Travel Dates:
- 4th November 2019, 16th, 23rd, 30th March 2020
Inclusions with Touring:
- Five-nights in a four-star hotel
- Full buffet breakfast daily and two three-course dinners
- First-class motorcoach with WiFi
- An expert tour director and sightseeing with local tour guides
Inclusions with Cruising:
- Accommodation in an outside cabin onboard a Celestyal Cruise Ship
- All meals daily featuring a full a la carte breakfasts, lunches and dinners
Exclusions:
- International airfares
- Airport transfers
- Travel insurance
- Visa
- Personal expenses
- Anything not mentioned in the itinerary
- Service charge/tipping
Itinerary:
Day One: Athens, Greece
Day Two: Athens-Corinth, Canal-Mycenae-Olympia (B,D)
Cross the spectacular Corinth Canal. Your highlight today is Mycenae, where 19th-century excavations reveal impressions of the splendours so vividly described by Homer. Admire the Beehive Tombs, known as the Treasury of Atreus; Lion Gate, Europe’s oldest known monument; the remains of Agamemnon’s Royal Palace; and the impressive fortifications of the Citadel.
Day Three: Olympia-Delphi (B,D)
Sightseeing with a Local Guide will give you insights into the town where the athletes of antiquity competed in honour of the King of Deities. Learn about the history of those original Olympic Games as you walk among the impressive remains of the Gymnasium and the Temples of Hera and Zeus. Also, visit the MUSEUM that displays Praxiteles’ magnificent statue of Hermes.
Day Four: Delphi-Athens (B)
This morning is devoted to a fascinating tour of the ancient sanctuary of the god Apollo in its dramatic setting on the slopes of Mount Parnassus. Hear about the Oracle and tour the excavations. Visit the archaeological museum to admire the Charioteer, an extraordinary 5th-century-BC bronze statue.
Day Five: Athens-Piraeus, Embarkation-Mykonos (B,L,D)
This morning, head for Piraeus, where you will sail into the deep-blue waters of the Aegean Sea. Later dock at the mountainous island of Mykonos with its characteristic windmills and dazzling white houses. Time to wander through narrow paved streets before returning on board.
Day Six: Kusadasi, Turkey-Patmos, Greece (B,L,D)
Two ports of call today: First, Kusadasi on the Turkish coast. Visit the fascinating Greek, Roman, and Byzantine excavations of ephesus. Next, why not join an optional excursion to discover the tiny Greek island of Patmos and see the Grotto of Apocalypse?
Day Seven: Cruising Heraklion, Crete-Santorini, Greece (B,L,D)
First port of call today is Heraklion on Crete. A few miles away is Knossos, the centre of the 3000-BC Minoan civilisation. Afternoon call (weather permitting) at Santorini, the “Black Pearl of the Aegean.” The optional shore excursion takes you to the clifftop village of Oia for one of the world’s most breathtaking panoramas.
Day Eight: Piraeus, Disembarkation-Athens (B)
After breakfast on board, disembark at Piraeus and return to Athens. Sightseeing with a local guide features a visit to the world-famous Acropolis, perched high on a rocky outcrop overlooking the city. Here, see the Parthenon, the Erechtheum with its Porch of Maidens, the Temple of Athena Nike, and enjoy a panoramic view that includes glimpses of the Temple of Olympian Zeus, theatre of Dionysus, and the beautifully preserved Theseum. Later, a city orientation tour features the Parliament House and a picture stop at the Panathenaic Stadium. Built in the 2nd century AD, it is the only stadium in the world built entirely of marble, and was host to the opening and closing ceremonies of the first modern Olympics in 1896.
Day Nine: Athens (B)
Your holiday ends this morning
B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner
View the full itinerary here
