Greece Wine and Archaeology Cruise from Athens to the Greek Islands
Greece's most (in)famous wine - retsina!
A cruise in Greece which combines wine and archaeology is on offer in June 2009 from two specialist tour operators. The wine tour experts Arblaster and Clarke have joined forces with Andante Travel, who do guided archaeological and cultural tours, to produce this cruise through the wine-dark seas of the Greek Mediterranean.
The cruise is on board the luxury Star Clipper, a replica of one of the old clipper trading boats and one of the most luxurious and intimate cruise boats afloat. Only 136 passengers will be on this specialist tour, which sails from Athens on Junr 6th 2009 and goes via Nafplion, Monemvasia, Crete, Santorini, Samos, Delos, and Paros and back to Athens to conclude with lunch at one of Greece's top vineyards, Chateau Semeli.
Greece Wine and Archaeology Cruise Itinerary
Here from the Arblaster and Clarke website is the cruise itinerary. It will make any Grecophile's mouth water, even before adding the prospect of wine tasting and archaeological tours with several specialist guides into the mix:
Optional Pre Cruise Day - Athens The city of Athens is regarded as the birthplace of democracy and western civilisation. Spend some time settling into the Greek way of life and discovering the treasures of the National Museum, the artistic expression of thousands of years, gathered from the sites you will be visiting during your voyage. A private coach meets our included flight to drive to our excellently located 4-star hotel below the Acropolis and close to the bustling old-town Plaka area of tavernas and bazaars. Continue to the National Archaeological Museum after checking into our hotel. Meet the archaeologists who will be ccompanying you on the cruise before an independent dinner.
Day One - Piraeus If you choose the Pre-cruise option, this morning there will be a walking tour to introduce you to the ancient city of Athens, including the Acropolis, where the exciting new museum should be open in time for our visit. There are lots of tavernas and restaurants from which to choose your own lunch in central Athens. Drive from the hotel to the Naval Museum at Piraeus for the history of sailing to and from this ancient harbour. Check onto the ship. If you choose to arrive today on one of our included flights, our private coach and tour manager will meet you to drive to the ship for check-in. Sail overnight from Piraeus to Nafplion on the Peloponnese. On Board - Check in, welcome drink and dinner with wines
Day Two - Nafplion Nafplion (right) is an attractive harbour town overlooked by a Medieval/Venetian fortress. For us it is the entrance to the land of Homer’s heroes, the wild and beautiful interior of the Peloponnese with its craggy mountains, vineyards and the most important Mycenean Bronze Age sites. Option 1: Explore Mycenae, capital of King Agamemnon, with our archaeologists (free visit). Return for late lunch on board. This afternoon relax on the boat or explore the delightful harbour-town of Nafplion. Option 2: Morning guided visit to Mycenae (free of charge). Continue to the stateof-the-art Chateau Helios for lunch in the stunning vineyards at Nemea where the top local producers will join us to present their wines (lunch and wine-tasting at additional cost). On Board - Introductory talk - The Chronology of Ancient Greece, wine tasting before dinner, dinner with wines from the Peloponnese. Sail south overnight to Monemvasia.
Day Three - Monemvasia Spend morning/afternoon or all day relaxing on board, or exploring Monemvasia - quite simply one of the most beautiful small towns of Greece with a lovingly restored lower town and ruined citadel on a small peninsula. Or: Option 1: Walk up to explore the Byzantine Fortress with our archaeologists and return for lunch on board. Option 2: This morning visit the winery responsible for the resurgence of the wines of Monemvasia. Return for lunch on board. Option 3: An afternoon visit to the winery as above. Option 4: Spend the afternoon on a good swimming beach. On Board - Morning talk - Byzantine Greece, wine tasting before dinner, dinner with wines. Sail overnight to Crete.
Day Four - Heraklion and Agios Nikolaos Either disembark at Heraklion, the capital of Crete, and take one of the options below, or stay on board and sail east to berth at Agios Nikolaos. Option 1: Walk to the National Archaeological Museum to see the exhibition of “Highlights” (main museum may be being refurbished). Drive to the palace attributed to King Minos at Knossos, the most famous site of the Minoan world. Lunch at one of the top wineries of Crete, before rejoining our ship at Agios Nikolaos. We set sail late tonight, so there will be time for an aperitif on the harbour before the sun goes down. Option 2: Morning free in Heraklion, join party for lunch at winery as above. On Board - Early evening talk - Cycladic Culture, Art and Seafaring, dinner with wines.Sail overnight to Santorini (where we will drop anchor in the volcanic crater).
Day Five - Santorini There will be tenders to the shore. Set off to explore on your own, or: Option 1: Explore Ancient Thira and the museum in modern Fira where the finds are displayed, return to ship for lunch. Option 2: As above, then drive to the pretty, clifftop village of Oia for a lazy lunch in one of the many tavernas - there is a lovely view down over the caldera and our ship below. Option 3: Morning visit to a winery on the beach and return to the ship for lunch. Option 4: Winery visit as above and free time in Oia over lunch. Option 5: Explore Thira in the morning with free time in Oia over lunch and visit a winery for a tasting in the afternoon. On Board - The Greek Gods and Temple Architecture evening talk before dinner, dinner with wines. Sail overnight to Samos.
Day Six - Samos Lying close to the Turkish coastline, Samos is a large, mountainous and verdant island, well known for its sweet wine and as the home of Pythagoras. We berth here, so it will be easy to explore Pythagoria on foot and return for lunch on board. Option 1: Morning visit to Samos museum where the finds and statuary from the famous Heraion are housed. Back to ship for lunch on board. Option 2: Wine - we are planning into the beautiful interior to vineyards, followed by a fascinating these delicious wines. Option 3: Afternoon short drive Heraion, elaborate temple complex Goddess Hera. On Board - Pre-dinner tutored wine tasting. Captain's Dinner. Sail overnight to Delos.
Day Seven - Delos and Paros Early arrival to drop anchor by the sacred island of Delos (right), with its famous temple sanctuaries which take up much of the surface area of this tiny island. By tender to explore on foot. Return to ship and set sail for Paros, taking lunch whilst under way. Paros boasts the most famous church in the Cyclades - Panagia Ekatontapyliani - Our Lady of the Hundred Gates, actually three churches in one, dating from AD326. This afternoon you may wish to relax on board, explore Paros town or: Option 1: Late afternoon winery visit to Moraitis, the top producer in Paros, in Naoussa Option 2: Visit the famous church. On Board - "Blind tasting" before dinner, dinner with wines from Macedonia. Sail westwards overnight back to Piraeus on the Greek mainland.
Day Eight – Piraeus Coaches await us on the harbourside when we berth in Piraeus this morning to transport us either to Thorikos and Cape Sounion or for a brief time in Athens. Our final lunch together (unless you have chosen to leave the party earlier) will be a grand send-off, as we have been invited by Anne and George Kokotos for lunch at their Chateau Semeli, one of Greece’s premier wine estates. From here we will be driven back to Athens airport for flights home, or to leave the party. Flights home or onward journey.
Personal Note We recently took a cruise through Thailand and Malaysia on the Star Clipper's sister ship, the Star Flyer, and it was one of the most wonderful travel experiences of our life. We are not avid cruise people but this was more like a floating house party, with top food, great shore visits, fascinating talks in the evening which were inevitably packed out, and the romance of being aboard a sailing ship. Every evening as the ship set sail for its next destination, the Vangelis song 'Conquest of Paradise, 1492' was played over the loudspeakers. The Greek composer's music provided the kind of emotional moment that you cannot describe, and which we still feel today whenever we hear it.
More Information on the Greece Wine and Archaeology Cruise For further information on this Mediterranean cruise combining wine and archaeology visit the Arblaster and Clarke website or go straight to the download centre to download a full brochure.
Day Two - Nafplion
Day Five - Santorini
Day Seven - Delos and Paros
