Classical World on This Unique Itinerary Along the Turquoise Coast and Through the Ancient Lands Conquered by Alexander the Great
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REDUCED FROM PRICING! $2850 PER PERSON N t A E X RAORDINARY O DYSSEY t O t HE lassical orld C a LONG t HEW Athens u P ergamon u E phesus u B od rum u Myra X antho s- L eto on u Arykanda u A ntalya Aboard the Exclusively Chartered Small Ship M.Y. VARIETY VOYAGER October 27 to November 4, 2015 Dear Smith Alumnae and Friends: We are pleased to offer this special Two-for-One pricing—and 50% savings on single accommodations—on this extraordinary odyssey featuring a treasure trove of rare sites rich in epic histories and stunning archaeological fi nds along the ancient Turquoise Coast. It was here that the “Ionian awakening” led to the birth of the golden age of classical Greek civilization, where Lycians, Persians, Macedonians and Romans followed, contributing to the advancement of education, philosophy, communication and mathematics. Call in seldom-visited ports inaccessible to larger vessels as you cruise aboard the exclusively chartered M.Y. VARIETY VOYAGER, a small ship that carries only 60 guests, providing deluxe accommodations and an intimate atmosphere. Expert lectures on board will enhance your experience in these enigmatic destinations. Follow in the footsteps of Alexander the Great, St. Paul and Roman emperors as you visit places that most people only read about. In the UNESCO World Heritage site of Pergamon, see the ruins of the library and theater that made the city a locus of scholarship and culture, and envision the lives of the Roman Empire’s most prominent citizens in the wonderfully preserved chambers of the often-overlooked Terrace Houses of Ephesus. Visit the ancient maritime hub of Patara, where St. Paul stopped en route to Jerusalem during his third missionary journey. Learn more about the ancient language of the Lycians, carved into the rocks and monoliths in the rich archaeological site of Xanthos-Letoon, and experience the solemn beauty of the cliffside Lycian tombs in Myra. Explore the Byzantine basilica in Demre made famous by St. Nicholas, the fourth-century bishop who inspired the character of Santa Claus; and take in panoramic views from the well-preserved Roman theater in Aspendos and the acropolis in Perge. You may choose to visit additional UNESCO World Heritage sites—spectacular Athens, Greece’s enduring city of wisdom and democracy; sacred Delphi, the center of the Grecian world; Cappadocia, Turkey’s lunar landscape; and Istanbul, the majestic city straddling East and West—by joining the Pre- and Post-Cruise Options. This comprehensive itinerary along with all shore excursions, three meals each day, ocean-view accommodations and special discounted pricing combine for an epic odyssey. Space is very limited and sure to sell out quickly, so I encourage you to reserve now. Sincerely,Sincerely, ElizabethEli b h A. A Bigwood Bi d Director, Smith Travel Offi ce of Alumnae Relations Smith College P.S. We make it a priority to provide an outstanding Smith College affi liated host or guest lecturer who will accompany each program. As this brochure goes to press, however, we are unable to confi rm the name of the Smith representative. IInn tthehe FFootstepsootsteps ooff GGods,ods, EEmperorsmperors aandnd PPhilosophershilosophers Journey to the crossroads of the classical world on this unique itinerary along the Turquoise Coast and through the ancient lands conquered by Alexander the Great. These storied locales gave birth to mythical gods like Apollo, served as fertile ground for the prolifi c building campaigns of Roman emperors and fostered cultures that were shaped by the philosophies of Socrates, the pioneering medicine of Hippocrates and the teachings of St. Paul. Here in Anatolia, the paths of Lycians, Greeks, Persians, Macedonians and Romans converged over time, leaving in their wake exquisitely preserved treasures of antiquity bearing the mark of great leaders and philosophers alike. This spectacular coastal voyage will allow you to experience unmatched archaeological remains and provides an unexpected charm and historical rarity that will awe and captivate. Athens, Greece Ephesus Birthplace of democracy and home to The Greco-Roman city of Ephesus, many of history’s greatest philosophers and liberated from Persian rule by poets from Socrates to Herodotus, Athens Alexander the Great in 334 B.C., offers is unmatched in its contributions to early an enthralling glimpse into ancient Western civilization. Today, the ancient city’s coastal life. See the beautifully restored grandeur is embodied in the spectacular façade of the Library of Celsus and the Acropolis, a UNESCO World Heritage site, Marble Way, which leads to an impressive and the perfectly proportioned Parthenon 24,000-seat theater where St. Paul dedicated to the goddess Athena in 438 B.C. delivered his Epistle to the Ephesians. Pergamon, Turkey According to legend, St. John the Apostle The UNESCO World Heritage site traveled with Mary, the mother of Jesus, of Pergamon is one of Turkey’s fi nest to Ephesus, where he wrote his Gospel of classical ruins. Visit the Acropolis, one of John and later died and was buried. the great centers of Hellenism, where the By special arrangement, visit the Roman monumental Library of Pergamon once Terrace Houses, where the most prominent stood in the second century B.C. With over families of fi rst-century Ephesus once lived. 200,000 manuscripts, the library rivaled its Admire the monumental arched counterpart in Alexandria as the center of colonnades, well-preserved mosaics and ancient scholarship. brightly colored frescoes of these Nearby, see the foundations of the beautifully crafted residences, rarely seen sanctuaries of Zeus and Athena and the by today’s visitors to Ephesus. magnifi cent theater where audiences Kus¸adasi once viewed the plays of Aeschylus and Travel to Ephesus from Ku¸sadasi, a Sophocles. Visit the Asclepion, a shrine gateway port fi rst inhabited around dedicated to the Greco-Roman god of 3000 B.C. and later fortifi ed with an island healing; in ancient times, this sanctuary citadel during the drew healthseekers across all lands of the Ottoman Empire. eastern Mediterranean. Cover photo: The iconic Library of Celsus in Ephesus once stored 12,000 scrolls in galleries designed to prevent damage from dampness. Photo this page: The reconstructed Temple of Trajan sits at the highest point of Pergamon’s Acropolis, a UNESCO World Heritage site. UNESCO BBlacklack SSeaea World Heritage Site Cruise Itinerary SSea of MMarmaraea o SSTTANBUL arm f I I TINERARY Air Routing ara Day Destination Land Routing ◆ ATHENS PRE-CRUISE OPTION GGREECEREECE AAegeanegean PPergamonergamon 1 Depart the U.S. SSeaea DIIKILIKILI 2 ATHENS, GREECE/ TURKEY EEphesusphesus Embark M.Y. VARIETY VOYAGER ATTHENSHENS KUSSADASI˛ADASI 3 DIKILI, TURKEY for PERGAMON BOODRUMDRUM 4 KUSADASI¸ for EPHESUS 5 KALKAN for XANTHOS-LETOON IIonianonian SSeaea and PATARA KAALKANLKAN 6 ANTALYA for PERGE and ASPENDOS Antalya 7 FINIKE for ARYKANDA and MYRA/ Amidst extensive ancient ruins, verdant DEMRE/KEKOVA mountains and sweeping beaches, Antalya 8 BODRUM has long been known as one of the most 9 ATHENS , GREECE/Disembark ship/ classically beautiful cities in Turkey. Return to U.S. Visit the Antalya Museum to view its outstanding archaeological fi nds including ◆ ◆ CAPPADOCIA ISTANBUL the ornate Alexander Sarcophagus and a POST-CRUISE OPTION marble lion from the Tomb of Mausolus. Enjoy time at leisure to explore Antalya’s Xanthos-Letoon/Patara attractive harbor on the Turkish Riviera. The UNESCO World Heritage site of Stroll along the narrow cobbled streets of Xanthos-Letoon showcases the most Kaleiçi, the old quarter, lined with historic extensive Lycian antiquities in the world Ottoman-era buildings in traditional and is one of the most remarkable Turkish and local Greek architectural styles. archaeological sites in Turkey, with fi nds Perge dating from the eighth century B.C. See the A base for many regional campaigns of inscriptions on the Xanthian Obelisk, Alexander the Great and where St. Paul which contains a rare trilingual written gave his fi rst sermon in A.D. 46, the record, critical to understanding the cryptic Roman city of Perge also gave the world Lycian language, and the elaborately the advancements of the philosopher decorated, 25-foot-high “Harpy Tomb.” Varius, the physician Asklepiades, the Visit nearby Letoon, a sacred ancient mathematician Apollonius, and the city’s religious center dedicated to Leto and her female Roman ruler, Plancia Magna. children with Zeus—Artemis and Apollo. The ruins of its imposing city gates Continue to Patara, a former naval and provide a magnifi cent entrance for the trading port visited by Roman emperors colonnaded, marble-paved street, lined Hadrian and Vespasian. Patara’s oracle with intricate porticoes and fountains, was said to rival that of Delphi and it was concluding at a hilltop acropolis with believed that Apollo spent his winters here. impressive panoramic views. Bodrum’s St. Peter’s Castle houses the Museum of Underwater Archaeology, Arykanda’s well-preserved fi rst-century B.C. displaying shipwreck artifacts from the 16th century B.C. to the 16th century A.D. 3000 spectators and still provides spectacula AArykandarykanda Black Sea XXanthosanthos LLetoonetoon ISTANNBULBUL FIINIKENIKE KAALKANLKAN DEEMREMRE PPataraatara KEEKOVAKOVA MYYRARA TURRKEYKEY CCappadociaappadocia PPergeerge AAspendosspendos ANNTALYATALYA FIINIKENIKE The gracefully proportioned Parthenon occupies the highest spot on the spectacular Acropolis of Athens. Aspendos amphitheater, the fi nest display of Lycian Home to an unrivaled Roman theater stonework and architecture, featuring with near-perfect acoustics, Aspendos intricately carved theatrical masks and is replete with extraordinary remains. mythological scenes. In nearby Demre, Built during the reign of Marcus Aurelius visit the 11th-century church now known and designed by the Greek architect Zeno, for its legendary fourth-century bishop the tall stage wall serves to nearly isolate St. Nicholas, known today as Santa Claus. the audience from the outside world.