ATHENS, CORINTH & 3-DAY CRUISE
Visits to Athens - Corinth - Mykonos - Rhodes - Patmos - Ephesus
DAY 01: ATHENS ARRIVAL
Arrive Athens, transfer to the hotel on your own. Overnight at hotel in Athens.
DAY 02: HALF DAY ATHENS TOUR
After breakfast enjoy a half-day morning tour of Athens, combining many of the cities principal modern and classical sights. This tour includes an overview of the modern city and striking contrasts to the remains of its glorious past. Drive by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in front of the Parliament House on Constitution Square, the Panathenian Stadium (site of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896). See the Presidential Palace (ex Royal Palace), government buildings and elegant homes. Drive along Panepistimiou Avenue and see the Catholic Cathedral, the Academy, University, National Library and Omonia Square. In contrast, we visit the Roman Temple of Olympian Zeus and the crowning beauty and glory that was Athens, the Acropolis with its many monuments atop its rocky base, including the awesome Parthenon, the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike and the Erechtheum with its Porch of Maidens. We also visit the Acropolis Museum. Return to the hotel. Overnight.
DAY 03: PIRAEUS - MYKONOS, GREECE
At 8:30 in the morning we transfer to the port of Piraeus for embarkation on the cruise ship for our 3-Day Cruise to the Greek islands and Turkey. Set sail for Mykonos at 11:00 a.m. In the afternoon (6:00 p.m.), call at Mykonos, the island which combines an international jet-set atmosphere with a very active nightlife. Stroll at leisure through the whitewashed, flower-decked alleyways, climbing to the sculpture church of Paraportiani or along the waterfront of «Little Venice» to the well-known windmills. Sail for Rhodes at 10:00 p.m. (B-L-D)
DAY 04: RHODES, GREECE
At 9:30 a.m. we arrive at Rhodes. In ancient times, the Colossus of Rhodes was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. This stronghold was built by a Crusading Order, which originated from Palestine. Our optional half-day excursion takes us to visit the Temple of Athena on the majestic rocky Acropolis of Lindos, with the blue Aegean Sea beneath it and the sophisticated whitewashed artists' colony at its foot. Local tradition has it, that Paul’s ship on it way to Rome, spent some time in the small harbor. We have the afternoon free in Rhodes. Stroll around the medieval walled city; enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere from one of the elegant cafes in the marina. Sail for Patmos at 6:00 p.m. (B-L-D)
DAY 05 PATMOS, GREECE - KUSADASI (EPHESUS), TURKEY
At 7:00 a.m. we arrive at Patmos, this beautiful and almost mysterious rocky island where the apostle John was exiled and wrote the Book of Revelation. We have an optional tour to the Monastery of the apostle John the Evangelist and the Grotto of the Revelation. After some free time for browsing, return to the ship and sail for Kusadasi at 10:00 a.m. At 1:30 p.m. we dock at Kusadasi in Turkey, starting point for our optional excursion to the ancient city of Ephesus. The Apostle Paul preached to the Ephesians and lived here for three years. This church also received an epistle from him. We tour the spectacular ruins where excavations still continue in this once great and important city, which was founded in the 10th century BC. Walk through history along marble streets lined with wonderful public buildings, among them the Baths of Scholastica, the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian and the Theater. The Temple of Diana of the Ephesians, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world, was built in this city. We return to Kusadasi for souvenir shopping before sailing for Piraeus, Greece at 6:00 p.m.
(B-L-D)
DAY 06: PIRAEUS, GREECE - HALF DAY CORINTH
At 7:00 a.m. we arrive at Piraeus. After breakfast we will disembark * and depart for our morning’s excursion out of Athens via the historic Corinthian Canal (quick stop for photos) to Ancient Corinth (Acts 18:1-18). It was to this megalopolis where the apostle Paul came and worked, established a thriving church, subsequently sending two of his epistles now part of the New Testament. Here, see all of the sites associated with his ministry: the Agora, the Temple of Apollo, the Roman Odeon, the Bema and Gallio’s Seat. The small archaeological museum here is an absolute must! The tour continues with a visit to Lechaion. Also see the ruins of early Christian 5th century basilica at the ancient port of Cenchreae before returning to Athens. Overnight at hotel in Athens. (B)
DAY 07: DEPARTURE
After breakfast at the hotel, transfer on your own to the airport for departure flight.
