14 January 2020
Discover the stories that shaped history on vacation with us this year. We have a range of phenomenal archaeological adventures on offer, which can take you from Orkney to Sweden, and from Bulgaria to Romania. Tick the incomparable site of Pompeii off your bucket list, wander the ruins of the ancient Palace of Knossos in Crete or stand before the mighty Vasa warship in Sweden.
Starting from just $1,755pp, the ancient world is closer than you think... So, where can we take you?
Perhaps the ultimate bucket-list destination for anyone fascinated by archaeology and history, Pompeii awaits. In AD 79, the nearby volcano Vesuvius erupted with cataclysmic force and snuffed out all life in the town. Since its rediscovery in 1748, Pompeii has been a major tourist destination, offering as it does a unique insight into the lives and times of ordinary people from 2,000 years ago, with many of the streets and buildings uncovered and excavated to reveal an astonishingly well-preserved example of a Roman town. Elsewhere, on this vacation, you'll explore the remains at neighboring Stabiae and Herculaneum, the fascinating site of Paestum, and there will be a chance to peer into the volcanic crater of Vesuvius itself.
Join this nine-day archaeological exploration of Portugal in 2020 and discover the stories and history of this beautiful country. Departing in both April and October (and starting from £1,895pp), this tour will take you from the brightly colored palaces of Sintra and the archaeological sites of Conimbriga and Citania de Briteiros, to the historic forest of Buçaco. Elsewhere, you'll get a taste of Portugal's finest at one of the port lodges in Porto and there will be time for an optional river cruise on the Douro. You'll also enjoy a host of UNESCO World Heritage Sites including the city of Evora, where its monuments and defensive walls stretch back over 20 centuries, and Guimarães, an immaculately preserved medieval town that was the birthplace of Portugal’s first king, Alfonso Henriques.
How about a twin-center archaeological tour of Denmark and Sweden? We begin in Uppsala in Sweden, with visits to the archaeological sites at Gamla Uppsala and Anundshög and the baroque Skokloster Castle. In Stockholm, we tour the Historical Museum and visit the Vasa Museum, which houses the royal warship that sank on its maiden voyage in 1628. A relaxing high-speed rail journey follows as we travel from Stockholm to Malmö in the south of Sweden. Here we tour the Osterlen region, with visits to the megalithic monuments known as Ales Stenar before crossing the Öresund Bridge to Copenhagen. We have a day touring the Danish capital, including the renaissance castle of Rosenborg Slot, then transfer to Aarhus in mainland Denmark. From here we visit the Moesgård Viking Museum and the Viking Castle at Fyrkat, and we also come face to face with some former inhabitants of the region as we visit Silkeborg Museum, home to the ‘bog bodies’.
For decades after the Second World War, Bulgaria lay firmly behind the Iron Curtain and had little contact with the outside world, but in classical times it prospered through trade with the Near East and was richly endowed with fine cities and monuments. Now this fascinating and hospitable country is opening up once again and we are delighted to be able to visit a wide range of well-preserved archaeological sites, four of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These are the famous Rila Monastery, set high in the mountains; Boyana Church with its outstanding frescoes; the Horseman rock relief at Madara; and the historic town of Nessebar, beautifully preserved with over 80 churches. Further highlights include the Kazanluk Thracian Tomb, Nicopolis ad Istrum, the Neolithic dwelling houses at Stara Zagora and finally Veliko Tarnovo, the medieval capital of Bulgaria with a stunning location above the Yantra river.
The Greek island of Crete presents a rich tapestry of archaeological treasures, sleepy villages and lively towns, all set in a Homeric landscape of mountains, gorges and flower-strewn pastures. Crete was home to one of the earliest European civilizations, the Minoans, who roamed these hills some 4000 years ago. Their legacy can be seen all over the island, in particular at the legendary Palace of Knossos. Other archaeological visits on this memorable tour include the friendly old town of Rethymnon with its Venetian and Turkish architecture, the atmospheric island of Spinalonga (a former leper colony), and Phaistos, which was one of the most important centers of Minoan civilisation.
Malta’s diminutive archipelago is by no means any indication of the vast riches it holds — from the Neolithic to now, they are many and varied, and all out there to be discovered on this very special tour. From your comfortable base at the Dolmen Hotel, which is built around an authentic Neolithic temple, you will venture inside the walled citadel of Mdina, explore the warren of narrow tomb-lined passages of St. Paul’s Catacombs, and take to the waves for a boat trip around the spectacular cliffs and caverns of the famed Blue Grotto. But most startling of all, perhaps, are the mysterious sites left by civilizations with whom we are just starting to get acquainted — the millennia-old Mnajdra Temples, the megaliths of Ħaġar Qim: these make for a truly unforgettable archaeological expedition.
Throughout history Romania has stood at the frontier of empires, having been part of the Roman Empire, the Ottoman Empire and more recently the Communist empire that spread west from Soviet Russia after the Second World War. Now fully open to the west and developing fast, Romania offers a rich and varied archaeological and historical heritage, from relics of the ancient kingdom of Dacia (82BC-106AD) to Roman ruins, former Saxon-German colonies and dramatic castles. On this nine-day tour, you will explore the National Museum of History with its many local treasures, there will be a chance to experience 2,000 years of history in one place at Alba Iulia, you'll explore the remarkable sanctuaries of Sarmisegetuza Regia, and there will be a visit to the ruins of Ulpia Traiana, the former capital of Roman Dacia.
The islands of Orkney and Shetland are littered with archaeological remains. People first came here over 5,000 years ago and many of their remains survive. New archaeological sites are discovered every year. Visit the uninhabited island of Mousa with its 2000-year-old full-size broch, the prehistoric and Norse settlement of Jarlshof, St Ninian’s Isle with its 6th century church, and also the ruined castle of Scalloway. We then travel to Orkney where we visit the Italian Chapel; the Tomb of the Eagles, which offers a unique ‘hands-on’ experience - an opportunity to handle 5000-year-old artefacts excavated from an extensive cliff-top site; Maeshowe, the finest chambered tomb in Western Europe; and Skara Brae as well as Skaill House. En route to Aberdeen, we will also see the Loanhead of Daviot Stone Circle and the Maiden Stone.
After 50 years of political isolation, Albania is only just emerging as a tourist destination, with a refreshing lack of modern development and a unique, timeless quality. In archaeological terms, Albania offers some of the best sites in Europe with a host of Classical cities that were once on a par with those in Greece and Italy. A dramatic landscape of high mountains and rugged coastline adds to the experience as we tour the country and visit the best of the sites. These include Durrës on the Adriatic coast, one of the largest amphitheaters in the Balkans; Apollonia, the second largest Greek colony in Albania; the UNESCO World Heritage site at Butrint, which dates from the 7th century BC, and the remote mountain city of Byllis. To get the most out of this holiday, we would recommend that a reasonable amount of mobility is required because there is a fair bit of walking involved.
The Peloponnese is a place of timeless beauty. From the 3000-year-old relics at Mycenae to the classical ruins of Epidavros and the Byzantine churches of Monemvassia, the whole region is filled with history. In the hills above Argos, for example, it takes just the tiniest leap of imagination to look out over the sparkling waters and see the Mycenaen fleet sailing for Troy. The Greeks and the Spartans fought out the Peloponnesian war here, to be followed in turn by Romans, Goths and Slavs, Franks, Turks and Venetians. Archaeological highlights of this tour include the Lion’s Gate at Mycenae, the most ancient piece of monumental sculpture in Europe; the 4th century BC Temple of Apollo Maleatis and the theatre with its awe-inspiring acoustics at Epidavros; the church of Agia Sophia in the Fort City of Monemvassia; the amazingly well-preserved site at Messene; and the eerie, dead city of Mystras, casting its silent gaze over the plain around Sparta.
European Archaeological Adventures From Just $1,755pp was published on 14 January 2020
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