“Alexander the Great, from Pella to Gordion:” 2026 Vergilian Society Tour
Title: Alexander the Great, from Pella to Gordion
Guide: Andrew L. Goldman, Professor, Gonzaga University
Description: The trip has been designed to cover the route traced by Alexander the Great between 334 and 333 BC, as he proceeded from his home at Pella in Greece into central Anatolia, to the site where he cut the Gordion Knot. As this segment of his long journey was an especially significant period in the formation of his identity and his growth as a leader of the Macedonians, this trip will explore Alexander’s development as an individual amid the landscape in which he traveled. Participants will begin the journey in Greece, in beautiful Thessalonica, with visits to Pella and the Royal Tombs at Vergina as the first stop. After stopping to visit Phillippi, the tour will cross the border into Turkey, then head off by bus to cross the Hellespont and begin tracing the path of the Macedonian army through Anatolia. Major sites along the western coast of Turkey in the Troad, Mysia, Lydia, Ionia, and Caria will include Troy, the Granicus River, Pergamon, Sardis, Ephesus, Priene, Miletus, and Halicarnassus. The trip will then proceed eastward into ancient Lycia and the sites of Telmessus, Xanthus, Patara, and Phaselis, before descending into ancient Pamphylia and to the modern city of Antalya. Visits there to Perge, Aspendos, and Side will be followed by a swing inland through ancient Pisidia and Phrygia, with stops to explore Termessos, Sagalassus, and Gordion. The bus trip will continue to Ankara, the capital of modern Turkey, with a tour of the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, arguably the best museum in the country. The next day the group will drive to Istanbul and visit the Archaeology Museum to view the collection (including the famous Alexander Sarcophagus). For guests who wish to extend their trip following the official conclusion of the tour, opportunities will be available to explore Istanbul and/or Cappadocia.
Trip Itinerary, Summer 2026 (17 nights / 18 days)
Alexander the Great, from Pella to Gordion
Day 1 Monday, June 29 Thessalonica
Arrival in Thessalonica and group transfers to the hotel in the city. Check-in the hotel room starts after 03:00pm. After the welcome meeting enjoy an orientation walk and welcome dinner in a local restaurant.
Meals: Welcome Dinner
Day 2 Tuesday, June 30 Thessalonica
Explore the ancient site of Pella and Pella Museum in the morning. Visit the Royal tombs in Vergina and wine tasting in Naousa in the afternoon. Drive back to Thessalonica in the late afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3 Wednesday, July 01 Thessalonica
Explore the city of Thessalonica and the archeological museum in the morning. Free afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4 Thursday, July 02 Alexandria
Drive to Kavala and visit the tumulus of Kastar on the way. Free time and lunch break in Kavala. Explore Phillippi and its museum and then continue to Alexandroupolis in the afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5 Friday, July 03 Canakkale
After an early breakfast and check-out, drive to the border between Greece and Turkiye. Complete the customs formalities for crossing the border and drive to Troy in the morning. Visit Troy and Troy Museum in the afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner (in the hotel)
Day 6 Saturday, July 04 Bergama
After an early breakfast and check-out, drive to Granikos River and continue to Pergamon in the morning. Visit the Acropolis and Asclepion in the afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7 Sunday, July 05 Selcuk
Drive to Sardis via Akhisar along the Lydian Tumuli. Visit Sardis and drive to Selcuk in the afternoon.
Day 8 Monday, July 06 Selcuk
Visit the ancient city of Ephesus including the Slope Houses and the Selcuk Museum in the morning. Free afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 9 Tuesday, July 07 Bodrum
Drive along the Delta of the River Meandros River and visit Priene, Miletus, and Didyma. Continue to Bodrum via Iasus in the afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 10 Wednesday, July 08 Bodrum
Visit the Mausoleum and Bodrum Castle in the morning. Walk along the Hellenistic city walls and through the Myndos Gate of the ancient Halicarnassus. Free afternoon.
Day 11 Thursday, July 09 Kas
Visit Hekatomnos Tomb and drive to Fethiye in the morning. Visit Xanthos and Patara. Continue to Kas in the late afternoon.
Day 12 Friday, July 10 Antalya
Visit Myra and Andriake in the morning. Visit Phaselis and drive to Antalya in the afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 13 Saturday, July 11 Antalya
Visit Termessos. Picnic lunch in Termessos National Park. Free afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch
Day 14 Sunday, July 12 Antalya
Visit Perge, Aspendos and Side. Drive back to Antalya in the late afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 15 Monday, July 13 Afyon
Drive to Aglasun and visit Sagalassos and Burdur Museum in the morning. Drive to Afyon. Dinner and overnight in the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner (in the hotel)
Day 16 Tuesday, July 14 Ankara
After early breakfast depart to Sivrihisar and continue to Gordion. Visit the city and the royal tomb and continue to Ankara. Visit the Museum of the Ancient Civilizations in the afternoon.
Day 17 Wednesday, July 15 Istanbul
After breakfast and check-out, drive to Istanbul in the morning. Visit Istanbul Archeological Museum and Spice Market in the afternoon before check-in the hotel. Farewell dinner in a local restaurant.
Meals: Breakfast, Farewell Dinner
Day 18 Thursday, July 16 Departure
The tour ends after breakfast in the hotel. Check-out time is at 11.00am.
Meals: Breakfast
If guests would like to arrive Thessalonica early or extend their experience in Istanbul and/or Cappadocia, please contact Sofie from Eon Tours, sofie@eontours.com.
Group Size from 16 to 24 Participants
| PRICE PER PERSON IN USD | GROUP SIZE | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | ||
| IN DOUBLE ROOM | 4,150 | 4,000 | 3,875 | 3,760 | 3,660 | |||
| SINGLE SUPPLEMENT | 1,025 | |||||||
Group Size from 26 to 34+ Participants
| PRICE PER PERSON IN USD | GROUP SIZE | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 34+ | ||
| IN DOUBLE ROOM | 3,570 | 3,485 | 3,415 | 3,355 | 3,305 | |||
The minimum group size is 16 guests and the maximum group size is 36 guests.
The prices are calculated and fixed in accordance with the EURO/USD exchange rate as of 1.13 on April 29, 2025. In a group of 20 participants, the price is $3,875 per person sharing a double room. The bigger groups yield better prices per person. If the group size is 34+ guests, then the price goes down to $3,305 per person sharing a double room. If any participant would like to stay in a single room, then the single supplement is +$1,025 per person for the entire program.
What is included?
- 4 star or best available hotel accommodations in standard rooms.
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary: All breakfasts, 2 Lunches, and 5 Dinners.
- Professional, English-speaking guide
- Air-conditioned vehicle with professional tour bus driver and border crossing process
- Hotel and restaurant (when the meal is included) tips only.
- Complete program of the tours as described in the itinerary. All entrance fees, admissions, and parking fees
- The land expenses of two group leaders
- VAT
- Climate Resilience Fee in the hotels in Greece (4-star hotels: 10 euros per night; 5-Star hotels: 15 euros per night) and accommodation taxes in Turkey (2%)
What is excluded?
- International airfares, airport taxes and fuel surcharges
- Arrival and departure transfers (we offer group transfers once we know all the arrival and departure details of participants)
- Meals not indicated in the itinerary.
- Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages during the meals
- Visa (if applicable)
- Gratuities for guides and drivers
- Personal expenses such as minibar, telephone, laundry, etc.
- Health and Travel Insurances
Prices, Payment and Cancellation Process
The prices are calculated in accordance with the EURO/USD exchange rate as of 1.13 on April 29, 2025. If the exchange rate changes more than +/- 5% at the time of the down payment, the prices will be updated.
Payment Schedule
$750 down payment, 91 days prior to the tour departure on Friday, March 27 in 2026.
Balance payment, 31 days prior to the tour departure on Thursday, May 28 in 2026.
Cancellation Process
91+ days prior to the tour departure, no cancellation fee
31 – 90 days prior to the tour departure, $750 down payment will be charged
0 – 30 days prior to the tour departure, 100% of the tour cost will be charged as the cancellation fee.