Under the Auspices of
Ancient Santorini & Crete
ANCIENT SANTORINI & CRETE
5,000 years of history; two of Europe’s first advanced civilizations; one volcano eruption leading to their demise.
Explore the hows and whys!
Explore the hows and whys!
1,850€
Includes accommodation (3-star), full board, all domestic transfers, entrance fees, taxes and tuition
10 days / 9 nights
Departing:
Contact us for details
Two of the prime gems of the Aegean Sea, Santorini and Crete, had their destinies forever intertwined by the earth-shattering eruption of Santorini's volcano some 3,500 years ago.
Join us to explore the Cycladic and Minoan civilizations of the Aegean Sea People, and the tragic events that led to their eventual demise.
Marvel at the abundant beauty manifested by nature, such as the caldera and its famous sunset, and conceived by man, such as the palace of Knossos, the alleged seat of the legendary King Minos.
DAY 1 / ARRIVE IN SANTORINI
Whether you have travelled across continents or from a neighboring country, you will be welcomed by our expert staff to an exclusive three course dinner with perhaps the best view the Aegean Sea has to offer – the setting sun from Santorini’s prime spot, Oia.
Your accompanying NKUA professors shall introduce you to your upcoming and truly amazing Cycladic and Minoan adventure over local delicacies and the island’s famous vinsanto!
Dinner
DAY 2 / INTRODUCTION TO THE AEGEAN CIVILIZATION I
Tutor: Papadatos (Dr)
We start our day with a short drive to the excavation site at Akrotiri where archaeologists painstakingly unearth to this day one of the best-preserved settlements dating as far back as 4,500 BCE. Comprised of multi-storey buildings preserved under volcanic ash, Akrotiri is Greece’s very own Pompeii, although its inhabitants were fortunate enough to safely evacuate before it got entirely submerged in volcanic ash.On our way back we will have the privilege to stroll around the narrows alleys of Emporio, Santorini's very own Medieval castle and one of the most beautiful and well-preserved of the Cycladic islands, all the while discussing life on the island under Venetian occupation.
Lunch will follow at yet another unique spot, one of the island’s best vineyards. Appropriate local mezzes shall accompany the wide variety of wines available to your sampling.
The hours between your afternoon wine-tasting experience and dinner overlooking Oia’s sunset, shall be spent in the company of our expert NKUA professor letting you in all the details about the Prhistoric maritime ways of life in the Aegean.
Breakfast 
Lunch Dinner
DAY 3 / INTRODUCTION TO THE AEGEAN CIVILIZATION II
Tutor: Papadatos (Dr)
First visit of the day is at the Museum of Prehistoric Thera, where you will be guided through the culture and artwork of Prehistoric Akrotiri. The vast collection of artifacts, evident to the island’s early sea domination and subsequent natural disasters that tormented it through the ages. Your accompanying NKUA professor shall introduce you to the early settlement of Thira and the events that followed.
Lunch will be served by the sea, giving you plenty of time to enjoy a swim in the Aegean Sea, should you desire so. Santorini’s unique geology offers numerous colorful beaches, ranging from golden sandy beaches to volcanic red and black rocky beaches.
Dinner will be enjoyed in the island’s capital, Fira, with its many little shops and narrow streets. Instagramers shall appreciate its hidden spots overlooking the caldera for perhaps some of the most memorable pictures they will ever take!
Breakfast Lunch Dinner
DAY 4 / THE VOLCANO
Tutor: Papadatos (Dr)
There are 7 seas in the world and 372 thousand miles of coastline. There is only one volcano, though, you can swim in! Today, we will take a private cruise to the volcano and a little inhospitable and uninhabited island in the caldera created by its eruption. Pictures are guaranteed to be out-of-this-world, much like the experience of swimming in the warm volcanic waters in the open sea on the way to another small island also created by the eruption.
After our hour-long stop off-shore, we will proceed to the picturesque Thirasia Island, where we will be riding donkeys up the hill to a local fish tavern waiting for us to take our lunch. Our accompanying professor shall be explaining the history of all three islands, their creation and importance through the ages.
We saved the best for last as you will have the chance to immerse yourself in the famous Santorini sunset aboard our private boat! Rest assured that nothing is more romantic than watching the sun set in the open Aegean Sea!
Breakfast Lunch Dinner
DAY 5 / INTRODUCTION TO THE AEGEAN CIVILIZATION III
Tutor: Papadatos (Dr)
Our day starts with a drive to the magnificent archaeological site of Ancient Thera that offers a birds-eye view of the entire island and the bluest of blue seas, the Aegean. We will visit the theatre and the agora, as well as various sanctuaries, public buildings, private houses and tombs of a thriving community that settled the island from 900 BC until 300 AD. As the long history of this ancient settlement unfolds before our eyes through the great events and complex historical phenomena that took place on the island, we will acquire a deeper understanding of the reasons why Santorini spent centuries under the political control of ancient Athens, Sparta, Ptolemaic Egypt and eventually the Roman Empire.
Whether it is the fresh air or your accompanying professor’s explanation of Santorini’s gastronomy that has opened your appetite, it will be handsomely satisfied during your private culinary tour of the island’s unique Mediterranean tradition.
Early in the evening, we will board the ferry for a 2.5-hour trip to Heraklion in Crete, home to another great civilization that superseded that of Santorini.
Dinner will be enjoyed in one of Heraklion’s prettiest spots, its Venetian harbor.
Breakfast Lunch Dinner
DAY 6 / KING MINOS
Tutor: Vavouranakis (Dr)
We start our day by visiting the so-called “palace of Minos” at Knossos where you shall be given the opportunity to admire its sophisticated architecture with multiple stories, colonnaded halls and elaborate frescos almost 4,000-years-old. Your accompanying NKUA professor shall explain all about the Prehistory of Minoan Crete, which comprises the first example of outstanding cultural and social sophistication on European grounds millennia before classical Greece while you explore the halls of the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion.
Your lunch shall include local delicacies and the Cretans favorite drink, the raki! Don’t overdo it though because our next stop will be the Historical Museum of Crete where you shall immerse yourself in the island’s rich history and the diverse cultures that shaped it over four millennia.
Our dinner tonight will be just as adventurous at a venue favored by locals.
Breakfast Lunch Dinner
DAY 7 / LINEAR A & THE MINOTAUR
Tutor: Vavouranakis (Dr)
Our day starts with a short road trip to the second most important Minoan palace, Festos, where its famous undeciphered disc was excavated. Your accompanying NKUA professor shall let you in the secret details of the venue and the importance of the Festos disc.
Lunch will be taken in the vicinity of yet another important archaeological site, Gortyna. You may not know it, but Gortyna was the capital of Crete in Roman times. It features the oldest known inscription with an ancient Greek law code. You will have the opportunity to learn about the myth and reality of the relation between Gortyn and Minotaur’s infamous labyrinth where the world’s first aviators escaped from according to Greek mythology.
Feel free to share your thoughts with your accompanying professor and fellow travelers on your way back to Heraklion where dinner shall be served at a hidden gem favored by locals.
Breakfast Lunch Dinner
DAY 8 / NORTHERN MINOAN SETTLEMENTS
Tutor: Vavouranakis (Dr)
First stop of the day is at the town of Malia on the northern coast of Crete, home to a most interesting Minoan palace, surrounded by well-preserved parts of the Prehistoric town, including craft working areas and public ritual installations of the 2nd millennium BC. Malia is frequently related to the legendary Sarpedon, King Minos’ brother, son of Zeus and Europa.
Our next stop will be at Hersonissos, a popular tourist destination where you shall have lunch by the sea and hear all about the Minoan settlements of the area from your accompanying professor. You shall also be allowed plenty of time to dive in the blue waters, should you desire to.
Dinner shall be taken in Heraklion upon your return early in the evening.
Breakfast Lunch Dinner
DAY 9 / EASTERN MINOAN SETTLEMENTS
Tutor: Vavouranakis (Dr)
Zakros is home not only to the infamous Death’s Gorge, but also to the fourth largest Minoan palace and the only one with its treasury not looted through the ages, thus offering several masterpieces for visitors to appreciate. You shall learn all about its history and importance during your day-long road-trip to the eastern end of the island where you shall also be treated to local delicacies at lunch.
Dinner shall be served at Heraklion upon your return in the evening - a farewell surprise to end a most unforgettable Greek experience.
Breakfast Lunch Dinner
DAY 10 / DEPARTURE
All good things must come to an end. After 9 days of cultural and perhaps personal exploration in two of Greece’s culturally and aesthetically richest destinations, it is time to part our ways until the next time we meet again!
Whether it was the sunset at Oia or Cretan mythology and hospitality that impressed you the most, your heart and mind will undoubtedly have been filled with new knowledge, stories, images, thoughts, sounds and flavors, and the abundant Greek kallos!
Breakfast
| Course code: | ToG - 003 |
| Subject area: | Santorini, Eastern Crete, Sea People of the Aegean |
| Credits: | 10 credits/5 ECTS /2 US |
| Credit level: | 10 |
| Contact hours: | 64 |
| Academic eligibility: | 1 year of undergraduate study |
| Language requirements: | IELTS 6.5 (with a minimum of 5.5 in each component) or equivalent |
| Destinations in Greece: | Santorini, Palea & Nea Kammeni islands, Thirasia island, Crete, Heraklion, Zakros |
| Tuition fee: | POA |
| Course length: | Ten (10) days |
| Course dates: | Flexible |
| Application deadline: | 12 weeks before the course starts |
Description
Ancient Santorini & Crete explores the remains of two great Prehistoric cultures in the Aegean Sea: the Cycladic culture of Santorini, and the Minoan civilization of Crete, all the while tracing the events that led to their eventual demise. It also offers aspiring educators the relevant tools to incorporate outdoor learning into their teaching and curriculum planning.
The purpose of this course is to explore, contact and live the places that gave birth to the Cycladic, and Minoan cultures. Several places of interest and worship will be thoroughly studied on- and off-site (including but not limited to archaeological sites, monuments, and burial sites), thus providing participants with invaluable knowledge and firsthand experience of how the Prehistoric Aegean, namely the cultural forerunner to ancient Greek culture, was shaped.
The excavation of the settlement at Akrotiri, the so-called “King Minos’ palace” at Knossos, and a number of archaeological museums are just a few of the sites to be visited and studied offering a unique stage to experientially explore how the maritime societies of the Aegean flourished and then came to their demise.
The Course takes a multi-disciplinary approach in exploring the Prehistoric culture of Santorini and Crete, and aims to provide participants with the relevant tools to educate and be educated on the foundations of classical Greek culture. Designed to offer both indoor and outdoor learning experiences, the Course aims to provide participants with some understanding of the benefits, processes, and skills related to learning in the outdoors, without, though, training them as outdoor specialists.
Carefully designed experiential learning, teaching in context, and on- and off-site exercises will bring all visited sites and destinations in life before the participants and thus help them better understand, and crucially be taught about the Prehistory of the southern Aegean Sea that fueled the creation of classical Greek mythology and culture.
Aspects of the course content are driven by the participants’ unfolding curiosity about the history, geography, culture, and religion of the visited and thoroughly studied destinations and sites.
Teaching
A variety of teaching and learning approaches will be used, including but not limited to lectures, discussion seminars, workshop tasks, and outdoor activities, designed and delivered by the world acclaimed and highly specialized academic faculty of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
The course will conclude with student-led outdoor teaching sessions.
Even though the Course is designed to be taught primarily by the Course Organizer, other experts may occasionally contribute to onsite teaching.
Teaching contact time is scheduled at 64 hours over 10 days comprising but not restricted to practical sessions, lectures, and workshops.
Participants are expected to complete relevant readings and assignments in their own free study time.
Participants will spend a considerable amount of time learning, exploring, and teaching indoors and outdoors in both enclosed areas and green-space. Appropriate clothing and footwear is crucial.
The ways in which theory and policy inform practice is a dominant theme of the course. This is reflected in the teaching and, in particular, the three forms of assessment – all of which are inter-linked.
The closing teaching session and essay at the end of the Course require participants to refer to available literature on indoor and outdoor learning, as well as national/state education policy documents.
Participants will have the opportunity to discuss their teaching assignment, pamphlet and written assignment with their course instructor and peers during formative feedforward tutorials.
Assessment
- Educational pamphlet (30%): Participants shall design and produce a 2-page educational pamphlet on an educational aspect of the Course (1000 words equivalent)
- Outdoor teaching session (30%): In pairs, Participants shall plan, facilitate and evaluate a short outdoor lesson (accompanied by a lesson plan and risk management plan; 1000 words equivalent)
- Essay (40%): Participants will deliver an academic paper outlining the theoretical underpinning of the lesson and a critical reflection on the teaching performance (1500 words).
Participants will have the opportunity to discuss their teaching assignment, pamphlet and written assignment with their course instructor and peers during formative feedforward tutorials.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the Course, Participants will have acquired:
- An understanding of the broad concepts that underpin curricular outdoor learning,
- Detailed knowledge on the Cycladic and Minoan monuments and a good understanding of their architecture,
- Detailed knowledge and deep understanding of Prehistoric arts and crafts,
- A deep understanding of social organization in Prehistoric Greece,
- A meticulous understanding of the contribution of Prehistory to ancient Greek culture
- The ability to search for, evaluate and use information to develop their knowledge and understanding,
- An appreciation for new ideas, methods and ways of thinking,
- The ability to take responsibility for their own learning, and a commitment to continuous reflection, self-evaluation and self-improvement,
- The ability to sustain intellectual interest and be academically curious,
- The ability to effectively use oral, written, and visual means to critique, negotiate, create, and communicate their understanding, and
- The flexibility to transfer their knowledge, learning, skills, and abilities from one context to another.
Fees
The Course Fee is all inclusive and covers tuition costs, entrance fees to all venues, accommodation, full board and all transfers for the entire duration of the Course.
Full information on the Course itinerary, destinations and accommodation options can be found here.
A 20% deposit per Participant is required upon registration and no latter than 12 weeks before the Course starts. The deposit will be reclaimed towards the total Course Fee.
Please note that study in Greece may incur additional costs e.g. visa application fees.
Early bird rates, as well as special rates for academics of valued partner institutions apply (faculty members, researchers, students).
DAY 1 WELCOME
- Oia
- Santorini
DAY 2 INTRODUCTION TO THE AEGEAN CIVILIZATION I
- Akrotiri Excavation Site
- Emporio Village and Medieval Castle
- Winery & Vineyard
- Oia
- Santorini
DAY 3 INTRODUCTION TO THE AEGEAN CIVILIZATION II
- Archaeological Museum of Thira
- Museum of Prehistoric Thira
- Perissa
- Fira
- Santorini
DAY 4 THE VOLCANO
- Caldera
- Palea Kammeni
- Thirassia
- Santorini
DAY 5 INTRODUCTION TO THE AEGEAN CIVILIZATION III
- Archaeological site of Ancient Thira
- Santorini
- Heraklion
DAY 6 KING MINOS
- Knossos Palace
- Knossos Archaeological Museum
- Archaeological Museum of Heraklion
- Heraklion
DAY 7 LINEAR A & THE MINOTAUR
- Festos Palace
- Gortyna Palace
- Heraklion
DAY 8 NORTHERN MINOAN SETTLEMENTS
- Malia Palace
- Hersonisos
- Heraklion
DAY 9 EASTERN MINOAN SETTLEMENTS
- Zakros Palace
- Heraklion
DAY 10 DEPARTURE
We can customize your Short Course any way you want to ensure a most memorable Greek adventure!
Do not hesitate to request more information by dropping us a line here.
All Short Courses are taught by our expert EKPA professors in English, however they may be also offered in Greek, German, French, Italian, Russian and Romanian upon request.
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