Turkey, Greece & Roman Gems Cruise

Day 1 - Istanbul

Arrive: Sun 18 October 2026 / Depart: Sun 18 October 2026 at 17:00

Spanning Europe and Asia, exotic Istanbul is one of the world's most fascinating cities. Domes and minarets enhance the skyline. In the old Stamboul area, traces remain of every city built since the community was established over 600 years before Christ. Once Rome's eastern capital, Istanbul was also the center of the huge Ottoman Empire. Landmarks include Hagia Sophia, once Christendom's greatest church; the Blue Mosque with its striking Iznik tiles; Topkapi Palace, containing a sultan's ransom of treasures; Chora Church with its Byzantine mosaics; and the Grand Bazaar, the ultimate shopping experience.

Day 2 - Cannakkale

Arrive: Mon 19 October 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Mon 19 October 2026 at 18:00

Between 1865 and 1866, English explorer Frank Calvert and German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann began digging trenches through a hillock outside Canakkale and discovered layer upon layer of ancient cities. Ultimately nine cities that had thrived and fallen atop each other were identified with the legendary Greek city of Troy. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Day 3 - Izmir

Arrive: Tue 20 October 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Tue 20 October 2026 at 18:00

The magnificent Aegean coast features no shortage of appealing ports of call, and Izmir is a fine example thereof. The birthplace of Homer has grown into a thriving metropolis, filled with fine hotels along its sweeping bay. A fine Archaeology Museum and Ethnography Museum house a multitude of treasures and exhibits, while nearby resorts provide distractions of another sort. Earthquakes and fires over the centuries have obliterated most of ancient Smyrna, as it was once known, but remnants of the 4th-century fort atop Mt. Pagos still provide excellent views of the city and Gulf of Izmir.

Day 4 - Patmos

Arrive: Wed 21 October 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 21 October 2026 at 17:00

Deserted for centuries because of constant raids by pirates and the Turks, this tiny arid island was first settled in 1088 when the Emperor of Constantinople made it a gift to the monk Christodoulos Latrnos so that he could establish a monastery in honor of St. John the Divine on the site. Patmos has been a place of scholarship and religious enlightenment ever since. Today this modern pilgrimage site is a quiet respite from the tourist havens many other Greek isles have become.

Day 5 - Rhodes

Arrive: Thu 22 October 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Thu 22 October 2026 at 23:00

Best known of the Dodecanese Islands, Rhodes is a fascinating architectural patchwork of her past. Here the legacy of the ancient Greeks mingles with that of besieging Turks, crusading knights, and occupying Italians. Twin bronze deer, the symbol of Rhodes, guard the Mandraki Harbor where the 100-foot Colossus is said to have stood, a wonder of the ancient world. The medieval Crusader City is dominated by the Palace of the Grand Masters, while cobbled streets lead to the bustling bazaar and a lively harbor that is a center of the international yachting scene.

Day 6 - At Sea

Day 7 - Spetses

Arrive: Sat 24 October 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Sat 24 October 2026 at 17:00

Nicknamed “The Isle of the Aromas”, Spetsai is a delight to all of the senses. The island’s historic old town is a yachtsman’s paradise, boasting a stunning harbor, quaint shops and some of the finest restaurants in the Saronic Gulf. The rest of the island is relatively unpopulated and is ringed by a single road, along which you can travel in a horse-drawn carriage. As you pass by quiet, rolling hills, be sure to pause at one of the many quiet coves along the way to refresh yourself with a dip into the cerulean waters.

Day 8 - Athens

Arrive: Sun 25 October 2026 at 07:00 / Depart: Sun 25 October 2026 at 17:00

Piraeus has been the port for Athens since 482 BC. The busy harbor is filled with ferries and cruise ships making their way to the Greek Islands and other Mediterranean cities. The busy metropolis of Athens and its treasure trove of antiquities lie just a few miles from the port. Even as the reality of the modern city took hold, with its high-rise apartments, crowded sidewalks and bustling traffic, the beauty of the Acropolis, the outstanding museums, charming cafés, sidewalk markets and startling views come together in a cultural mosaic for all to enjoy.

Day 9 - Nafplion

Arrive: Mon 26 October 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Mon 26 October 2026 at 17:00

Held to be one of the loveliest small towns in all the islands, Navplion has a tradition and culture all its own. The sheltered location, below a rocky headland crowned by a Venetian fortress is perhaps unrivaled in Greece. After the Greek revolution of the early 19th century, Navplion served as the first modern capital. The neoclassical houses, large official buildings and carefully planned seafront streets all date from this period.

Day 10 - Katakolon

Arrive: Tue 27 October 2026 at 10:00 / Depart: Tue 27 October 2026 at 18:00

The small commercial port of Katakolon serves the inland town of Pyrgos as chief export center for grapes, raisins, regional fruits and vegetables that grow in the fertile hinterland. Fifteen miles in the distance lies Olympia, the sacred ancient site where the Olympic Games had their beginnings.

Day 11 - Corfu

Arrive: Wed 28 October 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 28 October 2026 at 18:00

A scant few miles off the Albanian coast lies the island of Corfu, one of the most richly endowed of all the Greek Isles. Praised by Homer in the Odyssey and selected by Shakespeare as the setting for "The Tempest," the island retains evidence of cultural heritage from each of its past rulers - Byzantium, Venice, France, Russia and Great Britain. Rolling acres of olive groves, small orchards of lemon and orange trees, tall cypress, oleander, and myrtle bushes lend a lush, verdant look to the island. While the oldest part of Corfu Town has cobblestone lanes so narrow only pedestrian travel is possible, the modern sector has wide avenues. Residents boast that its "Spianada" is the largest and most beautiful square in all Greece.

Day 12 - Sarande

Arrive: Thu 29 October 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Thu 29 October 2026 at 18:00

This important port on Southern Albania curls around a superb natural harbor, dominated by the hilltop 16th century Lekuresi Castle with distinctive round towers. In the town center are the ruins of a 5th century synagogue, later a Christian basilica, with remnant mosaic floors. Another picturesque ruin is the Forty Saints Monastery from the 6th century, which is thought to have been an important pilgrimage site. But the main attraction in southern Albania is the archaeological site of Butrint, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with extensive ruins of communities dating from prehistory, though the Greek and Roman eras, as well as the Byzantine period, until the medieval period.

Day 13 - At Sea

Day 14 - Naples, Italy

Arrive: Sat 31 October 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Sat 31 October 2026 at 18:00

There is saying among the Italians, "See Naples and Die," meaning that this city's splendor and magnificent vistas are so grand that life is not complete without visiting it. Whether you want to explore in the shadow of Mt. Vesuvius, experience the scenic wonders and hairpin curves of the Amalfi Drive, cruise across the bay to the fabled Isle of Capri, or shop for coral and cameos along Via Santa Lucia and in the Galleria Umberto, the passionate city of Naples has an attraction for every taste.

Day 15 - Rome

Arrive: Sun 01 November 2026 at 07:00 / Depart: Sun 01 November 2026 at 17:00

Your gateway to the Eternal City, Civitavecchia has served as Rome's seaport since the 13th century. The port has a long and venerable history. The emperor Trajan built a pleasure villa near the modern city, while Bernini and Michelangelo designed the harbor fortifications. Yet the Eternal City eternally beckons. The ancient capital of the Western World and the center of Christianity for nearly 2,000 years, Rome provides an inexhaustible feast. Visit the ruins of the Forum, view the splendors of the Sistine Chapel, or climb the Spanish Steps, once the heart of Rome's Bohemian Quarter. Rome has been a magnet luring the world's greatest artists, architects, and philosophers since the days of the Caesars.