Greece and Turkey Highlights with 3-day cruise

Arrive in Athens Airport and transfer to the hotel. Rest of the day is free day at leisure. (check in starts at 02:00PM but if you arrive earlier, you can leave your luggage to the hotel and take a walking tour around.

Overnight: Athens Meals: N/AArrive in Athens Airport and transfer to the hotel. Rest of the day is free day at leisure. (check in starts at 02:00PM but if you arrive earlier, you can leave your luggage to the hotel and take a walking tour around.

Overnight: Athens Meals: N/A

After breakfast we will meet you at the designated location, in order to start the morning Half Day Athens Sightseeing Tour.

This tour gives you an opportunity to observe the striking contrasts that make Athens such a fascinating city. Our expert guides will take you to see the Panathenaic Stadium, home to the first Olympic Games of the modern era, where we will make a short stop. As we continue our trip, we will pass by the Prime Minister's residence (ex Royal Palace), guarded by the Evzones in their colorful uniform, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian's Arch, the Parliament and memorial to the Unknown Soldier, the Academy of Athens, the University, the National Library and the Constitution Square (Syntagma). One cannot take a tour of Athens without visiting the Acropolis, one of the world's most prominent sites and a symbol for democracy in the Western world! It is there that you will explore architectural masterpieces of the Golden Age of Pericles. From the Propylaea, to the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion and of course the Parthenon, a place where 'there is harmony between material and spirit', a the monument that 'restores order in the mind', as ancient Greeks used to say.

Departure approximately at 08:00AM - Return approximately at 01:00PM

After-noon transfer to our cruise ship M/S Gemini and sail to Santorini.

Overnight: Athens Meals: Breakfast

Starting from Athens, the capital of Greece, we will take the scenic route through the fertile plains of Beotia, crossing the town of Thebes, which is connected with the tragedy of King Oedipus, Levadia, one of the more traditional towns in Greece and the picturesque Arachova which sits on the foot of Mount Parnassus. You will arrive in Delphi, known around ancient Greece as 'the navel of the world'. A town with strong ties to antiquity due to the presence of the famous Oracle, whose ruins still stand proudly. A sacred place for ancient Greeks, as they consulted the great Oracle before every major war campaign. There you will have the chance to visit the Treasury of the Athenians, the Temple of Apollo and the archaeological museum. Lunch will be at the village of Delphi and afterwards you will make your way back to Athens by the same route. On the way there will be a quick stop at Arachova, before reaching Athens early in the evening.

Departure at approximately 08:30 - Return at approximately 19:30

Overnight: Athens Meals: Breakfast - Lunch

Breakfast and transfer to Piraeus port for embarkation to our cruise ship M/S Gemini.  Departure at 12:00PM and sail to Mykonos also known as the Island of the Winds. (Arrival at 07:00PM Departure at 02:00AM) Take an evening stroll through the atmospheric Old Town with its immaculate whitewashed houses, winding alleys, lovely little churches and delightful restaurants at the water’s edge. You will undoubtedly recognise the picture postcard white windmills sitting side by side, overlooking the sea. for overnight

Overnight: M/S Gemini  Cruise Ship Meals: Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner

Arrive at 10:00AM in Santorini , whose stunning face is instantly recognisable across the world.  We’re sure she will take your breath away, with her soaring landscapes, clusters of whitewashed houses in the capital Fira, and of course the iconic blue-domed church at Oia. We will stay in Santorini until 05:00PM. Possibility to join optional shore excursions.

Overnight: M/S Gemini  Cruise Ship Meals: Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner

Arrive in Rhodes at 09:00AM and possibility to visit the island (optional)

Being a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest of the 12 islands, Rhodes is an island like paradise located 18 km from the shores of Turkey. Considered as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Colossus of Rhodes statue showed sailors the location of the entrance to the ancient port. The castle built by the Hospitaller Knights and the ancient city, which it embraced, is considered to have remained as the second best preserved medieval city. A Turkish minority of 3,500 people still lives on the island which was conquered by Suleiman the Magnificent and ruled under the Ottomans for 400 years.

Overnight: M/S Gemini  Cruise Ship Meals: Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner

Breakfast and disembarkation in Kuşadası at 08:00AM. Meet our driver and  you will join our guided visit of Ephesus. Explore the antique city by wandering along its 2,000 year old marble streets to such famous sites as the theatre and the Celsus Library. In the afternoon, visit the home of the Virgin Mary and a photo stop nearby the Temple of Artemis where only a column remains to indicate where one of the Seven Wonders of the World was.

Transfer to Izmir airport for a flight to Istanbul. Upon arrival to Istanbul meet with our driver and transfer to the hotel.

Overnight: Kuşadası  Meals: Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner

Breakfast at the hotel. Depart around 10:00AM for Pergamon, the current Bergama visit to the Pergamon ruins . Continuation to Çanakkale (Gallipoli) for overnight and dinner.

Overnight: Kuşadası  Meals: Breakfast -  Dinner

Breakfast and  and visit to the famous archaeological Troy city of history that evokes the poetic name of the Iliad saga of Homer. We will cross Dardanelles Strait by car ferry and continue to Gallipoli Peninsula. We will visit one of the most emotionally touching places in Turkey, the WWI Battlefields of Gallipoli, including Brighton Beach, Beach Cemetery, ANZAC Cove, Ariburnu Cemetery, ANZAC Commemorative Site, Respect to Mehmetcik Statue, Lone Pine Australian Memorial, Johnston’s Jolly, Turkish and Allied trenches and tunnels, 57. Regiment Turkish Memorial,The Nek,Chunuk Bair New Zealand Memorial.

Continuation to Istanbul for overnight (Arrival around 10:00PM)

Breakfast at the hotel . Drive from your hotel to Spice Market for shopping . Free time. Then meet and proceed to take 1,5 hrs Bosphorus Cruise excursion along the Bosphorus , that is dividing the 2 continents Asia & Europe . During the excursion you will enjoy the beauty of Istanbul , with its forest , Palaces and wooden old houses built on both continents . Lunch at local restaurant . After lunch visit Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque) , Hippodrome and the famous Hagia Sophia . Free time at Grand Bazaar

Overnight: Istanbul Meals: Breakfast – Lunch

Breakfast at the hotel . Departure from the hotel to visit Topkapi Palace ( harem section entrance free is not included ) the house of the ottoman sultans . Departure from the hotel to Ankara – the capital of Turkey . Arrival to Ankara in early evening

Overnight: Ankara Meals: Breakfast – Dinner

Breakfast at the hotel. Visit to the capital of Turkey with the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations with an exhibition of Palaeolithic, Neolithic, Hittite, Phrygian Urartu etc … remains and the Ataturk Mausoleum, dedicated to the founder of the Turkish Republic. Departure for Cappadocia (290 km). Along the way, visit the underground city built by Christian communities to protect themselves from Arab attacks. The underground city preserves the stables, common rooms, meeting room and small rooms for families. Arrival in the Cappadocia region.

Overnight: Cappadocia Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Breakfast at the hotel. Day dedicated to visiting this fantastic region with its spectacular fairy chimneys, unique in the world Goreme Valley, with its cave churches, with paintings from the 10th and 11th centuries; stop at the trogloyta village of Uçhisar, visit Avcilar which has a spectacular landscape, the Derbent valley with its curious natural rock formations and time for artisan workshops such as carpets and onyx-stones mounted on silver jewelry. Dinner and accommodation at the hotel.

Overnight: Cappadocia Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Optional: Possibility to join a balloon ride over Cappadocia activity during sunrise.

Breakfast and transfer to the airport for a flight to Istanbul (many flight from Cappadocia possibilities to connect your onward flight from Istanbul) End of our services.