Capadocia and Aegean Cruise
We are flying to Istanbul for a few days then onto Capadocia and will spend some time exploring the above and underground houses before flying back to Istanbul to cruise to Athens
Day 1 : Arrive in Istanbul
Arrive in the city of many names – Istanbul, Constantinople, Byzantium. Meet your guide at the airport and take in the sights on your way to the Pera Palace Hotel, a 5-star historic hotel originally built to host passengers on the Orient Express. (It’s said that Agatha Christie wrote Murder on the Orient Express in Room 411 during one of her visits.) Spend the rest of the day as you wish. Browse the shops and cafes on pedestrian-only Istiklal Street near your hotel or choose an optional tour before dinner on your own. We suggest the elegant Mikla Restaurant on the roof of the Marmara Pera hotel just across the street, which has been on The Worlds 50 Best Restaurant list since 2015.
Day 2 : Istanbul and flight to Capadocia
Istanbul’s historic center is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman wonders keep your head on a swivel. Visit landmarks from chariot grounds to the Blue Mosque, Ayasofya (formerly Hagia Sophia) Mosque and the Grand Bazaar before heading to the airport. A short flight finds you in Kayseri and soon you’re relaxing at the Argos in Cappadocia hotel, your home for the next two nights.
Day 3 : Capadocia
Breakfast at the hotel the meet your guide for a transfer to Kaymakli Underground City. Early Christians carved some amazing living quarters out of this soft limestone as you’ll see at Kaymakli Underground City, a complex of living quarters and stables five levels below ground. The Goreme Valley is known as the valley of the churches, with some dating back to the 6th century. And not just any churches – these are rock-cut churches complete with beautiful wall frescoes. You’ll see several at the Goreme Open-Air Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Meet pottery artisans in the pretty town of Avanos on your way to the Devrent and Pasabag Valleys with their thrilling otherworldly landscapes, then return to the hotel for dinner on your own.
Day 4 : Istanbul
After an early breakfast meet your guide at the lobby and transfer to Kayseri Airport for your flight to Istanbul. Upon arrival in Istanbul, you will have a visit to Spice Bazaar also known as the Egyptian Bazaar. Built in 1663, it is still the second largest covered bazaar in Turkey and the best place to buy Turkish delight, dried fruit, exotic herbs and all the spices of the East including cardamom, turmeric, saffron, rose water and much more. At the end of the visit, you will be transferred to the port to embark the yacht.
Ah, Constantinople, Queen of Cities and the Door to Happiness. Istanbul is the only city in the world built on two continents—Europe and Asia—and its appeal is truly universal. The Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans all ruled their empires from here, leaving behind some of their finest monuments and a fascinating blend of cultures. Visit the harem at Topkapi Palace, where the clatter of silver soles once warned concubines of the approaching sultan. Admire the Iznik tiles and stained glass windows of the Blue Mosque, and the mystical light bathing the nave of Hagia Sofia. Shop the Grand Bazaar for a coffee cezve, magic lamp, embroidered slippers, or hand-woven kilim. Temper a tiny cup of potent Turkish coffee with bites of sweet lokum (Turkish delight).
A scenic drive will take you across the Galata Bridge into the heart of Istanbul, where the historic area of Istanbul was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. Visit the Byzantine Hippodrome, which was one of the largest chariot race grounds of the Byzantine Empire. You will see the Egyptian Obelisk, Serpentine Column, and Constantine Column which are remaining from the original Hippodrome. You will also have chance to view the Blue Mosque. Next, you will visit one of the greatest buildings in the world: St Sophia Mosque, built during the reign of Emperor Justinian (AD 537) and remained the greatest church in Christendom until the conquest of Constantinople in 1453. Visit the Underground Cistern, an amazing underground cavern measureing roughly 210 feet wide and 420 feet long, with a capacity of 80,000 cubic meters of water. The 336 beautiful columns that support the cistern were salvaged from pagan temples destroyed during the Roman Empire’s conversion to Christianity. Finally, you will continue to the famous Grand Bazaar, where you will explore some of its 64 streets and more than 4,000 shops. A variety of Turkish handicrafts, oriental carpets, rare jewels and inexpensive souvenirs are all sold in its small shops. You may also enjoy a demonstration on the art of carpet weaving.
Day 5 : Myrina
Lemnos is a delightful, off the beaten path island with wild mountainous geology and large, uncrowded, sandy beaches all along the coastline. Windsurfing is becoming increasingly popular here. Sites to see here include the Medieval Castle of Myrina, Ancient Poliochni, Ancient Kavirio and the legendary cave of Philocetes.
Day 6 : Mykonos
Wake this morning to the postcard-like scene of Mykonos, the classic Greek isle dotted with hundreds of whitewashed churches and thatch-roofed windmills, in a harbor bobbing with fishing boats and luxurious private yachts. An optional tour including a scenic ferry ride takes you back to the 6th century B.C. to the tiny island of Delos, a UNESCO site and the mythical birthplace of Apollo.
Explore the tiny uninhabited island of Delos, one of the most important archaeological sites in all Greece. Start your journey with a 45-minute ferry ride to this richly historic site. Delos was the major center of the ancient Greek world and the mythical birthplace of the god Apollo and his twin sister Artemis. Your 2½-hour guided stroll includes such attractions as the Sanctuary of Apollo with its three temples dating from the 6th and 5th centuries B.C. To the west of this sanctuary lies the Sacred Lake, where Apollo was reputedly born. Standing guard over the Sacred Lake are nine replicas of the famous marble lions, which were a gift from the people of Naxos in the 7th century B.C. Other attractions include the amphitheater and the nearby theater quarter where wealthy owners built opulent houses with grand colonnaded courtyards. The island’s checkered history finally led to its destruction in 88 B.C. by Mithridates, the King of Pontus. Large-scale restoration work has continued for many years and in 1990 the island was declared a World’s Cultural Heritage Site, protected by UNESCO. Your guided walk concludes back at the ferry, for direct return to Mykonos. On arrival there, you are free to return to the yacht at your leisure.
Day 7 : Kusadasi
Few places offer such a rich combination of history and scenic beauty. In Ephesus, one of the greatest outdoor museums in the world, you’ll explore legendary sites steeped in history. Also visit the houses of Bulbul Mountain, where the roof of one forms the terrace of the next. This evening we present our Destination Discovery Event — dinner in the moonlight and a concert near the Celsus Library or on Harbour Street in ancient Ephesus.
The first place you will visit on this exciting tour will be the Virgin Mary’s House. Archaeological evidence shows that the little house dates from the 6th century but that the foundations were from the first century. Next you will visit the Ephesus ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage Site predominantly from the later Roman period. Next, you will visit the Ephesus Archaeological Museum. This small museum in Selcuk boasts an incredible collection of Hellenistic and Roman statues, carved reliefs and artifacts unearthed from the ruins of Ephesus. The famous statue of Artemis (goddess of fertility) is housed here. Then, your tour will continue to the ruins of the Basilica of St John. The Basilica had a cruciform plan with four domes along its longitudinal axis and a pair flanking the central dome to form the arm of the cross. Under the central dome was the grave of St John. Lunch will be served at a lovely local restaurant on the way back to Kusadasi. You will have a fabulous view of the harbor and the ship.Upon your return to Kusadasi, you may enjoy a carpet weaving demonstration and some time for shopping. Explore the town and return to the ship.
Day 8 : Bodrum
The 15th century Castle of St. Peter, built by the Crusaders, presides over the city’s dual harbors. Colorful peacocks strut their stuff trying to claim your attention, but they have nothing on the white sugar cube houses, palm-lined boulevards, and shockingly blue Aegean below. For a picture-perfect seaside playground, Bodrum offers a surprisingly rich history, or maybe it’s the other way around. Visit the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, one of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Surrender to the captivating magic of bathtub-warm waters and the Marina. Shop the bazaar for Milas cloth scarves and silver jewelry. Stroll the marina to see the other private yachts in port. (None as grand as yours, of course.)
After a short bus ride from the port you will arrive at the Castle of Bodrum. To obtain stone to build the castle, the Knights of Rhodes tore down the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Visit the Sunken Boat Museum, with artifacts found underwater including cargo from a 13th century B.C. Syrian trade ship. Next, you will walk to the Mausoleum, which is Bodrum’s oldest antiquity and one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, built by Artemisia II in honor of her husband King Mausolos. The entire structure stood at over 150 feet tall and featured frescoes and other objects, some of which are now on display in the London Museum. Then you will walk back to the city center where your tour will end and you will have a chance to explore the town.
Day 9 : Santorini
As our yacht approaches the spectacular cliffs rising from the deep azure sea, you’ll understand the magic of this area, where some say the ruins of Atlantis remain hidden. Visit the village of Oia and see the iconic Santorini blue domes or take a guided tour of Bronze Age excavations at the UNESCO site of Akrotiri. Toast the day with a crisp, cold glass of local Assyrtiko wine and appreciate the magic accessible to small ships like ours.
You will be transferred from the ship by local tender boat to Athinios port, where you will join the waiting motor coach. From here you will proceed toward the southern part of the island where you will make a quick photo stop at the ruins of an old windmill that has a panoramic view. You’ll re-board the coach and continue on your short narrated journey to the Akrotiri Archaeological Site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There you’ll enjoy a guided tour of the covered excavations of this advanced Bronze Age civilization. You will be taken back in time as these amazing ruins leave you to imagine what life was like before the village was destroyed around 1650 B.C., by the eruption of the volcano. It remains a question why there were no people left in the village at the time of the eruption, as it was abandoned for reasons unknown. It is often said in a whimsical way that perhaps Akrotiri is really the lost city of Atlantis. Next head to Oia with its picturesque, blue-domed churches, old 2-story mansions, and narrow cobblestone streets. It is the perfect place to fully appreciate the beauty of this remarkable island. As you traverse its narrow-cobbled streets you will come across many tiny shops which offer an unusual collection of handmade works of ceramic art, paintings and semi-precious jewelry. Coffee shops perched on the edge of the cliffs offer spectacular views of Fira and the volcano. Make your way back to the ship.
Day 10 : Delphi
Day 11 : Athens
With 3,000 years of history, you can’t turn around in Athens without encountering the past. The Acropolis, a UNESCO site, the Plaka, and the Acropolis Museum are must-sees. But leave time if you can to climb Pnyx Hill for photos of the Parthenon at sunset, to buy your own set of Greek komboloi (worry beads), and to explore the metro stations that serve as mini-museums for the relics that are constantly being unearthed.
The ancient remains of Athens constitute one of the brightest jewels of the Mediterranean. The Ancient City and the Acropolis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, have been kept fairly intact. You will see perhaps the most famous temple of the Ancient City, the Parthenon. Walking up a winding path towards the Acropolis, you will pass through the Propylaea, which is the entrance to the Acropolis and see the Erechtheum Temple, built between 421-405 B.C. and famous for its exquisite attention to detail. You will also see the Porch of the Caryatids, (or Porch of the Maidens), in the distance. Reinforced by man, the natural fortress of the Acropolis stands 230 feet above the city. You cannot help but be impressed by the wide-sweeping view below. The intent of the new Acropolis Museum is to house every artifact found on the archaeological site. You will see the unsurpassed quality of the masterpieces of ancient Athens, including the entire sculpted decoration of the Parthenon as it was on the building. You will see many architectural phases and thousands of finds that provide valuable insight into the everyday activities of ancient Greece.