ATHENS The Artistic excellence of Ancient Greece
8 days | £4850 per person with flights | 8 - 15 May 2026
The Artistic excellence of Ancient Greece
Gazing on the newly completed Parthenon in the 5th Century BCE, the great Athenian statesman Pericles told his fellow-Athenians, ‘we shall be a wonder not just to the people of our own times, but to those of the future’, and some six centuries later Plutarch endorsed those prophetic words when he said, ‘a bloom of eternal newness hovers over these works of his and makes them look untouched by time, as though an ageless spirit has been breathed into them’. Our exploration of this artistic excellence of Ancient Greece, led by Classicist Dr Steve Kershaw, will take us from the wondrous temples on the Athenian Acropolis to their exquisite sculptural adornment displayed in the stunning New Acropolis Museum, and down into the Ancient Agora, the beating heart of that democracy, with its glorious monuments. From our centrally located base in Athens we will take in the sunset from the Temple of Poseidon on ‘Sounion’s marbled steep’, where Byron carved his name on the pillars, and explore the unparallelled collections of artworks – Grecian urns, Classical bronzes, Mycenaean gold - in the National Archaeological Museum. We will cross to the island of Aegina, now famous for its pistachio groves, to explore the beautifully located Temple of Aphaia. En route to Nafplion we pause to admire the 19th Century engineering feats of the Corinth Canal. We relocate to the enchanting Venetian-influenced town of Nafplion in the Peloponnese, which was once the capital of Greece. Nafplion is the perfect location from which to experience the intriguing healing sanctuary of Asclepius at Epidaurus, with its well-preserved and acoustically perfect theatre, enjoy the wine-growing region of Nemea, site of the Nemean Games and visit the site of ancient Sparta. Our final day will take us back into the Bronze Age of Greece, and the mighty sites of ‘Well-Walled’ Tiryns and Mycenae ‘Rich in Gold’, from where we will move into the hills beyond for a final dinner of typical Greek cuisine.
Day to day Itinerary
Day 1
Flight from London to Athens. Transfer to Athens, check in to Hotel. Welcome drinks followed by our first group meal together.
Day 2
Morning visit to the Acropolis Museum with its collections of artworks from the Acropolis itself, notably the freestanding female kore statues, the Karyatids, and the sculptures from the Parthenon. After a group lunch, spend the early afternoon viewing the Acropolis from the Pnyx hill, followed by visit to the Acropolis and its iconic temples. Independent evening.
Day 3
After breakfast, we take the ‘Flying Dolphin’ from Piraeus across to the beautiful island of to Aigine, where we can view the evocative Temple of Aphaia with its vistas across the sea. Lunch in the harbour and cross back to the mainland. Continue to the dramatically sited Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion to explore its architecture and view the sunset and enjoy an included dinner nearby.
Day 4
Morning visit to the Agora - where philosophers taught and the citizens exercised their democratic freedoms – where we can overlook the site from the beautifully preserved Temple of Hephaistos. The Agora Museum, housed in the reconstructed Stoa of Attalus, contains fascinating exhibits shedding light on the workings of Athens’ unique political system. After an independent lunch, cross the city to witness the historical, cultural and artistic treasures of National Archaeological Museum, one of the most important museums in the world devoted to ancient Greek art. Included dinner.
Day 5
Check out of our hotel and drive into the Peloponnese across to the Corinth Canal, to Nemea, the legendary scene of Heracles' encounter with the lion, with its Temple of Zeus and late-4th Century BCE stadium, once the site of the prestigious Nemean Games. The area around Nemea has been producing wine for centuries from high-quality Agiorgitiko “St George’s” grapes, and we will take time to sample some of this at one of the 40 wineries located within Nemea's boundaries. Continue to our hotel in the elegant Venetian-influenced Nafplion, situated on a dramatic peninsula on the waterside of the Agolic Gulf. Independent evening.
Day 6
Today we explore the site of ancient Sparta and the Sparta Museum, continuing to the Byzantine wonders of Mystras, whose exquisite frescoed churches scattered across the hillside afford spectacular views over the Spartan plain.
DAY 7
Morning visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Epidaurus. Located in a beautiful, wooded valley, the site is famous for its ancient healing sanctuary, and notable for the astonishing Greek theatre, which is still used for performances of Classical drama. Return to Nafplion for independent lunch. Afternoon visit to Nafplion Archaeological Museum, where we can see the extraordinary ‘Dendra panoply’, the earliest surviving complete suit of metal armour from Europe. The citadel of Tiryns will form our next visit, remarkable for the massive Cyclopean masonry of its walls, so-called because the Ancient Greeks thought they had been constructed by Cyclops. Independent evening. Continue to Mycenae, where we can admire the Lion’s Gate, the Grave Circles, the remarkable architecture of the Treasury of Atreus, and the finds from the site in the excellent museum. Our final dinner will be held at a highly authentic taverna in the hills beyond Mycenae.
DAY 8
Transfer to Athens Airport for our return flight to London.
Hotel Athenaeum
The Athenaeum is a brand-new luxury hotel located centrally with views to the Acropolis. Accommodation is contemporary with air conditioning, tea and coffee facilities, minibar, espresso machine, safe, toiletries, bathrobes and slippers and hairdryer.
Grand Sarai Hotel and the Xenon
You will be staying at either the Grand Sarai Hotel or the Xenon. Both boutique hotels, within minutes of each other, are centrally located in the pretty town of Nafplion. Rooms are modern and comfortable.
With Flights: £4850
No Flights: £4650
Single Supp: £595
Deposit: £450
Departure Dates:
8 - 15 May 2026
Duration:
7 nights / 8 days
Your Holiday Includes:
- Scheduled return flights from London to Athens
- Four nights’ bed and breakfast at the Hotel Athenaeum in Athens
- Three nights’ bed and breakfast at the Grand Sarai Hotel or the Xenon in Nafplion
- Private coach transfers and excursions
- Three evening meals and three lunches
- Guided visits to sites listed in the programme.
- Services of the tour lecturer and tour manager.
- Detailed programme and study notes.
- All entrance fees, taxes, and gratuities for coach drivers and serving staff
Tour Lecturers
Dr Steve Kershaw
As a Classics Tutor for Oxford University Department for Continuing Education, and as a lecturer for the V&A and The Arts Society, Dr. Steve Kershaw has spent much of the last 40 years travelling extensively in the world of the Ancient Greeks both physically and intellectually. His media appearances include featuring as an expert contributor to the History Channel’s Barbarians Rising series and as a guest on BBC Radio 3’s You’re Dead to Me, and his publications on Greek history include A Brief Guide to the Greek Myths, A Brief Guide to Classical Civilization, Three Epic Battles that Saved Democracy: Marathon, Thermopylae and Salamis, and a children’s book on Greek Mythology entitled Mythologica that was Amazon.com’s Best Children’s Non-Fiction Book of 2019.
Travel Information
The price does not include extras at the hotels or travel insurance.
Please note that Art Pursuits use hotels of character featuring a variety of rooms & styles.
Stamina
Please note that most of our tours involve a large amount of walking across uneven ground and often without the opportunity to sit down for at least half an hour. We ask that clients inform us if they have difficulties before booking to prevent any issues whilst on tour.
Hotels
Please note that the listed hotels are subject to change based on the availability provided by our local agent. For further information, please contact the office or email us at
abroad@artpursuits.com.
