DAY    1            DEPARTURE FROM NORTH AMERICA
Enjoy full meal service on your scheduled wide-bodied flight to Athens.

DAY    2            ARRIVE ATHENS - ELEUSIS - NAFPLIO (2 NIGHTS)
We will be met at the airport by our tour manager/guide who will accompany us to the Greek Peloponnese. En route, we will stop for a visit to Ancient Eleusis, which was a center for religious devotion that culminated in the Annual Eleusian Mysteries. Existing from the Mycenaean period, thousands of people from around the world would come to be initiated. Our visit to the ancient sight will be highlighted by: the remains of the Greater Propylaia, built by the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius; the Ploutonion, the sanctuary of Hades; the Lesser Propylaia; the Telesterion, a 5th century temple; and the Anaktoron, the holiest portion of the sight. Our visit will also include a visit to the small Museum with artifacts from the ancient sight. We continue to Nafplio, our base for the next three evenings. Nafplio is one of the loveliest towns in all Greece, and the old city features neoclassic houses, picturesque streets, Turkish fountains, fascinating mosques and magnificent outdoor cafes.

DAY    3            MYCENAE, CORINTH & EPIDAURUS
We will make an early start, as we travel to Mycenae, a fortified Palace Complex uncovered by archaeologist Heinrich Schielmann in 1874. The complex is one of the earliest examples of sophisticated citadel architecture, and only the ruling class would have inhabited the hilltop palace. Highlights of our visit will include: the 13 century BC Lion Gate; Grave Circle A, with six royal family shaft graves; the Royal Palace situated at the acropolis summit; and the Secret Stairway, a flight of 99 steps dropping to a cistern deep beneath the citadel. We continue outside the palace complex, where will visit the Treasury of Atreus, the most outstanding of the tholos tombs. Dating from the 14th century BC, it is one of only two double-chambered tombs in Greece. We continue to Corinth, one of the largest and most prosperous cities in ancient Greece and the site of an important Roman colony. The ruins of the ancient city are spread out for miles, but we will focus on the site known as the Acrocorinth, beyond the main city. In addition to the fascinating remains of the Acrocorinth, we will also be afforded one of the most sweeping views in all of Greece. We conclude our afternoon with a scenic drive to Epidaurus, an extensive therapeutic and religious center, dedicated to the healing god Asklepios. We will visit the Theater of Epidaurus, the most famous and best-preserved of all the ancient theaters in Greece. The theater could accommodate up to 14,000 spectators, and the acoustics are still a marvel of engineering. We return to Nafplio for the evening.

DAY    4            NAFPLIO - PIRAEUS - ISLAND CRUISE (4 NIGHTS) -
                          MYKONOS
This morning we make an early departure and travel to the port city of Piraeus, where we will board our cruise ship and begin our four-night Aegean Cruise. Our first port of call will be the Island of Mykonos, where we will be free to explore the labyrinthine alleys of Hora. Hora is the quintessential Cycladic town, and features: the remains of a small Venetian Kastro (fortress); the Panagia Paraportiani, island's most famous church; the Alefkandra Quarter, better known as Little Venice for its cluster of homes built overhanging the sea; and the famous Windmills of Kato Myli, featuring stunning views back towards Little Venice. We return to the ship late this afternoon and set sail for the western coast of Turkey. We will sleep in cabins and have the opportunity to eat all of our meals on board the cruise ship.

DAY    5            ISLAND CRUISE - KUSADASI (TURKEY) & PATMOS
This morning we arrive in Kusadasi, Turkey, where we will take an excursion to the ancient city of Ephesus, one of the best-preserved Roman cities in the world. Our visit will include: the Amphitheater, where St. Paul preached to the Ephesians; the Library of Celsus and a stroll along the ancient Roman streets, with original mosaics still intact. We return to the ship and sail to Patmos, where our afternoon will include an excursion to the foreboding St. John's Monastery. Late this afternoon we re-board the ship and set sail for Rhodes.

DAY    6            ISLAND CRUISE -RHODES
This morning we arrive in Rhodes, one of the seven ancient wonders of the world. We will enjoy a relaxing day on this magnificent island, including options to visit either Rhodes Town, home to the Knights of St. John, or Lindos to visit the Acropolis and Citadel. Late this afternoon, we re-board the ship and set sail for Crete.

DAY    7            ISLAND CRUISE - CRETE (IRAKLION) & SANTORINI (FIRA)
This morning we continue our island-hopping as we visit the island of Crete, which holds the glories of the Minoan culture. Crete has layers of at least 4,000 years of continuous inhabitation, including the vibrant heritage of centuries of Orthodox Christianity, and the distinctive imprint left by almost 700 years of Venetian and Turkish rule. Today we will take an excursion to Iraklion, and we begin with a visit to the Palace of Knossos, one of the great archaeological sites of the world. The complex was a combination of a royal palace, the Minoans' chief ceremonial center, their administrative headquarters and royal workshops. Using every possible clue and remnant, large parts of the palace have been rebuilt, including walls, floors, stairs, windows, and columns. During our tour, we will get a good sense of the structure's labyrinthine nature, as we will be viewing the remains of two major palaces plus several restorations that were made from about 2000 B.C. to 1250 B.C. We return to the ship for a short sail to Santorini, one of the most beautiful and unique islands in the world. Upon our arrival, we will take a Donkey Ride to Fira, one of the most scenic towns in the world, with a spectacular location on the edge of the caldera. Fira offers unmatched views down and out to sea, and to the offshore islands. We will have the afternoon to explore Santorini's capital, featuring beautiful buildings, churches and windmills. Be sure to take a Volta (stroll) Along M. Nomikou Street, one of the most exquisite in the Cyclades, which follows the edge of the caldera. We return to the ship late this afternoon and set sail for mainland Greece.

DAY    8            ARRIVE PIRAEUS - ATHENS (1 NIGHT) (BIRTHPLACE OF
                          WESTERN CIVILIZATION)
We will arrive at the port city of Piraeus very early this morning and transfer to Athens, the ancient and historic capital of Greece. Our morning commences with a visit to the Acropolis, which has dominated the skyline of Athens for over 2,000 years. A citadel was built on the rock in Mycenaean times, and was the first of a series of temples that honored Athena, the city's divine patroness. In 480 BC the Persians captured the Acropolis, and the Athenian leader Pericles rebuilt the site according to his plan of unsurpassed beauty and grandeur. During our tour of the Acropolis, we will view: the Propylaia, the monumental entrance to the complex; the Temple of Athena Nike; the Parthenon, the temple to Athena which crowns the Acropolis; the Erectheion, dedicated to Poseidon and Athena; and the Theater of Herodes Atticus, originally built in AD 161. Our time on the Acropolis concludes with a visit to the Acropolis Museum, featuring a superb collection of treasures excavated from the area. Our day continues as we view Hadrian's Arch, an enormous triumphal arch built by the Roman Emperor, which is still a symbolic entrance to Athens. The Temple of Olympian Zeus is the largest temple in Athens, and we will get a sense of its enormous size on our visit when we view the 15 columns that remain of the original 104. This evening we will explore and dine in the lively Plaka Area, the historic heart of Athens.

DAY    9            DEPARTURE FROM ATHENS
Your enjoyable and rewarding tour will come to an end as your tour manager/guide accompanies you to the airport for the return flight home.