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2026 Solar Eclipse Cruise:
Totality in The Mediterraneanwith Sarah Rugheimer
FRANCE & SPAIN
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Great Music Masters of Italy: Verdi and Italian Opera
with Robert Greenberg
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ENGLAND & FRANCE
D-Day: Courage, Conflict, and History in England and France with Ed Lengel
Great Music Masters of Vienna: The Romantics
with Robert Greenberg
Enchanted England: Folklore, Fairy Tales, and Wonder
with Sara Cleto and Brittany Warman
Revisiting World War 1 in France
with Keith Huxen
Exploring Cuba: From Trinidad
to Havana
with Joyce Salisbury
Great British Mysteries: Conan Doyle, Christie, and More
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ENGLAND
FRANCE
CUBA
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Temple of Apollo
Delfos Oracle
Corinth Canal
Treasury of Atreus
Sanctuary of Asklepios
Starting at $9,740 per person
Setting sail on Le Champlain from the ancient splendor of Athens, this round-trip cruise journeys across the glittering Aegean and celebrates Greece’s timeless allure. Walk in the footsteps of the gods at Delphi, a site famous in antiquity and the home of the oracle of Apollo, as well as one of the most impressive sites in Greece. Explore the birthplace of the Olympic Games in Olympia. Stand amid healing history at the Sanctuary of Asklepios in Epidaurus. Wander the stone lanes of Monemvasia, a hidden medieval citadel rising from the sea.
Throughout the journey, you’ll travel with Dr. Sheila Hoffman, who has lived in five different countries and adventured through more than 40 others on five continents as a scholar of art history, world cultures, and symbols. Her onboard lectures and site-based commentary will peel back the many layers of meaning that lie hidden behind the art and architecture of the sites you’ll visit, making this voyage an unparalleled learning experience.
with Sheila Hoffman
The World of the Greeks: From Myth to Empire
DEPARTURE DATE AND PRICING
January 8–15, 2028
October 24-November 1, 2026
Highlights
Stand in the ruins of Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games, and imagine the excitement of ancient athletes competing in honor of Zeus, king of the gods.
Discover the stunning mosaics of Hosios Loukas, a hidden Byzantine monastery, where centuries of devotion are etched in golden tiles, revealing Greece’s transition from antiquity to medieval splendor.
Immerse yourself in the myth and majesty of the Acropolis and explore the Parthenon and its surrounding temples with Professor Cyrino, uncovering the divine power of Athena and the artistic mastery that shaped classical Greece.
Travel in the footsteps of Agamemnon as you walk through the Lion Gate of Mycenae and visit the Tomb of Agamemnon, learning how Homer’s epics immortalized the kings and warriors of this ancient civilization.
Explore the sacred center of Delphi as you ascend the slopes of Mount Parnassus to the Temple of Apollo, where the Oracle once delivered cryptic prophecies that shaped the course of Greek and Mediterranean history.
Highlights
Stand in the ruins of Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games, and imagine the excitement of ancient athletes competing in honor of Zeus, king of the gods.
Discover the stunning mosaics of Hosios Loukas, a hidden Byzantine monastery, where centuries of devotion are etched in golden tiles, revealing Greece’s transition from antiquity to medieval splendor.
Immerse yourself in the myth and majesty of the Acropolis and explore the Parthenon and its surrounding temples with Professor Cyrino, uncovering the divine power of Athena and the artistic mastery that shaped classical Greece.
Travel in the footsteps of Agamemnon as you walk through the Lion Gate of Mycenae and visit the Tomb of Agamemnon, learning how Homer’s epics immortalized the kings and warriors of this ancient civilization.
Explore the sacred center of Delphi as you ascend the slopes of Mount Parnassus to the Temple of Apollo, where the Oracle once delivered cryptic prophecies that shaped the course of Greek and Mediterranean history.
Highlights
Examine the roots of Greek identity at Mycenae and Epidaurus, from the Lion Gate and royal tombs of the Bronze Age citadel to the perfectly preserved theater renowned for its acoustics and architectural beauty.
Walk the medieval streets of Monemvasia, a fortified Byzantine town built into the rock, where chapels, mansions, and walls reveal Greece’s layered history from antiquity through the Middle Ages.
Explore Hydra’s maritime legacy, touring stone mansions, a 17th-century cathedral, and a patrician home that illustrate the prosperity of this car-free island shaped by seafaring traditions.
Travel alongside your expert for a uniquely immersive journey, connecting the landscapes and archaeological sites of Greece with the myths, inscriptions, and histories that shaped its classical heritage.
Delve into the sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi, exploring its temples, theater, stadium, and museum to understand its role as one of the most influential religious and political centers of the ancient world.
Enjoy onboard lectures by Professor Sheila Hoffman on the importance of Ancient Greece and the weight of history in marble, myth in landscape, and relevance in ruins you will visit on your journey from the comfort of our state-of-the-art theatre
Examine the roots of Greek identity at Mycenae and Epidaurus, from the Lion Gate and royal tombs of the Bronze Age citadel to the perfectly preserved theater renowned for its acoustics and architectural beauty.
Walk the medieval streets of Monemvasia, a fortified Byzantine town built into the rock, where chapels, mansions, and walls reveal Greece’s layered history from antiquity through the Middle Ages.
Explore Hydra’s maritime legacy, touring stone mansions, a 17th-century cathedral, and a patrician home that illustrate the prosperity of this car-free island shaped by seafaring traditions.
Travel alongside your expert for a uniquely immersive journey, connecting the landscapes and archaeological sites of Greece with the myths, inscriptions, and histories that shaped its classical heritage.
Highlights
Sheila Hoffman
Dr. Sheila Hoffman is a scholar of art history, world cultures, and symbols who has taught and lectured around the world as a guest of governments, universities, and on tours. She is Senior Lecturer in Art History at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Professor Hoffman has two doctoral degrees: one in Art History from The Sorbonne in Paris and the other in Museology from the Université du Québec à Montréal. She has appeared on many science-based television series, appearing on the Science, Discovery, and Travel Channels among others as an expert contributor on numerous topics related to ancient cultures and religions. The author of several books and articles, she serves as the Reviews Editor for the International Museum Worlds Journal. Professor Hoffman is currently working on her first Great Course, on the great libraries of world history.
Journey Expert
Sheila Hoffman
Athens
Arrive in Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH), Athens, Greece where you will be met by your driver and transferred to the Athens Capital Hotel–MGallery Collection (or similar) for overnight. This evening, join your fellow travelers and your Great Courses Journeys Expert for a welcome cocktail reception. Dinner will be at your leisure.
Included Meal: Reception
Accommodations: Athens Capital Hotel–MGallery Collection (or similar)
Koulouri
Set out in the morning with your expert and a local guide for an exploration of the Acropolis, the enduring symbol of classical Greece. Ascend the sacred hill to view the Parthenon, Erechtheion, and Temple of Athena Nike, monuments that reveal how art, religion, and civic identity intertwined in the ancient world. Through your expert’s interpretation, consider how these architectural masterpieces expressed the ideals of democracy, devotion, and beauty that defined Athenian life.
In the afternoon, enjoy lunch at your leisure, and continue to the Agora, the ancient civic heart of Athens where trade, politics, and philosophy converged. Walk through the reconstructed Stoa of Attalus, a vivid reminder of Athens’ role as both a marketplace and a meeting ground of ideas. After time at leisure, transfer to Piraeus and embark Le Champlain to begin your voyage.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: Le Champlain
Delphi
This morning, sail through the Corinth Canal, the narrow waterway cut in the late 19th century to link the Aegean and Ionian Seas. As the ship transits, your expert offers commentary on the canal’s historical significance, from classical ambitions to modern engineering, setting the stage for understanding Greece’s geography and connectivity.
Arriving in Itea, continue to Delphi, once believed to be the center of the world and home to Apollo’s oracle. Explore the Temple of Apollo, ancient theater, stadium, the sanctuary of Athena Pronaia, and the treasuries of city-states lining the Sacred Way. In the museum, sculpture and inscriptions reveal Delphi’s enduring role in religion, politics, and identity across the Greek world.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Le Champlain
Olympia
This morning begins with a drive inland through a landscape shaped for millennia by olive groves and vineyards, arriving at the village of Olympia. You’ll explore the modern community, where shops feature local products such as olive oil, honey, and handicrafts that reflect traditions rooted in antiquity.
Continue to Magna Grecia Farm, a family estate where viticulture and olive cultivation illustrate practices central to Greek identity since classical times. Here, discussions reveal how agriculture tied to geography and climate sustained communities for centuries. Your visit concludes with a lively demonstration of traditional Greek music and dancing, highlighting how cultural expression, like farming, continues to connect modern Greece with its ancient heritage.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Le Champlain
Greek Olives and Oil
From the port of Gytheion, travel inland to explore Sparta, long recognized for its fertile land and ideal climate for olive cultivation. Since antiquity, olives have been central to Spartan life, economy, and identity, and this legacy is vividly presented at the Museum of the Olive and Greek Olive Oil. Exhibits trace the evolution of cultivation techniques, pressing methods, and the symbolic importance of olives in Greek religion and society.
Continue to Estate Theodorakakos, a family-run vineyard dedicated to sustainable viticulture. Here, learn how agricultural traditions have adapted to modern practices while maintaining ties to centuries of cultivation. Discussions highlight how olive and wine production together demonstrate the enduring relationship between land, economy, and culture in Greece.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Le Champlain
Monemvasia
Monemvasia, a walled fortress often compared to Gibraltar, flourished in the Middle Ages as a strategic stronghold and vital hub for trade. Its prosperity was fueled by the export of Malmsey wine, which became highly prized among European elites. As you walk through its narrow streets, you’ll encounter Byzantine chapels, Venetian mansions, and artisan workshops that reflect the wealth generated by this trade, culminating in a visit to the Church of Christ Elkomenos, a striking example of Byzantine architecture.
Beyond the fortress, continue into the countryside to the Liotrivi Estate, a restored 18th-century mansion. Here, learn how olive oil and wine production were intertwined with local economy and daily life, and how these agricultural traditions illustrate the enduring connection between land, commerce, and cultural identity in Greece.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Le Champlain
Lion Gate
This morning, travel to Epidaurus site of the Sanctuary of Asklepios, where healing and religion were deeply intertwined in the ancient world. Here, you will also encounter the remarkable 4th-century theater, seating 12,000 and whose architectural design and flawless acoustics reflect both technical mastery and the cultural importance of drama in civic and religious life.
Continue to Mycenae, the powerful Bronze Age center that gave its name to an entire civilization. Explore the citadel, entering through the monumental Lion Gate, and examine its shaft graves, which reveal wealth, artistry, and social organization. Nearby, the beehive-shaped 'Treasury of Atreus' illustrates advances in engineering and the myths that later associated the site with Agamemnon and Homeric legend.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner,
Accommodations: Le Champlain
Hydra
From afar, Hydra appears barren, but as you approach its harbor, the amphitheater-like sweep of stone mansions testifies to its remarkable maritime past. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Hydra’s seafaring captains amassed great wealth through trade and naval service, transforming the island into a center of prosperity and influence. Touring the town on foot—Hydra prohibits automobiles—reveals the enduring imprint of this era. Visit the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Virgin, an important religious and civic landmark, and the Koundouriotis Mansion, today part of the National Museum, which offers insight into the architecture and lifestyle of an 18th-century patrician household.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner,
Accommodations: Le Champlain
Temple of Poseidon
The morning begins with a ferry to Aegina, a maritime power and home to the Temple of Aphaea, a local goddess linked to Athena and Artemis. Admire this well-preserved Doric temple, part of the “sacred triangle” with the Parthenon and the Temple of Poseidon. Savor lunch in a private farmhouse on the island, overlooking pistachio and olive trees. Then, return by ferry to Athens and freshen up before a final celebratory dinner. Toast your journey with a final reception and dinner at a local restaurant overlooking the Acropolis.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Fresh Hotel
Cabin and Deck Pricing
Studio PONANT
Studio PONANT
Studio PONANT
Studio PONANT
Studio PONANT
Studio PONANT
Studio PONANT
Studio PONANT
Download a ship guide
Download a deck plan
Your Ship: Le Champlain
The five-star Le Champlain, part of the PONANT Explorers expedition yacht series, features 92 cabins accommodating 184 guests. Designed with advanced eco-friendly technology, its “Clean Ship” certification highlights energy efficiency and marine protection. Compact yet luxurious, it navigates shallow bays and sensitive environments while offering safe, comfortable voyages with custom stabilizers. (7 nights)
Athens Capital Hotel–MGallery Collection
Athens, Greece
The Athens Capital Hotel–MGallery Collection, a five-star boutique property in the heart of Athens at Syntagma Square, offers contemporary elegance blended with Greek cultural flair. Guests are welcomed into refined accommodations enhanced by curated artworks, while the rooftop pool and bar provide stunning views of the Acropolis. With its central location, thoughtful design, and exceptional amenities, the hotel is an ideal base for exploring the city’s rich history and vibrant culture. (1 night)
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)
January 8–15, 2028
October 21-November 4, 2026
Questions? Call
1-855-476-5080
The World of the Greeks: From Myth to Empire
Sign up to receive the latest trip updates and instant access to a digital version of our full-color 2025–2027 travel catalog. You will also have the option to share your mailing address and we’ll send a printed copy of our next catalog to your door.
Stay Updated and Receive a FREE Catalog
Request your copy of our full color travel catalog
Highlights
Uncover the dynastic ambitions and historical significance of monuments like Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V in Rabat.
Experience the stony landscape of the Agafay Desert on a camel trek, culminating in a breathtaking sunset over the High Atlas Mountains.
Admire the Islamic architecture in Marrakesh, from the grand Koutoubia Mosque and intricate Bahia Palace to the serene beauty of the Ben Youssef Madrasa.
Discover the University of al-Qarawiyyin, the world’s oldest continuously operating university, and engage in a discussion on its profound influence on global scholarship.
Wander through the labyrinthine alleyways of the UNESCO-listed Medina in Fes, where vibrant stalls overflow with textiles, spices, and artisanal crafts.
