In 1999, Dr Clifford Ashby led a group of theatre scholars on a trip to Greece and Turkey. Dr. Ashby is the author of Classical Greek Theatre: New Views of an Old Subject. (click for publication data on the book).

I originally set up this page to help the group members plan for the trip. I am rather amazed that the page still attracts interest. I've been meaning for some time to add pictures and to revise the itinerary to reflect what we really did. I hope I will have a chance to do this some time in the future.

I have also set up a page of general Greece/Turkey travel information.

[Here] is the final itinerary. The extra day in Istanbul and other improvements have raised costs a little, so the final figure is now $2,600. For this, you will receive: 24 nights of hotel stay; all bus, air, and boat transportation from the beginning at Athens to the conclusion at the Istanbul airport; all admissions to sites and museums, continental breakfasts in Greece and all meals in Turkey. The usual tips for bus drivers and the Turkish escort are not included. Aside from these tips and the drinks you will consume, everything else is covered. A single supplement will run an additional $450.

About the group and tour arrangements, we will be a mixed bag of professors and graduate students coming from several disciplines. I will talk briefly about each site we visit, either on the bus or at the site; we can have a free-for-all discussion on the bus following each departure.

Academic credit \par can be arranged through Texas Tech for those who want it, but please note that I am retired and have no official connection with the university other than emeritus status.

Greece

10 June. Athens - Arrive at Achilleas Hotel 21 Lekka Street, Syntagma Square 10562 (Tel. 3233197). The square is the "Times Square" of Athens. Get your bearings and try to recover from jetlag. For the more ambitious, there is a Theatre Museum, "some unusual terra-cotta figures of actors in their theatrical masks" in the Kanellopolos Museum, and "disguise costumes" and puppets in the Greek Folk Art Museum. Further afield, but still on the Metro are the Museum of Stage Decor in the Municipal Theatre and the Theatre of Zea in Piraeus and the Museum of Shadow Theatre in Marousi, which is a suburb of Kifisia.

11 June. 8:00 a.m. meeting in hotel. Leave at 9:00 for Trachones, a straight-line theatre near the airport. Next the Akropolis theatres (Theatre of Dionysos and Odeion of Herodes Atticus) and Akropolis Museum plus the Agora and other sites of interest. Time for an afternoon nap before a 6:00 p.m. stroll to Lykabettos to view the city from atop the funicular. A further stroll to the American School of Classical Studies, where Bob Bridges will tell us what's new in excavations. A second night at the Achilleas.

12 June. Early bus departure (8:30) and a quick stop at the Temple of Poseidon at Sunion, Stops at early straight-line theatres of Thorikos and Rhamnous, A stop at Oropos, a large healing center with a theatre dedicated to Amphiarios, a rival of Aesklepius. Ferry to the island of Euboea and theatre at Eretria. Overnight at Eretria at the Petit Village Hotel (0229-60070). This will be a long day.

13 June. Early bus to theatre of the Kabiri, a children's cult, located near Thebes, Stops at theatres of Orchomenos-in-Boeotia, Chaironeia, and the oracular complex of Delfi. Overnight at Acropole Hotel 13, Filellinon Street, 330 54 Delphi, Fokida, Central Greece (Tel: (0265) 82675, 82676, 82677), Delfi. Another long day.

14 June. Bus to the little odeion near the fish market in Arta, then to the odeion and theatre at the planned city of Kassope, near a monument where the Greek women hurled themselves from a cliff to escape the clutches of the hairy-faced invaders. Afternoon and night on the Adriatic beach of Parga. Lichnos Beach Hotel (0684-31257). This will be a short day.

15 June. Bus to Roman Theatre at Nikopolis, where Antony and Cleopatra lost the battle of Actium to Augustus. Ferry from Rion to Andirrion on the Peloponnesos. On to the Roman theatre Aigeira followed by the Hellenistic theatre at Sikyon with its arched entranceways and a surviving on-stage ramp. Overnight at Navplion or Nafplia, depending on what spelling you prefer. Nafpila Hotel, 11 Navarinou St. (0752-28167).

16 June. Bus to Epidauros' theatre (There is a site on the theatre of Epidauros with a Virtual Reality tour) and odeion then to Paleoepidauros theatre, followed by Argos, with two Greek theatres and a Roman odeion. On to Agamemnon's city of Mycenae, where scant remains of a theatre straddle the entrance to the supposed tomb of Clytemnestra. Overnight at Marinos Rooms (0741-31209), ancient Corinth.

17 June. Bus to ancient Corinth, with Romanized theatre and odeion used for various kinds of killings plus a small museum. On to Isthmia, the narrow neck of land connecting the Peloponnesos with the Mainland, where we visit a possibly rectangular theatre and a museum. A stop at the cult site of Eleusis to look at its performance areas. The day ends at the Archeological Museum in Athens. Overnight at Achilleas Hotel. A long day.

18 June. Early morning (bus leaves our hotel at 4:00 a.m.) flight to Santorini. Arrival at 6:20 am, then by bus to Akrotiri, a town buried in volcanic dust around 1600 BCE. We should arrive as the site opens at 8:00 am. After the visit to the site, we will go directly to the black sand beach (bring your sandals) at Kamari where will will have the rest of the day free. Overnight at Matina Hotel (0286-31491), Kamari, Santorini.

19 June. A second day on Santorini. Santorini is often cited as the site of the legendary city of Atlantis. It is also known as "The Island of Vampires." After breakfast we will walk up the hill (or ride a donkey, if you choose) to the Ancient City of Thera, where there is a theatre. After this visit the rest of the day is free to explore the island by bus, taxi, boat or foot. Things to do include a trip to modern Thera (which is on the other side of the island from Ancient Thera and which has an Archeology Museum and other sights). There are also boat trips to visit some of the smaller islands that still have volcanic activity and even provide the opportunity for mud baths for those so inclined.

20 June. More free time until 5:00 p.m. when we catch the ferry to Heraklion, on Crete. Olympic Hotel, Kornarou Square Heraklion (081-288861).

21 June. Bus to Minoan palace of Mallia to examine viewing areas around the central court. On to Lato which has a viewing area at the agora, and also a puzzling 4^th century processional performance space. Last stop is the impressive ruin of the palace of Knossos and its theatral area. Leftover time (??) can be spent in the museums of Heraklion. Bus leaves the hotel at 6:30 p.m. for flight to the island of Rhodos. Overnight at Rhodos at the Cactus Hotel. 14 Kos St., Rhodos, (0241-26100) (Interesting fact: all cacti came originally from the New World, but the Greeks think they were always there).

22 June. Bus to reconstructed theatre of Rhodos, then to Lindos, which has some theatre remains outside the akropolis. Afternoon ferry or Hydrofoil to the island of Kos. Bus to Kardamena a pleasant little beach town. Overnight in Kardamena at the Valinakis Beach Hotel 853 02 Kardamena (0242-91358).

23 June. Rest and Relaxation. If this leisure leaves you with guilt feelings, you can help me try to locate the theatre of Kalasarna, which is somewhere close. On the other hand "There are a lot of cocktail bars in the town center (1000 drachmas for a nice cocktail). There is a small nude beach at 3 kilometers to the west of the town center, just follow the indication tropical bar. There you can get refreshments and rent chairs and umbrellas". Overnight again at Kardamena.

24 June. Early bus to little theatre at Kephalos and odeion of Kos.

Turkey

25 June. 0900 ferry to Datca Peninsula. Air conditioned bus ride down the Turquoise Coast of the Mediterranean to theatres at Pinara, Letoon, Patara and Antiphellos. Overnight at Kas. Xanthos Hotel, Kalamar Koyu, Kas, Antalya, 0 (242) 844 23 88. A long day.

26 June. Bus to theatres at Myra and Phaesalis. A ride into the mountains to Arykanda, called the Delfi of Turkey. Lastly the Roman theatre of Termessos. Overnight at Antalya and an opportunity to dine on delicious Iskander kebabs. Antalya Hotel, Pinnaly Mah. Eski Yolu No: 102, Antalya, 0 (242) 323 22 76 (6 lines).

27 June. Bus to Roman theatre at Side with built-in restrooms. Stop at Side Museum. On to the well-preserved theatre Aspendos. Then, up the mountains to the impressive theatre of Perge in a spectacular setting. Overnight on Lake Egirdir. Egirdir Hotel, Poyraz Sahil Yolu No: 2, 32500 Egirdir, Isparta 0 (246) 311 49 92 (4 lines)

28 June. Bus to the extensive ruins of Aphrodisias, with attractive theatre and odeion. Stop at Laodiceia, with two theatres and bouleuterion (Note: bouleuterions are council chambers seating from a dozen to 500; they undoubtedly doubled as performance spaces). On to Hierapolis, which has a nearly demolished Greek theatre and a well-preserved Roman one. Overnight at the fabled hot springs of Pamukkale with its white terraces. Richmond Pamukkale Thermal Hotel, Karahayit Koyu, Pamukkale, Denizli, 0 (258) 271 42 94.

29 June. Bus to Nysa theatre and bouleuterion, then to the huge theatre at Ephesus, where St. Paul had it out with the vendors selling silver statues of Diana. A stop at the huge bouleuterion of Ephesus, indistinguishable from a small theatre. On to the Ephesus Museum at Selcuk. Overnight at Kusadasi, a resort town on the Aegean coast. Taksim International Hotel, Cevreyolu Ozeri, Kusadasi, Aydin, 0 (256) 612 86 80.

30 June. Bus to bouleuterion and theatre of planned city of Priene. Then to the bouleuterion and theatre of Miletus, The Turks also want us to see the Faustina Bath, the fortress, and the Ilyas Bey Mosque. Late afternoon we will drive to the Aesklepion/theatre of Pergamon. Overnight at Bergama a.k.a. Pergamon. Berksoy Hotel, PK. 18 Izmir Yolu 35700, Bergama, Izmir, 0 (232) 633 25 95.

1 July. Bus to large theatre of Pergamon. As we walk down the akropolis, we'll visit a straight-line performance space at the sanctuary of Demeter and a small marble odeion. Then to the Museum in Bergama, followed by an afternoon drive to the Izmir Museum which has a splendid and extensive mask frieze taken from the baths at Aphrodisias. Overnight at Izmir (ancient Smyrna) on the Aegean. Kaya Prestige Hotel, Sair Esref Bul. 1271 Sk. 7, 35210, Izmir, 0 (232) 483 03 23.

2 July. Morning flight of fifty minutes to Istanbul. Tour of the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace Museum and the Archeological Museum. Overnight at Istanbul. The Madison Hotel, Receppasa Cad. No: 23, 80090 Taksim, Istanbul 0 (212) 238 54 60 Pbx.

3 July. A free day to explore the wonders of this city. Don't miss the covered bazaar, Hagia Sophia, the many grand mosques and the Hippodrome. A second overnight in Istanbul.

4 July. Morning bus to the airport. If you are leaving, bon voyage, gule gule, and a glorious Fourth.

Adding up the queries I have received by e-mail and other, a surprising 30 people have expressed interest; much of this has resulted from word-of-mouth about the previous trips; in fact, two people who took the initial trip are planning to go again. I must give good tour. Or perhaps cheap tour. Or maybe both.

The anonymity of e-mail leaves me wondering just who some of you are, and I am sure some of you don't know me I'll lead off. I am a retired theatre professor (Texas Tech) with a bald head, gray beard, and stutter. My wife, Sylvia, who will be on the trip, is a retired teacher who has published 13 children's plays.

My spellings of names are approved, but they may not be the ones you know. And it's impossible to put the Turkish diacritical markings into an e-mail. Cliff Ashby

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