The Mediterranean World of
Greece and Egypt

This 12 - day tour with a 3 day Greek Cruise, takes you to Athens and Classical Greece

then onward to view the highlights of ancient Egypt. Compare with the 12 day version , or add a Nile Cruise .Tour starts weekly in Athens every Monday and Tuesday, weekly : Apr - Oct
Combine with Italy

Honeymoon in Greece & Egypt

DAY 1- ATHENS - Monday
Our local personnel meets you at the airport and escorts you to your accommodations. 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.

DAY 2 - ATHENS- Tuesday (Breakfast . Lunch. Dinner )
A half-day 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 the Parthenon. Your afternoon is free for further exploring, shopping, or, perhaps, another visit to the Plaka. Lunch at a local restaurant. Dinner at the hotel

Day 3- Private Tour of Argolis – (BL)
Private Air Conditioned Vehicle - Private Chauffeur - Private Guide
Breakfast at the hotel. Lunch is included at a local restaurant . Bottled water / tea or coffee : included with your lunch. Drive through Corinth crossing the famous canal to Mycenae where visits are Included to the Lion Gate, Tombs of Agememnon and Clytemnestra, and the Palace. Luncheon at the seaside resort town of Nauplion. Afterward, a short drive to the world famous theater of Epidaurus, known for its perfect acoustics. Visit the museum and Askelpeion. Return to Athens in the early evening. For the lunch we will either stop in Mycenae or Nauplion.

Some detail on your drive today :

• Athens - Corinth canal is about 1.15 hours drive (depending on traffic)
  
• The distance is 85 kilometers.
  
• Corinth canal - Mycenae is around 30 minutes. The distance is 45 kilometers.
  
• Mycenae - Epidaurus is 45 minutes. This distance is 60 kilometers.
  
• Epidaurus - Athens (via the coastal road) is around 2:15hrs. The distance is approx. 150 kilometers.

DAY 4 - Private Tour DELPHI (BL)
Private Air Conditioned Vehicle - Private Chauffeur - Private Guide
Breakfast at the hotel. Lunch is included at a local restaurant . Bottled water / tea or coffee : included with your lunch Delphi or Zemeno (near Delphi)

Tour Delphi, site of the famed oracle, at the foot of Mount Parnassus. During the Mycenaean period, the female deity of Earth was worshipped in the small settlement of Delphi. The development of the sanctuary and oracle though, began in the 8th century B.C. with the establishment of the cult of Apollo. Under the protection and administration of the Amphictyony, the sanctuary continued to be autonomous after the First Sacred War and, as a result, increased its panhellenic religious and political influence. The Pythian Games were re-organized, the sanctuary was enlarged and it was enriched with nice buildings, statues, and other offerings. In the 3rd century B.C. it came under the domination of the Aetolians and later, in 191 B.C., was conquered by the Romans. During the Roman occupation the site was sometimes plundered but was also favoured by some of the emperors. With the spread of Christianity, the sanctuary lost its religious meaning and was permanently closed down with a decree of emperor Theodosius the Great.

We tour the ruins of Delphi and its oracle, sacred to Apollo and Dionysus. Return to Athens in the early evening. The drive from Athens to Delphi is 2:30hrs each way . The distance is 170 kilometers each way.

DAY 5 - ATHENS / CRUISE TO MYKONOS (cBLD) Fri
Our staff will escort you to Piraeus, the port of Athens, to embark on your three-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. Re-embark for a nighttime sailing.

DAY 6 - RHODES (BLD) Sat
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. Spend a restful night on board as we sail to our next destination.

DAY 7 - KUSADASI (Turkey), PATMOS (cBD) Sun
We anchor at 7 a.m. 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.
You'll re-board in time for a late morning sailing. In the late afternoon, we reach 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.

DAY 8 - ATHENS / CAIRO (B) Mon
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) , 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 9 - CAIRO (BLD) Tue
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 10 - DAHSOUR - HOME HOSTED MEAL Wed (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 11 - LUXOR THU (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 12 - DEPARTURE (B) FRI
You'll enjoy a full American breakfast before we escort you to the airport for your flight home. This tour departs every Tuesday, from March through November Cruise itinerary may vary according to ship and line selected . Extend your stay in Cairo or take a Nile Cruise .
Extend your air ticket to Istanbul, special add on $200 including tax.

Rates per person in US$, Double Occupancy outside Cabins with 2 lower beds, or Upper & lower

Rate includes:

• Three -day cruise to Greek Islands and Turkey.
• International Air Fare ATHENS / CAIRO one way , economy class including tax.
• Hotel accommodation in each of Cairo & Athens as listed .
• Athens , Argolis ( or Delphi) & Cairo sightseeing tour as per itinerary including English speaking guide & entrance fees.
• Breakfast daily at the hotel. Home hosted meal in Cairo & a dinner cruise on the Nile in Cairo.
• All meals during the cruise.
• Greeting and assistance on arrival, and transport to hotel (Cairo & Athens) , to cruise ship, and back to airport ( Athens & Piraeus).
• Hotel service charges, taxes, and hospitality services .
• Port taxes .
• Lonely Planet guidebooks.
• Domestic air tickets in Egypt, issued & delivered in Cairo. " Y "class
• 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:

• Shore excursions.
• International airfare from/to your home country .
• Gratuities Personal expenses, beverages, and meals not specifically listed.
• Trip Cancellation Insurance/Travel Insurance (Please ask us for the flyer).