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Mediterranean
Magic
11-Days, Athens , Rhodes & Marmaris
If
you only have a few days, but you want to enjoy Athens , a Greek Isle
and Turkey
this is the way. Starts in Athens Daily : April- Nov
DAY
1 - ATHENS
Arrive at Athens Airport, where you will be greeted by our staff and transferred
to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to spend as you like. Take
your first look at this great ancient-modern city. Wander through the
Plaka, and up to the Acropolis if you like, guidebook in hand.
DAY
2 - ATHENS CITY TOUR (cBLD)
After breakfast, a half day seat in a coach tour:
we tour the great Greek capital, including Constitution (Syntagma)
Square, Parliament, the Memorial to the Unknown Soldier, and the National
Library. Driving down Herod Atticus street you will see the Evzones in
their picturesque uniforms and the Presidential Palace. On your way to
the Acropolis, you will see the Panathenaic Stadium (where the first Olympic
Games of the modern era were held in 1896), the Temple of the Olympian
Zeus and Hadrian's Arch.
Lunch at a local restaurant. Evening Greek dinner with music & show.
DAY
3 - ARGOLIS (cBL)*
Leave Athens along the Saronic Gulf coastal road to the Corinth Canal,
which connects the Aegean Sea with the Ionian Sea. Drive on to Mycenae,
the Homeric City of the Atreides, "rich in gold" of the ancient poets.
(Visit the Lion's Gate, the Cyclopean Walls and the Royal Tombs). Drive
through the fertile plain of Argolis to Nafplion, a picturesque
town nestled at the foot of the Palamidi Fortress. After lunch, leave
for Epidavros to visit the theater (4th Century B.C.), Famous for
its astonishing acoustics. Return to Athens by the national road
connecting Epidavros with Corinth. Lunch in Mycanae or Nafplion.
DAY
4 - Athens / Rhodes (cBL)
Transfer
to Athens Airport for your flight to Rhodes and your hotel.
Remainder of the
day is for you to explore Rhodes further on your own.
DAY
5 - Rhodes (cB)
Full
day tour of Rhodes the Island of Roses. The compact, cobbled medieval
city is perfect to start with including a visit to the Palace of the Knights
of St. John, we take a look at the wares in the boutiques, and spend some
time in a seaside cafe. After lunch at a local restaurant We continue
on to the Acropolis of Lindos and the Valley of the Butterflies.
DAY
6- Marmaris (cB)
"Green Marmaris," is surrounded by forests of fragrant liquid
amber evergreens.
From Rhodes we board the ferry for the almost 2 hours trip to Marmaris
.
In Turkey / Marmaris at the modern marina, we'll meet you & escort
you to your seas side resort
DAY
6 - Marmaris (cB)
Explore Marmaris on your own , or the historical ruins nearby, or join
one of the local optional tours.
DAY
7 - ISTANBUL (cB)
Fly north to Istanbul. You're met at the 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
8 - 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
9 - Istanbul (BD)
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.
Meet
the locals: An evening home hosted dinner with a Turkish family, if
you prefer to have a quiet dinner at a restaurant , please do let's know
in advance.
Day
10 - "Imperial Constantinople in the Belle Epoque"
(late 19th century), the exotic romance of the "Paris of the East:"
Saturday (BL)
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).
DAY
11 DEPARTURE (cB)
After breakfast, transfer to the airport to connect with your flight.
RATES
per person in USD
| |
Deluxe |
First
Class |
| Triple |
$
2195.00 |
US$1925.00 |
| Double |
$
2205.00 |
US$2025.00 |
| Single |
$2975.00 |
US$2695.00 |
Your
tour includes:
- Transfers
from and to the airport in Greece &Turkey
- Ferry
ticket Rhodes/Marmaris.
- Domestic
air ticket Athens Rhodes. As well as Marmaris Istanbul.
- Guided
sightseeing as listed including all entrance fees & the service
of an English speaking guide.
- Accommodations
in the hotel category of your choice, including tax & continental
breakfast daily.
- Meals
as specified including B = Breakfast, (or cB,
Continental Breakfast) L = Lunch, D
= Dinner
- Tours
in an air-conditioned minibus/van
Not
included:
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