Greece
The Best of Greece: Island Hopping in the Aegean
Program No. 20916RJ
Discover ancient relics, iconic architecture, inspired art and enduring traditions as you voyage throughout the timeless islands of Greece — a haven of antiquity.
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15 days
14 nights
30 meals
13B 8L 9D
1
In Transit to Program
In Flight
5
Ferry Ride to Delos, Free Time
Mykonos
8
Ferry Ride to Santorini, Fira, Oia
Santorini
11
Knossos, Free Time
Heraklion
12
Gortyna, Phaistos, Vori
Heraklion
15
Program Concludes
In Flight
At a Glance
In the Cyclades Islands, discover where mild Aegean breezes refresh communities built among the remains of ancient civilizations and waves lap at the shores of fishing villages where traditional ways of life survive unchanged for centuries. From grand architecture to captivating archaeological sites, learn how the story of Greek civilization is the story of its islands.
Activity Level
Let's Go!
Walking uphill and downhill, up to two miles per day, on uneven terrain, cobblestone and marble streets that may be slippery. Steep stairs without railings and standing for four hours per day with breaks at museum/historic sites. Participants must carry their luggage on and off the ships.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Climb the Acropolis in Athens to the Parthenon and explore the National Archaeological Museum.
- Come ashore on the islands of Mykonos, Delos, Paros and Santorini to learn about their role in Greek civilization, as well as the ancient Minoan civilization on the island of Crete.
- Participate in traditional music and dance and taste ouzo, a time-honored drink among Greeks.
Suggested Reading List
(20 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
The Best of Greece: Island Hopping in the Aegean
Program Number: 20916
The Complete World of Greek Mythology
With hundreds of color illustrations, site plans, genealogies and maps, this handsome, encyclopedic reference illuminates the world of the Greek gods.
It's All Greek to Me
With timelines, a who's who, charts and maps, this handy little primer is a thoroughly entertaining introduction to everything Greek, from poetry and drama to philosophy, history and culture.
Homer the Classic
Harvard classics scholar Nagy considers how Homer’s poetry was greeted in its own day and in the centuries immediately following the great bard.
The World of the Ancient Greeks
Featuring hundreds of illustrations and invitingly short chapters on topics from the first Greeks to the Heroic Age and classical Athens. With modern color photographs of great Greek cities from Athens and Delphi to Knossos, Ephesus, Pergamum and Priene.
A Traveller's History of Greece
A nicely written survey from prehistory through the 1990s: wide-ranging, accessible and necessarily condensed.
Ancient Greece: Art, Architecture, and History
This lively illustrated guide covers the architecture, painting and sculpture of Ancient Greece from the third millennium to the end of the Hellenistic period. With 282 color and 28 black-and-white illustrations.
The Colossus of Maroussi
Miller captures the spirit and warmth of the resilient Greek people in this inspired tale of a wartime journey from Athens to Crete, Corfu and Delphi with his friend Lawrence Durrell.
The King Must Die
The first in Mary Renault's trilogy of well-researched page-turners features the tale of Theseus, slayer of the Minotaur and the king of Athens. Known for her exhaustive research, Renault is an acknowledged master of historical fiction.
Greece, A Traveler's Literary Companion
In this terrific anthology, 24 modern Greek writers offer a flavor of their nation, its culture and people, beautiful landscapes and rich history.
Travels With Epicurus
Daniel Klein's witty meditation on the ancients, life in the Greek Islands, his favorite philosophers -- and growing old gracefully -- is also a delightful romp through the Aegean, primarily set on Hydra.
Greek, A Language Map
This durable, foldout card gives easy phonetic pronunciation for several hundred of the most commonly needed words and phrases.
The Greek Myths, Complete Edition
A new edition of Graves' classic collection with a cover by comic book artist Ross MacDonald. This expert retelling by Graves, a poet, memoirist and the author of I, Claudius (ITL429), still remains the seminal modern translation of the mythologies of Ancient Greece.
Greece Map
A colorful shaded map of Greece, the Greek Islands and the western coast of Turkey (including Istanbul) at a scale of 1:800,000.
Eyewitness Guide Greek Islands
Color photography, excellent local maps and an island-by-island synopsis of attractions make this book the one to carry with you. Includes a chapter on Athens.
Greece, Land of Light
Brukoff's dramatic color photographs are paired with incisive commentary by award-winning author Nicholas Gage for this striking portrait of the people, land and history of Greece and the islands.
The Parthenon
A lively tale of the construction, significance and uses of the 2,500-year-old architectural marvel.
Corelli's Mandolin
This lyrical novel captures the humanity, quirks and loves of village life in the Greek islands. A satire of war, this charming and richly-colored novel is set on Cephalonia during the Italian occupation in the 1940s.
Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea, Why the Greeks Matter
Cahill brings to life ancient Greek society and civilization through the lives and words of politicians, playwrights, a poet, a philosopher and an artist in this eloquent and absorbing tribute.
The Most Beautiful Villages of Greece
Organized geographically, this handsome oversize picture book is an illustrated portrait of Greece with hundreds of color photographs accompanying lively essays.
The Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Greece
This pictorial survey of Greek antiquity, recording its culture and expansion, features dozens of full-color maps.
