ARGONAUT TRAVEL
GOLDEN FLEECE program
Day 1: ATHENS
Arrival in Athens – assistance and transfer to the hotel.
Balance of day at leisure.
Overnight in Athens.
Day 2: ATHENS
Breakfast at the hotel.
In the morning city tour of Athens which will give you the opportunity to observe the
striking contrasts that make Athens such a fascinating city. Your guide will take you to
the center : Constitution Square, the House of Parliament, the Memorial to the
Unknown Soldier. Then driving down Herod Atticus street you will see the Evzones in
their picturesque costume and the Presidential Palace.
On your way to the Acropolis you will see the Panathenaic stadium (where the first
Olympic Games of the modern era were held in
1896) and the Athens of the 2nd century A.D., the temple of Olympian Zeus and the
Adrian’s Arch. On the Acropolis visit its museum and the architectural masterpieces of
the Golden Age of Athens : the Propylaea, the temple of Athena Nike, the Erechteion
and finally, the “harmony between matter and spirit”, the monument that “puts order
in the mind”, the Parthenon. Afternoon at leisure.
Overnight in Athens.
Day 3: ATHENS – LAVRION – SANTORINI
Breakfast at the hotel, time at leisure and then, in the afternoon, transfer to the port
of Lavrion and embarkation for the 8-day cruise to the Greek islands and Turkey.
Sailing to Santorini. Dinner and overnight on board.
Day 4: SANTORINI – IZMIR (TURKEY)
Breakfast on board. In the morning, arrival in Santorini. This island is perhaps the
most breathtaking of all the Greek islands. Around 1500 B.C., a volcanic eruption
destroyed the center of the island, leaving a crescent shaped rim of cliffs around a
harbour formed in the volcano’s caldera. The town of Fira is accessible by donkeys or
by cable car. Free time or optional excursion to Akrotiri located on the Southern point
of the island. The excavation site has been roofed over to fashion a unique museum.
Everything is in place as it was before the gigantic earthquake, including the narrow
“streets” which wind through the area which has been cleared of the ash that filled the
houses and engulfed the town. Akrotiri is often compared to Pompeii but the ruins here
date back to the prehistoric times, around 1500 B.C. In the afternoon sailing to
Izmir,Turkey. Lunch/dinner and overnight on board.
Day 5: IZMIR - NAFPLION
Breakfast on board. In the morning, arrival at Izmir. Surrounded by mountains on
three sides, this booming Turkish city is located on a gulf fed by several streams.
Evidence of the city’s rich culture includes the ancient fortress Kadifekale, the
fountain-fitted Saat Kulesi clock tower, the ruins of the ancient downtown Agora… and,
of course, the eclectic Kizlaragasi Han Bazaar. Izmir is also the gateway to Ephesus,
the ancient Greek city built in the 10th century B.C. — home of the Temple of Artemis,
one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.In the afternoon sailing to Nafplion.
Lunch/dinner and overnight on board.
Day 6: NAFPLION – CHANIA (CRETE)
Breakfast on board. In the morning arrival to Nafplion. Nafplion, the first capital of
Greece when it was reinstated as a nation, is a very quaint village who’s top attraction
is the Palamidhi Fortress that dates back centuries. While the Fortress is quite
interesting, everyone discovers that the village of Nafplion itself is just as engaging. In
the late evening sailing to Chania, Crete. Lunch/dinner and overnight on board.
Day 7: CHANIA – RHODES
Breakfast on board. Early morning arrival in Chania, Crete. Wander through the
fascinating layers of Chania ‘s history with a visit to the Old Town. The Venetian
Harbor and narrow, picturesque roadways retain the distinctive atmosphere of the
city’s Venetian and Turkish periods. The large 16th century Venetian church, Aghios
Frankiskos is an impressive site and home of the Archaeological Museum of Chania. In
the evening sailing to Rhodes. Lunch/dinner and overnight on board.
Day 8: RHODES – CESME (TURKEY)
Breakfast on board. In the morning, arrival in Rhodes, the capital of the Dodecanese
islands. Time at leisure. Drive along the picturesque Eastern coastline, scattered with
white washed villages, to Lindos. The most important of the three great cities of
ancient times is guarded by the medieval walls constructed by the Knights of Saint
John in the 13th century. Within, stands the ancient Acropolis of Lindos on the brink of
a precipice 400 feet above the sea.
From the Acropolis there are breathtaking views to the great expanse of the Aegean
Sea and Saint Paul’s Bay where the apostle cast anchor during his historic voyage to
Ephesus. You will proceed on foot uphill to the Great Staircase leading from the
Hellenistic portico to the temple of Athena. Return to Rhodes city. Enjoy a stroll
through the medieval town and view the Palace of the Grand Master, the medieval
houses and the Hospital of the Knights of Saint John housing now the archaeological
museum. In the early evening, sailing to Cesme, Turkey. Lunch/dinner and overnight
on board.
Day 9: CESME - MYKONOS
Breakfast on board. In the morning arrival in Cesme. Cesme is located on a
promontory on the tip of a peninsula that carries the same name. The town itself is
dominated by the medieval Cesme Castle, while the back streets invite a casual stroll
with their old Ottoman and Greek houses that charm passers-by. South of the castle
there is an Ottoman caravanserai built in 1528 that has since been transformed into a
lovely boutique hotel, and check the Greek Orthodox church of Ayios Haralambos to
see the current art exhibition.
Along with the historical attractions, visitors will enjoy local pleasures, such as a dip in
the thermal baths followed by the culinary delights of native fruits, artisan cheeses and
local wines. Later, in the afternoon, sailing to Mykonos. In the evening arrival to the
magical Mykonos, the jewel of the Cyclades. Lunch on board.Time at leisure for
shopping and strolling through the typical white-washed narrow streets of the
picturesque town.Lunch/dinner and overnight on board.
Day 10: MYKONOS – LAVRION – ATHENS
Early at dawn departure to Lavrio. Arrival to Lavrio in the morning.After breakfast
disembarkation and transfer to the airport.
ARGONAUT TRAVEL TOURISTIC LTD. 8 Syngrou Ave. - 117 42 Athens, Greece.
Tel.: +30-210-3232256, 210-3230337, 210-3237363 E-mail: info @ argonautravel.gr
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