First-ever Epic Archaeological Adventure across Greece May 2-21, 2011

01-04-2011

 

 Only 18 Travelers Can Follow “In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great: Boy to King:” 
First-ever Epic Archaeological Adventure across Greece May 2-21, 2011

 

London, England, January 4, 2011--Just 18 fortunate travellers will follow in the footsteps of Alexander the Great for 20 days in May 2011, through Peter Sommer Travel’s first-ever “In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great: Boy to King” escorted tour in Greece and Macedonia.

“I’ve led our headline tour ‘In the footsteps of Alexander the Great’ in Turkey for several years, during which time it has been rated one of the world’s ‘Top Ten Learning Retreats’ and one of ‘The 100 Best Worldwide Vacations to Enrich Your Life’ by National Geographic,” says Peter Sommer. “My team and I have been working hard on developing a parallel tour in Greece, tracing Alexander’s early life, and I’m delighted that 2011 will see the launch of this exciting new archaeological adventure to the kingdom where Alexander’s illustrious story began: Ancient Macedonia.

“For more than 2,000 years, Alexander the Great has excited the imagination of people around the globe,” added Sommer. “This was a man who inspired 45,000 soldiers to march for 12 years, beyond the known ends of the earth. He led them for 22,000 miles, from Greece all the way to Afghanistan and on to India. By the time he died in Babylon at the age of just 32 in 323 BC, much of the known world lay at his feet. Who could not be intrigued and fascinated by such a figure?”

Starting in Thessaloniki, the journey explores the kingdom where Alexander was raised, from the palace where he was born to the rural idyll where he was educated by Aristotle, delving into Alexander’s personality and the people who inhabited his tumultuous world. Participants will follow his growth from young prince to king and trace the action-packed years when he took on the mantle of warrior and set his steely eyes on the conquest of the Persian Empire.

Guests will explore the core of the kingdom Alexander inherited from East to West and North to South, including the lakes and forests of Western Macedonia; some of the most successful new cities that his father Philip II founded to secure his realm; and the rich and fertile heartland of the kingdom itself: Pella, Vergina and Edessa.

After traversing the epicenter of Alexander’s kingdom, and standing in the magnificent tomb where his father was laid to rest, the group will head south to the heartland of ancient Greece to investigate the cities and sanctuaries that played a key role in Macedonia’s development, from Delphi to Corinth, Olympia to Athens, among the most significant sites in the ancient world.

Tour participants will see some of the greatest temples, cities and tombs of the Greek and Macedonian world. They will travel through lush forests and steep mountain ranges, gaze out on the Aegean Sea and sleep by the shores of a beautiful lake. Along the way on this epic cultural road trip they’ll enjoy the delectable food and gracious hospitality the region has to offer.

This tour will be led by Dr Michael Metcalfe, who lived in Greece for many years while earning his PhD. He has recently co-edited one of the most authoritative English-language archaeological guides to Greece, The Blue Guide to the Aegean Islands and has lectured extensively on Alexander the Great while Assistant Professor in Ancient History at the Mediterranean Centre for Arts and Sciences in Siracusa, Sicily.The 20-day tour is $US 6,630/$C 6,715 per person, which includes full board accommodation and all travel except international flights to and from Thessaloniki. Scheduled flights can be arranged through affiliated flight specialists.

For full itinerary details and bookings, contact Peter Sommer Travels in the UK on 011.44.1600.888.220, e-mail info@petersommer.com or visit http://www.petersommer.com/escorted-archaeological-tours/greece/greece-alexander-the-great/

In 1994, archaeologist and film-maker Peter Sommer walked 2,000 miles across Turkey, retracing the route of Alexander the Great, and fell deeply in love with the country. Ever since, he has been organizing exceptional archaeological tours for small groups led by expert guides, including archaeologists, historians and travel writers.  Custom-tailored private tours and gulet charters in Turkey, Greece or Italy can be arranged for extended families, family reunions and other occasions. Itineraries focus on particular regions, or on key characters from history such as Alexander the Great. In 2008, National Geographic Traveler magazine named the epic 20-day tour in Turkey ‘In the footsteps of Alexander the Great’ one of the world’s ten best educational holidays.

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