The Aegean Islands, Athens & Istanbul

Greece: Athens, Delphi, Meteora | Greek Islands: Syros, Mykonos, Paros, Santorini, Patmos, Kalymnos | Turkey: Ephesus, Istanbul

Ship

M/V Arethusa or M/V Athena

Nights on Ship

7

Group size

No more than 25 travelers

Reviews

Activity level

1
2
3
4
5
Single Supplement: FREE or Low-Cost

From $8,395 per person

17 Days | $494 per day

Includes airfare

View dates and prices

Customize Your Experience

Create a trip that’s truly your own

We offer an exclusive variety of flexible options that let you tailor your trip so it’s completely your own. In fact, Grand Circle is the only travel company to offer this level of flexibility and choice, allowing you to create an experience that is truly customized.

We recommend making your trip your own by arriving early, adding trip extensions, and more. Join the 87% of travelers already customizing their travel experiences. Learn more about all of your choices below. Then call our dedicated team of Regional Travel Counselors at 1-800-221-2610, who will listen to your specific needs and help you plan the trip of a lifetime.

Pre- or post-trip extensions

On this trip, you have the following extensions to choose from:

Athens & the Peloponnese: From Homer to the First Olympics

5 nights Pre-trip

Discover the splendor of Nafplion, the Bronze Age culture of Mycenae, and the sanctuary of Zeus in Olympia, home of the first Olympic Games. Conclude your exploration of the ancient Greek world with a two-night stay in Athens.

Cappadocia's Unique Landscapes & Vibrant Ankara

5 nights Post-trip

Delve into Turkey's ancient civilizations as you journey from the otherworldly landscapes of Cappadocia to Ankara. Visit ancient capitals and explore the subterranean cave cities throughout your extension.

Here's why 47% of travelers take these extensions:

  • You’ll maximize your discoveries—often in an even smaller group (average of 10 with a dedicated Trip Experience Leader) than your main adventure—and enhance your value by lowering your per-day costs because you’re taking advantage of your already included international airfare.
  • Our extensions include all accommodations, daily breakfasts, airport transfers, and other features.
  • This is a great opportunity to join your fellow travelers early or spend more time after your adventure getting to know your Trip Experience Leader and developing bonds with each other. In fact, on this adventure you’ll travel in the company of the same Trip Experience Leader throughout your entire adventure for a seamless experience.

Arrive Early

  • Arrive early in Athens before your Athens pre-trip extension or before your main adventure — Travel from $200 per room per night
Arrive Early

Stopovers

  • London $895 per person - 3 nights at Tower Hotel
Stopovers

Combined adventures

If you’re already overseas, why not see more of the world and maximize your value by avoiding the expense and length of another international flight? Combine this adventure with our Hidden Gems of the Dalmatian Coast & Greece adventure—a total cost of $12,690-$17,790 per person—for a savings of $900-$1,400 per person (depending on departure dates) compared to taking each trip separately. Additional benefits include:

  • Apply the 5% or 6% Frequent Traveler Credit you will earn on your first trip towards your second trip. Plus, Sir Edmund Hillary Club travelers save an extra $250-$350 per person when reserving multiple trips in a calendar year
  • Our Regional Adventure Counselors will work with you to make all necessary arrangements for a seamless experience

Air preferences

See some of the ways that 54% of O.A.T. travelers are personalizing their air itineraries on this adventure:

  • Choose your departure city, airline carrier, and preferred routing

  • Depart from one city and return to another

  • Upgrade your seat to Premium Economy or Business Class for a more relaxing experience to and from your adventure. Each airline has its own unique upgrade features, but here are the common perks associated with each class: Premium Economy normally features a larger seat, more leg room, and priority boarding, and Business Class features a smaller number of travelers in this section of the plane, a larger seat that can recline, more leg room, and priority boarding. Many travelers choose to upgrade their seat en route to the first destination on their adventure to arrive more rested and ready to explore—you can choose to upgrade for your roundtrip flight, or just one-way.

Freedom of choice during your adventure

We’ve carefully crafted this itinerary to provide a balance of included activities and free time, so you always have the flexibility to participate in included activities, go off on your own entirely, or do a mix of both. Whether it's on your optional extension or main itinerary, your Trip Experience Leader is available to help you pursue your own personal interests, and will help you with transportation, tickets, or anything else you need.

The choice is yours

Call us at 1-800-955-1925 today to discuss how you want to personalize your experience