Winter in Greece: The Charming Port City of Nafplion

Activity note: Check-in available from 2:00 PM.

Dinner: In the hotel restaurant, we will enjoy a festive Welcome Dinner. This will be a 3-course set meal with beverage choices of coffee, tea, water, plus a glass of wine

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: The drive from Athens to Nafplion is approximately 2 hours. Today’s activities include walking up to 3 hours including uphill along a winding trail with many well-worn steps to reach the Acropolis, no handrails; uneven, slippery and rocky at the top; standing up to 2 hours. At the Acropolis Museum, walking and standing for more than an hour.

Breakfast: In the hotel dining room.

Morning: Begin your exploration of Athens with a visit to its signature site – the Acropolis. Led by your Group Leader, climb the rocky summit to explore some of the most iconic monuments of ancient Athens. The Acropolis’ focal point is the Parthenon, built in honor of the city’s patroness Athena and completed in 432 B.C. Learn how ancient peoples transformed this site into a manifestation of Greek advancement in culture and the arts, and how this legacy lingers to the present. After our visit, we will descend from the Acropolis site and enjoy a visit to the Acropolis Museum. This museum holds the exquisite finds from the Acropolis, and lies over ruins of Roman and early Byzantine Athens. Your Group Leader will provide commentary on some of the most notable pieces of the museum, before providing you with some time to explore the exhibitions on your own.

Lunch: On your own.

Afternoon: Transfer via motorcoach to the city of Nafplion, Greece. Upon arrival, check-in to your new hotel and enjoy some time to relax and settle into your rooms.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: The drive from Nafplion to Epidaurus is approximately 45 minutes each way. Today’s activities will include walking up to 2 hours on uneven and varied terrain with inclines, several steps without handrails.

Breakfast: In the hotel dining room.

Morning: We will depart by motorcoach to explore Epidaurus, birthplace of Apollo’s son Asclepios, the god of medicine, and one of the most acclaimed healing centers of the classical world. Among the sites we will visit is the famous Epidaurus Theatre, built in honor of Asclepios and one of the best preserved ancient Greek theaters in the world. It is also considered the most perfect ancient Greek theater when it comes to acoustics.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: After lunch, we will transfer by coach once again to Nafplion. The rest of the afternoon is free for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Your Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions and provide directions.

Dinner: On your own.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: The drive from Nafplion to Olympia is approximately 2.5 hours each way. Today’s activities will include walking and standing for 4 hours on uneven and varied terrain without handrails.

Breakfast: In the hotel dining room.

Morning: We will travel by motorcoach to the archaeological site of ancient Olympia, home to the Olympic Games from the 8th century BCE to the 4th century CE. We’ll visit the ruins of the gymnasium where the athletes trained and the stadium where they competed every four years during the sacred games. Afterwards, we’ll explore the ruins of the Temple of Hera and the Temple Zeus, considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: We will take a short walk to the nearby Archeological Museum of Olympia. Led by our Group Leader, learn more about the unique sculptures and objects of worship discovered in the surrounding area, including the nearby site of the Ancient Olympic Games. After our visit, we will board the motorcoach once again and return to Nafplion.

Dinner: On your own.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: The drive from Nafplion to Mycenae is approximately 45 minutes each way. Today’s activities will include walking and standing for 2 hours on uneven and varied terrain with inclines, several steps without handrails.

Breakfast: In the hotel dining room.

Morning: We will transfer by motorcoach to the archeological site of Mycenae. Led by your Group Leader, take a walk and learn about the great Mycenean culture that flourished in this area of the Argolid Plain between 1600 and 1300 BCE. At the heart of this culture was this ancient city of Mycenea, believed to be the capital of King Agamemnon as well as the “well-built citadel” of Homer’s Iliad.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: We will board the motorcoach and transfer to a local vineyard, where famous Nemean wine is produced. Situated among the vines, the Domaine Skouras winery is an ultra-modern winemaking facility with elegant Greek architecture. Learn about the terroir of Nemean wine, and experience the taste as we enjoy a tasting led by a member of the facility. After, we will transfer by motorcoach to a nearby ceramics factory, where we will continue exploring Greek traditions. Ancient Greece was famed for its ceramics and pottery, in which olive oil and wine was mixed and stored. Led by our Group Leader, we will learn how this tradition has been preserved in modern times, and we will get to see some members of the factory create some ceramic pieces.

Dinner: On your own.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: The drive from Nafplion to Corinth is approximately 1 hour. It is then another 2.5 hours to Delphi. Today’s activities will include walking and standing for up to 2 hours on uneven terrain, some stairs without railings.

Breakfast: In the hotel dining room.

Morning: We will check-out of our hotel and make our way via motorcoach to Ancient Corinth. Located on the narrow stretch of land that connects the Peloponnese to mainland Greece, this ancient city was once one of the largest and most important cities in all of Greece. Destroyed by the Romans in 146 BCE during the Achean War, it was rebuilt by the Romans in 44 BC as a new city – marking the beginning of Roman domination in Greek history. During our field trip, we will explore the archeological site and remains of this ancient city known as “Roman Corinth”, and see a collection of the discoveries from this site at the nearby Archeological Museum.

Lunch: On your own.

Afternoon: We will board our motorcoach and continue our way towards Delphi. Upon arrival, we will check-in to our hotel and settle into our rooms. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure to relax or to explore Delphi on your own.

Dinner: In the hotel dining room.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: The drive from Delphi to Athens is approximately 2.5 hours. Today’s activities will include walking up to 2 hours on uneven terrain with stairs.

Breakfast: In the hotel dining room.

Morning: Delphi was an ancient sanctuary and one of the most important religious sites between the years of 700 BCE and 400 BCE. Home to the “Oracle of Delphi”, the most prestigious and authoritative high priestess and oracle of the ancient Greek world, Delphi was renown as the “center of the world” to the ancient Greeks. During our field trips today we will visit the archeological site of Delphi, located on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, where this ancient sanctuary offers breathtaking views of the mountain and valleys below. We will also explore the Delphi Archeological Museum, which includes findings from this archeological site and showcases some of the best-known sculptures of the ancient world.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: We will board our motorcoach and transfer to Athens. Upon arrival, we will check-in to our new hotel and settle into our rooms. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure to relax or further explore Athens on your own.

Dinner: At the hotel, we’ll have a plated meal with a glass of wine. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our Farewell Dinner.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: Hotel check-out by 12:00 PM.

Breakfast: In the hotel dining room.