Greek Islands and Historic Towns of France presented by Bob Packett at Kingswood Manor

THIS CLASS STARTED ON SEPTEMBER 15.  Email spark@umkc.edu or Call (816) 235-2870 for information.

Monday Afternoon – 1:30 to 3:30pm

Kingswood Manor, 10000 Wornall Rd, Kansas City, MO 64114

It begins on Monday, September 15 and ends on Wednesday, October 22.

This class is in-person only without a Zoom or recorded component.

This class will tour some of the Greek Islands and towns in France.  We will continue with tours of those regions in Spring 2026.  We’ll experience Samos, Patmos, Ancient and Medieval Rhodes, and Crete with ancient Knossos and the Minoans.  Then we will switch to France and visit Avignon, Nimes with its Roman and Medieval architecture, and Arles and the art of Van Gogh.

After completing the spring 2025 course on a tour of Istanbul, Troy, and Ephesus, the attendees were asked where they would like to visit next. Two choices were presented one was another 6- day journey through the Greek Islands, including Samos, Patmos, Rhodes, Crete (Heraklion), Santorini, Mykonos, Delos, Hydra and Aegina. The second choice would go to France for a tour of Medieval/Roman towns such as; Avignon, Nimes, Arles, Carcassonne, Rouen, and Caen.

The result was they wanted both! Well, I cannot do 12 days’ worth of touring in 6 days, so the compromise is two courses, one in the Fall 2025 and the other in the Spring of 2026.

Topics for Fall 2025

Greek Islands

• Day 1 Samos in the first hour and Patmos in the second hour.
• Day 2 Rhodes in the first hour ancient Rhodes and in the second hour the Medieval fortress city of the Knights of the Hospital of Rhodes.
• Day 3 Crete (Heraklion) in the first hour ancient Knossos and the Minoans and the Museum of the Minoans and the second hour the Medieval fortress city.
• Day 4 Avignon which will include, the Papal Palace and the Bishops/Popes private Palace, walled city, bridge of Avignon as well as gardens.
• Day 5 Nimes in the first hour we will go to the great aqueduct. We will see how the Romans made Nimes great by supplying it with water. We will then visit the city itself and the great Roman amphitheater and all the roman and medieval sections of the town.
• Day 6 Arles in the first how we will see once again the Roman gifts to the city including a Roman bath. The second hour will be Van Gogh and his art of Arles.

The Spring Course will then cover all the choices I listed at the beginning that are left.

My wife, Sheri, and I spent a lot of time in these various locations, so we have plenty of pictures and videos to show you. We certainly hope you will enjoy the class.

Bob Packett –  Master’s degree in History from UMKC and retired High School and Maple Woods Community College instructor

If you live at Kingswood, there is no cost for you to attend.  If you know someone who does live there, spread the word!