The Melton tour to Greece will be led by Avi Ben-Hur, tour educator with Melton Travel.

Melton travel is open to adults of all ages.

We are so pleased that you are interested in travelling with Melton! As you may know, Melton provides the educational content for its tours, but is not a travel agency. Gil Travel Agency (“Gil”) is the travel logistics provider for this tour and is responsible for the collection of all deposits and other fees. Because Melton does not collect any travel deposits or fees, it is not responsible for any financial loss associated with a cancellation of this seminar for reasons beyond Melton’s control, including COVID.

We encourage you to read Gil’s Travel Protection Recommendation thoroughly, advising that you purchase comprehensive travel insurance that covers both “cancellation for any reason” and for “COVID-related” reasons. Even where your destination does not presently restrict travel due to COVID, we still recommend you purchase a policy with such coverage.

Thank you for your understanding. We look forward to travelling and learning with you,
The Melton Travel Team

Includes

• Accommodations: 10 nights
• Meals: Breakfast every day, 3 group dinners, 2 group lunches, 1 light afternoon meal
• Educational Programming: All entrance fees and programs as per the Melton itinerary.

Highlights

• The Acropolis and The Temple of Zeus
• The Great Meteora Monastery
• The ancient Jewish cemetery in Volos
• Thessaloniki, Greece’s second largest city and called “the Mother of Israel” before WWII
• Vergina, a UNESCO World Heritage Monument
• The Jewish Museum of Athens and Beth Shalom Synagogue

Hotels

• Athens: Electra Palace, Navarchou Nikodimou 18-20 (Tel: +30 21 0337 0000)
• Volos: Domotel Xenia, Plastira 1 (Tel: +30 2421 092700)
• Ioannina: Grand Serai Xenia Hotel, Dodonis 33 (Tel: +30 2651 090550)
• Thessaloniki: Electra Palace Thessaloniki, Aristotélous 9 (Tel: +30 231 029 4040)
• Kamena Vourla: Mitsis Galini Resort, 5, Ger. Vasiliadi (Tel: +30 2235 080501)

Note: We will do our best to assist you with extensions both before and after the seminar.

Tour Does Not Include Flights

We will be pleased to assist you in any and all flight arrangements, including additional travel plans, through our partners at Gil Travel. Please contact Julian Banegas (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 215-568-6655, Ext. 377) with your flight requests.

Greece: A Jewish Odyssey
(Itinerary subject to change)

1 PM – Monday, Day 1 (16/Oct. 2023) – Athens - WHY JEWISH GREECE?

Note: Gil Travel will gladly assist with individual transfers to the hotel.

Why (Jewish) Greece? After checking in at the hotel, we will have an Introductory Session, and then visit the Acropolis Museum and the Acropolis. This UNESCO World Heritage Site and its monuments are universal symbols of the classical spirit and civilization that form the greatest architectural and artistic complex bequeathed by Greek Antiquity to the world.

Finish your first day in Athens with a welcome dinner.

Overnight: Athens

Tuesday, Day 2 (17/Oct. 2023) – Athens – ATHENS AND JERUSALEM AS SYMBOLS

After breakfast at the hotel and an opening study session, we will visit the Ancient Agora of Athens. Walking through the Agora will take you back to the economic center where the wealth, reach and influence of classical Athens was visible by the wide range of goods shipped in from the nearby port of Piraeus, which ranged from wheat produced on the shores of the Black Sea to precious dyes from the Levant. An outdoor study session under the trees and among the ruins will allow for questions regarding two ancient cultures, Jewish and Greek, and the worldviews they espoused.

We will break for lunch before resuming our encounter with ancient Athens.

Emperor Hadrian wanted to create a place of academic study worthy of the reputation of ancient Athens in Letters and Science, so he built your next destination, Hadrian’s Library. It contained three floors of books, reading rooms, teaching rooms, gardens, and a pond. From there, we will proceed to his Temple of Zeus, and consider the ascendance of the Hellenistic culture that so fascinated Hadrian, a figure so despised in Jewish sources.

We will now have time to explore the markets and other public spaces in Athens and have dinner on your own.

Overnight: Athens

Wednesday, Day 3 (18/Oct. 2023) – Volos & Makrinitsa – WHAT IS A ROMANIOTE JEW?

Following breakfast and a brief introduction to the day, we depart for Volos, a charming city at the foot of Mt Pelion. On the way, we will learn about some of the greatest clashes in ancient Greek history, and reach Volos by lunchtime, when we will break near the waterfront.

We will proceed to the Synagogue and meet with a member of the community, also visiting the Volos Jewish cemetery with its magnificently carved matsevot (gravestones).

Your day will finish with a trip to Makrinitsa on Mt. Pelion. Known as “the noble village” because it was mostly inhabited by wealthy people, its houses have tall, decorated walls and windows and are truly works of art. All the climbing streets of Makrinitsa are stone paved and lead to a beautiful large square, shadowed by tall plane trees. The story of the role of these mountain villages during the dark days of World War Two needs unpacking, even as the unparalleled views enchant us.

As the day ends, we will make our way to our hotel, after which you may want to seek out a fine fresh fish meal near the hotel.

Overnight: Volos

Thursday, Day 4 (19/ Oct. 2023) – Meteora & Ioannina – MATTERS OF IDENTITY

After breakfast, we will hold a study session introducing the world of Greek Christianity, so different from the West European models you may be familiar with, this in the broader context of national and religious identity. We will then head to Meteora, one of the biggest and most important groups of monasteries in Greece. There, we will visit either St. Stephen's Monastery or the Great Meteora Monastery.

St. Stephens Monastery is the most accessible monastery, where you simply cross a small bridge to reach the entrance. This monastery includes two cathedrals; the old 16th century chapel that was severely damaged during WWII and the consequent Greek Civil War, and the 18th century main cathedral, dedicated to Saint Charalambos.

The Great Meteora Monastery is nicknamed the "monastery suspended in air" because of the gigantic rock formation it was built on. Look inside the old refectory of the monks, where part of an original 16th-century table is preserved, with the original cutlery on it. Don’t forget to take a glance at the monastery’s old kitchen on your way out, still black with smoke, with the original bread oven and soup hearth.

After a lunch break in nearby Kalambaka, we will travel to the lakeside city of Ioannina, longtime home to a Romaniote Jewish community. The natural environment, the climate and character of the town are defined by this stretch of water – the area’s trademark. In this castle town, we will visit the Jewish Quarter and the Synagogue of Ioannina, barely active today, and meet with Allegra Matsa, the life force behind the dwindling Jewish community in Ioannina. We hope also to meet with the present mayor of the town, a member of the community.

Overnight: Ioannina

Friday, Day 5 (20/ Oct. 2023) – Thessaloniki – PORTRAIT OF A COSMOPOLITAN CITY

After an introductory session, we will leave Ioannina for Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city (around a 4-hour drive with a 30-minute stop). This city’s Jewish community was already famous two millennia ago when visited by Paul. It flourished after Sephardi Jews found refuge in the Ottoman Empire after the Expulsion, and by the 20th century, Jewish life in Salonika even determined the pace of the whole city; 96 percent of the community was to perish during the years of the Holocaust.

After a lunch break, we will go on a tour along the old defensive walls, including the Citadel and the White Tower, to gain an overall impression of this magnificent city,

We will celebrate Shabbat dinner together.

Overnight: Thessaloniki

Saturday, SHABBAT, Day 6 (21/ Oct. 2023) – JERUSALEM OF THE BALKANS

You will have the bulk of the day free to explore the city, including its excellent museums, especially the Archaeology Museum. In the mid-afternoon, we will go on a walking tour of the heart of the Jewish community before the Great Fire of 1917, including the Karasso Arcade, the Modiano Market, Yahoudi Hammam, and Freedom Square, established in remembrance of the 50,000 Salonika Jews exterminated by the Nazis.

In the late afternoon, we will meet at the hotel for a study session, Seuda Shlishit and group discussion.

Overnight: Thessaloniki

Sunday, Day 7 (22/ Oct. 2022) – Thessaloniki – Macedonia – THE CRADLE OF HELLENISM, FROM FATHER TO SON

We will start the day by heading for the Old Jewish Cemetery at Aristotle University, which housed 300,000 Jewish tombs. Very few gravestones survived the Nazi assault of 1942.

Then we will head past some of the Jewish-owned villas on the East Side of Salonika, before departing for two amazing Macedonian sites: Vergina and Pella. Vergina, a UNESCO World Heritage Monument and one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century, is first on the list. This site holds the tomb of Philip II. After lunch, we will head for Pella, home city of Alexander the Great. Here, we have the ideal backdrop for our discussion on the clash between Judaism and Hellenism and its contemporary dimensions.

We depart for Veroia/Veria, a town where the Jewish community was important enough 1900 years ago for Paul to visit the synagogue and preach to the unconverted! Alas, there are no Jews here anymore (the last individuals left at the end of the 20th century) but there is a synagogue, and we will walk around the former Jewish Quarter of the city, and then drive back to Thessaloniki

Overnight: Thessaloniki

Monday, Day 8 (23/ Oct. 2023) – Jewish Museum - Larissa – IN THE SHADOW OF THE SHOAH (1)

We depart for Veroia/Veria, a town where the Jewish community was important enough 1900 years ago for Paul to visit the synagogue and preach to the unconverted! Alas, there are no Jews here anymore (the last individuals left at the end of the 20th century) but there is a synagogue, and we will walk around the Jewish Quarter of the city.

Following a lunch break, we will make our way south, to Larissa. The views of the narrow pass between two mountains – Ossa and Olympus –are stunning. We will visit the town’s synagogue and Holocaust Memorial and meet members of the community to discuss how this small but solid community survives.

From there, we will travel to Kamena Vourla to end our day in this resort town.

Overnight: Kamena Vourla

Tuesday, Day 9 (24/ October 2023) – Distomo, Delphi & Athens – IN THE SHADOW OF THE SHOAH (2)

Our day will start with an educational session introducing Nazi policies regarding collective punishment. We will then depart for the site of the Distomo Massacre, one of the most atrocious crimes the Nazis committed against innocent women and children, only months before the German occupying forces pulled out of Greece.

We will break for lunch before visiting Delphi for an encounter with the most important ritual site of ancient Greece, and an outstanding museum in a spectacular location.

On reaching Athens, we will drive by the Panathenaic Stadium, site of the Olympic Games both when they were revived in 1896 and in 2004.

Overnight: Athens

Wednesday, Day 10 (25/ October 2023) – Athens – WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR GREEK JEWRY?

We will open this day with a meeting with Dr. Zanet Battinou, director of the Jewish Museum of Athens, and, thereafter, tour the museum itself. We will also visit Beth Shalom Synagogue, the Holocaust Memorial and Jewish Cultural Center, and meet community leaders, including the young Greek-born Chief Rabbi of Athens, Rabbi Negrin. (N/C.) After these meetings, we will have some free time, returning to the hotel to hold a concluding session and then continuing to our farewell dinner.

Overnight: Athens

Thursday, Day 11 (26/October 2023), Departure - RETURNING TO THE DIASPORAS

After breakfast at the hotel, you will proceed with check out, according to your personal travel plans.

Gil Travel will gladly assist with private transfers to the airport.

Need to Know

• Melton has offered quality educational travel opportunities for over 25 years, but it is not a travel agency and does not handle any payments made towards the seminar. We have contracted this seminar to Gil Travel  and it is essential that you read their Terms and Conditions prior to your actual registration.
• Melton is not responsible for cancellation of this program for reasons beyond its control and your travel insurance should cover both "cancellation for any reason" and "COVID-related cancellation". This latter policy is being offered by a number of insurance companies (see Insurance, Health & Safety, on this page).
  

Please Note

CANCELLATIONS

Please refer to the Cancellation policy that appears in the Terms and Conditions of the Registration process with Gil Travel.

The Gil Travel Cancellation policy states, in part:

On registration, a non-returnable fee of $500 is required. This will be applied to the overall seminar cost.

Final balance will be due July 16, 2023.

CANCELLATION: All cancellations must be received in writing.

• Up to 91 days prior to departure: $500 per person deposit paid at registration is non-refundable
• 90-61 prior to departure: 50% of the trip cost is non-refundable
• 60 days or less prior to departure – no refunds
• There will be no refunds for unused services.

Please note that all reimbursements on payments made by credit card will carry a 3% processing fee. 

Additional Information

• Group rates are per person based on double occupancy and a minimum of 20 full paying participants per bus. Should the number of participants drop below the minimum listed above, we will adjust the cost of the trip to reflect the additional expense of operating the program.
• Tour prices are per person in U.S. dollars. All hotel accommodations, motor coach transportation, special dinners, sightseeing, admissions, luggage handling and the services of local guides, drivers, and the tour guide/educator are included.
• Hotel Accommodations: The tour price includes all hotel accommodations, in hotel rooms with private baths. Our standard is to provide the best available hotels while considering value. Although the level of the accommodations may differ slightly from hotel to hotel, we are committed to your comfort. Two-bed rooms are reserved in most hotels. Triples are two-bed rooms with a rollaway cot where available and are not recommended when considering the comfort of those in the room. King-size beds are not available in most hotels; what is considered king-size usually consists of two single beds pushed together and made up separately, but with one headboard. Some two-bed rooms may have two twin - not full- or queen-size - beds.
• Meals are included as specified in the itinerary. In travel beyond Israel, not all communal meals are kosher certified, but fish- and vegetarian options will always be available and kashrut and other dietary requirements of group members will be taken into account. Participants can order additional kosher meals at prices set by our local agents.
• All seminars are led by a Melton educator who remains with the group throughout the tour.
• Gratuities: All gratuities for the educators, guides, drivers, and restaurant staff are included.
• Baggage: The Travel Agent and/or Tour Operator shall not be held responsible for any damage to, or loss of, luggage/personal items. All damage/loss must be reported at time of the incident and documented in writing by local authorities for submission to the insurance company. With regard to airline baggage allowance, different carriers have different regulations for business and coach. Please check with your individual carrier with regard to permitted number of pieces, weights and dimensions. The tour operator is not responsible for fees levied by any air carrier for the transport of personal belongings of any kind.
• Holidays and Museum Closures - Museum visits and personal shopping time may be disrupted due to unforeseen circumstances or religious, state and local holidays observed in the destinations being visited.
• Photography During Tours: We will occasionally use photographs taken by fellow guests or your trip director for promotional purposes. If you prefer that your photo not be used in any marketing activities, please notify us at the start of your tour.

Not Included

• Airfare to the tour departure point and from the tour ending point is not included.
• Personal Transfers from / to the airport.
• Personal Expenses: All personal expenses such as: laundry, valet service, cables, telephone calls and postage are not included.

Please note that Gil Travel will obey all protocols/restrictions in place regarding COVID.

We strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance. Melton is not responsible for cancellation of this program for reasons beyond its control. Your comprehensive travel insurance should cover both "cancellation for any reason" and "COVID-related cancellation". This latter policy is being offered by a number of insurance companies. We refer you to a list published by Forbes magazine, showing those companies that offer this new policy.

Please note that such policies may require registration for the policy within 14-21 days of your registration for the seminar.

Gil Travel recommends RoamRight Travel Insurance.

For more information on the available plans or to enroll, visit  RoamRight Travel Insurance  or contact RoamRight at 1-866-891-6614 and reference Gil Travel.

Please Note: To be eligible for the waiver of pre-existing medical condition exclusion, the protection plan must be purchased within 21 days from the time you make your initial trip deposit, the entire non-refundable amount of the trip must be insured, and you must be medically able to travel at the time the premium is paid. However, the travel protection plan itself can be purchased any time prior to departure.

Additional Information

• Airline Security Measures: Your name must match the name on your tour reservation and airline ticket, or you may be denied boarding. It must also be exactly as it appears on your passport. Please make sure that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after the date of your return home.
• If you are traveling from an airport outside the jurisdiction of the U.S., you will need to determine what travel documentation and identification is required for that particular airport.
• Due to heightened security regulations, certain items such as a metal nail file, pocketknife, cigarette lighter or tweezers, and some liquid, gel, or aerosol items may not be permitted in your carry-on luggage. Please call your airline prior to departure to obtain current information on non-permissible carry-on items and recommended airport check-in times. You may also wish to visit the U.S. Transportation Security Administration website at tsa.gov to obtain more information on acceptable identity documentation and prohibited luggage items.

For more information, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

T: 1–646–921–0747, Ext. 4