Odysseus Exploring Homeric Shores
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
STANFORD TRAVEL/STUDY J o u rn e y o f Odysseus EXPLORING HOMERIC SHORES June 13 to 23, 2012 a program of the stanford alumni association The epic voyage of the great mythic hero, Odysseus, yearning to return home to his family in Ithaca following the Trojan War, is a tale that’s captured the imagination of writers and creative talents from James Joyce to Eric Clapton. Join us as we journey to the ancient sites where many of The Odyssey’s most enduring stories unfolded. Classics professor Marsh McCall brings Homer’s poem to life as we explore these shores as the ancients did – by ship. Although our intimate yacht Callisto provides luxurious accommodations that are a far cry from the conditions endured by Odysseus and his men, the cerulean waters of the Ionian Sea and the dramatic Peloponnesian coastline place us squarely in the midst of these timeless chronicles, dramatically linking our modern world to the ancient one. Brett S. Thompson, ’83, Director, Stanford Travel/Study Highlights NAVIGATE the dramatic SEE the shrine of Dodona, EXPLORE the remarkable VISIT the beautifully Corinth Canal to reach regarded as the oldest Hel- 13th-century B.C.E. ruins preserved 4th-century Odysseus’ legendary home, lenic oracle, where Odysseus of Nestor’s Palace and the theater at Epidaurus the stunning island of Ithaca. is reported to have inquired charming villages of Pylos and the majestic remains whether he should return to and Kalamata. of Mycenae, city of Ithaca openly or in disguise. Agamemnon. KALAMATA ROOFTOPS Dodoni Parga G REECE Aegean Sea Fiskardo Assos Ithaca CORINTH CANAL Kefalonia Athens Corinth Canal Mycenae Ionian Nafplio Sea Messene Kalamata Pylos M Methoni e d Epidaurus i t e r e a r a S n e a n NAFPLIO of Odysseus. Visit the bay of MondAY, June 18 site confirm that the palace Itinerary Dexia, which may have been ASSOS / FISKARDO served as the political and the hidden harbor where Picturesque Assos, which is financial center of Mycenaean WedneSDAY & THURSDAY, the Phaeacians delivered a almost its own separate island, Messenia. This afternoon, June 13 & 14 soundly sleeping Odysseus. being joined only by a very drive to Methoni to tour its DEPART U.S. / narrow isthmus to the large AtHENS, GREECE Admire the Cyclopean Walls imposing fortress. With its Depart the U.S. on overnight known locally as Odysseus’ island of Kefalonia, is our first strategic position overlooking flights, arriving on Thursday in Palace and stand atop the stop this morning. View its westbound shipping routes, Athens. Upon arrival, transfer Plateau of Marathia, where ancient ruins including a 16th- Methoni, known as “the eye of to our hotel. Enjoy a welcome Eumaeus the swineherd, century Venetian fortress, and Venice,” derived great wealth cocktail reception this evening. Odysseus’ loyal servant and take time to swim in the azure from both its commercial HOTEL GRANDE BRETAGNE Makethe firstsur emortal it’s clear he meets that upon line goeswaters from of the Ionian Sea. In activities and as a port of call Ithacahis return to Pa tor gaIthaca, kept his the afternoon, travel to the for pilgrims journeying to and FRidAY, June 15 animals. CALLISTO (B,L,D) charming village of Fiskardo, from the Holy Land during the AtHENS / PIRAEUS / Kefalonia’s northernmost port 12th century. CALLISTO (B,L,D) EMBARK CALLISTO SundAY, June 17 whose lovely Venetian houses Explore the Acropolis of PARGA / DODONI bear the distinction of being Athens, the rocky promontory Arrive in the small town of the only structures in Kefalonia whose monuments represent Parga, built in the shadow not to have been devastated the ultimate expression of clas- of a 14th-century Venetian by an earthquake in 1953. sical Greek civilization, then castle. Travel overland to CALLISTO (B,L,D) visit the new Acropolis Museum Dodoni, location of the shrine that houses the artifacts dis- of Dodona, the oldest oracu- TueSDAY, June 19 covered on its slopes. This lar site in Greece, which was PYLOS / METHONI afternoon transfer to Piraeus to second in prestige only to the Call at the attractive embark our ship. CALLISTO (B,D) oracle of Delphi. Beautifully Peloponnese village of Pylos situated in a valley below this morning. Pylos, supposed SAtuRDAY, June 16 Mt. Tomaros, the site includes birthplace of King Nestor, was CORINTH CANAL / mentioned by Homer in both ItHACA a superb 3rd-century-B.C.E. Navigate the dramatic, four- theater. With 65-foot-high The Iliad and The Odyssey, mile-long Corinth Canal, which walls and a seating capacity and its bay was the site of separates the Peloponnesian of 20,000, this theater was a major naval battle during peninsula from mainland the second-largest in ancient the Peloponnesian War. Greece. Arrive in Ithaca, a Greece. This afternoon Visit the 13th-century-B.C.E. beautiful island of pristine we return to Parga whose palace of Nestor, the best- beaches and verdant forest lower quarter is still home to preserved Mycenaean Greek as well as the legendary home traditionally dressed village palace ever discovered. Clay women. CALLISTO (B,L,D) tablets excavated from the LION’S GATE AT MYCENAE ASSOS WedneSDAY, June 20 a major stronghold of the “...what I want and all my days KALAMATA / MESSENE Mycenaean world. Tiryns Arrive in the second-largest is mentioned by Homer I pine for is to go back to my house and see city of the Peloponnese, who wrote of its mighty Kalamata, renowned for walls, called “cyclopean” my day of homecoming. And if some its dark, juicy olives and because in classical Greece god batters me far out on the wine-blue succulent, honey-flavored it was believed that only this figs. One of the few Greek legendary race of giants was water, I will endure it keeping a cities that does not date strong enough to construct back to classical times, them. Continue to the ancient stubborn spirit inside me, for already Kalamata is located just city of Argos and visit many I have suffered much and done five miles from Messene, of the site’s monuments a remarkable ancient city including the famous Heraion much hard work on the waves and founded in 369 B.C.E. after of Argos, the temple dedica- the first Theban invasion of ted to Hera who, in The Iliad, in the fighting. So let this the Peloponnese. Explore the proclaims herself to be its impressive remains including adventure follow.” protector. End the day with the odeon (a building used an exploration of Epidaurus, for musical shows and poetry birthplace of Asclepius the ODYsseus in THE ODYSSEY, BooK V competitions) and the stadium. healer, whose asclepeion Approximately five miles (healing temple) at Epidaurus of the city’s great wall still was the most acclaimed in the excavated from the city’s century castle of Bourtzi exist, as does the excellently classical world. The income royal tombs, including the located in the middle of preserved northern gate, it generated allowed the city famed funeral mask of Nafplio’s harbor and to affording the finest remaining to construct numerous civic Agamemnon, were cast explore this lovely town that example of Greek fortification. monuments including a theater CALLISTO (B,L,D) in this precious metal. A served as the first capital of with exquisite acoustics that is tour of the site includes the modern Greece until 1834. THURSDAY, June 21 still in use today. CALLISTO (B,L,D) CALLISTO (B,L,D) NAFPLIO / TIRYNS / tomb of Clytemnestra and ARGOS / EPIDAURUS FRidAY, June 22 the impressive Lion Gate, SAtuRDAY, June 23 Begin our day in Nafplio, MYCENAE / NAFPLIO the citadel’s main entrance PIRAEUS / where we remain in port Travel to Mycenae from whose relief sculpture is DISEMBARK CALLISTO / for two days. Drive to the which the entire Mycenaean the only surviving piece of AtHENS / U.S. World Heritage site of Tiryns, historical era takes its name. monumental Mycenaean Disembark our ship in Zea Marina a 3,400-year-old fortress Homer described Mycenae sculpture. Return to Nafplio in Piraeus this morning and reputed to be the birthplace as being “rich in gold” and in the afternoon for free time transfer to the airport in Athens of Heracles (Hercules) and indeed many of the treasures to enjoy views of the 15th- for return flights to the U.S. (B) CALLISTO METHONI CASTLE Callisto Program Cost* The Callisto combines the comfort of a larger vessel with the intimacy of Rates are per person, based on double occupancy unless otherwise specified. a small sailing yacht. All 17 air-conditioned cabins are exterior with large Double Single** windows or portholes that look out to sea and feature generous storage $8,995 TV/VCR/DVD Category D space, telephone, , refrigerator and marble bathroom with Daphne Deck, two twin beds, shower. The yacht’s public areas include a spacious lounge, a dining porthole. Average 130 sq. ft. room that accommodates all guests at a single seating, two broad decks Category C $9,795 $12,390 for sunbathing and dining alfresco, and a library. The Callisto is served Daphne Deck, two twin beds, by a crew of 18 and is equipped with the latest navigational instruments, porthole. Average 130 sq. ft. including satellite communication systems. Category B $10,995 $13,590 Leto Deck, two twin beds or FLAG: GREECE / LENGTH: 170 FT. / BEAM: 27.8 FT. / DRAFT: 10.8 FT. one full bed, window. Average 125 sq. ft. Category A $11,995 Leto Deck, two twin beds or JACUZZI one queen bed, window. Average 140 sq. ft. SUN DECK LIBRARY * Association nonmembers add $200 per person. BRIDGE ** Single acommodations are limited.