Tell-A-Friend | Request A Catalog


Small Group Travel: Mediterranean Music Festival Cruise
Tour Name : Mediterranean Music Festival Cruise
Days/Nights : 12 Days / 10 Nights
Region : Europe
Ship : MS CORINTHIAN II
US Gateway New York
Arrival Airport Athens
Departure Airport Venice
BONUS OFFERING $600

click on the map to enlarge
Download Itinerary (PDF File) 
Day Activity/Description
Day 1
DEPART US
 

Depart the US on your overnight flight to Europe.

 
Day 2
ARRIVE ATHENS, GREECE * HOTEL CHECK-IN
 
Arrive in Athens and transfer to the King George II Hotel.
 
Day 3
ATHENS * ACROPOLIS * TEMPLE OF ATHENA * RECITAL AT GENNADION LIBRARY
 
Tour the Acropolis, crowned by the majestic ruins of the Parthenon, perhaps the most architecturally perfect structure in the West. Also visit the Temple of Athena Nike and see the magnificent Erechtheion, whose carved capitals and friezes exemplify the perfection of the Ionic style. Alternatively, drive to Brauron to visit the Sanctuary of Artemis Brauronia, chief site of the Artemis cult. The afternoon is at leisure, and in the evening, enjoy a private cocktail reception at the Garden of the American School of Classical Studies, followed by a recital at the new auditorium of the School’s famous Gennadion Library.  B/L/D Hotel King George II
 
Day 4
NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM * EMBARK SHIP
 
The commercial center of the ancient city, the Agora was known to Solon, Pericles, Socrates and St. Paul. Visit this area, including the museum, housed in the reconstructed Stoa of Attalos. After lunch at a local restaurant, continue to the National Archaeological Museum, home to the world’s finest collection of ancient Greek art. Transfer to the port of Piraeus to embark on Corinthian II.  B/L/D Corinthian II
 
Day 5
SANTORINI * PREHISTORIC MUSUEM OF THIRA * NOMIKOS FOUNDATION * PRIVATE RECITAL
 
Corinthian II cruises into the flooded volcanic crater that forms the great circular bay of Santorini, the island both destroyed and preserved by volcanic eruptions in the second millennium B.C., when it was home to a sophisticated Bronze Age society. From the sea, enjoy a beautiful view of Phira, a village atop a 1,000-foot-high palisade. Visit the Prehistoric History Museum of Thira and take a drive to the unspoiled town of Oia. Later, the Nomikos Foundation, home to excellent reproductions of the frescoes at Akrotiri, will host us for a private recital.  B/L/D  Corinthian II 
 
Day 6
RETHYMNO, CRETE * PALACE OF KNOSSOS * CONCERT ON BOARD
 
From Rethymno, visit the Palace of Knossos, a maze of fresco-lined corridors, testament to the brilliance and refinement of the Minoan civilization. After lunch at Agreco, a 17th-century Cretan farmhouse notable for its organic farming and excellent cuisine, spend the afternoon exploring quaint Rethymno on your own. An evening sail toward the Ionian islands will be accompanied by a concert on board.  B/L/D Corinthian II
 
Day 7
SAMI * FISKARDO, KEFFALLONIA * DHROGARATI CAVE RECITAL
 
Relax aboard as we sail this morning toward Kefallonia. From the port of Sami, take an excursion to Fiskardo, the picturesque village that hugs the island’s main bay. Then attend a recital at the Dhrogarati Cave, whose central chamber has extraordinary acoustics and has seen performances by Maria Callas, among other distinguished musicians.  B/L/D Corinthian II
 
Day 8
SARANDA * BUTRINT, ALBANIA * RECITAL
 
From the ancient seaport of Saranda, drive to Butrint, where excavations reveal a convergence of Illyrian tribes. Butrint also boasts a rich Byzantine history, evidenced in the mosaics of the 4th-century baptistery. Exploration of the site’s Greek and Roman remains will culminate in a recital at the 3rd-century B.C. theater. B/L/D Corinthian II
 
Day 9
KOTOR, MONTENEGRO * RECITAL AT CHURCH OF ST. TRYPHON
 
Through towering mountains, Corinthian II navigates the fjord-like Bay of Kotor. One of the most stunning towns along the Dalmatian coast, Kotor is a designated UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. The town’s fortifications and most of its monuments, which we will visit on a walking tour, date from the time of Venetian rule. Tonight’s recital will take place in the Romanesque church of St. Tryphon.  B/L/D Corinthian II
 
Day 10
DUBROVNIK, CROATIA * RECITAL AT RECTOR'S PALACE
 
Explore Dubrovnik, one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval cities and a splendid repository of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque art and architecture. Visit the Rector’s Palace, the Franciscan Monastery and its garden, the Dominican monastery and other buildings. The afternoon is at leisure, followed by a concert at the Sponza Palace. Built in 1516 using a combination of Renaissance and Gothic styles, the Palace is ornamented with graceful arcades and intricate tracery—an idyllic setting for the evening’s performance.  B/L/D Corinthian II
 
Day 11
SPLIT * EVENING RECITAL
 
Arrive in Split, an ancient city centered around the formidable Palace of Diocletian, built in A.D. 295. An extensive structure, much of which is well-preserved, the palace contains within its walls Split’s old town, making it the only palace that has been continuously inhabited since Roman times. After a tour of the Palace, reboard Corinthian II and spend the afternoon at sea. Enjoy an evening recital aboard as the ship makes its way to Italy. B/L/D Corinthian II
 
Day 12
DEPART VENICE * ARRIVE USA
 
Transfer to the Venice airport for your return flight home.  B