go to Travelcades page
Preliminary News
Greece And The Greek Islands Travelcade
We have scheduled another exciting travelcade for you, with plenty of time for you to decide if you can join us. We are certain everyone will have a great time on this travelcade, as past reports of this tour have been very positive. We will again utilize Vantage Deluxe Travel, as they have provided us with excellent service, and especially with outstanding tours, in the past. They have all the details in place for the 2008 tours, but have not finalized dates and prices for 2009 yet. Thus we will base this and future articles on the 2008 tour, knowing there may be minor changes when they finalize their 2009 tours.
Our 15 day tour begins with a 4 night stay in Athens, Greece. Our city tours will include the massive Roman Temple of the Olympian Zeus, as well as the Acropolis, the limestone plateau topped by the spectacular Parthenon, along with a visit to the Acropolis Museum to see their beautifully carved statuary and marble friezes. From Athens we motorcoach in air-conditioned Mercedes' buses, accompanied by our Vantage archeological guide to Delphia, Greece, where the Oracle of Apollo resided, along with it's air of mystery and enchantment. The following day we will tour the Sanctuary of Delphi, located on the slopes of Mount Parnassus and explore the Temple of Apollo, and view olive groves in the Corinthian Valley. We will also visit the Museum of Delphi.
Our route then takes us past the ancient city of Argos, to Myenae, where we will enter the town by the Lion's Gate. Next we will arrive in the port of Piraeus, where we will board our chartered 48-passenger s/c Pantheon, one of the nicest sailing yachts exploring the Greek Islands, for our 7 night cruise. Following our Welcome Aboard cocktail party our ship sails past Cape Sounion where the white marble pillars of the Temple of Poseidon stand on a high promontory and are illuminated at night. The following morning we visit tiny Delor Island the mythical birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. Our next stop will be at Mykonos, where brilliant white houses and blue-tiled roofs form one of the prettiest vistas in the Aegean. The following day we explore the ancient civilization of Ephesus, Turkey (now Kusadasi). We'll see the Basilica of St. John and the ruins of the Temple of Diana. Our ship's next port of call will be on the island of Patmos, Greece, where we will tour the Grotto and Monastery of St. John. When we awake the following morning we'll be cruising among the beautiful Cyclades Islands, where the Aegean sun highlights soaring cliffs, white-washed villages and timeless ruins. We will stop in lovely Santorini, and take a cable car to the town of Fira; a stunning cluster of white buildings atop a cliff, where we will have a guided walking tour among Fira's narrow, picturesque streets.
We will continue our daytime cruising among the islands, being treated to a Greek cooking lesson on board. We then can take an optional tour of the village of Sifnos, once used by the Romans as a place for exiles, where olive trees grow everywhere. Next we will explore the picturesque island of Hydra, with it's cube-shaped tiled houses piled one atop the other, and perched dramatically upon the rocks. Following our Captain's Farewell Dinner we prepare to disembark in the morning, back in Athens, Greece.
We can return home, or take an optional 4-night post extension trip to the island of Crete. The 15 day tour begins at $4600 per person, with free air from New York, City. It includes 15 sightseeing tours and cultural connections, plus 29 meals, and all transfers and baggage handling overseas. An English speaking, Greek native will accompany is throughout the trip. The Crete extension is $850.
The opening day of this travelcade has not yet been determined. We would like you to e-mail us (hpeterson500@WMconnect.com) to let us know if you have any questions, or if you think you may be interested in joining us on this travelcade. That way we can let you know immediately, as final details become available to us.
You may phone us at 321-432-9038.
We also ask that you use this web site to find more information, as it becomes available.
Harry and Betty Peterson, Travelcade Leaders
e-mail address: hpeterson500@WMconnect.com
go to Travelcades page