague of Dr Michael Brown.

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• Full day exploring the utterly spectacular mountain city of Kerkenes Dag

Fri 6th - Mon 16th Oct 2017

Why not link this tour with Crete Revisited? See p.42...

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

SMALL GROUP

TURKEY | WALKING ISTANBUL with Guide Lecturer: Terry Richardson Escape the crowds around Istanbul’s major monuments and discover the hidden corners of this great city, in the company of a man who knows Istanbul inside out. Walk in the shadow of the fifth-century Theodosian Walls, past mosques, churches, market gardens and local bazaars. The streets are bustling with culture at every turn, but Highlights along the Theodosian Walls we find • Visit the newly restored surprisingly quiet and beautiful Mihrimah Sultan Camii, areas of market gardens, cemeteries the most prominent and parks. landmark in Istanbul We visit these key sites: Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, the Mevlana Gate and walks along the Theodosian walls

Special Access Enjoy special access to the church of Mary of the Mongols - the only Byzantine church of Constantinople that has never been converted to a mosque.

• Choose between a short cruise on the Bosphorus and a visit to the marvellous Istanbul Archaeological Museum

Mon 2nd - Sun 8th Oct 2017

Why not link this tour with Crete and Santorini? See p.36...

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

UK | WESSEX WEEKEND with Guide Lecturer: Paul Tubb The 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 very privileged tour includes private access inside the stones at Highlights Stonehenge in the early morning, • Enjoy a visit to the henge whose monumental bluestones of Avebury, so large that have graced the landscape for the modern day village lies thousands of years. within, with its intact ditch We visit these key sites: Stonehenge and the henge of Avebury.

Special Access Private access inside the stones at Stonehenge in the early morning, a special tour of Wiltshire Heritage Museum and a private demonstration of flint-knapping.

and bank fortifications

• Wiltshire Heritage Museum, Devizes, which houses gold work from around Stonehenge

Fri 12th - Sun 14th May & Fri 15th - Sun 17th Sep 2017

Why not link this tour with Hidden Rome? See p.54...

Reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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Highlights • Visit the sublime Canterbury Cathedral, Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion • Immerse yourself in the exhibits of the majestic Louvre, one of the world’s largest museums and a historic Parisian monument • Experience the best of both worlds—the architectural interest of London and Paris meets the surprising greenery of their surrounding towns

Special Access

UK | THE ROMANS IN LONDON & PARIS with Guide Lecturer: John Shepherd

Almost two millennia after the dissolution of the Western Roman Empire, the remnants of extravagant villas, cemeteries, and theaters leave clues to its influence in two of its greatest strongholds: present-day Britain and France. Our journey takes us to the vital centers of London and Paris, taking in Roman ruins and spectacular cathedrals along the way. This is truly a tour for the curious—spanning two countries, world class museums, and the breadth of wisdom from one of our expert guide lecturers, prepare to get to know the Romans of Britain and France better than you ever thought possible.

Wed 20th Sep - Sun 1st Oct 2017 John Shepherd is an archaeologist with field experience in Bulgaria, France, Italy and the UK. He specializes in the Roman period. Much of his career has been focused upon Roman provincial archaeology.

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What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecturer, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

Enjoy special access at Mortimer Wheeler House, a division of the Museum of London. Mortimer Wheeler house is home to the London Archaeological Archive and Research Center, where we will be able to handle some of the collection.

Itinerary Day One Arrive in London and visit the Sir John Soane’s museum. We enjoy free time before a lecture from our expert guide.

and Richborough Roman Fort.

We travel to Paris by Eurostar.

Day Two

Day Seven We enjoy a Roman Gaul Orientation Day and visit the St Germain en Laye Museum.

We visit Mortimer Wheeler House and visit the Roman Britain gallery at the British Museum.

Day Eight Today we explore the Île de la Cité and sites such as the Notre Dame.

Day Three We discover the best of Roman London on foot, heading underground to discover the hidden city beneath.

Day Nine We visit the Musée de Cluny and the remains of a Roman amphitheater.

Day Four We spend the day exploring opulent Roman villas in the surrounding area.

Day Five We travel to St Albans, and explore the Roman ruins.

Day Six We visit Canterbury Cathedral

Day Ten We travel to nearby Evreux and explore the region.

Day Eleven We spend the day discovering the Louvre. The Roman - Greek - Etruscan gallery is guided by our Guide Lecturer.

Day Twelve We return home.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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Highlights • Explore Duarte Castle, the historic seat of the chiefs of the Maclean Clan • Discover Glenfinnan Monument, built in remembrance of the final Jacobite Rising in 1745 • Tour the Kilmartin museum, located within the prehistoric site, with its well preserved cairns • Experience the spectacular landscape - wild coastlines, and medieval castles • Observe puffins in their natural habitat

Special Access We visit the excavation at Kildavie on Mull. The excavations in 2014 and 2015 helped to uncover excellent dating evidence for the site, as well as providing a good indication into how the buildings were constructed and how the villagers would have lived.

UK | OVER THE SEA TO SKYE with Guide Lecturer: Dr Mary MacLeod Rivett

Explore the Isle of Skye, a patchwork land of velvet moors, jagged mountains, sparkling lochs, and towering sea cliffs. The isle takes it name from the old Norse word sky-a. Meaning “cloud island”, apt for the often-mist-covered Cuillin Hills.

Discover majestic stone carvings and crosses, and castles built by various clan chiefs studded across the island. Beyond Skye, we also visit Islay — home of some of the world’s greatest and peatiest whiskies; Mull, with the wonderfully rugged ridges of Ben More and the black basalt crags of Burg; and the peaceful waterfront town of Oban, set on a beautiful bay.

Itinerary Day One Arrive in Glasgow today and catch the train to Fort William.

On arrival we will visit Old Inverlochy Castle. We pass by Kyle Lochalsh, and stop to visit Eilean Donan Castle. From here, we travel by coach to Skye.

Day Two Today we visit sites around Loch Eyre including Carn Liath. We continue to Kilvaxter Souterrain, followed by the Skye Museum of Island life and Duntulum Castle.

Day Three Today we explore two iron age brochs, Dun Borrafiach and Dun Fiadhairt. Afternoon visit to Dunvegan Castle.

Mon 28th Aug - Wed 6th Sep 2017 Dr Mary MacLeod Rivett is a lecturer in archaeology at the University of the Highlands and Islands. She is a specialist in the Viking, Norse and Mediaeval archaeology.

What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecturer, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

Day Four We leave Skye today and head to Oban, visiting Dunscaith Castle and Clan Donald Skye Visitor Center en route. We continue to Oban, a resort town within Argyll and Bute.

Day Five Today we catch the ferry to the Isle of Mull. On arrival we visit the remains of 13th century Pennygown Chapel, the ruins of Aros Castle, and Baliscate Chapel. This afternoon we visit the Museum of Mull, Dun Ara Castle, and Glengorm Castle.

Day Six This morning we visit Torosay Castle, Duarte Castle and Moy Castle, then sail to the holy island of Iona.

Day Seven We visit the many monuments of Kilmartin Glen on our way to Tarbert today.

Day Eight We catch a morning ferry to the Isle of Islay where we visit Kildalton Cross, Dunyvaig Castle, and Cultoon Stone Circle. Afternoon visit to the Museum of Islay Life.

Day Nine Return to Glasgow for flights.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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Highlights • Discover Newgrange, the impressive Neolithic monument older than the pyramids of Egypt • Experience day-to-day Iron Age life at the Scottish Crannog Center • Traverse varied landscapes—from the wild beauty of rural Ireland and Scotland to the of their urban centers • Explore Doune Castle, medieval stronghold and filming location for Game of Thrones and Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Special Access Enjoy a privileged talk by the curator of The Scottish Crannog Center. Experience special access to significant prehistoric megalithic sites in Boyne Valley: Fourknocks passage tomb, and Loughcrew cemetery, home to around 30 passage tombs.

IRELAND & SCOTLAND with Guide Lecturer: Dr Kelli Ann Malone

Rugged yet forgiving, wild but cosmopolitan: the varying landscapes of Ireland and Scotland have nurtured human civilisation from prehistory to the present. Taking in the span of this human story, we visit Neolithic dwellings and wellpreserved medieval friaries, experience daily Iron Age life at the Scottish Crannog Center, and walk the streets of urban centers Dublin and Glasgow. As well as some remarkable sites—including places of rest, protection, and worship—we visit fantastic museums devoted to the history and heritage of these two beautiful countries.

Itinerary Day One We arrive in Galway and visit Carrowmore, Carrowkeel Cemetery and the Grave of Yeats.

Day Two We take a ferry to Inis Mor and explore the archaeological remains of the rugged shores.

Day Three We visit Clonmacnoise as we travel to Dublin. We view the Book of Kells in the National Museum of Ireland.

Days Four & Five We spend two days exploring prehistoric marvels of Boyne Valley, including Newgrange, Fourknocks and Loughcrew.

Tue 30th May - Sun 11th Jun 2017 Dr Kelli Ann Malone is an anthropologist with interests in transitional phases between the Neolithic and Bronze Age. She also works in the field of heritage site interpretation and tourism.

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What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecture, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

the Cathedral District and Necropolis.

Day Eight In the morning we vist Doune Castle. Afternoon at The Scottish Crannog Center, for a talk by the curator.

Day Nine We spend the day at Gask Ridge and Scone Palace.

Day Ten We visit St Andrews in the morning, then travel to Edinburgh for a city tour.

Day Eleven We explore the city of Stirling and the National Wallace Monument.

Day Six We visit the monastic site of Glendalough before visiting St Patrick’s Cathedral.

Day Twelve We spend the day taking in the castle and National Museum in Edinburgh.

Day Seven We travel to Glasgow, exploring

Day Thirteen We return home.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

NEW

Highlights • Enjoy a full day in Stirling with its castle, and the King’s park with its prehistoric carvings • See the chief Pictish standing stones, some are still located in their original landscape • Meet “Pictoria”, the digital reconstruction of a Pictish woman in the McMannus Galleries, Dundee • Experience the spectacular landscape of the highlands • Explore the historical city of Edinburgh

Special Access

UK | KINGDOM OF THE PICTS with Guide Lecturer: Dr Kelli Ann Malone

Living beyond the Roman Empire, the historical Picts emerged in the late 3rd century AD and disappeared in around 900 AD. An enduringly mysterious people, they are best known today for their artistic legacy of carved stone monuments, although the exact meaning of their unique symbols still eludes us. We explore the key places where recent archaeological work sheds new light on northern Pictish society and how it developed through time. From the 8th Century at Portmahomack to the massive coastal stronghold at Burghead — expect to change your perceptions but lose none of your wonder!

Itinerary Day One We arrive and visit the National Museum in Edinburgh and explore East Lothian. We begin the afternoon with a visit to St Andrews’ Cathedral Museum.

We head out of the city, stopping at a round fort at Abernethy and Dupplin Cross on our way to Perth.

Day Two We visit the McManus Galleries in Dundee, home to Pictish artefacts and a digital reconstruction of ‘Pictoria’.

Afternoon visit to Meigle Museum before an evening tour of The Howff.

Mon 19th - Wed 28th Jun 2017 Dr Kelli Ann Malone is an anthropologist with interests in transitional phases between the Neolithic and Bronze Age. She also works in the field of heritage site interpretation and tourism.

What’s Included Hand-picked hotels, expert guide lecture, tour manager, all meals, local transport and site entry and tips.

We visit the Howff burial ground after hours. Established in 1564, it has one of the most important collections of tombstones in Scotland. Enjoy a guided tour by torch light. We also receive special talks from renowned local archaeologists.

Day Three We travel to Angus and explore the historic center.

We also visit the Meffan Institute Museum. We continue to the Pictavia Visitor Center and St. Vigean’s Stone Museum.

We end the day viewing the Pictish Aldbar Cross-Slab and Eassie Cross Slab.

Day Four We make our way to Perth. We enjoy an informative walking tour of the historic city center before lunch. We continue on to Inverness, traveling through Aviemore, where we stop at the Highland Folk Museum.

Day Five Today we view an array of Pictish stones. Afternoon, we travel to Rosemarkie and visit Groam House Museum.

Day Six We visit Nairn and Sueno’s Stone in the morning, and Burghead Well and Fort and Elgin Museum in the afternoon.

Day Seven In the morning we visit Loch Ness and then head on to Urghart Castle. Afternoon, we visit Whitebridge Cemetery.

Day Eight We return home.

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UK | ORKNEY & SHETLAND with Guide Lecturer: Val Turner The 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 they have been called an archaeologists’ paradise. During the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age, the people of Orkney and Shetland were among the Highlights first in Britain to begin building • The World Heritage Sites impressive megalithic chamber of Skara Brae, Maes Howe tombs and later henge monuments. and the Ring of Brodgar With several UNESCO World uniquely rich and evocative Heritage sites to explore, our tour ancient sites. takes you on a journey through the • Visit sites at the cutting ages. edge of archaeological We visit these key sites: Skara Brae, Unst and Rousay.

Special Access Special access to excavations at the Ness of Brodgar - where archaeologists are uncovering a Neolithic settlement in exraordinary detail.

research, where new discoveries are being made

Thurs 20th - Sun 30th Jul 2017 Why not link this tour with Brittany? See p.31...

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

USA | NATIVE AMERICAN PUEBLOS with Guide Lecturer: Prof. Steve Lekson The ancestral Pueblos of the American Southwest left us an extraordinary archaeological legacy in their magnificent dwellings, cliff palaces, towers, shrines and petroglyph panels. These sites were already abandoned when the Navajo peoples moved in after 1300, and so they simply described them Highlights as the ‘ancient ones’ or Anasazi, and left the deserted ruins well • Extraordinary rock art and alone. Their civilisation continues architecture of the Anasazi today in the Indian Pueblos of New • Led by Prof Steve Lekson, Mexico and Arizona, stretching with special access to sites across the ‘corner states’, New and excavations Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and • Magnificent, sweeping Utah. landscapes of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and We visit these key sites: Chaco Arizona. Archaeological Canyon and Mesa Verde Park

Special Access Enjoy a special tour of the exciting Schiffarts Museum

by Dr. Anna Kibburg. The shipping museum is part of the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Scientific Community.

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Mon 16th - Sat 28th Oct 2017

You may also be interested in Nicaragua & Costa Rica (p.75)

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

UZBEKISTAN with Guide Lecturer: Paul Wordsworth The great cities of Uzbekistan were once thronging with people plying their trade on one of the world’s greatest exchange networks — the Silk Road from China to Europe. The elegant domes of mosques and mausoleums are an awe-inspiring testament to the wealth of past traders who once lived here. This is a unique tour, Highlights visiting both the great cities of the • A glimpse into the rise and Silk Road, and the ‘lost cities’ of fall of civilisations from Mizdakan and Benaket. A glimpse Alexander the Great to into the rise and fall of mighty Genghis Khan civilisations from Alexander the Great to Genghis Kahn.

• Spend a day in vibrant, majestic Khiva

We visit these key sites: Ayaz Kala and Samarkand.

• Tashkent, a great city destroyed by the Mongols and restored by Tamerlane

Special Access The ruined city of Paykent is notoriously difficult to travel to independently. Join us at the site, which was once a rival to Bukhara, only to become deserted in the Middle Ages.

Mon 10th - Mon 24th Apr 2017

Why not link this tour with Athens & Pericles? See p.38...

Call, email, or visit us online to reserve your space on this tour with a fully refundable $500 deposit.

CAN’T WAIT FOR 2017?

TRAVEL WITH US IN 2016 Spaces have been filling fast on our 2016 tours, with many tours now sold out. The usual suspects, such as Pompeii and Sicily, have been tempting travelers once again, but our Hidden Cities tours have proven popular too. We wouldn’t want anyone to miss out, so we have added a number of new departures to our program, including: Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania new May & September departures Sicilia Antiqua new October departure Malta & Gozo new October departure Hidden Rome new November departure Hidden Venice new November departure Book your place on any of our 2016 tours by calling, emailing or visiting us online.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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2017 Calendar february

april continued

Hidden Rome Mon 6 - Sat 11 with Dr Gillian Shepherd

Italy

54

Meet the Romans Mon 3 - Fri 14 with Dr Neil Faulkner

Italy

65

Cambodia & Laos | NEW Tue 14 - Sun 26 with David Brotherson & Dr Damian Evans

Cambodia & Laos

23

Thessaloniki Tue 4 - Mon 10 with Dr Christina Hatzimichael-Whitley

Greece

39

Guatemala, Belize & Honduras Tue 14 - Tue 28 with David Drew

Guatemala, 46 Belize & Honduras

Iran | Great Shahs, Kings & Gardens Thu 6 - Sun 23 with Prof Michael Roaf

Iran

48

Aegean Coast of Turkey Sat 8 - Tue 18 with Terry Richardson

Turkey

84

Uzbekistan Mon 10 - Mon 24 with Paul Wordsworth

Uzbekistan 91

Roman Province of Lusitania Sun 16 - Sun 23 with Dr Andy Fear

Spain

81

march Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania Mon 6 - Mon 13 with Dr Eireann Marshall

Italy

50

Malta & Gozo Mon 17 - Sun 23 with Prof Nicholas Vella

Malta

73 50

Italy

54

Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania Mon 17 - Mon 24 with John Shepherd

Italy

Hidden Rome Mon 13 - Sat 18 with Oliver Gilkes Central America | Grand Tour | NEW Mon 13 - Wed 29 with Nicholas James

Central America

75

Crete and Santorini Greece Tue 18 - Tue 25 with Dr Sandy MacGillivray

36

Crete & Santorini Tue 14 - Tue 21 with Dr Sandy MacGillivray

Greece

36

Cyprus - The South Thu 20 - Thu 27 with Paul Croft

Cyprus

25

Ancient Wonders of Sicily | NEW Wed 15 - Wed 22 with Dr Denise Allen

Italy

52

Classical Sicily Thu 20 - Sun 30 with Dr Veronica Kalas

Italy

58

Hidden Venice Mon 20 - Sat 25 with Dr Eireann Marshall

Italy

53

Albania | Land of the Eagles Fri 21 - Sat 29 with Oliver Gilkes

Albania

18

South Africa Sat 25 - Wed 5 Apr with Dr John McNabb

South Africa

77

Italy

55

Jordan | Petra & the Desert Fortresses Tue 28 - Thu 6 Apr with Nicholas Jackson

Jordan

71

Apulia | Food & Archaeology | NEW Sun 23 - Mon 1 May with Deborah Hodson & Rosetta Ferrari

Italy

56

Classical Sicily Thu 30 - Sun 9 Apr with Oliver Gilkes

Italy

58

Relaxed Capri | NEW Mon 24 - Sat 29 with Tony O’Connor Hidden Rome Mon 24 - Sat 29 with Jonathan Coulston

Italy

54

Cave Art in the Pyrenees Mon 24 - Sun 30 with Dr Jamie Hampson

France

29

Athens & the Glories of Pericles | NEW Wed 26 - Wed 3 May with Dr Sandy MacGillivray

Greece

38

North Cyprus: Road to Salamis | NEW Cyprus Thu 27 - Fri 5 May with Dr Müge Şevketoğlu

26

april

92

The Via Julia Sat 1 - Sat 8 with John Shepherd

France

27

Romans, Visigoths and Viziers Sun 2 - Sun 9 with Dr Andy Fear

Spain

79

Hidden Florence & Siena | NEW Mon 3 - Sun 9 with Oren Margolis

Italy

62

Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania Mon 3 - Mon 10 with Professor Tony King

Italy

50

The Peloponnese Mon 3 - Fri 14 with Dr Rita Roussos

Greece

39

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

may

may continued

Relaxed Split Sat 6 - Sat 13 with John Shepherd

Croatia

24

Cave Art in the Pyrenees Mon 29 - Sun 4 June with Dr Paul Bahn

France

29

Rome with the Sistine Chapel Mon 8 - Sat 13 with Claudia Pinci

Italy

60

France

30

Northern Peru Mon 8 - Thu 25 with David Drew

Peru

76

Brittany & Dordogne | NEW Mon 29 - Thu 8 Jun with Dr Jamie Hampson

Netherlands

47

Ireland & Scotland | NEW Wed 30 - Sun 11 Jun with Dr Kelli Ann Malone

Ireland & UK

88

Hidden Amsterdam | NEW Thu 11 - Wed 17 with Mark Driessen Classical Sicily Thu 11 - Sun 21 Guide Lecturer to be confirmed, see our website for latest updates

Italy

58

Kazakhstan | NEW Thu 11 - Wed 24 with Dr Gai Jorayev

Kazakhstan

72

Italy

63

Wessex Weekend Fri 12 - Sun 14 with Paul Tubb

UK

85

The Ice Man and his World Sat 3 - Thu 8 with Dr Tertia Barnett

Germany

35

Renaissance Villas Mon 15 - Sun 21 with Oliver Gilkes

Italy

50

Hidden Berlin Mon 5 - Sat 10 with Nick Jackson

France

31

Relaxed Provence Mon 15 - Sun 21 with Dr Denise Allen

France

28

Dordogne | Prehistoric Cave Art Mon 5 - Mon 12 with Dr Paul Bahn

Armenia

20

Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania Mon 15 - Mon 22 with Tony Wilmott

Italy

50

Armenia | Bastion of the Caucasus | NEW Tue 6 - Wed 14 with Ian Colvin Romans on the RhĂ´ne | NEW Mon 12 - Mon 19 with Prof Tony King

France

33

Rock Art of Altamira Mon 15 - Mon 22 with Dr Paul Bahn

Spain

79

The Kingdom of the Picts | NEW Mon 19 - Wed 28 with Dr Kelli Ann Malone

UK

89

Wild Thrace Tue 16 - Wed 24 with Dr Christina Hatzimichael-Whitley

Greece

40

Meet the Greeks Wed 17 - Wed 24 with Dr Rita Roussos

Greece

40

Latium | The Roman Rich Sun 21 - Sun 28 with Prof Tony King

Italy

61

Samnites | Enemies of Rome Mon 22 - Sun 28 with Oliver Gilkes

Italy

61

Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania Mon 22 - Mon 29 with Oliver Gilkes

Italy

50

Phoenicians in Spain | NEW Mon 22 - Thu 1 June with Fernando Lopez Sanchez

Spain

80

Dalmatia & Dubrovnik Wed 24 - Fri 2 June with John Shepherd

Croatia

25

Vintage Provence Sun 28 - Sat 3 June with Tony O’Connor

France

27

Corsica | Neolithic to Napoleon Sun 28 - Sun 4 June with Dr Keith Wilkinson

France

29

Roman Germany Sun 28 - Tue 6 June with Tony Wilmott

Germany

june

34

july Meet the Vikings Sun 9 - Fri 21 with Brian Ayers

UK, Denmark & Sweden

82

Sweden & Norway Rock Art Sat 15 - Sat 22 with Dr Tertia Barnett

Sweden & Norway

82

Orkney & Shetland Thu 20 - Sun 30 with Dr Val Turner

UK

90

Hidden Berlin Mon 28 - Sat 2 Sep with Nick Jackson

Germany

35

Brittany | Carnac & Beyond Mon 28 - Sun 3 Sep with Dr Nick Thorpe

France

31

Over the Sea to Skye | NEW Mon 28 - Wed 6 Sep with Dr Mary MacLeod Rivett

UK

87

august

hidden cities relaxed breaks

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93

september continued

september Roman Province of Lusitania Sun 3 - Sun 10 with Dr Andy Fear

Spain

81

Languedoc | Cathars & Crusaders Mon 4 - Sun 10 with Dr Nick Slope

France

34

Greece | The Peloponnese Mon 4 - Fri 15 with Dr Rita Roussos

Greece

Wild Thrace Tue 5 - Wed 13 with Dr Christina Hatzmichael Whitley

The Danube | The Lost World of Old Europe | NEW Mon 18 - Mon 25 with Dr Kelli Ann Malone

Austria & Hungary

21

Dordogne | Prehistoric Cave Art Mon 18 - Mon 25 with Dr Iain Morley

France

31

39

Athens & the Glories of Pericles | NEW Mon 18 - Mon 25 with Dr Christina Hatzimichael Whitley

Greece

38

Greece

40

Italy

50

Peru & the Nazca Lines Wed 6 - Tue 26 with David Drew

Peru

76

Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania Mon 18 - Mon 25 with Dr Sophy Downes

UK & France

86

Relaxed Tuscany | NEW Mon 11 - Sat 16 with Oren Margolis

Italy

57

Romans in London & Paris | NEW Wed 20 - Sun 1 Oct with John Shepherd Islands of the Cyclades | Land Tour Thu 21 - Sun 1 Oct with Dr Rita Roussos

Greece

41

Foz Côa | Rock Art Mon 11 - Sun 17 with Dr Paul Bahn

Italy

77

Iran | Kings, Shahs & Gardens | NEW Thu 21 - Sat 7 Oct with Hassan Nashli

Iran

48 64

Italy

50

Pompeii, Herculaneum & Amalfi | Wine & Archaeology in Southern Italy Sat 23 - Sat 30 with John Shepherd

Italy

Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania Mon 11 - Mon 18 with John Shepherd

63

Tanzania

83

Basilicata & Calabria Sat 23 - Sun 1 Oct with Dr Ed Bispham

Italy

Tanzania & Zanzibar | NEW Mon 11 - Mon 25 with Jayson Orton

72

Greece

36

Kazakhstan | NEW Sat 23 - Fri 6 Oct with Dr Gai Jorayev

Kazakhstan

Crete & Santorini Tue 12 - Tue 19 with Dr Sandy MacGillivray

64

Italy

52

The Etruscans Sun 24 - Sun 1 Oct with Dr Robyn Veal

Italy

Ancient Wonders of Sicily | NEW Wed 13 - Wed 20 with Oliver Gilkes

60

Italy

58

Rome with Sistine Chapel Mon 25 - Sat 30 with Diana Blumberg

Italy

Classical Sicily Thu 14 - Sun 24 with Dr Denise Allen

28

China

24

Relaxed Provence Mon 25 - Sun 1 Oct Guide Lecturer to be confirmed

France

China | Beyond the Great Wall Thu 14 - Sat 30 Guide Lecturer to be confirmed, see our website for latest updates

Italy

50

Iran | Kings, Shahs & Gardens Thu 14 - Sat 30 with Francois Desset

Iran

48

Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania Mon 25 - Mon 2 Oct with Tony Wilmott

36

UK

85

Crete & Santorini Tue 26 - Tue 3 Oct with Dr Christina Hatzimichael Whitley

Greece

Wessex Weekend Fri 15 - Sun 17 with Julian Richards Hidden Rome Mon 18 - Sat 23 with Dr Eireann Marshall

Italy

54

Albania, Montenegro & Kosovo | NEW Thu 28 - Sun 8 Oct with Oliver Gilkes

Albania, 19 Montenegro & Kosovo 58

France

28

Classical Sicily Thu 28 - Sun 8 Oct with Tony O’Connor

Italy

Relaxed Provence Mon 18 - Sun 24 Guide Lecturer to be confirmed

The Cyclades | Gulet Tour | NEW Sat 30 - Wed 11 Oct with Dr Sandy MacGillivray

Greece

44

october

october continued

Apulia | Food & Archaeology | NEW Sun 1 - Mon 9 with Deborah Hodson & Rosetta Ferrari

Italy

55

Hidden Paris Mon 2 - Sun 8 with John Shepherd

France

Walking Istanbul Mon 2 - Sun 8 with Dr Rita Roussos

Crete Revisited | NEW Tue 17 - Tue 24 with Dr Sandy MacGillivray

Greece

42

32

Sicily Revisited Thu 19 - Thu 26 with Dr Sophy Downes

Italy

68

Turkey

85

Ravenna & Aquileia | Rome & her Heirs Sun 22 - Sun 29 with Prof Tony King

Italy

69

Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania Mon 2 -Mon 9 with Dr Denise Allen

Italy

50

Relaxed Capri | NEW Mon 23 - Sat 28 with Veronica Kalas

Italy

56

Italy

53

Apulia | Caves, Castles & Cathedrals Mon 2 - Mon 9 with Claudia Pinci

Italy

67

Hidden Venice Mon 30 - Sat 4 Nov with John Mitchell

Spain

80

Israel & Palestine

49

Phoenicians in Spain | NEW Mon 2 - Thu 12 with Fernando Lรณpez Sรกnchez

Israel & Palestine Tue 31 - Fri 10 Nov with Dr Nick Slope

Classical Sicily Thu 5 - Sun 15 with Eireann Marshall

Italy

58

Central Turkey | Anatolia & Cappadocia Fri 6 - Mon 16 with Dr Michael Brown

Turkey

84

Bulgaria | Thracian Treasures Sat 7 - Wed 18 with Dr Katya Melamed

Bulgaria

22

november Hidden Venice Mon 6 - Sat 11 with Dr Eireann Marshall

Italy

53

Cambodia & Laos | NEW Tue 7 - Sun 19 with David Brotherson

Cambodia & Laos

23

Mexico | The Maya Mon 13 - Tue 28 with David Drew

Mexico

74

22

Relaxed Siracusa Italy Mon 9 - Sun 15 Guide Lecturer to be confirmed

66

Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania Mon 9 - Mon 16 Guide Lecturer to be confirmed, see our website for latest updates

Italy

50

Athens to Istanbul | NEW Mon 9 - Sun 22 with Veronica Kalas & Terry Richardson

Greece & Turkey

43

Chile & Easter Island Mon 13 - Thu 30 with Dr Paul Bahn

Chile

Crete & Santorini Tue 10 - Tue 17 with Dr Christina Hatzmichael Whitley

Greece

36

South Africa | The Western Cape | NEW Tue 28 - Thu 7 Dec with Jayson Orton

South Africa 78

Via Egnatia | Albania & Macedonia Tue 10 - Wed 18 with Oliver Gilkes

Albania, Macedonia & Greece

18

Jordan | Petra & the Desert Fortresses Tue 10 - Thu 19 with Nick Jackson

Jordan

71

The Cyclades | Gulet Tour | NEW Wed 11 - Sun 22 with Dr Rita Roussos

Greece

44

Iran | Kings, Shahs & Gardens Thu 12 - Sat 28 with Carolyn Perry

Iran

48

Relaxed Split Sat 14 - Sat 21with John Shepherd

Croatia

24

Sicily | Wine of the Gods Sat 14 - Sat 21with TBC

Italy

67

Rock Art in the Namibian Wild Sun 15 - Mon 30 with Dr Paul Bahn

Namibia

74

Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania Mon 16 - Mon 23 with Dr Neil Faulkner

Italy

Umbria Mon 16 - Mon 23 with Peter Berridge

Italy

Native American Pueblos Mon 16 - Sat 28 with Prof Steve Lekson

United States

90

Mexico | Oaxaca & Beyond Mon 16 - Tue 31 with David Drew

Mexico

73

december Amsterdam at Christmas Wed 20 - Tue 26 with Dr Mark Driessen

Netherlands

46

Turin Festive Food Wed 20 - Tue 26 with Prof Valerie Higgins & Rosetta Ferrari

Italy

69

Ravenna at Christmas Thu 21 - Thu 28 with Prof Tony King

Italy

70

Spain

81

50

Barcelona at New Year Thu 28 - Tue 2 Jan with Fernando Lรณpez Sรกnchez

Italy

71

68

Venice at New Year Thu 28 - Wed 3 Jan with Dr Eireann Marshall Bologna Festive Food Thu 28 - Thu 4 Jan with Rosetta Ferrari

Italy

70

hidden cities relaxed breaks

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95

ESSENTIAL booking information Unpriced Tours Booking Information

2016 Priced Tours Booking Information

book now on any 2017 tour

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.

You can book now on any of the tours listed in this brochure. Our 2017 tours are still provisional and unpriced, so if you change your mind when our next brochure with full program and prices is published we will happily refund your deposit or transfer you to another tour.

fixed deposits of $500

We strongly recommend that all travellers are covered by comprehensive travel insurance and do not travel against medical advice. You should organise it immediately when you book, to ensure you have cover against possible cancellation charges, medical treatment and repatriation. We will need to know the details of your policy 4 weeks before departure at the very latest.

changes and amendments

deposits and final payment

The deposits in this brochure are fixed at $500 per person, per tour for every 2017 tour booked before 17th June 2016.

So book early and we will fix your deposit - no top ups.

Please note that planning for some of these tours is still in progress and some details (e.g. sites, hotels, dates) may change over the coming months. We work hard with our expert guides to create the best possible archaeological tours, and will always consider including a site at a later date if we think it will improve or add greater insight to our journeys.

book by phone, email or online

A booking can be held for 7 days without commitment after which a deposit is required. For bookings made by telephone or email, payment can be made by card or check (payable to Andante Travels Ltd). You can pay securely online, via our website, in either sterling or dollars. We accept MasterCard and AMEX cards. Any AMEX payments taken over the phone will be converted into sterling first. You can also pay by bank transfer. We do not accept post-dated checks, nor do we retain your card details.

96

insurance

$500 for tours costing up to $3500 $700 for tours costing between $3501 and $5000 $800 for tours costing over $5000

balance payment

Balance payments will be requested 2 months before you depart for all tours and we will then send you practical information regarding the tour, flights, hotel and joining instructions.

cancellation by you

Cancellation charges payable to Andante Travels are calculated on time prior to departure as follows: Up to 56 days: Deposit* / 55 - 41 days: 35% of tour cost / 40 - 29 days: 55% of tour cost / 28 - 8 days: 75% of tour cost / 7 days to date of departure: 100% of tour cost | *plus any invoiced flight costs. 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.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

what’s included

We include as much as possible in the tour price: Expert Guide Lecturer Tour Manager (with all groups of 15+) Accommodation Meals with water, and wine where stated; meals are not provided on traveling 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 have been awarded the top 5 star rating by AITO in recognition of our excellence when it comes to sustainable travel.

We are ANDANTE TRAVELS LTD, registered limited company no.

1969761. Registered offices: The Clock Tower, Unit 4 Oakridge Office Park, Southampton Road, Whaddon, Wiltshire SP5 3HT. The information listed in this brochure is correct as of March 2016.

you can book on any tour in this catalog... ... without commitment You can call, email or book online on any of the tours in this catalog. All we need is $500 to confirm your place. If you change your mind when our priced catalog is published we will happily refund your deposit or transfer you to another tour.

More details on how to book, insurance and our financial security can be found on pages 96-97. You can also call the office - we are open 9-5 EST Monday to Friday and will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

1-888-331-3476

tours@andantetravels.com UK: 01722 713800 Australia: 02 9191 2623

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

97

The Best of All Possible Worlds...

Andante Travels and Arblaster & Clarke are pleased to announce that we will be teaming up to bring you a selection of tours combining our two specialities respectively archaeology and wine.

HIGHLIGHTS

◊◊ The best of both worlds: an irresistible combination of world-famous archaeological sites and mouth-watering wines. ◊◊ Led throughout by not one but two specialist guides – a classical archaeology scholar and an expert wine guide.

What better combination could you ask for than a glorious European location, fascinating archaeological sites and some of the world’s best wines.

We have three enticing tours to offer this year, each taking a look at the speciality wines of the region as well as gaining an understanding of the areas historical story with visits to some of the most spectacular ruins, towns and museums. In 2016 we will be accompanying you to three European locations which we believe have these criteria in abundance: Provence, Amalfi and Sicily.

Wine Tours

98

◊◊ Enjoy tastings and tours at some of Europe’s leading wineries, historic cellars, cuttingedge producers and family-run vineyards. ◊◊ A plethora of archaeological gems from: Greek temples amid flower-strewn hills; to the glittering Medieval churches; and evocative ancient sites including the iconic Pompeii. ◊◊ These are ‘real vacations’ with time to explore independently and cultural excursions - including cookery demonstrations and gallery visits.

Arblaster & Clarke was founded in 1986 and has since turned into the world’s leading wine tours operator. Their aim is to provide wine vacation experiences that go beyond the ordinary - with visits, tastings, lunches and dinners at rising star wineries and famous châteaux.

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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 WINE OF THE GODS

The sun-soaked island is home to wonderfully preserved Greek temples, Roman villas and Norman cathedrals, many filled with glorious mosaics. This is a wine-lover’s paradise, with local vineyards producing excellent, complex varieties.

Come and taste the ‘wine of the Gods’ in an exceptionally beautiful setting. $3,960| 17th – 24th Sep 2016 with Tony O’Connor & Monica Murphy. Also runs October 2017.

CLASSICAL TEMPLES & WINE IN SICILY

Southern Italy is an incredibly rich region – its abundant archaeology perfectly complemented by its equally historic 4000-year-old wine legacy.

POMPEII AND AMALFI

Explore rock-cut abbeys, fascinating museums, and the astonishing remnants of ancient towns devastated by Vesuvius. Wine is the lifeblood of the region, named “land of wine,” by the Greeks.

Bold and supremely satisfying, these wines were adored by the Romans, and it’s certainly not difficult to see why. $3,960 |24th Sep – 1st Oct 2016 with John Shepherd & Lys Hall.

Also runs September 2017.

WINE & ARCHAEOLOGY IN SOUTHERN ITALY

One of the joys of traveling to Provence is soaking up the stunning landscapes: fields of lavender, ancient olive groves, cliff-top roads, and maquis-cloaked hills…

This idyllic landscape is home to some of Europe’s finest Roman remains - arches, amphitheaters, aqueducts and more - many remarkably complete.

With vineyards dating back 2600 years, this is one of the oldest wine producing regions in France and the only one specializing in Rosé. Embrace the Provençal way of life...

VINTAGE PROVENCE You can reserve a place on any of the tours now by contacting either the Arblaster & Clarke or Andante office.

Call: 1 - 888 - 331 - 3476 Email: tours@andantetravels.com Visit: www.andantetravels.com

$3,880 | 5th – 11th June 2016 with Dr Denise Allen & Monica Murphy. Also runs May 2017.

Call: 1 - 888 - 479 - 6040 Email: sales@winetours.co.uk Visit: www.winetours.co.uk

Call: 1-888-331-3476 | email: tours@andantetravels.com | www.andantetravels.com

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Spend Christmas and New Year 2016

in the ancient world...

Who says you have to stay at home for the Holidays?

This year, why not escape the often uninspiring winter weather for a festive adventure? We have an impeccable range of adventurous, expert-led vacations still available for the end of 2016. Fascinating ancient sites, alongside delicious local cuisine and like-minded fellow travelers... what could be merrier?

Festive Food in Bologna

Wine, truffles and history — could there be any better time to taste the fruits of a millennia of culinary evolution than Christmas?

Thessaloniki at Xmas

Admire Byzantine frescoes, visit the birthplace of Alexander the Great and wander beautiful Greek ravines this Christmas.

Turin Food Festival

Nestled between towering Alpine and Apennine mountains, Piedmont is as famous for its gourmet delicacies as its fiefdoms.

Venice at New Year

Enjoy the wonderful festive atmosphere of Italian New Year’s Eve with fireworks over St Mark’s Square.

Amsterdam at Xmas

Museums, festivals, markets — and the ruins of a town that once stood at the snowy northern edge of Rome’s empire...

Barcelona at New Year

An architectural pastiche of passing empires, Barcelona invites you to ring in the New Year with fireworks at the Magic Fountain.

If you are interested in exploring the Ancient World during the holidays in 2016, please get in touch with us.

Full details for all of the tours can be found on our website - alternatively, please call or email us.

the world leader in archaeological travel andante travels, 271 madison avenue, suite 904, new york , ny 10016

Call 1-888-331-3476 - tours@andantetravels.com - www.andantetravels.com