Includes
- Transfers per itinerary
- Hotels per itinerary or similar
- Meals per itinerary; (B) Breakfast, (L) Lunch, (D) Dinner
- Sightseeing per itinerary
- Daily continental or buffet breakfast
Excludes
- Porterage; one luggage per person
- Personal expenses
- Transfers not mentioned in the itinerary
Enjoy a relaxing overnight flight to Istanbul.
Istanbul - Arrival
You are greeted upon arrival and escorted to your hotel. Remainder of the day is at leisure before a welcome briefing by your tour director.
Istanbul
Enjoy a full-day tour of Istanbul including Topkapi Palace, the Hippodrome, the Blue Mosque, St. Sophia and the Grand Bazaar. Consider an optional dinner with belly-dancing entertainment. (B)
Gallipoli - Dardanelles - Canakkale
En route to Gallipoli, visit Anzac Cove, the Lone Pine Cemetery and Chunuk Bair. Cross the Dardanelles to Canakkale. (B,D)
Troy - Pergamum - Izmir
Visit Troy’s legendary walls this morning before you continue your trip to Pergamum for a visit to the ancient medical center of Asklepion. Enjoy lunch with the locals at a traditional village. Arrive in Izmir in the evening. (B,L,D)
Ephesus & Virgin Mary's House - Izmir
Today tour the ruins of Ephesus and explore the 2,000 year old marble streets, a theater, the Library of Celsius, and Hadrian's Temple. Take a short drive to see the Virgin Mary's cottage. Continue to a regional rug production center to have firsthand experience of this unique art form. Consider joining an optional afternoon tour to the village of Sirince. (B,D)
Izmir - Kusadasi - Patmos (Cruise)
You will be transferred to the pier to embark on a 3-night Greek Island cruise. At 1:00 pm depart for Patmos. Arrive in Patmos at 4:00 pm. You will have time for an optional tour or explore this island on your own. The ship departs from Patmos at 9:00 pm for an overnight cruise to Rhodes. (B,L,D)
Cruise - Rhodes
Arrive in Rhodes, the Island of Roses, at 7:00 am. You have the option to explore the Old Town or visit idyllic Lindos. Taxis await to take swimmers to nearby crystal clear Aegean beaches. The ship departs from Rhodes at 6:00 pm for an overnight cruise to Crete. (B,L,D)
Cruise - Heraklion (Crete) - Santorini
Arrive in Heraklion, on the fabled island of Crete, at 7:00 am. You will have time to explore the town on your own or join an optional excursion to the Palace of Knossos. At 11:30 am proceed to the island of Santorini. Arrive in Santorini at 4:30 pm. Explore idyllic villages or enjoy local wine at a restaurant with a magnificent caldera view (optional), before an overnight cruise to Piraeus, Athens. The ship departs from Santorini at 9:00 pm. (B,L,D)
Athens
Early morning (6:00 am) arrival in Piraeus to disembark the ship. You will then be transferred to your hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure. (B)
Athens
Enjoy a free day in Athens and use your Acropolis Museum ticket for visiting this impressive museum set beneath the Acropolis. The afternoon is at your leisure. Stay overnight in Athens. (B)
Athens - Return
Make your own way to the airport to catch your return flight home. (B)
USA - Istanbul