After the success of the first two Ancient Greece Declassified tours (the "Rise and Fall of Classical Greece" tour and the "Mountains and Oracles" tour), I am pleased to announce another epic adventure this coming Fall (October 11-19, 2023). This time, we'll be exploring some incredible sites that are off the beaten path and, in ancient times, lay beyond the control of the Athenian hegemony. Scroll down to find the full (still evolving) itinerary, as well as information on how to join.

But first, to get a sense of what an AGD tour is like, you can checkout the highlight reel + testimonials from the first one:

To listen to the full announcement for the upcoming tour, either check your podcast feed or click the player below:

For more information, or to sign up for the tour, please send me an email at greecepodcast@gmail.com

Your faithful podcast host and guide,

-Lantern Jack

Enemies of Athens Tour Itinerary

N.B. The following itinerary is still evolving as final trip details are being arranged.

Wednesday 11 October

Arrivals throughout the day to Dave Red hotel in Athens; Meet and greet at 6pm on the hotel's rooftop; Welcome dinner near Acropolis at 7pm.

Thursday 12 October

Take a ferry in the morning from the port of Pireaus to the nearby island of Aegina to see the temple of Aphaia. Aegina was annexed by Athens in the classical period, but before that, it was a rival power. In c. 490BC the still independent polis of Aegina built one of the most spectacular temples in all of Greece.

Friday 13 October

In the morning we'll hop on our private bus and head south from Athens. Our first stop will be Mount Aigaleo in southern Attica where we will hike to the alleged spot where Xerxes once had a makeshift throne constructed upon which he sat and watched the naval Battle of Salamis taking place in the straits below.

Actual footage of Xerxes watching the Battle of Salamis in 480BC
And here's what that spot looks like today

Then we'll hop back on our bus and head for Corinth, making short stops to see the canal and the remnants of the ancient diolkos- a kind of proto-railway the Corinthians built to transport goods and even ships across the isthmus from one sea to another. We spend this and the following night in the resort town of Loutraki, near Corinth.

The modern Corinth Canal cuts through the isthmus linking the Peloponnese to the rest of Greece.
The diolkos of Ancient Corinth

Saturday 14 October

We will explore the ancient site of Corinth (a great rival of Athens and the capital of the province of Greece during Roman times) as well as it's fortified acropolis also known as Acrocorinth (seen in the left of the image below).

If we have time we will also check out the remains of the nearby polis of Sicyon, which was also an enemy of Athens, being a prominent member of the Peloponnesian League.

Sunday 15 October

We leave Corinth and head to Napflio, which will be our base of operations for the next two days. On our way, we will make a stop at Argos to see what's left of the temple of Hera, aka the Heraion.

What the Heraion looked like back in the day
What it looks like today

We will also check out the Castle Larisa aka the Acropolis of Argos. Once a Bronze Age settlement, then the acropolis of the classical polis of Argos, it would later be turned into a castle during Frankish and Ottoman rule.

Castle Larisa at Argos

Monday 16 October

Our first stop is Tiryns, one of the most important Mycenaean settlements, and home of the mythical Hercules.

We will then explore the ancient site of Epidaurus, home of the best preserved ancient theater in Greece as well as a very important shrine and healing center dedicated to the god Asclepius.

Tuesday 17 October

We leave Nafplio and head South to Sparta, which will be our base of operations for the next two days. On the way, we stop at Mantinea and Tegea.

Mantineia
Tegea

After arriving at Sparta we will check out the city's modest ancient remains.

Wednesday 18 October

Full day dedicated to exploring and enjoying the medieval settlement of Monemvasia. We leave Sparta in the morning and drive to the Southeastern tip of Greece to see one of the most beautiful fortified coastal towns in Europe. In the evening we return to Sparta.

Thursday 19 October

In the morning we start the journey back to Athens. On the way, we'll stop at Nemea.

Today, this region is famous for its wine. So, for our farewell meal, we'll stop by a well-known vineyard and enjoy the gift of Dionysus together with plenty of delicious food.

lot of grapes here

Then we head to Athens where we should arrive by around 6pm.