2009 Tour
Journey to Greece: Exploring the Majestic Mountain Peaks and Sacred Caves
with Demetra George, M.A. and Dennis Harness, Ph.D.
Day 1: Saturday, September 19th - ATHENS
Our journey begins in Athens, the city sacred to Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom. We will gather in the early evening for an informal leisurely sunset stroll through the lofty heights of Acropolis. Then we descend into the colorful old city Plaka with its maze of shops to our garden restaurant to dine together at a local taverna with music and dancing.
We will stay overnight in Athens. Meals B D |  |
 | | After breakfast, we board our motorcoach, stopping en route at the secluded Oracle of Amphiaros where pilgrims would sleep in the temple precincts and ask for a dream to help them recover from illness. We arrive in Delphi in the late afternoon, and stop first at the Temple of Athena Pronaia and then at the sacred waters of the Castallian Springs. Our hotel in this picturesque town is nestled against the imposing slopes of Parnassus situated above the River Pleistos.
Overnight in Delphi. Meals B |
| In the morning we tour Delphi, the most important religious center of the ancient world, where for over 1000 years oracular priestesses would go into trance and give prophecies to those who requested spiritual guidance. We will pass by the Rock of the Sybil, the Temple of Apollo, the Theatre of Dionysus, and the magnificent treasuries. The site hosts a museum that has an exquisite collection of artifacts, including the bee hive shaped Omphalos. After lunch in Arahova, a small village known for its textiles and carpets, we shall proceed up the mountain by motorcoach, taxi, and foot to the Corycian Cave, the original site of Gaea’s dream oracle. Here the Maenads held torch lit | |  |
| celebrations during the winter months on the nearby slopes in honor of Dionysus. On-site teaching on the mysteries associated with the cave and overnight in Delphi. Meals B |
 | | After breakfast, we depart Delphi and make our way to Southern Greece, stopping along the way at Eleusis, the sacred site of Demeter and Persephone. We will visit the Kallichron Well where Demeter mourned the loss of her daughter; the Cave of Hades where legend has the descent of Persephone to the Underworld, the great Hall of the Telesterion in which the mysteries were revealed to the initiates, and the jewel of the museum housing much of the art excavated from this site.
Late afternoon will bring us to the small mountain village of Trikala on Mt. Kyllene (Ziria), the second highest peak of the Peloponese. We overnight in the Ouranodromies Hotel where each traditional rustic room is named after a constellation. Meals B
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| This Autumnal Equinox day is devoted to exploring the Arcadian landscape that was sacred to Hermes. Accompanied by a local guide, we shall make our way through the forest pines to the birth cave of Hermes that is filled with huge pure white stalactites. In the afternoon we will enjoy the spectacular view from our lofty hotel conference room and have half day seminar and dream work. This will be followed by dinner and dancing at our most favorite family run restaurant in all of Greece. Meals B |  |
 | | A morning flight takes us to the island of Crete, home of Europe’s earliest civilization.
After we check into our hotel, we will have time to relax and swim.
In the late afternoon, we will have a seminar introducing the myths, legends, art, and symbols of ancient Crete. Meals B |
| Day 7: Friday, September 25th - CRETE |
| The morning begins with a visit to the Cave of Eileithyia, dedicated to the goddess of childbirth, which has been continuously used since Neolith times. This followed by a tour of the archaeological museum at Iraklion which houses treasures of jewelry, statuary, and frescos of the Minoan civilization. After lunch, we will visit the palace of Knossos where legend recounts of the fabulous exploits of King Minos, Queen Pasiphae, the Minotaur, Ariadne, Theseus, Icarus and Daedalus. Our guide today and tomorrow is a treasure unto himself, filled with knowledge and passion for his homeland and who surprises us with unexpected opportunities to connect with the people of Crete. Meals B | |  |
 | | Today our odyssey takes us across the verdant Lasithi Plateau to the deep mystical Diktean Cave, a cult center to the Mother Goddess where according to myth baby Zeus was concealed for protection.
The second adventure of the day will be an ascent to the ancient Minoan peak sanctuary at the summit of Mount Karfi, where terracotta goddesses crowned with poppies and doves and arms raised in blessing were found.
Today rare birds of prey can sometimes be seen circling above the ancient shrine. Meals B
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| Today we sail away across the Aegean, passing by the other Cycladic islands to our destination at Mykonos. Mykonos Town, a maze of narrow twisting streets, vaulted alleys, and flower decked shaded squares is filled with shops and restaurants, punctuated by the signature windmills, chapels and whitewashed cuboid houses. We will stay several kilometers out of town at a beachfront hotel at Platys Yialos, which is the point of departure for the small caiques sailing to the infamous Paradise and Super Paradise beaches, accessible only by boat. This island’s lively sophisticated nightlife with clubs and music is sure to see many of us Dionysian revelers partake of its pleasures. Overnight in Mykonos. Meals B |  |
 | | This morning we board a local ferry and make the 45-minute journey to the small island of Delos, the spiritual center of the Greek world. The entire island is an archaeological site, no one is allowed to stay overnight, and this is where myth has Leto giving birth to Apollo and Artemis. This site has sanctuaries to most of the Greek gods, as well as the Syrian and Egyptian gods. Our boat will return us in time for a late lunch and leisurely shopping in Mykonos Town or for soaking in the sun and sea waves of the Aegean. Overnight in Mykonos. Meals B |
| Day 11: Tuesday, September 29th - MYKONOS |
We will gather together for a short seminar in the late morning for another dream group and to reflect and integrate the experiences of our journey. The rest of the day will be free and on your own, perhaps for an adventure to Paradise Beach.
We will end the day with a farewell gala dinner on the sea amidst Greek music and dancing.
Overnight in Mykonos. Meals B D | |  |
Day 12: Wednesday, September 30th - ATHENS
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 | | We return to Athens, and have the afternoon open for optional on your own visits to the New Acropolis museum, the National Archaeological Museum, many other museums, the ruins of the Platonic Academy, or last minute shopping.
Overnight in Athens for those concluding their journey, or board a flight to Cairo this evening or the next morning for those continuing to Egypt. - Egypt Tour Information Meals B |
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