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Sailing the Aegean - Civilisations of Ancient Greece, Crete and the Cyclades
10
days
from
US$9,230
Book today with a deposit of
US$1,385
13th - 22nd October 2027
Cruise highlights
- An exclusive private evening at the Acropolis Museum – with two days to explore the city before embarking.
- Seven nights aboard the Variety Voyager – a 4-star mega yacht chartered exclusively for our group.
- Two eminent lecturers in Classical Greece – joining us on board and on site, bringing the ancient world vividly to life.
- The greatest ancient sites of the Aegean – among them the Acropolis, Mycenae, Knossos, Akrotiri and Delos.
- An intentionally small group of no more than 60 – dividing into two on site, ensuring every visitor travels with an expert at their side.
The Aegean Sea both divides and unites. It separates the peoples of the Greek mainland, the Cyclades – the ‘circle of islands’ around Delos – and Crete. Yet Homer’s ‘paths of the sea’ have linked them for millennia, carrying traders, warriors and pilgrims across waters that have witnessed the rise and fall of extraordinary civilisations: the haunting figurines of the prehistoric Cyclades, the palace-kingdoms of the Bronze Age, the temples of Classical Greece, the maritime empire of Venice.
On this ten-day voyage we encounter all of it. We walk the monuments of Classical Athens – above all the Acropolis, whose legacy endures to this day. We explore the Bronze Age citadels of Mycenae and Tiryns, so formidable they furnished Homer and the great tragedians with the raw material of legend. In Crete – always an island apart – the Minoan palaces of Knossos and Phaistos reveal a civilisation unlike any other. And in the Cyclades we discover extraordinary contrasts: Akrotiri on Santorini, buried by a volcanic eruption of greater force than Krakatoa; sacred Delos, the cultural heart of the Archaic Aegean; and Syros, offering a flavour of island life in more recent times.
As the Byzantine scholar Steven Runciman observed, ‘the beauty of Greece lies in its contrasts’ – and we will find them in abundance, from the mountains of Crete to the plains of the Argolid and the islands of the Cyclades.
Videos
Brochure
Itinerary
We off er a morning flight from London Heathrow to Athens. The tour begins at 7.00pm with drinks, an introductory talk and dinner. First of two hotel nights in Athens.
Morning visit to the Acropolis, the foremost site of Classical Greece. Built during the apogee of Athenian power 447–438 BC and dedicated to Athena, the Parthenon temple is unequalled for sophistication of design, quality of craftsmanship and beauty of sculpture. Other architectural masterpieces here are the Propylaia (monumental gateways) and the exquisitely wrought Erechtheion with the Karyatid (‘maidens’) porch. A free afternoon is followed by a dinner and a private evening visit to the Acropolis museum with superb Archaic and Classical sculpture.
This morning take a guided tour of either the National Archaeological Museum (subject to renovation works) or the Cycladic museum. Both hold fi ne collections of Greek art and artefacts. Alternatively opt for free time – Plaka and Anafiotika are charming old quarters on the slopes of the Acropolis with a scattering of ancient remains, including the Library of Hadrian and the Tower of the Winds. In the afternoon take the coach to Lavrion and board Variety Voyager for the first of 7 nights. Sail in the early evening to Nauplion.
Today’s theme is the Mycenaean civilisation of the Argolid Plain, the Greece of Homer’s heroes (16th–13th centuries BC). Visit Tiryns, a citadel with massive Cyclopean walls of enormous blocks of masonry. Back in Nauplion either visit the archaeological museum with an eclectic collection of artefacts from all over southern Argolis, or enjoy some free time in one of the most attractive towns of mainland Greece. In the afternoon visit Mycenae, reputedly Agamemnon’s capital, with the Treasury of Atreus (fi nest of beehive tombs) and Acropolis (Lion Gate). Sail overnight to Crete.
Morning visit to Aptera, one of the most powerful Graeco-Roman city states. This is a huge site with Roman ruins, a theatre and a Turkish fort. In the afternoon, visit the excellent Archaeological Museum of Chania, housing around 3,500 archeological objects, including findings from excavations in several areas of the city that have taken place over the last 50 years. Time also to explore Chania’s beautiful harbour and the narrow alleys of its old town, displaying a fascinating mix of architectural styles: Venetian, Ottoman, Neoclassical. Sail overnight to Heraklion.
Moor in Heraklion, centre of the Bronze Age Aegean. Blessed with a rich variety of landscapes, natural resources were abundant and farming flourished in Protohistoric Crete. Spend the morning in the Mesara, a rich agricultural plain along the south coast. Gortyn was the Roman capital of Crete where a famous, 5th-century bc inscription has details of Greek law. Spectacularly situated on a ridge, Phaestos is the second largest Minoan palace. Some free time in Heraklion this afternoon.
Morning visit to the Archaeological Museum in Heraklion, which houses the island’s largest collection of Minoan art. Spend the afternoon at Knossos, the capital of Minoan Crete and centre of the Bronze Age Aegean. Shrouded in myth both ancient and modern, it comprised at its peak a magnificent palace with courts, religious buildings and mansions. Excavated by Sir Arthur Evans early in the 20th century, his reconstructions not only protect the excavated remains but illustrate the splendour of palatial civilisation. Visit the Villa Ariadne by special arrangement, a research centre belonging to the British School of Athens (subject to the completion of renovation works).
Spend the morning in the island’s capital, Fira, with its iconic white-washed town dotted with blue-domed churches. The new Prehistoric museum here features some fine frescoes. Lunch is included in the town before an afternoon visit to Akrotiri, a Bronze Age site buried by volcanic eruption in 1600 bc, preserving beautifully streets, buildings, household items and fresco fragments. Sail overnight to Delos.
Revered as the birthplace of Artemis and Apollo, the small island of Delos was the most important religious sanctuary of ancient 8 Greece. It accumulated great riches, dispersed when Greek power was superseded by Roman. Today uninhabited and visited entirely on foot, it is one of the most atmospheric and alluring of ancient sites with remains of several temples and assorted structures and the famous lions sculpted in the 7th century bc. The energetic can climb Mt Kynthos for fi ne views. Sail over lunch to Syros, one of the smallest, the least visited and the prettiest of the Cyclades islands. We moor for the afternoon in Ermoúpoli, an elegant port town with evidence of its former Venetian and Ottoman occupation above the bustling seafront. Free time here to stroll, shop, swim. Sail overnight to Lavrion.
Disembark by 9.00am. Coaches drop at Athens airport for the departure of the British Airways fl ight to London at c.1.20pm.
Expert speakers
Dr Christina Hatzimichael-Whitley
Born in Greece and deeply rooted in its landscape and history, Christina brings to her work a rare combination of personal connection and scholarly rigour. A lecturer at Cardiff University, her expertise centres on the Aegean Bronze Age, though her teaching ranges widely – from Greek art and archaeology through the Classical and Byzantine periods to gender theory and Modern Greek. She holds degrees from three of the world’s leading universities – Thessaloniki, Toronto and Cambridge, and has excavated extensively across Greece and Cyprus. As assistant director of the Praisos Project in Crete, she has been at the heart of a major survey and excavation of the Classical city of Praisos.
More tours led by Dr Christina Hatzimichael-Whitley
Professor James Whitley
Professor of Mediterranean Archaeology at Cardiff University and a former Director of the British School at Athens, James has been at the forefront of Greek archaeology for more than three decades – teaching, excavating and publishing across the full sweep of the ancient world, from the Bronze Age to the Hellenistic period.
His fieldwork has taken him across Britain, Italy and Greece. He has directed a major programme of excavation around the ancient city of Praisos in Crete since 1992. His publications include the award-winning The Archaeology of Ancient Greece (Cambridge, 2001), recipient of the Runciman Prize, and most recently Knossos: Myth, History and Archaeology (Bloomsbury, 2023) – a testament to his ability to bring the ancient world to life for specialist and general reader alike.
More tours led by Professor James Whitley
Practicalities
Lower deck – Category C
Single occupancy: $11,170
Not available for double occupancy
Lower deck – Category B
Two sharing: $9,230 per person
Single occupancy: $12,150
Main deck – Category B
Two sharing: $9,230 per person
Single occupancy: $12,150
Main deck – Category A
Two sharing: $11,130 per person
Single occupancy: $15,780
Upper deck – Category P
Two sharing: $11,860 per person
Not available for single occupancy
Upper deck – Owners Suite
Two sharing: $12,810 per person
Not available for single occupancy
Category B cabins on the lower deck are slightly bigger than those on the main deck, and have porthole windows. Category B cabins on the main deck are slightly smaller than those on the lower deck and have larger, rectangular windows.
Flights: if you would like to add flights to and from London to your booking, there is an additional cost of $500 per person.
– Hotel accommodation (5-star) in Athens for two nights.
–Ship accommodation on board the 4-star Variety Voyager, exclusively chartered for our group of a maximum 60 participants and staff .
– Most meals, from dinner on the first day to breakfast on the last with wine, beer and soft drinks. Three meals are in restaurants ashore. There are just two independent lunches in Athens.
– Coach travel between airport and ship, and to sites when not reached on foot. If you are booking your flights independently, you may join one of our transfers, so long as they coincide with our group fl ight arrivals.
– Lectures by Dr Christina Hatzimichael-Whitley and James Whitley on board the ship and some guiding on site.
– Excursions, visits and admission costs.
– All tips for waiters, ship crew, local guides, drivers; all city and port taxes.
– The assistance of experienced Martin Randall Travel staff .
– A printed booklet including practical details, maps and background information.
We offer flights from London with this cruise:
Economy with British Airways
Wednesday 13th October: London Heathrow to Athens (BA 628 departing at 9.25 and arriving at 15.20)
Friday 22nd October: Athens to London Heathrow (BA 627 departing 13.20 and arriving at 15.30).
Accommodation in Athens, 1–3 September 2027
Royal Olympic Hotel. Rated locally as 5 star, this is a comfortable hotel located a 10-minute walk from the Acropolis. We have booked ‘Athenian Panorama’ rooms with views over Athens. The roof garden restaurant has views of the Acropolis. Décor is traditional in style and there is an outdoor swimming pool (weather permitting).
The Ship
Variety Voyager is a comfortable, 36-cabin mega-yacht, launched in 2012 and renovated in 2023. With facilities equivalent to a 4-star hotel, the multinational crew is dedicated to the highest standards of service.
All cabins have windows to the outside and are equipped with the facilities such as adjustable air conditioning, television, safe and hairdryer. Bathrooms have showers only.
Cabins on the Upper and Main decks have large windows while those on the Lower deck have portholes. There are no single cabins as such but we are allocating some for single occupancy. Cabin sizes vary across decks.
Public areas are generous with an air-conditioned dining room and lounge, both of which open onto a covered terrace. The sundeck has sunloungers.
The size of the ship means we are, more often than not, able to dock in port rather than anchor outside, avoiding the use of tenders or zodiacs.
Cabin sizes – Double occupancy:
Owners suite (upper deck): 4 windows, double bed, 22.5m2
Category P (upper deck): 2 windows, double bed, 15.9–20.7m2
Category A (main deck): 2 windows, double or twin beds, 12.4–16m2
Category B (main deck): 2 windows, twin beds, 12.8m2
Category B (lower deck): 2 portholes, double bed, 14–18.6m2
Cabin sizes – Single occupancy:
Category A (main deck): 2 windows, double or twin beds, 12–13.6m2
Category B (main deck): 2 windows, double or twin beds, 10.7–12.3m2
Category B (lower deck): 2 portholes, double bed, 14m2
Category C (lower deck): 2 portholes, double or twin beds, 12.8–13.5m2
A good level of fitness is necessary for visits to archaeological sites and towns where coaches cannot access the centre. Rough ground, steps, cobbled streets and hills are standard. If you have a medical condition or a disability which may affect your holiday or necessitate special arrangements being made for you, please discuss this with us before booking – or, if the condition develops or changes subsequently, as soon as possible before departure. A good level of fitness is necessary for the visits to large archaeological sites as well as small towns where coaches cannot access the centre. Steps, cobbled streets, rough ground and hills are standard.
Maximum of 60 participants.
Before booking, please refer to Travel.State.Gov to ensure you are happy with the travel advice for the destination(s) you are visiting. As a British company we follow the advice of the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office.
Dates & prices
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2027
Date
Speaker
Price
Date:
13th - 22nd October 2027
Speaker:
Dr Christina Hatzimichael-Whitley & Professor James Whitley
Price:
from US$9,230
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