Planned Tours
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note: The prices listed are cash discount rates.
For credit
card orders, please add 9%.
Greece
... Cruise to the Land of Heroes & Myths
Gods and heroes truly haunt the
sites we will visit as we sail over the wine-dark sea to the land
of history and legend. The Greek Islands are a paradise of beauty
and a treasury of myth. You will be enchanted as we cruise to beautiful
Mykonos, the island of wind-mills, golden beaches, and blue water;
spectacular Santorini, famed as the Lost Continent of Atlantis; Crete,
land of the Minotaur, the Palace of Knossos, and of Zorba; Rhodes,
famous for beaches, antiquities, and castles; Kusadasi on the coast
of Turkey (disembarkation point for visits to Ephesos); and Patmos,
the island where St. John wrote The Book of Revelation. The adventure
continues as we visit Mycenae, home of Agamemnon, commander of the
Greeks at Troy; Ancient Corinth; Epidauros and the best preserved
ancient theatre in Greece; Olympia; Delphi; and Athens. Finally, we
will enjoy a relaxing few days on the beautiful island of Hydra, haunt
of artists, the gem of the Saronic Gulf. Cultural Discussion Topic
(June): Gods & Heroes of Ancient Greece.
Full
Itinerary
Date: Oct
5 - 17, 2002
Cash Discount Price: $3476
Splendors
of the Nile ... Egypt
Tombs, palaces, pyramids, bazaars,
desert, the Nile...all the romance and historic wonders surpass anything
you could ever imagine. This extraordinary cruise visits sites that
are the wonder of all ages. Gaze at the Great Pyramid of Khufu and
the golden treasure of Tutankamon; wander in amazement through the
grand Hippostyle Hall at the Temple of Karnak; explore painted tombs
in the Valley of the Kings; read the wall-paintings on the temple
of Hatshepsut ("the finest building in Egypt"); enter the great temple
of Rhamses II at Abu Simbel; seek treasures of the East in the Khan
El Khalili Bazaar in Cairo. We will be treated with the royalty of
a Pharaoh as we experience the warm, gracious hospitality of the Egyptian
people and delight in the ambiance of our five-star hotels located
on the banks of the Nile. No country possesses such marvels. Join
us for an unforgettable journey. Discussion Topic: The Thought &
Culture of Ancient Egypt.
Full Itinerary
Date:
Nov 29 - Dec 13, 2002
Cash discount price: $3844
from NYC
Single supplement: $625
Future Tours
Turkey...
Birthplace of Civilizations
Join us for beautiful, intriguing
Turkey from enchanting Istanbul to the waters of the blue Aegean.
Istanbul is a mosaic of East and West situated on two continents.
We will explore her mosques and museums, palaces, monuments, and
the famous Covered Bazaar. Crossing the Dardanelles, we reach Priam's
city, windy Troy; Pergamon, the city where stood the great altar
of Zeus; and Ephesos, one of the largest cities of the ancient world.
Three leisurely days beside the lapis sea at Bodrum (Halikarnassos)
allow us to visit the Mausoleum (one of the 7 Wonders of the World);
the castle of St. Peter; and cruise on our sailing ship along the
rocky Aegean coast. We will see the three most prominent cities
of ancient Ionia: Priene, Didyma, and Miletos. Throughout our adventure
we'll enjoy excellent Turkish cuisine and get to know the hospitable
Turkish people. Cultural Discussion Topic: Epic Poetry &
the Bronze Age.
Full
Itinerary
The
Greek Islands... Playground of the Gods
Join us as we visit one of the
most beautiful areas in the world, the Cyclades islands. Unpack
just one time, because our stay will be on Naxos, largest of the
Cyclades. Antiquities, brilliant sun, crystal blue shimmering sea,
sand beaches, the slow pace of island life, hospitable natives,
and excellent food will make this unique tour the memory of a lifetime.
From our base here we can easily explore 18 other islands, including
Santorini, Mykonos, Delos, and Paros. Cultural Discussion Topic:
Cycladic Art & Archaeology.
Full
Itinerary
Bilboa
& Beyond ...The glories of Spain
Beautiful art, stirring architecture,
and excellent food await us. Spain is the center of the world's
most innovative architecture and home of fine collections of art.
We begin in Bilbao, the Basque town famous for the new Guggenheim
museum whose sleek and elegant titanium curves have become instantly
recognizable throughout the world. We will marvel at Gehry's creation
and its art collection before moving on to Barcelona. This walker's
paradise has old and new, sea and mountain, post modern and primitive.
We will stroll through the Gothic Quarter past ancient shops and
chic boutiques to Gaudi's sublimely surreal buildings, the Sagrada
Familia and Guell Park. Next we visit Madrid's marvelous Prado museum,
then travel to El Escorial, a museum of paintings, tapestries, and
royal tombs; and on to Segovia, the center of castle-rich Castile.
Join us for a unique artistic and culinary experience.
Full Itinerary
Grand
Tour of Turkey
This comprehensive tour visits
most of the notable sites of Turkey: the Hittite ruins; Cappadocia,
with lunar landscapes and subterranean cities in the Goreme Valley;
the "Holy City" of Konya. We'll visit the Mediterranean coast ("Turkish
Riviera") for R&R before venturing on to Perge; Aspendos, with
a very well preserved Roman Theatre; and then Side, the most famous
city of Pamphylia. We can sail along the coast to see the ruins of
Phaselis (in ancient Lycia) or just relax and enjoy Antalya. Last
but not least is mystical Istanbul with it's Roman aqueducts, Byzantine
churches, mosques, museums, and delightful, friendly street life.
Join us on this tour of a lifetime.
Full
Itinerary
Magical
Istanbul
A grand mosaic of East and West,
Istanbul is the only city in the world built on two continents. You
will see both Europe and Asia as we cruise the Bosphorous. We will
visit the great mosques, monuments, churches, aqueducts, museums,
and the Covered Bazaar. You'll be delighted with the friendly, hospitable
natives as we stroll through this sensuous city. We will immerse ourselves
in the city and make it ours.
Full Itinerary
Crete:
In the footsteps of the Minoans
Shining seas, Minoan villas, excellent
food and warm hospitality await us. This is a unique tour at a leisurely
pace visiting one of Earth's most beautiful islands. Crete is the
gem of the Mediterranean, meeting place of East and West, and birthplace
of civilization. It is a sophisticated land of art and architecture,
yet a land of simple mountain villages and seaside hamlets. It possesses
wildly fantastic topography and congenial natives. This is the land
of the Minoans, Minos, Daidalos and Ikaros, the minotaur, Zorba, starry
skies and gleaming beaches. From Chania to Heraklion, Phaistos to
Sitia, Agia Triada to Zakro, we will visit the famous sites and museums,
but also those places seen by few tourists. We will mingle with the
natives in their villages and markets and will dine with them in local
tavernas. And all around us is the sight and sound of the Cretan sea.
Join us for a millennium tour celebrating 5000 years of civilization.
Cultural Discussion Topic: Minoan Civilization.
Full Itinerary
Classical
and Renaissance Italy
The Romans brought civilization
to Europe, and the Italians rediscovered classical culture during
the Renaissance. Join us in rediscovering our own cultural heritage
and explore the major attractions of Rome and Florence. We will see
the highlights and the sidelights, the monuments, museums, and the
natives, as we stroll the streets and piazzas and eat gourmet cuisine
in delightful neighborhood trattorie.
Full
Itinerary
Venice...
Jewel of the Adriatic
Venice: gondolas, the Grand Canal,
music, churches, romance! Unpack just one time; all of our sightseeing
will take place from Venice. This beautiful city has survived
against all odds. "La Serenissima", as she is known, has been subjected
to invasions, wars, and tidal flooding for centuries. Most of her
sites can be visited comfortably on foot: the Piazza San Marco, with
the great Basilica and the Doge's Palace; the galleries of the
accademia; Ca' Ressonico and the imposing Frari Church. We will
tour the Grand Canal and the island of Murano, famous for it's
glass blowing, the world over. Our tour continues to Ravenna,
the Byzantine masterpiece; Padua and Vicenza, an architectural wonder.
Come join us for Venezia Primavera.
Full Itinerary
Southern
Italy... Etruscans, Romans & Greeks
Italy is a country of beauty, grace,
elegance, charm, antiquity and delicious cuisine. There are many civilizations
here: Greek, Etruscan, Roman, Italian. We will explore each as we
travel from Rome to the ancient centers of the brilliant Etruscans
at Tarquinia and Cerveteri; Naples, with its Museo Archaeologico Nationale;
Capri, island of the Emperors; Herculaneum and Pompeii, the resorts
of wealthy Romans, covered and perfectly preserved by the ash from
the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D.; beautiful Sorrento; and
Paestum, site of the most magnificent Greek ruins in Italy. We will
explore side streets to visit ancient, Renaissance, and modern sites
of eternal Rome; we will have an opportunity to explore Florence,
birthplace of the Renaissance; and our culinary senses will delight
in the variety of local delicacies as we dine in neighborhood trattorie.
Join us for great sites, great food, fun, and affable companionship.
Full
Itinerary
Springtime in Sicily
Nature paints spring with a blaze
of colors - a metaphor for the mosaic of civilizations that has become
Sicily. Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, and Normans have left
samples of their civilization here at the crossroads of the Mediterranean.
We will explore them in a relaxed fashion as we unpack only
twice: once in Palermo, the capital, as we explore the western part
of the island; and once in eastern Sicily at Syracuse, the magnificent
Greek capital of ancient times. Dinners are included, and we will
savor local delicacies as we dine with the natives in lively neighborhood
restaurants.
Full Itinerary
Short Itineraries
