Odyssey through Ancient Greece

Upon our arrival in Athens, we meet our local tour manager and coach driver and transfer into the city center of Athens. A short walk takes us to the New Acropolis Museum, built in 2009 at the bottom of the Acropolis. Our tour of the museum introduces us to Greek culture, mythology, politics and religion. Time permitting, we stroll through the Pláka, the old, historical neighborhood of Athens, where we enjoy the sights and sounds of this ancient city. Dinner is at our hotel tonight. Hotel Stanley Athens or similar.

After breakfast this morning, we transfer to the Acropolis, where our tour manager introduces us to the Parthenon, the Propylaia, the Erechtheion and the temple of Athena Nike, iconic landmarks of Athens’ skyline. We continue our exploration of the Greek capital on a panoramic city tour that brings us past the Temple of Zeus, the Panathenic Stadium, Sýndagma (Constitution) Square and the Roman Agora. We have free time this afternoon to explore more of the museums, markets, and shopping on the Pláka and Monastiráki Square. Hotel Stanley Athens or similar.

Today we depart for a half-day tour to Corinth Canal, an engineering marvel that connects the Aegean Sea to the Ionian Sea. After lunch on our own in a local restaurant, we return to Athens for free time until dinner. Hotel Stanley Athens or similar.

Today we visit the ruins of the palace Mycenae and the Tomb of Clytemnestra. After time for lunch in the nearby town of Mykínes, we drive to Epídavros, a famous 4th-century BC theatre has near-perfect acoustics. Our last destination today is the resort town of Návplio with its well-preserved old town. There will be an opportunity to “volta” (take a stroll) along the cobblestone streets with the locals this evening. Hotel Amalia or similar.

Our explorations continue the Peloponnese Peninsula to Sparta, a once powerful city-state that often clashed with Athens for power in Ancient Greece. Upon our arrival, we visit the Museum of Olives and Greek Olive Oil, where we learn more about two of Greece’s most famous agricultural products. We enjoy a sampling of olives and olive oil from the Kalamata region before continuing to Ancient Olympia. Hotel Amalia or similar.

After breakfast this morning, we visit the ruins of Ancient Olympia, home of the first Olympic Games. Our walk takes us to where the early athletes trained and competed, as well as to the site where the Olympic flame is still lit prior to the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. Nearby, we visit the Archaeological Museum of Olympia and see artifacts recovered from the site. After lunch on our own, we drive across the impressive Charilaos Trikoupis Bridge, which spans the Gulf of Corinth, to return to the Green mainland. Hotel Amalia or similar.

We explore Delphi, a religious site that the Ancient Greeks considered the center of the world. Our tour includes the Sanctuary of Apollo, the Athenian Treasury and the Delphi Museum, with its most famous resident: a bronze charioteer from 470 BC. We also see nearby Aráchova, a village on the southern slope of Mount Parnassós. Hotel Amalia or similar.

We depart early to board a cruise ship, our home for the next three nights as we cruise to some of the most famous islands in the Aegean Sea. Enjoy the passing scenery from the deck before we dock at Mýkonos, a picture-perfect island of windmills, whitewashed houses and blue-domed churches. A shuttle bus takes us from the cruise dock to the harbor area, where we have free time to explore the streets and shops of this island paradise. Celestyal Cruise or similar.

We dock at Kusadasi, Turkey, and depart after breakfast for our excursion to Ephesus. Our local guide takes us back thousands of years to when Ephesus was a major trading center on the Mediterranean and one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League. The Temple of Artemis that once stood here is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Our visit to Turkey ends with a stroll through the Bazaar, where we can bargain for leather, jewelry and other souvenirs. This afternoon, we stop at the island of Pátmos and take tender boats to the harbor. Our local guide accompanies us on a tour of St. John’s Monastery and the Grotto of the Apocalypse. Steep stone stairs lead from the chapel of St. Anne to the cave where it is said St. John received his visions from Christ that he recorded in the Book of Revelation. Celestyal Cruise or similar.

Our day begins as we tour the Minoan palace of Knossos on the island of Crete. Considered the first advanced civilization of Europe, the Minoans were merchants who traded with Ancient Egypt and Mycenae on the mainland of Greece. The palace is known for its many restored frescoes and the mythological site where the half-man/half-bull Minotaur was imprisoned. We return to our ship and have lunch while cruising northward to the island of Santoríni. With whitewashed villages clinging to volcanic cliffs, this island’s harbor is one of the most dramatic in Greece. We visit Oía, Santoríni’s most beautiful and picturesque village, before returning to our ship for our final sunset on board. Celestyal Cruise or similar.

Our ship docks early this morning at Piraeus Port. We depart for Cape Sounion, located south of Athens. At the southernmost tip of the peninsula, surrounded on three sides by the Aegean Sea, are the ruins of the Temple of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. The English poet Lord Byron felt compelled to carve his name into the base of one of the columns, still visible 150 years later. In the afternoon we visit a local winery for a guided tasting of Greek wine. This evening, we celebrate our Greek odyssey with dinner at a taverna. As we enjoy traditional Greek food, as local musicians perform songs and dances from various regions of Greece. Hotel Stanley Athens or similar.

Sadly, we say “Yiásou!” (“Goodbye!”) to Greece as we transfer to the Athens International Airport for our return flight to the United States. We take with us memories of ancient cities, new friends, fascinating legends and spectacular scenery.