June 30
Flights from North America to Athens, Greece

July 1
Arrive Athens International Airport;Transfer to the Athens Plaza Hotel;Welcome Reception at the hotel this evening

July 2
Athens/ Venture to the powerfully beautiful Acropolis, crowned by the Parthenon, tour the Acropolis Museum

July 3
Athens/Independent Exploration: depart Athens for a relaxing and scenic drive along the coast of the Saronic Gulf; View the seaside resorts of Glyfada, Vouliagmeni, Varkiza, Lagonissi and Anavissos as well as dozens of natural bays to Sounion; Visit the Temple of Poseidon; Continue to the port of Piraeus to board the MV Aegean Odyssey

July 4
Naulpia/Take a morning tour of ancient Mycenae; See the mighty ruins include Agamemnon’s palace and the chamber where it is believed the king was murdered; Enjoy the afternoon as you wish in Nauplia, one Greece’s prettiest towns; Attend a Captain’s Welcome Reception aboard ship this evening

July 5
Rethymnon, Crete/ Enjoy a morning tour of Knossos, the capital of Minoan Crete

July 6
Santorini/ Enjoy a magical day on this island, beginning with a guided tour of Akrotiri, site of an excavated Minoan city; Continue on to the magical cliffside town of Oia and then return to Fira and tour its archaeological museum

July 7
Delos/Mykonos; On a morning tour, walk around Delos, a tiny island filled with a wonderful mix of ruins.
One of the most important archeological sites in Greece; Enjoy time at leisure to explore Mykonos vibrant mix of boutiques, bougainvillea, windmills and “Little Venice”

July 8
Izmir/Ephesus, Turkey/ Arrive in Izmir to enjoy the morning at your leisure. The city, Turkey’s third
largest and “capital” of its Aegean region, offers a welcoming waterfront; Spend the afternoon touring Ephesus; The Roman capital of Asia, it possesses the largest collection of Roman ruins in the Eastern Mediterranean

July 9
Izmir/Pergamon/ Visit the ancient Greek city of Pergamon, sitting dramatically on steep cliffs overlooking the river Caicus Explore the impressive library, gymnasiums and Temple of Trajan

July 10
Skiathos/ Take a morning walking tour of lovely Skiathos, whose whitewashed houses and surrounding bluffs covered in pine trees make this a truly relaxing place; Rejoin the Aegean Odyssey for a lecture program and afternoon cruise past Mount Athos

July 11
Lemnos/ Visit Lemnos, a beautiful island whose charming beaches, vineyards and villages reveal what
seaside Greece used to be; See the superb beaches, the walled town of Kastro and Myrina, with its hilltop castle whose foundations date back to Classical times

July 12
Istanbul, Turkey/Disembark ship and transfer to the Crowne Plaza Istanbul Hotel; The city once called Constantinople is today a blend of East and West; Visit the exquisite Blue Mosque and the epitome of Byzantine architecture, the Hagia Sophia, before seeing the Topkapi Palace

July 13
Istanbul/Take a guided morning trip to the 16th century Suleymaniye Mosque, which includes a hospital, library, madrasa, hospice and hamam (baths); admire the more intimate Church of St. Saviour in Chora, which is now a museum and mosque with fine Byzantine mosaics and 14th-century frescoes; This evening, join fellow travelers and enjoy a Farewell Reception

July 14
Istanbul/ depart for the airport and return flights to North America