Our final day of the expedition began in the mirror-calm harbor of Nafplion, a picturesque town surrounded by rugged mountains. We had the option of visiting the archaeological sites of Mycenae and Epidauros, or exploring modern Greece’s first capital, the town of Nafplion. Most chose to tour the archaeological sites, starting with the great Bronze Age citadel of Mycenae. As our local guides, Gemma and Kriton, led us past the imposing Cyclopean walls, we learned of the fascinating background to this site which was of key importance in Homer’s narrative of the Trojan War. The gate of entry to the site, popularly known as the Lion Gate, boasts one of the oldest known reliefs in western art: in the triangular space above the massive stone lintel, a delicate relief depicts two lions (or lionesses) flanking a central column.
Continuing on to the healing sanctuary at Epidauros, we explored one of the best preserved theaters in Greece. Built in the late fourth century B.C., the theater—which, in ancient Greece, was considered the sanctuary of Dionysus—is known for its impressive acoustics. Even seated near the upper rows of the theater, we were able to clearly hear the spoken voice or the dropping of a coin at the center of the orchestra.
After heading back to the ship, our afternoon was spent sailing in the Gulf of Argolis, where all sails were set to take advantage of the light breeze. Thanks to the relatively calm conditions, we had the rare opportunity to travel around the ship by Zodiac and photograph Sea Cloud under sail. The resultant photos of this magnificent ship under full sail, with even the spanker sail set at the stern, were well worth venturing into the searing afternoon heat.
