The Romance of the Greek Isles
And The Glory of the Ottoman Istanbul
A
Honeymoon Wishes Tour of Greece and Turkey , including a stay in
in Santorini
A grand 15 day Mediterranean tour .
The Best of the Mediterranean for our guests who can afford the Best
Fly in Business Class Across
the Atlantic
DAY
1 - Friday - Weekly - Apr - Nov
Departure from Major USA Cities ( Always in business class)
Board
your widebody jet at JFK, Mid West, West Coast , we use : Lufthansa
, Air France, British Airwasy etc. for West Coast and other major cities
in the USA, passengers need NOT to fly via JFK, you will fly non-stop
to London, Paris or Frankfurt etc. then connect to Athens . Overnight
across the Atlantic in Business class.
Handling your own air fare ?,
please click here .
DAY
2 - Saturday - Weekly - Apr - Nov - ARRIVAL IN ATHENS
Our
Athens representative will meet you at the airport, 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 the Plaka district for curios and treasures. Transfers are always
on a private basis, private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur
. Handling your own air fare ?
please click here .
DAY
3 - Sunday - ATHENS- Private Tour
(BLD)
Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur, private guide
Breakfast is always included daily at the hotels. Lunch today is included
at a charming local restaurant.
This morning you'll have a private tour of Athens and get to know the
high points of the city, especially the towering Acropolis and the adjacent
museum. You'll visit Syntagma Square, at the very heart of the city,
and see the Parliament, and guards in colorful traditional outfits.
Lunch is included at one of the local restaurants.
Your afternoon is free for further exploring or shopping, or you could
well be drawn back by the charm of the Plaka. Or take advantage of one
of our optional tours, in the evening we call on you for a Greek evening
with dinner in a charming local restaurant.
DAY 4 - Monday - CRUISE TO MYKONOS (BLD)
A short drive will take you to Piraeus, ( transfers are always on a
private basis) , the port of Athens, to embark on your four-day cruise.
You'll sail into the Aegean, and by sunset, reach the jet-set isle of
Mykonos. Stroll at your own pace along lanes lined with whitewashed
houses, up to the Church of Paraportiani, or along the shore to the
island's signature windmills. Enjoy an ouzo or a glass of retsina at
a waterside cafe.
DAY 5 - Tuesday - KUSADASI
(Turkey) and PATMOS (BLD)
We anchor at 7 a.m. in Kusadasi, on the Turkish mainland, gateway to
ancient Ephesus. Stroll the streets and stop in at shops filled with
leather goods and bargains in gold. Our optional tour takes you to Ephesus,
one of the best-preserved archaeological sites in the world. You'll
re-board in time for an afternoon sailing. In the late afternoon, your
ship will call at the island of Patmos. Here you can visit the Monastery
of St. John where the Book of Revelations was written.
DAY
6 - Wednesday - RHODES (BLD)
Our cruise ship arrives early at the harbor, allowing a full
day on the Island of Roses. The compact, cobbled medieval city is perfect
for exploring on your own. You'll want to visit the Palace of the Knights
of St. John, take a look at the wares in the boutiques, and spend some
time in a seaside cafe. We also offer an optional excursion to the Acropolis
of Lindos and the Valley of the Butterflies.
DAY 7 - Thursday - HERAKLION (CRETE), SANTORINI
(B)
We drop anchor in the port of Heraklion at 7 a.m. You can explore on
your own, or take an optional excursion to the 5000-year-old Minoan
Palace at Knossos and the archaeological museum. We sail at noon for
Santorini, where the lost civilization of Atlantis flourished. You'll
disembark and our locl rep. will assist with your private transfer to
your hotel. Sample
hotels in Santorini: Chromata , Dana Villas, in Firostefani
with view of the volcano.
Upgrade
to one of the suites and get your own private pool in Santorini
DAY
8 - Friday -SANTORINI (B)
You'll take a leisurely breakfast on your private terrace. An optional
tour to the archaeological site of Akrotiri is offered. Or, you can
spend the day relaxing, and take in breathtaking views of the volcano
and caldera. Sample
optional tours available based on Private arrangement or Local Group
tour
DAY
9 - Saturday - SANTORINI (B)
The day is yours for relaxing or exploring on your own--or both! You
might take a boat across to the dormant volcano, and ascend through
a crater-pocked moonscape to the crater. Or savor a soak in hot sulphur
springs.
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
10 - Sunday - SANTORINI (B)
Enjoy the views from your villa, discover a black-sand beach, savor
the sea breezes from the terrace of a cafe, or try your hand at fishing.
Or arrange a winery visit or another excursion. The choice is yours.
DAY 11 - Monday - SANTORINI, ATHENS, Istanbul (B)
Air fare is included : Busienss class - Tax Included
Our personnel will assure a seamless transfer to Santorini's Airport.
You'll catch a flight to Athens, where you'll board your connecting
flight to Istanbul in business class .You're
met at Istanbul airport by our representative, who sees you to your
hotel, and answers any questions you may have about getting to know
the city. As you ride into the great metropolis from the airport, two
thousand years of history are revealed: towering Roman walls, ancient
Byzantine churches, slender minarets framing the bulbous domes of graceful
mosques. These ancient monuments float on the skyline of a bustling
modern metropolis of ten million people. Welcome fruit basket in your
room awaits you with our compliments.
Transfers are as always on a private basis.
Turkish Hamam (spa) is a Turkish tradition that goes
back for centuries
DAY
12 - Tuesday - ISTANBUL- Private Tour (BL)
Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur, private
guide.
The center of ancient Constantinople and Istanbul was on Seraglio Point,
framed by the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara. We
visit the Blue Mosque, built by Sultan Ahmet III to challenge
the architectural primacy of neighboring Sancta Sophia. We then
walk next door to compare achievements in Justinian's great Sancta Sophia.
Right behind Sancta Sophia is our next stop, sumptuous Topkapi Palace,
the sultans seraglio for centuries, filled with breathtaking exhibits
of priceless jewels, golden thrones, delicate colored tiles, and lavish
court costumes. We finish up in the bustling Grand Bazaar, where
you can find jewelry, carpets, goat-hair rugs, hand-painted ceramics,
copper and brass in labyrinthine streets holding nearly 4000 shops.
DAY
13 - Wednesday - BOSPHORUS (B)
Istanbul's history was formed by the Bosphorus, the winding strait
that separates Europe and Asia, connecting the Black Sea with the Sea
of Marmara. Now, as in ancient times, it is a maritime vital link between
the countries bordering the Black Sea and those in the rest of the world.
Today we take a leisurely cruise northward along this historic waterway.
Along its shores are ranged palaces great and small-Topkapi, Dolmabahçe,
Beylerbeyi, Küçüksu, Hünkar Iskelesi. Four
great fortresses rise on the hills, reminding us that to control the
Bosphorus was to control the destinies of nations. Our afternoon cruise
of two continents, crossing from Europe to Asia and back, includes visits
to the Military Museum, the Bosphorus Bridge, Çamlica Hill lookout,
and stupendous Dolmabahçe Palace. Complimentary
plate of Turkish Lokoom pastries (Hotel room)
Day
14 - Thursday - "Imperial Constantinople in the Belle Epoque"
(late 19th century), the exotic romance of the "Paris of the
East:" Saturday (BLD)
Private guide at all times for your tours in Istanbul.
Breakfast is included at the hotel. Lunch is included at a charming
local restaurant.
Morning walking tour : We start with our guide in Karaköy where
the foreign bankers and shipping companies had their headquarters, then
take the Tünel up to istiklal Caddesi; stop in the whirling dervish
tekke, and walk past the various old embassy buildings (now consulates),
and point out the architecture. Stop for tea (included) at the
famous Pera Palace Hotel.
Walk at least as far as Galatasaray Square, and have lunch in
the Çicek Pasaji (Flower Passage); then walk up to Taksim Square and
be picked up for the afternoon tour.
In the afternoon the tour visit Yildiz Palace Park and the Ihlamur Kasri,
a mini-palace south of Yildiz, and finish up with a visit to the Military
History Museum in Harbiye in time to hear the "Mehter," or Ottoman military
band (mid-afternoon). In the evening we call on you for a dinner at
an exclusive Turkish restaurant.
DAY
15 - Friday - ISTANBUL (B)
There are many more things to see and do in this fascinating city, but
they will have to wait for your next visit. After breakfast, our representative
escorts you to the airport -until
next time!
Compare with th 12-Day version
Rates
per person in US$, Double Occupancy, Greek cruise cabin will be with
2 lower beds
From
the West Coast : SEA , SFO, LAX, SAN in
business class , tax included
air fare is subject to change without notice.
Louis Cruise Lines
Golden Star Cruises Cabin Category |
First Class
Hotels
|
Deluxe
Hotels
|
Deluxe
Superior
Hotels
|
Outside
cabins - Category A
with 2 lower beds |
$
10,450. |
$
11,170 . |
$
11,820 . |
Outside
cabins Category TB
with 2 lower beds |
$
10,540. |
$
11,275. |
$
11,930. |
Outside
cabins Category TA
with 2 lower beds |
$
10,650. |
$
11,370. |
$
12,140. |
For
JFK Guests : Please deduct $300 from the listed rates
Ultra
Deluxe Stay : Leaving from the West Coast
Imperial Suites on board the cruise :
Imperial Suite on Deck 6 on the Cristal Greek
Cruise Penthouse
Suite with Larger private Balcony.
Premier suite at Andronis in Santorini
In Athens you 'll be at the Grand Bretagne
Hotel -Classical Room, or King George Hotel - Deluxe Room
In Istanbul : Four Seasons - standard room , or the Ciragan Palce :
$ 16,900.00 ( from West Coast cities) .
For
JFK Guests : Please deduct $300 from the listed rates
Rate
includes:.
- International
air fare from the West Coast : SEA , SFO, LAX, SAN in business class
, tax included . air fare is subject to change without notice. Air
fare is guaranteed only when ticketed
- Domestic
air fare within Greece in business class only when the plane configuration
allows it , otherwise in economy class
-
Athens/Istanbul airfare, in business class , tax included .
- Lonely
Planet travel guide books
- 4-day
cruise to Greek Isles and Turkey .Transfers in Greece, Turkey .
- Accommodation
in Santorini, sample Hotels that are used:
For
First Class , 4 stars accommodation:
Villa style, " Sun Rocks " in Firostefani" , "Astra
Apartments", " On The Rocks" in Imerovigli,
or Chromata , "Grotto Villas" in Firostefani .
- Hotel
accommodation as per itinerary .Hotel service charges and taxes .
Sample hotels :
Athens: Deluxe Superior : King George .
Deluxe: Divani Palace
Acropolis.
First : Electra Palace , Stanley
Istanbul : Superior Deluxe : Hyatt. Inter.Continental . Conrad,
Swiss
Deluxe : Merit
Antique Hotel Istanbul, Arena Boutique Hotel
Divan Hotel Taksim , The Marmara Istanbul Hotel.
Barcelo Eresin Topkapi Hotel Istanbul
First Class Istanbul :
Richmond Hotel Istanbul, Aygun Plaza Hotel Istanbul
- All
meals during the cruise
- Port
taxes
The
cruise itinerary may vary, depending on the ship Chosen and or available
Not
included:
Sample
hotels in Santorini:
Dana Villas, in Firostefani with view of the volcano.
Chromata Apartments, in Imerovigli with a view of the volcano.
Combine
with Egypt
A Fory into the Nile Kingdom : Legends of the Greek Isles and the Nile
Santorini Edition: A Grand 18 day Mediterranean Honeymoon Wishes
Tour :
Greek cruise, a Stay in Santorini and a Nile Cruise
|
