Ottomans & Oracles - Istanbul to Rome Cruise

Day 1 - Istanbul

Arrive: Sat 11 May 2024

Indulge your eyes and senses in this magnificent city astride two continents. Visit beautiful Topkapi Palace, the awesome Hagia Sophia and the impressive Blue Mosque. Cruise the Bosphorus to see the city and its surroundings from another perspective. Visit one of the many museums or stroll through the spice market and the famous Grand Bazaar.

Day 2 - Istanbul

Depart: Sun 12 May 2024 at 15:00

Indulge your eyes and senses in this magnificent city astride two continents. Visit beautiful Topkapi Palace, the awesome Hagia Sophia and the impressive Blue Mosque. Cruise the Bosphorus to see the city and its surroundings from another perspective. Visit one of the many museums or stroll through the spice market and the famous Grand Bazaar.

Day 3 - Izmir

Arrive: Mon 13 May 2024 at 09:00 / Depart: Mon 13 May 2024 at 18:00

Izmir is a city on Turkey’s Aegean coast. Known as Smyrna in antiquity, it was founded by the Greeks, taken over by the Romans and rebuilt by Alexander the Great before becoming part of the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century. Today, its expansive archaeological sites include the Roman Agora of Smyrna, now an open-air museum. The hilltop Kadifekale, or Velvet Castle, built during Alexander’s reign, overlooks the city.

Day 4 - Kos

Arrive: Tue 14 May 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Tue 14 May 2024 at 17:00

Kos may also refer to roughly 0.2 km (18 mile) Arthashastra Standard unit of Kos or krosh is equal to 200 metres in SI units and 0.125 miles in Imperial units.

Day 5 - Antalya

Arrive: Wed 15 May 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Wed 15 May 2024 at 16:00

Discover this delightful ancient town and its many treasures, from the superb artifacts in the museum to Ottoman mansions, Byzantine churches and mosques, Hadrian's Gate, and the ancient Roman harbor now restored and alive with cafés and pleasure boats. Or head for the magnificent ruins of Perge and Aspendos and imagine the history of these cities, from Alexander to St. Paul and from the Romans to the Arabs. Stand in awe of the huge Roman theater and the crumbling aqueduct.

Day 6 - Heraklion

Arrive: Thu 16 May 2024 at 10:00 / Depart: Thu 16 May 2024 at 19:00

Visit the great Minoan ruins of the Palace of Knossos, famous as the home of the labyrinth where the Minotaur roamed, and the archaeological museum that houses many superb artifacts from the complex. Explore the stunning, mountain-fringed Lassithi plateau with its orchards, 7,000 windmills and ancient villages.

Day 7 - Mediterranean Sea Cruising

Day 8 - Malta

Arrive: Sat 18 May 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Sat 18 May 2024 at 18:00

Discover the myriad of cultural layers of Malta, from its amazing prehistoric temples at Tarxien to beautiful walled medieval Mdina, nearby Rabat, and Marsaxlokk, a colorful fishing village. Admire the stunning scenery and wander through imposing churches and down the streets of fortified towns where the Knights of St. John once held sway.

Day 9 - Taormina

Arrive: Sun 19 May 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Sun 19 May 2024 at 18:00

Enjoy magnificent panoramic views on the way up to the town, where you can stroll down medieval lanes past stunning palaces. See the famed Greek theater and its fantastic view of Mount Etna. Or take a trip to the volcano itself and get a first-hand look at cones, craters and lava streams from previous eruptions and a fantastic view over the Gulf of Catania. Venture into the countryside and its lovely hill towns, one with a Norman castle built of black lava, and visit beautiful old Catania.

Day 10 - Sorrento

Arrive: Mon 20 May 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Mon 20 May 2024 at 18:00

Beautiful Capri, with its stunning panoramas, villages, charming piazzas and the Villa San Michele, makes a nice diversion. Visit the ruins at Pompeii, take a cooking lesson in Sorrento or travel to the frenetic city of Naples and learn to make pizzas as the Neapolitans do.

Day 11 - Rome

Arrive: Tue 21 May 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Tue 21 May 2024

Your gateway to the Eternal City, Civitavecchia has served as Rome's seaport since the 13th century. The port has a long and venerable history. The emperor Trajan built a pleasure villa near the modern city, while Bernini and Michelangelo designed the harbor fortifications. Yet the Eternal City eternally beckons. The ancient capital of the Western World and the center of Christianity for nearly 2,000 years, Rome provides an inexhaustible feast. Visit the ruins of the Forum, view the splendors of the Sistine Chapel, or climb the Spanish Steps, once the heart of Rome's Bohemian Quarter. Rome has been a magnet luring the world's greatest artists, architects, and philosophers since the days of the Caesars.