from the story of the Minotaur to the Second World War. 25 April to 6 May 2017 The Villa Ariadne
The house which Arthur Evans built as his headquarters when he was excavating Knossos, the Minoan archaeological site south of Heraklion, Crete, was christened the Villa Ariadne on ac- count of the legend of Theseus escaping from the Minotaur in the Labyrinth using the thread that King Minos’ daughter had provided. It’s as good an image as you could wish for! During the Sec- ond World War when the island was occupied by the Italians and Germans, the villa became the home of various senior German officers including General Kreipe. Exactly seventy three years ago, he was on his way home after a day’s work in April 1944 when he was kidnapped by British Special Operations Executive (SOE) agents Patrick Leigh Fermor and Bill Stanley Moss. They suc- cessfully smuggled him off the island. This tour, on the 73rd anniversary of that abduction, also examines the narrative of SOE in Crete as well as the island’s ancient history. The tour is guided by Chris White who has recently edited Patrick Leigh Fermor’s own account of the abduction of the general, Costas Mamalakis who is Crete’s foremost expert on the Occupation period (as well as being an historian of the 19th century) and Rufus Reade whose father was an SOE agent on the island. We have chosen to go in late April/early May to catch the spring flowers. Our visit will include some Minoan sites, the excellent Historical Museum of Crete in Heraklion and remote villages associated with the SOE story. There will be some opportunities to walk and we will visit places which are not normally seen by visitors to the island. HIGHLIGHTS
Heraklion Museum and Minoan sites
The history of the abduction of German General Kreipe
Spring wildflowers and remote Cretan villages
Greek Orthodox monasteries
The tour is accompanied by Chris White, British expert on General Kreipe’s abduction. Costas Mamalakis, Curator of Modern History at the Historical Museum of Crete & expert on the Occupation. The tour is led by Rufus Reade whose father was on the island as an SOE agent. JOURNEY DETAILS The Itinerary Location: Crete Dates: 25 April to 25 April Arrival 6 May 2017 into Heraklion and Duration: 11 nights transfer to our ac- Max: 15 travellers commodation for four Price: £2630 nights in the Kronos Hotel, Heraklion. Single room supplement: £200 Deposit: £250 26 April Costas Tour Code: RR 04/17 Mamalakis will give abducted. We will visit Mount us a guided tour of the Historical Juchtas – an important religious What’s included: Accommo- Museum before taking us on foot site for the Minoans with com- dation in 2 star hotels and best to explore the gates and walls of manding views of the area south available appartments, most Heraklion. We’ll visit the grave of Heraklion. Third night in meals (picnics/snack lunches), of the Greek writer Nikos Ka- Heraklion. all land transport by road as zantzakis (Zorba the Greek). His described in the itinerary, entry epitaph reads “I hope for nothing. 28 April Today you have to all the sites mentioned, and I fear nothing. I am free.” Costas the option of an independent day all tips. will take us through the drama in Heraklion, or the opportunity What’s not included: your of the Battle of Crete as fought in to explore the history of the Gen- international flights, lunch on 6 the streets of Heraklion. It’s 73 eral’s kidnap: our drive will take May, personal travel insurance, years ago to the day that Patrick us up the side of Mount Ida. We drinks, laundry, phonecalls, and Leigh Fermor drove the abduct- will visit a monastery with strong beverages. ed general through the streets links to the wartime resistance. of German occupied Heraklion. Your guides: the tour is accom- We plan to see the historic resis- There will be no transport laid on tance village of Anogia, destroyed panied by local museum curator today. Dinner in Achanes village, by the German in August 1944. Costas Mamalakis and British outside Heraklion. Second night There will be an optional 3km historian Chris White. The tour in Heraklion. walk to visit the Ideon Andron, is escorted by Rufus Reade. legendary birthplace of Zeus. This Walking: we will be walking on 27 April Drive out of Her- visit to the high plateau will give shepherds’ footpaths, and along aklion to see the Minoan site at us an opportunity to learn about motorable tracks. All walks rat- Knossos. We’ll also see the Villa the shepherding traditions and ed easy to moderate. Ariadne built by Sir Arthur Ev- community in the mountains of The tour is organised by Rufus ans as his archaeological head- Crete. Fourth night in Heraklion. Reade Tours, 40 Pilrig Street, quarters and home. It was later Edinburgh EH6 5AL used as the German headquarters 29 April Today we travel [email protected] during WWII. We’ll pause at the south into the Messara Valley to Tel 0131 554 1078 point where General Kreipe was visit the Minoan Palace of Phais- tos with its commanding views for its church, Minoan site and over the fertile Messara valley used during the war to shelter 4 May We will drive to south of Mt Ida. After lunch in a escaped Allied soldiers. Total the German War Cemetery to local village we will visit the very walking about 6kms. Third night appreciate both the extent of the good Museum of Cretan Ethnolo- at Agia Galini. German losses along with the key gy in Vori. We will stay for three turning point in the Battle. After nights in Agia Galini, which is a 2 May Today we travel lunch in Galatas – centre of an fishing port on the south coast. westward along the south coast epic battle and counterattack by We will be staying at the Galini of Crete. Our first stop is the Allied forces – we will drive to Mare Hotel – a boutique hotel monastery at Prevelli. We’ll have Rethymno via the poignant tran- with views over the harbour and lunch at the Kreipe evacuation quility of the British War Graves sea to the island of Paximadia. In beach at Rodakino. We’ll contin- Cemetery at Suda. First of three the legend of Icarus and Daedalus ue westwards to the small port of nights in the Palazzo Vecchio they started their flights here. Hora Sfakion. We plan to stay for Hotel, Rethymno. two nights in Lefkoritis Mountain 30 April Today we travel Resort, Askifou, on the plateau at 5 May Free day in up the eastern side of the Amari the western edge of the Levka Ori Rethymno or a chance to ex- Valley, stopping at the Arkadi (White Mountains). plore a hidden valley: you can Monastery, famous for its resis- walk or take advantage of a 4x4 tance to the Turkish occupation 3 May Today we will to ascend on shepherds’ roads as well as at the time of the Battle explore the Askifou plateau, and into the valley of Gournes, high of Crete and throughout the occu- descend the southern escarpment up on the western flank of the pation. We will be able to explore of Crete via the Imbros gorge White Mountains. We will visit the route taken by Leigh Fermor (about 4kms) . After lunch in the beehive hut used by SOE as and the Kreipe kidnap group as Hora Sfakion we will visit the ru- a wireless station, and where they descended after their tra- ined village of Aradena and drive Arthur Reade was based with verse of Mt Ida. Free afternoon in up to the high mountain village Xan Fielding, Leigh Fermor and Agia Galini with a chance to walk of Agios Ioannis before returning George Psychoundakis. We will and swim. Second night in Agia to Askifou. After sunset (20:38 return to Rethymno for our Galini. hrs) we will walk into the centre second night in this beautifully of the plateau to stargaze in the preserved Venetian port. 1 May Today we will dark sky (cloud cover permitting). drive along the western side of Second night in Askifou. 6 May Free day in Rethymno to the Amari Valley, following the explore this lovely port town. In- route of the Kreipe kidnap. We dependent lunch arrangements. will visit the hideout used by the In the evening after supper we group near Patsos where we will will drive to Heraklion airport have lunch before exploring the to check in for flights to London Agios Antonios gorge immedi- and Edinburgh. ately south of the village, famous