SEABOURN OVATION 14-Day Greek Isles & Ephesus : LUXURY CRUISES

ITINERARY:

Day 0 Piraeus (Athens), Greece

Departs 10:00 pm

VISA REQUIRED FOR SOME

Piraeus has been the port for Athens since 482 BC. The busy harbor is filled with ferries and cruise ships making their way to the Greek Islands and other Mediterranean cities. The busy metropolis of Athens and its treasure trove of antiquities lie just a few miles from the port. Even as the reality of the modern city took hold, with its high-rise apartments, crowded sidewalks and bustling traffic, the beauty of the Acropolis, the outstanding museums, charming cafés, sidewalk markets and startling views come together in a cultural mosaic for all to enjoy.

Day 1 Monemvasia, Greece

Arrives 08:00 am | Departs 06:00 pm

TENDER REQUIRED; WHEELCHAIR ACCESS AT CAPTAIN'S DISCRETION

VISA REQUIRED FOR SOME

Although connected to the mainland by a causeway, the great hump of Monemvasia looming from the sea is an island. The medieval city seems to tumble down the sheer rock to the sea, crowned by the Byzantine church of Ayia Sophia nearly 900 feet above. In the Middle Ages, the famous Malmsey wine was made here.

Day 2 Agios Nikolaos, Crete, Greece

Arrives 08:00 am | Departs 06:00 pm

TENDER REQUIRED; WHEELCHAIR ACCESS AT CAPTAIN'S DISCRETION

VISA REQUIRED FOR SOME

This charming village of white houses climbing up the slopes is beautifully situated on the sparkling Gulf of Mirabello. The attractive Venetian harbor is surrounded by restaurants, outdoor cafes and clusters of shops selling everything from necessities to souvenirs. The ship docks in the center of town, and you are able to wander at will and enjoy the atmosphere of Crete's foremost resort.

Day 3 Mykonos, Greece

Arrives 08:00 am | Departs 06:00 pm

TENDER REQUIRED; WHEELCHAIR ACCESS AT CAPTAIN'S DISCRETION

VISA REQUIRED FOR SOME

The quintessential Greek island of Mykonos is marked by whitewashed houses, domed churches, imposing windmills, and a labyrinth of winding streets designed to disorient pirates. Everywhere there is a dash of bright, bold blue - doors, shutters and window frames, sea and sky. The harbor bustles with colorful fishing boats, vendors selling fish and locals gathered with visitors in the casual seaside cafes. The port even comes with two beloved mascots, the pelicans Petros and Irini.

Day 4 Cesme, Turkey

Arrives08:00 am | Departs 06:00 pm

VISA REQUIRED FOR SOME

A popular holiday and resort destination, Cesme is located on a promontory on the tip of a peninsula that carries the same name. The town itself is dominated by the medieval Cesme Castle, while the back streets invite a casual stroll with their old Ottoman and Greek houses that charm passers-by. South of the castle there is an Ottoman caravanserai built in 1528 that has since been transformed into a lovely boutique hotel, and check the Greek Orthodox church of Ayios Haralambos to see the current art exhibition. Along with the historical attractions, visitors will enjoy local pleasures, such as a dip in the thermal baths followed by the culinary delights of native fruits, artisan cheeses and local wines.

Day 5 Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey

Arrives 08:00 am | Departs 11:00 pm

VISA REQUIRED FOR SOME

Kusadasi, which means "bird island," is set in a superb gulf known for its sparkling water, broad sandy beaches and large marina. The city has managed to retain a certain earthiness while doing a brisk trade in Turkish carpets and leather goods to visitors. The town's old quarter is a picturesque maze of winding streets and houses adorned with flowers and birdcages. In the center stands a 17th-century caravanserai, now converted into a hotel. The resort is also gateway to important sites of archaeological and religious interest.

Day 6 At Sea

Arrives 12:00 pm | Departs 11:59 am

Day 7 Istanbul, Turkey

Arrives 07:00 am | Departs 05:00 pm

VISA REQUIRED FOR SOME

Spanning Europe and Asia, exotic Istanbul is one of the world's most fascinating cities. Domes and minarets enhance the skyline. In the old Stamboul area, traces remain of every city built since the community was established over 600 years before Christ. Once Rome's eastern capital, Istanbul was also the center of the huge Ottoman Empire. Landmarks include Hagia Sophia, once Christendom's greatest church; the Blue Mosque with its striking Iznik tiles; Topkapi Palace, containing a sultan's ransom of treasures; Chora Church with its Byzantine mosaics; and the Grand Bazaar, the ultimate shopping experience.

Day 8 Canakkale, Turkey

Arrives 08:00 am | Departs 05:00 pm

VISA REQUIRED FOR SOME

The Turkish city of Canakkale lies along both sides of the Dardanelles strait that links the landlocked Sea of Marmara to the Aegean. Like Istanbul on the Bosphorus — which connects the Marmara to the Black Sea — Canakkale straddles Europe and Asia while also stretching across the history of Western civilization. Indeed, the port has played a pivotal role in everything from the Greek myth of the Golden Fleece to the Gallipoli campaign of World War I. It also serves as your portal back in time to ancient Troy, setting for the epic Trojan War of Homer’s Iliad and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Explore the expansive ruins, tour the impressive museum, and climb inside a 40-foot-high replica of the infamous wooden horse used by the Greeks to enter the city. (Another wooden horse, built for the 2004 movie Troy, stands along Canakkale’s lively waterfront.) You can pay homage at the Gallipoli battlefields, or visit the pretty fishing town of Behramkale, located just below the ancient city of Assos — home to Aristotle’s philosophy academy and another World Heritage site.

Day 9 Volos, Greece

Arrives 08:00 am | Departs 06:00 pm

VISA REQUIRED FOR SOME

The span of highrise buildings that line the waterfront at Volos speak to modern Greece, rather than the ancient land. Indeed Volos is a very Greek city, a busy port and not high on the list of places for a traveler to visit. Yet like most places in Greece, its roots are deep in the mythic and historic soil of the country. Volos lies on the doorstep of the Plain of Thessaly, the pastures of Centaurs. In the nation’s heart, at Kalambaka, the plain erupts into a phalanx of towering granite pillars, each topped by a monastery over 600 years old. This is Meteora, one of the most unforgettable sites in Greece. Nearby, Mt. Pelion looms, its slopes dotted with picturesque villages of characteristic homes with wooden stories stacked atop stone ground floors. In the city itself, an archaeological museum holds treasures dating from the Neolithic through the Bronze Age, including jewelry fashioned 35 centuries ago.

Day 10 At Sea

Arrives 12:00 pm | Departs 11:59 am

Day 11 Patmos, Greece

Arrives 07:00 am | Departs 10:00 pm

TENDER REQUIRED; WHEELCHAIR ACCESS AT CAPTAIN'S DISCRETION

VISA REQUIRED FOR SOME

Deserted for centuries because of constant raids by pirates and the Turks, this tiny arid island was first settled in 1088 when the Emperor of Constantinople made it a gift to the monk Christodoulos Latrnos so that he could establish a monastery in honor of St. John the Divine on the site. Patmos has been a place of scholarship and religious enlightenment ever since. Today this modern pilgrimage site is a quiet respite from the tourist havens many other Greek isles have become.

Day 12 Rhodes, Greece

Arrives 08:00 am | Departs 06:00 pm

VISA REQUIRED FOR SOME

Best known of the Dodecanese Islands, Rhodes is a fascinating architectural patchwork of her past. Here the legacy of the ancient Greeks mingles with that of besieging Turks, crusading knights, and occupying Italians. Twin bronze deer, the symbol of Rhodes, guard the Mandraki Harbor where the 100-foot Colossus is said to have stood, a wonder of the ancient world. The medieval Crusader City is dominated by the Palace of the Grand Masters, while cobbled streets lead to the bustling bazaar and a lively harbor that is a center of the international yachting scene.

Day 13 Santorini, Greece

Arrives 07:00 am | Departs 06:00 pm

TENDER REQUIRED; WHEELCHAIR ACCESS AT CAPTAIN'S DISCRETION

VISA REQUIRED FOR SOME

"Thira, the Wild Island" and "Kalliste, the Fairest One" - all terms of endearment for this seductive, volcanic Greek island in the Sea of Crete. Extraordinary for its black sand beaches and sheer limestone cliffs, Santorini also showcases remnants of the Phoenician, Spartan and Minoan cultures, which fell under the island's spell - an unvarying, irresistible lure that continues to this day. Fira, the picturesque, pedestrian-only capital, is reached from the seaport via a short cable car ride that offers thrilling views as you ascend.

Day 14 Piraeus (Athens), Greece

Arrives 07:00 am

VISA REQUIRED FOR SOME

Piraeus has been the port for Athens since 482 BC. The busy harbor is filled with ferries and cruise ships making their way to the Greek Islands and other Mediterranean cities. The busy metropolis of Athens and its treasure trove of antiquities lie just a few miles from the port. Even as the reality of the modern city took hold, with its high-rise apartments, crowded sidewalks and bustling traffic, the beauty of the Acropolis, the outstanding museums, charming cafés, sidewalk markets and startling views come together in a cultural mosaic for all to enjoy.

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