Aegean Sea

Upon arrival, transfer to our elegant hotel, located in the heart of Istanbul.

Founded by the Greeks in the 7th century BC and named Byzantion, Istanbul was made the capital of the Roman Empire by Emperor Constantine in 324 CE, and became capital of the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century. Begin today’s tour at Topkapi Palace, the opulent residence of the Ottoman Sultans from the 15th to 19th centuries and the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire. Following lunch, continue to Istanbul's fascinating Grand Bazaar, a collection of over 4,000 vendors offering a variety of goods from carpets and jewelry to pottery and finely worked leather. This evening, enjoy a festive welcome dinner.

This morning, explore four of Istanbul's iconic monuments, all within half a mile of one another—the Blue Mosque, with its delicate azure tiles; the Hippodrome, once the arena for Byzantine chariot races; the Underground Cistern; and the Hagia Sophia, built as a Christian Church by Emperor Justinian in the 6th century, subsequently used as a mosque, and now a UNESCO Heritage Site. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before transferring to the port to embark our ship.

The port of Canakkale is our gateway to storied Troy, where excavations begun in the second half of the 19th century have revealed nine different layers of cities superimposed in rings. As Homer recounts in the Iliad, one of these cities is where the Greeks fought the Trojans over a period of ten years, before King Priam's city finally fell to the ruse of the Trojan Horse.

From Kusadasi on Turkey’s Aegean coast, drive to Ephesus, one of the world’s most celebrated archaeological sites. Renowned in antiquity as a center of worship of the mother-goddess Cybele, Ephesus was also one of the communities where St. Paul preached the gospel of Christianity. See the stunning facade of the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian, and the Theater, as well as more modest buildings that give a glimpse into the daily lives of the ancient Ephesians.

The rugged island of Patmos is where St. John the Evangelist was exiled during the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian and is said to have received visions of the Apocalypse, which later became the Book of Revelation. Explore the 11th-century Monastery of the Revelation with its enormous towers, belfries and battlements, and admire the artistry of the icons, manuscripts and fine embroideries enclosed within.

This morning begins on the sacred island of Delos, the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, center of the Delian League, and home to countless shrines and temples. A walking tour of this veritable open-air museum includes the Sacred Way, Sanctuary of Apollo, and the Terrace of the Lions. In the afternoon, enjoy time at leisure on the nearby island of Mykonos.  Its white cubic houses, windmills, and numerous chapels make Mykonos the quintessential Cycladic island.  Once a quiet fishing town, it is now a sophisticated island resort with smart cafes and boutiques.

During the Bronze Age, Santorini was a flourishing trading center inhabited by a prosperous and well-organized society. In the late 17th century BC, a massive volcanic eruption collapsed half of the island, creating the present caldera and burying its main town in a thick layer of ash and pumice. Tour the archaeological site at Akrotiri, where fallout from the eruption has preserved its houses, streets, and squares as they existed some 3,700 years ago. Explore the Museum of Prehistoric Thera, which displays artifacts from the site, including splendid examples of the wall paintings, pottery, and other household furnishings discovered there. Enjoy lunch overlooking the caldera before a drive to the northern tip of the island for an afternoon at leisure to explore the shops and cafés of picturesque and unspoiled Oia.

This morning, travel the short distance from port to the northeastern tip of Milos to visit the seaside town of Pollonia and the prehistoric site of Phylakopi, one of the earliest settlements in the Cyclades with strong Minoan and Mycenean influences. Stop in Plaka, the island's main town, to explore the ancient site there, including a Roman theater and catacombs. This is where the celebrated statue of Venus de Milo, now at the Louvre Museum, was found.

After breakfast aboard, disembark and transfer to the airport for flights homeward.