Greek Islands and Turkey Cruise Tour 9 Days/7 Nights(3) Athens • (4) Cruise

INCLUDED FEATURES•Roundtrip Airfare from New York, JFK•Hotel accommodations for 3 nights in Athens (2 night’s pre cruise and 1 post cruise)•17 included meals consisting of 7 buffet breakfasts, 4 lunches and 6 dinners•A four night cruise through the Greek Islands and Turkeyon Louis Cruises stopping at: Mykonos, Kusadasi(Ephesus), Turkey, Patmos, Rhodes, Heraklion, Crete and Santorini•Sightseeing, including escort and all entrance fees asfollows: Athens City Tour featuring the Acropolis andParthenon, the Plaka District, the ancient Olympic stadium•Assistance of a professional Central Holidays Tour Director•Touring by private deluxe air-conditioned motor coach•Baggage handling for one piece of checked luggageoutside of the airport•All airline fuel surcharges and taxes

OPTIONAL CLASSICAL GREECEEXTENSION TOUR FEATURES•Hotel accommodations for 2 nights•4 included meals consisting of 2 buffet breakfasts and 2 dinners•Sightseeing, including local guide and all entrance feesand tours of Mycene, Epidaurus and Olympia•Assistance of a professional Tour Director for the entirelength of the tour•Baggage handling for one piece of checked luggageoutside of the airport

MykonosPatmos

EphesusKusadasi

RhodesSantorini

Piraeus

Athens

Crete

TURKEYGREECE

3

- NO. OF OVERNIGHT STAYS#

4

5256

Call: 866-613-5599Email: info@grouptravelexperiences.comVisit: www.grouptravelexperiences.com

Day 1 I U.S Overnight flight Today you fly from theU.S on an overnight flight to Athens Greece.Day 2 IArrive Athens Arrive in Athens, you will be metby your Central Holidays tour director and transfer toyour hotel. The rest of the day will be at leisure.Tonight, there will be a program overview at the hotelfollowed by a welcome dinner to Athens. (D)Day 3 I Athens Today enjoy a full day at leisure toexplore this lively city on your own. A visit to Athens willprove to be a trip back in time. You will experience theexcitement of visiting places where great historicevents actually happened, 25 centuries ago. You cansee the Dionysus Theatre (the world's oldest theatrewhere great plays by Aeschylus, Sophocles andEuripides were first performed), or walk around thePnyx (the birthplace of democracy) where Atheniancitizens assembled and voted on major politicalissues. You can also stroll through the Agora (ancientmarketplace) as Socrates, Plato and Aristotle oncedid. Or take an optional tour to Delphi. Delphi is oneof the most important archeological sites in Greekhistory and is now a UNESCO World Heritage-listedtown. In ancient times, Delphi was considered theplace where heaven and earth met so the gods wereclose by. Established around the 7th century BC,Delphi was a sanctuary to the god Apollo. It was herethat the Oracle of Delphi was situated, the mosttrusted oracle in the ancient world from which thespirit of Apollo gave advice on everything fromdomestic matters to wars. Along with our guide, you’llexplore, the home of the Temple of Apollo, and learnall about Greek mythology and history while viewingancient and fascinating monuments. (B)Day 4 I Athens IMykonos After breakfast, we driveto Piraeus, the port of Athens, and embark your cruiseship. Sail to the picturesque isle of Mykonos.Mykonos's many captivating attributes make it one ofthe most celebrated Greek holiday islands. Its mainvillage is a colorful maze of narrow streets lined withwhite-washed houses, many with bright blue doorsand shutters. As an attractive backdrop, famouswindmills are lined up like toy soldiers on the hillside,vestiges of a time when wind power was used to grindgrain. Mykonos has churches and chapels scatteredabout the island; quite a number of them are locatedright in town. Radiant flowers spill over white-washedwalls and shady courtyards. In addition to swimming,sunning, water-skiing and surfing, visitors find endlessshopping opportunities. Artists have relied onMykonos’ beautiful setting to inspire them. The mostphotographed site is the Paraportiani, a cluster ofwhitewashed churches resting below windmills.Mykonos' museums include an ArchaeologicalMuseum, which houses relics from the Trojan War, aFolk Art Museum and a Maritime Museum. The bestbeaches are Aghios Stephanos, Psarou, Kalafatis,Onros, Panormos and Elia. Sail in the evening. (B,L,D)Day 5 I Kusadasi I Patmos This morning we arriveon the continent of Asia and to Kusadasi, Turkey,located nearby Ephesus, one of the “Seven Wonders

of the Ancient World”. The major attraction is thearchaeological site of ancient Ephesus, considered tobe the most important in Turkey. The history of thisancient city dates back to 10th century BC; manyremarkable structures seen today are a result of anexcavation and restoration program. There aretemples, houses of noblemen, and communitybuildings lining ancient streets. Nestled in themountainside is a 25,000-seat amphitheater, stillused for performances during Festival of Culture andArt. Bible buffs may know Ephesus as inspiration forSt. Paul’s Epistle to Ephesians and the site of one ofthe first seven churches of Asia Minor. Among thebetter-known ancient sites near Kusadasi are ancientMiletus and Dydima. Remains include a well-preserved Roman theater at Miletus and Dydima'ssacred temple of Apollo. Wander through the famousTurkish bazaar or enjoy an optional tour of Ephesusand the house of the Virgin Mary. Optional excursionsto visit these sites are available. This afternoon sail toPatmos, site of the Monastery of St. John the Divineand the Grotto of the Apocalypse. Evening departurefor Rhodes. (B,L,D)Day 6 I Rhodes A day on the Island of Roses, famedfor its Medieval Old Town, great shopping and ancientsites. Only 20 miles from the Turkish coast, this islandis very popular with both vacationers and cruisepassengers for its lively entertainment, excellentbeaches, flowers, hills and historical sites. The islandhas a fairly active artists' colony, and it's notuncommon to come across a painter at work. Muchof its flavor and architecture arrived with the Knightsof St. John of Jerusalem, who occupied it from 1310-1522. In the capital, Rodos, see the medieval quarterof Old Town and the Agios Nikolas Tower, which standswhere the Colossus of Rhodes once stood. Optionalvisits are available to the Temple of Athena on themajestic Acropolis of Lindos, overlooking the Bay ofPaul or the Old Town and Philerimos. Sail in theevening. (B,L,D)Day 7 ICrete ISantorini This morning we make a callat Greece’s largest island, Crete. Here you have anoptional visit of Knossos and the Palace of King Minosor enjoy a taste of Crete. Later you sail for the volcanicisland of Santorini. The barren rocky cliffs rise straightout of the blue Aegean, their tops are dusted by whatat first looks like a sprinkling of snow. The snow takesthe shape of Cycladic buildings hanging precariouslyoff the hillsides. Santorini owes its geologicalpeculiarities to a massive volcanic explosion some3,500 years ago that blew out the center of the island.The cliffs that jut out of the sea are what's left of the

crater rim. The surrounding islands are what remain ofthe other sides of the crater, and the sea has filled inthe gaps, forming a beautiful bay. The island'sspectacular setting has made it one of the most visitedislands in Greece. (B,L,D)Day 8 I Athens I City Tour Disembark after breakfastin Piraeus, the seaport for Athens, the capital ofwestern civilization, which boasts a fantastic mix ofclassical ruins and vivacious modern life. Upon arrivalto Athens, we have a half-day guided city tour of Athenswhich includes a visit to the Acropolis. Athens boastsa fantastic mix of classical ruins and vivacious modernlife. We climb the hill of Acropolis to wonder at theParthenon, join the lively Athenians in ConstitutionSquare, and maybe later find a welcoming taverna forspirited bizouki music, plenty of ouzo to drink, andenergetic Greek dancing. The balance of day is atleisure. This evening we will have a farewell dinner in alocal restaurant. (B,D)Day 9 I Athens to USA or extend your stay with anoptional Classical Greece extension Morningtransfer to the airport for your return flight home. (B)OPTIONAL CLASSICAL GREECE EXTENSIONDay 9 I Athens I Olympia I City Tour After breakfastat your hotel we will pick you up to escort you toOlympia, a sanctuary of ancient Greece on thePeloponnese peninsula. This historic site is where thevery first Olympic Games were held in honor of Zeusand every four years thereafter throughout ClassicalAntiquity. Enjoy a visit to the museum and then dinneris included at your hotel in the evening. (B,D)Day 10 I Olympia I Tour of Mycenae & Epidaurus INauplion Today you will visit the ancient Greekcivilization of Mycenae, a military stronghold and majorcentre of the country from 1600 BC to 1100 BC. Youwill continue on to the city of Epidaurus which is knownfor its sanctuary, or asclepeion, which was a celebratedhealing center where ill people went with the hope ofbeing cured. Explore the giant theater in Epidaurus andthen dinner is included at your hotel in Nauplion in theevening. (B,D)Day 11 INauplion I Athens to USA Today you returnto Athens and will be transferred to the airport for yourflight home. Thank you for joining us on this extensionvacation escape! (B)

(B) – Breakfast, (L) – Lunch, (D) – DinnerHotel and Itinerary are subject to change.

Athens Patmos Crete