STANFORD TRAVEL/STUDY Ancient Cities of the Eastern Mediterranean VOYAGE FROM CAIRO TO A THENS October 4 to 19, 2011 a program of the stanford alumni association KOURRON, CYPRUS The Byzantine and Roman empires spanned over 2,000 years and controlled an area that encompasses 50 modern- day countries. They were ruled by nearly 250 emperors, and hundreds of generals commanded thousands of troops in battles for control of land. Evidence of these empires can be found throughout the Mediterranean region in the form of exceptionally well- preserved ruins and antiquities. Here, history seeps into daily life giving one a means to contrast ancient versus modern in a relevant and tangible way. Whether your passion is history, art, religion or culture, the Eastern Mediterranean is filled with the promise of fueling those passions. Because the region is so vast, there’s no better way to explore it than by ship – just as the ancients did. Join us on this incredible journey. BRETT S. THOMPSON, ’83, DIRECTOR, STANFORD TRAVEL/STUDY Highlights MARVEL at the antiquities in VENTURE to the ancient VISIT Syria and spend DISCOVER the charming Cairo, from The Great Pyra- city of Petra and view its the day either exploring island of Rhodes and stroll mids to exquisite treasures famous Treasury. Palmyra or visiting Krak through its medieval walled displayed in the Egyptian des Chevaliers. Old Town. Museum. THE ACROPOLIS IBU TULUN MOSQUE, CAIRO G REECE T URKEY Athens Perge Antalya Side Iskenderun Antioch RHODES Ugarit Aleppo Lindos Heraklion Limassol Tartus Krak des Chevaliers CRETE Knossos Kourion S YRIA CYPRUS M e d i t e r r a n e a n S e a I SRAEL J ORDAN Petra Cairo Suez SAUDI Canal LIBYA Aqaba ARABIA E G YPT St. Catherine’s Monastery Sharm el Sheikh Red Sea exploring the wonders of Petra, the Ten Commandments, St. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12 TARTUS, SYRIA / PALMYRA the fabled, ancient, rose-red Catherine’s Monastery is a OR KRAK DES CHEVALIERS Itinerary city. Stories of Petra’s beauty, treasure trove of Byzantine Known as Tortosa by the TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY, history and immense wealth art: the mosaic of the Crusaders, Tartus was an OCTOBER 4 & 5 have spanned the centuries. Transfiguration in the basilica important port town for DEPART U.S. / CAIRO, EGYPT Spectacularly carved into is equal to anything seen in the Knights Templar. Travel Fly from the U.S. on overnight reddish sandstone cliffs Ravenna; the monastery’s to fabled Palmyra at the flights to Cairo. Upon arrival, and hills nearly 3,000 years collection of pre-Iconoclast edge of the Anti-Lebanon transfer to our hotel. HOTEL FOUR ago, it has witnessed the icons is unrivaled; and the Mountains. This desert oasis SEASONS CAIRO FIRST RESIDENCE flourishing trade routes of library possesses a remarkable was a vital link on the historic the Nabataeans, the Roman collection of rare manuscripts. Silk Route from China to THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6 CAIRO / SUEZ / EMBARK Empire, the Crusades and CORINTHIAN II (B,L,D) Europe and a buffer between Known as Memphis in ancient modern-day Bedouins. One of the Persian and Roman MONDAY, OCTOBER 10 times, Cairo has been Egypt’s the most fascinating ancient SUEZ CANAL, EGYPT empires. The excavations of most important city since 3100 sites in the Middle East, Petra Today is spent transiting the the 2nd-century AD city are BC Today the city is meeting was unknown to the outside 120-mile-long Suez Canal, vast and fascinating. See the challenge of providing for world for almost 1,000 years once named one of the seven the great Temple of Baal, its enormous population while until it was rediscovered in wonders of the modern world. the 300-column colonnade preserving its magnificent array 1812; its excavations reveal CORINTHIAN II (B,L,D) flanking the main street, the of historical and cultural sites. two miles of truly monumental beautiful theater-façade and architecture. Follow the Siq, a TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11 the museum. Alternatively, Visit the renowned Egyptian LIMASSOL, CYPRUS / Museum, a repository of the narrow gorge, into the city to KOURION drive to Krak des Chevaliers, finest antiquities, including explore the famous Treasury, Cyprus’ position as a the world’s best-preserved and finds from the tomb of the grandiose tombs, the steppingstone between most magnificent Crusader Tutankhamun. In Giza, see Roman-style theater and the East and West has left castle, which stands in its the famed Sphinx and other landmarks, most dating an unusually rich legacy of commanding site, essentially Pyramids, still among the from the 1st century BC the many civilizations that unchanged from the 12th wonders of the world. This CORINTHIAN II (B,L,D) flourished on the island. Visit century. Two mighty rings of the ancient city of Kourion, set fortifications defended the afternoon, embark our ship SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9 in Suez. CORINTHIAN II (B,L,D) SHARM EL SHEIKH / ST. upon a dramatic cliff. View the castle, which could support a CATHERINE’S MONASTERY mosaics depicting Achilles and garrison of 2,000 men. Explore FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7 This morning we dock at the gladiators near the Paphos this incredible landmark, and AT SEA / AQABA, JORDAN town of Sharm El Sheikh, Gate, and continue on to the after lunch, view the Greek Spend the morning at sea; located on a beautiful natural in the afternoon we dock in ruined 5th-century basilica and Orthodox Monastery of St. harbor, for an excursion to its adjoining baptistery and the George, originally built Aqaba. CORINTHIAN II (B,L,D) St. Catherine’s Monastery. restored Sanctuary of Apollo. in the 6th century. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8 Built by the Emperor Justinian CORINTHIAN II (B,L,D) CORINTHIAN II (B,L,D) AQABA / PETRA / AQABA in 537 near the site where From Aqaba, Jordan’s only Moses is said to have seen the seaport, spend a full day Burning Bush and received IBU TULUN MOSQUE, CAIRO THE GREAT MOSQUE, ALEPPO, SYRIA THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13 of the Emperor Constantine century AD CORINTHIAN II (B,L,D) Heraklion, Crete’s capital and LATAKIA / QALA’AT SALADIN AND UGARIT who made a pilgrimage to the largest city. After lunch, visit the SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16 OR ALEPPO AD CORINTHIAN Holy Land in 326 RHODES, GREECE / LINDOS excavations at Knossos, where Visit Latakia, originally a II (B,L,D) the brilliance and refinement of Phoenician trading port, for an The historic island of Rhodes was known in antiquity for the Minoans are revealed. The excursion to Qala’at Saladin FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14 ISKENDERUN, TURKEY / its schools of philosophy, largest palace of the period on (Saladin’s Castle), a Crusader ANTIOCH Crete, Knossos is a labyrinth castle built on a spectacular rhetoric and sculpture. Explore Drive from Iskenderun to Old Town, one of the largest of corridors and chambers gorge-surrounded site originally modern Antakya, or ancient decorated with frescoes occupied by the Phoenicians. medieval towns in Europe. Antioch. Founded in the 4th Walk along the Street of the illustrating life as it was 4,000 This afternoon, explore Ugarit, century BC by Seleucus I – years ago. Continue to the now known as Ras Shamra. Knights, overflowing with a general under Alexander mosaics, finely carved portals, Heraklion Museum’s temporary Once the most important the Great and one of his exhibit. CORINTHIAN II (B,L,D) and prosperous city in the balconies and coats of arms. successors, Antioch was Then visit the Archaeological Mediterranean, Ugarit was also destined to rival Alexandria TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18 a center of learning responsible Museum, housed in the former PIRAEUS / ATHENS / during the Hellenistic period, Knights’ Great Hospital. Also DISEMBARK for the Ugaritic alphabet, and later, be a powerful seat of The birthplace of Western an early 28-letter script that travel to picturesque Lindos. Christianity. Saint Paul climbed Set high above the village are culture, Athens boasts influenced both the Phoenician a 3,000-foot-high plateau here a plethora of historic and the Hebrew alphabets. the remains of the Acropolis to preach in the city where art and the Doric columns of monuments. In the morning, The site offers some of the best and culture flourished. Our tour the Acropolis, including Bronze Age relics in the Middle Athena’s Temple, among other visit to the ancient site includes structures, with spectacular the Erechtheion and the East, including the ruins of a the magnificent collection majestic Parthenon. After 14th-century BC palace and views of the Aegean. of Roman mosaics in the CORINTHIAN II (B,L,D) lunch at a taverna, continue the Temple of Baal, as well as Archaeological Museum to the stunning new Acropolis an elaborate system of Bronze and the Grotto of Saint Peter, MONDAY, OCTOBER 17 Museum. KING GEORGE II HOTEL. Age waterworks. Alternatively, which is cut out of a hillside. HERAKLION, CRETE / (B,L,D) take a full-day excursion PHAESTOS AND GORTYN / CORINTHIAN II (B,L,D) KNOSSOS to Aleppo, a city whose Crete, Zeus’ legendary WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19 settlement history reaches SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15 ATHENS | U.S. birthplace, was home to Transfer to the airport for back to the 4th-century BC ANTALYA / PERGE / ASPENDOS the Minoan civilization, return flights to Its Citadel, which dates to From Antalya, travel to two of Europe’s first. In the the U.S. (B) the middle of the 3rd-century Turkey’s most famous ancient morning take the BC, sits upon a hill, towering sites. Perge’s Hellenistic ruins opportunity to over the city center, and was include its great stadium; visit the sites once a bastion against foreign colonnaded, marble main of Phaestos invasion. See its Great Mosque street; and theater.