Meeting Place of Empires: An Exploration of the Balkans Through the Centuries

Detailed Itinerary
September 22 - October 3, 2013

Sunday, September 22, 2013 - FLY FROM USA

Monday, September 23 - Venice, Italy | Embark
Arrive in Venice and transfer to Corinthian. (D)

Tuesday, September 24 - Split, Croatia
Originally a Greco-Illyrian settlement called Aspalathos, Split is an ancient city centered around the formidable Palace of Diocletian, built in A.D. 295. An extensive structure, much of which is well preserved, the palace contains within its walls Split’s medieval town, making it the only palace that has been continuously inhabited since Roman times. Also visit the Archaeological Museum. (B, L, D)

Wednesday, September 25 - Ploce | Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina | Ploce, Croatia
Sail to Ploce for an excursion to Mostar, which became a thriving center in the 15th century under the Ottoman Turks. Admire the ethereally graceful Stari Most (“Old Bridge”), originally built in 1566, and the nearby Tabacica Mosque. (B, L, D)

Thursday, September 26 - Dubrovnik | Kotor, Montenegro
For hundreds of years, Dubrovnik (the “Pearl of the Adriatic”) was an independent city-state set in competition with Venice for Constantinople’s trade routes. Visit the Franciscan Monastery, Dominican Monastery, and the Baroque Cathedral, containing works by Titian and Andrea del Sarto. Also view the wonderful courtyard of the Rector’s Palace. Depart on a scenic drive through the mountains to Kotor, located at the head of its namesake bay. One of the most quaint and best-preserved medieval towns along the Dalmatian coast, Kotor is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. The town’s fortifications and most of its monuments, which we will visit on a walking tour, date from the time of Venetian rule. (B, L, D)

Friday, September 27 - Saranda, Albania | Butrint | Saranda
From Saranda, drive to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Butrint. Inhabited since prehistoric times, the city was founded by the Trojans, or so claimed the poet Virgil. A gem of an archaeological site, its ruins span 2,500 years and include the remains of a Greek acropolis, Roman theater, 6th-century baptistery, and 19th-century fortress. (B, L, D)

Saturday, September 28 - Itea, Greece | Delphi | Itea
Delphi’s Sanctuary of Apollo is one of Greece’s most impressive sites. From the harbor at Itea, drive through lush olive groves up to the site, stunningly situated upon a mountain terrace. Our visit begins at the Castalian Spring, erupting from the spot where Pegasus is said to have struck his hoof. Continue up the Sacred Way, passing the treasury of the Athenians and the bases of many monuments, the temple of Apollo, the theater, and the ancient stadium, the best-preserved in Greece. (B, L, D)

Sunday, September 29 - Chios
Today visit Chios, the Greek island claiming to be Homer’s birthplace. The island’s volcanic rock formations and deep green valleys forge a landscape of stunning color oppositions and intricate appearances. Visit the 11th-century Monastery of Nea Moni, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most important ecclesiastical monuments in Greece. The Monastery sits majestically in a wooded vale and is decorated throughout with exquisite frescoes and mosaics. (B, L, D)

Monday, September 30 - Izmir, Turkey | Sardis | Izmir
Arrive in Izmir and take an excursion to the ruins of the ancient city of Sardis. Sardis was one of the world’s wealthiest cities from the 7th to the mid-6th centuries b.c. and was most likely inhabited as far back as 1200 b.c. First settled by the Lydians, natives of Anatolia, the city was also home to Persians, Macedonians, and Romans. During the first major excavations here in the 1950s, archaeologists unearthed an ancient synagogue. Later excavations revealed remnants of a flourishing Jewish settlement, which coexisted peacefully with Christian ones. Explore the massive 4th-century a.d. synagogue, whose walls are covered by impressive mosaics; the bath complex; the Temple of Artemis, built by the Lydian king Croesus and later rebuilt by Alexander the Great; and other ruins. (B, L, D)

Tuesday, October 1 - Thessaloniki, Greece
Arrive in Thessaloniki, justly famous for its late Classical and medieval remains as well as early Christian churches. On a tour of the city, explore several of these monuments, including a visit to a Byzantine church as well as a choice of the Byzantine Museum or the Archaeological Museum. (B, L, D)

Wednesday, October 2 - At Sea
Attend lectures while sailing toward Istanbul. (B, L, D)

Thursday, October 3 - Istanbul, Turkey | Disembark | USA
Disembark in Istanbul and transfer to the airport for return flights to the U.S. (B)

If you have any additional questions, please email us at aia@studytours.org (and include your full name) or call us toll-free at (800) 748-6262 (toll: 603-756-2884).