Land & Cruise Tour
Moderate pace with leisurely intermittent walks up to 2 hours on a variety of terrain, including cobblestones and moderate hills. Must be able to climb at least two flights of stairs, negotiate steps without railings and tolerate periods of standing during guided tours. Some days may include 3–5 km of walking over the course of the day.
We depart for Istanbul, via Frankfurt.
Transfer to our hotel with the rest of the day free to wander the city.
The day starts with a visit to the 17th-century Spice Bazaar or the Rustem Pasha Mosque. Then it’s a cruise along the Bosphorus, a visit to a leather workshop, and a tour of the oldest parts of the city. Afternoon at leisure to discover museums, churches, palaces, and picturesque corners of the city.
On today’s city tour, we’ll visit the Hagia Sophia Mosque, the Blue Mosque, and the Roman Hippodrome. Afternoon is free to shop the Grand Bazaar or explore.
We fly to Ankara with time to explore the city and visit the Mausoleum of Atatürk, founder of the Turkish republic. Then we drive to Cappadocia, stopping at Saratli, a fascinating underground city.
Today is your chance to take an optional hot air balloon ride and admire one of the planet’s most beautiful landscapes. Then we’re off for a full-day tour of Cappadocia, visiting the Goreme Valley, an incredible Byzantine monastic complex made up of churches excavated in rock, the troglodyte villages of Uchisar, the fairy chimneys of Urgup, the chimneys of Pasabag, Ortahisar and Avanos, a potter’s village, and a Turkish rug factory.
Today we drive to the Anatolia region, with a stop at Kervansaray, a historic complex for merchants traveling along the Silk Road. We continue to Pamukkale, which, paired with Hierapolis, is another UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The day begins with a visit to ancient Hierapolis and the Cotton Castle, a natural wonder of white waterfalls and natural pools formed by calcareous hot spring waters. Afternoon at leisure to enjoy the thermal springs at our hotel.
Today takes us to Ephesus, the best-preserved ancient city in Asia Minor. On the way, we’ll stop at the House of the Virgin Mary, believed to be her last resting place. In Ephesus, we will see the Temple of Hadrian, the Roman Baths, the Library, the Odeon and the Theatre, then proceed to our hotel in Izmir in time for dinner.
After breakfast, we board our cruise ship. Our first top is Patmos, the quiet island where Saint John the Evangelist lived during his exile from Rome.
We arrive in Rhodes, the largest Greek island, and visit the city of Lindos to see the Acropolis with its ancient temple to Athena—and spectacular views of the coast. We’ll explore Lindos, then make our way to the old city of Rhodes to see the imposing medieval Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes.
We dock in the Cretan port of Heraklion, with free time to visit the Palace of Knossos, famous for the legendary labyrinth of King Minos. You can also check out the Koules Fortress, Morosini Fountain, Basilica of Saint Mark and Church of Agios Titos. Then it’s back to the ship as we sail to Santorini, where you’ll have free time to wander past its whitewashed houses, open-air cafés and pretty shops.
We disembark in Athens, transfer to our hotel, and take a guided city tour, exploring ancient monuments and intriguing neighbourhoods, getting a taste of everything this incredible city has to offer. The afternoon is at leisure to explore the Acropolis Museum or wander through Plaka, the most famous Athenian neighbourhood.
After breakfast, we take a picturesque drive to Delphi, famous for its magnificent Temple of Apollo and the Oracle of Delphi. You’ll have time to explore the archaeological site and the fascinating museum.
Morning at leisure before we head to the airport for our flight home.
You may cancel your tour up to 60 days prior to departure (90 days prior for tours requiring a visa, cruises or rail journeys) for any reason, and receive a full refund of your deposit / payment (less the $75 administration fee).
Cancellation & trip interruption insurance included!
Included in the cost of your tour is our Cancellation Insurance Policy, which provides coverage in case of emergency injury or illness (including Covid), right up to your date of departure (terms and conditions apply).
Our Manulife Out-of-Country Health Insurance Plan covers expenses related to Trip Interruption in case of emergency injury or illness. For tours within Canada, Senior Discovery Tours will cover such expenses (terms and conditions apply to all policies).
