“THE LIGHT OF GREECE OPENED MY EYES, PENETRATED MY PORES, EXPANDED MY WHOLE BEING”

Athens to Athens

For mouthwatering natural beauty and outstanding archaeological sites, there are few journeys in the world that can compare with this two-week cruise of the Greek Islands and the coast of Turkey. The quality of the light, the clear waters of the Aegean and the drama of the landscape have inspired writers, poets and artists since the time of Homer. From the flourishing of ancient Greek culture to the age of the Crusades, it is here that much of the history of western civilisation has been played out.
Our September 6, 2010 departure is SOLD OUT

Day 3 | PIRAEUS Athens & the Acropolis - Half Day AM Visit the sublime expression of Classical Greece, the Acropolis with its sweeping views of Athens.	Included
Day 3 | PIRAEUS Best of Athens - Full Day For those visiting Athens for the first time, this excursion provides an excellent introduction to one of the greatest cities of the ancient world.	Optional $45
Day 4 | NAUPLIA Agamemnon's Mycenae - Half Day AM Tales of Agamemnon and the time of Homer's heroes take center stage today on this visit to Mycenae, one of the greatest cities of the highly-developed Mycenaean civilization.	Included
Day 4 | NAUPLIA Epidaurus - Half Day PM An afternoon drive takes you through the evocative scenery of the Peloponnesian Peninsula to Epidaurus.	Optional $68
Day 5 | MONEMVASIA Old Town of Monemvasía - Half Day Pass through a gap in a rocky cliff and emerge into a Medieval scene on this morning tour of Monemvasía, a castle town that has been called the Gibraltar of Greece.	Included
Day 5 | MONEMVASIA The Last Byzantine Stronghold - Full Day Not much remains of Sparta, the ancient Greek city-state devoted to warrior culture, which we pass en route to the glorious array of Byzantine monuments in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Mystras.	Optional $125
Day 6 | HERAKLION, Crete The Palace of Knossos - Half Day AM Even without the tales of a bloodthirsty Minotaur, this magnificent palace complex with its flamboyant decoration, courts, audience chambers and residential areas is an impressive and inspiring site.	Included
Day 6 | HERAKLION, Crete Knossos Palace & the Lassithi Plateau - Full Day Combine a guided tour of the ancient capital of King Minos with a visit to the soaring landscapes of Crete's mountainous interior.	Optional $125
Day 7 | SANTORINI Santorini - Half Day AM One of the Aegean's most spectacular sights, the cliffs of Santorini rise from a great half-moon caldera; all that is left of the formerly circular island once called Strongyle.	Included
Day 8 | RHODES Old Town & Grand Masters Palace - Half Day AM Leave behind the port where the Colossus once stood and discover a stunning ensemble of Gothic architecture just a short drive from the port.	Included
Day 8 | RHODES The Acropolis at Lindos - Half Day PM Gain inspiration from the exquisite natural setting of the Acropolis at Lindos, a destination of both historic and scenic interest.	Optional $48
Day 9 | DELOS Sacred Delos - Half Day PM Discover the tiny, deserted isle of Delos, the religious center of the Cyclades, where columns lie glistening in the sun, and the Lions of Delos guard the Sacred Way.	Included
Day 10 | SAMOS Samos Sightseeing - Half Day AM Explore Samos, birthplace of the great mathematician, Pythagoras, the fabled storyteller, Aesop, and the famous philosopher, Epicurus.	Included
Day 10 | KUSADASI Ancient Ephesus - Half Day PM The cosmopolitan city of Ephesus was, in its heyday, on a par with Athens and Rome.	Included
Day 11 | KUSADASI Aphrodisias - Full Day Two and a half times the size of Pompeii, Aphrodisias is named after the Greek goddess of love and could be said to rival Ephesus in a claim to be "the most well-preserved ancient site in the world".	Included
Day 12 | CANAKKALE Troy - Half Day AM Enter the world of Helen of Troy and Paris, Hektor and Achilles. The 13th or 12th century siege of Troy by Spartan and Achaean warriors from Greece has fired the imagination of poets over thousands of years.	Included
Day 12 | CANAKKALE Gallipoli - Half Day PM A ferry takes us across the straits of Dardanelles to the moving memorials of Gallipoli on the Gelibolu Peninsula.	Included
Day 13 | ISTANBUL Istanbul Highlights I - Half Day AM Byzantium. Constantinople. Istanbul. With its strategic location, Istanbul has been at the center of things for centuries.	Included
Day 13 | ISTANBUL Istanbul Highlights II - Half Day PM Visit two city landmarks, the Byzantine Chora Church, now a museum, and the grand Suleymaniye Mosque, built between 1550 to 1557 during the Classical period of Ottoman architure.	Included
Day 14 | ISTANBUL Bosphorus Cruise - 2 h 30 mins Enjoy an afternoon sail in the Bosphorus, the winding waterway that separates two continents, Asia and Europe.	Optional $45