Athens and 5 day Aegean Cruise

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Visit vibrant Athens and the Acropolis, and take a 5 day /4 night cruise to the Greek islands and Turkey

MID MARCH TO MID OCTOBER
PACKAGE CAN START ON SATURDAYS OR SUNDAYS (CRUISE DEPARTS ON MONDAYS)

 

PACKAGE INCLUDES:
 

• 3 nights hotel accommodation in Athens
• 4 nights cruise to the Greek islands and Turkey (all meals included) with M/V Celestyal Olympia  (cabin accommodation, full board, complimentary select drink included with meals, Gala evening and shows, Entertainment on board, port and service charges & on board Gratuities,  2 shore excursions (description in itinerary))
• Half day Athens sightseeing tour
• All transfers as mentioned
• Entrance fees during guided sightseeing
• Daily breakfast
• 24 hour assistance phone number
• All taxes

PACKAGE EXCLUDES:

• Travel insurance
• International flights
• Personal expenses
• Gratuities

I would like to receive a free quote

I would like to receive a free quote



DAY 1: ATHENS
Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Balance of day at leisure.
Athens is a city where antiquity meets edginess. Museums and galleries abound, and new ones are in the works. The New Acropolis Museum, designed by the New York-based architect Bernard Tschumi, is now open at the foot of the ancient citadel. A major makeover prior to the 2004 Olympics added squares and pedestrian walkways, and new subway stations that double as museums. Today this ancient city is a vibrant megalopolis with nonstop nightlife, creative cuisine, and sites both ancient and modern. In the thousands of sidewalk cafés, courting teenagers, young professionals, and old men shuffling their worry beads all bask in Athens’s modern-day renaissance.
DAY 2: ATHENS / CRUISE / MYKONOS
Midday  transfer to Lavrio port to embark the cruise ship for your 4 day cruise to the Greek islands & Turkey. Cruise to Mykonos and enjoy the evening on this lively island.
On board, a range of activities are available to you:; sip a cocktail by the pool, try your luck in the casino, work-out in the fitness center or just relax and soak up the glorious Mediterranean sun. You will be wined and dined with an array of enticing international and Greek cuisine.
At 18:00 the ship will dock in Mykonos; an island that needs little introduction! A summer holiday meeting point for jet setters worldwide, this glittering, glamorous island has everything you expect: fantastic beaches with crystal clear water, whitewashed sugar-cube houses with blue wooden shutters, narrow streets to stroll around, and last, but not least an incredible nightlife!
The evening is yours to enjoy this beautiful iconic Cycladic Island.
DAY 3: MORNING IN KUSADASI (TURKEY)/ EVENING IN PATMOS ISLAND (GREECE)
Early morning breakfast will be served on board as the ship docks at the Port of Kusadasi. This is a very full day with lots of things to see and do.
***** Excursions in Kusadasi (Turkey) :  Ancient Ephesus through the Ages - Hellenistic/Roman  (Half Day)
KUS-02: Ancient Ephesus through the Ages -Hellenistic /Roman 
This is a wonderful journey through some of the most important and formative periods of history and we hope you will be enthralled by the stories of the Hellenes, Romans and of Christianity in our fascinating exploration of Ephesus. This marvellous city, sitting on the hills outside Kusadasi is a fabulous open air archaeological wonder founded by the Greeks around 2000 BC. It was one of the most important cities of the region and was dedicated to the goddess Artemis. The Temple built in her honour was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It had more than 100 marble pillars each standing 56 feet tall and it earned the city the name ‘Servant of the Goddess.’ A single pillar remains standing on the site, found during an excavation in the 1870s. We will be able to see the Agora, Odeon, the Library of Celsus, the marvel-paved Main Street of Curetes, the Baths of Scholastica, Trajan’s Fountain, the Temple of Hadrian and the Houses of Koressus, where the wealthy families of Ancient Ephesus lived. Only 13 per cent of Ephesus has so far been uncovered. The finds from the excavations made so far are housed in the Archaeological Museum of Ephesus in the city of Selcuk.
We have time for shopping for carpets, jewellery, leather and other souvenirs at the end of our tour.
Arrive in Patmos  at 17:45 and spend the evening at leisure in Patmos (Greece). Depart around 21:30 and sail to Rhodes this evening.
DAY 4: FULL DAY IN RHODES
Enjoy a full day on the island of Rhodes (Greece), the largest island of the Dodecanese archipelago. Explore the island`s medieval Old Town, preserved in and around the walls of a Venetian castle, built by the 14th-century Knights of St. John. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Citadel of Rhodes is located at the far northern end of the island and is considered one of the best preserved medieval towns in the Mediterranean.
***** Excursion in Rhodes (Greece) :  Acropolis of Lindos  Rhodes
RHO-01: Rhodes  – Medieval tour - Acropolis of Lindos and the Citadel of the Knights   (Half Day)
Let’s begin in unusual fashion, with what you won’t see in Rhodes. One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World once proudly stood here. He was the Colossus of Rhodes and is of course long departed, probably destroyed by an earthquake. Nevertheless as you arrive on this wonderful, historic island, you may just be able to imagine this statue of the Greek sun-god Helios in 280BC, standing 100 feet tall in celebration of Rhodes’ victory over Cyprus. The largest of the Dodecanese islands, Rhodes has a compelling back story and there are still remnants of its occupation by the Knights of St John during the Crusades. So while the Colossus may not be there, you will be wowed by the many historical sites. We travel fi rst to Lindos, about 55km from Rhodes Town and high above the village sits the impressive Acropolis of Lindos with the Doric Temple of Athena, built in 300 BC. Captains’ mansions constructed between the 16th and 18th centuries are dotted here and there and in the heart of Lindos is the Church of the Virgin Mary with lovely frescoes from the 15th Century. Back in Rhodes is where we are really immersed in the history of the island in the Knights’ Quarter.
We stroll through Gate d’Amboise to walk along the Street of the Knights and see where they lived, separated according to Order, their crests still visible today. We will also see (outside) the imposing Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes, a medieval castle also known as the Kastello. It’s one of the few examples of Gothic architecture in Greece. The Byzantine citadel was built in the 7th Century, the palace itself in the fourteenth. Where the palace sits today could well have been the spot where once stood the Colossus according to recent studies. Either way, this tour takes us into the heart of the fascinating history of Rhodes.
DAY 5: MORNING IN CRETE / AFTERNOON IN SANTORINI
Arrive early this morning in Heraklion (Crete, Greece), one of the four prefectures that constitute the island of Crete. Enjoy a half day at leisure to explore the island on your own. At noon, cruise to Santorini, and enjoy an evening on Santorini Island. Known for its breathtaking caldera, Santorini is also famous for its sandy beaches, colorful sunsets, and whitewashed buildings along the sea-cliffs.
DAY 6: LAVRIO / ATHENS
Early morning return to Lavrio port. After breakfast on board, disembarkation and transfer to your selected hotel. Balance of the day at leisure.
DAY 7: ATHENS HALF DAY GUIDED CITY TOUR
Morning sightseeing tour of Athens. The striking contrast between breathtaking monuments of a glorious past and modern elegant structures is what you will enjoy during your tour of Athens. Visit the Acropolis,the crowning beauty and glory of Ancient Athens, with its many monuments atop its rocky base, including the awesome Parthenon, the Propylea, the temple of Athena Nike and the Erechtheion, with its Porch of Maidens. Drive to the Roman Temple of Olympic Zeus, the Panathinaikon Stadium(site of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 / short stop for photos), the Tomb of the unknown Soldier in front of the Parliament House on Constitution Square. See views of government buildings and elegant structures of the 19th century. Drive along Panepistimiou Avenue and view the Catholic Cathedral, the Academy, University, National Library. In contrast, conclude your tour with a visit to the new Acropolis museum, a marvel of architecture with a full exhibition of the glory of Ancient Athens. Balance of day at leisure.
DAY 8: ATHENS / AIRPORT
According to your departure flight, you will be transferred to the airport.

 

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Driving along the coastal road past the wonderful beaches of GLYFADA, VOULIAGMENI, VARKIZA and countless coves, one has a splendid view of the Saronic Gulf. A crowning feature of the tour Cape SOUNION, dominated by the spectacular Temple of POSSEIDON overlooking the Aegean sea.(Oct 1 to Mar 31 - ½ hour earlier)

  Starting our evening tour with a pleasant panoramic drive through illuminated city center and we will approach the slope of the sacred hill to admire the illuminated Acropolis.
Then we will visit the museum of Ancient Greek musical instruments and discover the music history of Greece. Explore the greatest and only collection with 60 reconstructed Ancient Greek Musical instruments.
Next we will walk through the narrow pedestrian street of Plaka, the old city of Athens, to dine in a Greek typical restaurant with floor folklore show with live music, ballet with dancers in traditional costumes
N.B. Drinks at the taverna are not included.
 

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