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Italy & Greece with Iconic Aegean Islands Cruise 2024
16 Day Tour from Rome to Athens
Tour Description:
Italy and Greece are countries steeped in history with a treasure trove of ancient sites and scenic beauty. On this affordable Italy and Greece tour, you’ll see the exceptional features these countries have to offer, starting in Rome and ending in Athens. In Italy, you’ll stay in Rome, Florence, and the Venice area. In Greece, you’ll stay in Olympia, Nauplia, and Athens. You’ll also spend one night on a ferry to cross the Adriatic Sea from Ancona, Italy to Patras, Greece and then on a cruise ship for a 3-night Aegean Islands sea cruise. Visit Rome with a local guide who brings ancient Imperial Rome back to life as you see the Colosseum. Enjoy must-see sights, including Piazza Signoria in the middle of Florence: the Roman arena in Verona, and Pisa’s famous Leaning Tower. In Venice, take a boat ride to St. Mark’s Square and watch glassblowers create works of art as they have done for centuries—or discover the lagoon at your own pace. Step back in time on your visit to Athens’ Acropolis and the Parthenon, dating back to the 5th century BC, and the most accurate indication of the influence and wealth of Athens at its greatest peak. You’ll also visit Mycenae, dating back to the 5th Century BC, where you’ll marvel at the arches, fountains, ramparts, and amazing masonry still standing. Spend the last few days of your affordable tour of Italy and Greece in sheer relaxation aboard your cruise ship for a 3-night cruise to some of the world’s most beautiful islands. You’ll see Mykonos, with its seafront village, sandy beaches, and whitewashed houses; Heraklion, Crete, nestled picturesquely between two mountain ranges; Santorini (weather permitting), with one of the world's most breathtaking panoramas; Patmos, where St. John the Divine wrote the Book of Revelation; and Kusadasi, Turkey, where you’ll enjoy an included visit of the Ephesus archaeological site. All these elements come together perfectly to create a value-minded Italy and Greece tour with a cruise like no other!
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Dates & Pricing
| Sunday 02 Jun 24 — Tuesday 18 Jun 24 | Starting at $3,845 |  SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Sunday 09 Jun 24 — Tuesday 25 Jun 24 | Starting at $3,990 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Sunday 23 Jun 24 — Tuesday 09 Jul 24 | Starting at $3,920 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Sunday 14 Jul 24 — Tuesday 30 Jul 24 | Starting at $4,030 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Sunday 18 Aug 24 — Tuesday 03 Sep 24 | Starting at $3,805 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Sunday 01 Sep 24 — Tuesday 17 Sep 24 | Starting at $3,935 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
Disclaimer: Prices listed are per person, based on double occupancy, and in USD. All promotions are valid for new bookings only, capacity controlled and valid on select dates and departures. Individual Terms and Conditions will apply to all promotions. Any promotion can be withdrawn at any time without notice. Please speak with your Pavlus Travel Planner for complete vendor terms and conditions, including eligible tour and cruise dates.
Destination & Sightseeing
Destination & SightseeingAdventure is knocking with everything you need for perfectly affordable touring. Cosmos includes hand-selected accommodations, guided sightseeing, and seamless transportation between destinations—with value-minded travel lovers in mind. Explore with expert Cosmos Tour Directors and Local Guides, complimentary headsets on tour and on shore excursions, private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi, a canal boat ride in Venice, and an overnight ferry to Greece. Crown the experience with a three-night cruise with a Cosmos representative on board, and enhance your free time to explore like a local with your CosmosGO mobile app!* For operational reasons, schedule changes for the Rome program cannot be excluded.Prices are based on inside cabin (category IB) - All air-conditioned cabins with private shower and toilet. Upgrades available.Full entertainment program on board.Included basic drink package: selection of non-alcoholic & alcoholic drinks.Included select excursions as per detailed itinerary.
Notes:
Security cruise regulations require clients’ passport information at time of booking.Please ask your Travel Consultant for cruise ship details. The ship scheduled to depart for the cruise portion of your vacation is the Celestyal Olympia, operated by Celestyal Cruises. Rotation of ports of call may vary for congestion reasons at certain ports with or without prior notice.Prices are based on inside cabin (category IB) - All air-conditioned cabins with private shower and toilet. Upgrades available.Full entertainment program on board.Included basic drink package: selection of non-alcoholic & alcoholic drinks.Included select excursions as per detailed itinerary.Cosmos Host service throughout the cruise.
Security cruise regulations require clients’ passport information at time of booking.Please ask your Travel Consultant for cruise ship details. The ship scheduled to depart for the cruise portion of your vacation is the Celestyal Olympia, operated by Celestyal Cruises. Rotation of ports of call may vary for congestion reasons at certain ports with or without prior notice.Prices are based on inside cabin (category IB) - All air-conditioned cabins with private shower and toilet. Upgrades available.Full entertainment program on board.Included basic drink package: selection of non-alcoholic & alcoholic drinks.Included select excursions as per detailed itinerary.Cosmos Host service throughout the cruise.
ITINERARY
ITINERARYDay 1
Check into your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to explore Italy’s ancient capital using your CosmosGO app. This evening, meet your Tour Director and travel companions
Day 2
The “Eternal City” is steeped in history, vibrantly alive and exciting, and absolutely unique! Start the included introduction to Rome’s landmarks from St. Peter’s Square with a Local Guide. Enjoy a drive along the iconic landmarks of the city: the Tiber River, the Caius Cestius Pyramid, the Aurelian Walls, and the Caracalla Baths. Complete the experience with a walk back in time from the Circus Maximus to the Arch of Constantine and to the fascinating Colosseum, symbol of the Roman Empire.*
* For operational reasons, schedule changes for the Rome program cannot be excluded
Day 3
Vistas of rolling hills, cypress trees, vineyards, olive groves, and rural villages form the backdrop of your journey through beautiful Tuscany. Stop in Pisa and enjoy a mini-train ride to see the Square of Miracles and the amazing Leaning Tower, then on to Florence. End the day by joining the optional Gastronomy Experience in a typical restaurant.
Today’s Distance: 273 mi/ 440 km
Day 4
Today, discover the wonders of Florence, starting with a guided walking tour, featuring some of the city’s greatest attractions. See Piazza Santa Croce; world-famous Signoria Square; 13th-century Palazzo Vecchio with its collection of artistic masterpieces; Loggia dei Lanzi; the unique Duomo with Giotto’s Gothic Bell Tower and the Baptistry’s ornate bronze door known as the “Gate of Paradise.”
Day 5
Travel north and cross the Po River to Verona, setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. Marvel at the ancient Roman Arena, built for gladiator fights but now still used as a popular venue for the festivals and concerts; shop in Via Mazzini, or just wander the cobblestone streets of the city center.
Today’s Distance: 217 mi/ 350 km
Day 6
Venice is a place of unmatched beauty and a feast of fantastic sights. View the delightful crisscrossing canals, the gondolas, arched bridges, palaces, and piazzas. Your included orientation features a boat ride to St. Mark’s Square and a visit to a Venetian glassblowing workshop. You’ll have time to explore at leisure on your own, sipping a cappuccino or the typical Venetian drink called spritz at one of the many bars or cafés. or join one of our optional excursions, like a ride on one of the most iconic boats in the world, the romantic gondola
Day 7
Travel across the flatlands of the Po Delta to reach Ancona on the shores of the Adriatic Sea, to embark on the ferry for the crossing to Patras, Greece. Accommodation will be in two-berth cabins with private shower and toilet.
Today’s Distance by coach: 186 mi/ 300 km
Day 8
During the crossing, enjoy the ship’s amenities. Disembark in Patras and drive south into the Peloponnese to Olympia.
Today’s Distance: 63 mi/ 100 km (excluding overnight ferry)
Day 9
Enjoy time at leisure or make the most of this morning by taking the optional tour of the sites of ancient Olympia, including the ruins of the Temple of Zeus. In the afternoon, enjoy the rugged scenery of the Peloponnese on the way to Nauplia. This evening, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.
Today’s Distance: 124 mi/ 201 km
Day 10
Morning visit with a Local Guide to the impressive ruins of Mycenae, an ancient city of Homer’s epics. Later, stop to view the Corinth Canal, built between 1881 and 1893.
Today’s Distance: 87 mi/ 140 km
Day 11
Join the included sightseeing tour of Athens, featuring the highlights of the ancient capital and a visit to the Acropolis. Explore the shops and museums or take the tram to the coast. In the evening, enjoy the lively atmosphere of the tavernas in the old Plaka district with its narrow streets and sound of bouzouki music, or join an optional traditional Greek dinner
Day 12
Board your Celestyal cruise ship. Cruise the Aegean Sea to Mykonos, with its white houses, chapels, and windmills. Late-evening departure for Kusadasi, Turkey
Day 13
Two ports of call today. First, Kusadasi on the Turkish coast. An included excursion is available to the fascinating Greek, Roman, and Byzantine excavations of Ephesus. Next, discover the tiny Greek island of Patmos, where St. John the Divine wrote the Book of Revelation. The 11th-century monastery with its valuable manuscript collection is well worth a visit
Day 14
First port of call today is Heraklion on Crete. Join the included excursion to Knossos, the hub of the 3000-BC Minoan civilization. Afternoon call (weather permitting) at Santorini, the “Black Pearl of the Aegean.” An optional shore excursion takes you up to the cliff-top village of Oia for one of the world’s most breathtaking panoramas
Day 15
Early morning arrival. Drive to Athens and relax, visit a museum, or go shopping
Day 16
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
Accommodations
Accommodations| Rome | Florence | Venice Area | Olympia | Nauplia | Athens |
American Palace Eur
First-Class
Hotel as shown or similar
First-Class
Hotel as shown or similar
Disclaimer: Prices listed are per person, based on double occupancy, and in USD. All promotions are valid for new bookings only, capacity controlled and valid on select dates and departures. Individual Terms and Conditions will apply to all promotions. Any promotion can be withdrawn at any time without notice. Please speak with your Pavlus Travel Planner for complete vendor terms and conditions, including eligible tour and cruise dates.
