Greece and 7-Day cruise in Turkey, Israel and Cyprus
Duration: 11 Days
Program only valid for private groups of 20 or more people
2023 ARRIVAL DAY TO ATHENS | |
|---|---|
MAY | 12 |
JUNE | 2, 23 |
JULY | 14 |
AUGUST | 25 |
SEPTEMBER | 15 |
OCTOBER | 6 |
STOPS: Athens, Corinth, Kusadasi, Patmos, Limassol, Haifa, Ashdod, Santorini, Athens.
Day 1: ATHENS - ARRIVAL
Arrival in Athens, the birthplace of Western Civilization and a vibrant city! After check-in, enjoy some free time to explore the city! By day, the Attica light will lead you to streets filled with pulsating life and colors, a different story in every shop. You will be amazed by the culinary delights of the city and the unique cafes, each with a personality of its own. By night, you can stroll through the numerous restaurants and tasty tavernas available. Check in and overnight at the hotel in Athens.
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Day 2: ATHENS
Enjoy a morning sightseeing tour of Athens, we climb up to the marble-capped Acropolis, the sacred rock of Athens and citadel of the city in antiquity. We become time travelers by visiting the famous Parthenon and the Erechtheion. Then, we go to the nearby Mars' Hill (Areopagus) to read Acts 17:22 where Paul gave his famous speech to the Athenian philosophers (Acts 17:18-34) and spoke about “an unknown god”. We view the ancient Agora of Athens from the Acropolis before visiting the Acropolis museum, which was built to house every artifact found on the Acropolis, from the Greek Bronze Age to the Roman and Byzantine period. Our tour continues with the highlights of modern Athens: we pass by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Parliament House, the Academy, the University of Athens, the National Library, we view the Panathenaic Stadium, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, and Hadrian’s Arch. Return to the hotel in the afternoon. Rest of the day is free for you to explore the city of Athens. Overnight at hotel.
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DAY 3: CORINTH
We depart at 8:00 a.m. for our excursion out of Athens. This takes us by the Saronic Gulf, where in 480 BC, the course of history was changed! The small Grecian fleet managed to defeat the enormously powerful armada of the Persians. From here, we arrive at ancient Corinth (Acts 18:1-18) via the historic Corinthian Canal. It was to this megalopolis where the Apostle Paul came and worked, established a thriving church, subsequently sending two of his epistles, now part of the New Testament. Here, we see all of the sites associated with his ministry: the Agora, the Temple of Apollo, the Roman Odeon, the Bema and Gallio’s Seat. The small archaeological museum here is an absolute must! Following the tour, return to the port of Athens and prepare to embark on your 7-day cruise at 5 pm. Dinner and overnight on board.
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DAY 4: KUSADASI, TURKEY
At 6:30 am. our cruise-ship docks at Kusadasi, Turkey, the starting point for the guided excursion to visit the ancient city of Ephesus, where the Apostle Paul preached and lived for three years (Acts 18:19-21). Enjoy free time for souvenir shopping in Kusadasi and set sail at 12:30 pm to Istanbul, Turkey. All meals and overnight on board.
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DAY 5: PATMOS, GREECE
At 6:30 pm arrival in Patmos, Greece. This is a beautiful, peaceful and almost mysterious rocky island of the Dodecanese where the Apostle John was exiled and wrote the Book of Revelation. We drive up to the Monastery of John the Evangelist where we have a wonderful view of the island. We also visit the Grotto of the apocalypse. After some free time for browsing, return to the cruise-ship and sail to Jerusalem, Israel late evening. Dinner & overnight on board.
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DAY 6: DAY AT SEA.
Enjoy the day on board relaxing and participating in the various ship activities. All meals & overnight on board ship.
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DAY 7: JERUSALEM (ASHDOD), ISRAEL
At 6:00 am, arrive at Ashdod. Start our day with a visit to the Mount of Olives where we will enjoy the wonderful view overlooking Jerusalem. Visit the site of Ascension (Acts 1:9-12), the Pater Noster Church and walk the Palm Sunday road. At the foot of the hill, we will see the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-44) with the ancient olive-trees and the Church of All Nations. We then drive along the Kidron Valley to the Apostle Peter in Gallicantu, built over the palace of the High Priest Caiaphas. After lunch at a local restaurant, we climb Mount Zion to visit the Tomb of David and the Upper Room, the traditional scene of Jesus’ last Passover feast (Mark 14:12-26). At 11:00 pm, sail for Haifa, Israel. All meals and overnight on board.
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DAY 8: HAIFA, ISRAEL
At 6:00 am, you will arrive in Haifa and drive to Mount Carmel, “your head crowns you like Mount Carmel” (Songs 7:5). Carmel was the symbol of beauty and fertility. To be given the “splendor of Carmel” was to be blessed. At 8:00 pm, sail for Limassol, Cyprus. All meals and overnight on board.
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DAY 9: LIMASSOL, CYPRUS.
From 6:30 am - 2:30 pm free day in Limassol where you can join optional shore excursions.
Limassol is located on the shores of the Akrotiri Bay and is the second largest city in Cyprus. The location of the city is very convenient for tourists, since all the main attractions are located near the city. It is known for its pristine beaches, vibrant nightlife, plenty of water activities and delicious wine. All this makes the resort very popular for tourists, whose number grows rapidly every year. Those looking for other activities other than the beach will find Limassol is an ancient city full of ancient sights to visit. At 5:00 pm, sail for Santorini, Greece. All meals and overnight on board.
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DAY 10: SANTORINI - GREECE
At 1:00 pm., our cruise-ship drops anchor in Santorini. Join the afternoon guided excursion to visit to the beautiful and picturesque village of Oia where you can see the famous blue domed churches, or take the cable car up to the town of Fira, perched high on the rim of the ancient volcano. Free time for taking photos, browsing, shopping and enjoying the breathtaking view of the caldera.
At 9:00 pm, sail for Athens, Greece. All meals and overnight on board.
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DAY 11: ATHENS, GREECE
Arrive at the port of Piraeus at 7:00 am. After breakfast on board, transfer to Athens International Airport for departure flight.
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