The Great Tours: Greece and Turkey, From Athens to Istanbul

The dynamic civilizations that emerge in the Aegean; the scope of the human drama that is played out there; some of the towering figures and remarkable sites to encounter; Professor Hale's recommendations for traveling this world as the ancients did.

The Acropolis is a symbol of Athens; the path of the ancient annual procession honoring Athena; the history and meanings of the site's iconic buildings; the superlative architectural features of the Parthenon and its surprising original uses.

Treasures surrounding the Acropolis; the Theater of Dionysos, where one ponders the rituals of early dramatic festivals; the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, a venue of music and recitations; the Pnyx, an ancient hilltop assembly point; the agora market.

Visiting sacred monuments of Greece's beautiful Attica region; the Amphiareion is a shrine of a prophet deity; ancient oracle and healing practices; imposing shrines to Artemis and Poseidon; Eleusis is the site of mystical religious rituals.

Peloponnese is Greece's southern half; Greece's important sanctuary to Poseidon, where ancient athletes compete to honor the god; Corinth's acropolis and agora; the great healing center of Epidaurus; the best-preserved theater of the ancient world.

The citadel of Mycenae is made famous in Homer's "Iliad"; the imposing Lion Gate; the rulers of Mycenae and ancient life in the citadel; key monuments; the extraordinary shaft graves of an early dynasty; the Megaron palace; the tomb of King Atreus.

Walking the fortress of Tiryns in Greece's Argolid region; Mycenaean and classical-age warrior culture; visiting the Heraion; the Roman villa of Herodes Atticus; the port of Nafplio, with its remnants of Venetian, Byzantine and Ottoman culture.

Investigating the practices and culture of the original Olympic Games at sites including the palaestra, the stadium and the Temple of Hera; the heat and drama of the contests; the mindset of the competitors; athletic competition as worship.

Reconstructing the sequence and rituals of a visit to the oracle in ancient times at Delphi; entering the lower sanctuary; making offerings en route to the temple; its warnings to the pilgrim; the Pythia speaks for the god in answering questions.

The town of Monemvasia offers a slice of Byzantine history; discovering its mazelike streets, Byzantine buildings and its Hagia Sophia church; exploring Mistra's Frankish castle and Byzantine palace; the soul of Byzantium in religious architecture.

The scenic and cultural riches of Greece's Aegean Islands; tasting the pleasures of Mykonos; crossing to Delos, the birthplace of Apollo and a later trading mecca; remnants of important sacred sites; island views from Mount Kynthos.

The volcanic and geological features of Milos; its archeological museum, ancient classical theater and early Christian catacombs; the scenery of Santorini; the remains of its principal historical site, the buried Minoan town of Akrotiri.

Encountering the origins of European civilization; taking three excursions; the Minoan palace of Malia; Gortyn, the Roman capital of Crete that boasts Europe's first written law code; Crete's Venetian capital; the Samaria Gorge.

The palace at Knossos offers glimpses of the Minoan civilization; the palace's structure of labyrinthine rooms; its courtyards; the ceremonies, court rituals and luxury of the Minoan rulers, which are recorded in frescoes and tablets.

Reflecting on the life and contribution of Hippocrates at the medical sanctuary honoring him on the island of Kos; discovering Patmos, where Saint John writes the book of Revelation; Rhodes, renowned for the Colossus and the Knights of Saint John.

Turkey's Turquoise Coast reveals an array of destinations; beginning at Bodrum, site of Halicarnassus; Lycian culture and representative government; visiting submerged cities, cliff tombs, wildlife habitats and the fire-spouting mountain at Olympos.

Ancient capitals of the Anatolian civilizations in Ankara; continuing to Konya, home of the Sufi poet Rumi and the whirling dervishes; the geologic landscapes of Cappadocia, with its "fairy chimneys," ancient cave dwellings and underground cities.

Traveling to three ancient cities; exploring one of the ancient world's classical ruins in Priene; studying the sarcophagi, bathhouses and stadium at Aphrodisias; finishing at Pamukkale, site of mausoleums and healing waters.

Ephesus stands as one of the greatest cities of the classical world; features that distinguish the site; the "terrace houses" of the wealthy; the Library of Celsus with its stunning facade; the enormous theater; the Cemetery of the Gladiators.

Studying the culture of the Lydian people at the citadel of Sardis; investigating the site's standout monuments, including the gymnasium and synagogue; contemplating Pergamon's healing sanctuary, hydraulic system and library.

Ancient Troy reveals numerous distinct historical phases; exploring the remains of the different epochs of the citadel; tracing interconnections between the site's monuments and the lives of the historical King Priam and Alexander the Great.

The wonders of Istanbul; the history of the Byzantine Empire; the establishment of Byzantium as a new Rome; encountering elements of this culture in the cathedral-like Basilica Cistern, the Theodosian Walls and the rituals of the Hippodrome.

Imagining the sights and sounds of a visit to this edifice in Byzantine times; the history of the emperor Justinian's plans for a church that would surpass all others; the columns, stonework, mosaics and architecture of the Hagia Sophia's dome.

The origins and planning of the Topkapi Palace, the jeweled seat of the Ottoman sultans; penetrating the layers of the palace, from the grand courts to the royal kitchens and harem; visits to the Blue Mosque, hammams, Grand Bazaar and the Bosphorus.