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Marvelous Mykonos: History and Beauty in the Aegean Sea with Smaro Touloupa

Marvelous Mykonos: History and Beauty in the Aegean Sea with Smaro Touloupa


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Can't make this time? A video recording will be sent to all participants after the seminar.

Destination: Mykonos! Join a local expert to explore this iconic island and its tiny neighbor, Delos. Together we will take in the beauty, charm, and millennial history of these two windswept islands and understand why Mykonos is on every traveler’s bucket list.

Mykonos is an iconic destination in the Mediterranean. Join us to marvel at the whitewashed cubic architecture, old windmills, art, and landscape, all of which left their mark on artists like Picasso and architects like Le Corbusier. We will also discover the church of Paraportiani, Little Venice, the Monastery of Panagia Tourliani, and hear tales of old-time pirates and vampires. Thanks to our local expert, we will get inside island life beyond the tourist scene but also enjoy views of turquoise blue beaches and breathtaking vistas. We will trace the history of this iconic hotspot and learn how this lost island turned into a go-to vacation destination for everyone from Jackie Kennedy to Brigitte Bardot.

Next, we will visit neighboring island, Delos. The birthplace of Apollo, this tiny island hamlet has attracted pilgrims and visitors for centuries. In antiquity, worshippers flocked here for the ancient marble temples to gods both foreign and local, and traders visited the lavish shops the island was known for.  Visitors admired the luxurious villas decorated with frescoes and mosaics. Today, the archaeological site of Delos is one of the finest in Greece.

Led by an expert, Smaro Touloupa, this interactive seminar will explore the history that has shaped Mykonos and Delos. Designed to inform curiosity as well as future travels, participants will come away with a deeper appreciation of the island life beyond the cosmopolitan cliches.

Smaro Touloupa was born in Piraeus and lives in downtown Athens. She majored in sociology, eventually found her calling in her studies to become a national qualified guide, and later went to London to complete her MA in Cultural Heritage Management. Since 1998 she has led educational and alumni tours for Stanford, Harvard, and Yale, Swan Hellenic, Abercrombie & Kent, the British Museum, the National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions, the American Institute of Archaeology, the Biblical Archaeology Society, the Smithsonian, and various specialized and academic groups, and has led private tours for Context Travel since 2013. She has published articles in British and Greek scientific journals and books on heritage interpretation and the impact of crisis and tourism on heritage. For the last five years she has also been involved in local and international programs training qualified guides in interpretation skills. She is fascinated by human creation and adaptation in time and space and the power of cultural identity, and as a result enjoys a lot travelling, trekking, reading, and meeting people – and fish (while scuba diving)!

Not suitable for children under age 13 (sensitive content).

90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.

Customer Reviews

Based on 14 reviews
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(14)
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K
K.B. (South Lake Tahoe, US)
Mykanos

Excellent presentation, knowledgeable & very interesting!

M
Mary S (Vancouver, CA)

Very interesting and informative talk about Mykonos and Delos. I appreciated that the lecture focused on history and culture and was not a travelogue.

A
Anonymous (Portland, US)

Guest did not leave comment

A
Allan Sandlin (Atlanta, US)

Smaro Touloupa is quite simply an extraordinary teacher. The breadth and depth of her knowledge is truly stunning—from history to art and music to food and culture. Her passion for Greece and these islands in particular makes her presentation all the more compelling. I will look forward to more presentations from this gifted scholar and guide.

M
Maruchi Santana (Brooklyn, US)
Knowledgeable and passionate presenter!

Smaro Touloupa was a marvelous engaging presenter. My hope is that I can travel to Mykonos and have her as my guide! Love how Smaro weaved mythology, geography, history, and architecture in this presentation. I want Smaro to travel to other islands and tell us more! Enjoyed learning about the 50's and 60's fashion designers and celebrities that came to Mykonos and made the island famous! Love the story of Peter the Pelican as well! small stories like this one along with historic information made the presention very lively.

Customer Reviews

Based on 14 reviews
100%
(14)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
K
K.B. (South Lake Tahoe, US)
Mykanos

Excellent presentation, knowledgeable & very interesting!

M
Mary S (Vancouver, CA)

Very interesting and informative talk about Mykonos and Delos. I appreciated that the lecture focused on history and culture and was not a travelogue.

A
Anonymous (Portland, US)

Guest did not leave comment

A
Allan Sandlin (Atlanta, US)

Smaro Touloupa is quite simply an extraordinary teacher. The breadth and depth of her knowledge is truly stunning—from history to art and music to food and culture. Her passion for Greece and these islands in particular makes her presentation all the more compelling. I will look forward to more presentations from this gifted scholar and guide.

M
Maruchi Santana (Brooklyn, US)
Knowledgeable and passionate presenter!

Smaro Touloupa was a marvelous engaging presenter. My hope is that I can travel to Mykonos and have her as my guide! Love how Smaro weaved mythology, geography, history, and architecture in this presentation. I want Smaro to travel to other islands and tell us more! Enjoyed learning about the 50's and 60's fashion designers and celebrities that came to Mykonos and made the island famous! Love the story of Peter the Pelican as well! small stories like this one along with historic information made the presention very lively.