Journey through the Ancient World
A voyage of discovery to Jordan, Egypt, Cyprus & Turkey aboard the MS Serenissima with Guest Speaker Jeremy Paterson
- 29 November 2021
Come with us on a journey through the Near East as we visit a wealth of treasures including biblical landmarks, Byzantine settlements, Egyptian temples and tombs as well as impressive Greek and Roman sites. With the aid of our Guest Speaker and local guides, we will learn and reflect on the successive civilisations and a period of history spanning well over 2000 years.
Our journey begins with a five day escorted tour of Jordan, which from the grandeur of Petra to the desert sands of Wadi Rum and the mystical Dead Sea is a country steeped in history and awe inspiring beauty. Petra, a city set deep in the Edom mountains and lost to Western ‘civilisation’ for hundreds of years was hewn directly from the rock by the Nabataeans and is an amazing feat of engineering and construction. As you explore this vast and complex city, whose wealth came from its proximity to the ancient Middle East trade routes, you cannot help but be impressed by the industry and sophistication of this ancient civilisation. We embark the MS Serenissima in Aqaba for our twelve night voyage to Turkey’s coastal city of Antalya beginning with time spent exploring the wonders of Egypt. See the great temples of Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx and visit Cairo’s magnificent Egyptian Museum. Next will be our transit of the Suez Canal, a highlight for many, followed by a visit to Alexandria from where there is the option to travel out to the Western Desert to the Museum and graveyards of El Alamein.
After a leisurely day at sea we arrive in Cyprus where from Limassol we visit the Temple of Apollo and the ruins of Kourion with its Greco-Roman Theatre before continuing to the Turkish Riviera where we will explore several ancient sites including Side, Perge and the Amphitheatre of Aspendos. This unusual itinerary offers a fascinating mix of some of the world’s most impressive and historic sites, including the ‘Rose Red City’ of Petra, combined with time to relax on board the MS Serenissima, enjoying good food and informative lectures in the company of just 95 fellow travellers.
Useful links & Travel Advice
Please find a selection of useful websites to refer to for information from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, on visa requirements, NHS travel health advice and other useful travel tips.
Serenissima
The charming MS Serenissima began her career as the Harald Jarl, cruising the Norwegian coastline and fjords. Extensively renovated in 2003 she was rechristened MS Andrea and began her life as a classic cruise ship, and was chartered by Noble Caledonia for a number of years. In spring 2012 MS Andrea was purchased by our longstanding associates Volga Dream and renamed the MS Serenissima. After a thorough renovation and upgrading, the charming MS Serenissima commenced cruise operations in April 2013 and we have chartered her for the majority of each year since knowing her to be perfect for small ship cruising. With her small size she can navigate into small, remote ports inaccessible to the big cruise ships and appears an impressive sight when moored. With her fleet of Zodiacs she is capable of both destination and expedition cruising.
Itinerary
Day 1 London to Amman, Jordan.
Fly by scheduled flight. Arrive in Amman this evening and transfer to our hotel in the Dead Sea area for our two night stay.
Day 2 Dead Sea & Bethany.
Enjoy breakfast in the hotel and a leisurely morning. You may wish to swim or float in the Dead Sea which, at 423 metres below sea level is the lowest spot on earth. The high salt content prevents the existence of any life forms but is also believed to provide healing properties with the mud on the seabed being rich in minerals. After lunch in the hotel restaurant we will drive to Bethany, the site where John the Baptist met and baptised Jesus Christ. The excavations conducted at Bethany in Jordan have uncovered a 1st century AD settlement with plastered pools and water systems that were used almost certainly for mass baptisms, and a 6th century Byzantine settlement with churches, a monastery and other structures most probably catering to religious pilgrims. This evening we will meet for dinner at the hotel.
Day 3 Kerak & Little Petra.
This morning we drive southward along the Dead Sea shore before heading to the imposing Crusader stronghold of Kerak where we visit the fortified castle which was built in AD 1142 and had witnessed many battles between the Crusaders and Saladin’s Muslim armies. See the network of the dimly lit vaulted rooms and long winding corridors, which lead into each other through heavy arches and doorways. After our visit we continue our journey south to the rose-red city of Petra. On the way we will stop at the spectacular site of Little Petra, where a modest gorge (Siq el-Barid) leads into the area of carved tombs and monuments. See the Painted Cave which is believed to have been a shelter for a sect focused on Dionysus, the ancient Greek god of wine, as it contains remains of Greek-style plaster artwork, quite unique for Petra, displaying tangled vines and flowers with brightly coloured birds and cupidlike figures. A kilometre further to the southwest of Siq el-Barid is one of the region’s most important archaeological sites, the 6800 BC Neolithic village of Beidha which was inhabited, long before the Nabateans, by the New Stone Age people where over 60 stone-built structures have been discovered among the ruins of this early farming community. After our visit we continue to our hotel where we enjoy dinner this evening.
Day 4 Petra.
After breakfast in the hotel we will explore the breathtaking Nabatean city of Petra which was carved out of the rose-red sandstone about 2000 years ago and has been voted as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Walk past the Obelisk Tomb and then through the Siq, the narrow 1.2 kilometre gorge that leads to Petra’s most impressive monument, the Treasury which was carved out of the pale reddish sandstone in the 1st century BC. Pass by the dozens of classical Nabatean ruins and tombs known as the Street of Facades, the remarkable 3000 seat Theatre, the Royal Tombs, the Colonnaded Street, the Byzantine Church, the Temple, the Monumental Arch and the mighty Qasr el-Bint Faroun. After lunch amidst the ruins of Petra you will have the option to return to the hotel for an afternoon at leisure or stay and explore the site further independently. Those feeling active may choose to climb about 900 steps up to the large, 1st century AD monument known as the Monastery with its remarkable views over Wadi Araba. Meet this evening for dinner.
Day 5 Wadi Rum & Aqaba.
This morning we will drive to Wadi Rum, also known as the Valley of the Moon where the desert landscape is mixed with awe-inspiring shapes to create an almost supernatural atmosphere. We will embark on an adventurous excursion by a Bedouin open top four-wheel drive vehicle. We begin at the visitor centre from where there is a view in the distance of the Seven Pillars of Wisdom, the famous landmark named after the book by T.E. Lawrence ‘Lawrence of Arabia’. During our excursion we will also see the Alameleh inscriptions which are a good example of ancient rock drawings, Siq Um Al Tawaqi, a short canyon containing a carving of the head of T.E. Lawrence and ruins of Allat (Goddess) Temple of the AAD tribe. We will have lunch in the desert before driving to Aqaba and embarking the MS Serenissima this afternoon.
Day 6 Aqaba.
Spend a relaxing morning in Aqaba. For those keen to spend time in the Aqaba Marine Park containing fringing reefs, over 100 species of hard coral and many species of fish, we will base ourselves at one of the beaches from where you can enjoy swimming or snorkelling in the clear waters. Alternatively explore the old town of Aqaba and take time to walk through the bustling souk. Return to the ship for lunch and relax on board as we spend the afternoon sailing through the Gulf of Aqaba.
Days 7 & 8 Safaga for Luxor, Egypt.
The port of Safaga will be our base for our overnight trip to Luxor. After driving through the desert our first call will be on the West Bank, one of the most famous and important archaeological sites in the world. See the Valley of the Kings, burial ground of the pharaohs for a period of 500 years. The tombs vividly depict the journey of the sun god and pharaoh through the dangers of the underworld. In the temple of Queen Hatshepsut you will discover scenes commemorating the reign of this exceptional monarch such as the ambitious voyage where she sent her ships on the Red Sea to the mysterious land of Punt. After our visit we transfer to our hotel in Luxor for some time to relax before meeting for dinner. Our second day will include the temples of Karnak, one of the most memorable and popular historical areas to visit in the world. Here you will witness the unbelievably vast array of monuments dedicated to Amun-Ra, king of the gods, his wife Mut and their son Khonsu. Just two of the highlights you will see are the great hypostyle hall with over 130 columns some 22 metres high and the obelisk of the powerful queen pharaoh Hatshepsut. We will have some time to explore the souk before continuing to the Nile for short cruise including lunch. In the afternoon we will board our coaches and return to the MS Serenissima in Safaga.
Day 9 At Sea.
Spend the day on board as we sail through the Red Sea and Gulf of Suez. Join one of our lectures or find a spot on deck as we sail to Port Tawfiq where we arrive this evening and moor overnight.
Day 10 Port Tawfiq for Cairo.
Today is a full day tour dedicated to the capital city of Cairo. We visit the impressive Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, the only survivor of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the tombs of the great Pharaohs and their queens. After lunch we visit the Grand Egyptian Museum. This complex is a cultural hub and includes one of the largest museums in the world displaying the heritage of a single civilization. The museum contains over 50,000 artefacts, reflecting Egypt’s past from prehistory until the Greek and Roman Periods. As you enter the museum, you cannot miss the colossal statue of King Ramses II, nor the 87 huge royal artefacts exhibited at the grand stairs. These stairs lead up to an impressive 28 metre high glass facade overlooking the pyramids of Giza. The museum also hosts over 5000 artefacts from the tomb of the golden Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Return to the MS Serenissima for dinner this evening.
Day 11 Suez Canal Transit.
Spend the day in transit of the Suez Canal and the Great Bitter Lake.
Day 12 Alexandria.
Our final day in Egypt finds us in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria. Here we have a choice of excursions and you may spend the day exploring Alexandria with a visit to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, and the Archaeological Museum which contains recent finds of Cleopatra’s palace. Also see Pompey’s Pillar, the Coptic Cathedral of St Mark, the Catacombs, the Roman Theatre. Finally take in the views from the Citadel of Qaitbay, which stands where the famous Pharos Lighthouse of Alexandria stood in antiquity. Alternatively take a full day tour into the Western Desert to visit the Museum and graveyards of El Alamein.
Day 13 Limassol, Cyprus.
Spend the day at sea as we sail to Cyprus arriving in Limassol in the early evening. Maybe take the chance for an after dinner stroll in the town.
Day 14 Limassol.
From our berth we take a morning tour which will include the Temple of Apollo, one of the main religious centres of ancient Cyprus where Apollo was worshipped as God of the Woodlands. It seems that the worship of Apollo on this site began as early as the 8th century BC and continued until the 4th century AD. We will continue to the ruins of Kourion, a city built in 1200 BC. Of particular interest are the public baths, the necropolis, the Fountain House, House of Gladiators and House of Achilles. The most spectacular site at Kourion is the Greco-Roman Theatre that has been completely restored and is used today for open air musical and theatrical performances. The afternoon is free for independent exploration.
Day 15 Alanya, Turkey.
Arrive this morning in Turkey and the pretty port of Alanya. After breakfast we will drive through the town, with views of the Taurus Mountains in the east, then towards Incekum along the Turkish Riviera to the west, where we pass citrus and banana plantations and visit Damlatas Cave which is a masterpiece of nature, known for its curative effect on asthma. Drive along the beautiful Turkish Riviera towards the ancient city of Side which was one of the leading Pamphylian cities on the south coast of Anatolia. Visit the Grand Theatre, a perfect example of a Roman theatre built on vaults on flat land. Walk through the town, view the old harbour and see the remains of the Apollo Temple. Return to the ship for lunch and spend the afternoon at leisure exploring the town of Alanya with its Medieval fort perched on a rocky peninsula.
Day 16 Antalya.
Today we explore the principal Roman ruins along Turkey’s southern coast. We pass the modern city of Antalya en-route to the ancient city of Perge which dates back to 1000 BC and was founded by Mopsus and Calchas after their retreat from Troy. See the Basilica of Perge, which played an important role in the spread of Christianity, the 2nd century AD stadium, the baths complex and two magnificent round towers of the Greek Gate. We drive further east for a visit to Aspendos, whose amphitheatre built in the 2nd century AD is considered the best preserved in the Mediterranean. After lunch in a local restaurant either return to the ship or make a stop in the city to visit the excellent Archaeological Museum.
Day 17 Antalya to London.
Disembark this morning and transfer to the airport for our scheduled flight to London via Istanbul.
Dates and Prices
29 November to 15 December 2021 | ||
---|---|---|
Category | Brochure Price | Special Offer Price |
2 Standard Stateroom | £7195 | £6995 |
3 Classic Stateroom | £7395 | £7195 |
4 Superior Stateroom | £7795 | £7595 |
5 Deluxe Stateroom | £8295 | £8095 |
6 Junior Suite | £8795 | £8595 |
7 Owner’s Suite | £9295 | £9095 |
8 Serenissima Suite | £9695 | £9495 |
10 Standard Single | £8195 | £7995 |
Tour Reference Code: SCSE291121
PRICE INCLUDES: Economy class scheduled air travel • 12 nights aboard the MS Serenissima on a full board basis • House wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner on board • Overnight hotel accommodation in Luxor with breakfast • Lunch & dinner daily • Four nights hotel accommodation in Jordan with breakfast • Noble Caledonia onboard team including Guest Speaker • Shore excursions • Gratuities • Transfers • Port taxes.
Not Included: Travel insurance, Egyptian visa, Jordanian visa.
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Deckplan
Serenissima
The charming MS Serenissima began her career as the Harald Jarl, cruising the Norwegian coastline and fjords. Extensively renovated in 2003 she was rechristened MS Andrea and began her life as a classic cruise ship, and was chartered by Noble Caledonia for a number of years. In spring 2012 MS Andrea was purchased by our longstanding associates Volga Dream and renamed the MS Serenissima. After a thorough renovation and upgrading, the charming MS Serenissima commenced cruise operations in April 2013 and we have chartered her for the majority of each year since knowing her to be perfect for small ship cruising. With her small size she can navigate into small, remote ports inaccessible to the big cruise ships and appears an impressive sight when moored. With her fleet of Zodiacs she is capable of both destination and expedition cruising.
Travelling with You
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Jeremy Paterson
Jeremy Paterson studied Classics and Ancient History at Oxford, where he was also President of the University Archaeological Society. Subsequently he was Craven Research Fellow at The British School at Rome, where he studied the ancient Roman wine trade. For most of his career he taught Ancient History at Newcastle University, where he was also Dean of Arts and chaired the University Teaching Committee. For many years he chaired the Primary Latin Project, ‘Minimus’, which is successfully introducing Latin into primary schools. His research interests include economic history, the ancient wine trade, Cicero, the court of the Roman emperor, the nature of power in the ancient world, and early Christianity. He has travelled extensively throughout the Mediterranean and Europe, and is a very experienced lecturer on cruises and on land-based tours.
Jeremy Paterson will be on the following tour dates: 29 November to 15 December 2021
Tour Extensions
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For those who wish to spend some time discovering Istanbul after disembarking the MS Serenissima we are offering a two night hotel extension with included sightseeing.
Istanbul
The Itinerary
Day 1 Antalya to Istanbul, Turkey.
Disembark after breakfast and transfer to the airport for our scheduled flight to Istanbul. On arrival we will have lunch before heading to the impressive Topkapi Palace, a complex of buildings and annexes that was used as the Imperial residence of the Ottoman Sultans for nearly 400 years. Since 1924 it has been preserved as a museum, and it is noted for its beautiful shaded courtyards and elegant architecture. This afternoon we check in to our hotel and enjoy an evening at leisure. (B, L)
Day 2 Istanbul.
After breakfast at the hotel we start our exploration of Istanbul at the Hippodrome, the centre of civic life in the capital of the Ottoman Empire and the site of speeches, chariot races, and riots. Next, visit the nearby Blue Mosque, named for its glorious 17th century painted tiles; and the Hagia Sophia, first a Byzantine patriarchal basilica, later an imperial mosque and today a museum. Known for its massive domed roof and colourful mosaics, this structure is widely regarded as the world’s finest example of Byzantine architecture. A short walk brings us to the Basilica Cistern, which dates back to the 6th century and is supported by 336 Corinthian columns making it one of the most magnificent covered cisterns in Istanbul. Return to the hotel for an afternoon at leisure before we meet for dinner this evening. (B, D)
Day 3 Istanbul to London.
After breakfast we transfer to the airport for our scheduled flight to London. (B)
Prices per person based on double occupancy
15 to 17 December 2021 Category Price Twin £595 Single £745 Price Includes: Two nights accommodation in Istanbul, meals as indicated (B - Breakfast, L - Lunch, D - Dinner), Noble Caledonia Tour Manager, excursions, gratuities, transfers.
Not Included: Travel insurance.
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Book with Confidence
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