Ephesus, Turkey, Greece & Dalmatian Delights Cruise

Day 1 - Athens

Arrive: Fri 18 July 2025 / Depart: Fri 18 July 2025 at 17:00

Piraeus has been the port for Athens since 482 BC. The busy harbor is filled with ferries and cruise ships making their way to the Greek Islands and other Mediterranean cities. The busy metropolis of Athens and its treasure trove of antiquities lie just a few miles from the port. Even as the reality of the modern city took hold, with its high-rise apartments, crowded sidewalks and bustling traffic, the beauty of the Acropolis, the outstanding museums, charming cafés, sidewalk markets and startling views come together in a cultural mosaic for all to enjoy.

Day 2 - Gythion

Arrive: Sat 19 July 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Sat 19 July 2025

Gythion, the small port town for Sparta, edges its way up the hillside, which surrounds the harbor. According to Homer, Paris and Helen spent their first night together here, on a tiny islet in the bay. To commemorate the occasion, Paris erected a shrine to Aphrodite, goddess of love, only to have it torn down by the vengeful Menelaus after he recaptured Helen. In its place Menelaus erected statues honoring Praxidica (Punishment) and Themis (Justice). Not far away, at the tip of the Peloponnese, lies the Mani, a distinctive area unlike anything else in Greece. This desolate region of underground lakes and rivers and windswept landscapes is strangely beautiful. To the north of Gythion lie Sparta and Mystra, well worth a visit.

Day 3 - Chania, Crete

Arrive: Sun 20 July 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Sun 20 July 2025 at 17:00

Lying along the north coast of Crete is Chania, the second largest city of the island. Chania is bordered by endless stretches of seashore, with inlets and islands of exotic beauty and sandy beaches tucked away at the foot of the island's forbidding mountains. This is a self-sufficient region that is blessed with rich flora and fauna, as well as impressive gorges, holy caves, rivers and lush, green plains blanketed with citrus groves. The city of Chania is comprised of two sections, the old town and the larger modern city. Situated next to the old harbor, the old town is the focal point from which the urban area has developed. Some of the eastern and western parts of the original old Venetian fortifications from the 1500s that surrounded the town have survived and can still be seen.

Day 4 - Milos

Arrive: Mon 21 July 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Mon 21 July 2025 at 17:00

Mylos has all the components of a perfect Greek isle - fantastic rock formations, dozens of beaches from broad strands to secluded slivers, villages of sugar-cube houses, whitewashed windmills, and glowing azure coves. The famous statue of Aphrodite of Mylos, re-named Venus de Milo, was discovered here in 1820. The French Consul, recognizing a great beauty, bought her and gave her to Louis XVIII. Today she resides in the Louvre in Paris, a symbol of the civilization that flourished on this island in centuries past.

Day 5 - Santorini

Arrive: Tue 22 July 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Tue 22 July 2025

"Thira, the Wild Island" and "Kalliste, the Fairest One" - all terms of endearment for this seductive, volcanic Greek island in the Sea of Crete. Extraordinary for its black sand beaches and sheer limestone cliffs, Santorini also showcases remnants of the Phoenician, Spartan and Minoan cultures, which fell under the island's spell - an unvarying, irresistible lure that continues to this day. Fira, the picturesque, pedestrian-only capital, is reached from the seaport via a short cable car ride that offers thrilling views as you ascend.

Day 6 - Mykonos

Arrive: Wed 23 July 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 23 July 2025 at 18:00

The quintessential Greek island of Mykonos is marked by whitewashed houses, domed churches, imposing windmills, and a labyrinth of winding streets designed to disorient pirates. Everywhere there is a dash of bright, bold blue - doors, shutters and window frames, sea and sky. The harbor bustles with colorful fishing boats, vendors selling fish and locals gathered with visitors in the casual seaside cafes. The port even comes with two beloved mascots, the pelicans Petros and Irini.

Day 7 - Kusadasi

Arrive: Thu 24 July 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Thu 24 July 2025 at 23:00

Kusadasi, which means "bird island," is set in a superb gulf known for its sparkling water, broad sandy beaches and large marina. The city has managed to retain a certain earthiness while doing a brisk trade in Turkish carpets and leather goods to visitors. The town's old quarter is a picturesque maze of winding streets and houses adorned with flowers and birdcages. In the center stands a 17th-century caravanserai, now converted into a hotel. The resort is also gateway to important sites of archaeological and religious interest.

Day 8 - Cesme

Arrive: Fri 25 July 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Fri 25 July 2025 at 18:00

A popular holiday and resort destination, Cesme is located on a promontory on the tip of a peninsula that carries the same name. The town itself is dominated by the medieval Cesme Castle, while the back streets invite a casual stroll with their old Ottoman and Greek houses that charm passers-by. South of the castle there is an Ottoman caravanserai built in 1528 that has since been transformed into a lovely boutique hotel, and check the Greek Orthodox church of Ayios Haralambos to see the current art exhibition. Along with the historical attractions, visitors will enjoy local pleasures, such as a dip in the thermal baths followed by the culinary delights of native fruits, artisan cheeses and local wines.

Day 9 - At Sea

Day 10 - Istanbul

Arrive: Sun 27 July 2025 / Depart: Sun 27 July 2025

Spanning Europe and Asia, exotic Istanbul is one of the world's most fascinating cities. Domes and minarets enhance the skyline. In the old Stamboul area, traces remain of every city built since the community was established over 600 years before Christ. Once Rome's eastern capital, Istanbul was also the center of the huge Ottoman Empire. Landmarks include Hagia Sophia, once Christendom's greatest church; the Blue Mosque with its striking Iznik tiles; Topkapi Palace, containing a sultan's ransom of treasures; Chora Church with its Byzantine mosaics; and the Grand Bazaar, the ultimate shopping experience.

Day 11 - Cannakkale

Arrive: Mon 28 July 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Mon 28 July 2025

Between 1865 and 1866, English explorer Frank Calvert and German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann began digging trenches through a hillock outside Canakkale and discovered layer upon layer of ancient cities. Ultimately nine cities that had thrived and fallen atop each other were identified with the legendary Greek city of Troy. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Day 12 - Izmir

Arrive: Tue 29 July 2025 at 09:00 / Depart: Tue 29 July 2025 at 18:00

The magnificent Aegean coast features no shortage of appealing ports of call, and Izmir is a fine example thereof. The birthplace of Homer has grown into a thriving metropolis, filled with fine hotels along its sweeping bay. A fine Archaeology Museum and Ethnography Museum house a multitude of treasures and exhibits, while nearby resorts provide distractions of another sort. Earthquakes and fires over the centuries have obliterated most of ancient Smyrna, as it was once known, but remnants of the 4th-century fort atop Mt. Pagos still provide excellent views of the city and Gulf of Izmir.

Day 13 - Patmos

Arrive: Wed 30 July 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 30 July 2025 at 19:00

Deserted for centuries because of constant raids by pirates and the Turks, this tiny arid island was first settled in 1088 when the Emperor of Constantinople made it a gift to the monk Christodoulos Latrnos so that he could establish a monastery in honor of St. John the Divine on the site. Patmos has been a place of scholarship and religious enlightenment ever since. Today this modern pilgrimage site is a quiet respite from the tourist havens many other Greek isles have become.

Day 14 - Rhodes

Arrive: Thu 31 July 2025 at 09:00 / Depart: Thu 31 July 2025 at 20:00

Best known of the Dodecanese Islands, Rhodes is a fascinating architectural patchwork of her past. Here the legacy of the ancient Greeks mingles with that of besieging Turks, crusading knights, and occupying Italians. Twin bronze deer, the symbol of Rhodes, guard the Mandraki Harbor where the 100-foot Colossus is said to have stood, a wonder of the ancient world. The medieval Crusader City is dominated by the Palace of the Grand Masters, while cobbled streets lead to the bustling bazaar and a lively harbor that is a center of the international yachting scene.

Day 15 - At Sea

Day 16 - Spetses

Arrive: Sat 02 August 2025 / Depart: Sat 02 August 2025 at 18:00

Nicknamed “The Isle of the Aromas”, Spetsai is a delight to all of the senses. The island’s historic old town is a yachtsman’s paradise, boasting a stunning harbor, quaint shops and some of the finest restaurants in the Saronic Gulf. The rest of the island is relatively unpopulated and is ringed by a single road, along which you can travel in a horse-drawn carriage. As you pass by quiet, rolling hills, be sure to pause at one of the many quiet coves along the way to refresh yourself with a dip into the cerulean waters.

Day 17 - Athens

Arrive: Sun 03 August 2025 at 09:00 / Depart: Sun 03 August 2025 at 20:00

Piraeus has been the port for Athens since 482 BC. The busy harbor is filled with ferries and cruise ships making their way to the Greek Islands and other Mediterranean cities. The busy metropolis of Athens and its treasure trove of antiquities lie just a few miles from the port. Even as the reality of the modern city took hold, with its high-rise apartments, crowded sidewalks and bustling traffic, the beauty of the Acropolis, the outstanding museums, charming cafés, sidewalk markets and startling views come together in a cultural mosaic for all to enjoy.

Day 18 - Monemvasia

Arrive: Mon 04 August 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Mon 04 August 2025 at 17:00

Monemvasia was once on the Peloponnese mainland. Then an earthquake turned it into an island. It is now joined to the mainland by a narrow causeway that limits access, originally for reasons of defense. The tall, flat isle is completely honeycombed with nooks and grottoes, narrow alleys and rock-carved rooms. Clearly it was a formidable redoubt in times of attack, and earned its nickname the Gibraltar of the East. The upper town, long uninhabited, has narrow pathways leading to the Byzantine Aghia Sophia church, and remains of the medieval fortress and walls. In the lower town, look for the bell tower that leads you to Elkomenos Square, with its namesake medieval Elkomenos Christos church and a small museum.

Day 19 - Katakolon

Arrive: Tue 05 August 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Tue 05 August 2025 at 18:00

The small commercial port of Katakolon serves the inland town of Pyrgos as chief export center for grapes, raisins, regional fruits and vegetables that grow in the fertile hinterland. Fifteen miles in the distance lies Olympia, the sacred ancient site where the Olympic Games had their beginnings.

Day 20 - At Sea

Day 21 - Dubrovnik

Arrive: Thu 07 August 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Thu 07 August 2025 at 20:00

Founded in the 7th century, Dubrovnik rose to greatness as a merchant state, independent republic and cultural crossroads. The traffic-free Old Town has been called a Croatian Athens. This UNESCO designated World Heritage Site is a living museum of the ages with fortifications, chapels, monastic cloisters and Europe's second-oldest synagogue crowded into its ancient walls. Relax at a sidewalk café, listen to the chimes of the 14th-century bell tower or join the promenade down the palace-lined avenue known as the Stradun.

Day 22 - Hvar

Arrive: Fri 08 August 2025 at 09:00 / Depart: Fri 08 August 2025 at 20:00

Beautifully situated on a large natural bay, the ancient town of Hvar, on the island of the same name, served as an important harbor for Venice's Adriatic fleet from the 12th through the 18th centuries. Vestiges of this momentous time are reflected in the fortifications that still stand guard over the harbor, and in the very heart of the port, a large arsenal. Hvar today is a quiet spot reminiscent of the French Riviera at the turn-of-the-last-century. Sail and fishing boats bob and sway in the harbor and a 17th-century bell tower marks off the hours. Winding limestone lanes converge onto an expansive piazza, the largest in Dalmatia, which connects the older part of town to the ""modern"" side - that built after the 15th century. Inland, Hvar's green hills are woven with vineyards and lavender fields, and offshore tiny islets are scattered like pearls in a clear cobalt sea.

Day 23 - Rovinj, Croatia

Arrive: Sat 09 August 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Sat 09 August 2025 at 17:00

Nestled among the myriad islets of the Istrian coast in the Gulf of Venice, the charming harbor of Rovinj is comprised of candy-colored buildings, fringed with marinas and dominated by the fairytale spire of the Cathedral of Saint Euphemia, modeled on St. Marks' in Venice. The old town is a treasury of historic monuments - a 13th-century Romanesque baptistry, a baroque City Hall, and an 18th-century monastery - all tucked among cobbled streets that invite exploration. Known as the "Montmartre of Istria," this is an artists' colony with many galleries.

Day 24 - Fusina, Italy

Arrive: Sun 10 August 2025 at 07:00 / Depart: Sun 10 August 2025