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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.
Tour starts Daily in Crete : April- Oct . Subject to Availability
Day
1 in Athens
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.
Click
for : Map & Maris Hotel - Crete * Weather
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 (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 $ 60 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 .
Our representative greets you at the airport, helps with formalities,
and whisks you to your hotel. Visa fee is included. Visa will be issued
upon arrival for " American, Australian , NZ , Canadian, EU &
Japanese Citizens, you are responsible for having your passport valid
for at least 6 month beyond the date of arrival.
Snack / Sandwiches or dinner ( depending on the flight arrival time)
will be served in your room upon arrival in Cairo
Hotel: Grand Hyatt .Conrad 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 :
The
Mystery of Isis
Two
millennia ago the Mediterranean world was enthralled by the mystery
of Isis:
"I,
Isis, am all that has been, that is or shall be; no mortal man hath
ever seen me unveiled."
Called
Aset by the ancient Egyptians, the goddess was a Madonna in the Mediterranean
tradition that stretches far, far back to the primitive Mother Goddess
from Anatolia, home to some of the oldest human communities on earth.
Isis
was the powerful and quick-witted protector of her son Horus, the Sun
God. Ancient peoples throughout the Mediterranean regarded Isis and
Horus as the perfect Madonna and Child. Another legend says she was
also the mother of the fertility god Min who, judging from the depiction
of him on temple walls, needed no help from Viagra!
Because
of her wisdom and skill at protection, she was admired as a good magician
capable of healing the sick and protecting the dead in their journey
to the Underworld.
Isis
is portrayed regally, as a queen seated on a throne (which may be the
meaning of her name), often holding her son Horus as a baby. Other images
show her with broad, magnificent gilded wings able to protect the world.
Isis,
the great Mother Goddess. Come explore her mystery in timeless
Egypt when you Travel in Style!
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
.
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$
5697 |
| In
Single |
USD$
7250 |
Inclusions
:
- All
transfers in Egypt and Greece on a private basis . As per itinerary
- Hotel
accommodations, including tax and service charges. As per itinerary
- Deluxe
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 .Private
tour : Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur , private
guide/Egyptologist
- Sample
Deluxe boats : M/S Adonis , M/S Mojito
, M/S Monaco , M/S
Monte Carlo , M/S Beau Soleil, Queen of Hansa, M/S Solitaire.
- 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.
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 or USA domestic air transportation.
-
Optional excursions,
- cruising
.
- Any
meal not specifically mentioned, beverages, and personal expenses
Gratuities for local personnel
- Travel
insurance (please inquire about flyer).
- Airport
taxes.
All Suites Amarco Ultra Deluxe Nile cruise ( 20 % supplement)
Click
here for tours in CRETE
One of the largest islands in the Mediterranean ,and for thousands of
years it has been a crossroads of three continents- Europe, Asia and
Africa. Compare
with the Triangle of Ancient Lands : Egypt Greece Israel
Other
choices for Greece :
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