We invite you to join us as we explore the
archaeological heritage of Northern Greece,
April 26 - May 10, 2019, with noted
archaeologist, Dr. Ken Sheedy!
We will explore the homeland of Alexander
the Great, and King Philip II of Macedon, and
the ancient cities of Northern Greece. We will
see tombs which were discovered in the last 60
years, including the famous Macedonian Tomb
from the late 4th century BC, and others in the
3rd century BC.
At Aegai, we will see the spectacular Museum
of the Royal Tombs of Aegai which is
underground and is extraordinary. It is
believed to be the royal tomb of King Philip II.
Elsewhere we will see superb Byzantine
architecture and artifacts from the Paleolithic
to the Roman period, the ancient Royal Palace
of Pella, and ancient cities of Therma, Olynthus,
Archaeological Heritage of
NORTHERN GREECEApril 26–May 10, 2019
Argilos, and Stagira, the birthplace of Aristotle,
as well as the historic city of Thessaloniki.
To the east, we will explore ancient Kavala
and Philippi, the “small Rome,” and the ancient
forum on the island of Thasos, all with the
superb leadership of Ken Sheedy. Dazzling gold
objects from these sites are found in the
excellent archaeology museums on our route,
plus so much more!
We hope you will join us as we delve into this
fascinating heritage of Northern Greece!
Best Regards,
Margaret M. Betchart
President, Betchart Expeditions Inc.
for AAAS, Sigma Xi, ACS &
The Planetary Society
Days 1/2 Depart USA for Greece
Depart the USA for Athens, Greece, arriving on the
morning of Day 2. Transfer to the Herodion Hotel (2
nights) for rest and leisure. Depart by metro in late
afternoon for the Byzantine and Christian Museum.
Have an introduction to Byzantine art at the finest
Byzantine art museum in the world.
Day 3 Acropolis & New Acropolis Museum
National Archaeology Museum
This morning we will visit the Acropolis and the
Parthenon. The height of the Golden Age of Athens
is displayed on this hilltop. The Acropolis will give
you a feel for the artistic beauty, richness, and
importance of ancient Athens, the empire that ruled
the Eastern Mediterranean. We will also visit the New
Acropolis Museum. This afternoon explore the
collections at the National Archaeology Museum.
Welcome dinner. B,D
Day 4 Athens to Kastoria
This morning we will fly from Athens to the
coastal city of Thessaloniki in Northern Greece,
and then drive to the lovely city of Kastoria in the
northwest of the Greek region of Macedonia.
ITINERARY
Beautifully situated on the shore of Lake Orestiada,
in a valley surrounded by limestone mountains,
Kastoria is renowned as a rare example of
Byzantine churches and post-Byzantine traditional
houses built in the 17th to 19th centuries. Hotel
(1 night). B,L
Day 5 Kozani & Veroia
This morning, we will visit the important
Archaeological Museum in Kozani, and enjoy great
views of the Pindos Range.Many antiquities from the
prehistoric to the Byzantine period have been
unearthed here. The museum includes artifacts from
the Paleolithic to the Roman period. We will then
explore Veroia, where important Byzantine
monuments and post-Byzantine churches are found.
We will then arrive at modern Lefkadia, where the
famous Macedonian Tomb from the late 4th century
BC was found in 1954. Arrive in the Greek port city of
Thessaloniki. Hotel (5 nights). B,L
Day 6 Ancient Masterpieces in Thessaloniki
Today, we’ll explore the Archaeological Museum of
Thessaloniki which includes masterpieces of ancient
Greek art from prehistoric times to late antiquity.
LEADERSHIP Leading this expedition will be Dr. Ken
Sheedy, Director of the Australian Centre for
Ancient Numismatics at Macquarie University in
Sydney, Australia. Formerly with the British
Museum and the Australian Archaeological
Institute in Athens, Greece, Ken is an archaeologist
whose special focus is the Greek world.
Ken is an authority on Greek coins and has a
particular interest in the archaeology of the
Cyclades Islands in the central Aegean. He has
published papers on many Greek archaeology
topics and has participated in excavations on Paros
and the Greek mainland.
Ken is an experienced
lecturer and is a popular
leader of many past Aegean
Odyssey Expeditions for
Sigma Xi and AAAS. He
looks forward to sharing
his love of Greek history
and archaeology, and his
enthusiasm for the culture
and people of Greece
with you.
ALBANIA
BULGARIA
PELOPONNESE
GREECEAEGEAN
SEA
IONIANSEA
Mt. Olympus
Pindos Range
Athens
KastoriaThessaloniki
Kavala
Island ofThasos
Chalkidiki
PhilippiKomotiniXanthi
Abdera
Kozani
MACEDONIA
Archaeological Heritageof Northern Greece
Thessaloniki 1917
We’ll see the stunning finds from the royal tombs of
the Macedonian kings, plus the Dervini Krater, a
spectacular gold container discovered in 1962 in the
Derveni cemetery. Also of special interest at the
Museum are the Aravissos Hoard, 5 spectacular
prehistoric gold pendants from 4,500 - 3,200 BC, and
the Petralona Hoard of bronze tools from the Early
Bronza Age (3rd millennium BC).
The Derveni Papyrus (dated from 340 to 320 BC)
is the oldest surviving book in Europe, and was also
found in the Derveni cemetery. In the afternoon,
we will explore Roman and Byzantine monuments
and churches in Thessaloniki. B
Day 7 Vergina (Aegai) & Dion
& Royal Tomb of King Philip II
This morning we will depart for the ancient site of
Aegai, the capital of Macedon until it was superseded
by Pella. We’ll see the recently discovered royal tomb
of King Philip II (the father of
Alexander the Great, who left
Aegai and changed the history of
Greece and the Western world).
We’ll visit the spectacular
Museum of the Royal Tombs of
Aegai which is underground (the
tombs are extraordinary). This
afternoon explore Dion, the
sacred town of ancient Macedon, and the Dion
archaeological site. B,L
Day 8 Pella Royal Palace & Kilkis Ancient City
We’ll travel this morning to the royal city of Pella,
birthplace of Philip II and Alexander, and explore the royal
city of Pella and museum. The city of Pella is built on the
former island of Phacos, a promontory which dominated
the sea to the south in the Hellenistic period. Pella was
once a harbor. The palace is situated on the central hill
and covered an estimated 60,000 sq metres. Pella’s
pebble-mosaic floors are famous and now are seen in
the museum. Afternoon visit to the Museum of Kilkis. B,L
Day 9 Chalkidiki: Therma, Olynthus
& Potidaea
Today we will visit ancient Therma, founded by the
Eretrians in the 7th century BC. It was located on the
Thermaic Gulf on what was swampland, and was later
renamed Thessalonica. By that
time, the port of the previous
capital of Macedonia, Pella, had
begun silting up, so Cassander
took advantage of the deepwater
port to the NW of Therma to
expand the settlement.
We’ll continue to Olynthos
(“fruit of the wild fig tree”), a very
important and powerful Greek
city in the 4th century BC, built on
two hills at the Gulf of Torone. It
was destroyed by Philip II and
deserted. Excavation under the
American School of Classical
Studies at Athens uncovered
more than 5 hectares of the city. It
is an important site for the study of
urban planning and we’ll visit the
archaeological museum.
The colony of Potidaea from
around 600 BC lies at the
narrowest point of the peninsula
of Pallene. While besieged by
the Persians in 479 BC, the
town was saved by the earliest
recorded tsunami in history,
which is reported by
Herodotus. B,L
Day 10 Argilos,
Stagira &
Amphipolis
En route to
Kavala
We’ll depart for Kavala
this morning. Our first
stop will be Argilos, a
Greek colony on the
Strymona. The literary
tradition dates the
foundation of Argilos to
655/654 BC, which makes
it the earliest Greek colony on the Thracian coast.
Argilos occupied a privileged area and benefitted from
the trading activities along the Strymona and probably
from the gold mines of the Pangeion. It is now being
excavated by a team from Canada.
We will then visit Stagira, the birthplace of Aristotle.
It was founded in 655 BC by Ionian settlers from the
Cyclades island of Andros. We’ll have lunch near
Amphipolis, whose impressive remains date from both
Greek and Roman times. There was a famous battle
here between the Spartans and Athenians in 422 BC.
Alexander’s wife Roxane and their small son Alexander
IV were exiled and murdered here. There is a huge
burial mound to visit as well as an important
archaeological museum. Kavala Hotel (4 nights). B,L
Day 11 Kavala (Neapolis) & Philippi
This morning we will visit the archaeological
museum of Kavala and tour the ancient town. We’ll
see prehistoric artifacts found in Neapolis (old Kavala,
the port of Philippi), marble stela and statues, and
many pots and figurines. We’ll then explore the site
of Philippi, founded by Philip II of Macedon in 356 BC.
Philippi developed into a “small Rome” after the Battle
of Philippi in 42 BCE. The Hellenistic city was
supplemented by Roman public buildings and
became a center of the Christian faith in 49-50 CE. We
will see the theatre and stroll around parts of this
extensive site, including the early Christian basilica
and the Roman forum. B,L
Day 12 The Island
of Thasos
We’ll take the ferry to
the island of Thasos this
morning and then
explore the ancient
forum within the main
town and climb up the
wooded slopes to
admire its Hellenistic
theatre, the well-
preserved city walls
and the ancient
acropolis. Return ferry
to Kavala. B,L
Day 13 Thrace - Komotini - Xanthi
We will explore Thrace today, often called the
breadbasket of Constantinople. Its Ottoman and Greek
heritage is reflected in the towns, which have people
with Turkish and Greek backgrounds. We’ll visit Abdera,
a colony of the city in Asia Minor, Klazomenai, 654-544
BC. We’ll continue to the town of Xanthi, famous for its
distinctive architecture, combining many Byzantine
Greek churches and neoclassical mansions of Greek
merchants from the 18th and 19th centuries. We’ll visit
the important archaeological museum.
We’ll then depart for Komotini, a 4th century AD
city, with Byzantine churches, Ottoman mosques, and
neoclassical mansions. We’ll visit the excellent museum
The
Dervini
Krater
Yes! I/we want to join the Archaeological Heritage of
Northern Greece Expedition, April 26-May 10, 2019,
offered by AAAS Travels, Sigma Xi, ACS, and The
Planetary Society. Please reserve ____ space(s). As a deposit,
I/we enclose a check for $_____________ ($1,000 per person)
payable to Betchart Expeditions Inc. Trust Account.
Name(s) _______________________________________ Age_________
_______________________________________ Age_________
Address _____________________________________________________
City ________________________________ State ____ Zip ____________
Phone: Home (________) ______________________________________
Work (________) ______________________________________
Email Address ________________________________________________
Membership: ___ AAAS ___ Sigma Xi ___ ACS ___ Planetary Society
Accommodations Preference:
___ Twin ___ Single Twin Share: ___ with a friend or
___ Nonsmoker ___ Smoker ___ assign a roommate
Signature ___________________________________ Date ____________
Signature ___________________________________ Date ____________
Please Mail To: Northern Greece 2019
Betchart Expeditions Inc.
17050 Montebello Road
Cupertino, CA 95014-5435
RESERVATIONS #1538
Betchart Expeditions Inc., the American Association for the Advancement of
Science (AAAS), Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society, the American Chemical
Society (ACS), and The Planetary Society act only as agents for the passenger with
respect to transpor tation and hotels, and exercise every care possible. However, we
can assume no liability for injury, damage, delay, loss, accident or irregularity in
connection with the services of any airplane, ship, motor coach, or any other
conveyance used in carrying out the arrangements of the tour. We cannot accept
any responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in air
or other services, sickness, weather, strike, war, quarantine, terrorism, acts of God,
or other causes beyond our control. All such losses or expenses will have to be borne
by the passenger, as tour rates pro vide for arrange ments only for the time stated. We
reserve the right to substitute another leader of similar expertise or reserve the
right to cancel any tour prior to departure, in which case the entire payment will be
refunded with no further obligation on our part. The right is also reserved to
decline to accept or retain any per son as a member of the tour. No refund will be
made for the unused portion of any tour unless arrange ments are made in
sufficient time to avoid penalties. The price of the program is based on current
tariffs and rates, and is subject to change. Any tariff, exchange rate, or fuel
increases will be passed on to participants. Baggage is carried at the owner’s risk
entirely. It is understood that the air ticket when issued shall constitute the sole
contract between the passenger and the airline concerned. The airlines concerned
are not to be held responsible for any act, omission, or event during the time
passengers are not on board their plane or conveyance.
©2018 Betchart Expeditions Inc. All rights reserved.
Photos courtesy of Wikipedia.
Map by April Milne. CST# 2036304-40
• SIGM
A XI • AC
S • The Planetary SocietyTH
E SCIEN
TIFIC R
ESEAR
CH
SOC
IETY
RESPONSIBILITY
which has collections which explore the heritage of
Thrace, Roman coins, gold wreaths, ceramics, and clay
figures. B,L
Day 14/15 Kavala to Athens
Today, we’ll return to Thessaloniki for our flight to
Athens. Transfer to our hotel. Farewell dinner. On Day
15, take return flights home. B,D/B
Trip Fee: $4,295 per person twin share for 15 days, plus
air fare of approximately $1,695 from New York to Athens,
round trip and in tour flights Athens/Thessaloniki, $295 RT.
Expedition Fee Includes: Land transport; group airport
transfers; accommodations in first class and country style
hotels which reflect the cultural heritage of Greece; some
meals; tips to drivers and guides; group entrance fees;
baggage handling; leadership, administration.
Expedition Fee Does Not Include: International air fare
and in tour air (quoted separately); some meals; independent
airport transfers; gratuity to expedition leader; personal
items such as alcoholic beverages, laundry, phone calls,
bottled water, snacks, passport, personal insurance.
What to Expect: This expedition is planned for the travel
enthusiast who would enjoy exploring and learning
about the fascinating archaeological heritage and history
of Northern Greece, the land of Alexander the Great!
Explore archaeological sites and superb museums, ancient
cities, and tombs!
COSTS & CONDITIONS Travel is by motorcoach, with daily outings on foot of
1 to 2 miles at a leisurely pace suitable for exploring
archaeological sites and museums. Exploration requires
some walking up and downhill. Please be prepared to
actively explore on foot. This expedition is a
tremendous experience for travelers with an appetite for
adventure and discovery who would like to explore sites of
ancient Greece with an excellent leader. (No smoking in
vehicles, during lectures, or meals, please.)
Accommodations: Are in first class or country style
hotels which reflect the charm and heritage of Greece,
and are well situated for visits to archaeological sites and
museums. We encourage singles to register on a “twin share”
basis. Limited singles are available for a supplement of $895.
Reservations, Deposits, & Payments: Please mail a
deposit of $500 per person with the completed reservation
form to:
Heritage of Northern Greece 2019
Betchart Expeditions Inc.
17050 Montebello Road
Cupertino, CA 95014-5435
The balance is due 60 days before departure.
Questions: Please call Terri Stevens at Betchart
Expeditions Inc.
Telephone: (800) 252 4910 (USA)
or (408) 252 4910 (International)
Fax: (408) 252 1444
Email: [email protected]
Look on the web: www.betchartexpeditions.com
Cancellations & Refunds: The initial deposit is refundable
up to 60 days before departure, less a handling fee of $100
per person. There is no refund for any cancellation after
the 60 day period unless your space can be resold; then a
$100 per person handling fee applies. No refunds are made
for unused services
FIRST CLASS
AAAS Travels
ACS & Sigma Xi Expeditions
The Planetary Society
BETCHART EXPEDITIONS Inc.
17050 Montebello Road, Cupertino, CA 95014-5435
Discover the
Archaeological Heritage
of Northern Greece
April 26-May 10, 2019
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