Greek Odyssey w / Lissa Coffey: Ancient Wisdom, Modern Style Mysteries of the Greek Archetypes Greece: Athens, Corinth, Nemea, and Mikrolimano Greek Islands: Athens Piraeus, Mykonos, Patmos, Rhodes, (Crete), Santorini, Istanbul (Turkey)

12 Days only $2995* ~ July 4 - 15, 2011 Democracy (Govt.), Science, Mathematics, Art, Sports, Medicine, Astronomy, Astrology, Architecture, Theatre Day 1 - July 4  Leave USA for a tour of Greece and the Greek Isles. Day 2 - July 5   Arrival at Athens Airport. You will be met by your English speaking guide and taken to the hotel to park our bags before we embark on a tour of the city. We will do this when everyone is present and accounted for at

the hotel. Refreshments while we wait. This tour gives you an opportunity to observe the striking contrasts that make Athens such a fascinating city.  Our expert guides take you to see the center of the city; Constitution Square (Syntagma), the House of Parliment, the Memorial to the Unkown Soldier and the National Library.  Driving down Herod Atticus Street, you will see the Evzones in their picturesque uniform and the Presidential Palace.  On your way to the Acropolis, you will see

Hadrian’s Arch, visit the Temple of Olympian Zeus and make a short stop at the Panathenaic Stadium where the first Olympic Games of the modern era were held in 1896.   On the Acropolis visit its Museum and the architectural masterpieces of the Golden Age of Athens: the Propylea, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion and finally, “the harmony between material and spirit”, the monument that “puts order in the mind”, the Parthenon.  Return back to your hotel in early afternoon. Rest of the day at leisure.  Overnight in hotel.

  Day 3 - July 6   After breakfast, we will set off for our tour to Ancient Corinth & Nemea.  We drive outside the boundaries of Attica region, crossing the Corinth Canal, and in about 2 hours we reach Ancient Corinth, where St. Paul lived and preached.  We will visit the Agora (Greek word for Marketplace) and one of the most outstanding monuments of the pre-Roman period, the Temple of Apollo. Then we will continue to visit one of the most famous vineries of Nemea, perhaps the most renowned vineyard all over Greece.  We will visit the state of the art winery facilities, and will learn everything for the production of Greek quality red wine.  Then we will proceed to the underground cellars, with more than 1000 French oak barriques.  Finally, we will taste some of the best wines of the domain. Return to the hotel in the early afternoon.  Rest of the day at leisure.  Overnight in hotel. 

Day 4 - July 7  Morning free  (possibly to allow you time to visit the sandal maker's

shop - we will explain to you how to get there - it is in a central place.  You could possibly combine the visit to the sandal maker's shop with a walk around the Monastiraki flea market, which lies very close, and the traditional quarter of Psirri, abundant with character restaurants and cafes).  In the afternoon, you will be picked up from your hotel and will be driven to the picturesque yachting harbor of Mikrolimano.  We will visit a classy restaurant right opposite the harbor, offering fantastic view www.ploes.gr.   You will have the chance to attend a cooking lesson by one of the legendary Greek chefs, who works in the restaurant.  Then enjoy the dinner you have helped create. Dancing may also be on the menu. Return to Athens after dinner & dancing.  Overnight in hotel.  Day 5 - July 8    After breakfast, drive to Piraeus for embarkation and sail

into the deep blue waters of the Aegean Sea. (BB, D) Day 6 - July 9  Istanbul, Turkey    Get acquainted with the ship’s amenities as you cruise towards Istanbul.  This cruise is a magnificent way to get acquainted with the deep blue Aegean.  You will visit the multifaceted Greek Islands of Mykonos, Patmos, Rhodes and Santorini and the prosperous Crete, the Island of the Minotaur.   In Turkey, you will see the Ancient City of Ephesus.  On this journey you will have the opportunity to take a glimpse of past civilizations and to appreciate unique architectural styles and breathtaking natural beauty of Greece and Turkey.   (FB,L,D)    Day 7 - July 10    Istanbul   Full day at leisure for optional sightseeing in

this fascinating city, gateway between East and West and the Islamic and Christian world. Depart early evening. (FB,L,D) Day 8 - July 11   Mykonos, Greece   This morning, cruise towards the mountainous island of Mykonos, with its characteristic windmills and dazzling white houses. Arrive in the afternoon with plenty of time to wander at whim through narrow paved streets lined with trendy boutiques and shady tavernas. (FB,L,D) Day 9 - July 12  Patmos–Kusadasi, Turkey    Early morning arrival in Patmos. The tiny island is where St. John the Divine wrote the Revelation. The 11th-century monastery with its valuable manuscript collection is well worth a visit. Mid-morning departure for Kusadasi arriving early afternoon. An optional excursion takes you to Ephesus’ Greek, Roman, and Byzantine excavations. (FB,L,D) 

Day 10 - July 13   Rhodes   Dock in Rhodes, largest of the Dodecanese Islands and site of the Colossus of Rhodes, a 105-foot statue destroyed by an earthquake in 224 B.C. Most of the day is dedicated to the island of Rhodes. Explore the sights in the historic Old City with its ramparts and palaces built by the Knights of St. John during the Crusades.  Join an optional excursion to Lindos and the fabulous Temple of Athena. Sun-drenched beaches also beckon. (FB,L,D) Day 11 - July 14   Heraklion & Santorini    Early arrival in Heraklion, capital of Crete. Enjoy a fascinating optional excursion to Knossos, center of the 3,000 B.C. Minoan civilization. Mid-day departure for Santorini, the “Black Pearl of the Aegean”. An optional excursion takes you up to the cliff-top village of Oia for a breathtaking view.  Day 12 - July 15   Piraes(Dis-embarkation)–Athens. After breakfast on board, disembark and return to airport for flight home. *Land package only. Roundtrip Airfare to Athens available at Special Group Rates. We handle all the details.

Included in your tour price;

1. Transportation by private modern A/C motorcoach.2. English-speaking assistant from our staff during all transfers to/from airport/port.3. Luggage handling during transfers.4. Accommodation at nice central 4* hotel in Athens on Bed & Breakfast basis.5. Private Athens city tour with private modern A/C motorcoach & qualified English-speaking guide.6. Private tour to Ancient Corinth & Nemea with private modern A/C motorcoach & qualified English- speaking guide.7. Entrance fees to the Acropolis, the Museum of the Acropolis, Ancient Corinth & Nemea winery.8. Cooking lesson followed by dinner at the fancy restaurant Ploes, in Mikrolimano.9. Fare for 7-day cruise - accommodation in standard outside cabins.10. Full meals on board throughout the cruise.11. All applicable taxes  (including the cruise port taxes).

Greece and the Greek IslandsAthens, Greece: The cruise departs from and returns to: Capital of Greece, cradle of democracy, birthplace of Western Civilization - Athens is a vibrant city where the ancient and the modern co-exist. The majestic Acropolis with Parthenon rises above the city, its ancient glory still visible in the timeworn stone, and the National Archaeological Museum holds countless treasures from Athens' Golden Age.Mykonos, Greece: This cosmopolitan and picturesque island is well known for its graphic paved streets with hundreds of boutiques and Cycladic art shops. Beneath the sophisticated surface of Mykonos lies a quintessential Greek Island. Hundreds of tiny chapels dot the island and sheep graze in the shadow of white-washed windmills. Find a table on the waterfront and bask in the serenity of sunset over the picturesque harbor.   Kusadasi (Ephessos), Turkey: A tour to nearby Ephessos should not be missed, for here history truly comes to life. Walking towards the ancient harbor, down a marble road rutted by the wheels of countless chariots, you pass architectural masterpieces like the Magnesian Gate and the Library of Celsus before arriving at the Great Amphitheater where St. Paul was arrested and cast out of the city.Patmos, Greece: This island is known as the site of the apocalyptic Revelations of St. John the Divine, written here during his exile from the Roman Empire. The cave where he lived is now the site of the Monastery of the Apocalypse. The Monastery of St. John, built on one of the island's highest points, houses priceless icons and manuscripts in its Treasury.Heraklion (Crete), Greece: Heraklion, the capital of Crete island and its principal commercial port, is just three miles away from the fantastic ruins of the Palace of Knossos. Discovered in 1899 by Sir Arthur Evans and partially reconstructed, the elaborate Palace is believed to be the mythical Labyrinth of King Minos and the seat of ancient Minoan culture. The Archaeological Museum in Heraklion displays many of the treasures found during the excavations.

Santorini, Greece: The island of Santorini is perhaps the most breathtaking and beautiful of all the Greek Islands - it is the ideal place for enjoying the most romantic sunsets. The town of Thera's white-washed houses, narrow streets, open-air cafes and glittering boutiques cling to steep cliff, accessible by cable-car or donkey. To the south is Akrotiri, where recent Minoan excavations support the theories that Santorini might be the fabled lost continent of Atlantis.