Grand Mediterranean Cruise

Athens, Olympia, Dubrovnik, Venice, Corfu & Santorini
plus Classical Greece optional extension

Our Grand Mediterranean and Greek Island Cruises are among the very best value-for-money vacations you'll find anywhere. You'll revel in the cultural riches and natural beauty of the Aegean and Adriatic Seas aboard the deluxe, state-of-the-art European Vision of Festival Cruises, the European Cruise Masters.

Our Mediterranean Cruises visit the popular and lovely Greek Islands of Corfu and Santorini, magnificent Venice and Bari in Italy and Dubrovnik in Croatia, known as the "pearl of the Adriatic." A bonus visit to Athens, the 2004 host to the Summer Olympic Games, tops off this fabulous Grand Mediterranean Cruise Tour. Extend your stay in Greece on our 4-day Classical tour featuring visits to the famous Greek cities of Corinth, Napflion, Olympia where the Olympic games were born in 776 BC, and Delphi.

Register now and enjoy a wonderful Grand Mediterranean Cruise Tour and Classical Greece Extension, all at prices that represent exceptional value for the money.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Depart USA. Your exciting Mediterranean tour begins this evening as you check-in for your Lufthansa jet flight bound for Athens (via Frankfurt, Germany).

Day 2 Athens. Early afternoon arrival in Athens, vibrant capital of Greece. After customs formalities, you'll be escorted to the port of Piraeus to board your cruise ship, the European Vision, your home for the next seven days. Settle into your comfortable and well-appointed cabin then enjoy dinner and entertainment, European-style. Dinner provided. European Vision.

Day 3 Katakolon (Olympia). Arrival this morning at Katakolon, founded in the 19th century and the best port for accessing Olympia, built for the games dedicated to Zeus, which today are known as the Olympics. On an optional shore excursion, visitors can still see the Temple of Zeus and the stadium. The Archeological Museum houses exquisite sculptures, including the famous "Winged Victory" by Paionios, "Hermes" by Praxiteles, and "Apollo" from the Temple of Zeus. Time permitting, enjoy an opportunity for shopping at the village of Olympia. Breakfast, lunch & dinner provided.

Day 4 Dubrovnik. This gorgeous city richly deserves to be called "jewel of the Adriatic." George Bernard Shaw once said, "those who seek paradise should come to Dubrovnik." Surrounded by a 1,000 year-old wall, it's an architectural marvel. Shore excursions are available to the Medieval Old City, where you'll see examples of the finest Dalmatian architecture and baroque building. Another optional shore excursion features a climb up the stairway leading onto the Walls, where you'll enjoy a spectacular panorama of the Old City, it's quaint rooftops and old fortresses. Or, visit the city at your own pace and enjoy some time for shopping and strolling. Breakfast, lunch & dinner provided.

Day 5 Venice. This is an incomparable city, full of romance and artistic treasure, which dazzles every visitor. Located at the heart of a 60 km long and 4 km wide basin and connected to dry land by a causeway, Venice is a city built on 118 small islands, separated by 200 canals and spanned by 400 bridges. Optional shore excursions include St. Mark's Square and the breathtaking St. Mark's Basilica, the Doge's Palace, where you'll view many masterpieces of Tintoretto and Veronese, and a romantic gondola ride gliding along the canals. Breakfast, lunch & dinner provided.

Day 6 Bari. This morning you'll relax and enjoy the many facilities aboard your ship as you cruise toward Bari, the second most important center in Southern Italy after Naples. Here you'll have an opportunity to visit one of the most picturesque towns in the world, Alberobello, where you'll find an abundance of "Trulli", unusual whitewashed stone circular houses made completely without mortar, with conical roofs painted with astrological or religious symbols. You'll also have an opportunity to visit the Grotti di Castellana, a series of subterranean caves containing breathtaking formations of stalactites and stalagmites, the largest complex of grottoes in all of Italy. Breakfast, lunch & dinner provided.

Day 7 Corfu. Located in the northwestern corner of Greece, Corfu is the greenest and in the eyes of many, the most beautiful island in the country, if not the world. With its picturesque landscape and delightful climate, Corfu has enchanted visitors throughout the ages. Explore Corfu on an optional shore excursion that includes a visit to the Achilleion Palace, built by the Empress Elizabeth of Austria. Admire the Terrace of the Muses, adorned with statues of the nine muses and the imposing figures of Achilles Victorious and Achilles Dying. Another optional tour takes you to Paleokastritsa Bay, one of the most gorgeous spots on the island. Visit the Monastery of the Virgin and enjoy a walking tour of the stunning Old Quarter, with narrow, cobblestone streets called "Kantounia." Return to the ship this afternoon and continue sailing for Santorini. Breakfast, lunch & dinner provided.

Day 8 Santorini. This striking island, with breathtaking panoramas and rugged landscapes, is actually a volcanic crater slightly immersed in the sea. The island is famous for its whitewashed houses, narrow streets, open-air cafes and glittering boutiques which cling to steep cliffs, accessible by foot, cable car or mule. Enjoy an optional tour of Santorini that takes you up along the rocky Caldera (volcanic crater). Visit the Museum in Fira town and a typical winery, where you'll have the opportunity to enjoy three of the island's most famous wines, served with delicious cheese. Return to the ship for a final evening at sea. Breakfast, lunch & dinner provided.

Day 9 Piraeus/Athens. Arrival at the port of Piraeus this morning and disembark. This morning we'll visit Athens, birthplace of Western Civilization, including the Parthenon, which rises above the city reflecting its ancient glory in its timeworn stone, Royal Palace, Pan Athenian Stadium, Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Acropolis and other sites. Continue to your centrally located hotel in the shadow of the Acropolis and a short walk from the Plaka. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. Divani Palace Hotel Breakfast & dinner provided.

Day 10 Athens. Enjoy the day at leisure to shop for treasures, stroll, and enjoy the sites and sounds of this exciting and cosmopolitan city. This evening after dinner, visit one of the typical tavernas in the Plaka for Greek music and entertainment. Breakfast & dinner provided.

Day 11 Greece/USA. Morning transfer to the airport for your flight to the USA. Your memorable Mediterranean journey ends as you arrive in the USA later today. Or, continue your tour in Greece on a wonderful Classical Greece Extension.

Classical Greece 4-Day Extension

Why not take advantage of your already included international airfare and add four days in Greece to visit the classical cities of Nafplion, Olympia, and Delphi? Your extension includes four nights in first class hotels, full buffet breakfast and dinner daily, guided touring and all entrance fees to places visited.

Day 11 Athens/Nafplion. We'll 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 illustrated than anywhere else in Europe. Here we'll visit Mycenae and 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 Nafplion for dinner and overnight. Hotel Amalia Nauplia Breakfast & dinner provided.

Day 12 Nafplion/Olympia. Following breakfast we'll drive inland to Arcadia via Tripoli and Megalopolis, where Epaminondas' most ambitious creation, a 21,000-seat theatre reputed to be the largest in all of Greece, was built. Continue to 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 until 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. Hotel Amalia Olympia Breakfast & dinner provided.

Day 13 Delphi. After breakfast we'll depart for Delphi, passing Rion, Antirion and picturesque Nafpaktos, where according to mythology, Hercules slew the Erymanthine boar and where we'll view the lovely circular Venetian harbor. En route we'll stop at the seaside of Eratini or Itea, then continue our drive to Delphi where we'll visit the Castalia Spring and the Sanctuary of Athena Promaia. Hotel Amalia Delphi Breakfast & dinner provided.

Day 14 Delphi/Athens. This morning we'll visit the Sanctuary of Apollo Pythios and the Museum. Later, we'll drive through the village of Arachova, renowned for its colorful rugs and carpets, to the Byzantine monastery of Ossios Loukas where we'll view it's beautiful mosaics. Continue to Athens via Levadia, which, under Turkish rule, became the second most important town in Greece after Athens, then on to Thebes, which out of jealousy, allied itself with the Persians against Athens in 479 BC and then suffered defeat at the hands of the Athenians. Divani Palace Hotel Breakfast provided.

Day 15 Athens/USA. Early this morning board your homebound flight via Zurich, Switzerland. Your magical journey to Greece ends as you arrive the USA later today.

Add $425 per person (plus $170 for single occupancy rooms) for the Classic Greece Extension.

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