Satisfy your inner wanderlust and check out our monthly “Armchair Traveler” series! This program will be held at the Ipswich Public Library at 25 North Main Street in Ipswich.

Jeff Klapes has been Head of Reference Services at Wakefield’s Beebe Library for over 20 years, where he is also known as the “Traveling Librarian.”

On Tuesday, May 31st at 2pm, Jeff will take us on an armchair traveler’s journey through sunny southern Greece. The Peloponnese peninsula is one of the most beautiful regions of the country, but rarely visited by tourists. Home to wild mountain and coastal scenery, and Greece’s best olive groves, the southern Peloponnese also has incredible archaeological sites, both from ancient times and also superb Byzantine era churches. We’ll visit the modern city of Sparta, home to the ancient warlike city-state that rivaled Athens, and also the stunningly beautiful medieval walled city of Monemvasia, isolated on a protected rocky island just off the coast.

Having visited more than 50 countries and five continents over the years, Jeff does frequent armchair travel presentations showcasing the history and culture of various places, using photography to capture people, scenery, and local details. From Iceland to Namibia, Laos to Oman, Jeff has visited many off-the-beaten path places, as well as more popular ports of call. And of course, as a librarian, he also reads voraciously about his destinations to learn about their culture, history, politics, literature, nature, and cuisine.

This series is free and open to the public, and is funded by a grant from the Coburn Charitable Society.