Southern Cyclades Cruise

Day 1 - Athens

Arrive: Sat 27 July 2024 / Depart: Sat 27 July 2024

Walking in the shadow of the Acropolis in the Agora, you can almost hear the voices of Plato, Socrates and Aristotle arguing about who was the greatest philosopher. In the soaring, subtly curved Doric columns of the Parthenon you see the masterful hand of Pericles, Athens' greatest general and builder. And in the ethereally graceful bodies of the Karyatids supporting the porch of the Erectheum, you behold the beauty of the immortals. Ancient Athens, the birthplace of democracy and epicenter of western civilization, is a city for all eternity.

Day 2 - At sea

Day 3 - Rhodes

Arrive: Mon 29 July 2024 / Depart: Mon 29 July 2024

The beautiful island of Rhodes (Island of Roses) has a rich and varied history. The beach at Lindos is among the best on the island, whose capital, Rhodes Town is a bustling mecca for both sightseers and shoppers alike. This thriving port provides access to the many beautiful sights on this popular island. On the Eastern coast of Rhodes, poised high above two spectacular bays is the Acropolis of Lindos below which one can find a labyrinth of winding streets and dazzling white buildings. Lindos was once the principal city of the island before the founding of Rhodes Town in 408 BC.

Day 4 - Bodrum

Arrive: Tue 30 July 2024 / Depart: Tue 30 July 2024

Known in ancient times as Halicarnassus, this was the birthplace of Heredotus and the site of King Mausolu's Tomb (4th century BC), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. In the harbor, Bodrum Castle, or the medieval castle of St. Peter, is a fine example of 15th century crusader architecture, and has been converted into a Museum of Underwater Archeology, with remains dating as far back as the Bronze Age.

Day 5 - Dalyan River, Turkey

Arrive: Wed 31 July 2024 / Depart: Wed 31 July 2024

Dalyan is a town on the Dalyan River, just inland from Turkey's southwest coast. Across the river from town is the ancient ruined city of Kaunos, with Lycian rock tombs and the remains of a theater. Riverboats connect Dalyan with ?ztuzu Beach to the south, home to protected loggerhead turtle nesting grounds. To the northwest on the shore of Lake Köyce?iz is the village of Sultaniye, known for its thermal mud baths.

Day 6 - Santorini

Arrive: Thu 01 August 2024 / Depart: Thu 01 August 2024

The island of Santorini is perhaps the most breathtaking of all the Greek Islands. Around 1500 BC, a volcanic eruption destroyed the center of the island, leaving a crescent shaped rim of cliffs around a harbor formed in the volcano's caldera.

Day 7 - Hydra

Arrive: Fri 02 August 2024 / Depart: Fri 02 August 2024

It looks barren and rocky, but the narrow harbor of Hydra hides a surprise, a town of stately mansions all built around 1800 by blockade runners who had made fortunes outwitting the British during the Napoleonic Wars. Many of Hydra's merchants were also celebrated naval heroes during the Greek fight for independence from Turkey in the 1820s. Another surprise is that there are no cars, so if you want to see the spectacular view from the Monastery of Ilias you'll have to ride a donkey to the top.

Day 8 - Athens

Arrive: Sat 03 August 2024 / Depart: Sat 03 August 2024

Walking in the shadow of the Acropolis in the Agora, you can almost hear the voices of Plato, Socrates and Aristotle arguing about who was the greatest philosopher. In the soaring, subtly curved Doric columns of the Parthenon you see the masterful hand of Pericles, Athens' greatest general and builder. And in the ethereally graceful bodies of the Karyatids supporting the porch of the Erectheum, you behold the beauty of the immortals. Ancient Athens, the birthplace of democracy and epicenter of western civilization, is a city for all eternity.