Time to rest or to start exploring the Hellenic capital. At 6 pm, meet your traveling companions for a welcome drink with your Tour Director.

Sightseeing with a Local Guide features a visit to the Parthenon’s crowning beauty atop the ACROPOLIS. The rest of the day is at leisure. Tonight, why not try out local fare and entertainment reminiscent of Zorba the Greek. (Breakfast)

Motor along the coast to the bridge crossing the spectacular Corinth Canal, then visit ANCIENT CORINTH, where St. Paul preached. Two more major features today: MYCENAE, where 19th-century excavations reveal impressions of the splendors so vividly described by Homer. Admire the Beehive Tombs, the Treasury of Atreus, Lion Gate, and the remains of Agamemnon’s Royal Palace. Then, a short drive to EPIDAURUS for a tour of its amazingly well-preserved 2,300-year-old open-air theater. Overnight in nearby Nauplia. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Spectacular scenery on the way through the Arkadian Mountains. Then, an afternoon in OLYMPIA, where the athletes of antiquity competed in honor of the king of deities. Learn about the history of those original Olympic Games as you walk among the impressive remains of the Gymnasium and the Temples of Hera and Zeus. Also visit the MUSEUM that displays Praxiteles’ magnificent statue of Hermes. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Drive to the busy seaport of Patras and proceed to mystic Delphi. The afternoon is devoted to a fascinating tour of the ancient sanctuary of the god Apollo in its dramatic setting on the slopes of Mount Parnassus. Hear about the Oracle and tour the EXCAVATIONS. End the day with a visit to the ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM to admire the Charioteer, an extraordinary 5th-century BC bronze statue. (Breakfast, Dinner)

North via Lamia and Trikala to Kalambaka in the unreal, fantastic landscape of Meteora with its 24 rock-top monasteries. Visit VARLAAM MONASTERY, famous for its frescoes, and ST. STEPHEN’S MONASTERY, featuring a unique collection of icons and an incredible panoramic view (ladies are suggested to pack one long skirt, as shorts or trousers may be inappropriate when visiting the monasteries). (Breakfast, Dinner)

Today’s highlight is a guided visit to THERMOPYLAE, the site of the heroic battle of Leonidas’ 300 doomed Spartans against Xerxes’ huge Persian army. On the way back to Athens, your Tour Director will tell you about Thebes, the setting of Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, and Marathon, where 10,000 Athenians defeated more than twice that number of Persian invaders in 490 BC. You can enjoy an optional dinner in a restaurant overlooking Microlimano in Piraeus. (Breakfast)

Morning at leisure. Later, head for Lavrio, where, at 4 pm you will sail into the deep blue waters of the Aegean Sea. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Plenty of time to get acquainted with the ship’s amenities as you cruise towards Istanbul. In the late afternoon, witness the spectacular passage through the Bosporus, a 20-mile strait separating Europe from Asia. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Full day at leisure or enjoy an optional excursion in this fascinating gateway between Orient and Occident, the Christian and the Islamic worlds. Sail from Istanbul in the early evening. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Cruise towards Izmir, situated in western Anatolia, and the second-largest port in Turkey. An optional excursion takes you to the fascinating Greek, Roman, and Byzantine excavations of Ephesus. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Two ports of call today. First, the tiny Greek island of Patmos, where St. John the Divine wrote the Revelation. Next, discover the mountainous island of Mykonos with its characteristic windmills and dazzling white houses. Time to wander at whim through narrow paved streets lined with trendy boutiques and shady tavernas before returning on board. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

All day is dedicated to the island of Rhodes. Explore the sights in the historic Old City with its ramparts and palaces built by the Knights of St. John during the Crusades. Another possibility – join an optional excursion to Lindos and Athena’s fabulous temple. And if sightseeing is not your thing, Rhodes’ sun-drenched public beaches and colorful shopping districts are within easy walking distance of the port. Sail from Rhodes around dinner time. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Early arrival in Heraklion on Crete. A few miles away is Knossos, the center of the 3000 BC Minoan civilization, and an optional excursion can be booked. This afternoon, call at Santorini (weather permitting), the “Black Pearl of the Aegean.” The optional shore excursion here takes you up to the cliff-top village of Thera for one of the world’s most breathtaking panoramas. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

After breakfast on board, disembark at Lavrio and return to Athens. The remainder of the day is free to catch up on last-minute shopping. (Breakfast)

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (Breakfast)