UCF ABROAD ITINERARY Program: Greek Art & Architecture/Greek Science & Astronomy Dates: June 24 - July 11, 2018 Flight Airline & Number Departure Time from MCO Flight Arrival Time Suggested Arrival Group Flight If you arrive on this flight, group transportation will be provided to your lodging. For all other flights besides the listed below, students are solely responsible for their own transportation. To book this flight, please follow the link: Day 1 Day Sunday, June 24 Students arrive in Athens & travel to accomodations via private motor coach Arrival orientation session Public transportation pass for the duration of the entire stay in Athens Day Monday, June 25 Free day to discover Athens on your own Lunch: Group welcome lunch Day 2 Day Tuesday, June 26 Day 3 Guided bus tour of Athens in the morning to see the main highlights of Athens. You will also stop at the archaeological site of the Olympeion for a guided tour of the site and the Temple of Olympian Zeus. Public transportation during the afternoon Free afternoon to discover the neighborhood Plaka at your own pace; it is clustered around the northern and eastern slopes of the Acropolis, and incorporating labyrinthine streets and neoclassical architecture. Did you know? Plaka is built on top of the residential areas of the ancient town of Athens and known as the "Neighborhood of the Gods" due to its proximity to the Acropolis and its many archaeological sites.
Day 4 Day Wednesday, June 27 Guided tour of the Acropolis in the morning, Greece s most famous monument and the greatest and finest sanctuary of ancient Athens, dedicated primarily to its patron, the goddess Athena Guided tour of the New Acropolis Museum in the afternoon, which has five floors that provide space for 4,000 artifacts. It aims at providing the visitors with a comprehensive picture of the human presence on the Acropolis, from the pre-historic times through late Antiquity, with the advantage of being built on the slope of the Acropolis itself. Day Thursday, June 28 Day 5 Guided tour of the National Archaeological Museum in the morning, which houses some of the most important artifacts from a variety of archaeological locations around Greece from prehistory to late antiquity. It is considered one of the greatest museums in the world and contains the richest collection of artifacts from Greek antiquity worldwide. Free afternoon to discover Athens further on your own; consider visiting the Kerameikos Cemetery, one of the most important but least visited archaeological sights in Athens. It was continuously in use from the 9th century BC until the Roman times. Day 6 Day Friday, June 29 Park Hotel Nafplio Address: 1 Dervenakion, Nafplio, Argolida, Greece Phone Number: +30 27520 27428 Guided tour of the Archaeological Site of Mycenae in the morning, which comprises the fortified acropolis and surrounding funerary and habitation sites, which are located mainly to its west and southwest Guided tour of the Ancient Site of Epidaurus in the afternoon, including the museum and the world famous theater from the 4th century BC. The theater is well known for its symmetry and beauty. It was used for dramatic performances in the ancient times. Athens to Nafplio Private motor coach to transfer students from Athens to Nafplio. Day 7 Day Saturday, June 30 Guided tour of the Palamidi in the morning, which commands an impressive view over the Argolic Gulf, the city of Nafplion and the surrounding country. There are 913 steps in the winding stair from the town to the fortress. Free time to discover Nafplion further on your own before you return to Athens Nafplio to Athens Private motor coach to transfer students from Nafplio to Athens.
Day Sunday, July 1 Day 8 Guided tour of the Ancient Agora in the morning, which was the heart of ancient Athens, the focus of political, commercial, administrative and social activity, the religious and cultural center, and the seat of justice. Free afternoon to discover the neighborhood Thissio at your own pace; it is surrounded by hills, heights and historical sites which are within walking distance. The Ancient Agora of Athens, Stoa of Attalos, the Temple of Hephaestus and Kerameikos Archaeological Museum can be entered from Thissio. Day 9 Day Monday, July 2 Round trip cable car tickets from Athens to Lycabettus Hill Free morning to discover the hill at your own pace; Lycabettus Hill a is a cretaceous limestone hill at 300 meters (908 feet) above sea level. Pine trees cover its base, and at its two peaks are the 19th century Chapel of St. George, a theatre, and a restaurant. Transportation by private bus during the late afternoon Guided tour of the Archaeological Site of Sounion incl. a visit to the Temple of Poseidon in the late afternoon; the doric temple seen today was built of local marble from the Agrileza quarries on top of the destroyed archaic temple (closing time at sunset). Athens to Kalabaka Private motor coach to transfer students from Athens to Kalabaka. Day 10 Day Tuesday, July 3 Transportation by private bus to the port of Piraeus and return Round trip ferry tickets from Piraeus to Aegina Transportation by private bus at the island of Aegina Free time at the Vagia beaches, one of the most scenic and quiet beach at the island, to work on your art pieces Day Wednesday, July 4 Day 11 Guided tour of the Museum of Cycladic Art in the morning, which is dedicated to the iconic minimalist marble Cycladic figurines, dating from 3000 BC to 2000 BC. They inspired many 20th century artists, such as Picasso and Modigliani, with their simplicity and purity of form. Free afternoon to discover Athens further on your own; consider visiting Plato s Academy, which persisted throughout the Hellenistic period as a skeptical school, until coming to an end after the death of Philo of Larissa in 83 BC
Day 12 Day Thursday, July 5 Guided tour of the Museum of Greek Culture in the morning, which is part of the Benaki Museums and housed in one of the most beautiful neoclassical-style buildings in Athens, near the National Garden and the Hellenic Parliament Free afternoon to visit Athens further on your own; you may visit the Ancient Archaeological Site of the Lyceum, which had been used for philosophical debate long before Aristotle. Philosophers such as Prodicus of Ceos, Protagoras, and numerous rhapsodies had spoken there. Day 13 Day Friday, July 6 Doupiani House Address: Kastraki Meteora PC 42200 Griechenland Phone Number: +30 2432075326 Guided tour of the Archaeological Site of Delphi in the morning, which is one of the most important ancient relics of Greece. The magnitude of the Delphi s contributions to the entire ancient civilization cannot be overstated. Many Did you know? political decisions were taken after consultation of the Oracle, and no colony was founded around the Mediterranean without the consent of the sanctuary at Delphi. Athens to Kalabaka Private motor coach to transfer students from Athens to Kalabaka. Day 14 Day Saturday, July 7. Guided tour of the Meteora in the morning, a rock formation in central Greece hosting one of the largest and most precipitously built complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries, second in importance only to Mount Athos. Afterwards, free time to discover the site further at your own pace. Late return to Athens in the evening. Kalabaka to Athens Private motor coach to transfer students from Kalabaka to Athens. Day 15 Day Sunday, July 8 Free day for your own explorations of Athens; you may consider visiting the so called Prison of Socrates at Filopappou Hill or see the remains of the defensive fortifications, such as the Themistoclean wall and the Diateichisma
Day 16 Day Monday, July 9 Guided tour of the Byzantine and Christian Museum in the morning Free afternoon to discover Athens further on your own Byzantine and Christian Museum was founded in 1914 and houses more than 25,000 exhibits with rare Fun Fact collections of pictures, scriptures, frescoes, pottery, fabrics, manuscripts and copies of artifacts from the 3rd century AD to the late medieval era Day 17 Day Tuesday, July 10 Informal meeting session at your hotel or a café nearby with your faculty leaders to take care of course details Farewell lunch at a restaurant in Athens to wrap up your Greek experience Free afternoon for some last sightseeing and reflection of the program Dinner: Group farewell lunch Be Sure to Check Out A cool place (food, monument, famous building, etc.) close to where students are staying Day Wednesday, July 11 Check out of accomodations Transfer to airport for departure Day 18 Your program has concluded. No matter where your next adventure leads, safe travels!