sharon saunders

My dream is to visit Greece next year. As I have a classical education in Greek Latin and Ancient History, I am interested in all things ancient including the ruins of Troy in Crete. Although I am only 50ish I have a mobility problem and need a cane. Climbing stairs and steep inclines are problematic. <BR>Does anyone have a suggestion for any tours which would make it easier to see what I am interested in? I also want to take a cruise of some of the islands. <BR> <BR>Thank You <BR> <BR>PS I also enjoy photography

Patty

I was in Greece two years ago and I have back problems so mobility was also a issue for me. The day excursions from Athens went well. I went on the city tour, to see the Corinth Canal and Mycenae - you could pace yourself. Some parts were on flat land and the hilly parts you could go at your own pace. The Acropolis could be a stretch for you. It's usually tacked on to the city tour. I would suggest explaining to the guide you would not be returning on their bus - they count heads. That way you can go at your own pace, but when you leave you will have to walk the extra 200 yards down the hill to get a taxi to your hotel but at least it will be downhill. I also went to Crete and saw the excavation at Knossos. It is more managable because most of it is on flat land. When visiting the islands if you are cruising there I would suggest you check if the ship lands at Fira on Santorini because there you can ride the cable car up and not have to ride a donkey or take the steps. The excavation at Akrotira is also managable because it is mostly on flat land except for a few steps here and there. Greece is managable it just takes some planning.

Martha B

Have you checked the age limits on Elderhostel tours? My parents enjoy them very much, since they don't move too quickly. Have you also considered getting a friend to go with you, and planning your own "tour" at your own pace? <BR>Your ability to get around will vary with the site. Minoan sites like Knossos are all pretty good-- it was a peaceful era when they didn't need to build on defensible hilltops. Mycenean sites: At Mycenae, the Lion's Gate and Agamemnon's tomb are not too hard to access. The throne room, though, is up a slippery slope, and the stairs down to the secret well are treacherous for anyone. Tiryns has a sloping entrance, but it's a compact site. Nestor's palace near Pylos is flat. Classical Greece: The Athens acropolis is steep. Delphi is very steep. The Hephastion (sometimes called the Thesion) in the Roman agora at Athens, and the temple of Apollo at Corinth are pretty accessible. The orchestra of the theater at Epidauros is accessible, but you won't want to climb the tiers of seats. Olympia is flat, and not too spread out. Roman Greece: Another peaceful time. The Roman agora, Hadrian's Arch, and the temple of Olympian Zeus at Athens are on flat land. The big sites like Corinth and Philippi are fairly flat as well. Byzantine Greece: Meteora is bad. The Dafni Monastery near Athens would be better. <BR>So, there are a number of sites you might have trouble with, but there are still more sites you can visit than you'll have time for. <BR>As for Troy, it's gently sloping, but I'm afraid it's in Turkey, not Crete. (If you've read Homer, and know anything about Heinrich and Sophia Schliemann, try to get there, anyway.) <BR>Hope you go ahead and make your dream come true!

Bill Barr

Sharon <BR> <BR>Hope you get to take your trip to this wonderful country. <BR> <BR>Martha, THANK YOU for taking me around all of my favourite places. I'll be back there next month and, instead of spending most of my time in Athens (as usual!) I'm going to try and visit again many of the sites you listed. It's been years...... <BR> <BR>Re Tiryns....this site is my favourite and was nice read your comments. <BR> <BR>Maybe you can help me. Years ago I visited Tolon and just outside of the town was a small bay where, I'm sure I remember getting told, the ancient ships left for Troy. Am I imagining this?? <BR> <BR>Regards <BR> <BR>Bill <BR> <BR>

Martha B

Bill-- I'm glad you enjoyed my post. I haven't been to Tolon. The story sounds plausible, but as you know the whole bay in front of Nauplion has a lot of alluvial flats around it, which can change a lot in a few thousand years. It probably looked quite different in 1200 BC when the Trojan War supposedly took place. Tiryns itself must have been much closer to the water, in those days. <BR>Incidentally, the last time we were in Mycenae, we stopped at a tourist restaurant in the adjacent modern town of Mikines, just because it had a sign saying The House of Schliemann. In back of its modern facade, the restaurant turned out to be the Belle Helene, the inn the Schliemanns stayed in when they excavated Mycenae. It was still in the same family, and had all kinds of mementos of the Schliemanns and other celebrities who stayed there over the years. If you're interested in Mycenean archaeology, it makes an amusing pause, to study the archaeologists, too. (My husband adds, the food was good, too.)

Martha

Martha: <BR> <BR>Thank you very much for the info and you're right Troy is in Turkey. I am now considering going to Crete for 9 days to take a photography course with a British travel photographer who puts his guests up in the old part of Chania. It would be in November. If I do this I will probably only spend 3 - 4 days in the Athens area. Are ther any particular hotels you would recommend and do you know if Crete will be rainy in November? <BR> <BR>Thanks