IDYLLIC
Athens, Olympia, Delphi and Meteora, cruise to the Greek Islands and the Turkish Riviera from Athens
Guaranteed departures every Sunday, from Athens, from April to October.
Book Now! All our programs in up to 12 installments without interest
What is included in this cruise
- 3-night Accommodation in Athens.
- 4-night Cruise to the Greek islands and Turkey on a Full Board basis.
- Inclusive package of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages on board, during meals.
- Exclusive 75€ Credit per person for pre-booking any shore excursions of your choice*.
- Daily activities & Onboard entertainment (sports, dancing lessons, casino, etc.).
- 3-night Classical Tour in Greece on a Half-Board basis.
- 1-night Accommodation in Olympia in 3* or 4* hotels.
- 1-night Accommodation at Delphi in 3* or 4* hotels.
- 1-night Accommodation in Kalambaka in 3* or 4* hotels.
- Half-day Athens sightseeing tour with an official English-speaking guide.
- Acropolis Museum tour with an official English-speaking guide.
- Evening guided walking tour through Monastiraki, Plaka and Anafiotika.
- Entrance fees and tickets as per description.
- Daily breakfast.
- All transfers, as per itinerary.
- 24/7 Emergency phone line.
- Boarding fees, tips and taxes.
Not included & Optionals
- Personal expenses, Gratuities (optional) & Municipality tax.
- "Enhance" Tier with Premium drinks, Wi-Fi, discounts on Specialty Dining plus a 150€ Credit for pre-booking shore excursions instead of 75€.
- Travel with absolute peace of mind by adding our cancellation and/or health insurance in step 1/3 of your booking.
- Personal expenses and International air tickets.
- Check our FAQ for more information.
- 5% discount for groups of 10 travelers or more.
*IMPORTANT NOTE: Check out our shore excursions brochure and choose the one(s) you wish to use your credit on.
Keep in mind that you have up to 72 hours before departure to let your sales agent know which excursions you have added, otherwise you will not be able to use your credit voucher.
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Cruise Itinerary: Idyllic
After your arrival in the mythical city of Athens, the transfer to your hotel will be conducted in one of our private vehicles. A member of our English speaking team will meet you at your hotel, help you with the check-in, inform you of all the details of your trip, introduce you to the city and its everyday way of life and answer any questions you may have. The rest of the day is free for you to relax and enjoy Athens at your own pace.
In the evening you will join our guided walking tour, where you will have the chance to see and hear about the history of many important landmarks in the most charming areas of Athens, such as Anafiotika, Tiseo, Monastiraki, and Plaka. In this way you will see Athens from a different perspective.
Greca Tip: Extend your stay by adding nights during Step 1 of 3 of your reservation!
In the morning, your assistant will escort you, in one of our vehicles, to the port of Lavrion, where you will embark on your cruise ship. During the cruise, you will enjoy the brilliance of the sun, and the deep blue of the Aegean and take part in the activities and services offered on board. In this package, Greca includes three meals and a package of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks during food service hours. This way you can really concentrate on having a great time!
Your cruise ship will first dock at the famous island of Mykonos. Mykonos is the meeting point of the international "jet set" and famous for its wonderful beaches, boutique shops, and vibrant nightlife. From 18:00 hrs until 23:00 hrs you will have plenty of time to roam the maze-like streets of Mykonos Town, shop in Chora, and stroll along the edge of the Old Port and Little Venice before continuing your voyage around the wonderful Greek islands.
Only a short distance away from Mykonos there is the island of Delos, the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis according to Greek mythology. This small island, inhabited since 3000 a.C., was one of the most significant cultural centers of Antiquity.
Finally, you will have the opportunity to pre-book other excursions organized by the cruise company and make the most of your cruise by visiting more fascinating places.
Tip Greca: Upgrade your cruise experience by switching to the "Enhance" Tier during step 1/3 of your booking, and get Premium drinks package to enjoy alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages on board during the entire duration of the voyage as well as a daily hour of complimentary Wi-Fi, and 25 percent discount on Specialty Dining plus a higher Credit for pre-booking any shore excursions of your choice instead of 75€.
At 07:00 hrs, after a peaceful and comfortable night's cruising, you will awaken on the Turkish coast and at the port of Kusadasi. The first stop of your shore excursion will be the ancient city of Ephesus once visited by Saint Paul, Mark Antony, and Cleopatra, among others. Ephesus was one of the twelve Ionian cities and flourished as an important cultural, religious and commercial center.
At noon, the cruise will leave port and sail, this time towards the island of Patmos, where Saint John wrote the Apocalypse and where Jesus Christ appeared to him in the Grotto of the Apocalypse or Book of Revelation.
From 16:30 hrs to 21:30 hrs, you will have free time to visit the Holy Cave of the Apocalypse, the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian, and stroll in the port of this small but so important island.
Tip Greca: You can buy a souvenir from the quaint little shops at the port of Skala and Xerotigana, a deep-fried kind of pastry with abundant use of honey and cinnamon.
After a peaceful night's sailing, you will arrive at the famous island of Rhodes, which was once home to one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, "the Colossus of Rhodes", a statue of Helios.
From about 07:00 hrs until your departure at 18:00 hrs you will have free time to explore the renowned medieval town of Rhodes, recognised by UNESCO a World Heritage Site, the Acropolis of Lindos or simply lay back and enjoy the natural beauty of the largest island in the Dodecanese island complex.
Greca Tip: You can also visit the Valley of the Butterflies, a habitat of unique value and incomparable beauty with lush vegetation and streams along cleverly laid paths.
After a generous breakfast, your cruise ship will drop anchor at the largest Greek island, Crete. More precisely you will arrive in Heraklion, the capital of the island and home of King Minos and the ferocious Minotaur. Heraklion was the most significant city of the Minoan civilization, with the oldest palatial complex in Europe, the Palace of Knossos.
You will have a free morning to explore this vibrant,working, small metropolis and then, at around noon, you will depart for the amazing and picturesque island of Santorini. As your cruise ship approaches the island, you will be filled with admiration and awe. It is the perfect moment to capture with your camera the beauty of the capital city of Fira with its painted blazing white houses and the deep blue roofs. From 16:30 hrs. to 21:30 hrs. you will have free time to wander in its narrow, winding alleys and later on watch one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world.
Greca Tip: You can take your sit at one of the bars and coffee shops and enjoy the views of the caldera or follow the path along the caldera’s edge with sweeping views over the island and the volcano.
Early in the morning, upon arrival at the port of Lavrion, our representative will drive you to the center of Athens, where you will enjoy a panoramic tour of the city's Neo-classical Athenian center: the Parliament, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the University, the Library and the National Academy, the Ilion Palace, the Temple of Zeus, the Hadrian's Gate, the Panathenaic Stadium and many other monuments and places of interest that your official English-speaking guide will explain to you in detail. Current topics will also be discussed and you are free to ask your questions.
Your next stop will be the "sacred rock", the spectacular, unique and magnificent Acropolis. The entrance fees to the sites are already included.
At the end of the tour, you can either choose to return to your hotel, visit the Acropolis Museum or set out on your own adventure through the picturesque streets of Plaka.
Greca Tip: Check out the Athens Flea Market for some cheap souvenir shopping or head to the Acropolis Museum, whose entrance and parts of it have glass floors that look down on ancient ruins.
Today you will head towards the Corinth Canal, where you will stop briefly to marvel at this famous channel that connects the Aegean with the Ionian Sea and take some photos. Corinth Canal is an impressive engineering feat because ships do not have to sail more than 400 km around the Peloponnese peninsula to reach the Ionian Sea any longer.
Past hills and mountains, you will reach Epidaurus, where you will be immersed in the culture of the 4th century BC. Its world famous Theater is the best preserved ancient theater in Greece. Its construction was not planned as a separate site but was part of the therapeutic and healing process, achieved through the theatrical performances. Known for its acoustics, it has a capacity of about 16,000 spectators and is still in use, especially during the summer, where notable performances are staged by native and international artists.
Then, you will briefly stop at the first capital of Greece, Nauplion, and continuing your journey back in time, you will visit the Acropolis of Mycenae, the center of the Mycenaean civilization. In the enclosure you will see its cyclopean walls, the Lions Gate, various tombs of ancient kings, the Palace, the Cistern and its 99 steps underground, the Tomb of Egisto and the tomb of Clytemnestre, while next to the Acropolis you will see the Tomb, attributed to the King Agamemnon.
In the afternoon you will travel through central Peloponnese and arrive in the city of Olympia in the early evening. You will check in at your hotel, have dinner and rest.
Greca Tip: You can pamper yourself with the hotel's amenities or take a stroll in the beautiful surrounding nature.
In the morning you will visit the site of the Olympic stadium, where the first games were held at around 776 BC. The importance of these games was widely accepted, given the extensive participation of the Greek cities, which suspended hostilities throughout the celebrations. The Olympiad was recognized as the only chronological event all over Greece, which, basically, represented the period of four years between two consecutive events.
Olympia was also the most important sanctuary of Ancient Greece, a place to worship Zeus, the first among the gods. A gigantic sculpture in gold and ivory was crafted by Phidias and was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. After your visit to the Museum of Olympia, you will continue your journey to Delphi going across a modern engineering wonder, the suspension bridge of Rio - Antirion.
Upon your arrival at Delphi, you will have dinner and a well-deserved rest.
Greca Tip: In the evening you can go in search of the traditional character of nearby Arachova and enjoy a drink in a stylish café or a local kafeneio (coffee shop).
In the morning and after a solid breakfast you will visit the archaeological site of Delphi, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the center or navel of the ancient world. It was here where the renowned Oracle of Delphi, a counsellor of kings and pilgrims, was to be found. Make sure you visit the Museum, which houses the "bronze charioteer", a masterpiece of Greek sculpture.
At the end of your Delphi tour, you will leave the slopes of Mount Parnassus and head towards the plains of Thessaly, where the city of Kalambaka is located.
You will arrive in Kalambaka, have dinner and enjoy a good rest.
Greca Tip: The nearby village of Arachova is ideal for shopping local products, such as the traditional woven carpets, honey and the local formaela cheese.
Early in the morning you will visit Meteora, also recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 1988. In this mysterious landscape, the natural beauty is combined with the compelling presence of the eternal monasteries suspended or "meteora" on top of the huge rocks. Currently there are only six in use, five for the male and one for the female monastic community.
On the way back to Athens, you will briefly stop at Thermopylae, where you can see the statue of the Spartan King Leonidas I, famous for leading the battle against the Persians in 480 BC. You are scheduled to arrive in Athens in the late afternoon. We will drop you off at your hotel, have dinner and rest.
Dresscode in the monasteries: Sleeveless shirts and shorts above the knee are not allowed. Garments, such as skirts, shawls and trousers are available at the entrance of the monasteries for those visitors, who do not have appropriate clothing to cover themselves with.
Greca Tip: Take a stroll in Kalambaka's old town and look for handmade woodcarved objects and religious icons as well as home-made sausages, honey, fruit sweets and jams, and the regional pudding (“spatoula”) or “halva” for a sweet aftertaste.
At the appointed time, a member of our staff will drive you to Athens International Airport, where you will check in your luggage and benefit from any tax returns on your last minute "tax-free" shopping for family and friends.
Undoubtedly and after spending some fantastic days with Greca, we hope to see you soon to create new and emotional moments that will never leave your memory.
Have a nice trip! or as Greeks say: "Kalo taksidi!"
Greca Tip: As a going away gift you can choose from a wide range of brightly colored flokati rugs, handmade sandals, embroidered covers and Greek honey or olive oil.
