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Escapade
to the Greek Isles and Istanbul
With a Foray into Egypt
14 days . Tour code : Escapde # 5 Egypt
Our
Aegean tours,This 14-day (
Including 7 day CRUISE ) voyage of discovery includes
classical Athens and the islands of the Aegean : Santorini
, Mykonos, Rhodes
and even takes you to
Egypt : Cairo and Luxor as well as to Constantinople! Stamboul! Istanbul!
the fabulous city where East and West have clashed, met, and blended
over the centuries
Starts in Athens Weekly
: Apr - Nov
Add : Santorini & Crete
, Paris , or
Italy , extend your stay in Greece: Compare
with the 14 day version . Add
Sicily
DAY
1 - ATHENS -
Wednesday
Our local representative will meet you at Athens airport, assist with
arrival procedures, and escort you to your hotel. You'll have time on
your own to explore the Greek capital, browse for treasures and curios,
and venture to a terrace cafe or a fine meal in the old Plaka district.
Or, we'll be pleased to arrange an optional Athens by Night tour, which
includes a Greek dinner and musical entertainment.
DAY
2 - ATHENS - Private Tour - Thursday (B)
A half-day private city tour will orient you to the high points of Athens.
We'll visit Syntagma Square, at the very heart of the city; the Parliament;
Hadrian's Arch; and culminate with the Acropolis and its museum. Your
afternoon is free for further exploring, shopping, or, perhaps, another
visit to the Plaka. Or take advantage of one of our optional tours,
such as an afternoon visit to Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon,
with spectacular sunset view.
Private air-conditioned vehicle. Private guide. Private Chauffeur
.
DAY
3 - ATHENS, EMBARKATION- Friday (BLD)
Your morning in Athens is unscheduled, leaving you the choice of relaxation,
meeting up with friends at a cafe, or browsing the shops. In the afternoon,
we'll see you to Piraeus, the port of Athens, Private air-conditioned
vehicle. Private Chauffeur for your transfer to Piraeus where
you'll embark around 04:00 PM on your seven-day cruise.
DAY 4 - ISTANBUL - Saturday (BLD)
Constantinople! Stamboul! Istanbul! Today you reach the fabulous city
where East and West have clashed, met, and blended over the centuries.
Where to start? We reach Istanbul around 05:00 PM
Choices
and optional evening escorted tours (additional $$$ cost) are available
on board the ship or through our office to help you take it all in.
There's no need to unpack. Your ship serves as your hotel in port.
DAY 5 - Full Day Private tour of Istanbul - Sunday (BL)
We are providing on a complimentary basis , a full day tour , with
private car/van/ driver & English speaking guide ( please advise
if you prefer other language), visiting Aya Sophia, the Blue Mosque,
the Topkapi Palace, the bustling and strategic Bosphorus straits. Transfer
to Istanbul Port to board your cruise , in time for check in and get
ready to sail around 6 PM
DAY 6 - MYKONOS -Monday (BLD)
We reach MYKONOS late afternoon : the fabled isle of windmills,
beaches, cliffs, blue seas, and over 350 churches and chapels. Photo
opportunities are unlimited, and shopping options are almost as plentiful.
Set sail around 11 PM
DAY 7 - PATMOS -Kusadasi -Ephesus -Tuesday (BLD)
This morning we'll drop anchor at Patmos (Using tenders in Patmos) .
Here you can visit ( all shore excursions are optional) the Monastery
of St. John where the Book of Revelations was written. You'll reboard
around 10:30 , as we head to Turkey .
Once again, we'll drop anchor in the Turkish mainland and Kusadasi (
around 2:30 PM) , gateway to ancient Ephesus. Join one of the
ships shore excursion (Additional$$$) , or Stroll the streets on your
own and stop in at shops filled with leather goods, carpets, and bargains
in gold. Or we'll be glad to arrange for a our private basis optional
tour takes you to Ephesus, one of the best-preserved Greco-Roman cities
in the world. We set sail from Kusadasi around 8:30 PM
DAY
8 - RHODES- Wednesday (BLD)
You'll sail into the harbor of Rhodes at first light, 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, we sail out around 06:00
PM.
DAY
9 - SANTORINI, HERAKLION - Thursday (BLD)
We drop anchor in the port of Heraklion / Crete Santorini around 07:00
AM . Explore on your own, or take an optional excursion to the 5000-year-old
Minoan Palace at Knossos and the archaeological museum and , reboard
in time for lunch , then it is off to Santorini , and drop anchor around
5 PM . ( using tenders to disembark / reboard) . Explore on your own,
the lost civilization of Atlantis flourished. Enjoy the outdoor cafes
and wander the lanes of Thira, lined with craft and clothing shops and
bakeries and cafes. Ride the funicular to the cliff top, or be adventurous,
and do it on mule back! . We set sail for Athens at 11 AM.
DAY
10 - ATHENS / CAIRO (B) Friday
You'll sail into Piraeus early in the morning. Our Athens-based personnel
will take you to the airport to catch your flight for Cairo ( air fare
is included Athens/ Cairo in Business class ) , where
our local staff whisks you through the excitement and hubbub of the
terminal, and onward to your hotel . Complimentary visa for Egypt,
issued upon arrival for American Canadian, Australian, NZ, EU, Singaporean
& Japanese citizens (your passport must be valid for at least 6
month beyond the date of arrival). Welcome fruit basket and a warm pot
of coffee or tea will be delivered to your room upon arrival.
Visa
will be issued upon arrival.
As you exit the gate, you will pass through a door or two , down some
stairs , then walk for 2-5 minutes , until you pass the duty free shops,
at the end of a wide corridor , you will see the security officers.
There you will be met by a local representative, who will be holding
a sign with the name you prefer to use for the sign .
Our local representative will then take your passport to obtain a stamp
from the cashier / bank window and escort you to speak with the passport
officer. He will escort you through another last check on your passport
as you exit the passport control, into customs area, he will assist
you in collecting your luggage and clearing customs . After exiting
the terminal, our local representative will escort you (private vehicle)
to the hotel
DAY
11 - CAIRO (BLD) Saturday
Today, you'll explore the wonders of the Egyptian Museum, with
its treasures of the ancient pharaohs: mummies, statuary, precious stones
and metals. Travelers have long come to Cairo just to gaze on the sights,
but your day has just started. You'll lunch at a charming local Restaurant,
then depart to Giza for an afternoon visit to the mysterious Sphinx,
the Pyramids, and the Valley Temple. Taking a camel ride is entirely
your own choice! Conclude a memorable day as we host you on a Nile dinner
cruise complete with exotic Egyptian entertainment.
DAY
12 - DAHSOUR - HOME HOSTED MEAL - Sunday (BLD)
After breakfast, we'll motor to the edge of Cairo, to the mysterious
Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza. Those who are fit and adventurous enough
may wish to penetrate into the heart of the Great Pyramid, to the King's
Chamber (or the interior of Kephren Pearled, depending ). Continue to
Dahshour, the newly-opened pyramid field south of Cairo. We visit
the great pyramid of Senfru, father of Cheops, and other structure:
The "Discovery" of Dahshour:
For almost half a century, the great field of huge pyramids near the
desert village of Dahshour, 25 miles south of Cairo, has been off limits
to the public. Confined within the perimeter of a military base were
many pyramids, including the great 4500-year-old pyramid built by Senfru,
father of Cheops. Senfru's pyramid, the largest in Egypt until his son
built Giza's Great Pyramid, is rhomboidal in shape: it tapers more distinctly
on its upper half. All the pyramids were coated in thick plaster at
one time. Most have lost these protective, decorative sheaths, but Senfru's--miraculously--is
still in place.
Lunch is included at a local restaurant. The afternoon is at leisure.
Dinner
is included at a local home:
Meet the locals,
you may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family (
T shirt , small souvenirs of your home town):
This
evening we'll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread . . . right
into the homes of some of the people of Cairo l! You'll be invited to
a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties,
you'll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way
of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your
new friends, they're sure to have questions about your own background.
Once the ice is broken, you'll enjoy a lively evening, and find that
you have more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, you may
enjoy dinner in a quiet restaurant with your travel companions, by letting
us know your preferences.
Egypt , the Nile Valley
Nile View with the Felucca Sailing boats in the Background
DAY
13 - LUXOR - Monday (cBLD)
Very early morning breakfast before we fly to Luxor, from the airport
we proceed to cross the Nile to visit the Valley of the Kings
and the Colossi of Memnon. After lunch in Luxor, we tour
the Great Temple of Amon at Karnak, and visit the Sacred Lake
. We have a quick look at the great temple of Amon Ra at Luxor
on our way to the airport for our flight back to Cairo, and our hotel.
DAY
14 - DEPARTURE (B) Tuesday
You'll enjoy a full American breakfast before we escort you to
the airport for your flight home.
Rates
per person in US$
Double Occupancy Cabins with 2 lower beds
Louis
Cruises Lines
Or Golden Star
Cruises |
First Class Hotels
|
Deluxe
Hotel |
| Outside
Cabins with 2 lower beds Cat B |
$
6060 |
$
6460 |
| Outside
Cabins with 2 lower beds Cat A |
$
6130 |
$
6710 |
| Outside
Cabins with 2 lower beds Cat TC |
$
6280 |
$
6860 |
Supplemental
charges:
Upgrade
to Deluxe Room at the Grand Bretagne in Athens: $390 Per person in
double ( added to the deluxe rate), or $820 per person for an upgrade
to the Deluxe Suite at the Grand Bretagne.
Rate
includes:
- Seven-day
cruise to Greek Islands and Turkey.
-
Hotel accommodation in Athens and Cairo including tax and breakfast
daily .
- Air
fare Athens Cairo in business class , tax included
-
Athens sightseeing tour .
- Breakfast
daily at the hotel.
- All
meals during the cruise.
-
Greeting and assistance on arrival, and transport to hotel, to cruise
ship, and back to airport .
- Hotel
service charges, taxes, and hospitality services .
-
Port taxes .
- Lonely
Planet guide books for Greece and Egypt
- Guided
sightseeing in Egypt as per itinerray includingall entrance fees.
- Domestic
air tickets in Egypt, issued and delivered in Cairo , in business
class , tax included
- Complimentary
visa for Egypt, issued upon arrival for American Canadian, Australian,
NZ, EU, Singaporean & Japanese citizens (your passport must be
valid for at least 6 month beyond the date of arrival).
Not
included:
Cruise
schedule is subject to change without notice
Greek cruise :
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.
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