13 DAYS CULTURAL DELIGHT TOUR

Tour Itinerary

13 DAYS CULTURAL DELIGHT TOUR ITINERARY:

Day 1 - Sunday - Athens - Arrival Day
Upon arrive in Athens, you will meet with our local representative at the airport and be transfered to your hotel. Once you settle in, you are free to stroll in the old Plaka district. Overnight in Athens.

Day 2 - Monday - Athens Half Day City Tour / Night Tour in Athens
(Breakfast included)
After breakfast, we will pick you up from the hotel and start our morning sightseeing tour, including visit Acropolis. Acropolis is the Acropolis of Athens or Citadel of Athens is the best known acropolis in the world. It is the significance of the Acropolis of Athens, such as that it is commonly known as The Acropolis without qualification. The Acropolis was formally proclaimed as the pre-eminent monument on the European Cultural Heritage list of monuments on 26 March 2007. The Acropolis is a flat-topped rock that rises 150 m (490 ft) above sea level in the city of Athens, with a surface area of about 3 hectares. It was also known as Cecropia, after the legendary serpent-man, Cecrops, the first Athenian king.

The rest of the afternoon is leisure until we pick you up from your hotel again and shall start our night tour to explore Athens. We will visit the Microlimanon yacht harbour where you will enjoy a drink of ouzo with greek appetizers. Then dinner with a show at a typical Greek nightclub with bouzouki music, Greek Folk and Belly Dances. Overnight in Athens.

Day 3 - Tuesday - Athens / Olympia - 3 Days Classical Tour
(Breakfast 3 we will depart for 3 Days Classical Tour. We drive towards the Corinth Canal where we will make our first stop. We will visit The Theatre of Epidaurus which was constructed in the late 4th century BC. Originally it had 34 rows and was used for dramatic performances. The Romans added another 21 rows. Even in ancient times, the theater was considered to have great acoustics. The actors can be perfectly heard by all 15,000 spectators without the sound having to be amplified. The limestone rows filter the low-frequency sounds -such as the murmur of the crowd - but amplify the sounds from the stage.
It still is one of the most beautiful open-air theaters. The view behind the scene was and still is an integrated part of the theater.
The theatre was discovered in 1970 and the excavation began in 1972. Supplementary excavations were needed to bring the entire theatre to light and to consolidate the building. Restoration work has been carried out so that the theatre can still be used safely.
And then we keep passing through the town of Nafplio, it is a seaport town in the Peloponnese in Greece that has expanded up the hillsides near the north end of the Argolic Gulf. The town was the first capital of modern Greece, from 1829 to 1834.
At last we will keep on driving to Olympia through central Peloponnese. Overnight in Olympia.

Day 4 - Wednesday - Olympia / Delphi - 3 Days Classical Tour
(Breakfast included)
In the morning we will visit the Olympic stadium, it was originally designed in 1979 and built in 1980-1982 it is a stadium which is part of the Athens Olympic Sports Complex. It is also known as the Athens Olympic Stadium and Spiridon "Spiros" Louis Stadium, named after the man to win the first (modern) Olympic marathon race in 1896.

Afterwards we will visit to the Museum of Olympia. It is one of the great museums of Greece in Olympia, of the Elis Prefecture, and houses artifacts found in the archaeological site of Ancient Olympia. It was officially opened in 1982. One of the best known exhibits is the Nike of Paeonius, which is featured on the medals awarded during the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.

We will continue driving to Delphi afterwards. Upon arrive Delphi and check in to your hotel, the rest of the day is yours to explore the city. Overnight in Delphi.

Day 5 - Thursday - Delphi / Athens - 3 Days Classical Tour
(Breakfast included)
Today we will visit the local museum The Delphi Archaeological Museum which is well-known for The Charioteer of Delphi. The Charioteer of Delphi also known as Heniokhos (the rein-holder), is one of the best-known statues surviving from Ancient Greece, and is considered one of the finest examples of ancient bronze statues. The life-size statue of a chariot driver was found in 1896 at the Sanctuary of Apollo in Delphi.

Evening we will depart back to Athens. Upon arrival check in the hotel and you will be given your room key. Overnight in Athens.

Day 6 - Friday - Athens - 8 Days The Greek islands and Turkey Cruise
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
Today you will be free until the time we pick you up from hotel to the port for embarkation to the cruise and begin our 8 days / 7 nights - the Greek islands and Turkey cruise. Overnight onboard the cruise ship.

Day 7 - Saturday - Istanbul - 8 Days The Greek islands and Turkey Cruise
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
Today we will arrive in Istanbul which the most exotic city in Europe and the crossroad between two continents - Europe and Asia, a magical place of palaces, churches, mosques and minarets. You can do little walk in this exotic city by yourself. Tonight the cruise ship will stay in Istanbul. Overnight onboard the cruise ship.

Day 8 - Sunday - Istanbul - 8 Days The Greek islands and Turkey Cruise
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
Today you can take an optional excursion to some of the most wonderful sites in Istanbul. The Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace or the magnificent Saint Sofia or you can explore the city on your own. Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey and fifth largest city proper in the world with a population of 12.8 million. Istanbul is also a megacity, as well as the cultural and financial centre of Turkey. It is located on the Bosphorus Strait and encompasses the natural harbour known as the Golden Horn, in the northwest of the country. It extends both on the European (Thrace) and on the Asian (Anatolia) sides of the Bosphorus, and is thereby the only metropolis in the world that is situated on two continents. In its long history, Istanbul has served as the capital city of the Roman Empire (330-395), the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire (395-1204 and 1261-1453), the Latin Empire (1204-1261), and the Ottoman Empire (1453-1922). The city was chosen as joint European Capital of Culture for 2010. The historic areas of Istanbul were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985.

In the afternoon the ship will leave Istanbul and departs for Mykonos. Overnight onboard the cruise ship.

Day 9 - Monday - Mykonos - 8 Days The Greek islands and Turkey Cruise
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
Mykonos is the most vibrant island of Aegean with its windmills and little Venice. Mykonos (transportation with tender boats) is a Greek island and a top tourist destination, renowned for its cosmopolitan character and its intense nightlife. The island is part of the Cyclades, lying between Tinos, Syros, Paros and Naxos. It is believed that the island was named after a local hero, who is considered an offspring of the god Apollo and was worshipped locally in antiquity. Archaeological finds indicate that the Ionians settled on Mykonos in the early part of the 11th century BC. More recent discoveries have uncovered remnants in Ftelia beach from the Neolithic Kares tribe dating back to as far as 3000 BC. In Greek mythology Mykonos was the location of the battle between Zeus and the Titan, and the island was named in honor of Apollo\'s grandson Mykons. Mykonos is known for its sandy beaches.

At midnight we begin our journey again to Patmos. Overnight onboard the cruise ship.

Day 10 - Tuesday - Patmos - 8 Days The Greek islands and Turkey Cruise
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
Patmos (transportation with tender boats) is a small Greek island in the Aegean Sea, one of the northernmost islands of the Dodecanese complex. The churches and communities on Patmos are of the Eastern Orthodox tradition. In 1999, the island\'s historic center Chora, along with the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian and the Cave of the Apocalypse, were declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. The monastery was founded by Saint Christodulos. Patmos is also home to the Patmian School, a notable Greek seminary. Patmos is mentioned in the Christian scriptural Book of Revelation. The book\'s introduction states that its author, John, was on Patmos when he was given (and recorded) a vision from Jesus. Earliest Christian tradition identifies this writer as John the Apostle. As such, Patmos is a destination for Christian pilgrimage. Visitors can see the cave where John is said to have received his Revelation (the Cave of the Apocalypse), and several monasteries on the island are dedicated to Saint John.

Kusadasi

Kusadasi is a resort town on Turkey\'s Aegean coast and the center of the seaside district of the same name in Aydin Province. The city stands on a bay in the Aegean with the peninsula of Guvercin Ada sticking out into the sea at one end, and the mountain of Kaz Dagi behind. The area has been a centre of art and culture since the earliest times and has been settled by many civilizations since being founded by the Leleges people in 3000 BC. Later settlers include the Aeolians in the 11th century BC and Ionians in the 9th century. Originally seamen and traders the Ionians built a number of settlements on this coast including Neopolis. Kusadasi caters to tourists, arriving by land, and as the port for cruise ship passengers heading to Ephesus.
Overnight onboard the cruise ship.

Day 11 - Wednesday - Rhodes - 8 Days The Greek islands and Turkey Cruise
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
Enjoy your day in Rhodes where you can visit Lindos, the famous for its Acropolis and the old town of Rhodes, the Grand Master s Palace and the Street of the Knights. You can take the optional excursions for guided tour or explore Rhodes by yourself. Rhodes is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population. Historically, Rhodes was famous worldwide for the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The medieval Old Town of the City of Rhodes has been declared a World Heritage Site. The city of Rhodes is located at the northern tip of the island, as well as the site of the ancient and modern commercial harbours. In terms of flora and fauna, Rhodes is closer to Asia Minor than to the rest of Greece. The interior of the island is mountainous, sparsely inhabited and covered with forests of pine (Pinus brutia) and cypress (Cupressus sempervirens). The island is home to the Rhodian deer. In Petaludes Valley (Greek for "Valley of the Butterflies"), large numbers of tiger moths gather during the summer months.
Overnight onboard the cruise ship.

Day 12 - Thursday - Heraklion / Santorini - 8 Days The Greek islands and Turkey Cruise
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
The first port of call today is Heraklion In Crete. Heraklion or Iraklion is the largest city and capital of Crete. It is also the fourth largest city in Greece. Its name is also spelled Herakleion, a transliteration of the ancient Greek and Katharevousa name, ?????e???, or Iraklio, among other variants

You will have the opportunity to view the most important sites of the island, taking the optional excursion to the Palace of Knossos, the center of the Minoan civilization.

In the afternoon we follow the magical island of Santorini. Santorini (transportation with tender boats) is a small, circular archipelago of volcanic islands located in the southern Aegean Sea. The largest island is known as Thera, forming the southernmost member of the Cyclades group of islands. Santorini is essentially what remains of an enormous volcanic explosion, destroying the earliest settlements on what was formerly a single island, and leading to the creation of the current geological caldera. Excavations starting in 1967 at the site called Akrotiri under the late Professor Spyridon Marinatos have made Thera the best-known "Minoan" site outside of Crete, the homeland of the culture. The island remains the home of a small, but flourishing, wine industry, based on the indigenous grape variety, Assyrtiko, with auxiliary cultivations of two other Aegean varietals, Athiri and Aidani. Overnight onboard the cruise ship.

Day 13 - Friday - Athens - 8 Days The Greek islands and Turkey Cruise - End of the Tour
(Breakfast included)
In the early morning, we will arrive Piraeus port and disembarkation after breakfast. Transfer from the port to Athens International airport for your flight back home. We hope your tour was a memorable one and we would like to see you in future in one of our tours again. Have a nice trip back home and thanks for choosing Turkey Travel Bazaar.



13 DAYS CULTURAL DELIGHT TOUR INCLUDES:

• Arrival airport transfer from Athens Airport to hotel
• 3 nights hotel accommodation with breakfast in Athens
• 1 night hotel accommodation (A\'class hotels) with breakfast and dinner in Olympia
• 1 night hotel accommodation (A\'class hotels) with breakfast and dinner in Delphi
• Guided Half day Athens City Tour
• Guided 3 Days Classical Tour
• 8 Days / 7 Nights cruise including cruise ticket with full board while on cruise
• (Breakfast, lunch, dinner and midnight snacks)
• Professional English speaking guide
• All entrance fees to Acropolis site and museum
• Transportation in a fully air-conditioned, non-smoking coach
• Return airport transfer from hotel to Athens airport

Please click on the calendar icon to see our guaranteed departure dates (green).

Reviews