Fly out of Detroit to Athens.

Monday/July 7          DETROIT –ATHENS

Today we board our overnight flight to Athens Greece. Dinner and breakfast will be served on board. A movie will be available for your viewing pleasure.

Arrive in Athens Airport

Tuesday/July 8               ATHENS

After we have completed our passport control obligations we will be transferred Hotel in Athens. The rest of the day will be at leisure.

Athens City Tour

Wednesday/July9           ATHENS 

Athens, the capital of modern Greece, is one of the most cosmopolitan cities of the Mediterranean world. Today we will begin with our “Athens City Tour.”
The hill of the Acropolis is the crowning glory of Athens.  We will see the famous temple, dedicated to goddess Athena, called Parthenon, the Erechtheion, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Propylaia..  On this hill we will experience Greece’s entire history: its mythical past, its tumultuous politics of the classical period, its Ottoman occupation, its present challenges.  We will also visit the Ancient Agora, the hills of Areopagus, Pnyx and the Nymphs, as well as the Temple of the Olympian Zeus with Hadrian’s Arch next to it, the National Museum, the Lycabettus Hill, the National Garden, the Panathenaic Stadium, the Plateia Syntagmatos with the Parliament House, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Changing of the Guard. We will also drive by and see the Academy of Athens, the University and the National Library. We will enjoy the humor and warmth of the Greek people by walking through the Monastiraki Flea Market, or by stopping for a meal at a lively taverna of the restored old Athenian district of Plaka.
The rest of the afternoon will be at leisure. Perhaps, an optional excursion to Cape Sounion.

Mycenae, Epidaurus, Olympia

Thursday/July10              MYCENAE/EPIDAURUS OLYMPIA                     

After breakfast at our Hotel we will go, through the Corinth Canal, to Mycenae. Upon arrival in Mycenae we will visit the archaeological site. We will then drive to Epidaurus to visit the archaeological site and the Theater, famous for its remarkable acoustics. Afterwards, we will continue on to Olympia. This evening we will spend the night in Olympia. Dinner will be served at our hotel.

Olympia, Delphi

Friday/July 11           OLYMPIA / DELPHI

Today we will visit Olympia, site of the fist Olympic Games, the Sanctuary of Olympian Zeus and the Museum. Then, via Patras, we will go to Rion where we will cross to Antirion, drive through Nafpaktos, and arrive in Delphi. Dinner will be served at our Hotel.

Delphi, Kalambaka

Saturday/July 12          DELPHI / KALAMBAKA

Today, we will visit the Sanctuary of Apollo and the Delphi Museum with its famous “Charioteer.” In the afternoon we will depart for Kalambaka, where we will spend the night. Dinner will be served at our hotel.

Meteora/Thermopylae/Athens

Sunday/July13
METEORA/ THERMOPYLAE/ATHENS

Morning visit of Meteora. Amid striking scenery, perched atop soaring stone formations, seemingly suspended in midair, are ageless monasteries. As you ponder how these centuries-old structures were built, pause to view the priceless specimens of Byzantine art that they protect. Return to Athens via Trikala, Lamia, Thermopylae (see Leonidas’ monument) and return to Athens, where we will spend the night.

Greek Island Cruise

Piraeus, Mykonos

Monday/July 14            MYKONOS

Morning transfer to the port of Piraeus for embarkation on our cruise ship. Our first port of call will be the tiny island of Mykonos, famous for its sophisticated atmosphere, whitewashed building, sidewalk cafes and chic shops.

Kusadasi, House of Virgin Mary,
Ephesus, Patmos 

Tuesday./July15            KUSADASI / PATMOS

This morning we will arrive at the Turkish post of Kusadasi. A tour to nearby Ephesus should not be missed for, here, history comes truly to life. Walking towards the ancient harbor, down a marble road rutted by the wheels of countless chariots, we will pass architectural masterpieces like the Magnesium Gate and the library of Celsus before arriving at the Great Amphitheater, where St. Paul was arrested and cast out of the city. Also, nearby Kusadasi, in as small valley, lies a small chapel on the site where the Virgin Mary is believed to have spent her last days. In the afternoon, we will arrive in Patmos, the island known as the site of the apocalyptic revelations of St. John the Divine. This is the place where the last book of the New Testament was written during the Saint’s exile from the Roman Empire. The cave where he lived is now the site of the Monastery of the Apocalypse. The Monastery of St. John, built on one of the island’s highest points, houses priceless icons and manuscripts in its treasury.

Rhodes

Wednesday/July 16                   RHODES   

We will spend the whole day on the island famous for its Medieval Old “Town and site of the Colossus of Rhodes. There will be an optional visit to Lindos, and the majestic Acropolis overlooking the bay. Sail in the evening.

Heraclion (Crete), Knossos, Santorini

Thursday/July 17          HERAKLION / SANTORINI

Morning call on Greece’s largest island, Crete. Visits to Heraklion, the capitol of Crete, and its principal commercial port. Should you choose to take this excursion, just 3 miles away are the fantastic ruins of the Palace of Knossos. Discovered in 1899 by Sir Arthur Evans and partially reconstructed, the elaborate Palace is believed to have been the mythical Labyrinth of King Minos and the seat of ancient Minoan culture. The archaeological Museum in Heraklion displays many of the treasures found during the excavations.

This afternoon, we will also sail to the island of Santorini (its ancient name is Thera) Around 1500 B.C., a volcanic eruption destroyed the center of the island, leaving a crescent shaped rim of cliffs around a harbor formed in the volcano’s caldera. The town of Thera’s whitewashed houses, narrow streets, open-air cafes, and its glittering boutiques cling to these cliffs, accessible by cable car or donkey. To the south is Akrotiri, where recent excavations support the theory that Santorini might have been the fabled “Lost Continent of Atlantis.“ Sail through the night to Piraeus (the harbor city near Athens)

Cruise, Piraeus, Detroit

Friday /July 18               PIRAEUS / DETROIT

Morning arrival to Piraeus. Disembark, and transfer to Athens airport for our return flight to the USA