Women-Only: Spectacular Greece with Island Cruise

From
  • $3,499
  • 11
    Days
Book Now Request Info

ATHENS, MYKONOS, EPHESUS, PATMOS, RHODES, CRETE, SANTORINI, DELPHI AND OLYMPIA

The Greeks have a word for a feeling that expresses joy, fun, passion and loving life: kefi. Our special women-only Greece land and island tour lets you fully embrace the spirit of this region, which gave birth to Western civilization, the Olympics and the healthful Mediterranean diet! You’ll not only experience all of the Greek classics—seeing the Acropolis and Parthenon, sailing the sparkling-blue Aegean Sea, and stopping at mythical islands like Mykonos, Crete, and Santorini. Along the way, you’ll enjoy special women-focused experiences which will allow you to learn more about the role of women in Greece’s history as well as the role of the Olympian goddesses on Greek myth and legend. Let’s raise a glass of ouzo to finding your kefi on this odyssey through spectacular Greece and the Greek Islands.

Looking for a roommate or to connect with other women before your trip? Join our smarTours Women-Only Facebook group! Visit the group here (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1145762302478350/) and click the + Join Group button!

For COVID-19 updates, please scroll down to our “Before You Depart” section.

Did you know that you can make this tour private for your friends and family? Find out more about pricing and options for your group.

Itinerary at
a Glance

  • 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

Tour
Highlights

  • 4-night Greek Island Cruise including: Mykonos, Ephesus, Patmos, Rhodes, Crete, and Santorini
  • House of Virgin Mary (Ephesus)
  • Mycenae
  • Olympia
  • Parthenon (Athens)
  • Acropolis (Athens)

Special Women-Only Departure Highlights:

  • Lectures on the Olympian goddesses and the role of women in the history of Greece
  • Visit to a farm to learn about how olive oil and wine is made
  • Olympia
  • Prepare and taste traditional Greek food during a cooking class

Activity Level: Discoverer 

Your Tour
Includes

  • Round-trip airfare from New York area
  • Airfare 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)
  • 21 meals: 9 full buffet American breakfasts (B), 5 lunches (L) and 7 dinners (D)
  • Comprehensive sightseeing tours in Athens, Olympia and Delphi
  • 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

Tour Itinerary

Find your special women-only tour experiences in bold in the itinerary below.

Book Now Request Info

Depart from the U.S.

Depart for an overnight flight to Greece. Your tour includes airfare from the U.S.

*Passengers who did not purchase flights will join the tour in Athens on Day 2.

Arrive in Athens

Arrive today in Athens, the capital of Greece, where you’ll be met at the airport and escorted to your conveniently located hotel. This afternoon, meet our guide for a lecture on the female goddess of Greek mythology to gain a better understanding of Greek mythology and the Olympian goddesses. While most are well aware of the heroics of the ancient Greek gods, the goddesses are no less important in terms of popularity and symbolic significance.…

Embark on Greek Island Cruise/Mykonos

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…

Greek Island Cruise/Kusadasi–Ephesus/Patmos

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…

Greek Island Cruise/Rhodes

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…

Greek Island Cruise/Crete (Heraklion)/Santorini

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.…

Disembark Cruise Ship/Athens/Delphi

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…

Delphi/Nafpaktos/Olympia

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…

Olympia/Mycenae/Athens

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…

Athens

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/U.S.

Following breakfast, transfer to the airport for your return flight to the U.S. Your trip to spectacular Greece ends as you land later today.

*The tour will end for passengers who did not purchase flights on Day 11 in Athens.

| Breakfast

Guided Tour Pricing

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.

Request a Future Date

Optional Tours Customize your trip with these optional tours.

Book optional tours onboard the cruise ship, operated by Celestyal Cruises. You may pay with Euros or with your credit card. Please note that you will likely incur a transaction fee from your credit card company if you pay by credit card. Tours are subject to availability and minimum participation. Please note that optional tours are non-refundable.

St John’s Monastery & Grotto of the Apocalypse

  • Patmos
  • From approx. $77 Per Person

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!

Palace of Knossos

  • Heraklion
  • From approx. $86 Per Person

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!

Oia Village

  • Santorini
  • From approx. $86 Per Person
Driving along the road you will have the unique opportunity to admire the panoramic view of the Aegean Sea and the neighboring islands. A unique sight is the various layers of lava that can be seen on the face of the rock, each layer being another phase of the activity of the volcano. Built on the Caldera rim, Oia Village is an excellent example of Cycladic architecture. Explore the village walking along the cobble-stone streets…

Cape Sounio Tour

  • Athens

Drive along the coastal road, passing by the wonderful beaches of Glyfada, Vouliagmeni & Varkiza, the Athenian Riviera, to the southernmost point of Attica, Cape Sounion, where the white marble pillars of the Temple of Poseidon stand. On the way, you have a splendid view of the Saronic Gulf and the little islands offshore. After visiting the Temple of Poseidon, you have time to walk at leisure on the rocky promontory of Sounion.