SPECIAL OFFER -SA £200VE PER PERSON AEGEAN ANTIQUITIES A VOYAGE FROM THESSALONIKI TO ISTANBUL ABOARD THE MS SERENISSIMA WITH GUEST SPEAKER NIGEL MCGILCHRIST 5TH TO 14TH APRIL 2022 Syros Letoon. Sanctuary of Leto, Xanthos oin us aboard the 95-passenger MS Serenissima as we explore some of the unspoiled islands, timeless villages and ancient sites of the Aegean. J Istanbul This wonderful region has attracted, inspired, and fascinated travellers Thessaloniki Canakkale Meteora Troy TURKEY throughout the centuries and during this voyage we will concentrate on Pergamon Volos Skyros Dikili the splendid archaeological sites of the Eastern Aegean, an incomparable Ephesus GREECE region of Greek and Roman architectural treasures. Visiting some of the Kusadasi Patmos most historic and scenically beautiful places in Greece and Turkey, our Delos Syros itinerary represents small ship cruising at its best and is timed for April when, in the absence of high summer crowds, 3000 years of history can be viewed in relative peace and quiet. During our voyage we will explore the history, culture and myths of ancient Greece and Turkey including visits to sacred Delos, the ancient city of Ephesus, one of the most famous Graeco- Roman sites in the Mediterranean, and Pergamon which was one of the cultural capitals of antiquity and is one of the finest archaeological sites in Turkey. In between, we will also visit the quintessential, white-washed villages of the Greek Isles and sail through some of the most beautiful coastal scenery in the Mediterranean. There will be some late departures from port, which afford the opportunity to take a stroll in some marvellous places that are particularly atmospheric in the evening and we have also included time at leisure on some of the islands to stroll around the villages and towns and soak up the atmosphere. Whether you are interested in ancient history or simply enjoy cruising amongst beautiful scenery, this voyage has much to offer. Guest Speaker - Nigel McGilchrist The Itinerary reconstruction of the Great Mound Nigel McGilchrist has lived and worked in the Day 1 London to Thessaloniki, that originally marked the site Mediterranean – Italy, Turkey and Greece – for nearly Greece. Fly by scheduled flight. of the Royal Tombs. The tombs forty years. After graduating from Oxford with a On arrival transfer to the were discovered in 1977-78 by the starred First in English, he began teaching at the MS Serenissima and enjoy welcome archaeologist Manolis Andronikos University of Rome and subsequently worked for the drinks and dinner as we moor and until their discovery they were Italian Superintendence of Fine Arts. All his spare time overnight. covered by a protective tumulus 13 was spent exploring the lands, coasts and the cultures metres high and 110 metres across. of the Mediterranean world. He has lectured for many Day 2 Thessaloniki. Spend the Return to the MS Serenissima for years on the art and history of the area for museums day in Greece’s second city of lunch and enjoy an afternoon at and institutions in Europe and America – among them, the Getty Museum Thessaloniki. During our morning leisure to explore at your own pace and the Smithsonian in Washington, DC. He has taken many specialist tour we will explore the Vergina before we sail this evening. tours to Italy, Greece, Sicily and Malta; and has been a Guest Speaker Royal Tombs Museum which for several Noble Caledonia cruises. He was formerly Dean of European displays the superb decorated Day 3 Volos for Meteora. From our Studies for a consortium of American universities. He is the author of a facades of the temple-like tombs berth in Volos we will drive through twenty-volume series of survey/guides of the archaeology, history and art of of King Philip II and a young prince the fertile plains of Thessaly towards the sixty inhabited Aegean Islands. He lived previously in Umbria, where he (thought to be Alexander IV), the Meteora (“monasteries in midair”), produced wine and oil; he now lives in Greece. treasures found within them and a one of the most extraordinary www.noble-caledonia.co.uk Old Fortress, Alanya Library of Celsus, Ephesus Thessaloniki Letoon. Sanctuary of Leto, Xanthos Troy sights in Greece and in all Europe. important landmarks on the island and early 20th century, created houses and Byzantine churches and Rising from Thessaly’s valley are which offers views over the Aegean through commerce and shipping, climb to the Monastery of St John gigantic rocks on top of which are and the surrounding islands. Also is reflected in the architecture with the Theologian. Return to the monasteries built by hermits some see the statue to British poet Rupert a beautiful square, town hall and MS Serenissima for lunch and enjoy 600 years ago and which are now a Brooke who died on the island theatre. Overlooking Ermoupoli an afternoon and evening at leisure UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit during the First World War. stands the hill-top Ano Syros, the to explore the picturesque town of the monastery of Varlaam, originally original Medieval district with Skala or maybe enjoy a swim at a founded in the 14th century and Day 5 Delos & Syros. Though the narrow lanes and whitewashed nearby beach. covered in fine frescoes and the smallest of the Cyclades, Delos houses. Please note that we will be monastery of Roussanou. We will was once the political and religious at anchor in Delos and will use the Day 7 Kusadasi & Ephesus, Turkey. enjoy lunch in a local restaurant centre for the whole of the Aegean. vessel’s Zodiacs to transfer ashore. Arriving at Kusadasi at breakfast before we return to the MS Birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, time we will drive to the nearby Serenissima and sail this evening. it boasted an oracle second only Day 6 Patmos. Of all the Greek ancient city of Ephesus, a stunning to that of Delphi. Explore the islands, Patmos is the most sacred and partially excavated site where Day 4 Skyros. Spend the morning magnificent archaeological site to Christians both Orthodox and digging has been taking place at sea as we cruise to Skyros, the including the marble sanctuary of Western; it was here that St John for over a century. Broad streets most remote and least developed Apollo. Sail over lunch to Syros received his revelation. This morning are lined by impressive buildings of the Sporades Islands. On an which was the largest cultural and we will make our way to the grotto including the Library of Celsus afternoon tour we will visit Chora, trade centre of the Aegean in of St John. This small cave, now and the temples of Serapis and the island’s capital and one of the the 19th century and the capital converted into the beautiful chapel, Hadrian. Once the capital of Ionia, most beautiful villages in Skyros. On Ermoupolis was Greece’s principal is where the Saint lived, had his St Paul preached here on his second a hill above Chora sits an imposing port. Enjoy a leisurely afternoon to revelation and wrote ‘Book of the missionary journey. We will see the Byzantine castle and the monastery stroll through the town where the Apocalypse’. From here continue to Church of the Virgin Mary, the most of Saint George, one of the most prosperity of the island in the 19th the village of Chora, with its simple important Christian monument in Ephesus and the spectacular Grand Theatre, originally built in the 3rd Temple of Trajan, Pergamon century BC by the Greeks, and later expanded by the Romans to its present capacity of 24,000. St Paul used to give his sermons from this theatre which has a row of seats 30 metres above the orchestra. The afternoon is free to explore Kusadasi at your own pace. Day 8 Pergamon. From our berth in Dikili we will drive inland, past fertile fields and olive trees, to the present day modern town of Bergama, once known as Pergamon, a great centre of culture. Today Pergamon is one of Turkey’s finest archaeological sites. We will visit the Asclepion, a healing centre from the 4th century BC and one of the most important sites of Pergamon. Discover the Temple of Asclepios, the amphitheatre, and walk through the sacred corridor Delos Monastery of St.John, Patmos and down the ancient, arcaded, Plain of Ilium. It was at one of marble-paved boulevard. Continue these cities, as legend has it, that Post-cruise Istanbul extension into the town of Bergama and visit the Greeks fought the Trojans 14th to 16th April 2022 the Archaeological Museum which as told by Homer in the Iliad. houses relics discovered during the Our tour follows the excavations Istanbul excavations of Pergamon. En-route made by Heinrich Schliemann, we will see the Basilica which was the archaeologist who discovered one of the earliest of the Seven Troy and ‘Priam’s Treasure’, the Churches of Asia Minor. Take a jewels that, Schliemann claimed, cable car up to the Acropolis to were worn by Helen of Troy. We explore the remains of the citadel will walk the walls that held Helen and the city walls, the foundations of Troy and look down at the plain of the Zeus Altar, and the Royal where Achilles dragged the dead Palace. Lunch today will be enjoyed body of Hector. We can also visit For those who wish to spend some time discovering Istanbul after in one of the local restaurants. the on-site Troy Museum. Return disembarking the MS Serenissima we are offering a two night hotel to the ship for lunch and spend a extension with included sightseeing.