Treasures of the Aegean
14 Days starting from $6,790.00
   
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Length: 14 Days
Type: Escorted Tour
Category: NULL
Operator: Tauck Tours
Tour Code: Tauck-GTS2010
   
 
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About This Tour

About This Tour


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Tauck's Greece tour explores Athens and Istanbul and cruises through the Aegean on a motor-sailing yacht. Cruise aboard Wind Star / Wind Spirit, with just 148 guests as you experience a Greece tour that is highlighted by a 7-day Greek Island cruise. See the best of the ancient world, from the Parthenon to the Blue Mosque, plus museums that entice with art and other treasures. Explore UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Acropolis, Mycenae, Delos, the medieval city of Rhodes, and the historic district in Istanbul. Examine ancient ruins in Epidaurus and legendary Ephesus, and stroll the atmospheric towns of Mykonos, Fira, and Nafplion. In Istanbul, meander through shops of the Bazaar and go inside ornate palaces and mosques. This Turkey and Greece tour, featuring a memorable small-ship Greek Island cruise, is one of Tauck's traditional best sellers!

 

Dates & RatesItinerarySightseeingWhat's IncludedDetails & SpecialsReviews & Ratings

Dates & Prices

To book a tour, call and speak to one of our live, experienced travel consultants, Call us now at 1-800-942-3301.

         
Touring Date
Land Only
Land + Air
Single
(Land Only)
Single
(Land + Air)
6/16/2010 - 6/30/2010
$7,290
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6/23/2010 - 7/7/2010
$7,290
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8/18/2010 - 9/1/2010
$6,790
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9/1/2010 - 9/15/2010
$7,290
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10/6/2010 - 10/20/2010
$7,290
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10/13/2010 - 10/27/2010
$7,290
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What's Included

•   All gratuities to Tauck Director, ship staff, local guides and drivers

Your Tour Itinerary Includes

Day 1: Arrive in Istanbul
Your Turkey and Greece tour includes a transfer from Istanbul’s Ataturk International Airport to the Ceylan InterContinental Istanbul. Your hotel boasts beautiful views of the Bosphorus. Meet fellow travelers at the welcome reception and dinner.
Overnight: Ceylan InterContinental Istanbul, Turkey
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: The imperial Ottomans
Istanbul is truly the crossroads of Europe and Asia; visit the imperial seat of the Ottoman Empire, Topkapi Palace, including the living quarters for the Sultan’s harem. Süleymaniye Mosque, currently undergoing a renovation, is a must-see site; schedule permitting, explore its faxcinating Mausoleums or visit Sehzade Kulliyesi (Crowned Prince Mosque Complex), considered a masterpiece of Ottoman architecture when it was built in the 16th century.
Overnight: Ceylan InterContinental Istanbul, Turkey
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 3: Exotic Istanbul
Explore beautiful Hagia Sophia, a 1,400-year-old Byzantine church with lovely figurative mosaics. View the Basilica Cistern, an underground Byzantine structure. Then see Turkish carpets and colorful kilims in the Covered Bazaar.
Overnight: Ceylan InterContinental Istanbul, Turkey
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 4: • Blue Mosque
Tour the Blue Mosque, one of Istanbul’s landmark sites featuring six minarets, a host of domes, and intricate blue tilework. Lunch includes Turkish favorites and is followed by a boat ride on the historic Bosphorus. Board your luxury motor-sailing ship, Wind Star / Wind Spirit for your Greek Island cruise exploring the treasures of the Aegean with Tauck on a Greece tour.
Overnight: Cruising aboard Wind Star / Wind Spirit
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 5: • Cruising the Aegean Sea
Your Greece tour entices with non-stop views, beginning with your Greek Island cruise in the Aegean Sea. Take advantage of the ship’s swimming pool, hot tub, fitness center, and sauna. In the evening, try your luck in the casino, or check out a movie or novel from the library.
Overnight: Cruising aboard Wind Star / Wind Spirit
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 6: • Antiquities of Ephesus
Dock in Kusadasi, Turkey today. Drive to Ephesus, once the chief port on the Aegean, now known for its spectacular antiquities and ruins. See the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian, Gate of Hercules, Greek Theater, and other temples, baths, and colonnaded streets. See artifacts in the Selçuk Museum, one of Turkey’s best museums. Your Greece tour takes you to Rhodes tomorrow.
Overnight: Cruising aboard Wind Star / Wind Spirit
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 7: • Discover Rhodes
Arrive at the island of Rhodes, Greece, with a wealth of monuments. Take a guided tour of the walled medieval city of Rhodes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and visit the Gothic Palace of the Grand Masters.
Overnight: Cruising aboard Wind Star / Wind Spirit
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 8: • Turkish coast wonders
Your Greece tour and cruise charts a course to Bodrum, where you will see the remains of revered Greek sites including one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World – Halicarnassus Mausoleum. Visit the Castle of St. Peter and the castle’s Museum of Underwater Archaeology before heading back to your ship. Spend the afternoon as you wish in town, or, weather permitting, head back to your ship for a swim in the crystal-cear sea right off the ship's platform – just one of the many advantages of small ship cruising on this marvelous Turkey and Greece tour! Tonight, the entertainment includes Greek belly dancing.
Overnight: Cruising aboard Wind Star / Wind Spirit
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 9: • Spectacular Santorini
Rise early to catch spectacular water views of Santorini as the ship pulls into port. Visit the capital city of Fira with its white washed, blue-domed buildings set on high, steep slopes above the sea – definitely a highlight of a Greece tour. Sightseeing today is by cable car, donkey or on foot as you make your way back down to Athinios Port. The ship offers tender service until it sets sail, giving you an opportunity to explore as you please.
Overnight: Cruising aboard Wind Star / Wind Spirit
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 10: • Mykonos & Delos Islands
Our Greece tour calls on glamorous Mykonos, weather permitting. A choice of activities includes a tour of the island or a boat ride to the tiny island of Delos, the mythological birthplace of Apollo and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This religious pilgrimage destination features sacred temples, sanctuaries, theaters, and shrines to the Gods, and is one of the most important archaeological sites in Greece. Spend the afternoon in Mykonos, known for leather goods and jewelry.
Overnight: Cruising aboard Wind Star / Wind Spirit
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 11: Epidaurus and charming Nafplion
Your Greek Island cruise ends today when you disembark from the ship in Piraeus. Travel to Epidaurus and check out the well-preserved theatre built in the 4th century BC to seat 15,000 people. Enjoy a guided walk in Nafplion with fine neoclassical architecture crowned by hilltop fortresses, then poke around on your own and find a seaside taverna for dinner.
Overnight: Nafplia Palace Hotel / Amphitryon Hotel, Nafplion, Greece
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch

Day 12: Mycenae to Athens
Continue to Mycenae where you’ll see the imposing Lion Gate and interesting tombs at this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Arrive in Athens, the birthplace of western culture, where your Greece tour continues at one of the world’s favorite hotels.
Overnight: Hotel Grande Bretagne, Athens, Greece
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch

Day 13: The Acropolis
In the quiet early morning, visit the Acropolis; this is the site of four of the greatest masterpieces of classical Greek art – the Parthenon, the Propylaea, the Erechtheum, and the Temple of Athena Nike – a highlight of any Greece tour. See one of the world’s best collections of ancient Greek art and artifacts at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. In the afternoon, pursue your own interests in Athens. Share favorite moments of your Greece tour during our farewell dinner this evening.
Overnight: Hotel Grande Bretagne, Athens, Greece
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 14: Journey home
Tour ends in Athens. A transfer is included from the Hotel Grande Bretagne to the Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos). Allow a minimum of 2 1/2 hours before the departure of your flight.
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast

Sightseeing Highlights

Tauck Yacht Cruise! Traces of ancient Greek and Turkish civilizations are explored on a 14-day journey that includes a cruise to the legendary Greek islands of Mykonos, Santorini, and Rhodes as well as the Turkish Riviera. Multiple-night stays in Athens and Istanbul, with in-depth guided sightseeing, highlight one of Tauck’s most popular cruises. • = cruise day 1. Arrive Istanbul Tour begins: 6:00 PM, Ceylan InterContinental Istanbul, Turkey. Transfers are included from Istanbul Ataturk International Airport to your hotel, Ceylan InterContinental Istanbul overlooking the Bosphorus Strait. Join us for a welcome reception and dinner tonight. Meals D 2. Topkapi Palace / Süleymaniye Mosque Begin the day with a visit to exotic Topkapi Palace, residence of the sultans and the seat of power for the Ottoman Empire for 400 years, where you will see the legendary “Harem.” Süleymaniye Mosque, currently undergoing a renovation, is a must-see site; schedule permitting, explore its fascinating Mausoleums or visit Sehzade Kulliyesi (Crowned Prince Mosque Complex), considered a masterpiece of Ottoman architecture when it was built in the 16th century. Meals BLD 3. Hagia Sophia / Covered Bazaar Sightseeing includes the vast underground Basilica Cistern and one of the world’s true architectural gems, beautiful Hagia Sophia. Completed in 537, this Byzantine masterpiece reigned as the world’s largest and most important religious monument for close to 1,000 years and astounds with multicolored tiles, mosaics and frescoes. Stroll through the 4,000 shops in the Covered Bazaar, a kaleidoscope of Turkish tradition, spread out over 65 streets. Spend the remainder of the day exploring at your leisure. Meals B • 4. Blue Mosque / Embark Ship Tour the light-filled Blue Mosque this morning, studded with domes and minarets on the outside and glistening with some 20,000 colored tiles and 260 stained-glass windows inside. Enjoy lunch and a boat ride on the Bosphorus before boarding the Wind Star / Wind Spirit for your 7-night small ship cruise along the Aegean Sea. Meals BLD • 5. Day at Sea –– Cruising the Aegean Sea Spend a relaxing day at sea as your yacht charts a course along the Turkish coast to Kusadasi with sails unfurled. Shipboard amenities and entertainment include a new on-board spa where pampering massages are available, a choice of dining venues and a fitness center. Meals BLD • 6. Kusadasi / Ancient Ephesus Cast anchor in the port city of Kusadasi and join us for an excursion to Ephesus, one of the world’s best-preserved classical cities revealing important vestiges of an ancient Roman civilization; in its heyday, marble lined the streets, fountains flowed, and an eternal flame burned upon a sacred altar. Visit the Selçuk Museum and take a walking tour of the ancient city and archaeological site, seeing the Odeon, once a gem of a small theatre, the acclaimed Temple of Hadrian, Trajan’s Fountain, the Arcadian Way and the two-tiered Library of Celsus, dating back to the second century. Your small ship charts a course for the historic Greek island of Rhodes tonight. Meals BLD • 7. Discover the Island of Rhodes Arrive at the Greek island of Rhodes after lunch today, basking in sunshine for more than 300 days a year. Join us for a guided tour of the medieval Old Town –– there are about 200 lanes in this Hellenistic city that lead to columned ruins, temples and cobblestone streets dating back to the second century. Visit the grandiose Palace of the Grand Masters; located on the site of the medieval Palace of the Knights, this extravagant palace was destroyed in the mid-1800s and reconstructed in the 1930s in a medieval style. Explore Rhodes on your own, before returning to the ship for dinner and a folkloric performance. Meals BLD • 8. Turkish Coast Antiquities Chart a course to Bodrum, where whitewashed stucco houses dressed in bougainvillea line the hillsides and picturesque twin harbors welcome seafaring travelers. Visit St. Peter’s Castle on an informative guided tour, including the reconstructed shipwrecks of its Museum of Underwater Archaeology. A look inside the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, one of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, reveals the remains of a once magnificent marble tomb completed in 350 BC. Spend the afternoon as you wish in town or, weather permitting, head back to your ship for a swim in the crystal-clear sea right off the ship’s platform –– just one of the many advantages of small ship cruising! Tonight’s entertainment includes Greek belly dancing. Meals BLD • 9. Cruise to Santorini Island Rise early to observe the ship’s arrival in Santorini. Travel ashore by motor launch for an island tour that takes you to Oia and up to Fira, the island’s capital city. Iconic images of Fira’s blue-domed buildings combine with stunning views of the port to offer picture-perfect memories of this beautiful Greek island; see them by cable car, donkey or on foot as you make your way back down to Athinios Port. The ship offers tender service until it sets sail, giving you the opportunity to explore at leisure. Meals BLD • 10. Explore Mykonos and Delos First stop is at Mykonos, weather permitting. A choice of activities includes a tour of the island or a boat ride to Delos, a key archaeological site that boasts remnants of its reign as the holiest of all Greek sanctuaries. Ancient laws forbid anyone to be born or die on this island; today no one is allowed to stay the night! Leave Delos well before sundown for an afternoon at leisure in Mykonos. Meals BLD 11. Visit Epidaurus / Nafplion Disembark in Piraeus and travel to the ancient ruins of Epidaurus to see its spectacular theater. Spend the night in the charming harbor side town of Nafplion, one of the most charming towns in the Peloponnese. Meals BL 12. Mycenae / Athens Journey to Mycenae, first settled in 3,000 BC, to see the architectural remnants of Lion Gate and Agamemnon’s Tomb. Continue on to Athens, resplendent with sights that reflect the “glory that was Greece.” The evening is free for you to enjoy as you wish, perhaps visiting the New Acropolis Museum before dinner at your leisure. Meals BL 13. The Acropolis An early morning visit up to the Acropolis avoids the crowds found later in the day; the ruins reign over the city in ancient splendor. Today’s sightseeing also includes a visit to the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. Considered one of the top ten museums in the world, its collection of Greek artifacts is unrivaled. Spend the afternoon as you wish in Athens; this cosmopolitan city artfully blends past with present along a unique promenade that is lined on one side by classic Greek antiquities and modern-day cafés, renovated mansions and art galleries on the other. Join us for a farewell dinner tonight. Meals BD 14. Journey Home Tour ends: Athens. A transfer from the Hotel Grande Bretagne to Eleftherios Venizelos, Athens’ Int’l Airport, is included. Allow 21/2 hours for flight check-in. Meals B

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Details & Specials

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SPECIALS

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Hurry! Air Savings End March 26!

Special International Air Savings – Europe

Book and deposit summertime departures of the following Tauck journeys to Europe by March 26, 2010 and save $2,000 per couple off Business Class Air ($1,000 off per person) from select U.S. cities.

Savings are valid for travel between June 29 and September 5, 2010, subject to availability:

Treasures of the Aegean – 14 days with a 7-night cruise aboard Wind Star / Wind Spirit

Sicily, the Amalfi Coast & Rome – 11 days with a 7-night cruise aboard Le Ponant

Switzerland – 11 days featuring travel along Tauck’s scenic Yellow Roads

Italian Lakes, Venice, Florence & Rome – 10 days in Italy with all multiple-night stays

Paradors of Northern Spain – 14 days exploring culturally rich Iberia

The Best of Ireland – 13 days featuring iconic cultural treasures of the Emerald Isle

A Week In… Ireland – 8 days with a 2-night stay at Dromoland Castle

A Week In… Spain – 8 days from Barcelona to Andalucía, Seville and Madrid

A Week In… Scotland – 8 days with 2- and 3-night stays in Loch Lomond, Inverness & Edinburgh

Spain and Portugal – 14 days of Iberian pleasures and culinary treasures

Normandy, Brittany, Paris & the Loire Valley – 13 days showcasing joie de vivre

A Week In… London & Paris – 4 nights at a grand hotel in London and 3 nights in Paree

Castles & Kings: London to Paris – An 8-day family vacation alive with royal traditions

Deposit must be paid at time of booking and certain restrictions apply. Valid on new bookings only and not combinable with other promotions; ask for details.


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Traveling with a group of friends or family can add to the joy of any journey.

Book a group of 10 on any Tauck land journey or cruise and the 11th guest travels FREE.

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Tauck Single Specials

For those seeking singles tours, we are pleased to offer special values on select departures to our guests who choose to travel solo. You can travel with peace of mind, knowing that you are among like-minded travelers and will have all the day-to-day details handled for you! While everyone is welcome, on these select dates we offer special arrangements to those traveling solo at a reduced cost.

Tauck Single Specials in North America

Best of the Canadian Rockies

Michigan's Lakes & Mackinac Island

Charleston/Savannah

Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia

San Fransisco, Sonoma & Napa Valleys

Tauck Single Specials in Europe

A Week in Ireland

A Week in Spain

Mediterranean Discovery

Istanbul and the Black Sea

Treasure of the Mediterranean

Cruising Mediterranean Shores

The Blue Danube

Holland Belgium in Spring

Strasbourg to Prague Serenade

The Rhine and Moselle

Budapest to Amsterdam by Riverboat

Budapest to the Black Sea

Classic Italy

Bellissima Northern Italy

Italian Lakes, Venice, Florence and Rome

A Week in Paris and Provence

Tauck Singles Specials in Latin America

Panama Canal & Costa Rica


 

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