Gay History for Gay Travelers
ATHENS, MYCENAE, DELPHI, EPIDAUROS, SANTORINI & MYKONOS
Ancient Greece-birthplace of democracy, philosophy, history and theater. And also a society in which same-sex relations lay at the center of social and political life. The remains of ancient Greece fascinate us still today, and in its art and ruins we can trace the origins of Western culture and the beginnings of gay and lesbian history. On this tour we will return to our roots-both as heirs of the glorious tradition that is Western civilization, and as gay men and women who recognize ourselves in the Greek past. And as always with Oscar Wilde Tours, we’ll do it in style! With splendid hotels, superb dining in some of Greece’s finest restaurants, and expert guides to lead us every step of the way. This is truly an enchanting journey that will create memories for a lifetime.
Athens
October 1-6
accommodations
HERODION HOTEL
Truly the best hotel location in Athens, just one block from the walkway around the Acropolis. The Herodion is a charming and pleasant hotel—and just wait till you see the views from the rooftop bar! There are other great hotels in Athens, but this is our favorite, and we very rarely get to use it.
Day 1, Wed Oct 1
Day 2, Thurs Oct 2
The Acropolis and More
Day 3, Fri Oct 3
Homeric Mycenae and Tragic Epidauros
Today we take a trip out of Athens to explore the fascinating sights of the northern Peloponnese, just across the Corinthian Gulf. Our first stop is at Epidauros, to visit the world’s best-preserved ancient theater. Next, we visit the mysterious ruins of Mycenae, center of the world of the Iliad-where we will discuss the fascinating relationship of the hero Achilles and his friend (and possibly lover) Patroclus.
Finally, we go to Nemea, the site of one of the ancient Greek world’s four great athletic competitions. Less well known than Olympia, Nemea is of special interest to us for the astonishing homoerotic graffiti from 2500 years ago preserved on its walls. Today the area around Name is famed for its vineyards, and we have a late lunch, followed by a wine tasting, before returning to Athens for a free evening.
Day 4, Sat Oct 4
Today we make a second day excursion, to visit another one of Greece’s most famous sites, the vast temple complex of Delphi. Here the ancients came to consult the oracles of Apollo, which they received from the ravings of a drugged priestess. We take a thorough look at the vast site and the museum, and pay special attention to the cult statue of the divine Antinous, the emperor Hadrian’s deified lover-and pagan competitor for Jesus Christ! Statues of Antinous have been found throughout the Greco-Roman world, but as we will see, the statue in Delphi seems to have been worshipped with special zeal. Lunch is included en route. On our way back to Athens, we stop at a rarely visited site that is rich in gay history: the lion monument of Chaironeia. Built to commemorate the Sacred Band, the crack regiment of later classical Greece, the monument honors a warrior unit composed exclusively of lover/beloved couples. We return to Athens for a final free evening.
Day 5, Sun Oct 5National Archaeological Museum (and free afternoon)
This morning, we cross Athens to visit the National Archaeological Museum, with the world’s greatest collection of ancient Greek sculpture. Our visit focuses on the amazing history of the male nude in ancient Greek art, plus a number of other fascinating artifacts that include Greek vases (Professor Lear’s academic specialty). This afternoon is free, for shopping, more archaeological touring, or perhaps a short tour to the Athenian shore and the iconic temple of Neptune on the coastal headlands at Sounio—where you can look for Lord Byron’s graffito signature! In the evening we offer an optional lesson in traditional Greek cooking with a prominent local chef, where we will enjoy the results of our cooking.
Days 6-7, Mon-Tue Oct 6-7Stunning Santorini
We take an early morning ferry across the Aegean for lovely views of the Cycladic islands, landing in Santorini before lunch. We spend two days exploring this ravishing island, curved around the bay created in prehistoric times by a sunken volcanic caldera. We visit Akrotiri, the Minoan city that may have inspired the Atlantis legend, ancient Thera—a rarely visited mountaintop Spartan colony whose graffiti provide the earliest evidence for male-male love in the Greek world— as well as the island’s sparkling white villages famous for the spectacular sunsets over the caldera and the donkeys that form their traditional transport system. Lunch will be included on both days as we explore the island; evenings will be free for relaxed dinners.
Days 8-9, Wed-Thurs Oct 8-9
Greece’s Gayest Island
A short two-hour ferry ride takes us to Mykonos, perhaps the loveliest of the Greek islands, famous for its beautiful white village, its turquoise sea, its beaches-and its gay nightlife. We visit Mykonos town, with its hundreds of little churches—and also its archaeological museum, with some explicitly sexy images from ancient times—and we also spend a full morning on the nearby island of Delos, the Greek Pompeii, with its amazingly well-preserved ancient city-including the famous row of phalluses in front of the temple of Bacchus! On Day 9, we will have one last lovely Greek seafood dinner to toast our new friends, this beautiful country, and its fabulous gay past!
Day 10, Fri Oct 10
Farewell to Greece!
Our tour ends with breakfast this morning, but let us know if we can help with your flight arrangements or further travel plans.
Take The Istanbul Extension Tour: October 11-15
After 4 days in the pristine white-and-turquoise Greek islands, turn the color on and visit Istanbul, one of the world’s most beautiful, fascinating, colorful, and varied cities! We will show you all (or at least many) of the city’s fabulous sides, from its fabulous churches, mosques, and palace (the Topkapi) to belly-dancing, the hammam, and of course its incredible food. And of course, as always with Oscar Wilde Tours, you will learn about the city’s gay history. After all, who all was in that fabulous harem…..
On arrival, on Fri Oct 11, we spend an evening at a rooftop restaurant with a panoramic view on the Bosporus, watching a belly dancing dinner show–probably including zenne, the male belly dancers who are reviving belly dancing’s original homoerotic charge.
On day 2, Sat Oct 12, we visit the vast square where the Roman hippodrome stood and the two great buildings that dominate it today: Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, the glories respectively of Byzantine and Islamic art and architecture. We close the morning in the fascinating Basilica Cistern, an underground waterworks supported by 336 ancient columns, which has appeared in many movies and video games, starting with the James Bond movie From Russia With Love. We get lunch at a restaurant that was a famous stop on the hippie trail from Europe to India, then take a cruise on the Bosporus, the channel that separates Europe and Asia, and see the palaces and mosques of Istanbul from the water.
On day 3, Sun Oct 13, we visit Istanbul’s vast palace, Topkapi (again, known from a 1960s movie!). Topkapi, originally built by Mehmed the Conqueror—the Turkish leader who finished off the Byzantine Empire—and one of the great gay geniuses—the palace was the center of the Ottoman Empire for 400 years. The highlight is the visit to the Harem, the private residence of the Sultan, his mother, his favorites and concubines, and the eunuchs who protected it. Were there also male lovers in the harem? It’s certainly not mentioned in the official tour, but as we will tell you…. We then proceed to the Archaeological Museum to see its great collection of ancient Greek art (remember that a lot of ancient Greece was in today’s Turkey) including the most splendid ancient Greek tomb in existence, long believed to be the tomb of Alexander the Great (another gay genius). Today you have the afternoon free. We recommend visits to a hammam (a Turkish bathhouse)—one of the best is in your hotel!—and to the vast and fascinating Grand Bazaar, to look at carpets, spices, and more.
On day 4, Mon Oct 14, we dedicate the day to food! We start the day at and around the “Egyptian” spice market—the place to buy spices and spice combinations, such as za’atar, not to speak of 50 varieties of dates—then take the ferry across the Bosporus to hip Kadiköy, on the Asian side of the city. And on the way we sample many of Istanbul’s famous street foods, baked goods, and desserts. Try borek, pide, kebab, midye dolma (mussels stuffed with rice spiced with pine nuts and currants)—the list could go on and on—and the world’s best lokum (Turkish delight) and baklava. In fact, Istanbul being Istanbul, there are shops with a dozen different kinds of baklava. In short, this day will be a major culinary experience!
Day 5, Tues Oct 15. Our Istanbul extension ends with breakfast this morning. Let us know if you need help with your further travel plans!
