Greece: The Cradle of Democracy and of Western Civilization
May 6–23, 2024
Led by Jim May, Professor Emeritus of Classics, and Donna May, Retired Teacher
There’s no better time to journey around Greece, often called the cradle of democracy and of Western civilization itself. We’ll start with several days in Athens before heading out for ancient sites around the country. See the Overview to the right for more information on what we’ll see, do, and learn.
Greece, more specifically the ancient city state of Athens, has often been called the cradle of democracy and of Western civilization itself. Our itinerary will experience, among other areas, the territory of Attica (the environs of Athens), including the sites of two pivotal battles in Western history, Marathon and Salamis. Here, within 10 years’ time, the Athenians and fellow Greeks repelled the invading Persian army in monumental victories that enabled the flowering of the nascent democracy of Athens, ushering in the cultural and intellectual achievements of the 5th century BC, the so-called “Golden Age of Greece.”
In addition, we will visit key archaeological sites in the Peloponnesus, including Corinth, Nemea, Olympia (site of the first Olympic Games), Pylos, and Messene, as well as four Greek islands.
As always, we will, on a daily basis, encounter modern Greek society, with plenty of opportunities for sharing good food, excellent fellowship —what the Greeks call parea — and plenty of Greek dancing!
This tour starts with several nights in Athens, heads out for nine nights to visit ancient sites around the country, and concludes again in Athens, to make international travel smooth and easy. You can view and print the most up-to-date itinerary here.
You’ll get the most out of study travel if you research what to do during your free time. This allows you to reap the benefits of group travel, while also customizing the tour to your interests and activity level. Read more about How to Be an Independent Group Traveler.
Jim May, Professor of Classics and Kenneth O. Bjork Distinguished Professor Emeritus, retired from St. Olaf College in 2017, after a 40-year career in teaching and service. He is the author of many articles and chapters on Cicero, classical rhetoric, and Latin pedagogy, as well as the author, co-author, or editor of eight books. His latest volume, How to Win an Argument: An Ancient Guide to the Art of Persuasion (Princeton 2016), has been translated into 10 languages.
May received the Award for Excellence in the Teaching of the Classics from the American Philological Association (now the Society for Classical Studies) in 1986, and the Sears-Roebuck Foundation Teaching Excellence and Campus Leadership Award in 1991. Former President of the Classical Association of the Middle West and South and the Classical Association of Minnesota, May has held two NEH Fellowships and directed two NEH Summer Seminars for School Teachers. He was Provost and Dean of St. Olaf College from 2002 to 2011.
In retirement, Jim continues to compete in handball, restore antique trucks, cars, and tractors, and sing in two church choirs. He was a rower on the reconstructed Greek trireme Olympias in 1990 and 1993. He has led nearly 30 study tours to Greece and the Mediterranean.
Expect to marvel, learn, feast, and soak in famous Greek hospitality! Movement between cities will be by air-conditioned private motor coach. Movement within each city and at cultural/historic sites will be on foot, requiring a lot of walking and standing, often over uneven ground. You should be capable of walking up to five miles per day over possibly uneven terrain, of climbing stairs that may not have handrails, of climbing in and out of various types of transportation, of keeping pace with an active group of travelers on long days of traveling, of dealing with the emotional highs and lows that can occur when experiencing different cultures, and of traveling with a group for several hours each day.
On most transfers, there will be porters available (at your own cost), but there will be occasions when — because of restricted access, narrow streets, or boarding ferry boats — it may be necessary for you to move/carry your own luggage; traveling lightly is highly recommended.
Hotels will be tourist class (four-star or superior rating) with private baths, air conditioning, and English-speaking staff.
The tour price is $6,750, based on double occupancy. A supplement of $995 applies for single occupancy. Inclusions and exclusions vary by tour, so please read the following information carefully.
Inclusions: discussions led by Jim and Donna May, a full-time guide, accommodations, hotel taxes, breakfast daily and group meals as listed on the itinerary, admissions for group activities, ground transportation during the tour (except initial and final airport transfers), ferry tickets and internal flights per the itinerary, gratuities to group guides, drivers, and meal servers, and some limited travel insurance.
Exclusions: Airfare to and from Greece is not included. Participants are solely responsible for all expenses not specifically included in the tour fee. Examples of excluded expenses are: international airfare, airport transfers, any passport and visa fees, any recommended immunizations or vaccinations, baggage and trip cancellation insurance, alcoholic beverages (often including at group meals), laundry, dry cleaning, phone charges, room service or other items of a personal nature, expenses incurred during free time or non-group activities, lunch and dinner, unless specifically included on tour itinerary.
P.S. The most recent five year average for Alumni & Family Travel tour fees is $449 per tour day. (We do not include pure travel days when calculating the daily fee, because international airfare is not included in the tour fee.) This is a longer tour, and is a great value, coming in at $422 per day.
This schedule is based on payments St. Olaf College must make to tour vendors to guarantee group rates. We highly recommend that you purchase additional trip cancellation insurance at the time of registration to recover your payments should you need to withdraw from the tour.
Deposit due: $500 upon registration
Refund if you cancel: Full refund ($500) until November 14, 2023. If the deposit is made after November 14, 2023 there is no refund.
Interim payment due: $2,500 on November 15, 2023
Refund if you cancel: $1,250 if you cancel before January 14, 2024
Balance due: January 15, 2024
Refund if you cancel: None, unless the tour is full and your place can be resold
Cancellations must be in writing.
Thoroughly review the Trip Information Sheet.
See some recommendations on this Resource List to jumpstart your learning before departure or continue the adventure afer your return home.
Look carefully at the Go Message for information you need to send to St. Olaf and information on booking your flights.
Read the Terms and Conditions and Release and Waiver.
Review the latest information on recommended immunizations, visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Check your passport: ensure that it has at least 6 months’ validity past the program return date. Should you need to renew, visit the U.S. Department of State for instructions.
Take time to Prepare for your adventure by checking out a variety of resources, including frequently asked questions, general health information, included travel insurance, safety overview, and more.
This tour is an official GO. See the Go Message for flight information and see our tips on Booking Your Flights.
We highly recommend taking a few moments to view some gorgeous photos of Greece taken by previous travelers.
Registration for this tour has now closed.
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