Study Abroad Semester in ATHENS, GREECE

DAY 1 - ATHENS ARRIVAL

Arrival at Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos”. Meet, welcome and assistance from our representative and transfer to your hotel. Remainder of the day is free. Orientation.

DAY 2 - ATHENS

Classes.

DAY 3 - ATHENS

Classes.

DAY 4 - ATHENS CITY TOUR

At 08:00 a.m. we start our full day sightseeing tour in Athens. The tour includes a visit to the world famous Acropolis, marble-capped with the Parthenon, built of white marble 2,500 years ago. We enjoy our lunch in a typical tavern in Plaka at about 01:30 p.m.
Afterwards our tour continues with the visit to the Acropolis Museum and the highlights of modern Athens: the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Parliament House, the Presidential Palace, the Panathenian Stadium, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Academy, the University and the National Library. In the afternoon we return to our hotel.

Day 5 - ATHENS

Classes.

DAY 6 – ANCIENT AGORA OF ATHENS

Pick up at 10:00 a.m. from our hotel and transfer to the Ancient Agora of Athens. The Agora, now in ruins, was formerly the commercial hub of ancient Athens and birthplace of politics and philosophy.
We see the very well preserved Doric Temple of Hephaestus (or Thesseion) and the Stoa of Attalos, an arcade built by Attalos II, king of Pergamum, used as a retail market. Today it is used as a museum, displaying statutes, pottery and especially coins. We also visit the Roman forum with the Tower of the Winds. Lunch on your own. Afternoon free. Return to hotel for overnight.

DAY 7 - ATHENS

Classes.

THROUGH

DAY 10 – ATHENS

Classes.

DAY 11 – DELPHI

At 07:00 a.m. we depart from our hotel by coach, driving through the fertile plain of Boeotia, crossing the towns of Thebes connected with the tragedy of king Oedipus. Next are the towns of Livadia and Arachova, famous for their colourful woollen rugs and carpets. Arrive at Delphi, the centre of the Ancient world, the “omphalos” (navel) of the earth - whose prestige extended far beyond the boundaries of the Hellenic world.

On the slopes of Mt. Parnassos, in a landscape of unparalleled natural beauty and majesty, lies the archaeological site of Delphi. We visit the Sanctuary of Apollo, the Treasury of the Athenians and the Archaeological Museum containing such masterpieces of ancient Greek sculpture as the bronze Charioteer and the famous athlete Aghias. We will have lunch in a nice local restaurant. Late in the afternoon we return to our hotel in Athens.

DAY 12 - ATHENS

Classes.

DAY 13 - ATHENS - CRETE

Transfer to the port of Pireaus to embark on our overnight ferry to Heraklion, Crete which sails at 21:00.

DAY 14 – HERAKLION – KNOSSOS – HERAKLION ARCH. MUSEUM

06:00 Arrive at Heraklion. Visit The Palace of Knossos, home of the legendary King Minos. Also the Heraklion Archaeological Museum. Overnight in Heraklion

DAY 15 – GORTYNA – PHAESTOS – AGIA TRIADA

Visit the Minoan sites of Gortyna, Phaestos & Agia Triada (if it is open during the winter). Overnight in Heraklion.

DAY 16 – RETHYMNO - HANIA

Visit the Archaeological Museums in Rethymno and Hania. Overnight in Heraklion.

DAY 17 – MALLIA – DICTEAN CAVE

Visit to Mallia and the Dictean Cave, legendary home of Zeus. Overnight in Aghios Nikolaos.

DAY 18 – GOURNIA – MONASTERY TOPLOU - ITANOS

Visit the well preserved Minoan site of Gournia. Also the Monastery Toplou and Itanos, an important settlement from Minoan times up until the Christian era. Overnight in Aghios Nikolaos.

DAY 19 – AGIOS NIKOLAOS - IERAPETRA

Visits the Archaeological Museums in Aghios Nikolaos and Ierapetra. Transfer to Heraklion Port to board the overnight ferry for Piraeus sailing at 21:00.

DAY 20 – RETURN TO PIRAEUS

Arrive into Piraeus at 05:20 and transfer directly to hotel.

DAY 21 – ATHENS

Classes.

THROUGH

DAY 29 - ATHENS

Classes.

DAY 30 - ATHENS - SOUNION

Classes in the morning.
At 3:00 p.m. Drive to Cape Sounion to visit the Doric white marble Temple of Poseidon that overlooks the blue Aegean Sea and also famous for its radiant sunsets.

DAY 31 - ATHENS

Classes.

DAY 32 - ATHENS

Classes.

DAY 33 - ATHENS - PATRA

12:00 Noon - Drive from Athens to Patras and board the overnight ferry for Bari, Italy. Sails at 18:00.

DAY 34 – BARI – NAPOLI AREA

Group will arrive by ferry-boat from Patras at 08:30 a.m.
Pick-up at the port of Bari and meet with the bus driver and departure to Napoli area. Check-in at the hotel, followed by dinner and accommodation.

DAY 35 – NAPOLI – POMPEII – PAESTUM - CONSENZA

Depart to Pompeii for l/2 day morning visit with local guide. Then drive to Paestum, visit the archaeological area with a local guide. Lunch on the road. Continue to Cosenza. Panoramic visit of the city. Check-in at the hotel. Dinner and accommodation at hotel.

DAY 36 – COSENZA – REGGIO DI CALABRIA – MESSINA – TAORMINA AREA

Depart to Reggio di Calabria to visit the National (archaeological) Museum of Magna Grecia with local guide, see the famous Riace Bronze. After the visit we will leave mainland and embark on the ferry to Messina Sicily. We see the Fontana d’Orione, the Fontana di Nettuno, the Duomo. Continue our drive to Taormina area. Check-in at the hotel and dinner and overnight.

DAY 37 – TAORMINA – MT ETNA - SYRACUSE

Visit Taormina’s magnificently situated Greek Theatre with local guide, with Mt Etna in the distance. Then we enjoy our climb to Mt Etna*(meteorological conditions permitting), to view it in comfort with local guide, the Circumetnea railway runs around the base from Catania to Riposto, up to 1,800 meters. Visit the Sylvester craters. Lunch on the road. Depart to Syracuse where we visit the archaeological park with local guide, including the spectacular Greek Theater carved from the hillside. We see the stone quarries Latomia del Paradiso as well as the peninsula Ortigia, historical and Baroque center. Check-in at the hotel followed by dinner and overnight.

DAY 38 – SYRACUSE – AGRIGENTO - PALERMO

Drive to Agrigento to visit the Valley of the Temples with local guide. Lunch in a local trattoria and drive to Palermo. Check-in at the hotel. Dinner and overnight.

DAY 39 – PALERMO – CEFALU – MESSINA – REGGIO DI CALABRIA

In the morning we visit the city of Palermo with local guide, including the Palatine Chapel, Palermo’s Cathedral. Continue to Monreale and visit the Cathedral, the cloisters, mosaic cycle and Christ Pantacratormosaic, with local guide. Lunch en route. Continue our drive to Cefalù where we visit the medieval small fisherman village. Continue to Messina and we cross over and arrive in Reggio di Calabria where we check-in at a hotel, have dinner and spend the night.

DAY 40 – REGGIO DI CALABRIA – METAPONTO - BARI

Drive to Metapono to visit the Tavole Palatine with local guide, the ruins of a theatre and the Doric Temple of Apollo Lycius in the archaeological zone in Metaponto. Transfer to the port of Bari to embark on the scheduled ferry-boat and sail to Patras at 20:00 hrs.

DAY 41 – PATRAS - ATHENS

Arrive in Patras at 12:30pm and drive back to Athens

DAY 42 - ATHENS

Classes.

THROUGH

DAY 52 – ATHENS

Classes.

TURKEY FIELD TRIP

DAY 53 – ATHENS – ISTANBUL IZMIR

Transfer to Athens Airport for our flight to Istanbul. Connecting with our domestic flight to Izmir. Transfer to our Hotel in Kusadasi for overnight.

DAY 54 – EPHESUS

Visit the site of Ancient Ephesus along with the remains of the Temple of Artemis. Overnight in Kusadasi.

DAY 55 – PRIENE – MILETUS - DIDYMA

Firstly visit Priene located in its dramatic setting overlooking the Meander River flood plain. Then on to Miletus an important Ionian City for more than 1,400 years and now renowned for its Hellenistic Theater. Lastly Didyma with its impressive Temple of Apollo. Overnight in Hierapolis.

DAY 56 – APHRODISIAS SARDIS

Visit the site of Aphrodisias, a sacred site since as early as 5,800 BC. On to Sardis, liberated from the Persians by Alexander the Great in 340 BC . Overnight in Izmir.

DAY 57 – PERGAMUM

Today will be spent at Pergamum, built on a conical hill rising 1,000 feet above the surrounding valley. Visit the Acropolis and the Asklepion. Overnight in Izmir.

DAY 58 – RETURN TO ATHENS

Fly from Izmir to Istanbul and connect with flight to Athens.

DAY 59 - ATHENS

Classes.

THROUGH

DAY 68 - ATHENS

Classes.

DAY 69- ATHENS – CORINTH – EPIDAURUS - TIRYNS

From Athens we drive to the site of Ancient Corinth with a brief stop at the Corinth Canal. Continue on to Epidaurus with its famous well-preserved theatre. Then the Mycenaean fortress at Tiryns before stopping in Tolo for overnight.

DAY 70 – MYCENAE – NEMEA – ARGIVE HERAION

First stop Mycenae, where you can see remains of the prehistoric citadel fortified with Cyclopean walls, the Lionesses’ Gate, the Mycenaean Palace and the tomb of King Agamemnon. Then Nemea site of the Nemean Games. Lastly Arrive Neraion with its spectacular views over the Argive plain. Return to Tolo for overnight.

DAY 71 – EPAMINODAS’ MESSENE - PYLOS

Enjoy our scenie drive across the Peloponnese to the west side and Epaminondas’ Messene on Mount Ithome. Then onto the bay of Pylos for our overnight.

DAY 72 – NESTOR’S PALACE – CHORA MUSEUM - BASSAE

First stop at the Mycenean Palace of Nestor. Onto the Museum at Chora for visit. In the afternoon we will visit the impressive Temple of Athena at Bassae. Overnight in Olympia.

DAY 73 – OLYMPIA - ATHENS

A morning tour of Ancient Olympia home of the Olypmic Games and then after a tour of the local museum.
Return drive to Athens.

DAY 74 – ATHENS

Classes & final examinations.

THROUGH

DAY 84 - ATHENS

Classes & final examinations.

DAY 85 - DEPART ATHENS

Last day to vacate rooms. Transfer from our hotel to Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos” for our departure flight back home.