Greece

Flight from Montreal to Athens.

Welcome to Athens, capital of Greece! Upon arrival at the airport, meet your English-speaking guide and transfer to your hotel.

Rest of the day at leisure.

Night in Athens.

Breakfast at the hotel.

We continue to Athens for a city tour.
Discover the monuments of historic Athens, including the Acropolis and the new Acropolis Museum.

Athens is a city of memorable contrasts. The past and present of Athens unfold before your eyes as we tour the city’s landmarks and monuments such as the Temple of Zeus, the ancient stadium, Syntagma Square, the Parliament and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Academy, the Library, and the National Gardens. On the natural fortress of the Acropolis, reinforced by the hand of man, stand the Propylaea, the Temple of the Winged Victory, the Erechtheion with the Porch of the Caryatids and, dominating the whole, the majestic Parthenon. A winding path leads to the treasure of antiquity. A few meters from the entrance to the Acropolis and the ancient theater of Dionysus, the Acropolis Museum, built on the pedestrian walkway of Dionysiou Areopagitou Street, seems to be suspended between the past and present of Athens.

Overnight in Athens.

Breakfast included.

Embark on a wonderful 4-night cruise to the Greek islands and Turkey. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served daily on board.

Mykonos, the whitewashed gem of the Cyclades, is your first stop. This charming mountainous island is known for the hundreds of small chapels, whitewashed buildings and beautiful windmills that dot its landscape.

Stroll through the town of Mykonos, where mazes of narrow streets connect the whitewashed buildings and traditional life continues amidst the bustling activity.

Enjoy free time to explore this little paradise in the middle of the Aegean Sea.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner on board included.

Arrive at the Turkish port of Kusadasi, where you will visit Ephesus, one of the most complete ancient cities ever excavated. Excavations have revealed great monuments of the Roman imperial period, including the Library of Celsus and the Great Theater. Little remains of the famous temple of Artemis, one of the “seven wonders of the world”, which attracted pilgrims from all over the Mediterranean.

Continue your cruise to the beautiful and spiritual island of Patmos where, in 95 AD, St. John the Theologian – one of the twelve disciples of Jesus – was sent into exile. St. John stayed on the island for eighteen months during which time he lived in a cave under the perched temple of Diana. In this cave there is a small hole in the rock wall, from which flowed a series of oracular messages that Prochoros, a disciple of St. John, transcribed as the biblical chapter of the Apocalypse. During his stay in the sacred cave, now known as the Holy Cave of the Apocalypse, St. John also composed the fourth gospel. We will visit the Monastery of St. John the Theologian, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where we will see the Holy Cave as well as icons and manuscripts.

Afterwards, return to the port of Scala and enjoy free time in this picturesque port.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner on board included.

Breakfast at the hotel, departure for a full day tour.

Located in the western Peloponnese, ancient Olympia was one of the most sacred and glorious sanctuaries of the ancient world. And although only the foundations of many of its structures remain, it is still one of the most evocative archaeological sites in Greece. Capturing all the spirit of the Olympic Games, it is also the place where the Olympic flame is lit in commemoration of the Games that originated and were held here every four years for 1,000 years. The most important building in Altis was the huge Doric temple of the fifth century BC dedicated to the king of the gods. It housed the statue of Zeus by Phidias for over 800 years. A column of the temple has been restored, which allows us to appreciate its size. Passing under a stone archway, you enter the remains of the ancient stadium, which once housed over 45,000 spectators. It is mind-blowing to be able to line up on the track (measuring 192.27 m), just as the country’s best athletes did thousands of years ago. Nearby are the judges’ seats. Leaving Olympia behind, we head for Rion. Passing through Patras, Greece’s gateway to the west, we will catch our breath when we reach the award-winning “state-of-the-art” suspension bridge connecting Rion to Antirion. Spanning a 3 km wide straight line across the Gulf of Corinth, the bridge is believed to have the longest continuous, fully suspended deck in the world. We drive to the omphalos or “navel of the earth”, according to the ancient Greeks, Delphi.

Dinner at your hotel and overnight in Delphi.

Breakfast and dinner included.

Early morning arrival in the beautiful Rose Island, Rhodes Island located in the southeastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. The island of Rhodes is visited by hundreds of tourists every year as it offers a combination of great historical sites, wonderful beaches, lively nightlife and beautiful shopping areas.

You will visit the Acropolis of Lindos and the Citadel of the Knights – the old center of Rhodes city.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner on board included.

Breakfast at the hotel and exploration of Delphi.

Delphi is the famous oracle where the priestess of Apollo, Pitia, influenced, with her prophecies, the history of the cities and states of antiquity.

Visit the archaeological site and the museum.

The museum houses an impressive collection associated with ancient Delphi, including the oldest known notation of a melody, the famous chariot driver, golden treasures found under the Sacred Way and fragments of reliefs from the Treasury of Siphnia. Near the exit is the inscription that mentions the Roman proconsul Gallion. The reference to the proconsul Gallion in the inscription provides an important point of reference for developing a chronology of the life of the apostle Paul by linking it to the trial of Paul in Achaia mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles (18, 12-17).

We continue to the city of Kalambaka.

Dinner at the hotel and overnight in Kalambaka.

Breakfast and dinner included.

In the morning, the ship will dock at the port of Heraklion on the island of Crete. In Heraklion, Paul met the owner and captain of the ship, who advised him to continue his journey to Rome. You can take a tour to the Palace of Knossos, the center of Minoan civilization.

After dinner, the ship will sail to the most beautiful island in the Aegean known as the “Black Pearl of the Aegean”, the volcanic Santorini where we will enjoy the breathtaking panoramic view.

Disembarkation in Santorini and transfer to hotel for check-in.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast and lunch on board and dinner at the hotel included.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Day at leisure.

The power of this volcanic island creates an energy that overwhelms the senses. Often considered one of the most beautiful islands in the world, it is certainly the pearl of the Greek islands and the Cyclades. Visit Akrotiri, which was buried under volcanic ash between 1625 and 1450 BC. Fira’s museum features notable discoveries testifying to the island’s long history and prominent presence. The town of Fira is the capital of Santorini, and a stroll through its labyrinthine streets is a must!

Overnight in Santorini.

Breakfast at the hotel included.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Transfer to the port of Santorini to board the high-speed boat for the island of Naxos.

On arrival in Naxos, transfer to your hotel.

Rest of the day at leisure.

Night in Naxos.

Breakfast at the hotel included.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Day at leisure.

A walk through time to discover the life of another era, an unforgettable experience of the island of Naxos which is much more than beaches and relaxation by the sea. Enter the Venetian castle through the south gate (Paraporti) and stroll through the colorful, flower-filled alleyways, admiring architectural constructions from another era and immersing yourself in a medieval atmosphere that still echoes the past. Stroll past the group of Ursuline nuns and the school, and enter the CAFÉ “1739” located on the terrace of the Ursuline nuns’ dormitories, to enjoy the most spectacular view of Naxos town and its surroundings. Then walk to the Catholic Cathedral and the East Gate. Through the maze of narrow, characteristic alleys, we reach the north gate “Trani Porta”, then all the streets lead to the port of Naxos and you feel you’ve become a piece of Naxos history.

Night in Naxos.

Breakfast at the hotel included.

Breakfast at the hotel.

After breakfast, transfer to the port of Naxos to board the ferry to the island of Paros.

On arrival in Paros, transfer to your hotel.

Rest of the day at leisure.

Night in Paros.

Breakfast at the hotel included.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Day at leisure.

The town of Parikia is also known as Hora, the island’s capital. Built on the remains of the ancient city, it is the island’s cultural and commercial center. Parikia is built amphitheatrically around the harbor and features typical Cycladic architecture, with whitewashed, flat-roofed, cubic houses with sober architectural lines and colorful wooden doors, windows and balconies. At the entrance to the port, a superb whitewashed windmill welcomes visitors and is the trademark of Paros. The church of Panagia Ekatontapiliani is one of the best-preserved early Christian monuments in Greece.

Overnight in Paros.

Breakfast at the hotel included.

Breakfast at the hotel.

After breakfast, transfer to the port of Paros to board the high-speed catamaran for the port of Piraeus in Athens.

On arrival in Athens, transfer to your hotel.

Rest of the day at leisure.

Night in Athens.

Breakfast included.

Breakfast at the hotel.

After breakfast, transfer from the hotel to Athens International Airport for your flight home.

Breakfast at the hotel included.