Thursday, June 7: Depart USA .

Friday, June 8: Arrive Athens. Transfer to centrally located hotel in the Plaka area. Short orientation tour in the area of the hotel and Plaka. Overnight and breakfast at the hotel.

Saturday, June 9: Athens. Sightseeing in Athens , including guided tours of the Acropolis (Parthenon, Temple of Athena Nike , Erechtheion, and Acropolis Museum ), Theatre of Dionysus, Theatre of Herodes Atticus, Temple of Oympian Zeus , and Agora, where Socrates engaged Athenians in philosophical conversation and where a Temple of Hephaistos still stands. The Areopagus, where the first Athenian law court was established (as told in Aeschylus' Oresteia ) and where Saint Paul preached in 54 A.D. and received his first Athenian convert to Christianity, can be viewed from the Acropolis. Meet at the hotel at 7:30 P.M. for welcome dinner in Plaka. Overnight and breakfast in hotel.

Sunday, June 10: Athens - Sounion - Athens. Morning free to visit museums such as the Cycladic or Benaki Museums, followed by an afternoon drive at 2:30 along the coast to Cape Sounion , dominated by the Temple of Poseidon , magnificently and appropriately situated at the edge of the cape where seafarers would have arrived and disembarked. Continue to Lavrion to visit a small working nunnery of St. Paul , where the nuns will talk about their monastic life. Dinner on the return drive in a typical Greek taverna in Voula. Overnight and breakfast at the hotel in Athens .

Monday, June 11: Athens – Corinth – Epidaurus – Nauplion. Begin six-day coach tour of Peloponnese and mainland Greece . We will tour the site of ancient Corinth , where Saint Paul preached to the Corinthians, and its small museum, after which we will proceed to Epidaurus . Epidaurus is the site of the best-preserved and constructed theater of ancient Greece (plays are still performed there); it was regarded as a place of healing and renewal for those attending the tragedies presented there. Dinner and overnight in the delightful seaside resort of Nauplion.

Tuesday, June 12: Nauplion - Tiryns – Mycenae – Nauplion. Our first visit is to Tiryns , birthplace of Hercules, with its massive Cyclopean walls and fortifications. From Tiryns , which served as a satellite fortress for the Mycenaeans in the 13 th century B.C., we proceed to Mycenae itself. Mycenae was the home of the Achaian warrior and king Agamemnon, who marshaled and led the Greek troops in their ten-year siege of Troy after the Trojans' abduction of Helen, the wife of Agamemnon's brother, Menelaus. We will visit the ruins of Mycenae, where the famed lion gates guarding Agamemnon's palace can still be seen, along with the palace walls, rooms, famous "beehive tombs," and other artifacts. Our afternoon includes a swim stop at Tolos Beach and an optional climb to the Palamidi Fortress back in Nauplion, with its beautiful scenic view of the bay, or free time in the town, where the explorer can still find artisans creating icons in their own small studio shops. Group dinner at local taverna with Greek folk dancing demonstration. Overnight and breakfast in Nauplion.

Wednesday, June 13: Nauplion – Olympia. Free morning in Nauplion. Depart around noon for Olympia . Overnight and breakfast at hotel in Olympia .

Thursday, June 14: – Olympia. Visit the site of the first Olympian Games, Temples of Zeus and Hera, Phidias's Workshop, and the museum, which contains Praxiteles' celebrated statue of Hermes. Overnight and breakfast at hotel in Olympia .

Friday, June 15: Olympia – Patra – Antiro (New Bridge) to Rio – Nafpaktos – Delphi. We will be crossing the Corinthian Gulf on the new impressive cable bridge of Rion/Anterion which was completed for the Olympic Games in 2004. We continue through the picturesque town of Nafpaktos and proceed by coach to Delphi for dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Saturday, June 16: Delphi – Delphi was the most celebrated and mysterious site of prophecy in ancient Greece . Home of the oracle of Apollo, it is situated on the side of Mount Parnassus , residence of the Muses. We will visit the extensive site of the oracle, theater, and museum. Overnight at our hotel in Delphi .

Sunday, June 17: Delphi – Naxos. Early morning departure for the port of Pireaus (approximately four hour drive) to board the ferry for the island of Naxos, the most fertile island of the Cyclades. Sailing on the wine-blue sea of Homer 's Mediterranean is a vital and integral part of our Greece study tour. No tour of Greece is complete without time spent on the beautiful waters so important in the stories of the Trojan War and the return voyage of Odysseus. Indeed, there is something about sailing on this sea which has a timeless quality, uniting the many experiences of the tour into a whole and linking our lives with those of the ancient Greeks. This, our first venture on the beautiful waters of the sea, will afford us approximately five hours of such contemplation. Upon arrival, we transfer to our hotel and take a late afternoon walk to the Venetian Castro, the Old Town , and the Temple of Apollo for sunset. Dinner in traditional taverna and overnight at our hotel.

Monday, June 18: Naxos. Morning departure by bus for tour of Naxos . We will visit the Kouros statue in Melanes, the Byzantine Church of Drosiani, the traditional village of Filoti , and the scenic Temple of Demetra at Sagri and its small archaeological museum. Those wanting to swim at one of the best sandy beaches on the islands may then stay at Agia Anna beach and return to the town of Naxos by local bus or taxi. Overnight at our hotel in Naxos .

Tuesday, June 19: - Naxos – Delos – Naxos. Join scheduled excursion boat to Delos departing at 9:00 A.M. , with a couple of hours stopover in Myconos. Delos was held to be the birthplace of Apollo and is an unpopulated island with extensive ruins of one of the most sacred sites of ancient Greece . We return to Naxos in late afternoon, have dinner on our own in a taverna, and spend the night in our Naxos hotel

Wednesday, June 20: Naxos - Santorini. After visiting the archaeological museum in the morning, we transfer to the port at noon for our beautiful two-hour ferry ride to Santorini. Santorini is the most photographed, beautiful, and quintessential of Greek islands. Situated upon the rim of a giant volcanic caldera, it is said to be the site of the legend of Atlantis, and looking down upon the sunset glowing red in the waters of the caldera, visitors believe the legend. Santorini is the site of extremely important excavations linking the Minoan civilization of ancient Crete to Peloponnesian cultures such as the Mycenaean. Upon arrival, we transfer to our hotel in Fira and then visit the Prophet Elias Monastery and the Santos Winery. Overnight at our hotel in Fira.

Thursday, June 21: Santorini. Early morning visit on foot to the Prehistoric Museum in Fira and the Nomikos Foundation with its life-sized replicas of the Akrotiri frescoes. (Akrotiri is the archaeological excavation of the extensive Minoan ruins on Santorini. It is currently closed for maintenance, but we hope it will reopen by the time of our visit.) Optional visits include hiking to Doric Ancient Thera or visiting the town of Oia at the northern tip of the island. We dine as a group and return to our hotel for the night.

Friday, June 22: Santorini. Free day. Optional activities include a boat trip to the black island in the caldera and swimming in its steam-heated waters, scuba diving, or swimming at the sandy beach of Perivolos (reached by local bus). Overnight and breakfast at our hotel.

Saturday, June 23: Santorini. Free day. Overnight and breakfast at our hotel.

Sunday, June 24: Santorini. Free day. (Church services available.)

Monday, June 25: Santorini – Athens. Early morning transfer to the port for return ferry to Athens . Arrival late afternoon and transfer to hotel in Athens for overnight. Farewell dinner in taverna in the Plaka area.

Tuesday, June 26: Athens – USA. Breakfast and transfer to the airport for departure to the USA . Or, for those wishing to add additional visits to their tour, the options abound. For instance, Santorini is a four to five hour ferry ride from Crete, and individual participants could sail to Crete from Santorini rather than go back to Athens . Another option is returning to Athens with the group and taking a ferry (probably one or two overnights) to the island of Patmos , the site of the Revelation of St. John. Ferries are also available, albeit somewhat circuitously, from Patmos to the island of Rhodes . Advice on such individual tours is available from our Greek travel agent.

COST: $3,370 for guided group study tour.

MATRICULATED STUDENTS ARE REMINDED THAT STUDENT LOANS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE GREECE STUDY TOUR BECAUSE IT IS A THREE HOUR COURSE IN THE CURRICULUM OF THE COLLEGE.

SUPPLEMENT FOR SINGLE ROOM: $540.

INCLUDES:

• Accommodation for 18 overnights in double/triple occupancy in selected hotels in Nauplion, Naxos, and Delphi and first class hotels in Athens, Olympia, and Santorini – all rooms with private facilities and air-conditioning.
• 10 dinners including the Welcome and Farewell dinners in Athens .
• Daily breakfast buffet.
• Transportation by private, comfortable motor coach with air-conditioning as per itinerary.
• English speaking guide/lecturer until Day 14 of the itinerary (in addition to College faculty throughout).
• All boat tickets to/from the islands and between the islands with best available boat/speed boats.
• Greek folk dancing performance in Nauplion.
• Round trip transfers to airport and all ports.
• 24-hour Assistance from our office in Athens, Naxos, and Santorini.

* No admission fees are included. Estimated to be approximately $22 (15 Euros) per student and $61 (45 Euros) for adults to issue a membership card of an Athenian museum that grants free admission to all state museums and sites; a student passport color photo required for acquiring the card.

* Gratuities to guide and drivers are not included and are an integral part of their salaries. Please allow $3-5 per day per participant. Also it is customary to leave a tip for chambermaids at hotels (1 Euro per night per occupant).

ACCOMMODATIONS

Hotels are chosen for their quality of accommodation and service and for their proximity to sites (the hotel in Athens , for example, is within walking distance of the Acropolis). The hotels range from superior tourist-class to first-class and three- and four-star hotels. All hotels have air-conditioning, private facilities, and TV's.

MEALS

As noted above, all breakfasts throughout the trip are included in the trip cost, along with ten dinners, including a welcome and a farewell dinner in Athens . Dinners include three courses plus salad in hotels or selected tavernas. Lunches are on your own, and you have the options of having a quick snack-type lunch such as souvlaki, spinach or cheese pie, sandwiches, etc., such as most tourists and Greeks prefer in the summer (about 5-6 Euros with drink included), or of having a sit-down lunch (8-10 Euros).

Trip cost does not include transatlantic airfare . Participants are encouraged to seek their transatlantic tickets through brokers and/or the internet, where such tickets can be found at greatly reduced prices. If you find a cheaper ticket which requires you to arrive a day or more early, hotel accommodations can be made for your extra days.

PAYMENT SCHEDULE; DEPOSIT; and REFUND/CANCELLATION POLICY:

Full payment must be received by the College of Saint Thomas More by April 9, 2007 .

A non-refundable deposit of $600 must be received by the College of Saint Thomas More by March 1, 2007 .

*Rates for 2007/08 are based on the current exchange rate of the Euro to the Dollar (1 Euro = $1.35) and are subject to change due to currency fluctuations