Greece: The Origins of Western Consciousness
Heraklion - Santorini - Nafplia - Olympia - Delphi - AthensHow and why do we think the way that we do? Greece holds many keys to this question. For 17 days revel in the glorious atmosphere of Cretan, Mycenaean and Classical Greek Culture as Christopher Hartney takes you into a stunning investigation of the myths, religious practices, art, architecture and philosophy of the founders of Western Civilization.
Her great dramatists, artists, philosophers and historians may have made Greece the envy of the Classical world, but they also relied heavily on their neighbouring civilizations. In this tour we will reinvestigate the debt the Greek world owed to the Egyptians, Mesopotamians and their ever-present ‘barbaric’ enemies the Persians.
The Greek talent for innovation and their searing curiosity enabled them to meld a vast range of influences that forged the West. From the great temple at Knossos on Crete, home to myths that still burn in our minds today, we will trace the rise and fall of the Mycenaeans and the legacy of these groups on the development of Greece as we know her today.
As we explore the glories of Athens - from her battlefields to her stunning acropolis - we will visit the religious centre of Delphi. The motto of this famous centre for oracle pronouncements was appropriately “know thyself” and this will serve as the very fitting theme to our tour. 
ITINERARY:
Thursday 05 November 2009: Depart Australia
Depart Sydney or Melbourne on Emirates via Dubai. Overnight in flight.
Friday 06 November: Arrive Heraklion
Early afternoon arrival in Athens where you clear customs and immigration formalities.
Tour arrangements begin with a mid-afternoon flight from Athens to Heraklion on Crete. Transfer to the hotel. Crete is steeped in history and culture and spoils visitors with its wealth of myths, legends and mystery, a blessed and dramatic landscape, an extraordinary fusion of past and present, and an abundance of choices and experiences.
Tonight join Christopher Hartney and fellow travellers for a welcome dinner. (D)
Saturday 07 November: Heraklion
Morning visit to Knossos, supposedly the ancient capital of the great king Minos, but was it a palace at all? Investigate one of the great archaeological and artistic sites of the world and see the fantastic ruins of the ancient complex.
After lunch, visit the outstanding Archaeological Museum. Unique in its record of the Minoan civilization, the museum houses the findings and treasures from all archaeological sites of Crete. (B,L)
Sunday 08 November: Heraklion
Excursion to Phaistos, Gortys and Matala. The journey takes you through some of Crete's most magnificent countryside.
The site of Gortys was a Roman city, established in 67 BCE. as the capital of Crete. It is where the first Dorian settlers set down their Code of Laws - some 1,700 characters carved on massive blocks of stone. The palace complex of Phaistos completes the ‘Minoan Experience’. It was built around the same time as Knossos. (B,L)
Monday 09 November: Heraklion
Day at leisure to further explore Crete on your own. (B)
Tuesday 10 November: Heraklion - Santorini
Transfer to Heraklion port for the ferry to Santorini. Around 1500 BCE, the volcano of Santorini Island exploded. The eruption was so strong that the centre of the island sank. But was this diaster the trigger for the fall of Minoan civilisation in the region? The last eruption took place in 1956 and it is still active today. (B,D)
Wednesday 11 November: Santorini
Excursion to Akrotiri and the Archaeological Museum. Since excavations began in 1967, this site has presented the world with a fascinating look at urban life in the Minoan period. Elaborate architecture and vivid frescoes demonstrate the high level of culture that flourished at that time. Continue to the Archaeological Museum to see frescoes and other finds from Ancient Akrotiri, along with objects imported from ancient Crete and the Northeastern Aegean Islands. Some of the pottery, cups, jugs, and pithoi, are delicately painted with motifs familiar to those of the wall paintings. (B)
Thursday 12 November: Santorini
Day at leisure. You may want to visit the church of Panagia Episkopi, one of the most important and best preserved Byzantine churches of the island. (B)
Friday 13 November: Santorini – Athens - Nafplion
Morning flight from Santorini to Athens. Depart Athens and drive along the coastal road to the Corinth Canal, which connects the Aegean Sea with the Ionian Sea. Late afternoon arrival in the picturesque seaside town of Nafplion, which was the first capital of modern Greece. (B,D)
Saturday 14 November: Nafplion
Excursion to Mycanae, Epidaurus and Nafplion town. The archaeological site of ancient Mycenae is the site of the kingdom of the mythical king Agamemnon. It is one of the earliest examples of sophisticated citadel architecture. Mycenaean or more properly late Bronze Age, applies to an entire culture spanning the years 1700 – 1100 BCE. Stop for lunch in Nafplion before continuing to the archaeological site of Epidaurus, best known for its magnificent and well preserved theatre. The Sanctuary of Epidaurus was an extensive therapeutic and religious centre, dedicated to the healing god Asklepios. (B,L)
Sunday 15 November: Nafplion - Olympia
After breakfast depart Nafplion and travel to the western side of the Peloponnese, to the town of Olympia. Olympia was known in antiquity for the oracle and the sanctuary of Apollo and was one of the spiritual centres of the ancient Greek (B,D)
Monday 16 November: Olympia
Full day exploration of ancient Olympia. Though the sanctuary flourished in Mycenaean times, its historic importance dates to the coming of the Dorians and their worship of Zeus. Sites include the colossal temple of Zeus, the sanctuary of Hera, the gymnasium and numerous smaller temples and statues. Visit the Olympia Archaeological Museum containing the famous Hermes of Praxiteles, one of the masterpieces of classical sculpture. (B)
Tuesday 17 November: Olympia - Delphi
Morning drive from Olympia to Delphi. According to legend, when Zeus released two eagles from opposite ends of the earth, their paths crossed in the sky above Delphi, establishing the site as the centre of the world. Afternoon visit to the Delphi Museum to see the unique collection of classical Greek antiquities, discovered in or near Delphi. Among them two masterpieces, the bronze statue of the Charioteer and the Naxian Sphinx. (B,D)
Wednesday 18 November: Delphi - Athens
Morning visit to ancient Delphi, where excavations have revealed the impressive Sanctuary of Apollo. It was to this temple that ancient Greeks came to consult with one of the most important oracles of all – the famous Oracle of Delphi. Other sights include the theatre, built in the 4th century BCE and the stadium, site of the ancient Python games. After a break for lunch in the modern village of Delphi, commanding spectacular views over the olive groves in the valley below, transfer to Athens via the famous battlefield of Marathon. (B,D)
Thursday 19 November: Athens
Begin with an orientation tour of Athens including the Greek Parliament House where the traditional Changing of the Guards takes place; Syntagma Square, National Library and the Academy. Your visit will take you past the Dipylon Gate, the graves of ancient Athenians. After lunch drive to the base of the Acropolis where a series of steps invite you to ascend to the top of this sacred rock. After passing through the Propylaea, you will immediately see the Parthenon, the massive Doric temple dedicated to Athena, the divine patroness of Athens. Visit the Acropolis Museum, containing a large collection of Greek sculpture. (B,L)
Friday 20 November: Athens
Morning visit to the National Archaeological Museum. Displaying its treasures in chronological order, the museum presents an impressive and thorough overview of Greek art through the centuries. Afternoon excursion to Cape Sounion, a promontory on the southern-most tip of Attica, A windswept bluff risin above the Aegan Sea, here you will find the Temple of Poseidon, one of the most impressive classical monuments to have survived to the present day. (B)
Saturday 21 November: Athens
Transfer to the port of Piraeus to embark by hydrofoil to Aegina, the largest of the Saronic Islands. Continue by coach to the Temple of Aphaea, standing on a pine-clad hill commanding a splendid view over the Saronic Gulf. Returning to Aegina town, drive past the impressive church of St Nectarius. Time at leisure to explore the picturesque town of Aegina, first capital of the modern Greek state, before returning to Athens. Tonight join Christopher Hartney and fellow travellers for a Farewell dinner. (B,D)
Sunday 22 November: Depart Athens
Tour arrangements conclude after breakfast. Transfer to the airport. Depart Athens on Emirates via Dubai. (B)
Monday 23 November: In Flight
Tuesday 24 November: Arrive Australia
Morning arrival in Sydney or Melbourne.
YOUR HOTELS ****
Heraklion - Lato Boutique
Santorini – Dana Villas
Nafplion – Amalia Nafplion
Olympia – Amalia Olympia
Delphi – Amalia Delphi
Athens - Electra Palace
NB. Hotels of a similar standard may be substituted
