Treasures of the Aegean

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

Day 1: Arrive Athens
 A transfer is included from Eleftherios Venizelos, Athens’ International Airport, to Hotel Grande Bretagne. Join us for a welcome reception and dinner tonight; the hotel has breathtaking views of the Acropolis and Parthenon.
Overnight: Hotel Grande Bretagne, Athens, Greece
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: The Acropolis and Archaeological Museum
An early morning visit up to the Acropolis avoids the crowds found later in the day; perhaps the best-known ruins in the world, the remains of Athens’ central citadel reign over the city in ancient splendor, aptly reflecting “the glory that was Greece.” 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 history with daily life 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. Lunch and dinner are on your own.
Overnight: Hotel Grande Bretagne, Athens, Greece
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 3: The wonders of ancient Epidaurus and Nafplion
Travel to the ancient ruins of Epidaurus to see its 4th-century BC amphitheatre, known for its remarkable acoustics – which enable the voice of someone speaking from the stage to easily reach some 15,000 spectators – and still used for performances today; the town was also home to one of the most renowned healing centers in the classical world. Spend the night in the harborside town of Nafplion, one of the most charming towns in the Peloponnese. Dinner is at your leisure tonight.
Overnight: Amphitryon Hotel, Nafplion, Greece
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch

Day 4: Mycenae / Embark Le Levant
Journey to Mycenae, a natural citadel first settled in 3,000 BC. Once the stronghold of the powerful Mycenaeans, it’s now home to a noted archaeological site that includes the Lion Gate and Agamemnon’s Tomb. Embark Le Levant in Piraeus.
Overnight: Cruising the Aegean Sea
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 5: 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. Dine aboard Le Levant tonight.
Overnight: Cruising the Aegean Sea
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 6: Oia & Fira on Santorini Island
Rise early to observe Le Levant’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.
Overnight: Cruising the Aegean Sea
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 7: Revealing the Island of Rhodes
Arrive at the Greek island of Rhodes this morning, 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 to the second century. Visit the extravagant Palace of the Grand Masters, destroyed in the 1800s and reconstructed in the 1930s in the medieval style. Enjoy a traditional Greek folkloric performance.
Overnight: Cruising the Aegean Sea
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 8: Antiquities along the Turkish Coast
Chart a course to Bodrum, where whitewashed stucco houses dressed in bougainvillea line the hillsides and 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 walk around the grounds of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, one of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, reveals the ruins of a once-magnificent marble tomb completed in 350 BC. Spend the afternoon as you wish in town or head back to Le Levant; enjoy all the ship has to offer tonight as your cruise continues.
Overnight: Cruising the Aegean Sea
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 9: Cruise to Kusadasi and explore 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, seeing the Odeon, Temple of Hadrian, Trajan’s Fountain, the Arcadian Way and the two-tiered Library of Celsus. Have lunch in a village outside of Kusadasi before setting sail late today – savor a carefree evening aboard ship.
Overnight: Cruising the Aegean Sea
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 10: Day at Sea – Cruising the Aegean Sea
Today is a day of inspiration. Spend a relaxing day at sea, where you are free to experience the many amenities and entertainment options aboard the ship. Perhaps you will challenge a shipmate to a board game on deck, take a refreshing swim in the outdoor pool or indulge in a pampering massage or fitness program. You are welcome to visit the open bridge to view firsthand the operations of your yacht-like ship!
Overnight: Cruising the Aegean Sea
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 11: Disembark and on to Istanbul
Bid your Captain and crew a fond adieu as you disembark Le Levant in Istanbul and begin your exploration of this culturally diverse and most historically significant city. Start 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 is a must-see site; discover its fascinating Mausoleums. Settle in at your Istanbul hotel for a three-night stay.
Overnight: Ceylan InterContinental Istanbul, Turkey
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 12: Hagia Sophia and a Bosphorus Cruise
Guided sightseeing continues with a visit to the vast underground Basilica Cistern and one of the world’s true architectural gems – beautiful Hagia Sophia, a Byzantine masterpiece. First constructed in 537 AD and destroyed, rebuilt and modified throughout the centuries, this cathedral reigned for almost 1,000 years as the largest Christian church in the world, later was converted to a mosque, and is now a national museum. Tauck treats you to an afternoon cruise along the Bosphorus before time at leisure to explore the sights on your own.
Overnight: Ceylan InterContinental Istanbul, Turkey
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch

Day 13: Blue Mosque and the Covered Bazaar
This morning you’ll visit the Blue Mosque, named for the blue tiles that adorn the interior, and the Hippodrome, the center of Constantinople when it was the capital of the Byzantine empire. Stroll through the 4,000 shops in the Covered Bazaar, a kaleidoscope of colorful Turkish traditions, and spend time this afternoon exploring as you wish. Join us for a farewell reception and dinner tonight alive with Turkish delights.
Overnight: Ceylan InterContinental Istanbul, Turkey
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 14: Journey Home
Tour ends: Istanbul. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from Ceylan InterContinental Istanbul to Ataturk Airport. Allow a minimum of three hours for flight check-in.
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast

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