Greece & Aegean Islands Cruise

ARRIVE IN ATHENS, GREECE Check into your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to start exploring the Greek capital. Later, meet your Local Host.

ATHENS A day to relax and discover Athens at leisure. In the evening, enjoy free time to take in the lively atmosphere of the tavernas and nightclubs in the old Plaka district with its narrow streets and sound of bouzouki music. (B)

ATHENS–CORINTH–NAUPLIA Join the included guided tour of Athens, featuring the highlights of this ancient capital and a visit to the Acropolis. Cross the Corinth canal, a project conceived in ancient Greece but only completed in 1893, then head for the coast to the picturesque seaside town of Nauplia. (B)

NAUPLIA–EPIDAURUS–MYCENAE–SPARTA This morning, stop in Epidaurus, located in the hilly countryside dotted with pine trees and oleanders. In this magnificent setting, visit the ancient open-air theatre, which can still seat 14,000 spectators. Later, enjoy the included guided excursion to the archaeological site and museum of Mycenae, with the imposing ruins of the great city that dominated the eastern Mediterranean world from the 15th to the 12th century B.C. It played a vital role in the development of classical Greek culture and is linked to the Homeric epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey. Travel into the Peloponnese to Sparta, where history hangs between reality and legend. (B,D)

SPARTA–MYSTRA–OLYMPIA Enjoy the included orientation of the medieval Byzantine citadel of Mystra, at one time known as the “Florence of the East.” Before arriving in Olympia, stop to visit an olive oil museum. (B,D)

OLYMPIA–PATRAS–DELPHI Explore Olympia, where the athletes of antiquity performed as a tribute to the king of deities, Zeus. Spend free time in this pretty town or score a perfect 10 with an optional guided tour of the birthplace of the Olympic Games. Later, drive north to Patras, the capital of the Peloponnese and the west coast’s largest port. Continue by crossing the spectacular Rion-Antirion bridge, and through the picturesque fishing villages along the south coast of the mainland to legendary Delphi. (B)

DELPHI–KALAMBAKA Enjoy an orientation of the town of Delphi. Blending harmoniously with the superb landscape and charged with sacred meaning, Delphi, in the 6th century B.C., was indeed the religious hub and symbol of unity of the ancient Greek world. Enjoy free time or join an optional excursion to the archaeological site of Delphi. If you wish, you can take part in a visit to this historic location, where the Oracle of Apollo once spoke at the omphalos, known as the “navel of the world". On to Kalambaka. (B,D)

KALAMBAKA–METEORA–ATHENS Discover Meteora, a cluster of Christian-Orthodox monasteries perched in an unforgettable manner on a set of rising rock formations. They were originally built by hermit monks living in caves carved into the rocks. Your included visit is certainly the day’s highlight. Continue south to Athens. (B)

ATHENS Spend a full day at leisure exploring the unseen parts of the city or visiting a museum. Tonight, it’s all Greek with an optional dinner of local specialties, served with the rhythmic dance steps of the Sirtaki keeping time with the sounds of the bouzouki lute. (B)

ATHENS–EMBARKATION PORT–MYKONOS Morning embarkation and afternoon cruising in the Aegean. Arrive this evening in Mykonos, a granite island and the most typical of the Cyclades. Its white and blue houses, windmills, and chapels make the island’s light even more translucent. Spend some time visiting a taverna or just wandering around the town, enjoying its timeless beauty. (B,L,D)

KUSADASI, TURKEY & PATMOS, GREECE Two ports of call await today. First, Kusadasi on the Turkish coast. Consider joininig an optional morning shore excursion to the fascinating Greek, Roman, and Byzantine excavations of Ephesus. Next, discover the tiny Greek island of Patmos, where St. John the Divine wrote Revelation. The 11th-century monastery with its valuable manuscript collection is well worth a visit. (B,L,D)

RHODES Dock in Rhodes, largest of the Dodecanese Islands and site of the legendary Colossus of Rhodes, a 105-foot statue destroyed by an earthquake in 224 BC. Why not join the optional shore excursion to Lindos and the Citadel of the Knights? Later, why not explore the historic Old City with its ramparts and palaces built by the Knights of St. John during the Crusades. If sightseeing is not your preference, Rhodes’ sun-drenched beaches and vibrant shopping districts are within easy walking distance of the port. (B,L,D)

CRETE & SANTORINI Spend the morning in Heraklion on the island of Crete. A few miles away is Knossos, the hub of the 3000-BC Minoan civilization, calling you to join an optional shore excursion to explore the ancient sites. Next port of call (weather permitting) is Santorini, the “Black Pearl of the Aegean.” Breathtaking beauty is a sure thing on an optional shore excursion up to the cliff-top village of Oia for one of the world’s most breathtaking panoramas. (B,L,D)

DISEMBARKATION PORT–ATHENS Prepare for an early morning docking at Athens’ port; disembark and drive to Athens. Enjoy a free day to explore more of this amazing city. (B)

ATHENS Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)