With Professor John France
April 3 - 17, 2011
For thousands of years, the islands of Cyprus and Malta have been invaded, explored, inhabited, and claimed by a multitude of civilizations. Their location in the Mediterranean Sea has given them a strategic importance, and the archaeological ruins left behind proclaim the importance of these small dots of land.
Join Far Horizons for a 15-day cultural tour of Cyprus and Malta and see incredible sites on both islands. The tour highlights three UNESCO World Heritage Sites on each island – On Cyprus visit Neolithic Tenta and Ayios Demtrios, ancient Paphos, and Byzantine churches in the Troodos Mountains that contain dazzling interior paintings. On Malta, most famous for the Knights of Malta, view stunning Valletta, Malta’s capital, several Neolithic sites, including Ggantija and Hagar Quim , and the breathtaking Hypogeum, the only prehistoric underground temple in the world. And of course, some of the most striking historic remains are the castles, fortifications, and palaces built by the Knights of Malta. Travel with The History Channel's John France, featured scholar on The Crusades: Crescent and the Cross, to these two historically important Mediterranean Islands.
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(B) breakfast, (L) lunch, (D) dinner
Day 1 Trip Begins: Depart on our archaeological tour from New York’s JFK Airport.
Day 2 Cultural Tour of Larnaca: Arrive in the capital of the Republic, Larnaca, Cyprus, first colonized by the Mycenaeans in the 13th century BC and later known as Kition under the Phoenicians. It is believed that Christianity was brought to the city by Lazarus, who was set adrift in a boat from Bethany, landed here, later becoming the city’s first bishop and finally its patron saint. Though the island is now divided, there continue to be Muslim sites in the south and Greek Orthodox sites in the north. One of these is Hala Sultan (Umm Haram) Tekke, a Muslim shrine which we visit en route from the airport. It is said that the paternal aunt of Mohammed, accompanying her husband on an Arab raid of Cyprus in 649, and under attack by Byzantine forces, fell from her mule on this spot, died and was buried here. After checking into the hotel, walk through the former Turkish quarter, and visit the Church of St. Lazarus, built in the late 9th century to house the purported remains of Lazarus. Enjoy a welcome dinner at one of the noted Larnaca restaurants. Overnight in the Lordos Beach Hotel. (D).
Day 3: Cyprus tour: Begin learning about Cypriot history on our drive along the coast to Tenta where we enjoy a private tour with Dr. Alison South, of the Neolithic site located near the village of Kalavassos, as well as Ayios Dimitrios, a site which is not currently open to the public. Drive to the Vasilikos Valley for a light lunch of traditional mezze, Visit the Crusader castle of Kolossi, built on the site captured by Richard the Lionheart in 1191, and once headquarters of the Lusignan family, rulers of the Kingdoms of Jerusalem and Cyprus in the 12th century. This castle was used by both the Knights Templar and the Grand Master of the Knights of St. John. We then meet Dr. Tom Davis of the Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute (CAARI) who takes us on a private tour of Kourion. Situated on a bluff overlooking the sea, Kourion has a multitude of highlights including a 2nd century AD renovation of a Hellenistic theater, foundations for baths, part of a private villa with celebrated 5th century mosaics, the late Roman House of the Gladiator as well as the Achilles Mosaic, and much more. Finally, stop briefly at Petra tou Rhomiou, the purported birthplace of Aphrodite. Finish the day with a fine Cypriot meal. Overnight for three nights at the Kanika Alexander Hotel in Paphos. (B/L/D)
Day 4: The UNESCO World Heritage city of Paphos is comprised of two towns, Kitma and Kato, or Nea Paphos. There are various legends about the foundation of Paphos including the tradition that the town was established by the legendary King Kinryas whom, according to the Iliad, provided Agamemnon with a wonderful inlaid corslet, or bronze armor. In the early morning light, view some truly remarkable Roman mosaics that at the Houses of Dionysos and Theseus. considered the best in the Eastern Mediterranean. Continue to the Tomb of the Kings, actually a necropolis for Paphian aristocracy, and the Church of Chrysopolitissa. Time permitting, examine an eclectic private collection of items ranging from costumes to household items at the Ethnographical Museum. To sustain the traveler, Cyprus offers both Turkish and Greek mezze and Greek coffees as well as Commandaria, a fortified sweet red wine dating from the time of the Crusades. Tonight will be a festive occasion in which we indulge in a feast of mezze. (B/L/D)
Day 5: Today takes us away from the coast into the lovely landscape of the interior to Palaepaphos, the earliest city of Paphos, and the Sanctuary of Aphrodite containing three temples from separate periods. The mother goddess was worshipped here as long ago as the 2nd century BC. Visit the adjacent La Couvocle Museum housed in a 13th century manor built by the Lusignan family. A short drive and a walk take us to the unique site of Palaea Enkleistra, a Byzantine cave-hermitage dating from the mid-15th century and containing distinctive frescoes depicting the Holy Trinity. Weather permitting, enjoy a delightful picnic at Panagia tou Sindi, a stunning abandoned 16th century monastery situated in the lovely Xeros Valley. Following lunch, and as we wend our way back to Paphos, visit a halloumi maker and learn how to make the ubiquitous cheese of Cyprus. Meet with the abbot at Panayia Chrysorrogiatissa, dedicated to Our Lady of the Golden Pomegranate, for a tour of the monastery including the ancient winery and the small Byzantine museum which houses several interesting icons including an unusual representation of the Virgin Mary nursing Christ. Time permitting, visit the Monastery and Hermitage of Ayios Neophytos, one of three royal monasteries on the island. The 12th century hermitage is said to have been carved out of the rock by Neophytos himself, and the paintings within either created under his supervision or by his own hand. Tonight enjoy a dinner on our own at one of the many delightful restaurants of Paphos. (B/L)
Day 6: Travel into the Troodos Mountains via the stunning Cedar Valley and forest. Situated predominantly on the northern slope of the range are the remarkable Troodos Painted Byzantine churches, ten of which are designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Several of the churches contain lovingly painted frescos on the interior walls. Of these churches, we visit two of the most renowned, Agios Nikolaos Tis Stegis and Panagia Phorviuotissa or Asinou. Visit and enjoy lunch at Kykko, the largest monastery on the island. Time permitting, we stop at the church of Arkhangelos Mikhael in Pedhoulas At the end of the day we arrive in Nicosia where we overnight for four nights at the Castelli Hotel located in walking distance of the Green Line. Tonight we walk across the Green Line for a dinner of traditional Turkish mezze. Overnight for three nights at the Castelli Hotel in Nicosia (B/L/D)
Day 7: We again cross the Green Line into to visit several sites including St. Hilarion’s Castle perched among the rocky crags of the Kyrenia hills and the best preserved of the redoubts built by the Byzantines and Crusaders. The castle was besieged by the Lusignans, acting on behalf of Richard the Lionheart and taken in 1191 by the Crusaders. Continue to the seaport town of Kyrenia, considered one of the most charming of the Cyprus coastal towns. See the harbor and its guardian castle, last renovated by the Venetians, but originally a Roman fort built and subsequently added on to by the Byzantines. Within the castle walls visit the Shipwreck Museum which displays the remains of one of the oldest shipwrecks known, dating from 2300 years ago. Continue to the village of Bellapais, famous for both the long term residency of Lawrence Durrell as well asthe eponymous abbey, originally founded as St. Mary of the Mountain by Augustinian canons fleeing Palestine. Surrounded by cypress trees and with a Gothic aura, the remains are truly lovely. We lunch in this idyllic setting, and then drive back toward Nicosia visiting Kantara Castle en route. (B/L/D)
Day 8: Today's drive takes us toward the eastern part of the island, where we visit the town of Famagusta and the nearby late Bronze Age remains at Salamis. Famagusta was briefly the wealthiest city on earth during the 14th century. Though filled with many sites including the citadel or Othello’s Tower, one of the best-preserved and most magnificent is the Lusignan monument, Lala Mustafa Pasa Camii or St. Nicholas Cathedral with its three striking porticoes which rise toward a six-paned stained glass window. Enjoy dinner this evening in Nicosia. (B/L)
Day 9: Today we begin by exploring southern Nicosia including the Archbishop’s Palace complex, and St. Johns Cathedral, or Ayios Ioannis, located next to the palace. Dating from the 17th century CE, this small cathedral is known for the murals by Philaretos and is still used to consecrate the archbishops of the city. A few steps from the cathedral is the Ethnographic Museum whose collection includes a plethora of examples of the island’s craftsmanship. Across the courtyard from St. Johns Cathedral is the Byzantine Museum which contains some very important pieces from that era including 150 icons dating from the 16th century, unusual for their variety of depictions of the Virgin and Child. Before lunch visit the House of the Dragoman, or Hadjiyeorgakis Kornesios Mansion, a 15th to 18th century amalgam of Venetian and Ottoman styles. The dragoman, a wealthy and influential individual, was the multi-lingual liaison between the Ottoman authorities and the Orthodox Christians. In the afternoon, cross the Green Line to visit sites in northern Nicosia. Begin at the Ataturk Meydani, the hub of the northern city since Ottoman times and surrounded by various government buildings. In the center of the roundabout is a granite column from Salamis placed there in 1489 by the Venetians and mistakenly attributed to the Venetians since that time. One of the most beautiful buildings we visit is Buyuk Han, or the “Great Inn”, among the earliest Ottoman public works. Explore Selimiye Camii, originally the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Ayia Sofia, the oldest and one of the finest examples of Gothic art in Cyprus and the work of French masons who accompanied the Crusades. Construction was begun in 1209 during the reign of Lusignan King Henry I and lasted 150 years. In the late afternoon, cross back to the Greek area to spend time in the excellent Cyprus Museum which contains an absorbing array of the best of the artifacts found on the island. Tonight we enjoy our “farewell to Cyprus” dinner as tomorrow we are off to Malta! (B/L/D)
Day 10: Fly to Malta with lunch onboard. Upon arrival, cross by ferry to Malta’s sister Island of Gozo. Malta owes its existence to the Knights Hospitaller Order of St. John. When defeated by Suleiman the Magnificent in 1522, the knights were forced to leave Rhodes. After seven years of wandering Europe, the king of Spain gave them Malta, and the Knights transformed the inhospitable islands into a verdant and thriving fortress. Valletta, Malta’s capital and a UNESCO World Heritage site, is an open-air museum. The bastions of this fortress city rank among the world's greatest examples of military engineering. Indulge in our first Maltese meal this evening. Overnight for two nights at the Calypso Hotel on Gozo. (B/D)
Day 11: This morning we visit several sites on Gozo with Professor Nick Vella, a specialist in Maltese prehistoric sites as our guide. Ta’ Cenc is an area where Neolithic dolmens and tombs can be seen scattered through the fields. Ggantija, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a complex of temples created more than 5,500 years ago, making them the oldest in Malta and some of the oldest in the world. Archaeologists believe that the statues and figurines found here may mean that the holy site was hom
e to a fertility cult. Walk through Città Vittoria, or Rabat, the largest town on the island, and visit Gozo’s archaeology museum housed within the 15th-century house used for guests of the Knights of St. John. Enjoy dinner on your own tonight. (B/L)
Day 12: Before we leave Gozo to return to Malta, we enjoy a short yet adventuresome walk to visit some ancient wine presses at Mgarr ix Xini with specialist, George Azzopardi. Following lunch on Valletta, see The Malta Experience, an audio-visual show that depicts the island’s history throughout the ages. Later in the afternoon take a boat tour of Marsamuscetto, Valletta's magnificent harbor benefitting from a different vantage point of this stunning fortified city. Gather this evening for dinner in one of Valletta’s fine restaurants. Overnight for three nights in the five-star Meridien Hotel in Sliema. (B/L/D)
Day 13:. This morning’s walking tour takes us to several stunning sites. Begin with a walk through the Baracca Gardens, overlooking the Grand Harbor. Then it’s on to St. John’s Co-Cathedral, designed by the Maltese architect Gerolamo Cassar in the 16th century and containing the largest painting ever created by Caravaggio. The opulent Grand Master’s Palace has always been the house of government in Malta, first by the knights, then the British. It now hosts the President’s office. The many rooms throughout the building contain opulent furnishings and are embellished with precious tapestries. On the lower floors are some fine examples of medieval armor and weapons used by the Knights of St. John and their adversaries. Manoel Theatre, one of the oldest working theaters in Europe, was built in 1731 by the Grand Master of the
Knights who personally funded 
the construction. This afternoon we visit the National Archaeological Museum where nearly 7,000 years of Malta’s heritage is displayed. Dinner is on our own to enjoy in one of Valletta’s many fine restaurants. (B/L)
Day 14: Our explorations begin in the 5000-year-old Hagar Qim temple, the best-preserved of several ancient limestone temples in Malta. Nearby Mnajdra, a megalithic temple complex, is one of the oldest religious sites on earth and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992. In the afternoon, visit the Hypogeum, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the only prehistoric underground temple in the world. This evening's short drive takes us to Mdina where we enjoy its beauty at dusk . Originally founded by Phoenicians more than 3,000 years ago, the medieval city is encircled by still-standing fortified walls enclosing exquisite Baroque and Norman buildings along a web of narrow, meandering lanes. Mdina is called ‘the silent city of Malta’, as no vehicles are allowed within the town. Wander the streets before our farewell dinner and admire several impressive structures including the Palazzo Falzon, built by the Normans around the year 1233. Our dinner in Mdina is in one of the island’s finest restaurants. (B/L/D)
Day 15: Transfer to the airport for our return flight to the USA. (B)
John France is Professor Emeritus from Swansea University in Wales and is a renowned specialist on the Medieval Period. He has published numerous articles, and is the author of The Crusades and the Expansion of Catholic Christendom, Western Warfare in the Age of the Crusades, and Victory in the East: A Military History of the First Crusade. Additionally, he has edited several important books including Medieval Warfare, Warfare in the Dark Ages, and War and Peace in Ancient and Medieval History. As a result of his research covering this period, he has compiled an electronic database of lives of saints prior to the year 1000. He is also an editor of the Journal of Medieval History. Dr. France was a featured scholar on the History Channel’s impressive two-part documentary,
The Crusades: Crescent & The Cross. His knowledge of the Middle Ages will bring to life the Crusader sites of Cyprus and the history of the Knights of Malta.
April 10-23, 2011
$9,995.00 (per person, double occupancy) Includes international air from New York’s JFK in coach; the flight from Cyprus to Malta; all hotels; meals as noted in brochure; entry fees, and land transportation. Price is based upon the euro at 1.50. If a fluctuation raises the euro, the final price may go up.
Cost Does Not Include: The donation of $150.00 per person to CAARI, passport or visa fees, airport taxes, beverages or food not included on regular menus, laundry, excess baggage charges, gratuities to guides and drivers, alcoholic drinks, or other items of a personal nature.
Single Supplement: $695.00. Should a roommate be requested and one not be available, the single supplement will be charged.
Fuel Surcharges: Far Horizons must pass on price increases when additional fuel charges are levied.
Donation Checks: The cost of the trip does not include the separate donation check for $150.00 per person to the CAARI (Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute). As a tour company that benefits from the historical, cultural and natural riches of our destinations, we have a policy of donating to scholars, archaeological and cultural projects, museums and other organizations in each of our destinations. CAARI promote studies of Cypriot archaeology and related humanistic disciplines.
A deposit of $500.00 to Far Horizons and a separate check for $150.00 written to CAARI is required upon making your reservation, along with a completed and signed registration form. Final payment is due 75 days prior to departure. Upon receipt of your deposit and completed registration form, you will be sent a reading list and a tour bulletin containing travel information. Prior to the trip, we will send links to various websites of pertinent interest to the trip. Click here to download our Registration Form.
Cancellations received in writing at least 75 days before departure will result in an administrative fee of $250.00. Cancellations received less than 75 days before departure will not receive a refund. If for any reason you are unable to complete the trip, Far Horizons will not reimburse any fees. Registrants are strongly advised to buy travel insurance that includes trip cancellation.
If you do not fly on the group flight, you are responsible for all flight arrangements and transportation (including airport transfers) to join the group. If Far Horizons must change the trip dates or cancel the trip for any reason, Far Horizons is not responsible for any air ticket you may have purchased. If you issue your own international flight, please send the complete schedule as soon as you have it.
Changes in our itinerary, accommodations, and transportation schedules may occur. A good book to read as well as a flexible attitude and a sense of humor are essential.
The private tours of archaeological sites and talks by specialists are scheduled in advance and include a donation to each. Specialists working at these sites are excited about showing their work to interested enthusiasts. However, please be aware that there may be times when the director or a member of the staff may not be onsite when our groups arrive due to other commitments, or that the date or time of our visit to their project must be changed.
THIS ARCHAEOLOGICAL TOUR TO CYPRUS AND MALTA IS LIMITED TO 17 PARTICIPANTS
