The Best Private Trips to Book for Your Classical Studies Class

Let’s start by going straight to the horse’s mouth which, in this case, is the capital city of Greece. Athens is now a thriving modern city with a pulsating nightlife, vibrant street art and an eclectic range of interesting neighbourhoods. However, its most prominent feature, visually as well as culturally, is the Acropolis and its ancient remains, which still towers over the city today. You’ll get a guided visit of the Acropolis – which includes the Parthenon – on the first full day of this eight-day island-hopping adventure. From there we’ll set sail to the Cyclades, starting with Milos, where you’ll have plenty of time to visit the island’s ancient amphitheatre. On Naxos you’ll have the chance to visit the small islet of Palatia to discover a marble archway of an unfinished temple from 530BCE, known as Portara (or Great Door). Our odyssey reaches its climax in the gorgeous island of Santorini, where you’ll be able to discuss your learnings over a farewell dinner as the sun goes down on the island’s pretty whitewashed buildings.

We can’t talk about ancient civilisations without talking about Egypt, but what many travellers often forget is that after the Pyramids and the Pharaohs, this country became a huge part in the histories of ancient Greece and Rome. The country’s Hellenic rule began under Alexander the Great, who founded Alexandria as one of the most important Greek cities, and ended not long after Cleopatra’s time as the last ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty. The Romans swiftly followed suit, ruling the land for almost 700 years. Monuments of classical antiquity can be found all over the main destinations of our eight-day Egyptian odyssey – Cairo, Luxor and Aswan. Most notable is Dendera Temple in Luxor and Philae Temple, which you can paddle past as we kayak down the Nile on day seven.