DAY 1 – Wed, Nov 13: We depart from Miami on Turkish Airlines to Istanbul and connect to our Turkish Airlines flight to Athens, Greece. M

DAY 2 – Thu, Nov 14: During our layover at the Istanbul Airport, we have time to shop some of the Turkish markets and enjoy dinner on our own before our flight to Athens.  We arrive in Athens and check into the Divani Palace Acropolis Hotel. 

DAY 3 – Fri, Nov 15: After breakfast, we start our historical walk to the Hill of Mars. We stand where Paul stood while preaching to the Areopagites, the members of the Supreme Court of ancient Athens. We view the ancient Athenian Agora and gradually proceed to the top of the Acropolis while enjoying the stunning views of the Philopappos Hill, the Hill of Pnyx where “democracy” was born, the city of Piraeus, and the mountains embracing the modern city of Athens.  On our way to the top, we enjoy the magnificent marble structures built in the 5^th century BC while our expert guide narrates the local myths and talks about the history of this influential city and its Acropolis.  We continue our walk down to the new Acropolis Museum where the important finds from the Acropolis and the surrounding areas are exhibited. We visit the historical center of Athens with a walk through the Plaka, the old quarter of the city.  We enjoy a traditional Greek lunch before having the rest of the day to explore on our own.  BL

DAY 4 – Sat, Nov 16: We depart in our motor coach for Arachova. We drive northwest by crossing the beautiful fertile plains of Boeotia surrounded by mountains related to Greek mythology. A scenic detour takes us to the slopes of Mt. Helicon where a magnificent monastery of the 11^th century is located. Ossios Loukas (Blessed Luke) is regarded as one of the most important Byzantine monasteries in Greece.  We continue to the village of Arachova and check into the Anemolia Mountain Resort. In the afternoon, we walk to the center of the picturesque village of Arachova. We convene for our evening meeting and dinner at the hotel. BD

DAY 5 – Sun, Nov 17: After breakfast, we drive to the nearby village of Delphi to visit the archaeological site and the museum. The ancient Greeks placed here one of the most important and most influential oracles of the ancient world, the oracle dedicated to Apollo, the god of the music and the arts. We explore the ancient site, walk by the sacred Castalian Spring on the Sacred Way.  We see the Treasury of the Athenians, the Polygonal Wall, the Rock of the Sibyl, the Temple of Apollo, and the Theater. We climb to the top of the hill and visit the Ancient Stadium.  On the way down, we see the remains of the sanctuary of Athena Pronaia where the remains of the Tholos building can be seen. We continue to the archaeological museum and see some of the sculptural masterpieces of ancient Greek art.  We have free time to stroll through the village and have lunch on our own.  We return to Arachova and our hotel for a relaxing evening. Before dinner, we gather for our meeting.  BD

DAY 6 – Mon, Nov 18: After breakfast, we set out for our scenic drive around the Corinthian Gulf. We enjoy great views of the mountains of Central Greece as well as of the ones of northern Peloponnese. We reach the mouth of the Gulf of Corinth marked by the impressive suspended bridge between Antirrio and Rio that connects the region of Central Greece to the Peloponnese.  We continue to ancient Mycenae. The imposing site brings back to memory the glorious, but also tragic, story of the mighty King Agamemnon and his entire family. We see the famous Lion’s Gate, the royal tombs excavated by Heinrich Schliemann, the remains of the royal palace as well as the amazing 13^thcentury BC beehive burial chamber known as the Tomb of Agamemnon or the Treasury of Atreus. Next, we stop at the nearby village of Mycenae for lunch and then proceed to Nafplion, the most elegant town in mainland Greece, where we check into the magnificent Hotel Ippoliti. We have the rest of the day for exploration and dinner on our own. BL

DAY 7 – Tues, Nov 19: After a leisurely breakfast, we depart for a beautiful drive through the orange and olive groves of Argolis, and arrive at Epidaurus where one of the best-preserved theaters of the Greek antiquity can be found. This is the place where the ancient Greeks believed that the Aesculapius, the god of medicine, was born. We learn all about the Greek theater and drama and how the ancient theatrical performances had a multi-functional use as an entertainment, as a didactic mean, and as a group therapy. We explore the museum and the remains of the Sanctuary of Asklepios. We return to Nafplion and enjoy lunch under own arrangements. After lunch, we have the opportunity to stroll around the beautiful alleys of Nafplion, step in its historical churches, or for the adventurous, climb the steps of the imposing Venetian Fort of Palamidi.  In the evening, we meet for reflection before enjoying dinner at a lovely local restaurant. We return to Hotel Ippoliti.BD

DAY 8 – Wed, Nov 20: After breakfast, we depart from Nafplion to Athens. We stop at the biblical site of Ancient Corinth and visit one of the most important sites of Greece. We walk next to the remains of the 7^th century BC Temple of Apollo, the ancient Agora, the Lechaion Road, the sacred Peirene Spring, but above all, we stand on the Bema where Paul preached to the Corinthians. Before leaving, we visit the museum. 
On our way to the Corinth Canal, which connects the Aegean to the Ionian Sea, we stop at a humble group of ruins right on the water known as Kenchrae, the remains of the port where Paul landed coming from Athens. From here, we enjoy a smooth drive back to Athens with great views of the Aegean Sea. We arrive in Athens in the early afternoon and check into the Divani Acropolis Hotel. We have the afternoon at our leisure. We meet in the evening for our farewell dinner. BD

DAY 9 – Thu, Nov 21: After breakfast, we transfer to the Athens Airport for our departure flight back to Miami via Istanbul. BM

B – Breakfast   L – Lunch   D – Dinner  M – Meal on Aircraft

Itinerary is subject to change due to local conditions or at the discretion of the leaders.

CT19031 Milde Greece

Price is based on double occupancy:

15-22 pilgrims:  $2999*

23-30 pilgrims:  $2699*

Single supplement: $499

*Price includes airline taxes and fuel surcharges which are subject to change.  Any change will be reflected on your final invoice.  Optional activities and sites visited during your free time are not included in the cost of the pilgrimage and are to be paid for at the time of your visit.