Starting with your linked article about the Colossus of Rhodes, I began looking up the location of Rhodes on the Aegean Sea and from there began reading about the Phoenicians and their sea and land trade routes to the products they manufactured and their lack of a monetary system for international trade and their use of barter.
That’ was a pleasant 45 minutes! Now I want to spend an entire summer in Greece and Turkey exploring ancient sites and museums. Unfortunately, next summer is fully booked with a trip with my sister and BIL through Glacier, the Bitterroot River Valley, Banff and Lake Louise, then a fall trip to Ireland and Scotland.
My wife has little interest in ancient history or anthropology (actually, let me rephrase — she has ZERO interest), so I may need to go spend a summer in the Aegean and Mediterranean by myself.
Banff — I’d like to go there just for the placename. :^) I think there’s a large scenic hotel there.
I have been there and will tell not to miss Rhodes. It is beautiful and there is so much to see and do. Remember that for a while the Knights of Malta were there
Rhodes is magnificently preserved in parts as they were in the time of the Knights. Do it.
I was blown away visiting the museum in Heraklion. It is one thing to learn of these artifacts in school, but it is such a privilege to stand before them. I was enraptured.
> My wife has little interest in ancient history or anthropology (actually, let me rephrase — she has ZERO interest), so I may need to go spend a summer in the Aegean and Mediterranean by myself.
Aegean — I’ve never been there, but the ‘gateway drug’ is to start having Greek food with her, say, once a month.
Santorini has the ancient ruins of Akrotiri on the north edge, high up. The whole island is a lot of up and down walking by the look of it. Crowds are somethin’ else I believe (2.5 million visitors a year, mostly during a ten or so week period). Great sunsets. Finicula to get from the shore debarkation point up the hill. Accommodations are very tourist-oriented from there all around to the north and west. There are excursions of a few hours over to the active part of the volcano, go swimming in warm water.
There are a LOT of YouTube vids on Aegean islands, also on taking an Aegean cruise which obviously takes care of the accommodation needs and has the advantage of island hopping, including to Santorini.