The treasures of Athens . . . the romance of the Greek isles. What's better than a journey with a cherished companion to one of these prized destination? A good look at Cairo and a 5-day cruise along the Nile.

This is a trip tailored to make the most of that special company and unique occasion, be it an anniversary, a honeymoon, or a singular chance to be alone and away. We have selected superior and deluxe hotels notable for their charm, atmosphere, and, of course, fine service.

Day 1 in Athens- Daily : March - Oct . Subject to Availability
WELCOME TO ATHENS!
Our staff escorts you from the airport to your hotel, with time left to start exploring Athens. All transfers in Greece and Egypt are ALWAYS in a private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur . Hotel : Divani Palace or similar .

Day 2 - ATHENS - Private Tour (BL)
Private tour : Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur , private guide.
On your first morning in Athens we show you the top sights: the Acropolis and its museum, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian's Arch, the Theater of Dionysus.

The Acropolis hill, so called the "Sacred Rock" of Athens, is the most important site of the city. During Perikles' Golden Age, ancient Greek civilization was represented in an ideal way on the hill and some of the architectural masterpieces of the period were erected on its ground.
The first habitation remains on the Acropolis date from the Neolithic period. Over the centuries, the rocky hill was continuously used either as a cult place or as a residential area or both. The inscriptions on the numerous and precious offerings to the sanctuary of Athena (marble korai, bronze and clay statuettes and vases) indicate that the cult of the city's patron goddess was established as early as the Archaic period (650-480 B.C.).

During the Classical period (450-330 B.C.) three important temples were erected on the ruins of earlier ones: the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, and the Temple of Nike, dedicated to Athena Parthenos, Athena Polias, and Athena-Apteros Nike, respectively. The Propylaea, the monumental entrance to the sacred area was also constructed in the same period.
The monuments on the Acropolis reflect the successive phases of the city's history. Some of them were converted into Christian churches, houses of the Franks and later on, of the Turks. After the liberation of Athens from the Turks, the protection, restoration and conservation of the monuments was one of the first tasks of the newly-founded Greek state. This major effort is continued until today, with the large-scale restoration and supporting of the monuments, which started in the 1970's and is still in progress.
The first excavations on the hill were conducted between 1835 and 1837. More systematic work was carried out in 1885-1890 by Panagiotis Kavvadias.

Lunch is included in a charming local restaurant

In the afternoon, plunge into the city as you like ( on your own ) for sightseeing and shopping.

DAY 3 - CRETE (B)
As your flight over the blue Aegean lands in Crete our local rep will escort you to your hotel.
CLICK HERE for more images of the Romantic Hideaways hotels of Crete.

DAY 4 -Crete - Own activities(B)
To stay in your lovely hotel and enjoy the beach, the service, and the amenities, or to venture out to explore some of the , coves, and villages . . . that is the question! No doubt, you'll mix a bit of both; Relax, and revisit a favorite café or shop ,sip an ouzo or retsina at a waterside café, discover a beach or two, pick up a loaf of fresh bread and cheese and olives, and picnic on a hillside as you look out to sailboats at sea. Your days will be filled. See below more details on tours in Crete.

DAY 5 - Crete As you Please (B)
To stay in your lovely hotel and enjoy the beach, the service, and the amenities, or to venture out to explore some of the , coves, and villages , that is the question!

DAY 6 - Crete - Own activities(B)
One more day in this Greek paradise : Relax, and revisit a favorite café or shop ,sip an ouzo or retsina at a waterside café, discover a beach or two, pick up a loaf of fresh bread and cheese and olives, and picnic on a hillside as you look out to sailboats at sea. Your days will be filled. See below more details on tours in Crete.

DAY 7 - CRETE- Tour Heraklion (B)
Today in Heraklion. We visit the unique 5000 year old museum, enjoy lunch in a local tavern, and tour to the three-story Minoan palace of Knossos. If you prefer private tour , please add $ 80 per person.

DAY 8 - DEPARTURE for Cairo (B+Snacks in Cairo )
For your transfers : Always Private tour : Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur .
Do your last-minute shopping this morning, or just linger deliciously in bed. Then we'll call for you and see you to the airport . Air fare Crete Athens is included in our rate, in Athens, proceed on your own to connect to the flight onward to Cairo. Air tickets will be delivered to you in Athens on Day one when you land.

Air fare is included in our rate in economy class Athens Cairo .
On arrival, we escort you to your comfortable hotel. Our representative greets you at the airport and whisks you to your hotel. Visa maybe issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for a limited number of citizens such as : American, EU , Canadian , EU Singaporean and Japanese citizens. For Americans , please pay the $ 15 USD fee in cash upon arrival . You are responsible for having your passport in order valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo. Our local rep. meets with a sign that carries your name you after you clear the passport and customs formalities . After exiting the terminal, our local representative will escort you (private vehicle) to the hotel. In Cairo : Snack / Sandwiches or dinner ( depending on the flight arrival time) will be served in your room upon arrival in Cairo Hotel: Grand Hyatt . Cairo Marriott or similar

DAY 9 - CAIRO (BL)
Private tour : Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur , private guide.
On your first full day in Egypt we show you the Egyptian Museum, including the Mummy Room and the fabulous treasures Tutankhamon, 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 your ticket is included with our compliments (or the interior of Kephren Pyramid). Taking a camel ride (Included) is entirely your own choice! the Sphinx, the Citadel of Saladin,and the Mohammed Ali Mosque, made of alabaster. In the evening, we return to the pyramids for a memorable sound-and light show.

DAY 10 - ASWAN - Kalabsha & CAMEL CARAVAN-Nile Cruise (BLD)
We fly to Aswan and board our Nile cruiser in time for a morning tour of the Nubia Museum followed by a delicious lunch on board . Welcome fruit basket & Egyptian pastries in your cabin.
MS Monaco. MS Mojito. MS Solitaire , MS Princess Sara, MS Queen of Hansa or similar 5 stars

In the afternoon we transfer to a graceful felucca, the traditional Nile sailboat, for a cruise amidst the rocky islands beneath the Aswan High Dam. If you wish, join us on a mini-camel caravan ride to a nearby Nubian village for tea with the locals. In the evening, we take a short ride by motor launch to the Temples of Philae, on an island in the Nile, for a sound-and-light show which explains the Nile's endless history.
Private tour : Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur , private guide/Egyptologist .

DAY 11 - ASWAN - KOM OMBO (BLD)
Today we inspect the Aswan High Dam and the older Victorian-era dam below it, then visit an ancient red granite quarry. An unfinished obelisk here, in excellent condition, testifies to the workmanship of ancient Egypt's artisans. Boarding a motor launch, we return to the Philae temples to inspect in daylight the impressive structures dedicated to the Ancient Goddess ISIS :

Back on our Nile cruiser, we cast off and cruise downstream to Kom Ombo to visit its twin temples dedicated to Sobek, the Nile crocodile god, and Haroeris, the solar disc.

Private tour : Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur , private guide/Egyptologist

DAY 12 - EDFU - ESNA (BLD)
Our riverboat ties up at Edfu, and we climb aboard horse-drawn carriages for a short clip-clop ride through the town to the Temple of Horus, Egypt's best-preserved. After our visit, we re-embark and cruise to Esna, where we pass through the Nile locks. By evening, we reach Luxor

Private tour : Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur , private guide/Egyptologist

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DAY 13 - LUXOR (BLD)
Today we tour some of Egypt's greatest wonders: the tombs of the pharaohs in the Valley of the Kings at Thebes, and, in the nearby Valley of the Queens, the great funerary temple of Queen Hatshepsut. We also stop at the Colossi of Memnon, mammoth seated statues now standing alone in a farmer's field.

Deir El Medinah, the first known "Workers Village" these were the true creative heroes who built the temples & tombs for the mighty Pharaohs of the Nile Kingdom.

Deir El Medinah is on Luxor's west bank you get a totally different perspective on ancient Egyptian life, at the ancient workers' settlement of Deir el-Medinah. While most of the imposing stone monuments and sites of Egypt honor the lives and after-lives of royalty, Deir el-Medinah gives us unique and surprising insights into the ordinary citizens who constructed and decorated the tombs.

Here we'll see the excavated homes shared by laborers with their domestic animals. These quarters were surprisingly large, with three good-sized rooms, courtyard, kitchen, and even storage cellars. While ancient Egypt might not have been a workers' paradise, we'll see that artisans and builders were highly regarded in their community. We are proud to be the only operator to offer regular visits to this singular ancient settlement in its tour and cruise programs.

In the evening, we attend the sound-and-light show at the gigantic Great Temple of Amon at Karnak.

Private tour : Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur , private guide/Egyptologist

DAY 14 - LUXOR - CAIRO (B)
We return to the Great Temple of Amon at Karnak to inspect it in the daylight, then move on to the smaller but still huge Temple of Luxor. Followed by Luxor Museum & the Ancient Workers Village : Deir El Medinah , the best kept secret in Luxor . Our touring done, we return by air to Cairo. Sonesta Hotel or J. W. Marriott . Club level room

Private tour : Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur , private guide/Egyptologist

DAY 15 - DEPARTURE (B)
Our representative escorts you to the airport for your homeward flight . Bon Voyage

RATE in this page are posted in USD $ , per person

Deluxe (5 stars):	With Sea View Room In Crete
Sharing in Double	USD$ 5797
In Single	USD$ 7350

 

 

 

 

RATE in this page are posted in USD $ , per person

First Class Hotels and Nile cruise :	With Sea View Room In Crete
Sharing in Double	USD$ 4845
In Single	USD$ 6200

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inclusions :

• All transfers in Egypt and Greece on a private basis . As per itinerary

• Hotel accommodations, including tax and service charges. As per itinerary

• Nile cruise; the sequence of sights visited between Aswan and Luxor is subject to change according to vessel requirements, and the cruise may begin in either Aswan or Luxor . You 'll be part of a 10-15 English speaking group while on board .
  
  
  
• Sample Deluxe boats : M/S Adonis , M/S Mojito , M/S Monaco , M/S Monte Carlo , M/S Beau Soleil, Queen of Hansa
  Sample First Class : M/S Ruby . M/S Nile Dream .
  
• All meals and shore Excursions while on board the cruises.
  
• Complimentary welcome drink upon arrival on board the cruises. Complimentary welcome fruit basket awaits you in your cabin, on board your Nile cruise. Tea or coffee with every meal while on board the cruise .Bottled water ( one per person ) delivered to your cabin daily while on board the cruise.

• Meals as indicated in the tour itinerary: B = continental breakfast; L = set-menu lunch; D = set-menu dinner.
  
• Cairo Guided sightseeing by private air-conditioned motor coach or car as per itinerary, including all entrance fees. Private tour : Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur , private guide/Egyptologist

• Complimentary travel guidebook to Egypt and Greece

 

• Accommodation in Crete at the ALL Inclusive hotels : Pantheon ( sea View Room) for the First Class Category, and Candia Maris ( Bungalow) for the 5 stars.
  
• Private Half day tour of Athens, including entrance fees, as per itinerary .
  
• Domestic air fare within Greece and Egypt and Athens to Cairo all in economy class , with tax included.
  
  
• Gratuities for local personnel , all the tips to your drivers, porters, and guides

Crete:

Heraklion / Hersonissos Area:
* Creta Maris ( 5 stars)
* Knossos Royal Village (5 stars)
* Royal Mare Village (5 Stars)
* Atlantis Hotel ( 5 stars - Town property)
* Aldemar Royal Mare (5 stars)

Heraklio /Amoudara Area:
* Candia Maris Hotel ( 5 stars)

Elounda Area:
* Hotel Elounda Mare (5 stars):
Supplement $65 per person per night with breakfast & dinner included (part of the deal, cant delete).

Lasithi Area:
* Hotel Elounda Mare (5 stars) : PRIVATE BUNGALOW with private pool: Supplement $200 Per person per night.

4 - Star Properties:

Heraklio Area:
* Sylva Maris Bungalows hotel ( 4 stars)
* Galaxy Iraklio Hotel ( Town property)
* Asotria Capsis Hotel ( Town Hotel)
* Marina Beach in Gouves area
* Pantheon Palace in Gouves area

Lasithi Area:
Miramar in Aghios Nikolaos

Rethymno Area:
Atlantis Beach

Gouves Area:
Pantheon Palace

Not Included:

• International air fare from/ to your home country .
• Optional excursions,
• cruising .
• Any meal not specifically mentioned, beverages, and personal expenses
• Travel insurance
• Egyptian Visa : Visa maybe issued upon arrival at Cairo Airport for a limited number of citizens such as : American, EU , Canadian , EU Singaporean and Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order valid at least for 6 month beyond the date of your arrival in Cairo.

More choices in Greece :

• Compare with the 8 Days Athens & Crete .
• Extend to Italy
• Compare with Athens/Crete in 8 Days , or 10-days
• Compare with 4-day Crete Only version , 8-day or 10 day version .
• Click here for 8 Day Crete & Athens with a choice as well for the All Inclusive Resorts
• Click for Crete Weather Info
• Compare with the Triangle of Ancient Lands : Egypt Greece Israel
• Sample : All Inclusive Candia Maris Hotel and Resort in Crete

Compare with the Triangle of Ancient Lands : Egypt Greece Palestine and Israel

Trip Reviews: What other guests say about our services :
Adrian and Melina

-------- Original Message --------
From: "Adrian"
Sent: Monday, September 24, 2007 2:04 PM
To: omar@travelinstyle.com>, > Subject: We're Back!

We just wanted to let you know we made it back home after our weeklong detour through Italy. Athens was fantastic. The tours were very good, and short of heading out to the islands, I can't think of a single thing we would have rather done while there.



Although we had an excellent time in Athens, Egypt was by far the highlight of our entire trip, including Italy. We just can't say enough
about Ahmed, Isis, Ashraf, and all our drivers. We simply could not have done the trip without their help. Ahmed was very professional, courteous, and helpful, and always went out of his way to make sure we were where we needed to be at the right time. Our Egyptologist guides, Isis and Ashraf, were both very knowledgeable and made our visit so much better with their endless supply of information. We wore out both days long before they did. We will definitely try to come back to Egypt when we have more time to spend.



Thank you so much for arranging the trip, allowing us to customize what we needed to, and putting us in touch with such good people. And please find attached pictures of us enjoying a camel ride. :-)



Adrian & Melina