GREEK ODYSSEY 2012

Date:
History and mythology come to life in Greece. Visit all the well known remnants of the Minoan, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Ottoman Empires. Upon arrival pass through customs and meet with your driver and guide and then board your luxury motor coach for a short orientation bus tour of Athens, the capital of Greece, stopping to see the Olympic Stadium. Your hotel is in the Plaka area, a wonderful, vibrant, ancient part of Athens located beneath the Acropolis. The neighborhood - Athens oldest - is closed to automobile traffic. Most of the streets have become pedestrian walkways. The charm of the neo-classical colors, the architecture of the houses and their lovingly-tended little gardens make the total atmosphere of the area a true delight. After a buffet breakfast begin your exploration of Athens. The city is a true outdoor museum. Everywhere you look you see ancient ruins. We will visit the Parthenon and Acropolis Museum, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Royal Palace, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Panathenian Stadium, and the flea market. The next day we board our ship for a cruise of the Greek Islands and Kusadasi, Turkey. The first stop is the port of Mykonos where you will have leisure time to walk to the famous windmills, meander through May 25June 3, 2012

Cost: Cost:
$4,295. LTT $222 PCC

Difculty Level:
Easy/Moderate

For More Information:

Gary Palmer (971) 722-6621 gpalmer@pcc.edu

the whitewashed streets or you can join an optional tour of the island. The ship arrives the next morning in Turkey and the port of Kusadasi. A short bus ride will take us to one of the worlds most spectacular ancient sites, Ephesus. This was once the commercial center of the ancient world. A city, whose wealth and patronage supported its splendid architectural program. A city dedicated to the goddess Artemis. The enormous temple is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and has been rebuilt several times. It is here that you can stroll through the ruins from the period of St. Paul, seeing the Odeon, the monumental fountain, temples, the Library of Celsius, the great theatre, the Baths of Scolastica, the old Roman Forum of Agora and the Double Church. From Turkey we sail on to Patmos a sacred island for Christians, where you can see the famous Monastery of the Apostle John on the hilltop overlooking a landscape of striking beauty. It is believed that this is where John wrote the book of Revelations. Next you get to enjoy Rhodes, the island of butterflies and roses. Historically, Rhodes was famous worldwide for the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The medieval Old Town of the City has been declared a World Heritage Site. There will be an optional tour to the Acropolis of Lindos and the Old town. At the end of the day set sail for the island of Crete to arrive in Heraklion, the largest and most southern Greek island. It is rich in historical remains and scenic variety. Heraklion is believed to be the legendary birthplace of Zeus and where the Minoan civilization began. An optional tour will be offered to visit the Palace of Knossos and Museum. The imposing Palace is built on the hill of "Kefala" next to the river "Kairatos," in a site which was chosen for its natural advantage, good water supply, access to the sea, and proximity to a large fertile forest. The site itself includes the Palace of Knossos, the Minoan Houses, the "Little Palace," the "Royal Villa," the villa "Dionysos" with famous Roman mosaics, the south Royal Temple - Tomb and the "Caravanserai." Afterwards set sail for the volcanic island of Santorini, which is famous for being the legendary site of the Lost City of Atlantis." You may choose to take an optional tour of the island. Back in Piraeus we disembark the ship and drive through the mountains and some of the most beautiful scenery ever seen, until we reach ancient Delphi. You can climb to the top of the most wondrous archeological site in Greece. Here you can imagine yourself back in the days of the ancients, holding court with political men from Rome, sitting in the theater hearing debates, and gaining the knowledge that was inscribed upon the Delphi oracle: Know thyself and nothing in excess, and upon these all other precepts depend.
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Our guide will lead us through the Delphi Museum, which houses the famous Naxian Sphinx - part bird, lion and woman, the bronze charioteer and other wonders of ancient days. Back in Athens we will visit the Archaeology Museum which houses the Mycenaean Room that includes gold jewelry, artifacts, and masks discovered by the archeologist Heinrich Schliemann. The famous Mask of Agamemnon brings to life Homer's words from the Iliad: "He was the King of Men distinguished among many and outstanding heroes." In the Cycladic Room, you will see marble statues dating from the 3rd millennium. The Vase Gallery displays a wide variety of ceramics. One of the most interesting rooms is the Fresco or Thira Gallery, which displays the reconstructed frescos, found at Akrotiri, a Minoan City on the island of Santorini. Our last evening will be celebrated with a farewell dinner at the Dionysus Restaurant located at the foot of the Parthenon. Do not forget your camera! Then it is farewell to Greece as we transfer to the airport for our flight to Portland arriving home with our hearts and minds filled with many happy memories of ancient and modern day Greece.