CYPRUS, CRETE & RHODES
may 2027
DR KRISTEN MANN
*** Preliminary Itinerary ***
Uncover the vast wealth of history and mythology on Cyprus, Crete and Rhodes, the storied ‘stepping stones’ of Mediterranean culture
OVERVIEW
The islands of Cyprus, Crete and Rhodes preserve a storied ancient history, set against spectacular landscapes steeped in legend and mythology. From Neolithic settlements to the legends of Aphrodite and Athena, Minoan civilisations and the monasteries, castles and forts of the Crusaders, Byzantines and Venetians, the flow of civilisations and ideas moved across the Mediterranean by way of these ‘stepping stones’.
Our journey commences on Cyprus in the harbour city of Larnaca, inhabited since pre-Hellenic times by Mycenaeans and Phoenicians. We visit the Neolithic settlement of Choirokoitia and spend a full day exploring the incredible Roman and Hellenistic sites in Paphos – including the University of Sydney excavations at the theatrical precinct of Nea Paphos, where tour leader Dr Kristen Mann excavated on site. Exploring the Troodos Mountains, we visit mountain villages and Byzantine monasteries, before crossing into Northern Cyprus and discovering the little-visited Roman ruins at Salamis.
A flight takes us to Rhodes and the UNESCO-listed Old Town, where stories of the Crusaders animate the Street of the Knights and the Palace of the Grand Master. The panorama is stunning, as we discover on a trip to Lindos with its acropolis, Temple of Athena and whitewashed townhouses. On Crete, we encounter a beautiful and conflict-ridden history, the result of its millennial role as a strategic Mediterranean crossroad. Minoans, Mycenaeans, Ottomans, Arabs, Venetians and even the Anzacs have left the island with a rich cultural identity and heritage. We take in the Late Minoan sites of Gournia, Mochlos and Kavousi before visiting the famed Palace of Knossos. In the north-west, we call in at hill-top Eleutherna and conclude our journey in the delightful Venetian-inflected city of Chania.
The itinerary is enhanced by the expertise of tour leader Dr Kristen Mann, an archaeologist who specialised in ancient Greek history and lives and works on the Greek island of Andros.
TOUR LEADER
Dr Kristen Mann is an expert Aegean archaeologist with 17 years of excavation experience in Greece, Cyprus, Jordan and Australia, and a decade of experience teaching at the University of Sydney.
A specialist in Early Greek settlement archaeology, Kristen has wide research interests, stretching from the dynamism of emerging Cycladic maritime powers to the complexities of medieval feudalism in the Aegean. She has won numerous grants and awards – including the University of Sydney Medal – and recently held a competitive fellowship at the Harvard Centre for Hellenic Studies.
Highlights
Gain an insider’s perspective with your archaeologist tour leader at Paphos, from the theatre to exquisite mosaics and Roman villas
Understand the ebb and flow of civilisation and culture in the Mediterranean: Neolithic settlements, Bronze Age Minoan society, Venetian maritime traders and the Ottomans
Encounter the might of the Knights Hospitaller, in Rhodes Old Town and the Palace of the Grand Master
Immerse yourself in tales of legend and mythology, from the birth of Aphrodite to the Minotaur at Knossos
Admire stunning mountain landscapes and towns that overlook the “wine dark sea” of the Mediterranean
Questions?
Get in touch with us by telephone or email: