Mediterranean Interlude

(Start in Istanbul)
Athens, the Greek Isles, and Istanbul 12 Days
Mykonos / Santorini edition

Add Spain and Andalusia

The mystery of Istanbul . . . 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? Why, an interlude that includes all three, of course. Click here for Istanbul Santorini Edition ( Without Mykonos)
12 day -Arrive any day : Apr-Oct

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. You'll be free to linger late in bed with breakfast brought to your room, stroll the romantic old Plaka district of Athens or frequent a seaside café in Santorini, entirely at your leisure.

Your schedule is your own, without planned group activities or tours, though you're free to select these at your whim and fancy, with our assistance. Of course, Travel in Style will see to all the details, from arrival to conveyance to the Isles to settling you into your fine accommodations, leaving you to do nothing but relax and enjoy-in your own style.

You may also start in Athens , and enjoy this escapade from west to east across the Aegean . Extend your stay in Athens ? Do you prefer to extend touring into Greece Main Land ? MYCENAE, EPIDAURUS, Meteora & NAUPLIA?
This tour operates daily from May through September.

Suggested Itinerary :

DAY 1 - ISTANBUL (D)
Arrival in Istanbul. Our personnel will be on hand to greet you upon arrival and see you to your Ottoman mansion-style boutique hotel in the Turkish capital. Complimentary dinner at the hotel. If your flight is a late evening one, then a Complimentary Fruit basket will await you in your room , rather than dinner.

DAY 2 - ISTANBUL (BLD)

"Imperial Constantinople in the Belle Epoque" (late 19th century), the exotic romance of the "Paris of the East:" HOME HOSTED DINNER(BLD)

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.

Lunch is included at a local restaurant.

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).

This evening we'll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread . . . right into the homes of some of the people of Istanbul! 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.

DAY 3 - ISTANBUL (B)
You'll have today to experience Istanbul on your own. You won't want to miss the Blue Mosque and Aya Sophia, and Topkapi Palace, with its Ottoman treasures. The Grand Bazaar offers endless bargains in its 5000 stands, kiosks, and shops. Soak up the atmosphere of a traditional coffee house, complete with bubbling water pipes. And if you still have time, take a cruise on the Bosphorus.

DAY 4 - ISTANBUL / ATHENS
We fly across the Aegean to Athens Airport.
Our Athens-based personnel meets you at the international airport, assists you with the formalities, and sees you to your charming and comfortable hotel . Check in, relax, then take a stroll through the lively streets. Browse for treasures and curios, savour a coffee or aperitif at a terrace café, or enjoy a fine meal in the old Plaka district.

DAY 5 - ATHENS (B)
Enjoy the sights, sounds, and flavors of the Greek capital, including Syntagma Square, and the towering Acropolis. If you wish, we'll assist you with a tour to the city sights, or beyond, to Corinth, Olympia, and the heart of Classical Greece.

DAY 6 - ATHENS, MYKONOS (B)
Relax, and revisit a favorite café or shop today. Then we'll call for you and see you to the airport for your flight over the blue Aegean to Mykonos, Isle of Windmills.

DAYS 7 AND 8 - MYKONOS (B)
You'll spend three days on Mykonos-enough to when your appetite for your return! To stay in your lovely deluxe hotel and enjoy the beach, the service, and the amenities, or to venture out to explore some of the 350 whitewashed churches and chapels, dramatic cliffs, coves, and villages . . . that is the question! No doubt, you'll mix a bit of both; and with windmills to photograph and fishermen to watch along the sea, your days will be filled.

DAY 9 - MYKONOS, SANTORINI (B)
Spend another relaxing morning. Reserve some time to stroll the cobbled lanes of Mykonos, to sip an ouzo or retsina at a waterside café, to discover a beach or two, to pick up a loaf of fresh bread and cheese and olives, and picnic on a hillside as you look out to sailboats at sea. We'll rendezvous in time to take you to your fast ferry/hydrofoil for Santorini, where you'll find a room waiting in a four-star beach hotel.
Sample optional tours available based on Private arrangement or Local Group tour .

DAYS 10 - SANTORINI (B)
Enjoy breakfast at your lovely hotel and linger for as long as you wish. When you venture out, explore on your own maybe the cliff top town of Thira with its winding paths leading from view to spectacular view. Full day at leisure

DAYS 11- SANTORINI (B)
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel , another day at leisure , maybe take a boat across to the dormant volcano, and ascend through a crater-pocked moonscape to the crater. Or savour a soak in hot sulphur springs. Arrange a winery visit, or an outing to Akrotiri, reputedly the site of fabled Atlantis.
Click here for more info & Images: Villas on Santorini

DAY 12 - DEPARTURE (B)
Do your last-minute shopping this morning, or just linger deliciously in bed, like Turkish royalty. Then we'll call for you and see you to the airport to begin your journey home. Bon Voyage.

Rate includes:

• Air transportation from Athens to Mykonos, from Santorini to Athens, and from Istanbul to Athens .
  
• Transportation between airport and hotel in Athens, Istanbul, Mykonos, and Santorini Ferry/hydrofoil between Mykonos and Santorini.
  
• Accommodations with breakfast (B) as indicated below, or at comparable properties, according to availability:
  Athens: Electra Palace or Stanley (four stars). Mykonos: Royal Myconian on Elia Beach (deluxe) Santorini: Rose Bay on Kamari Beach (four stars); five-star non-beach villas available.
  For Katikies Villas & Pantheon , please add 10 % supplement to the deluxe rate.
  Istanbul: Ottoman-style boutique hotels, such as Arena or Armada, providing intimacy and fine service.

Not Included:

• International air transportation.
• Optional excursions, such as city tours, sailing, cruising
• Any meal not specifically mentioned, beverages, and personal expenses
• Gratuities for local personnel
• Travel insurance
• Airport taxes