UNESCO JEWELS OF ANCIENT GREECE

The past maintains a vibrant presence in Greece, the cradle of Western civilization. Set off on an unforgettable adventure that features five UNESCO World Heritage sites including Mycenae, kingdom of the mythical Agamemnon; the monasteries of Meteora; and Delphi, religious center of the ancient Greek world. Visit Ancient Corinth where St. Paul taught the Gospels, and stand in awe of Athens’ iconic Acropolis, yet another UNESCO World Heritage site crowned by the magnificent Parthenon.

Starting at $ 2,899

Pre-Cruise Itinerary Overview

5 days, 4 nights

Day 1: Upon arrival at the Athens airport, a representative meets you and assists with your transfer to a centrally located hotel. Check in for your overnight stay, then enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. Consider a stroll around Syntagma Square and the nearby National Garden, a 35-acre urban oasis of greenery and blooms; or dinner at a family-run taverna in Plaka, Athens’s old neighborhood that still clings to its village ambiance.

Hotel: Grand Bretagne or similar               

Day 2: After breakfast, depart Athens for the Argolis, a mountainous peninsula in the Peloponnese region that separates the Saronic and Argolic gulfs. Argolis was the center of the Mycenaean civilization, and many of the ancient world’s most important sites are located here. Your first stop is Ancient Corinth, the powerful city-state and commercial hub where Paul the Apostle taught the Gospels of Christ. Corinth has been inhabited since Neolithic times, and the archaeological site — located within a modern city of the same name — contains many exceptional monuments including the Archaic Temple of Apollo, dating from 560 BC. An hour’s drive leads you to Epidaurus and its Sanctuary of Asklepios; dedicated to the god of medicine, it was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Epidaurus also is the site of Greece’s most popular ancient theatre, renowned for its amazing acoustics. Enjoy some free time here for lunch on your own.

Next up: Mycenae, one of the two greatest cities of the Mycenaean civilization that dominated the Mediterranean world between 1600 and 1100 BC. Mycenae and nearby Tiryns are indissolubly linked to Homer’s Iliad and the Odyssey, and together have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Explore the citadel before heading to Nafplion, the first capital of the modern Greek state and one of the prettiest villages in the Peloponnese. The Venetians, Turks and other conquerors all left their mark here, creating a rich mix of cultures, traditions and architectural styles. Check into your upscale hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

Hotel: Amalia Hotel Nafplio or similar  

Day 3: This morning set out for Delphi, the religious center of the ancient Greek world. The drive there takes you over the Rio-Antirio Bridge, a cable-stayed bridge crossing the Gulf of Corinth between the Peloponnese peninsula and mainland Greece. This modern engineering marvel, one of the largest such bridges in the world, spans 9,459 feet over four pylons. Check into your comfortable hotel and enjoy lunch on your own before exploring the UNESCO World Heritage-designated sanctuary.  

Built on the sloping hillsides of Mt. Parnassus with amazing scenery, Delphi was considered the omphalos or “navel of the world” by the Ancient Greeks, who made pilgrimages here to receive the prophesies of its Pythia or high priestess. View the Temple of Apollo — where the god supposedly spoke directly to Delphi’s oracle — as you wander around this magnificent monumental complex. You also visit the museum, filled with treasures unearthed at the site. Afterward, return to the hotel for dinner and your overnight stay.

Hotel: Hotel Amalia or similar

Day 4: Sit back and relax on your morning drive to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Meteora in central Greece, soaking in the mountainous scenery along the way. Meteora’s nearly inaccessible sandstone cliffs serve as the surreal setting for a series of monasteries, built by early Greek Orthodox monks who sought isolation and spiritual ascension. Twenty-four monasteries were constructed between the 11th and 16th centuries, comprising one of the largest and most important monastic communities in the ancient world. Only six of these monasteries remain, two of which you visit today. Admire the incredible views, priceless religious icons, and post-Byzantine frescoes, enjoying some free time for lunch on your own.

Afterward, head to the nearby town of Kalambaka and check into your hotel before dinner and your overnight stay.

Hotel: Divani Kalambaka Hotel or similar

Day 5: Make an early morning transfer back to Athens for a guided tour of its World Heritage-designate Acropolis. UNESCO describes the Acropolis of Athens as “the greatest architectural and artistic complex bequeathed by Greek Antiquity to the world,” and you gain deeper insight into its trove of 5th-century treasures including its crowning glory, the Parthenon. Enjoy some free time for lunch on your own, then proceed to the port of Piraeus and embark your Seabourn ship.

This Pre-Cruise Seabourn Journey Is Available:

Post-Cruise Itinerary Overview

Day 1: Disembark your Seabourn ship in the port of Piraeus and transfer for the Argolis, a mountainous peninsula in the Peloponnese region that separates the Saronic and Argolic gulfs. Argolis was the center of the Mycenaean civilization, and many of the ancient world’s most important sites are located here. Your first stop is Ancient Corinth, the powerful city-state and commercial hub where Paul the Apostle taught the Gospels of Christ. Corinth has been inhabited since Neolithic times, and the archaeological site — located within a modern city of the same name — contains many exceptional monuments including the Archaic Temple of Apollo, dating from 560 BC. An hour’s drive leads you to Epidaurus and its Sanctuary of Asklepios; dedicated to the god of medicine, it was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Epidaurus also is the site of Greece’s most popular ancient theatre, renowned for its amazing acoustics. Enjoy some free time here for lunch on your own.

Next up: Mycenae, one of the two greatest cities of the Mycenaean civilization that dominated the Mediterranean world between 1600 and 1100 BC. Mycenae and nearby Tiryns are indissolubly linked to Homer’s Iliad and the Odyssey, and together have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Explore the citadel before heading to Nafplion, the first capital of the modern Greek state and one of the prettiest villages in the Peloponnese. The Venetians, Turks and other conquerors all left their mark here, creating a rich mix of cultures, traditions and architectural styles. Check into your upscale hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

Hotel: Amalia Hotel Nafplio or similar

Day 2: This morning set out for Delphi, the religious center of the ancient Greek world. The drive there takes you over the Rio-Antirio Bridge, a cable-stayed bridge crossing the Gulf of Corinth between the Peloponnese peninsula and mainland Greece. This modern engineering marvel, one of the largest such bridges in the world, spans 9,459 feet over four pylons. Check into your comfortable hotel and enjoy lunch on your own before exploring the UNESCO World Heritage-designated sanctuary.  

Built on the sloping hillsides of Mt. Parnassus with amazing scenery, Delphi was considered the omphalos or “navel of the world” by the Ancient Greeks, who made pilgrimages here to receive the prophesies of its Pythia or high priestess. View the Temple of Apollo — where the god supposedly spoke directly to Delphi’s oracle — as you wander around this magnificent monumental complex. You also visit the museum, filled with treasures unearthed at the site. Afterward, return to the hotel for dinner and your overnight stay.

Hotel: Hotel Amalia Delphi or similar

Day 3: Sit back and relax on your morning drive to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Meteora in central Greece, soaking in the mountainous scenery along the way. Meteora’s nearly inaccessible sandstone cliffs serve as the surreal setting for a series of monasteries, built by early Greek Orthodox monks who sought isolation and spiritual ascension. Twenty-four monasteries were constructed between the 11th and 16th centuries, comprising one of the largest and most important monastic communities in the ancient world. Only six of these monasteries remain, two of which you visit today. Admire the incredible views, priceless religious icons, and post-Byzantine frescoes, enjoying some free time for lunch on your own.

Afterward, head to the nearby town of Kalambaka and check into your hotel before dinner and your overnight stay.

Hotel: Divani Kalambaka Hotel or similar  

Day 4:  Make an early morning transfer to Athens for a guided tour of its World Heritage-designate Acropolis. UNESCO describes the Acropolis of Athens as “the greatest architectural and artistic complex bequeathed by Greek Antiquity to the world,” and you gain deeper insight into its trove of 5th-century treasures including its crowning glory, the Parthenon. Enjoy some free time for lunch on your own, then check in at your centrally located hotel. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure, perhaps taking a stroll around Syntagma Square and the nearby National Garden, a 35-acre urban oasis of greenery and blooms. This evening, consider dining at a family-run taverna in Plaka, Athens’s old neighborhood that still clings to its village ambiance.  

Hotel: Grand Bretagne Hotel or similar

Day 5: At the appropriate time, transfer to the Athens airport for your homeward flight. 

This Post-Cruise Seabourn Journey Is Available:

Please note: Modest attire is required; knees, shoulders and midriffs must be covered. Wear comfortable walking shoes. Important: It is each guest's sole responsibility to obtain (before traveling) any visas, vaccinations or tourist cards that are required for participating in mid-cruise adventures or overnight journeys, unless noted otherwise in the description. Please be aware that you may need a visa for any and/or all countries that you will depart from and travel through as part of your overland adventure or overnight tour, and for the country in which you will re-join the ship. The Journey rates include 5* hotel accommodation on a double room basis in Athens, 4* hotel accommodation on a double room basis in Nafplion, Kalambaka and Delphi. The best available accommodation was booked for the dates and voyages applicable to this Journey. Airport assistance and transfers, transportation by A/C bus, all entrance fees indicated in the itinerary, licensed English-speaking guide, water on the transportation, and meals as indicated are also included. Rates do not include gratuities or personal expenses