Depart for international flight to Athens
Arrive in Athens.
Welcome to Greece! The birthplace of Western civilization! Upon your arrival in Athens, you will meet with our representative and transfer to the hotel. Your adventure in the historic city of Athens has begun! Dinner and overnight at the hotel (D)
Athens - Trip To Santorini
Breakfast – early morning transfer to the airport for a flight to Santorini. Upon arrival meet with your local guide, board your bus for a fabulous day exploring Santorini. Our first stop is at the excavations of Akrotiri, the most important prehistoric settlement found anywhere in the Eastern Mediterranean. Known as the “Minoan Pompeii”, the flourishing town was at once destroyed and preserved by a volcanic eruption around 1450 B.C. After Akrotiri we shall make a 25 minute drive to the picturesque village of Megalochori. If you meander around the cobbled paths, you will admire distinct buildings, such as neoclassical houses, stately homes and old cave houses with solid wooden doors and high fences, which were used as a protection from the pirates. Many of these have been restored and hence give you the chance to see images that date back to the 17th century. Another landmark of Megalochori is the elaborate steeples of the impressive churches, two of which stand at the center of the village. Our final stop will be at the village of Oia, the narrow streets, admire the beautiful, old houses and explore its quaint boutiques of local ceramic art, paintings and semi-precious jewels. Enjoy the amazing view of the volcanic islands. Transfer back to the airport for your return flight to Athens and transfer to the hotel for dinner and overnight (B,D)
Athens City Tour (5 hours) - Sailboat Embarkation
After breakfast check out. Today we shall enjoy a morning sightseeing tour of Athens, including a visit to the Acropolis & its Museum, as well as a panoramic tour of the highlights of the city. At the end of the tour you will be transferred to Piraeus port for cruise embarkation. (B L D)
Day At Sea
Kusadasi, Turkey - Shore Excursion (7 – 8 hours)
EPHESUS – TERRACE HOUSES – SIRINCE VILLAGE
Meet with your local guide, board your bus and enjoy a full day excursion. Drive to Ephesus and walk through history along marble streets lined with wonderful public buildings. We will see the impressive Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian and The Grand Theater. Then, visit the Terrace Houses, located on skirt of Pion Mountain. There are 6 residential units, built on three man-made terraces. These houses, settled by wealthy citizens of Ephesus, were very fancy decorated with wall frescoes and floor mosaics. There are many steps to ascend from bottom to top. Last stop will be at Sirince, a Turkish Orthodox village, located on the top of a mountain, from where you can enjoy the impressive view! Walking through the narrow streets, you will see women selling handcrafts of all kinds and olive oil. Return to Star Clipper after a specular day in Ephesus.
Patmos, Greece - Shore Excursion (4 – 5 hours)
This UNESCO World Heritage Site is known worldwide as the sacred island where St. John wrote the “Book of Revelation”, Patmos is the ideal place for nature lovers with its coastline of sheer cliffs and its volcanic soil. Meet with your local guide, board your bus and enjoy a half day excursion. Visit the Byzantine Monastery of the Apostle John the Evangelist with its outstanding frescoes and interior decoration. Continue to the nearby cave where the Apostle John stayed during his exile and wrote the Book of Revelation. Return to the Star Clipper for reemarkation.
Amorgos, Greece - Shore Excursion (4 – 5 hours)
Amorgós’ cliff-clinging monastery of Hozoviotissas has one of the most spectacular locations of any in Greece. Only a few monks live in the cavernous 50-room monastery, but the view from their terrace aerie might make you think they had all flown to heaven from this very spot. Meet with your local guide, board your bus and enjoy a half day excursion. Visit Chora, the capital of Amorgos, a medieval mountain village 400 meters above the sea surrounded by windmills. Chora is dominated by a 13th century Venetian castle, the historic rock has had built into it for more than fifteen centuries the church of Kera Leousa (Lady of Mercy). Continue to the unique cliff-hanging monastery called Hotzoviotissa. Enjoy the breathtaking view on top of the Monastery. Return to the Star Clipper for re-embarkation.
Mykonos, Greece - Delos Shore Excursion (4 – 5 hours)
Wake this morning to the postcard-like scene of Mykonos, the classic Greek isle dotted with hundreds of whitewashed churches and thatchroofed windmills, in a harbor bobbing with fishing boats and luxurious private yachts. Meet with your local guide and start the tour with a boat ride to Delos, the sacred island in ancient times, said to have been the birthplace of Apollo and Aremis. The island has many archaeologica sites, such as the Lions’ Way and the tree temples of Apollo. Return to Mykonos to wander the narrow shop filled streets - return to Star Clipper for re-embarkation.
Spetses, Greece - Shore Excursion (4 – 5 hours)
Spetses, an island boasting a long naval tradition, is famous for its significant contribution to the 1821 War of Independence. Meet with your local guide and enjoy a half day walking tour around the town of Spetses. We see Agios Mamas beach with its beautiful little chapel with the same name, the Cathedral of Agios Nikolaos, the Old Harbour, called Baltiza, an important shipbuilding center during the 18th and 19th century: the pretty chapel of the Virgin of the Armada. We also visit the Poseidonion Square, dominated by the Poseidonion Grand Hotel, an island’s landmark for its architecture since 1914, and see the statue of Lakarina Bouboulina, a Greek navel commander, heroine of the Greek War of Independence in 1821. Spend time at your leisure or return to Star Clipper
Athens – Rome, Italy
We will arrive in the early morning in Piraeus port (Athens), Greece. Disembark the Star Clipper and be transferred to the airport for a flight to Rome, Italy. Upon arrival at the Rome Airport, we will be transferred to our hotel. On our way to our hotel, we will stop by the Rome Temple. After Dinner, enjoy an evening walk to explore the sites of ancient Rome. (B,D)
Rome - Ancient & Baroque Rome
Optional:If time permits, we will attend a LDS sacrament meeting early this morning before our full day walking city tour. We shall visit: the Colosseum, which symbolizes the eternity of the Roman civilization, the Forum, and the Piazza Venezia, dominated by the imposing monument to Vittorio Emanuel II. We will continue with monuments of the Baroque Rome: The Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. Return to the hotel for dinner. (B, D)
Rome - Vatican City and the Necropolis
This morning we will tour the Vatican City and St. Peter’s Basilica. Our visit will include the Vatican Museums, Raphael’s rooms, and the Sistine Chapel, before exploring Basilica of St. Peter, the largest church in the world., which overlooks the enormous Piazza San Pietro and the Necropolis under the Basilica. The afternoon is free for shopping and personal activities. Dinner and overnight at the hotel. (B, D)
**At times we may need to make itinerary changes with or without notice.
Rome – Depart for the USA
This morning we will check out of our hotel in Rome and be transferred to the airport for our flight back to the USA (B)
