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The Best of Italy & Greece with Iconic Aegean Islands Cruise 2027
16 Day Tour from Venice to Athens
Tour Description:
Italy and Greece are 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 Venice and ending in Athens. In Italy, you’ll stay in the Venice area, Rome, and Florence; in Greece, you’ll stay in Delphi, Olympia, Nauplia, and Athens. Your flight from Rome to Athens is included in your package. 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. Enjoy must-see sights, including Piazza Signoria, in the middle of Florence; see the Roman arena in Verona, and Pisa’s famous Leaning Tower…Visit Rome with a local guide who brings ancient Imperial Rome back to life. 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 1350 BC, where you’ll marvel at the arches, fountains, ramparts, and amazing masonry still standing, and Delphi, known in antiquity as the “navel of the earth”. All these elements come together perfectly to create a value-minded Italy and Greece tour like no other! 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; Crete, the largest of the Greek Islands featuring towns 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 in Turkey. 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 25 Apr 27 — Tuesday 11 May 27 | Starting at $5,209 | Get a Quote | |
| Sunday 02 May 27 — Tuesday 18 May 27 | Starting at $5,179 | Get a Quote | |
| Sunday 09 May 27 — Tuesday 25 May 27 | Starting at $5,179 | Get a Quote | |
| Sunday 16 May 27 — Tuesday 01 Jun 27 | Starting at $5,179 | Get a Quote | |
| Sunday 23 May 27 — Tuesday 08 Jun 27 | Starting at $5,209 | Get a Quote | |
| Sunday 30 May 27 — Tuesday 15 Jun 27 | Starting at $5,169 | Get a Quote | |
| Sunday 06 Jun 27 — Tuesday 22 Jun 27 | Starting at $5,169 | Get a Quote | |
| Sunday 20 Jun 27 — Tuesday 06 Jul 27 | Starting at $5,169 | Get a Quote | |
| Sunday 11 Jul 27 — Tuesday 27 Jul 27 | Starting at $5,209 | Get a Quote | |
| Sunday 08 Aug 27 — Tuesday 24 Aug 27 | Starting at $4,709 | Get a Quote | |
| Sunday 15 Aug 27 — Tuesday 31 Aug 27 | Starting at $4,899 | Get a Quote | |
| Sunday 22 Aug 27 — Tuesday 07 Sep 27 | Starting at $5,209 | Get a Quote | |
| Sunday 29 Aug 27 — Tuesday 14 Sep 27 | Starting at $5,289 | Get a Quote | |
| Sunday 05 Sep 27 — Tuesday 21 Sep 27 | Starting at $5,279 | Get a Quote | |
| Sunday 12 Sep 27 — Tuesday 28 Sep 27 | Starting at $5,289 | Get a Quote | |
| Sunday 26 Sep 27 — Tuesday 12 Oct 27 | Starting at $5,099 | Get a Quote |
Destination & Sightseeing
Destination & SightseeingThe world is within reach with everything you need for perfectly affordable touring. Cosmos includes hand-selected accommodations, guided sightseeing, intra-vacation flights from Rome to Athens and seamless transportation between destinations—with value-minded travel lovers in mind. Explore with expert Cosmos Tour Directors, Cruise Hosts and Local Guides, complimentary headsets, and private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi, and Celestyal Discovery cruise ship. Enhance your free time to explore like a local with your CosmosGO mobile app! Your Tour Includes: • Boat ride in Venice and a glass-blowing workshop• Stop in Verona, a city famed for its timeless romance• Guided sightseeing in Florence, the heart of Renaissance art and culture• Scenic small-train trip to Pisa’s Piazza dei Miracoli, home to the legendary Leaning Tower• Guided sightseeing in Rome, featuring the iconic St. Peter’s Square• Guided sightseeing in Athens, featuring the breathtaking Acropolis• Guided inside visit of the renowned archaeological site of Mycenae• Stop in Delphi, once revered by ancient Greeks as the center of the world• 3-night Iconic Aegean Cruise on the Celestyal Discovery including visits to Mykonos, Patmos, Crete, and Santorini (weather permitting).• Visit to Kusudasi• Flight Rome-Athens
Notes:
For operational reasons, schedule changes for the Rome program cannot be excluded. This tour requires walking on uneven terrain, especially at archaeological sites, which may pose a challenge to guests with physical limitations or reliant on mobility devices such as wheelchairs. Please ask your Travel Consultant for cruise ship details. The ship scheduled to depart for the cruise portion of your vacation is the Celestyal Discovery, operated by Celestyal Cruises.The Greek Government has introduced a Sustainable Tourism Development Fee to all cruise tourists. This tax is applicable when a guest disembarks at a Greek island or mainland port. With your consent, Celestyal will facilitate the collection of these fees through your onboard account. CRUISE DETAILS Prices are based on Inside cabin (category IB) - All air-conditioned cabins with private shower and toilet. Upgrades available. Rotation of ports of call may vary for congestion reasons at certain ports with or without prior notice. Full entertainment program on board. Included soft drinks with meals, and unlimited filter coffee, tea, water, and juice throughout the day. Cosmos Host service throughout the cruise.
For operational reasons, schedule changes for the Rome program cannot be excluded. This tour requires walking on uneven terrain, especially at archaeological sites, which may pose a challenge to guests with physical limitations or reliant on mobility devices such as wheelchairs. Please ask your Travel Consultant for cruise ship details. The ship scheduled to depart for the cruise portion of your vacation is the Celestyal Discovery, operated by Celestyal Cruises.The Greek Government has introduced a Sustainable Tourism Development Fee to all cruise tourists. This tax is applicable when a guest disembarks at a Greek island or mainland port. With your consent, Celestyal will facilitate the collection of these fees through your onboard account. CRUISE DETAILS Prices are based on Inside cabin (category IB) - All air-conditioned cabins with private shower and toilet. Upgrades available. Rotation of ports of call may vary for congestion reasons at certain ports with or without prior notice. Full entertainment program on board. Included soft drinks with meals, and unlimited filter coffee, tea, water, and juice throughout the day. Cosmos Host service throughout the cruise.
MEALS
MEALS ITINERARY
ITINERARYDay 1 ARRIVE IN VENICE AREA, ITALY
Welcome to Italy! Check into your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to explore Italy’s romantic city using your CosmosGO app. This evening, meet your Tour Director and travel companions at the welcome dinner at the hotel. (D)
Dinner
DinnerDay 2 VENICE
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, perhaps sipping a cappuccino or the typical Venetian drink called “spritz” at one of the many bars or cafés. An optional excursion to the island of Burano will give you the opportunity to see more of the Venetian Lagoon before enjoying a delicious meal. (B)
Breakfast
BreakfastDay 3 VENICE AREA–VERONA–MONTECATINI
Travel 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 festivals and concerts; shop in Via Mazzini, or just wander the cobblestone streets of the city center. Tonight, experience the harmony of rural life in Tuscany with an optional farmhouse dinner in the Tuscan countryside. On the menu? Good food, better wine, and the best company! Overnight in the Tuscan spa town of Montecatini.
Today’s Distance: 242 mi/ 390 km (B)
Breakfast
BreakfastDay 4 MONTECATINI–FLORENCE–MONTECATINI
Today, enjoy a full day discovering 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.” Return to Montecatini.
Today’s distance: 81 mi /130 km (B)
Breakfast
BreakfastDay 5 MONTECATINI–PISA–ROME
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 the Square of Miracles and the amazing Leaning Tower, then on to Rome.
Today’s Distance: 255 mi/ 410 km (B)
Breakfast
BreakfastDay 6 ROME
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.* (B)
* For operational reasons, changes to the Rome program cannot be excluded
Breakfast
BreakfastDay 7 ROME–ATHENS, GREECE
Transfer to the airport for your included flight to Athens. From the capital of Italy to the capital of Greece, absorb the Mediterranean flair and discover the influence of ancient Roman and Greek civilizations on modern life and arts. (B)
Breakfast
BreakfastDay 8 ATHENS–MYCENAE–NAUPLIA AREA
Join the included sightseeing tour of Athens, featuring the highlights of the city and a visit to the Acropolis. Travel to the Corinth Canal, built between 1881 and 1893 and stop here for a picture. Continue to visit the Mycenae archaeological site with a Local Guide to learn about the ancient city of Homer’s epics. Enjoy views of the rugged Peloponnese scenery on the way to Nauplia. This evening, enjoy an included dinner at a local restaurant.
Today’s Distance: 90 mi / 145 km (B,D)
Breakfast Dinner
Breakfast DinnerDay 9 NAUPLIA AREA–OLYMPIA
Drive south through the Peloponnese to Olympia. Take advantage of some time at leisure or score the perfect 10 with a guided optional tour of ancient Olympia, site of the first Olympic Games, featuring the ruins of the Temple of Zeus.
Today’s Distance: 118 mi / 190 km (B)
Breakfast
BreakfastDay 10 OLYMPIA–DELPHI
Cross the Rion-Antirion bridge and skirt the Gulf of Corinth to continue inland to Delphi. Built at the foot of Mt. Parnassus, Delphi was considered by ancient Greeks to be the center of the world where the oracles of Apollo predicted the fate of many a man. Today’s distance: 150 mi/ 240 km (B,D)
Breakfast Dinner
Breakfast DinnerDay 11 DELPHI–ATHENS
Enjoy free time in Athens to explore with the help of the CosmosGO app, visit the 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. (B)
Breakfast
BreakfastDay 12 ATHENS–EMBARKATION PORT–MYKONOS
Board your Celestyal cruise ship. Cruise the Aegean Sea to Mykonos, with its white houses, chapels, and windmills. Enjoy free time to explore the island. Late-evening departure for Kusadasi, Turkey. (B,L,D)
BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 13 KUSADASI, TURKEY–PATMOS, GREECE
Two ports of call today. First, Kusadasi on the Turkish coast. An optional shore 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. (B,L,D)
BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 14 HERAKLION–SANTORINI
The first port of call today is Heraklion on Crete. Why not join an optional excursion to Knossos, the hub of the 3000-BC Minoan civilization? Afternoon call (weather permitting) at Santorini, the “Black Pearl of the Aegean.” If blue is your color, join an optional shore excursion to visit the cliff-top village of Oia, home to the most photographed, blue-domed buildings in Santorini—not to mention the magnificent blue views of the Mediterranean. (B,L,D)
BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 15 DISEMBARKATION PORT–ATHENS
Early morning arrival. Drive to Athens and relax, visit a museum, or go shopping. (B)
Breakfast
BreakfastDay 16 ATHENS
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
Accommodations
Accommodations| Venice Area | Montecatini | Rome | Athens | Nauplia | Olympia | Delphi | Athens |
Poppi
Superior Tourist-Class
Hotel as shown or similar
Superior Tourist-Class
Hotel as shown or similar
