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Best of Turkey and Greece with 2-day cruise

(7 Reviews)
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From3,450 US$2,800 US$
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12 Days
Athens
Istanbul
Min Age : 6
Max People : 24

Best of Turkey and Greece with 2-day cruise

Best of Turkey and Greece  with 2-day cruise  is a combination of our favorite places in Turkey and Greece in 12 days with a 2-day Ocean cruise to visit Patmos – Crete and Santorini.    This is a full-service escorted tour with entry fees to the sights as mentioned. We start in Istanbul and discover the highlights: Topkapı Palace, Bosphorus Strait, Hagia Sophia, Grand Bazaar and we will drive  to Ankara, the capital city of modern Turkey then drive to  Cappadocia via Salt Lake to discover land of fairy chimneys with Göreme Valleys. We ill continue to  Pamukkale with its white cascades and thermal waters close Hierapolis. Heading west to Kuşadası to visit Ephesus and Temple of Artemis. We will transfer you to Kuşadası port to take an Ocean Cruise M/V CELESTYAL OLYMPIA to follow best of Greek Islands: Patmos of Dodecanese Islands, Crete (Heraklion) and Santorini. The tour will conclude in Athens. You will have the opportunity to visit the capital of Greece too.
You will be enchanted with the varied sights, tastes and culture of the region and you will appreciate the nicely paced journey that allows you to discover and enjoy both the best of Turkey and Greece. 
Best of Turkey and Greece Tour Details
Best of Turkey and Greece

Departure & Return Location

Istanbul to Athens

Pick-up and Drop off Time

Flexible

Price Includes

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  • 7 Nights 4***** Accommodations in Turkey , 2 Nights 3**** Accommodations in Greece , 2 night Ocean cruise accommodation in inside cabin (IA or IB class) with Celestyal Cruise
  • 205USD per person port taxes 
  • Meals: 11 breakfasts , 3 lunches , 7 dinners Beverage package including alcoholic or non alcoholic beverages during cruise.
  • English speaking tour guide during visits
  • Entrance fees to the Museums mentioned in the program Local VAT HER-02: Minoan Palace of Knossos-1st European Civilization Excursion on the ocean cruise ship.
  • All transfers per itinerary with A/C bus

Price Excludes

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  • Before/After flights
  • Tips to the guide and driver 
  • Any Private Expenses
  • Stay over tax in Athens to be paid directly to the hotel(2Euros pp / night)

Important Notes for Cruise

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Cruise itineraries are subject to change or to be cancelled by the shipping company with or without prior notice. The shipping company reserves the right to substitute the cruise vessel with a similar one & also to amend the departure/arrival port at any time with or without prior notice.  Please make sure your identification cards, passports and multiple entry Schengen visas are valid and up to date. 
Cabins available at the Celestyal Olympia: (Your initial cabin will be either IA or IB)
  • Interiors: IA, IB, IC 
  • Exteriors: XA, XB, XC 
  • Suites: Junior Suite (SJ),  (very limited and reserved at least 6 months ago) 
All staterooms are equipped with: shower, WC, air conditioning, radio, TV, hair dryer, safety deposit box, All Suites have refrigerated mini bar.  
Best of Turkey and Greece Itinerary

Day 1Istanbul Arrival

Best of Turkey and Greece
Best of Turkey and Greece Map

Arrival to Istanbul . Meet with english speaking assistant at the airport . Transfer to the hotel for check in . Overnight: Istanbul Meals: N/A

Day 2Istanbul

Best of Turkey and Greece
Best of Turkey and Greece : Istanbul Bosphorus
 
Breakfast at the hotel . Drive from your hotel to Spice Market for shopping . Free time. Then meet and proceed to take 1,5 hrs Bosphorus Cruise excursion along the Bosphorus , that is dividing the 2 continents Asia & Europe . During the excursion you will enjoy the beauty of Istanbul , with its forest , Palaces and wooden old houses built on both continents . Lunch at local restaurant . After lunch visit Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque) , Hippodrome and the famous Hagia Sophia . Free time at Grand Bazaar .
Overnight: Istanbul Meals: Breakfast – Lunch

Day 3Istanbul - Ankara

Best of Turkey and Greece
Best of Turkey and Greece : Topkapi Palace

Breakfast at the hotel . Departure from the hotel to visit Topkapi Palace ( harem section entrance is not included ) the house of the ottoman sultans . Departure from the hotel to Ankara – the capital of Turkey . Arrival to Ankara in early evening . Overnight: Ankara Meals: Breakfast – Dinner

Day 4Ankara - Cappadocia (via Salt Lake)

Best of Turkey and Greece
Best of Turkey and Greece : Ataturk Mausoleum

Breakfast at the hotel . Visit Anatolian Civilizations Museum where you will see the Neolithic & Paleolithic ruins from Urartu , Hatti, Hittite, Phrygia civilizations, then proceed to Mausoleum of Ataturk , the founder of Turkish Republic. In the afternoon drive to Cappadocia . En route visit the Underground city that is one of the biggest underground city in the region, constructed by the first Christians to protect themselves from the attacks .

Overnight: Ankara Meals: Breakfast – Dinner

Day 5Cappadocia

Best of Turkey and Greece
Best of Turkey and Greece : Cappadocia
Breakfast . Full day visit at Cappadocia . Visit Göreme Open Air Museum – a UNESCO Heritage site , a fantastic region with it’s cave churches located on the valley. Then proceed to Uchisar Village and then the spectacular fairy chimneys. Visit Derbent Valley with and explore the natural rock formations and get a chance to attend the workshops of carpets and onyx-stones .
Overnight: Cappadocia Meals : Breakfast and Dinner
 
 

Optional Tour | HOT AIR BALLOON TOUR

In the early morning departure from your hotel . a chance to live this unique experience, an overlooking to Cappadocia from the sky , see the beauty of the region the rock formations, fairy chimneys, natural formations, lunar landscapes ..
 
 

Day 6Cappadocia - Pamukkale

Best of Turkey and Greece : Pamukkale
After the breakfast at the hotel , drive to Pamukkale. En route visit Sultanhan Caravanserai that was built during Seljuk Empire and used long years as a stop over for the travellers and merchants.Continue to Pamukkale . Visit Cotton Steps – a UNESCO heritage site that has been believed to have healing thermal water.
Overnight: Pamukkale Meals: Breakfast – Dinner

Day 7Pamukkale - Ephesus - İzmir

Best of Turkey and Greece : Ephesus
 
Breakfast . Drive to Selcuk – Ephesus . Visit the Ephesus Ruins – the city that was dedicated to Artemis I the Odeon, Temple of Hadrian, the House of Love, the Library of Celsus, the Agora .Then proceed for Virgin Mary House – has been believed it is the final resting place of the mother of Jesus . Then stop at Leather Production Store . Proceed for Izmir.
Overnight: İzmir Meals: Breakfast – Dinner

Day 8Kuşadası - Patmos

Best of Turkey and Greece : Patmos
After breakfast transfer to Celestyal Olympia Cruise Ship . Boarding until 11:00 a.m. and departure at 01.00 pm (13:00) Arrival to Patmos Island at 5:45 pm (17:45) and departure from Patmos at 09:30 pm (21:30) for Crete Heraclion
 
Celestyal departing from Kusadasi
 
Overnight: Celestyal Olympia Cruise Ship Meals: B, L, D (on the cruise you are all inclusive with beverage package.)

Day 9Crete - Santorini

Best of Turkey and Greece : Heraklion , Crete
This morning’s port of call is Heraklion, Crete where you may discover the town on your own or join an Included Excursion to the Palace of Knossos. Your next port of call is Santorini, where you are free to explore the land of the fabled Atlantis.
Overnight: Celestyal Olympia Cruise Ship Meals: B, L, D (on the cruise you are all inclusive with beverage package.)

Day 10Athens Arrival

Best of Turkey and Greece : Athens

After disembarking from the cruise, you are transferred to your Athens hotel. The rest of the day free. Overnight. Athens Meals: Breakfast

Day 11Athens

Best of Turkey and Greece

After breakfast we will meet you at your hotel or close by, in order to start the morning Half Day Athens Sightseeing Tour. This tour gives you an opportunity to observe the striking contrasts that make Athens such a fascinating city. Our expert guides will take you to see the Panathenaic Stadium, home to the first Olympic Games of the modern era, where we will make a short stop. As we continue our trip, we will pass by the Prime Minister’s residence (ex Royal Palace), guarded by the Evzones in their colorful uniform, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian’s Arch, the Parliament and memorial to the Unknown Soldier, the Academy of Athens, the University, the National Library and the Constitution Square (Syntagma).

 
One cannot take a tour of Athens without visiting the Acropolis, one of the world’s most prominent sites and a symbol for democracy in the Western world! It is there that you will explore architectural masterpieces of the Golden Age of Pericles. From the Propylaea, to the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion and of course the Parthenon, a place where ‘there is harmony between material and spirit’, a the monument that ‘restores order in the mind’, as ancient Greeks used to say. Your last stop will be the modern Acropolis Museum, with nearly 4,000 exhibits of Hellenism housed inside.
Departure approximately at 08:45 – Return approximately at 13:30
Overnight. Athens Meals: Breakfast

Day 12Athens Departure

You will be met by our assistant at your hotel and transferred to the airport by our minibus or taxi driver for your departure flight.
Overnight: – Meals: Breakfast
Hotels

Istanbul Hotels

Hotel Yiğitalp or Hotel Grand Gülsoy or Hotel Ramada Grand Bazaar or similar 4**** hotel in Old City

Ankara Hotels

Point Hotel or  Latanya Hotel or  Anadolu Downtown or  Holiday Inn Çukurambar or similar 4**** hotel.

Cappadocia Hotels

Izmir Hotels

Hotel Blanca or Hotel Kaya Prestige or similar 4**** Hotel

Çanakkale Hotels

Hotel İris or Hotel Akol or similar 4**** hotel

Athens Hotels

3-star tourist class hotel in the city center of Athens

Attalos Hotel or Central Hotel Athens or Philippos Hotel or similar

7 Reviews
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Rebecca B.

Solo Traveller

Best of Turkey and Greece tour of Turkey by Eskapas was one of the best experiences of my life with outstanding, professional service throughout! Before, during, and after booking my tour, Ismail patiently answered all of my questions online usually within an hour of sending my text. Even more impressive was our tour guide, Sükrü. Sükrü is the best guide I’ve ever met and went out of his way to accomodate any wishes I had. For example, when I decided to leave the tour temporarily in order to go paragliding, Sükrü helped me buy my bus ticket and checked up on me until I was safely back with our group the next evening. Sükrü is organized, friendly, patient, flexible, extremely knowledgeable about the history of each site we visited, and above all, very very funny. Simply put, Sükrü has the perfect personality for a tour guide and clearly enjoys teaching people from all over the world about the rich history and culture of his country. Along with Sükrü was our very safe and kind driver, Ömer. One day when I was sick with a terrible cold and skipped an excursion, Ömer stayed with me and made sure the restaurant brought lots of hot tea and honey for my throat. He spoke a little English, but I spoke no Turkish so we ended up talking about our lives using Google Translate for a couple of peaceful hours. I looked forward to Ömer’s cheerful smile every morning when he picked us up at our hotels for another exciting day. Visiting Istanbul, Cappadocia, Pamukkale and everywhere else was amazing, but for me Sükrü and Ömer made this trip unforgettable. I give La Plus Belle Tour of Turkey by Eskapas 10/10!!!

April 18, 2022

Ursula Julve

Solo Traveller

It was an excellent tour, our guide was very knowledgeable and nice. The chofer was very good too! One thing I will recommend, Change the hotel in Bursa/ compared with all the other hotels, this didn’t meet the standard for a 3 star hotel… It seems that at one point the itinerary was change, most of the people in the group, including myself, remembered Troy and Gallipoli instead Bursa…even so I enjoy very much the visit to the green mosque and the silk market.

November 21, 2019

Cathy B

Family Traveller

We are very happy with the company, and more specially with the assistance Alexis gave us. All our questions were answered timely and professionally before the trip. All the hotels were well located, comfortable and had lovely rooms. The welcome was the best both in Turkey and Greece and in every location we’ve been and the transfers were always on time. The drivers were waiting on our arrivals and we were taken safely away to hotel/port/airport as applicable. All drivers were courteous, with automobiles that were clean and appeared to be well maintained. We loved this island hopping experience with Celestyal Cruise. It is incredible! As every island we saw was beautiful. Santorini and Crete were amazing! The caldera, the ancient site at Akrotiri, and the black sand beach are our favorite.
Thank you very much Eskapas for this trip and the great job!

September 20, 2019

James A. W

Family Traveller

I just wanted to say a BIG thank you for organizing such a wonderful holiday for us.

It went like clockwork. Guides, buses were always on time, hotels were great and there was no stress at any stage of our travels.

Thank you again for the professional service you gave us, we are very grateful. The trip with the cruise was beautiful!

July 20, 2019

Henric V

Couple Traveller

We chose Eskapas fr hte second time and we are not disappointed All transfers, ferries and accommodation organized well without problems and people were very helpful by giving us good information. The transfers were on time and were waiting us according to the schedule. Hotels were comfortable with good breakfast. The guides were knowledgeable
The islands were amazing, with nice beaches and good for relaxing. But our favorite was Crete. Nice atmosphere. Celestyal cruise ship!!! Good mix of relaxation and things to do
All in all, everything was organized very professionally. So efficient. Very glad I chose Eskapas

June 6, 2019
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