Archaeology & History Tours 2021 Fascinating journeys into history, prehistory and the ancient world Welcome... The year 2020 put everyone’s travel plans on hold, so I open this welcome message Wonderful Holidays, with a most heartfelt “thank you” to all of our customers for the loyalty and trust you have given us, from rescheduling your booking to simply sending kind and thoughtful Historic Wonders messages. And a huge thank you also to our brilliant expert tour directors, whose online ‘Armchair Archaeology Tours’ have kept us all engaged in the fascinating world of archaeological Created and led by archaeologists, travel without any of us leaving home. historians and expert guides History is hidden everywhere, underlying the character and identity of places and peoples, and forming the story of humankind, with a universal relevance for us all. This is why archaeological travel is so fascinating and why, at Hidden History, we remain dedicated to providing superb tours exploring the world’s ancient and historic sites. Throughout history, the nature of travel has continually changed, and now more acutely than ever we must all adapt to an evolving future of responsible, safe, worthwhile travel. The past is a foreign country: At Hidden History we are constantly creating new tours and new ways of enjoying them, whilst ensuring we maintain the excellent quality, value for money and personal service they do things differently there we have become known for. The immortal first line to L. P. Hartley’s ‘The Go-Between’ (1953) I hope you will enjoy looking through our 2021 brochure, whether you are itching to get wistfully condenses the nature of history, travel and the away soon or just thinking about the future. Whenever you are ready, I look forward to welcoming you to an enriching travel experience, a journey through time as well as place. accord between the two. Dr Simon Butler, Director of Hidden History Travel Welcome image: Carcassonne p.10 Cover Image: Midwinter in The Mendips, Avebury & Bath p.40 Contents 2021 Tour Dates Your Friendly Specialists ............................... 6 Pompeii & Campania .................................... 24 JANUARY JUNE SEPTEMBER What to Expect .................................................. 8 Sicilian Civilisations ...................................... 26 Midwinter in Hellfire Corner Andorra & the Mendips 8 days; 2 - 9 June Occitania Andorra & Occitania ..................................... 10 Malta’s Millennia ............................................ 28 5 days; 11 - 15 January 9 days; 6 - 14 September Romney Marsh: The Makings of Asturias ............................... 12 Éire’s Land of Heart’s Desire ....................... 30 APRIL Fifth Continent Minoan Crete & Santorini 5 days; 21 - 25 June 9 days; 9 - 17 September Bulgaria: Old Europe ..................................... 14 Romney Marsh: Fifth Continent ................. 32 Aphrodite’s Cyprus: North & South Andorra & Hillforts of the Ridgeway 8 days; 7 - 14 April Essence of Greece ........................................... 16 East Anglia: Origins of England ................. 34 Occitania 4 days; 15 - 18 September 9 days; 21 - 29 June Glories of Greece ............................................ 18 Hillforts of the Ridgeway ............................. 36 Pompeii & Campania Bulgaria: Old Europe 8 days; 9 - 16 April Eire’s Land of 12 days; 18 - 29 September Minoan Crete & Santorini ............................ 20 Hellfire Corner ................................................ 38 Heart’s Desire Sicilian Civilisations 8 days; 24 Jun - 1 July Pompeii & Campania Aphrodite’s Cyprus: North & South ........... 22 Midwinter in the Mendips ........................... 40 12 days; 19 - 30 April 8 days; 18 - 25 September How to Book .................................................... 42 JULY Malta’s Millennia Glories of 8 days; 22 - 29 April Eire’s Land of Greece Heart’s Desire 12 days; 20 September - MAY 8 days; 1 - 8 July 1 October Minoan Crete & Santorini East Anglia: 9 days; 6 - 14 May Malta’s Millennia United Origins of England 8 days; 23 - 30 September p.30 6 days; 18 - 23 July Kingdom Bulgaria: Old Europe 6 days; 25 - 30 July Ireland p.34 12 days; 8 - 19 May Makings of Asturias p.36 8 days; 24 September - p.40 Romney Marsh: Netherlands Poland Hillforts of the Ridgeway 1 October p.32 p.38 Fifth Continent 4 days; 12 - 15 May Germany 5 days; 26 - 30 July Belgium OCTOBER Czech Essence of Greece Sicilian Civilisations Republic 8 days; 17 - 24 May AUGUST Slovakia 12 days; 5 - 16 October Moldova Romney Marsh: Austria Makings of Asturias Fifth Continent Hungary Aphrodite’s Cyprus: Romania 8 days; 21 - 28 May 5 days; 23-27 August France North & South Croatia 8 days; 6 - 13 October p.14 p.12 Serbia DECEMBER p.10 Bulgaria Italy Midwinter in Andorra Turkey the Mendips p.24 Portugal 5 days; 6 - 10 December Spain Greece p.16 p.18 p.22 p.26 p.20 Cyprus p.28 Malta Crete 4 Please visit www.hiddenhistory.co.uk for booking details, travel and accommodation information, and much more! 5 Your Friendly Specialists We have a passion for archaeology, history and travel, and we want to share it with you. As a specialist tour operator, we focus on content and quality, achieved by thorough research and a personal, flexible service. Hidden History Travel first appeared in 1998 when its founder, Dr Simon Butler (pictured below), began leading tours to places of archaeological interest in Britain. Dr Simon Butler Martin Adams Simon’s career began in field Martin is a core archaeology and academic member of the Emeritus Professor Dr Sandy MacGillivray Dr Christopher Cole research, and he holds a team, helping in Gary Lock Sandy is a field archaeologist Chris holds a Masters degree PhD in archaeology from the all aspects of the who currently lives in Greece from Cambridge University and University of Sheffield. His business. Gary is Emeritus Professor of and specialises in Greek a PhD from York. interests in heritage tourism Archaeology at the University of He is very much archaeology, especially the developed from his travels as Oxford, and an acknowledged He runs a field excavation in tune with Minoans. an archaeologist and guide, authority on Iron Age hillforts. service and a field school in Hidden History’s and he has gained a wealth His excavations and published England, as well as leading ethos, and brings He has directed projects and of experience in many destinations. Hidden History Travel research have included tours in the Mediterranean and a wealth of relevant experience from over a led tours in many parts of has correspondingly grown into a network of longstanding Knossos in Crete, Delos in the in his home county of Kent. decade working for a number of specialist tour Europe, and co-directed the colleagues in travel, archaeology and history, who are now Cycladic Islands, and Sparta in operators in both the UK and the USA. recent ‘Atlas of Hillforts of Your tour leader for: all contributing to our unique brand of enriching travel Britain and Ireland’ project. the Peloponnese. He has led experiences. As its director, Simon still loves to lead as many He has a languages degree from the University many tours in Greece. Pompeii & Campania Your tour leader for: tours as his business commitments allow. of Exeter, has travelled widely and loves the Your tour leader for: Romney Marsh: The Fifth sense of discovery it brings. The Makings of Asturias Your tour leader for: Aphrodite’s Cyprus, Malta’s Millennia Continent Glories of Greece Living with the White Horse: Hellfire Corner: England’s Hillforts of the Ridgeway Essence of Greece Front Line Meet some of our tour directors Minoan Crete & Santorini Dr Martin Locker Michael Sibly Dr Nikola Dr Eireann Marshall Tony O’Connor FSA Mark Corney Adrian O’Neill Martin holds a PhD Mike graduated in Theodossiev Eireann is an Associate Tony studied Ancient History Mark was a Senior Landscape Adrian is a passionate and from University College history from Cambridge Dr Nicola Theodossiev is a Researcher and Lecturer and Archaeology at the Investigator for the Royal energetic historian and guide London and specialises University and became senior assistant professor with the Open University. University of Manchester. His Commission on the Historic who studied Archaeology and in medieval archaeology. Deputy Registrar at subsequent career in field Monuments of England for 20 Classical Studies at the National in the Department of She has published widely He has worked on Oxford University, where excavation and museum years. University of Ireland, Galway Archaeology at Sofia on ancient civilisations archaeological projects he is now an Emeritus management has earned him (NUIG). University in Bulgaria. and led numerous tours He has also lectured at the throughout Europe, and Fellow of St Anne’s Fellowship of the Society of He has directed a number to Italy and North Africa. University of Bristol, been a He has a strong interest not currently lives in Andorra College. He specialises Antiquaries of London. He of excavations in Bulgaria, regular contributor to television only in classical civilisation but where his research in medieval history, She was awarded ‘Top is particularly interested in written numerous documentaries, and has led also in Irish history and folklore, focuses on the cultural especially the Crusades, History & Culture Guide’ in the Roman Empire, and has publications on ancient numerous archaeology tours. especially around his home history of the Pyrenees and he has walked the Wanderlust’s 2019 World wide experience of leading Thrace, and led many town of Sligo. pilgrim route to Santiago Guide Awards. archaeology tours. Your tour leader for: Your tour leader for: tours through his country. de Compostela. Your tour leader for: Your tour leader for: Your tour leader for: Midwinter in The Mendips, Andorra & Occitania Your tour leader for: Avebury & Bath Éire’s Land of Heart’s Desire Your tour leader for: Sicilian Civilisations Sicilian Civilisations East Anglia: Origins of Bulgaria: Old Europe The Makings of Asturias England Éire’s Land of Heart’s Desire 6 7 Our Groups & Guides What to Expect We have always kept our group sizes small, generally What our clients say between 8 and 18 people.