ATHENS, MYKONOS, EPHESUS, PATMOS, RHODES, SANTORINI, DELPHI, OLYMPIA AND CRETE
Explore spectacular Greece with extra time on the beautiful island of Crete! Embrace the spirit of this region, which gave birth to Western civilization, the Olympics, and the healthful Mediterranean diet! You’ll experience all of the Greek classics—seeing the Acropolis and Parthenon, sailing the sparkling-blue Aegean Sea, and stopping at mythical islands like Mykonos, and Santorini. During our stay in Crete, we’ll discover the island’s hidden gems like Rethymno, a lovely Renaissance city influenced by the Minoans, Venetians, Turks, and Cretans. Along the way, you’ll soak up the sun, breezes, and timeless vistas.
Shorten Your Trip! Enjoy our Spectacular Greece with Island Cruise tour visiting Greece’s highlights from Athens to Delphi to Olympia plus a 4-night cruise in the Mediterranean!
Did you know you can make this tour private? Find out about pricing and options
for groups of 15 or more travelers.
Itinerary at
a Glance
Tour Itinerary:
- 1 night in Athens
- 4-night Greek Island Cruise (including Mykonos, Crete, Santorini and more)
- 1 night in Delphi
- 1 night in Olympia
- 2 nights in Athens
- 3 nights in Crete
Tour Highlights
- 4-night Greek Island Cruise
- Mykonos
- Ephesus
- House of Virgin Mary (Ephesus)
- Patmos
- Rhodes
- Crete
- Santorini
- Mycenae
- Olympia
- Parthenon (Athens)
- Acropolis (Athens)
- Crete
Your Tour Includes
- Optional round-trip airfare from the New York area (varies by departure) including taxes, fees & fuel surcharges
- Intra-Greece ground transportation and transfers by air-conditioned motorcoach
- Accommodation at first-class and deluxe hotels
- 4-night Celestyal Cruise (includes unlimited non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks on board*, gratuities for crew and port charges)
- 24 meals: 13 full American breakfasts, 4 lunches, and 8 dinners
- Comprehensive sightseeing tours in Athens, Olympia, Delphi, and Rethymnon (Crete)
- Two included shore excursions and optional shore excursions available to purchase on board the cruise
- English-speaking guides (cruise escort and guide for land portion)
- Professional guides for included sightseeing tours
Max Group Size: 30 travelers
Activity Level: Level 3
Expect most included touring to require walking and standing periods of up to 4 hours at a time (up to 2 times per day). Included touring may feature hikes, stairs, and/or climbs which may be on hilly and/or uneven terrain at potentially high altitudes. Learn More
Pacing Level: Fast
Expect full-day tours most days with some limited free time at specific sites, for meals, and/or in the evenings. You can expect early mornings and/or long travel days by bus, and you may expect to stay in most accommodations for 1-3 nights. Learn More
New in 2024: ETIAS Visa Waiver Required for U.S. Passport Holders
A valid passport is required for international tours. Effective for travel in 2024, U.S. passport holders are required to apply for an ETIAS visa waiver. Please visit our Passports & Visas page to learn more about any required actions, next steps, and additional costs.
Most sites on the shore excursions and sightseeing include walking over uneven terrains and steps. It might not be best for those with walking difficulties. During the cruise, there are early wake-up calls as the touring starts as soon as the ship arrives at the port.
For more detailed information about this tour and destination, visit
our Before You Depart section.
Arrive today in Athens, the capital of Greece, and continue to our conveniently located hotel. After some time at leisure, we’ll come together for a welcome dinner.
Accommodations: Electra Palace Hotel or Hotel Divani Palace Acropolis or similar
Meals: Dinner
Sailing is the best way to see the idyllic Greek Islands, and today we’ll embark on four sun-kissed days and starry nights with the award-winning Celestyal Cruises! Refreshed with a sumptuous breakfast, we’ll journey to the port of Piraeus to board our ship and settle into the cruising lifestyle. Our first port of call is Mykonos, where iconic windmills and whitewashed homes harmonize with stylish restaurants and trendy clubs. You’ll have time to stroll through the town, explore shops and winding streets, and watch the local scene from a seaside taverna or café before heading back to the ship.
Accommodations: Celestyal Cruises
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This morning, we dock in Kusadasi, Türkiye, a short drive from Ephesus. Considered the world’s best-preserved classical city and famous for its Temple of Artemis, Ephesus is one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. We’ll return in time for lunch on the ship as we sail to scenic Patmos, a significant Christian pilgrimage destination and UNESCO World Heritage Site. See optional tours for information about an excursion to St. John’s Monastery and the Grotto of the Apocalypse. Dinner is on the ship.
Accommodations: Celestyal Cruises
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today’s port of call is beautiful Rhodes, home to a large medieval city that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a fascinating web of Byzantine, Turkish and Latin ruins. We’ll visit picturesque Lindos, where whitewashed houses are clustered beneath a clifftop acropolis dedicated to the goddess Athena. Here we’ll see the powerful fortifications that still stand today, including the Citadel of the Knights, a rare combination of Greek setting and Gothic architecture! We’ll continue sailing later today.
Accommodations: Celestyal Cruises
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Awaken to Crete, an island rich with history and culture. We’ll come ashore in the bustling capital Heraklion, where you can stroll the charming Lion’s Square, sample a bougatsa (local pastry) at a café or join an optional excursion to see the ruins of the Palace of Knossos.
Return to the ship in time for lunch, as we continue sailing to romantic and utterly breathtaking Santorini, set on a volcanic crater immersed in the sea. Santorini is actually a group of islands, and we’ll stop in Thira. You’ll fall in love with the whitewashed houses, narrow streets and outdoor cafes that line the steep cliffs, accessible by foot, cable car or mule. Consider an optional tour of the photogenic Oia Village. Return to the ship for a final night at sea.
Accommodations: Celestyal Cruises
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We bid farewell to the wonderful crew of our Celestyal ship near Athens and take off for a three-day road trip to the classical cities of mainland Greece. We’ll pass through several ancient towns, including Thebes (home of King Oedipus), on our way to Delphi, set majestically on the slopes of Mt. Parnassus, for a guided excursion. We’ll marvel at the ruins of Sanctuary of Apollo, walk the marble Sacred Way and admire the fourth-century BC theater still in use today, as well as see the glorious “Charioteer of Delphi,” one of the best known and preserved examples of classical bronze statues. This evening, our group enjoys an included dinner. B/D Amalia Hotel (or similar)
Accommodations: Amalia Hotel Delphi or similar
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Today we pass through the beautiful medieval town of Nafpaktos on our way to Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games. We’ll join a local expert to tour the archaeological site and museum at Olympia, where the games were conceived as a tribute to Hercules, son of Zeus. As an enduring link between the ancient games and today’s Olympics, the Olympic flame is still lit here in Olympia. We’ll view the impressive remains of the Gymnasium and the Temples of Hera and Zeus, as well as see the magnificent Hermes of Praxiteles, the most famous statue in the Olympia Museum. Later, our group will gather for an included dinner.
Accommodations: Hotel Europa Ancient Olympia or Olympion Asty Hotel or similar
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
On our way to Athens, we’ll visit the wonderfully preserved 2,300-year-old theater of Epidaurus. Our travels continue to ancient Mycenae, founded by Perseus and built with the help of the mythological Cyclops, or at least that’s what the poets say! We’ll see excavations that reveal the splendors vividly described by Homer. Sites include the Beehive Tombs, Treasury of Atreus, Lion Gate (Europe’s oldest known monument), remains of Agamemnon’s Royal Palace and the impressive fortifications of the Citadel. We’ll check-in at our city-center hotel later today.
Accommodations: Electra Palace Hotel or Hotel Divani Palace Acropolis or similar
Meals: Breakfast
Our guided morning tour takes you to the famed Acropolis, a must-see UNESCO World Heritage site described as the “most striking and complete ancient Greek monumental complex still existing in our times.” We’ll see the stunning Parthenon, dedicated to Athena, the Erechtheum with its graceful Porch of Caryatids, and the ruins of the Temple of Zeus before descending the Acropolis for a panoramic drive past the Royal Palace, government buildings and elegant homes of modern Athens. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure to explore Athens on your own. Our hotel is located within easy walking distance of Plaka, Athen’s lively old town. This evening, enjoy dinner together.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
After breakfast this morning, we'll fly to Heraklion on the island of Crete, the largest island in Greece. Crete is blessed with a rich history, beautiful landscapes, delectable food and wine, and great weather, making it the perfect last stop for our exploration of Greece. Upon arrival, we'll continue to our hotel with the rest of the day free to relax and enjoy the lovely weather.
Accommodations: Aquila Atlantis Hotel or similar
Meals: Breakfast
Today, we'll enjoy a full-day excursion of the Rethymno region including its capital city of the same name. Our first visit is to Arkadi Monastery, a UNESCO European Freedom Monument. We'll continue to Rethymno city, located on Crete's longest sandy beach on the north coast. Known by visitors as the island's "hidden jewel," Rethymno is the only well-preserved Renaissance town in Greece, famous for its literature and arts, and filled with archaeological sites. Since 1400 BCE, the Minoans, Venetians, Turks, and Cretans have all made their contributions to the old world charm we see today from the minarets, citadels, hilltop Fortezza, and winding narrow streets to the fishing harbor and lighthouse. We'll continue to Margaritis, a traditional village in Crete known for its pottery with green rolling hills. We'll have the chance to stroll down the charming, narrow streets and visit the ceramic ateliers before we return to our hotel in Heraklion for an evening at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast
Today is to enjoy at leisure. Consider joining an optional tour of Arolithos Village. Here you can learn from the masters while they create famous Cretan dishes which you can participate in before making your very own. After lunch, learn about the "Kompoloe" traditional and create your own worry beads.
Meals: Breakfast
Following breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Athens where our tour comes to an end. Travelers who purchased our air-inclusive program will connect with our return flight and will touch down in the U.S. later today.
We are working diligently to secure future tour dates and pricing for
this itinerary. Please fill out the "Request a Future Date" form
linked below, and we will notify you once dates are available.
Optional Tours
Customize your trip with these optional tours.
Enhance your trip with our recommended optional tours.
Indicated optional tours are available to pre-book
when you reserve your trip and can be added to your
reservation up to final payment. This is the best option
to guarantee your spot on your preferred optional tour!
Optional tours require a minimum number of participants.
Optional tours are non-refundable unless they do not operate.
Some optional tours can be purchased in-destination and
may cost extra. The payment methods and currency
information to purchase tours in-destination will be
provided on final documentation.
Tour the fortified Orthodox Monastery of St. John, which holds a beautiful chapel with 12th-century frescos. Halfway up the path to the monastery is the sacred grotto (cave), believed to be where St. John received his visions from Christ recorded in the Book of Revelation.
AVAILABLE TO PRE-BOOK!
Heraklion is the birthplace of the Minoan civilization, and this optional tour takes you to the colossal palace of Knossos. Its maze of 1,500 rooms is linked to King Minos and mythic characters such as the Minotaur and Labyrinth.
AVAILABLE TO PRE-BOOK!
On this optional tour, we'll see one of the greatest spectacles—Oia village perched on the rim of a caldera, the remains of a volcanic eruption. First, we'll head to Megalochori, one of the most authentic and unspoiled villages on the island. Megalochori has retained its distinctive architecture, character, and charm. We'll continue eastward through a number of small, traditional communities like Firostefani and Imerovigli until we arrive in Oia. Here, we'll have plenty of time to explore, stroll the marble-paved alleys, and visit adorable shops. During our visit, we can admire the traditional buildings carved into the rocks and unusual captain's manors, and the settlement of Ammoudi at the foot of the caldera.
AVAILABLE TO PRE-BOOK!
Traditional Cretan cuisine is considered to be one of the healthiest in the world. Here you can learn from the masters while they create famous Cretan dishes which you can participate in before making your very own. After lunch, learn about the "Kompoloe" traditional and create your own worry beads.
AVAILABLE TO PRE-BOOK!
Featured Accommodations
18- 20, N. Nikodimou Str.,
10557 Athens, Greece
Website
19-25 Parthenonos str. 11742 Athens, Greece
Website
Celestyal Cruises organizes a variety of cruises in the Mediterranean with older and renovated ships offering comfortable and modest accommodations. Celestyal prides itself as being a Greek company made up of local experts, offering travelers wonderful experiences on their shore excursions.
View Cabin Options and Deck Plans
Located at the foot of Mount Parnassus, this 180-room hotel features panoramic views to the sea from room balconies and public areas.
1, Apollonos Street, Delphi, 33054, Greece
Website
1 Drouva Ancient, Archea Olimpia 270 65, Greece
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Drouva Hill, PC 27065, Ancient Olympia, Greece
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Igias 2, Iraklio 712 02, Greece
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