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From
Santorini
to Istanbul
Tour
Istanbul , Athens , and Santorini
in a grand 10 Day Mediterranean Tour
What's
your preferred destination around the Aegean Sea? The Classic sites
beckon with the glories of empires past. Thriving bazaars exude the
mystery of the Orient. Hidden coves, sun, beaches and sails seduce you
to a legendary island removed from the everyday world. Which will you
choose?
Fortunately,
you can do it all! On this 10-day adventure, Travel in Style weaves
the great travel adventures of Greece and Turkey into a seamless classic
of its own. You'll gaze in awe at the treasures of Istanbul. You'll
ascend to the Acropolis in Athens, and plumb the pleasures of the Plaka.
Then it's away from the madding crowds, to treasure three full days
in a hideaway on the Greek isle of your dreams: Santorini. Pack your
bags, and take off on any day of your choosing, from April through October.
Click here for the 11 day Ephesus
edition . or Naxos ,
the 12-Day Version , or the 18
day Greece including Rhodes Mykonos and Western Turkey
DAY
1 - Arrive ATHENS or Istanbul
(B) -Arrive
on any day of your choosing, from April through October
.
Arrive
in Athens, where our representative assist you through customs and immigration,
and escort you to your hotel in the bustling city center. The rest of
the day is yours to enjoy as you wish. Stroll, browse for curios and
treasures.
DAY 2 - ATHENS (BD)
Enjoy the sights, sounds, and flavors of the Greek capital, today we
have included a half day tour of Syntagma Square, and the towering Acropolis.
An evening dinner with a folk show at a local restaurant.
Add
private tours to Delphi and Argolis: please click here.
DAY
3 - ATHENS , SANTORINI (B)
We'll call for you and see you to the airport for your flight over the
blue Aegean to Santorini (Air fare included, Isle of Ancient "
Atlantis ?!", where you'll find a room waiting in a four-star beach
hotel. Or a cliff -side Villa .
DAY
4 - Santorini (B)
Enjoy breakfast at your lovely hotel (or Villa),or venture out,to explore
ON YOUR OWN. Akrotiri,reputedly the site of fabled Atlantis.
Then on to Athinios port to take a boat across to eh dormant volcano,
and ascend through a crater-pocked moonscape to the crater. Visit Thirassia
Island and watch sunset in Oia. Return to your hotel/villa early evening,
the decision is totally yours.
Sample optional tours available based on Private arrangement or Local
Group tour
Santorini Sunset
DAY
5 - Santorini- Own activities(B)
To stay in your lovely hotel and enjoy the beach, the service, and the
amenities, or to venture out to explore some of the dramatic cliffs,
coves, and villages . . . that is the question! No doubt, you'll mix
a bit of both; Relax, and revisit a favorite café or shop ,sip an ouzo
or retsina at a waterside café, discover a beach or two, pick up a loaf
of fresh bread and cheese and olives, and picnic on a hillside as you
look out to sailboats at sea.
DAY
6 - Santorini (B)
Do your last-minute shopping this morning, or just linger deliciously
in bed. Another day in this Greek Mediterranean paradise.
For
guests who are interested , a complimentary full day Greek cooking class
( available only on Thursdays -except during Easter week):
Advance reservation required, space is limited, must book this at the
time you book your tour package with us
ONE
DAY COOKING COURSE AT "SELENE" RESTAURANT.
Weekly
on Thursday : at 10 30 a.m. we will welcome you at Selene Restaurant
with fresh juice, coffee and traditional Greek cookies. A lecture by
Evelyn Volikas and George Hatziyianakis will give you an introduction
to the cuisine of the Cycladic Islands and particularly of Santorini
.Following the lecture, we will introduce to you the unique local products
of our island. The volcanic eruption that broke the island of Santorini
apart almost 3500 years ago left the dramatic caldera that you see today.
With more than 300 days of sunshine and its rich volcanic soil, the
island yields a bounty of unusual indigenous herbs and vegetables. White
eggplant, capers and caper leaves, fava (small yellow peas), exquisite
baby tomatoes - all grown virtually without water.We will introduce
you to the Santorini wine, to the grape varieties and to the Santorini
vineyard, and you will have the chance to sample four different wines
in the wine tasting we have arranged for you.
Cheeses and sausages from several other Cycladic islands, including
Naxos, Siros, Ios, Tinos, brought especially for this occasion, will
accompany the wines.At about 12.0 the presentation and the demonstration
of four different recipes will take place. You will learn how to prepare
an entire Greek menu: an appetizer,
a salad, a main course, and a dessert.
-Fava
beans with tomato caper sauce or Tomato fritters (tomatokeftedes)
-Eggplant
salad with octopus or Taramosalata
-Rabbit
with egg- cheese sauce or Lamb in grapevine leaves
-Cheese
and honey sweet pastry or Melitinia (traditional Santorini cookie)After
we have prepared the dishes, at about 2.0 p.m. you will be able to enjoy
the fruits of your labors accompanied by a bottle of delicious wine
from Santorini.
The cooking class takes place every Thursday. Web site for the world
famous " Selene" Greek restaurant : www.selene.gr
DAY
7 - ISTANBUL (B)
We'll
call for you and see you to the airport to begin your journey to Istanbul
( via Athens ). Air fare is included in our rate , in economy class,
tax included . In Istanbul
Our local personnel will be on hand when you arrive at the international
airport, to escort you to your lodgings, where a fruit basket awaits.
You'll have time to rest up from your flight, and stretch your legs
as you make your initial discoveries of this capital of Byzantine emperors
and Ottoman sultans, where East and West have long clashed, met, and
blended.
DAY
8 - ISTANBUL (BLD)
We'll visit historic and modern Istanbul today. High points will include
the Hippodrome, the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, and the stunning
Blue Mosque. Then it's on to Aya Sophia, whose heritage as both a basilica
and emblem of Islamic architecture neatly sums up the strains that have
created modern Turkey. We'll fit in the fabled Topkapi palace, with
its formal gardens, salons of state and stately boudoirs of the sultan's
harem; as well as the Treasury, whose collection includes priceless
Chinese porcelain. At the Grand Bazaar, there will be occasion to assemble
your own treasure from over 5000 stands, kiosks, and shops, filled with
carpets, leatherwork, and treasures and trinkets from all points eastward.
After a short rest, we'll gather for dinner, accompanied by live music,
and the extraordinary Oriental art form that we know as the belly dance.
DAY
9 - ISTANBUL (BL)
This morning, we'll stretch our legs as we take in the sights, sounds,
and aromas of Istanbul up-close. We'll start off with our guide to re-discover
the Belle Epoque, when Constantinople was the Paris of the East. From
the traditional Karaköy district, where overseas bankers and shipping
companies had their headquarters, we'll ascend via the Tünel-an
antique subway line-up to Istiklal Caddesi, a sedate nineteenth-century
thoroughfare lined with former embassies. We'll stop in at the tekke
of the renowned whirling dervishes. And in keeping with the traditional
surroundings, we'll be hosted to tea at the landmark Pera Palace Hotel.
We'll continue on foot, at least as far as Galatasaray Square, and lunch
in the Çicek Pasaji (Flower Passage); then it's on to busy Taksim
Square to rendezvous with our coach. We'll venture farther a field in
the afternoon, to Yildiz Palace Park and the Ihlamur Kasri, a refined
little palace south of Yildiz, and the Military History Museum in Harbiye,
arriving in time for the strains of Mehter, the traditional Ottoman
military band.
DAY
10 - Istanbul- Departures (B)
Breakfast at the hotel , on to Istanbul Airport .
Bon
Voyage.
Rate
in US $, per person in double occupancy
Minimum 2 guests
 |
Tourist Class: $ 3810.00
First Class: $ 4150.00
.
Deluxe : $ 4850.00
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RATE
in US $, per person in double occupancy
Minimum 4 guests
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Tourist Class: $ 3604.00
First
Class: $ 4070.00 .
Deluxe : $ 4700.00
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Price
includes:
- Air
transportation from Istanbul / Izmir/ Athens / Santorini, as
per the itinerary & dates you choose (subject to your availability)
.
- Transportation
between airport and hotels in Greece , always on a private basis ,
- Guided
sightseeing as indicated in ATHENS, including entrance fees .
- preset
menu meals as indicated , please check each day for the code : "B"
for breakfast, " L" for lunch and dinner as indicated "D",
etc .
- Accommodations
with breakfast (B) as indicated
below, or at comparable properties, according to availability:
- For
first class accommodation in the: "Cliff Side Suites, Volcano
View Villas, Tzekos Villas
Or Rose
Bay on Kamari Beach Hotel (four stars)
Not
Included:
-
International air transportation.
- Trip
Cancellation insurance
-
Optional excursions, such as tours on Santorini, sailing, cruising
Any meal not specifically mentioned, beverages, and personal expenses
Gratuities for local personnel Travel insurance (please inquire about
flyer).
- Airport
taxes.
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