GREECE and THE AEGEAN (16 Days starting from $1,695)

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Cosmos > GREECE and THE AEGEAN

GREECE and THE AEGEAN
16 Days starting from $1,695

Countries Visited:
Greece

Length:	16 Days
Type:	Budget Tour
Category:	REGIONAL DISCOVERIES
Operator:	Cosmos
Tour Code:	6660-2008

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About This Tour

Cities Visited:

What's Included
Itinerary
Dates & Prices
Sightseeing

City Highlights

Hotels:

Day 1:
Fri. BOARD YOUR OVERNIGHT TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT.

Day 2:
Sat. ARRIVAL IN ATHENS, GREECE. Check into your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to start exploring the Greek capital. Later, meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers.

Day 3:
Sun. ATHENS. A day to do just as you please. You could also join an optional day cruise to the islands of Aegina, Hydra, and Poros. In the evening, free time to enjoy the lively atmosphere of the tavernas and nightclubs in the old Plaka district with its narrow streets and sound of bouzouki music. (B)

Day 4:
Mon. ATHENS-NAUPLIA. Join the included sightseeing tour of Athens featuring the highlights of this ancient capital and visits to the Acropolis, Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Arch of Hadrian. Next, westward to the Corinth Canal. Journey into the Argolis to make a stop in Epidaurus. Visit the open-air theater, which can still seat 14,000 spectators, then head for the coast and overnight in Nauplia. (B,D)

Day 5:
Tue. NAUPLIA-MYCENAE-SPARTA. This morning enjoy the included excursion with a Local Guide to Mycenae, a city fortress cursed by the gods but rich in gold and warrior kings. Motor south in the afternoon deep into the Peloponnese to Sparta for an overnight. (B,D)

Day 6:
Wed. SPARTA-PYLOS. Your morning highlight will be the included sightseeing of the medieval Byzantine citadel of Mystra, at one time known as “The Florence of the East.” In the afternoon drive westwards to Pylos, located on a majestic bay on the Messenian Gulf. (B,D)

Day 7:
Thu. PYLOS-NESTOR’S PALACE-OLYMPIA. Drive north this morning to Nestor’s Palace. Your included visit will help you imagine the siege of Troy, where Nestor commanded a large fleet. A short stop at Chora Museum will get you acquainted with the splendor of the past. Later, travel northwest to Olympia, the legendary venue of the Olympic Games, when every four years the city-states engaged in sport instead of war. (B)

Day 8:
Fri. OLYMPIA-PATRAS-DELPHI. Focus on Olympia, where the athletes of antiquity performed in honor of the King of Deities. Learn more about the history of the Olympic Games on the optional sightseeing tour. In the afternoon, drive north to Patras, the capital of the Peloponnese and the west coast’s largest port. Stop awhile and see St. Andrew''s Church. Then proceed through the picturesque fishing villages along the south coast of the mainland to mythical Delphi, crossing the spectacular Rion-Antirion Bridge. (B)

Day 9:
Sat. DELPHI-KALAMBAKA. Optional morning sightseeing of the archaeological site of Delphi. In the afternoon, drive north by way of Lamia and on to Trikala in Thessaly for an overnight in Kalambaka. (B,D)

Day 10:
Sun. KALAMBAKA-METEORA-ATHENS. A short drive to Meteora, which is a cluster of monastic buildings perched in an unforgettable manner on a set of rising rock formations. Your included visit is certainly the day’s highlight. Later, drive south via Lamia to Athens for an overnight. (B)

Day 11:
Mon. ATHENS-PIRAEUS (EMBARKATION)-MYKONOS. Early morning embarkation and an afternoon spent cruising in the Aegean. Evening arrival in Mykonos, a granite island and the most typical of the Cyclades. Its cubic houses, windmills, and chapels seem to make the island’s light even more translucent. Spend some time visiting a taverna or just wandering around the town enjoying its timeless beauty. (B,L,D)

Day 12:
Tue. KUSADASI, TURKEY & PATMOS, GREECE. Two ports of call today. First, Kusadasi on the Turkish coast. An optional morning excursion takes you to the fascinating Greek, Roman, and Byzantine excavations of Ephesus. Next, discover the tiny Greek island of Patmos, where St. John the Divine wrote the Revelation. The 11th-century monastery with its valuable manuscript collection is well worth a visit. (B,L,D)

Day 13:
Wed. 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. All 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. Another possibility: join an optional excursion to Lindos and the fabulous Temple of Athena. And if sightseeing is not your thing, Rhodes’ sun-drenched beaches and colorful shopping districts are within easy walking distance of the port. Sail from Rhodes around dinner time. (B,L,D)

Day 14:
Thu. CRETE AND SANTORINI. Morning at Heraklion on the island of Crete. A few miles away is Knossos, the center of the 3000 B.C. Minoan civilization, and an optional excursion can be booked. Next port of call (weather permitting) is Santorini, the “Black Pearl of the Aegean.” The optional shore excursion here takes you up to the cliff-top village of Oia for one of the world’s most breathtaking panoramas. (B,L,D)

Day 15:
Fri. PIRAEUS (DISEMBARKATION)-ATHENS. Early morning arrival in Piraeus; drive to Athens. More time to explore the unseen parts of the city or do some last-minute shopping. (B)

Day 16:
Sat. YOUR HOMEBOUND FLIGHT ARRIVES THE SAME DAY. (B)

Click here to check rates and availability online, 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. Or, to speak to one of our live, experienced travel consultants, Call us now at 1-800-942-3301. Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
8/22/2008 - 9/6/2008	$1,820	Call Us	Call Us	Call Us
8/29/2008 - 9/13/2008	$1,820	Call Us	Call Us	Call Us
9/5/2008 - 9/20/2008	$1,820	Call Us	Call Us	Call Us
9/12/2008 - 9/27/2008	$1,820	Call Us	Call Us	Call Us
9/19/2008 - 10/4/2008	$1,820	Call Us	Call Us	Call Us
9/26/2008 - 10/11/2008	$1,820	Call Us	Call Us	Call Us
10/3/2008 - 10/18/2008	$1,795	Call Us	Call Us	Call Us
10/10/2008 - 10/25/2008	$1,795	Call Us	Call Us	Call Us
10/17/2008 - 11/1/2008	$1,695	Call Us	Call Us	Call Us
10/24/2008 - 11/8/2008	$1,695	Call Us	Call Us	Call Us

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Note: All prices are per person, double occupancy, subject to availability. These pages are not endorsed or supported by the tour operator in any way. All information presented is based on promotional material provided by the tour operator. All prices, itineraries, accommodations and dates are subject to change without notice and at any time by the tour operators. Availability is limited and must be reconfirmed at time of booking. The prices on this website are not guaranteed. We are not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes in pricing. Please call us toll free at 1-800-942-3301 to confirm availability and pricing.