Cruise to Greece, Turkey and Rome
Hosted by Kenton Lee, Tacoma Life Center
Tour Price: $3995 per person * (Plus Tax and Fuel Surcharge)
Price of tour includes:
Round trip airfare from Seattle, one overnight in Athens, two overnights in Rome, 8-day, 7-night Greek Isle Cruise, inside stateroom, port taxes, double occupancy, all meals on the Greek Isle Cruise, full breakfast and dinner at hotels in Athens and Rome, sightseeing includes two full days in Greece -Athens and Corinth, two half days in Rome with free time, two full days in Istanbul, full day in Ephesus, and Patmos shore excursion tour, entrance fees on itinerary, airport and ship transfers, porters at hotels, tips to drivers and guides for all included tours, tips for hotel staff in Athens and Rome, deluxe motor coach and English speaking licensed guide, tour price is cash/check discount rate*
Not included:
Airline tax and fuel surcharge*, lunches or beverages except on cruise, outside stateroom on cruise ship, all gratuities on ship except for included shore excursions, shore excursions not mentioned as included, single room, travel/cancellation insurance, personal items, use of credit cards for tour payments.*
*Airline Taxes and Fuel Surcharge is not included in the tour price. The current rate is $500 and will shown on your invoice after registration. This fee is set by the airline and Madison Tours has no control nor receives advance notice of changes. Due to fluctuating oil prices, the fee may change. The airline will only guarantee the fee about six weeks before departure. If the airlines impose an increase, the difference will be collected before departure.
Itinerary
Day 1, Wed, May 16 Depart Seattle at 7:00 a.m. on Continental Airlines for your overnight flight to Athens, Greece.
Day 2, Thurs, May 17 Arrive in Athens at 10:20 a.m. The remainder of the day is free time. Overnight at Hotel Titania.
Day 3, Fri, May 18 Today we see sites of modern and ancient Athens. We will see the remains of 15 of the 104 Corinthian columns of the Temple of Zeus. Then to the crowning glory of ancient Athens, the Acropolis. We will see the Parthenon, the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike and the Porch of Maidens. At Mars Hill, an important gathering place, we see where Paul preached of the one true God. We drive through the modern streets of Athens and see the Parliament and Constitution Square, the site of the first modern Olympics, the Presidential Palace, national Library and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We then drive to Piraeus port to embark on our Greek Isle Cruise.
Day 4, Sa t. May 19 and Day 5, Sun, May 20 Our first port of call is Istanbul. We will stay in port for two days in this historical city, the only city connecting two continents. Included in your package is two full days of touring in Istanbul. First we will see the many treasures of Topkapi Palace, the political center of the Ottoman Empire. Next we visit the Blue Mosque built in 1609, the interior walls are covered with 20,000 blue tiles. At St. Sophia, we see the site of the church that was first built by Constantine the Great in 326 AD, a cathedral, a mosque and now a museum. Then our guide will take us on a cruise through the Bosphorus to see amazing palaces, homes and historical sites along the shoreline. Enjoy shopping in the historic Grand Bazaar, one of the oldest covered markets in the world, and see a cultural perspective at a Turkish carpet municipality.
Day 6, Mon, May 21 We sail to Mykonos. A picturesque island with a maze of tiny streets and whitewashed houses. Enjoy a walk along the shoreline to the famous windmills built in the 16th century. Before returning to the ship, you may want to stop at one of the many cafe’s that are along the shoreline.
Day 7, Tues, May 22 Patmos is our first Port of Call today. Patmos is a small island where John wrote the Book of Revelation while in exile. Your tour package includes a visit to the traditional cave where John wrote Revelation. Returning to the ship we sail for Kusadasi where we have included a tour of the amazing city of Ephesus. A large city heavily immersed in idol worship and where Paul settled for 2 years to share the gospel. Walk the same streets where Paul preached and visit the 24,000 seat theatre.
Day 8, Wed, May 23 Our cruise takes us to Rhodes, one of the largest islands in the Aegean Sea. Paul visited Rhodes on his third missionary journey. Walk through one of the best preserved medieval towns or join a shore excursion offered by the cruise line to see the sites of Rhodes.
Day 9, Thur, May 24 This morning we arrive at the largest Greek island, Crete, and home to the ancient Minoan civilization dating back to 4,000 BC. Walk through the picturesque city or join a shore excursion offered by the cruise line to Knossos, to see remains from the ancient Minoans. Return to the ship and sail to Santorini. The charming village is at the top of the mountain and is only accessible by mule or cable car. The cliff is lined with charming whitewashed houses and blue domed churches. Plenty of shops and cafe’s along the narrow, cobblestoned streets to visit and the sunset is not to be missed, some claim it to the be the best in the world.
Day 10, Fri, May 25 We return to the port of Athens where we will be met by our guide and drive along the Saronic Gulf to the famous Corinth Canal that connects the Ionian and Agean Seas. The 4-mile canal began with Nero in 67AD and was completed in 1893. We continue to Ancient Corinth, one of the most important cities in antiquity. Corinth is mentioned many times in the New Testament and the place where Paul wrote First and Second Corinthians. It is in Corinth that Paul became associated with Aquilla and Priscilla. We return to Athens and enjoy some free time in the Plaka area, one of the oldest districts in Athens located on the slopes of the Acropolis. Street musicians, cafes and shops line the streets of the Plaka. This evening we will board an overnight ferry that will take us to Rome as we sleep in private staterooms.
Day 11, Sat, May 26 We arrive in the port of Bari and drive to see the sites of Imperial Rome. You will marvel at the monuments of this great capital. We visit the Colosseum, a 55,000 seat theatre, home to the battles of the gladiators and wild beasts. We see the Pantheon, and the Forum, the political and social center of Ancient Rome. The afternoon is free to explore than many facets of Italy’s capital.
Day 12, Sun, May 27 On today’s program we visit the sites of Christian Rome beginning at the Vatican Museum. Then to the Sistine Chapel, well know for its magnificent ceiling, a work of Michelangelo and one of the most splendid masterpieces in the history of art. Then to the Basilica of St. Peter, Piazza San Pietro and the catacombs, ancient cemeteries that are underground used by the persecuted Christians which began in the 2nd century. We return to our hotel and the afternoon is free time. Take in some of Rome’s spectacular fountains and monuments.
Day 13, Mon, May 28 Depart Rome at 9:50 a.m. and arrive in Seattle at 6:05 p.m. with a lifetime of memories of the Journeys of Paul through Greece, Turkey and Rome.
Flight schedules can be changed by the airline. Itinerary sequence can be changed at the discretion of your guide and leaders.
