The Romance of the Greek Isles
And
The Glory of the Ottoman Istanbul

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The 12-day Version : A Honeymoon Wishes Tour of Greece and Turkey , including a stay in in Santorini

Tour starts weekly on Saturdays in Athens, Apr through Nov
Air fare is included between Santorini , Athens and Istanbul . Compare with th 14-Day version

DAY 1 - Sat - 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.

DAY 2 - Sun- ATHENS (BD)
This morning you'll tour 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. 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 3 - Mon - CRUISE TO MYKONOS (BLD) A 30 - minute drive (transfer included)will take you to Piraeus, 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 4 - Tue - 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 5 - Wed- 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 6 - Thu- 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 for three nights or more in a villa. Sample Villas in Santorini: Dana Villas, in Firostefani with view of the volcano.

Chromata Apartments- Santorini Island
in Imerovigli with a view of the volcano.

DAY 7 - Fri -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 8 - Sat - 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 9 - Sun - 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 10 - Mon - SANTORINI, ATHENS, Istanbul (B) 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 .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.

DAY 11 - Tuesday - ISTANBUL (BL) 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 12 - Wednesday - 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!

Tour starts in Athens every Saturday , April through October.

Rates per person in US$, Double Occupancy, Greek cruise cabin will be with 2 lower beds

Rate includes:.

• One-way Santorini/Athens airfare and one-way Athens/Istanbul airfare, in economy 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:

• International airfare from/to your home country
• Gratuities
• Personal expenses
• Beverages.
• Meals not specifically listed .
• Greek cruise Shore Excursions
• Trip cancellation insurance, travel insurance, please consult with your own insurance agent.

Sample hotels in Santorini:
Dana Villas, in Firostefani with view of the volcano.
Chromata Apartments, in Imerovigli with a view of the volcano.

Clothing on shore:

Look forward to warm, even hot weather with some cooler breezes at night.
Especially for shore excursions, we recommend loose, comfortable cottons or other lightweight clothing.

Some of the tours involve long bus rides and/or considerable walking, so comfortable shoes are recommended.

Please bear in mind that shore excursion coaches are air conditioned and you may wish to bring a light sweater.

On tours that include visits to places of worship, shorts and bare shoulders are not permitted.