Highlights:

• Greece – Athens sightseeing – Acropolis and its new museum, Constitution Square (Syntagma), the House of Parliament, the Memorial to the Unknown Soldier, the National Library, Hadrian’s Arch, Temple of Olympian Zeus Panathenaic Stadium.
Classical Greece tour – Daily excursion to Delphi Or Argolida and One day Cruise to 3 Greek islands

• Turkey – Istanbul sightseeing – Hippodrome, Hagia Sofia, Blue Mosque, TopKappi Palace, Grand Bazaar, Camlica Hill, Spice bazaar, Vosporos cruise.

• Italy – Rome sightseeing – Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Saint Peter’s Cathedral, Vatican museums and Sistine Chapel, Coliseum, Palatine Hall and Forum, Campidoglio, Fountain di Trevi, Piazza di Spagnia, Via Veneto and Villa Borghese.
Florence Or Venice daily excursion

9 days / 8 nights

Arrival to Istanbul Airport, meet with our representative, transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.

Optional: Bosporus Dinner Cruise including traditional Turkish entertainment and dinner

Guided tour to old Istanbul city. Visit HAGIA SOPHIA This ancient basilica, built by Constantine the Great in the 4th century and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6^th century. TOPKAPI PALACE the great palace of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries with the famous jewels of the Imperial Treasury. BLUE MOSQUE (SULTANAHMET IMPERIAL MOSQUE) built in the 16th century,  HIPPODROME the scene of chariot races, with the three monuments; the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column and the Column of Constantine, being the centre of Byzantine life for 1000 years. GRAND COVERED BAZAAR in its streets and passages are more than 4,000 shops selling antiques, jewellery, gold, carpets, leatherware and souvenirs. OPTIONAL: Evening show with belly dancing entertainment or Bosporus Dinner Cruise including traditional Turkish entertainment and dinner. Overnight in Istanbul.

Visit to SPICE BAZAAR (Egyptian Bazaar). The air here is filled with the enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme and every other conceivable herb and spice. Then BOSPORUS by boat, a traditional excursion by boat along the canal separating Europe and Asia. On the way we’ll see from the boat the Dolmabahce Palace, the imperial pavilions of Yildiz Palace, the RUMELI FORTRESS Built by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1452 prior to the conquest of Istanbul BEYLERBEYI PALAS (PALACE) the summer residence of Ottoman sultans. BOSPHORUS BRIDGE where you have the chance to step Asia continent to Europe. CAMLICA HILL the highest point in Istanbul, where you can have magnificent views of Istanbul and Bosporus. In the afternoon transfer to Istanbul a/p. Flight to Athens. Transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Athens

Guided full day city tour. We’ll visit Constitution Square (Syntagma), the House of Parliament, the Memorial to the Unknown Soldier and the National Library. Driving down Herod Atticus st, you will see the Evzones in their picturesque uniform and the Presidential Palace. On your way to the Acropolis you will see the Hadrian’s Arch, visit the Temple of Olympian Zeus and you will make a short stop at the Panathenaic Stadium where the first modern Olympic Games took place in 1896. Then Acropolis, the architectural masterpieces of the Golden Age (5th Century BC) of Athens, Propylaea, Temple of Athena Nike, Erechtheion, and finally Parthenon – a place any civilized person has to visit. We complete the visit with the new Museum of Acropolis. Overnight in Athens. OPTIONAL Greek folklore night.

Morning transfer to Piraeus port. Embark on boat for 1 day cruise with lunch and show on board, to 3 nearby islands, Aegina, Poros, Hydra. Return to Piraeus in the evening. Transfer back to the hotel.

Delphi city considered by the ancients Greeks to be the center (omphalos) of the world and a religious center. This is the place where you might get Pythia’s chrism for your future and the future of the world, as many other Kings and Emperors in the past have done. Even Alexander the Great got her advice before conquering the word. Guided tour to Archeological site, Temple of Apollo, theater, market and the famous Omphalos (navel of the earth) and the Delphi museum with the amazing sculptures. Then we visit the traditional village of Arachova and we return to Athens a/p for your flight to Rome. Arrival to Rome. Transfer to your hotel.

OR Argolida. Mycenae, Epidaurus, Nafplio

Morning drive to Peloponnesus – Argolida to see the ancient open theatre of Epidaurus (16000 seats – 4th century B.C), famous for its acoustics. We’ll visit the Homeric city of Mycenae, (1300 B.C.), home town of King Agamemnon, leader of Greeks in the Trojan war, to see the Lions Gate, the Cyclopean Walls, the Royal Tombs. Then we’ll visit the beautiful Nafplio, the first capital of Greece in its modern history after Greek’s revolution against Turks in 1821. On the way to Argolida we’ll have a short stop at Isthmus(Canal) of Corinth. First attempt to cut it was in 1st century AD. Return to Athens a/p for your flight to Rome

Our tour starts from Piazza San’Eustachio, behind the Pantheon, having first a cappuccino at Caffe San’Eustachio. We’ll visit the Pantheon and the gorgeous Piazza Navona, built on the ruins of the Domitian’s Circus. Then we visit the Vatican museums and Sistine Chapel and coming out of it we walk around to Saint Peter’s Cathedral. Then we drive to Colosseum, Palatine Hall and Forum. From there, you walk out of the Campidoglio towards the Trevi Fountain a baroque jewel, make a wish, and walk to Piazza di Spagnia, do a little shopping. Return to hotel. Later you can walk in Via Veneto and Villa Borghese. Dinner and overnight in Rome.

Venice. Morning transfer to Venice by train. Guided city tour. Doge’s Palace, the Bridge of Sighs, Piazza San Marco and the Duomo. Lunch in a typical restaurant and free time. Early in the afternoon transfer to railway station. Return to Rome. Transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Rome

OR

Florence city tour. We leave Rome, by the “Sun Route” motorway, crossing the regions of Lazio and Umbria, to reach our destination, Florence. Guided visit of the city. The Duomo, the Third “Pietà” by Michelangelo, the Baptistry with the golden bronze doors by Ghiberti, Giotto’s Belfry, the Museum of the Accademia with the David by Michelangelo, Piazza della Signoria. Lunch in a typical restaurant. Late in the afternoon we start our trip back to Rome. Overnight in Rome

Morning free time in Rome. Transfer to a/p for your flight back home.

NOTE: Alternative Itineraries:

 1) Option 1 (8d / 7n): Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9

 2) Option 2 (5d /4n) 3 Cities tour only: Days Istanbul 1, 2 (evening flight to Athens), Athens 4, 6(evening flight to Rome), Rome 7, 8(Departure).

 3) Tailor made combination of 2 Cities visit. Choose the days from above itinerary.

 Note: Tour routing may be reversed