Athens, Corinth and 4 day cruise of the Greek isles
Διάρκεια:8 Μέρες
Το ακόλουθο πρόγραμμα πραγματοποιείται μόνο για γκρουπ άνω των 20 ατόμων. Μεμονωμένοι ταξιδιώτες δε μπορούν να συμμετέχουν.
2024 ARRIVAL DAY TO ATHENS | |
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MARCH | 26 |
OCTOBER | 29 |
DAY 1: FRIDAY: ATHENS - ARRIVAL
Arrival in Athens, the birthplace of Western Civilization and a vibrant city! After your transfer to the hotel, check-in and enjoy free time to explore the city. By day, the Attica light will lead you to streets filled with history and colors, and by night, stroll through the numerous restaurants and taverns and discover the rich culinary tradition.
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DAY 2: SATURDAY: ATHENS CITY TOUR
Enjoy a morning sightseeing tour of Athens. Climb up to the marble-capped Acropolis, the sacred rock of Athens and citadel of the city in antiquity. We become time travelers by visiting the famous Parthenon and the Erechtheion. Then, we go to the nearby Mars' Hill (Areopagus) to read Acts 17:22 where Paul gave his famous speech to the Athenian philosophers (Acts 17:18-34) and spoke about “an unknown god”. We view the ancient Agora of Athens from the Acropolis, before visiting the Acropolis museum, which was built to house every artifact found on the Acropolis, from the Greek Bronze Age to the Roman and Byzantine period. Our tour continues with the highlights of modern Athens: we pass by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Parliament House, the Academy, the University of Athens, the National Library, the Panathenaic Stadium, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian’s Arch and much more. Return to the hotel in the afternoon. Rest of the day is free for you to explore the city of Athens. Overnight at hotel.
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DAY 3: SUNDAY: CORINTH FULL DAY TOUR
Today we depart at 8:00 a.m. for our excursion out of Athens, which takes us by the Saronic Gulf, where in 480 BC the course of history was changed! The small Grecian fleet managed to defeat the enormously powerful armada of the Persians. From here, we arrive at ancient Corinth (Acts 18:1-18) via the historic Corinthian Canal. It was to this megalopolis where the Apostle Paul came and worked, establishing a thriving church, subsequently sending two of his epistles, now part of the New Testament. Here, we see all of the sites associated with his ministry: the Agora, the Temple of Apollo, the Roman Odeon, the Bema and Gallio’s Seat. The small archaeological museum here is an absolute must! Enjoy lunch in a local restaurant before returning to Athens via Cenchrea, an ancient port where Paul sailed for Ephesus.
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DAY 4: MONDAY: ATHENS – MYKONOS, GREECE
Transfer to the port and embark on your 4 day cruise! Lunch on board. Arrive at 06:00 pm in Mykonos and enjoy your evening walking and exploring the pebbled streets of the cosmopolitan Chora or have a coffee in “Little Venice”. Sail for Kusadasi, Turkey at 11:00 pm. Dinner & overnight on board ship.
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DAY 5: TUESDAY: KUSADASI, TURKEY – PATMOS, GREECE
At 07:00 am our cruise-ship docks at Kusadasi in Turkey, the starting point for an optional excursion to the ancient city of Ephesus, where the Apostle Paul preached and lived for three years (Acts 18:19-21). Free time for souvenir shopping in Kusadasi before we set sail at 01:00 pm for Patmos, Greece. Lunch on board. At 04:30 pm arrival in Patmos (disembarkation by tender-boats, sea & weather permitting). It is here that the Apostle John wrote the Book of Revelation (Rev 1:9). Don’t miss an optional guided visit to St. John’s Monastery and the Grotto of the Apocalypse. Sail to Heraklion, Crete at 09:30 pm. Dinner & overnight on board ship.
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DAY 6: WEDNESDAY: RHODES, GREECE
At 07:00 am our cruise-ship docks in Rhodes. Enjoy an optional morning excursion to Lindos, situated 55 km (40 miles) from the town of Rhodes, where we visit the ruins of the Acropolis of Lindos with the ancient Temple of Athena, built in 300 BC. In the center of the village, you will find the Church of the Virgin Mary (Panagia) of Lindos, with frescoes from the 15th century. In the medieval walled town of Rhodes, walk through D’Amboise Gate to the Street of the Knights where you will find the residences of the Knights separated according to Order and bearing their corresponding crests until today. Return to ship for lunch on board. Set sail for Santorini at 06:00 pm with dinner & overnight on board ship.
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DAY 7: THURSDAY: SANTORINI, GREECE
At 07:00 am, arrive in Santorini (disembarkation by tender-boats, sea & weather permitting). Optional guided visit to the beautiful and picturesque village of Oia where you can see the famous blue domed churches, or take the cable-car to the capital town of Fira, perched high on the rim of the ancient volcano. Free time for taking photos, browsing, shopping and enjoying the breathtaking view of the caldera. Sail for Athens at 08:00 pm. Dinner & overnight on board ship.
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DAY 8: FRIDAY: ATHENS, GREECE
At 06:00 am arrive at Athens. Disembark after breakfast and transfer to the airport for your departure flight home. We hope the memories of Greece bring you back to this country once more!
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