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From
Santorini
to Istanbul
Tour
Istanbul , Athens , and Santorini
in a grand 14 Day Mediterranean Tour
What's
your preferred destination around the Aegean Sea? The Classic sites
beckon with the glories of empires past. Thriving bazaars exude the
mystery of the Orient. Hidden coves, sun, beaches and sails seduce you
to a legendary island removed from the everyday world. Which will you
choose?
Fortunately,
you can do it all! On this adventure, Travel in Style weaves the great
travel adventures of Greece and Turkey into a seamless classic of its
own. You'll gaze in awe at the treasures of Istanbul. You'll ascend
to the Acropolis in Athens, and plumb the pleasures of the Plaka. Then
it's away from the madding crowds, to treasure three full days in a
hideaway on the Greek isle of your dreams: Santorini. Pack your bags,
and take off on any day of your choosing, from April through October.
Click here for the 11 day Ephesus
edition . or Naxos ,
the 12-Day Version , or the 18
day Greece including Rhodes Mykonos and Western Turkey
DAY
1 - Arrive ATHENS or Istanbul
(B) -Arrive
on any day of your choosing, from April through October
.
Arrive
in Athens, where our representative assist you through customs and immigration,
and escort you to your hotel in the bustling city center. The rest of
the day is yours to enjoy as you wish. Stroll, browse for curios and
treasures.
DAY 2 - ATHENS- Private Tour (BL)
Enjoy the sights, sounds, and flavors of the Greek capital, today we
have included a private half day tour of Syntagma Square, and the towering
Acropolis , with lunch at a local restaurant. Remainder of the day at
leisure.
DAY
3 - Athens Markets or BYZANTINE
Churches (BL)
Ride the new Athens Subway alongside the locals today ( always escorted
with your English speaking Guide) ! We take pride in affording you this
experience, entirely by public transportation, with orientation by our
English-speaking representative. You'll get to tour Athens fascinating
vegetable & fruit markets by subway and/ or taxi. Tour
as well the Jewelry museum (LALAOUNIS)
Enjoy lunch at a charming local restaurant before we head back to the
hotel . Markets days/dates are subject to change, we may have to change
your program in Athens to accommodate such changes.
Or
if you prefer you may choose instead to tour one of the following tours:
BYZANTINE CHURCHES
Russian Orthodox Church at Filellinon & Amalias
Athens cathedral (Mitropolis) at Mitropoleos
Kapnikarea at Ermou
Saint Theodore at Klafthmonos
HISTORICAL INTEREST- Museum Tour :
BENAKI MUSEUM - (closed on Tuesdays)
Covering the history of Greece from Paleolithic (pre-historic, 60000
B.C.) till present. Can easily spend over 4 hours in there. There is
also a cafeteria for breaks.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL INTEREST
Temple of Olympian Zeus / Dionissos Theatre/ Ancient Agora/ Roman Agora
DAY
4 - DELPHI (BL)
Private
Air Conditioned Vehicle - Private Chauffeur - Private Guide
Breakfast at the hotel. Lunch is included at a local restaurant . Bottled
water / tea or coffee : included with your lunch Delphi or Zemeno (near
Delphi)
Tour
Delphi, site of the famed oracle, at the foot of Mount Parnassus. During the Mycenaean period, the female deity of Earth was worshipped
in the small settlement of Delphi. The development of the sanctuary
and oracle though, began in the 8th century B.C. with the establishment
of the cult of Apollo. Under the protection and administration of the
Amphictyony, the sanctuary continued to be
autonomous after the First Sacred War and, as a result, increased its
panhellenic religious
and political influence. The Pythian Games
were re-organized, the sanctuary was enlarged and it was enriched with
nice buildings, statues, and other offerings. In the 3rd century B.C.
it came under the domination of the Aetolians
and later, in 191 B.C., was conquered by the Romans. During the Roman
occupation the site was sometimes plundered but was also favoured by
some of the emperors. With the spread of Christianity, the sanctuary
lost its religious meaning and was permanently closed down with a decree
of emperor Theodosius the Great.
We
tour the ruins of Delphi and
its oracle, sacred to Apollo and Dionysus. Return to Athens in the early
evening. The
drive from Athens to Delphi is 2:30hrs each way . The distance is 170
kilometers each way.
DAY
5 - ATHENS , SANTORINI (B)
We'll call for you and see you to the airport for your flight over the
blue Aegean to Santorini (Air fare included, Isle of Ancient "
Atlantis ?!", where you'll find a room waiting in a four-star beach
hotel. Or a cliff -side Villa .
DAY
6 - Santorini (B)
Enjoy breakfast at your lovely hotel (or Villa),or venture out,to explore
ON YOUR OWN.
Maybe tour Akrotiri,reputedly the site of fabled Atlantis. Then on to
Athinios port to take a boat across to the dormant volcano, and ascend
through a crater-pocked moonscape to the crater. Visit Thirassia Island
and watch sunset in Oia. Return to your hotel/villa early evening, the
decision is totally yours.
Sample optional tours available based on Private arrangement or Local
Group tour
DAY
7 - Santorini- Own activities(B)
To stay in your lovely hotel and enjoy the beach, the service, and the
amenities, or to venture out to explore some of the dramatic cliffs,
coves, and villages . . . that is the question! No doubt, you'll mix
a bit of both. Days at leisure
DAY
8 - Santorini- Own activities (B)
Breakfast is always included at your hotel . Full day on your own in
this Greek paradise . Relax, and revisit a favorite café or shop ,sip
an ouzo or retsina at a waterside café, the choice is yours .
DAY
9 - Santorini- Own activities (B)
Breakfast is always included at your hotel . Another day at liesure
Today maybe discover a beach or two, pick up a loaf of fresh bread and
cheese and olives, and picnic on a hillside as you look out to sailboats
at sea.
DAY
10 - Santorini (B)
Do your last-minute shopping this morning, or just linger deliciously
in bed. Another day in this Mediterranean honeymooner's isalnd retreat.
For
guests who are interested , a complimentary full day Greek cooking class
( available only on Thursdays -except during Easter week):
Advance reservation required, space is limited, must book this at the
time you book your tour package with us
ONE
DAY COOKING COURSE AT "SELENE" RESTAURANT.
Weekly
on Thursday : at 10 30 a.m. we will welcome you at Selene Restaurant
with fresh juice, coffee and traditional Greek cookies. A lecture by
Evelyn Volikas and George Hatziyianakis will give you an introduction
to the cuisine of the Cycladic Islands and particularly of Santorini
.Following the lecture, we will introduce to you the unique local products
of our island. The volcanic eruption that broke the island of Santorini
apart almost 3500 years ago left the dramatic caldera that you see today.
With more than 300 days of sunshine and its rich volcanic soil, the
island yields a bounty of unusual indigenous herbs and vegetables. White
eggplant, capers and caper leaves, fava (small yellow peas), exquisite
baby tomatoes - all grown virtually without water.We will introduce
you to the Santorini wine, to the grape varieties and to the Santorini
vineyard, and you will have the chance to sample four different wines
in the wine tasting we have arranged for you.
Cheeses and sausages from several other Cycladic islands, including
Naxos, Siros, Ios, Tinos, brought especially for this occasion, will
accompany the wines.At about 12.0 the presentation and the demonstration
of four different recipes will take place. You will learn how to prepare
an entire Greek menu: an appetizer,
a salad, a main course, and a dessert.
-Fava
beans with tomato caper sauce or Tomato fritters (tomatokeftedes)
-Eggplant
salad with octopus or Taramosalata
-Rabbit
with egg- cheese sauce or Lamb in grapevine leaves
-Cheese
and honey sweet pastry or Melitinia (traditional Santorini cookie)After
we have prepared the dishes, at about 2.0 p.m. you will be able to enjoy
the fruits of your labors accompanied by a bottle of delicious wine
from Santorini.
The cooking class takes place every Thursday. Web site for the world
famous " Selene" Greek restaurant : www.selene.gr
DAY
11 - ISTANBUL (B)
We'll
call for you and see you to the airport to begin your journey to Istanbul
( via Athens ). Air fare is included in our rate , in economy class,
tax included . In Istanbul
Our local personnel will be on hand when you arrive at the international
airport, to escort you to your lodgings, where a fruit basket awaits.
You'll have time to rest up from your flight, and stretch your legs
as you make your initial discoveries of this capital of Byzantine emperors
and Ottoman sultans, where East and West have long clashed, met, and
blended.
DAY
12 - ISTANBUL (BLD)
We'll visit historic and modern Istanbul today. High points will include
the Hippodrome, the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, and the stunning
Blue Mosque. Then it's on to Aya Sophia, whose heritage as both a basilica
and emblem of Islamic architecture neatly sums up the strains that have
created modern Turkey. We'll fit in the fabled Topkapi palace, with
its formal gardens, salons of state and stately boudoirs of the sultan's
harem; as well as the Treasury, whose collection includes priceless
Chinese porcelain. At the Grand Bazaar, there will be occasion to assemble
your own treasure from over 5000 stands, kiosks, and shops, filled with
carpets, leatherwork, and treasures and trinkets from all points eastward.
After a short rest, we'll gather for dinner, accompanied by live music,
and the extraordinary Oriental art form that we know as the belly dance.
DAY
13 - ISTANBUL (BL)
This morning, we'll stretch our legs as we take in the sights, sounds,
and aromas of Istanbul up-close. We'll start off with our guide to re-discover
the Belle Epoque, when Constantinople was the Paris of the East. From
the traditional Karaköy district, where overseas bankers and shipping
companies had their headquarters, we'll ascend via the Tünel-an
antique subway line-up to Istiklal Caddesi, a sedate nineteenth-century
thoroughfare lined with former embassies. We'll stop in at the tekke
of the renowned whirling dervishes. And in keeping with the traditional
surroundings, we'll be hosted to tea at the landmark Pera Palace Hotel.
We'll continue on foot, at least as far as Galatasaray Square, and lunch
in the Çicek Pasaji (Flower Passage); then it's on to busy Taksim
Square to rendezvous with our coach. We'll venture farther a field in
the afternoon, to Yildiz Palace Park and the Ihlamur Kasri, a refined
little palace south of Yildiz, and the Military History Museum in Harbiye,
arriving in time for the strains of Mehter, the traditional Ottoman
military band.
DAY
14 - Istanbul- Departures (B)
Breakfast at the hotel , on to Istanbul Airport .
Bon
Voyage.
Rate
in US $, per person in double occupancy
:
- Tourist
Class: $ 5210
-
First Class: $ 5550
- Deluxe
: $ 6850
Price
includes:
- Air
transportation from Istanbul / Izmir/ Athens / Santorini, as
per the itinerary & dates you choose (subject to your availability)
.
- Transportation
between airport and hotels in Greece , always on a private basis ,
- Guided
sightseeing as indicated in ATHENS, including entrance fees .
- preset
menu meals as indicated , please check each day for the code : "B"
for breakfast, " L" for lunch and dinner as indicated "D",
etc .
- Accommodations
with breakfast (B) as indicated
below, or at comparable properties, according to availability:
- For
first class accommodation in the: "Cliff Side Suites, Volcano
View Villas, Tzekos Villas
Or Rose
Bay on Kamari Beach Hotel (four stars)
Not
Included:
-
International air transportation.
- Trip
Cancellation insurance
-
Optional excursions, such as tours on Santorini, sailing, cruising
Any meal not specifically mentioned, beverages, and personal expenses
Gratuities for local personnel Travel insurance (please inquire about
flyer).
- Airport
taxes.
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