Educational Travel

May 8-20, 2020

Albania

& Northern Greece

Crossroads of Cultures

Dr. John R. Hale ‘73 Archaeologist and Director of Liberal Studies, University of Louisville Dear Yale Traveler Highlights Venture off the beaten path to Albania & Northern Greece with fellow Tour Albania, one of Yalies May 8-20, 2020, and explore a unique side of Mediterranean history and culture that is a living time capsule of an enigmatic past. Europe’s “undiscovered” Northern Greece offers a wealth of under-explored treasures worthy of countries, and its three focused study including the UNESCO World Heritage monasteries of UNESCO World Heritage Meteora that reach toward the heavens from atop magnificent rock formations. Further afield lies Albania, a little-known destination that Sites at Berat, Gjirokastra, gives a glimpse into the well-preserved traditions of its Balkan past and Butrint. alongside centuries old Ottoman and Byzantine influences.

On this small group journey we’ll explore the treasures of Albania Admire the spectacular including Tirana: the country’s first capital; Durres: the link between the Adriatic Sea and Byzantium and Berat: a UNESCO World Heritage site, Vikos Gorge and the “city of a thousand windows,” a vision of white washed houses, too incredible monasteries beautiful for words. We cross into Northern Greece along Vikos Gorge “in mid-air” at Meteora. known as one of the steepest in the world as we delve into this magical region of charming towns reflecting quintessential Greek life. Visit Vergina, the burial Leading our intellectual explorations on this trip will be fellow alum John Hale ’73, archaeologist and Director of Liberal Studies at the place of the Macedonian University of Louisville. Hale is the author of numerous articles as well kings. as the book Lords o the Sea: The Epic Story o the Athenian Navy and the Birth o Democracy . He is currently working on a book about the Greek and Persian Wars for Oxford university Press. Explore Thessaloniki, the

Spring is the perfect time of year for our journey with mild weather and most important Byzantine minimal crowds. Learn more at www.yaleedtrvael.org/albaniagreece20 city in Greece, which also and reserve your space or contact us with questions at 203-432-1952 has a long and significant or [email protected]. Jewish heritage. With best wishes from Yale,

Lauren Summers Senior Director for Lifelong Learning and Travel Yale Alumni Association

www.yaleedtravel.org/albaniagreece20

BERAT, ALBANIA Yale Study Leader

Dr. John R. Hale ‘73 Dr. Hale is an American archaeologist who has investigated ancient sites throughout the Greek and Roman world. A native of Indiana, he earned his BA degree at Yale University and his PhD in Archaeology GOLDEN DIADEM FOUND IN THE GRAVE at Cambridge University, OF KING PHILIP II, VERGINA, GREECE where he reconstructed the evolution of the Viking long-ship. Major projects Upcoming Trips have included a study of the Egypt & the Nile: Delphic Oracle in Greece. In February 6-19, 2020 pursuit of archaeological Sir Peter Crane remains underwater, Hale Cruising Provence & Burgundy: has participated in a survey Rhone & Soane: of shipwreck sites from the May 3-11, 2020 Greek and Persian Wars in Proessor Jay Winter the Aegean Sea and and has written a book on the triremes of the Iceland: ancient Athenian navy, Lords o the Sea . His current book project June 21-29, 2020 for Oxford University Press is At Break of Day: How the Greek and Proessor Maureen Long Persian Wars launched the Rise o the West .

THE PICTURESQUE TOWN OF IOANNINA, GREECE

Yale Educational Travel • Association of Yale Alumni Box 209010, New Haven, CT 06520-9010 Reservations: (203) 432-1952 [email protected] 0 2 e

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where exhibits chronicle Albania’s TIRANA history from prehistoric times to the Itinerary FoSunudnedda yin, Mthaey 1 170 th century, when present. Spend the afternoon at leisure MAY 8- 20, 2020 Albania was part of the Ottoman to explore Tirana on your own. Meals: B WELCOME PHONE CALL Empire, Tirana became the country’s Monday, April 20, 2020 (tentative) capital in 1920. That was the time Join the group at 4pm Eastern for a when Italy began to exert its pre-trip welcome call with Professor influence and dominance, culminating TIRANA / DURRES / Hale to learn more about what to in 1939, when Mussolini invaded APOLLONIA / BERAT expect and to ask questions and occupied Albania. In the SiMtuaotnedda ay,t Mthae yh 1e1ad of a spacious morning, tour Tirana, whose central natural harbor, Durres was founded by DEPART FOR square and streets are lined with Greeks in the 7th century BC. During TIRANA, ALBANIA architecture dating from the Ottoman, the Roman period, it flourished Friday, May 8 Italian, and Communist periods. Visit because of its position on the great Depart from the US for Tirana, the National Historical Museum, road that linked the Adriatic Sea with Albania. Byzantium. This morning explore the ancient remains in Durres and visit the Greece’s dramatic Vikos TIRANA, ALBANIA Archaeological Museum. Continue to Gorge eatures some o the Apollonia, the second major Greek ArSrivaet uinrd Tairya,n Ma aayn d9 transfer to the most stunning scenery in all settlement, founded by Corinthians Hotel Sheraton, located in the center around 600 BC. Stop at its museum o Europe, and is likened to of the city. In the evening, enjoy a and a nearby 13th-century church to welcome dinner. the Grand Canyon. admire stunning Byzantine frescoes. Meals: D After lunch, drive to Berat, and stay at the Hotel Castle Park or Hotel Onufri. Meals: B, L, D THE ANCIENT THEATER AT DODONI, EPIRUS, GREECE BERAT InhTaubeistedda ys,i nMcea yth 1e2 Bronze Age, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Berat is one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in Albania. Explore its Byzantine citadel, which houses a superb collection of icons painted by Onufri, a master iconographer who lived in the 16th century; the 15th-century King’s Mosque; and the neighboring METSOVO, EPIRUS, GREECE monument of Halvati Teqe. Enjoy time to explore Berat’s picturesque GJIROKASTRA / BUTRINT / IOANNINA / DODONI / streets and alleyways on your own. GJIROKASTRA IOANNINA Meals: B, L, D TaFkeri daa fyu,l l-Mday e1x5 cursion to Butrint, BuSilut nind any, idMyalliyc 1s7etting, on a rocky one of Albania’s most important and promontory that projects into a lake, evocative archaeological sites. the university town of Ioannina is the BERAT/BYLLIS / TEPELENA / Located across the narrow strait from commercial and learning center of GJIROKASTRA Corfu, it was the inhabitants of that northwest Greece. Visit its old town, ThWis emdonrensindga ytr,a Mveal yto 1 t3 he impressive Greek island that founded Butrint in still enclosed within fortifications, and archaeological site of Byllis. View the the 6th century BC. Now a UNESCO known for the manufacture of fine remains of private homes, and other World Heritage Site, Butrint has filigree silver jewelry, a tradition that buildings within its 4th-century BC monuments from the Greek, Roman, goes back hundreds of years. In the walls. Enjoy lunch in Tepelena, the and Byzantine periods. Stop for lunch afternoon, take an excursion to hometown of the notorious Ali at a seaside restaurant before nearby Dodoni, an archeological site Pasha, an Ottoman Albanian, who in returning to the hotel in Gjirokastra. known for the ancient theater and the late 18th century served as ruler Meals: B, L, D oracle of Dodoni. of the Ottoman Empire's European Meals: B, L territories. Continue to beautiful Gjirokastra and the Hotel Agjiro. GJIROKASTRA / Meals: B, L, D VIKOS GORGE / IOANNINA, IOANNINA / METEORA / GREECE VERGINA / THESSALONIKI In Sthaetu mrdoarnyi,n Mg acryo 1ss6 the Albanian- LeMavoen Idoany,n Mina yin 1 t8 he morning for the GJIROKASTRA Greek border, to reach the fantastic extraordinary Meteora - “monasteries ThTeh UuNrsEdSaCyO, MWaoyrl d1 4Heritage Site of Vikos Gorge, perhaps the most in mid-air.” Rising abruptly from the Gjirokastra is built below its castle magnificent natural landscape in valley of central Greece are gigantic that commands fine views of the southern Europe. Featuring the precipitous rocks on top of which are Drinos Valley. Old stone houses with steepest walls of any gorge in the monasteries built by hermits some slate roofs line the twisting cobbled world, Vikos compares to the Grand 600 years ago. Visit the Monastery of streets and alleyways. Our morning Canyon in scale and grandeur. Around St. Varlaam, noted for its luminous exploration of the town includes the the gorge are centuries-old villages mosaics. After lunch at a taverna in Old Bazaar district, the Skendulaj with stone houses, and small Kalampaka, continue to Vergina, House and the Zakate House, fine frescoed chapels, some of which we ancient Aigai, the burial place of examples of Gjirokastra’s will visit. After lunch continue to the Macedonian kings, now a UNESCO characteristic architecture, and the town of Ioannina and check-in at the World Heritage Site. The royal tombs labyrinthine Town Hall Air Shelter, Hotel Grand Serai. include that of Phillip II, the father of built during the Communist period. Meals: B, L, D Alexander the Great. Proceed to Enjoy the afternoon at leisure. Thessaloniki with accommodations at Meals: B, L, D the Macedonia Palace hotel. Meals: B, L THESSALONIKI PROGRAM COST $4,980 per person, double occupancy. VibTruaenst,d caoys,m Moapyo l1it9an Thessaloniki, Single supplement: $690 the biblical Thessalonica, was named after the sister of Alexander the Great. It is the pre-eminent Byzantine city of Greece and the country’s second WHAT IS INCLUDED ■ Educational program of lectures and discussions with Professor largest city after Athens. It was a major center of Jewish life and John R. Hale. learning from the Middle Ages to ■ In Albania: two nights in Tirana at the Hotel Sheraton; two nights in World War II. This morning we tour the Berat at the Hotel Castle Park or Hotel Onufri; and three nights in city’s principal monuments including Gjirokastra at the Hotel Agjiro. the remains of the Palace and the Arch of Galerius, which housed the In Greece: two nights in Ioannina at the Hotel Grand Serai and Roman emperor; the Church of Holy two nights in Thessaloniki at the Macedonia Palace hotel. Apostles with 14th century mosaics; ■ American breakfast each morning at the hotels. and the 5th century Cathedral of ■ Eight lunches and eight dinners, with wine or beer served. Aghios Dimitrios. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure or visit the superb ■ Group airport/hotel/airport transfers and handling of luggage in Tirana Archaeological Museum. and Thessaloniki. Meals: B, D. ■ Transportation within Albania and Greece with air-conditioned motor coach.

THESSALONIKI / USA ■ Tours and excursions as described in the itinerary, with professional Wednesday, May 20 Morning transfer to the airport for English-speaking guides. return flights to the US. ■ The services of an experienced Thalassa Journeys trip director. Meals: B ■ Entrance fees to archaeological and historic sites.

■ All local taxes and service charges. INTERIOR OF A TRADITIONAL ■ Tips to guides, drivers and porters. OUSE IN GJIROKASTRA, ALBANIA ■ Complete package of pre-departure materials.

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED Airfare; travel insurance; items of personal nature; any items not mentioned in What is Included.

OPTIONAL EXTENSION TO ATHENS BUTRINT, ALBANIA Explore Athens, Europe’s oldest city and the birthplace of democracy, on an optional two-night extension. Included are tours of the Acropolis, the Acropolis Museum and other sites. Additional details and pricing will be sent to confirmed participants.

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CANCELATIONS AND REFUNDS: All INSURANCE: Yale Educational Travel cancellations must be in writing to Yale highly recommends the purchase of trip Educational Travel. Deposits are refund - cancellation insurance. If participants pur - able (less a $300 per person administration chase trip insurance, and we hope that fee) if written notice of cancellation is re - they do, participants are free to purchase ceived before February 8, 2020. Cancella - the insurance of their choice. Most travel tions received between February 8 and insurance must be purchased within 7-10 ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE March 9, 2020 are subject to a cancellation days of paying a deposit in order to include penalty equal to 50% of the program cost. certain provisions including pre-existing AT BYLLIS, ALBANIA Cancellations received after March 9, 2020 conditions. Y 6 e N

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Albania & Northern Greece Crossroads of Cultures

May 8-20, 2020 Dr. John R. Hale ‘73 Archaeologist & Classical Historian

METEORA MONASTERIES From ancient Apollonia and METEORA MONASTERIES Dodoni to the spectacular “monasteries in the air” at Meteora explore sites visited by few Ameri cans. Engage in the rich Mediterranean culinary traditions of Albania and Greece.