Have a little more time? Want to see Santorini too, Greece's most famous island? Check out our Athens & 4 Day Greek Isles Cruise!

Athens is the city where past meets present and east meets west, and where you will begin your magical visit to Greece this Fall. Enjoy three nights in the city that is known as the birthplace of Western civilization, then sail off into the Greek world of sparkling blue waters, Mediterranean sunshine and ancient islands full of history, myth, and ancient wonders.

Our package includes flights, superior hotel accommodations in Athens for two nights, a Greek Island cruise for three nights, buffet breakfast daily, all meals aboard the cruise, and transfers. Explore Athens and the islands on your own, or take interesting and inexpensive optional tours. All the flexibility and fun is yours for incredibly low prices, starting at just $999 including airfare. Take advantage of an inexpensive and exciting Classic Greece extension from $549 per person.

Greece Fall '07-Spring '08 Special
Tour Program

Day 1: Depart USA. Your exciting journey to Athens, Greece, begins this evening as you check in for your overnight jet flight via scheduled carriers.

Day 2: Arrive Athens. You'll be met by our representative and then escorted to your centrally located hotel within a short distance of Constitution Square and the famous Plaka (Old Town). Athens, the birthplace of western civilization, once hailed as the Paris of the Mediterranean, is now a bustling modern city, a colorful tapestry of eastern and western influences, full of outdoor cafes, pedestrian streets, parks and gardens, street bazaars, dilapidated mansions and ancient ruins. Grecotel Athens Imperial Hotel

Day 3: Athens, Piraeus & Mykonos. Transfer to Piraeus this morning to board your Greek Island cruise ship, the luxurious MV Aquamarine of Louis Cruise Lines. Spend the afternoon enjoying the sun, warm seabreezes, pool and shipboard facilities. Arrive at Mykonos later this afternoon, where chic crowds flock to the island's trendy restaurants, discos and clubs each night, and where you can sit seaside, sipping ouzo and watching the sunset while listening to traditional Greek music.

Before heading back to the ship, enjoy a stroll through Mykonos town with its labyrinth of winding alleyways and whitewashed buildings, basket-laden donkeys, cascading geraniums and upscale shops and cafes. Please note that in November and March, arrival at Mykonos (about 6:00 pm) is after sunset. (B,L,D)

Day 4: Rhodes. Today you'll visit Rhodes, the beautiful "Island of Roses". In the heart of the island's biggest city, also named Rhodes, is the largest inhabited medieval town in Europe, a fascinating web of Byzantine, Turkish and Latin ruins. Its mighty fortifications provide the finest surviving examples of defensive architecture of the time. Lindos, with its whitewashed houses clustered beneath a soaring castle-capped acropolis, is Rhodes' most picturesque village and most important Doric settlement because of its natural harbor and vantage point built 125 meters above sea level. Wander about on your own or take advantage of several optional tours. Late this afternoon, return to your cruise ship to continue sailing to Patmos. (B,L,D)

Day 5: Patmos & Kusadasi, Turkey. Arrive at Patmos this morning and disembark at Skala harbor, a lively place with whitewashed houses, flowered courtyards, tavernas and shops. The Island of Patmos is famous in history as the place where St. John wrote the Book of Revelation. An optional tour takes you to the cave where St. John lived and the nearby Monastery, built on one of the island's highest points, housing priceless icons and manuscripts in its Treasury.

Return to the ship in time to enjoy lunch as you sail to Kusadasi in Turkey. Just ten kilometers from the port of Kusadasi, you'll find the ancient city of Ephessos, where you'll find an archaeological site that ranks among the wonders of the world. Explore this fascinating town where history truly comes to life on an optional tour that includes the the Great Theatre of Ephessos, which had a capacity of 25,000 people, and the Library of Celsus dating from 135 A.D. Later this evening, return to your ship to enjoy your last night aboard your cruise. (B,L,D)

Day 6: Piraeus & Athens. Disembark from your ship at Piraeus. Enjoy a full day to explore Athens.  Or, continue on our Classical Greece Tour (see below). Your hotel in Athens is ideally located in the heart of the city, within short distance of many major attractions, as well as the best shopping and dining.  To make the most of your visit and enrich your experience, our representatives will offer you a chance to join some exclusive optional excursions to the city's highlights as well as memorable evening activities (see below). Our Athens representatives will be glad to make suggestions if you prefer to explore independently.  We suggest an evening at the Plaka, where you'll find typical Greek tavernas complete with music and celebratory throwing of plates. It's an experience not to be missed! Grecotel Athens Imperial Hotel (B)

Day 7: Athens/USA. Today you'll be escorted to the airport and bid farewell to Athens as you board your return flight. Your journey comes to an end as you arrive in the USA later today. (B)

Classical Greece Extension

Why not take advantage of your already-included international airfare and visit the classical cities of Mycenae, Olympia, and Delphi? Your extension includes superior hotels, most meals and guided touring of the most fascinating of the classical cities of Greece.

Day 6: Athens, Mycenae & Olympia. Early morning arrival at Piraeus and disembark from your ship. Board your touring coach and begin a tour of the classical cities of Greece. Drive across the Corinth Canal, which connects the Ionian Sea with the Aegean, to the Peloponnesian Peninsula, where 4,000 years of history are more fully and comprehensibly illustrated than anywhere else in Europe. Here we'll visit the famous theater of Epidaurus, the best preserved in Greece, which reached the height of its fame in the 5th & 4th centuries B.C. The acoustics are so perfect that even from the last of the 55 tiers, every word can be heard. Continue to ancient Mycenae, which, according to the poets, was founded by Perseus and built with the aid of the mythological Cyclops. Drive on to Olympia, birthplace of the Olympic games, for dinner and overnight. Hotel Amalia Olympia (B,D)

Day 7: Olympia, Nafpaktos & Delphi. This morning we'll tour the archeological site and museum at Olympia, where the Olympic games were conceived as a tribute to Hercules, son of Zeus. These games were the most important international event in the Hellenic world from 776 B.C. to 393 A.D. and continue today, with the lighting of the Olympic flame that is carried by runners throughout the world. Visit the Sanctuary of the Olympian Zeus and the Museum. This afternoon we drive via Patras to Rion, Antirion and picturesque Nafpaktos, where according to mythology, Hercules slew the Erymanthine boar and where we'll view the lovely circular Venetian harbor. Continue our drive to Delphi for dinner and overnight. Hotel Amalia Delphi (B,D)

Day 8: Delphi & Kalambaka. After breakfast we'll explore the ancient site of Delphi, located on the slopes of the breathtaking Mount Parnassus, in a landscape of unparalleled beauty and majesty. Here lie the ruins of the Sanctuary of Apollo Pythios, the Treasury of the Athenians, the Temple of Apollo and the museum, which contains masterpieces of ancient Greek sculpture including the famous bronze Charioteer.The site had been sacred since at least the Bronze Age. According to legend, the shrine was originally guarded by the she-dragon Pytho. She was killed by Apollo who then took over the oracle. In antiquity, Delphi was regarded as the center of the world. Later, we'll depart for the small town of Kalambaka, built at the foot of the majestic gray rocks, at the point where river Pinios leaves the Pindos Mountain. Hotel Amalia Kalambaka (B,D)

Day 9: Meteora & Athens. This morning we will visit the spectacular Meteora monasteries, perched upon the summits of some precipitous and isolated rocky pinnacles, which rise above the almost flat valley of the Pinios river, 9 km beyond Kalambaka. The monastic history of Meteora goes back to the 11th century AD, when the monks constructed inaccessible eagle's nests in the crannies of these rocks and today, four are still occupied. Later this afternoon we'll drive back to Athens, via Thermopylae, famous battleground from the Persian wars. Arrive in Athens and check in at our centrally located hotel. Grecotel Athens Imperial Hotel (B)

Day 10: Athens/USA. Today you'll be escorted to the airport and bid farewell to Athens as you board your flight back home. Your exciting journey comes to an end as you arrive in the USA later today. (B)

Optional Tours in Athens

Optional tour prices are quoted in Euros (€). Click here to check the current exchange rate.

Half-day Athens
Enjoy a morning tour of the principal modern and classical sights including Constitution Square, the Panathenian Stadium (site of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896), the Presidential Palace, The Roman Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Parthenon with its many monuments atop the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum. (€43)

Destination FAQs

For quick answers to Frequently Asked Questions about travel to Greece, click here.

Louis Cruise Lines MV Aquamarine

Click here for specifications, deck plans and more photos of the ship.

The luxury cruise ship MV Aquamarine is Louis Cruise Lines' most recent acquisition. With her chic and modern design and array of amenities and comforts typical of those of an upscale hotel, the MV Aquamarine provides the perfect floating base for exploring the beauty of the Greek Isles.

With in 525 spacious staterooms and suites, the MV Aquamarine can carry over 1200 passengers. Her 339 outside staterooms, most with large windows and some with balconies, and 186 inside spacious staterooms, all above sea level, are tastefully decorated and equipped with individually controlled air-conditioning, ample closet space, private bathroom, radio,  and telephone.

Specifications
Length: 531 ft.	Breadth: 83 ft.
Tonnage: 25,611 tons	Cruising Speed: 17 knots
Passenger Capacity: 1278	Passenger Decks: 7
Total Inside Cabins: 186	Total Outside Cabins: 339

Greece Fall '07-Spring '08 Special
Included Features

• Round trip flights from New York via scheduled carriers (other gateways available upon request) (flight schedule)

• 2 nights superior hotel accommodations at the Grecotel Athens Imperial Hotel. On some departures, groups will stay at Divani Palace Acropolis or Divani Caravel Hotel.

• 3 nights aboard the Louis Cruise Lines MV Aquamarine

• Buffet breakfast daily in Athens and all meals aboard the cruise

• On the Classical Greece extension, 3 nights accommodations at the Superior First Class Amalia Hotels in Olympia, Delphi and Kalambaka

• On the Classical Greece extension, buffet breakfast and dinner daily (except in Athens)

• All transfers

• Professional, English-speaking tour host throughout

Alternate Gateways: Included flights are from New York (JFK). Departures from other cities at low through fares may be available upon request. Please call us at 800-555-5765 to check availability from alternate gateways.

Shop & Compare

Our tours may look similar to others you've seen, but we invite you to shop & compare. There are important differences that make Friendly Planet tours the best you can find.

No Compromise on Quality: Despite our extraordinary prices, there are no compromises on our Athens & Greek Islands cruise/tours. In Athens and on our Classical Greece extension, you'll stay in Superior First Class, centrally located hotels that are noted for their amenities and service.

Included Features:  Your transfers are all included, not expensive extras as in other tours.

Credit Cards or Cash :  You asked, and we listened! Whether you pay by check, money order or your favorite major credit card, your tour price on this tour is the same. No extra cost to charge your dream vacation to Greece. Credit Card Authorization Form.

Personal Service: Most important of all, the extra ingredient that makes our tours stand apart from others—the wonderful, personal attention you'll receive from our friendly staff in the USA and our representatives in Greece —is completely free of charge. Compare our Greece programs to others, feature for feature. You'll see for yourself that ours are the very best value for money you'll find anywhere.

Flight Schedule: Click here for a full flight schedule.

Transfers: Transfers for this tour are provided on a group basis only. For land-only passengers or for passengers deviating in any way from the group program, transfers are not provided. Individual, private transfers can be arranged at a supplement in price. Taxis and other forms of transportation are also available and may cost less than private transfers. If you wish to arrange private transfers, please request this service at the time of reservation.

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* Prices shown are good while inventory lasts, may reflect an early booking discount, and do not include Additional Taxes, Fees & September 11th Security Fee.

Though we do our best to provide accurate and up-to-date information on our site about our tours, sometimes oversights and typographical errors can occur. Please confirm all tour prices and details with us via email or phone prior to booking. We will not be held responsible for misunderstandings arising from such errors.

TourCode: d-000