On this trip, we present a comprehensive visual survey of the Christian Sacred Art on Mainland Greece. Participants will be able to visit numerous sites and museums housing Christian art from Paleo-Christian times to the post-Byzantine period.

If you are interested in joining this tour or have any questions, please contact us!

About the trip: “Byzantine Greece” is another educational trip presented by our agency’s Sacred Art tours.  It is, of course, impossible to cover all of the monuments and museums of Greece.  Because of this, we have carefully chosen the most important and significant sites, to enable the participants of our trip to see the development and evolution of Christian Sacred Art from the catacombs through the Byzantine period to the present-day revival. We plan to see the monuments and museums of Thessaloniki, Kastoria, Arta, Mystras and Athens, along with the monasteries of Hosios Lukas and Meteora. We also plan to visit modern churches and icon workshops that are producing contemporary Orthodox art by using traditional styles and techniques.  This trip will be interesting and beneficial to any iconophile and in general to anyone interested in Eastern Orthodoxy, Byzantine history and Christian Sacred Art. 

ITINERARY 

Day 1, Sunday, August 31, 2008:
Arrival in Thessaloniki, the largest city of Northern Greece. Transfer to hotel. The rest of the day at leisure. An optional general tour of city can be offered in the late afternoon. Thessaloniki was a very important city through the entire history of the Byzantine Empire, and became second in rank after Constantinople towards the Empire’s decline. It was a big military center and a prestigious Metropolitan See. It is from Thessaloniki that the conversion of the Slavs originated: the two missionary brothers Kirill and Methodius were born and raised in the city.  Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Thessaloniki.  

Day 2, Monday, September 1, 2008: 
We will start our day with a tour of the “Upper town,” where the complex of Medieval fortifications that so effectively guarded the city from multiple barbarian incursions is preserved. From there we walk down through the web of narrow and charming streets to see the Vlatadon Monastery, the church of Hosios David, and the church of St. Nicholas Orfanos. All three sites are very striking in their own individual way. The church of Hosios David (St. David), so named after the ascetic who lived in the vicinity, is all that is left from a main church of the monastery of Christ the Savior. The surviving part of the church dates back to the late 5th century. In the Altar Apse we will see a splendid mosaic of Christ with various depictions based on the Old Testament prophesies in the background. There are also several important fresco compositions in the church, the only ones that survive in the city from the Komneni period. The nearby church of Saint Nicholas is rather humble in its appearance, but it boasts the best preserved fresco cycle from the 14^th  century. These wall paintings come to us from the first quarter of the 14^th century and represent the true glory of the Palaeologan style in Sacred Art.  In the afternoon we will continue the exploration of the city center, where we will visit numerous monuments from the Byzantine period. Most interesting among them are the Rotonda building with some surviving mosaics that date back to the 6^th century, the churches of the Transfiguration, St. Catherine and some others from the late Byzantine period. We also try to visit some newer churches with interesting new icons, murals and mosaics.  For dinner and overnight we will return back to the hotel.   

Day 3, Tuesday, September 2, 2008:
We will start our day with the Byzantine Museum of Thessaloniki. This modern and fascinating museum offers exhibits on the various aspects of life in the Byzantine Empire. One of the most interesting permanent exhibits is on the history and development of Christian Sacred Art. Many ecclesiastical objects, icons and frescoes from the Paleo-Christian times through the post-Byzantine period are on view. After our visit to the museum we will continue our exploration of the Byzantine monuments of the city. Today we plan to visit numerous churches from various periods. Of these the most famous are the basilica of Ayios Demetrios (St. Demetrius) and one of the largest churches of Thessaloniki, that of Ayia Sophia (Holy Wisdom). The basilica of St. Demetrius was built in several phases, starting in the fifth century. A devastating fire destroyed it in early 20^th century, but magnificent restoration work made the Basilca appear most likely in the way that was intended by the original builders. During the restoration many ancient mosaics and frescoes from various periods were opened/re-discovered. The basilica also houses the relics of the Holy martyr and underneath the basilica we can still see the remains of the Roman baths where saint was martyred. The church of the Holy Wisdom was built in the 7th century on the place of an earlier Christian basilica.  The interior of that splendid cathedral is adorned with mosaics from various periods. It is especially interesting, as one can see the simple cross mosaics from the iconoclastic period, and much more elaborate and ornate mosaics from the later period. Some 11^th century frescoes survive in the narthex and window apses of the church.  Late afternoon and evening will be at your leisure. We will gather back at the hotel for dinner and overnight.  

Day 4, Wednesday, September 3, 2008:
This morning, we will check out from our hotel and will transfer south to another ancient city, that of Beroia (Veria). Its history lasts uninterrupted from the Antiquity till the present day. During the Byzantine Empire, the city had important role in the life of the State, even though it was occupied by invaders on several occasions. Several dozens of churches, many of which are adorned with frescoes, give testimony to city’s former splendor and glory.  The most famous of all the churches in Beroia is the church of Christ that back to the 14 century, this church was the main chapel of the patriarchal monastery in Veria; its frescoes are of striking vividness and beauty, and were executed by the famous iconographer from Thessaloniki Georgios Kalliergis. Just around the corner, we find the church of saints Kiryk and Ioulitta also famous for its frescoes. It has a number of the iconographical compositions from several different periods, with the most precious one dating back to the mid 14^th century.  Our next stop will at the monastery near the town of Elassona, south of Veria. The monastery’s little-known 14^th century church of the Panagia Olympiotissa contains one of the most complete and best-preserved fresco cycles of the late Byzantine Period anywhere in Greece.  The frescoes are contemporary to the church, and on one of them we can see the portrait of the Byzantine Emperor Andronicus.  For dinner and overnight we will transfer to the small town of Kalambaka atthe base of the wondrous cliffs of Meteora.

Day 5, Thursday, September 4, 2008:
The monasteries that perch atop bare cliffs of Meteora make it an important monastic center, second only to Mt. Athos. The rock caves here served as a refuge for hermits from the Ancient times, but monastic life started to truly blossom here in 14^th century, when more and more monks sought refuge from the Turkish raids. At one time, there were over twenty functioning monasteries in the area, but today only six of them survive. We will visit the three most important monasteries in Meteora. Great Meteoron, the largest of all of the local monasteries, is dedicated to the Transfiguration of Christ.  It was built in the second half of the 14th century. The monastery serves as a depository for multiple precious articles, holy relics, manuscripts and icons. Even though it is not the most remote monastery, every pilgrim has to ascend several hundred steps to reach it.  The second site that we will visit this morning will be the monastery of Varlaam. It is located near the Great Meteoron and is much easier to reach. It was establish in the mid 14th century by a monk named Varlaam. Two centuries later, the humble hermit’s refuge was much expanded and then decorated by Theban iconographers. In addition to splendid frescoes, the monastery also offers a small but very interesting museum where visitors can see medieval manuscripts and precious Byzantine icons. After lunch, we will continue our exploration of the area with a visit to the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Church in the town of Kalambaka. The present church dates back from the 12th century, but it was built on top of a Paleo-Christian church. To get to church one must follow a labyrinth of steep streets and several sets of stairs, but the interesting details of the interior and unique frescoes will reward any climber. Our final visit today will be to the convent of St. Stephen. The monastery is very easy to access as the bus can park almost at the gate. Originally it was built in the 14th century but was much expanded in the 19^th century. The nuns keep their facilities in a perfect shape with numerous ongoing projects to improve the convent. Late in the afternoon we will transfer to the beautiful medieval town of Kastoria in the very North-West of the country for dinner and overnight.

Day 6, Friday, September 5, 2008:
The town of Kastoria was established in the 6th century by the Emperor Justinian. It has a very turbulent history: through the Middle Ages the city was occupied a number of times by various invaders. Finally it fell into Turkish hands in the 14th century. But what brings true glory to this pristine but somewhat remote location is a great number of churches with well preserved frescoes. Many of them were built during the Komneni period or in the years when Kastoria was a part of the Despotate of Epirus. We will explore a number of the most important churches. Among them is the Basilica of St. Stephen, one of the oldest surviving churches in the town. The earliest surviving frescoes here are from the 9^th century, but in various parts of the church frescoes from the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries can be found. The church of the Holy Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian is also a basilica. It has interesting tile decorations and important frescoes. In fact, there are two layers of frescoes in the church that date back to the 11^th and 12^th centuries. In the afternoon we will explore the Byzantine Museum of Kastoria. It was opened relatively recently and is among the best Byzantine museums of Greece.  It has a sizable collection of Byzantine Sacred Art, with several dozen of the most important icons on display. We will remain in the city for dinner and overnight.  

Day 7, Saturday, September 6, 2008:
Today we will continue the exploration of the city. We will begin our day with a visit to the monastery of the Virgin Mary "Mavriotissa". Surviving frescoes in the interior of the church date back to the 11^th and 13^th centuries. In the mid 16th century a chapel dedicated to St. John the Theologian was built in the monastery. Frescoes there were done by the artist Eustathios Iakovou in 1552. Another interesting church that we will visit today is that of St. Nicholas. This small one-aisle church boasts interesting 12th century frescoes. They are very nicely executed and their style gives a very good representation of the style that was particular for the Komnenini age. In the afternoon we will transfer some three hours down South to the one-time capital of the Byzantine Despotate, the city of Arta.   

Day 8, Sunday, September 7, 2008:
The city of Arta traces its history back to the Antiquity. However, it came to play a prominent role in 11^th century, under Byzantine Emperor Alexios Komninos, who attempted to  free Western provinces of the Empire from the presence of the Normans. Arta gained its greatest importance when it became the capital of the Byzantine Despotate of Epirus, an independent State that came into existence after the Fall of Constantinople in 1204. The kingdom lasted for about 250 years and during that period a number of interesting ecclesiastical monuments were erected. The church of Our Lady Parigoritissa was built at the end of the 13th century. It was built as a part of the monastery, but today the entire complex serves as the regional museum. The most interesting part of the interior decoration is the 13^th century mosaic in the dome (presently under the restoration – limited accessibility). Surviving frescoes in the church are from the 16th and 17th centuries. The Church of St. Basil is very interesting, despite being very small in size. It was built in the 13th century and was decorated with tile and unusual “tooth” like brick work on the outside. There are some interesting frescoes inside the church. The Church of St. Theodora (dedicated to the local patron saint of Arta) also was built in the 13th century, but on the foundation of a much earlier Christian Basilica. Some of important frescoes survive till the present day. We will transfer to the village of Nafpaktos for dinner and overnight.       

Day 9, Monday, September 8, 2008:
Today we are planning to start late.  You are welcome to sleep late (please do not miss your breakfast) or explore the historical part and fortress in Nafpaktos. However, for the most enthusiastic members of the group we will arrange an early morning tour to the nearby city of Patras. The modern city, one of the largest in Greece, has few remains of its Ancient past, as it was burned in 1821 by Turks and rebuilt anew. However, for Christians that destination was of great importance as it was known as place of the martyrdom of St. Apostle Andrew. His scull and a part of his “X” shaped cross can be venerated inside the huge modern Neo-Byzantine Cathedral that was completed in 1979. Besides being an important pilgrimage destination, the Cathedral boasts lavish marble and mosaic decorations, along with some beautiful and masterfully executed fall paintings. From Nafpaktos we will be moving East in order to reach one of the absolute gems of the Byzantine heritage of Greece - the 10^th century monastery of Hosios Lukas (St. Luke). The main church of the monastery is lavishly decorated. Mosaics are absolutely of the first caliber, along with other decorations, architectural design and exterior works of the church. Some compositions have been lost due to the earthquakes that are not unknown in the area. But what survives gives a very powerful and deep insight into the beauty of the Sacred Art and the grandeur of its expression in the period when the monastery was built. After a visit to the monastery we will transfer to Athens for dinner and overnight.       

Day 10, Tuesday, September 9, 2008:
Today we will explore the Byzantine treasures of the Greek Capital city of Athens. The city center has a number of Medieval Byzantine Churches, famed for their interesting architectural styles. The Old Cathedral and the church of the Virgin Mary are two churches that were built on much earlier foundations of the Ancient Greek temples. Both churches have some remains or decorations from the previous building in the interior. The church of the Holy Apostles, located by the entrance of the Ancient Agora, is one of the oldest surviving churches in Athens. The exterior and interior of the church were nicely restored in the middle of the last century and visitors can see some of the surviving Byzantine frescoes. We also plan to visit the Byzantine and Christian Museum of the city. It was established in 1914 and contains some very important artifacts of the Byzantine culture from the 4^th to the 19^th centuries. The majority of the items on display are related to the ecclesiastic theme. Some fine icons and frescoes from destroyed churches can be seen in several exhibition halls.  After lunch, we will visit another museum in the city center. It was started as a private collection, but developed into one of the most interesting and significant museums in all of Greece. It has many very interesting Hellenistic collections, but we will visit only the most relevant to us – the collection of the Byzantine Sacred Art and the gallery of the ecclesiastical/liturgical items. From the city center we will proceed south, toward the port of Piraeus. On the way we will stop to visit the Kessariani Monastery. This is a very interesting place, an 11th century Byzantine Monastery that survived largely intact through the centuries. Visitors can see the main Church dedicated to the Entrance of the Theotokos in the Temple in Jerusalem and other buildings that were utilized by monks for everyday needs while monastery was a functioning unit. We will complete our day with a visit to the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Piraeus. This magnificent church was built in the later part of the 20^th century and presents a very impressive example of the Neo-Byzantine Style. Its mammoth glory is supplemented by beautiful mosaics, murals and icons of the modern Greek iconographers.

Day 11, Wednesday, September 10, 2008:
We will start our day by attending Divine Liturgy at one of the local parish churches. After the service, we will head south, toward the heart of the Peloponnese. As we will be leaving Athens we will stop for a visit at Daphni Monastery*, one of the most important, and perhaps the most famous Byzantine monument in all of Greece. This 11th century monastery is on UNESCO's World Heritage list, and the glory of the monastery is due to its unique and exquisite mosaics. Many of the icons inside the church were executed by Modern Greek iconographer Fotis Kontoglou. We will transfer farther south to the Greek town of Sparti for a dinner and overnight. After a recent earthquake, the monastery was closed for restoration that is going on already for some time. We hope that the restoration works won’t prevent us from visiting the monastery and admiring the beautiful mosaics of the interior.  

Day 12, Thursday, September 11, 2008:
Mystras was a fortified town, near the ancient city state of Sparta that sprang up at the foot of the Frankish Castle built in the mid 13^thcentury. But soon it came under Byzantine control and remained a Byzantine town till it was ceded to Turks in 1460, six years after the Fall of Constantinople. De-facto it was the last Byzantine Capital. The hill city was abandoned in 1821, when the new town of Sparta was built some distance north of the mountain. Impressive ruins and many surviving churches have made Mystras a UNESCO World heritage site. Among many surviving buildings in Mystras there are twelve churches that were restored or partially rebuilt and are now accessible to visitors. Most of the churches are adorned with frescoes that in many instances are in surprisingly good shape. Most of them date back to the 14th to 15th centuries and represent the splendor of the Paleologian Renaissance. For dinner and overnight we will remain in Sparta.     

Day 13, Friday, September 12, 2008:
This morning, we will transfer back to Athens. We plan to arrive to the city before noon, so you can spend the rest of the day at your leisure. Early afternoon should give you enough time to visit the National Archeological Museum, the Acropolis and explore the Medieval quarters of the city, which is filled with souvenir shops and restaurants. Alternatively, you can explore the museums of the city, revisit some of the sites, or go out of town for a pilgrimage to St. Nectarios on the island of Egina or a farewell dinner at Cape Sounion – one of the most beautiful and picturesque places in all of Greece.  

Day 14, Saturday, September 13, 2008:
After breakfast and check-out from the hotel we will depart for the airport to catch our plane to get back home, to the US. 

Please note: The current itinerary may change, as the opening hours of the sites are changing and some of the monuments may not be accessible due to restoration work. We will do our best to do our itinerary as presented, and not to miss anything out of the content. Presentations, visits to restorers or icon workshops are intentionally omitted as such visit are subject to confirmation upon arrival. However, we would like to assure you that we will indeed visit such places during our trip, in order to enhance your experience and understanding of Byzantine Art.