The Romance of the Greek Isles Including a stay in a hotel stay in Santorini

Only for those who want the BEST when touring Greece . An 11 day Fantasy Tour in Greece . Tour code (# 4A) . This ten-day trip combines the best of travel in Greece : classical Athens, a cruise through the Aegean, and three full days in a hideaway on Santorini. Starts in Athens Weekly Sat & Sun in Athens, Apr through Nov .
Athens , Mykonos, Rhodes, Kusadasi ( Ephesus), Patmos, Crete , Santorini

DAY 1 - ARRIVAL IN ATHENS - Friday - Private Transfer
Our Athens representative will meet you at the airport, assist you through customs and immigration, and escort you to your hotel in the bustling city center.
Transfer : Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur.
The rest of the day is yours to enjoy as you wish. Stroll, browse for curios and treasures

DAY 2 - Private Tour ATHENS (BL) - Saturday
Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur and private guide for today's tour:
This morning you'll tour Athens and get to know the high points of the city, especially the towering Acropolis and its museum, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian's Arch, the Theater of Dionysus.

The Acropolis hill, so called the "Sacred Rock" of Athens, is the most important site of the city. During Perikles' Golden Age, ancient Greek civilization was represented in an ideal way on the hill and some of the architectural masterpieces of the period were erected on its ground.
The first habitation remains on the Acropolis date from the Neolithic period. Over the centuries, the rocky hill was continuously used either as a cult place or as a residential area or both. The inscriptions on the numerous and precious offerings to the sanctuary of Athena (marble korai, bronze and clay statuettes and vases) indicate that the cult of the city's patron goddess was established as early as the Archaic period (650-480 B.C.).

During the Classical period (450-330 B.C.) three important temples were erected on the ruins of earlier ones: the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, and the Temple of Nike, dedicated to Athena Parthenos, Athena Polias, and Athena-Apteros Nike, respectively. The Propylaea, the monumental entrance to the sacred area was also constructed in the same period.
The monuments on the Acropolis reflect the successive phases of the city's history. Some of them were converted into Christian churches, houses of the Franks and later on, of the Turks. After the liberation of Athens from the Turks, the protection, restoration and conservation of the monuments was one of the first tasks of the newly-founded Greek state. This major effort is continued until today, with the large-scale restoration and supporting of the monuments, which started in the 1970's and is still in progress.
The first excavations on the hill were conducted between 1835 and 1837. More systematic work was carried out in 1885-1890 by Panagiotis Kavvadias.

You'll visit Syntagma Square, at the very heart of the city, and see the Parliament, and guards in colorful traditional outfits. Your afternoon is free for further exploring or shopping, or you could well be drawn back by the charm of the Plaka. Or take advantage of one of our optional tours, such as an afternoon visit to Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon, with spectacular sunset view.

Lunch is included at a charming local restaurant.

DAY 3 -Private Tour of DELPHI (BL) Sunday
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 4 - CRUISE TO MYKONOS (BLD) - Monday
A 30 - minute drive (transfer included) Transfer : Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur , will take you to Piraeus, the port of Athens, to embark on your four-day cruise. You'll sail into the Aegean, and by sunset, reach the jet-set isle of Mykonos. Stroll at your own pace along lanes lined with whitewashed houses, up to the Church of Paraportiani, or along the shore to the island's signature windmills. Enjoy an ouzo or a glass of retsina at a waterside cafe.

DAY 5 - RHODES (BLD) - Tuesday
Our cruise ship arrives early at the harbor, allowing a full day on the Island of Roses. The compact, cobbled medieval city is perfect for exploring on your own. You'll want to visit the Palace of the Knights of St. John, take a look at the wares in the boutiques, and spend some time in a seaside cafe. We also offer an optional excursion to the Acropolis of Lindos and the Valley of the Butterflies.

DAY 6 - KUSADASI (Turkey) and PATMOS (BLD) - Wednesday
We anchor at 7 a.m. in Kusadasi, on the Turkish mainland, gateway to ancient Ephesus. Stroll the streets and stop in at shops filled with leather goods and bargains in gold. Our optional tour takes you to Ephesus, one of the best-preserved archaeological sites in the world. You'll re-board in time for an afternoon sailing. In the late afternoon, your ship will call at the island of Patmos. Here you can visit the Monastery of St. John where the Book of Revelations was written.

DAY 7 - HERAKLION (CRETE) , SANTORINI (B) - Thursday
We drop anchor in the port of Heraklion at 7 a.m. You can explore on your own, or take an optional excursion to the 5000-year-old Minoan Palace at Knossos and the archaeological museum. We sail at noon for Santorini, where the lost civilization of Atlantis flourished. You'll disembark for your stay in your apartment/villa/or hotel. Transfer : Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur.
Sample optional tours available based on Private arrangement or Local Group tour .

Dream Vacation Stay in Santorini:

DAY 8 - SANTORINI (B) - Friday
You'll take a leisurely breakfast on your private terrace. An optional tour to the archaeological site of Akrotiri is offered. Or, you can spend the day relaxing, and take in breathtaking views of the volcano and caldera.

DAY 9 - SANTORINI (B) - Saturday
The day is yours for relaxing or exploring on your own or both! You might take a boat across to the dormant volcano, and ascend through a crater-pocked moonscape to the crater. Or savor a soak in hot sulphur springs.

For those 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 10 - SANTORINI (B) - Sunday
Enjoy the views from your villa, discover a black-sand beach, savor the sea breezes from the terrace of a cafe, or try your hand at fishing. Or arrange a winery visit or another excursion. The choice is yours.

DAY 11 - SANTORINI, ATHENS (B)- Monday
Our personnel will assure a seamless transfer to Santorini's Airport. Air ticket Santorini / Athens is included in our rate, ticket issued & delivered in Athens .Transfer : Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur.

You'll catch an early morning flight to Athens, where you'll board your connecting flight. Departures are every Saturday and Sunday, April through October. Compare with the 14 days with Istanbul

Rates per person in US$
Based on Private Touring in Athens and Delphi
Double Occupancy Cabins with 2 lower beds
Departure April - Nov

Supplemental charges: added to the deluxe rate: upgrade to the Deluxe Suite at the Grand Bretagne: or $820 per person in double

Rates per person in US$
Based on Group Touring in Athens and Delphi
Double Occupancy Cabins with 2 lower beds
Departure April - Nov

Rate includes:

• Travel guide book for Greece

• A Mediterranean cruise to Greek Isles and Turkey .
  

• Accommodation in Santorini, sample villas that are used:
  
  For First Class , 4 stars accommodation:
  Volcano View Villas , Pegasys Suites , " Sun Rocks " in Firostefani" , "Astra Apartments", " On The Rocks" in Imerovigli, or Chromata , the: "Grotto Villas" in Firostefani in a 1 or 2 bed-room apartment.
  

• Hotel accommodation in Athens
  Breakfast daily at the hotels. Hotel service charges and taxes .
  Sample hotels in Athens :
  
  Deluxe: Divani Palace Acropolis. NJV Athens Plaza.
  First : Electra Palace , Stanley
  

• All meals during the cruise .
  

• Airport greeting and assistance.
  

• Transfer to hotel in Athens, and and from hotel to the cruise in Piraeus.
  

• Port taxes
  

• All airfare within Greece in economy class , tax included, as per itinerary

Not included:

• Shore excursions
• International airfare from/to your home country
• Gratuities Personal expenses, beverages, and meals not specifically listed .
• Trip cancellation / travel insurance