Greece
Aegean Art & Culture
Nazareth University is partnering with SUNY Brockport and the Athens Center to offer a summer study abroad program in Greece!
Join us for two weeks and learn how the cultivation, trade and ritual celebration of foods played a major role in the development of Greek culture and the artwork of their ancient civilization and-- just as important, how these foodstuffs and expressive arts inform cultural practices in Greece today!
From museum and archaeological site visits in Athens, to interactions with food producers, market vendors and chefs; to biological tours and field trips to seaside and mountain villages on the beautiful Greek island of Crete and the Peloponnesus, you will learn about Greek art and experience how the Mediterranean diet (derived from wild and cultivated sources like olives, olive oil, wine, honey, grains, legumes, nuts, seafood and meats) is not just a way of eating---but a lifestyle rooted in biodiversity, sustainable community-based food production and long-standing cultural traditions of art, music, and dance!
Program Details
Program Dates
Exact dates for May 2025 are still to be determined.
Program Itinerary
This is a sample itinerary from a past years program.
Day 1:
Departure from Nazareth. The group will take a bus from Nazareth to Toronto for the direct overnight flight to Athens.
Day 2:
Overnight flight and arrival in Athens.
- Walking Orientation around the hotel
- Welcome dinner
Overnight in Athens
Day 3:
- Program Orientation at the Athens Centre
- Introduction to Modern Greek language
- Olive oil tasting at the Athens Centre OR Greek Dance
- Walking orientation in central Athens & central market (Varvakeios Agora)
Overnight in Athens
Day 4: Guided visit to Acropolis site
- Snack break
- Guided visit to the Acropolis Museum
Bus to Piraeus Port. Overnight trip to Crete via ferry.
Day 5: Arrival in Chania, Crete
- Museum of Chania or walk to Maritime museum
- Guided visit to the museum
- Bus to Anoskeli winery
- Visit winery
- Bus to Vouves, 3000years old olive tree
- Lunch at Eleas Thea Taverna
- Bus to Falasarna Beach
- Beach time
- Bus to Souda Port
Overnight in Chania
Day 6:
- Visit Hatziparashos workshop in the old town of Rethymnon, the last maker of kandaifi
- Bus to Knossos
- Guided visit to Knossos site
- Optional lunch at Heraklion
- Guided visit to the Arch. Museum of Heraklion
- Castello hotel Check in
Overnight in Heraklion
Day 7: Bus to Zaros Village
- Cooking workshop and lunch with Vivi
- Matala Beach
- Bus back to Heraklion
- Optional dinner at ‘’Ligo krasi, ligo thalassa’’
Overnight in Heraklion
Day 8:
- Bus to Lasinthos
- Visit Lasinthos farm and engage in different activities (tour in the garden with vegetables,
- cooking workshop, ceramic corkshop)
- Group Lunch
- Bus to Malia Palace
- Guided visit to Malia Palace
- Beach time (if time permits)
- Bus back to Heraklion
Overnight in Heraklion
Day 9:
- Bus to Marathos Village
- Visit Local Woman Association
- Bus transfer to Anogeia village
- Anogeia village cheese maker. Lunch in his taverna, the famous and traditional “antikristo” dish
- Bus to Herakleion port
Overnight trip from Crete to Piraeus Port.
Day 10:
- Arrival at Piraeus port
- Bus to Argolis
- Guided visit to Mycenae site & museum
- Bus to Nafplio
- Ouzo tasting at Karonis
Overnight in Nafplio
Day 11:
- Bus to Epidaurus
- Guided Visit to Epidaurus
- Wine tasting at Skouras Winery
- Bus to Nafplio
Overnight in Nafplio
Day 12:
- Guided Visit to Palamidi Fortress
- Bus to Corinth
- Guided visit to Corinth site & museum
- Bus to Athens
Overnight in Athens
Day 13
Arrival in Athens
Breakfast at the Hotel
Preparation for presentations
Day 14:
Presentations at AC
Farewell Dinner
Day 15:
Departures. Flight direct from Athens to Toronto. Bus from Toronto back to Nazareth.
Housing & Orientation
Housing in Athens will be in a hotel near the Acropolis. You will stay in a variety of hotel accommodations (doubles or triples) for the duration of the program.
Course
AHI 384 (Art History 3 CR) - Aegean Art & Culture
NOTE: It is strongly encouraged that you have a lower division (100 or 200 level) course in history, arts, or the social sciences to be best prepared for this upper division art history course.
Program Costs
Program costs for 2025 are still to be determined.
Payment Timeline
Payments may be submitted via cash or check to CIE; checks should be made out to 'Nazareth University'. Four separate payments will be made over the months leading up to departure.
December 2024 Initial deposit due
Mid-December 2024: Payment #2 due (non-refundable beyond this point)
January 2025: Payment #3 due
February 2025: Payment #4 due
Please keep in mind that SPARK students pay for the entirety of the program up front and will have the $1,500 SPARK check distributed to them 10 days before their departure to Greece.
Sources of Funding
SPARK-Eligible Students:
$1,500 + 3-credit scholarship
Total cost - $1,500 = final cost + $30 course registration fee
Non-SPARK-Eligible Students:
- CIE funding:
- 2-credit (UG) scholarship
Total cost - $650 = final cost + cost of 1 credit of tuition and $30 course registration fee
SPARK Grant:
Qualifying freshman, sophomore, & transfer students can use their SPARK Grant for this short-term study abroad program.