Greece & Aegean Islands Cruise (6660)

15 Day Tour from Athens to Athens

2024 Tour Details

You've seen photos of the ancient Athens Acropolis, dating back to the 5th century BC—now’s your chance to see it in person. You've watched the Olympics on TV—now is your chance to visit Olympia, legendary home of the first Olympic Games. You've dreamed of cruising in the Greek Islands—now’s your chance to sail into the deep-blue waters of the Aegean Sea and experience these islands yourself. All of this and more await you on this budget-minded Greece tour and cruise. Step back in time on your guided visits to many of Greece's historic sites. In addition to the Athens Acropolis, visit the archaeological site of Mycenae, dating back to 1350 to 1200 BC; the amazingly well-preserved, 2,300-year-old open-air theatre in Epidaurus, which still seats 14,000 spectators; and the medieval Byzantine Citadel of Mystra, a castle founded in 1249. You’ll also visit the spectacular mountain landscape of Meteora with its 24 rock-top monasteries set in almost inaccessible sandstone peaks. Spend the last days of your Greece vacation on a 4-night cruise on the Aegean Sea, cruising to some of the world’s most beautiful islands. Visit Mykonos, Greece's most famous cosmopolitan island, with its seafront village, sandy beaches, and whitewashed houses. Explore Kusadasi, Turkey, where an included excursion takes you to the fascinating Roman, Greek, and Byzantine excavations of Ephesus. Visit Patmos, where St. John the Divine wrote the Revelation; and Rhodes, one of Europe's largest medieval towns with ramparts and palaces built during the Crusades. Discover Heraklion, Crete, nestled picturesquely between two mountain ranges with archaeological treasures and spectacular scenery. Explore Santorini (weather permitting), a dormant volcano offering one of the world's most breathtaking panoramas. Picturesque fishing villages, sparkling blue waters, and ancient sites offer the perfect mix for a vacation of a lifetime. Your spectacular Greek tour and cruise is truly an affordable dream vacation!

Adventure is knocking with everything you need for perfectly affordable touring. Cosmos includes hand-selected accommodations, guided sightseeing, and seamless transportation between destinations—with value-minded travel lovers in mind. Explore with expert Cosmos Tour Directors and Local Guides, complimentary headsets on tour and on shore excursions, private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi. Crown the experience with a four-night cruise and enhance your free time to explore like a local with your CosmosGO mobile app!

Prices are based on Inside cabin (category IB) - All air-conditioned cabins with private shower and toilet. Upgrades available.
Full entertainment program on board.
Included basic drink package: selection of non-alcoholic & alcoholic drinks.
Included select excursions as per detailed itinerary.

Dates & Prices Book Online
800.646.5374
Save $150 per couple on select Cosmos 2024 Europe and North America Tours*
Greece & Aegean Islands Cruise map

 Photo Highlights

 Meals

 Meals & Itinerary

Buffet breakfasts daily; 4 lunches; 7 dinners


Notes:

Please ask your Travel Consultant for cruise ship details. The ship scheduled to depart for the cruise portion of your vacation is the Celestyal Discovery, operated by Celestyal Cruises.

CRUISE DETAILS
Rotation of ports of call may vary for congestion reasons at certain ports with or without prior notice.
Prices are based on Inside cabin (category IB) - All air-conditioned cabins with private shower and toilet. Upgrades available.
Full entertainment program on board.
Included basic drink package: selection of non-alcoholic & alcoholic drinks.
Included select excursions as per detailed itinerary.
Cosmos Host service throughout the cruise.

 Itinerary

Day 1 ARRIVE IN ATHENS, GREECE

Check into your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to start exploring the Greek capital with the help of your CosmosGO app. Later, meet your Local Host.

Day 2 ATHENS

A day to relax and discover Athens at leisure. Our suggestion: join an optional day cruise to the islands of Aegina, Hydra, and Poros. In the evening, free time to enjoy the lively atmosphere of the tavernas and nightclubs in the old Plaka district with its narrow streets and sound of bouzouki music.

Breakfast Breakfast

Day 3 ATHENS–CORINTH–NAUPLIA

Join the included guided tour of Athens, featuring the highlights of this ancient capital and a visit to the Acropolis. Cross the Corinth canal, a project conceived in ancient Greece but only completed in 1893, then head for the coast to the picturesque seaside town of Nauplia.
Today’s Distance: 90 mi/ 145 km

Breakfast Breakfast

Day 4 NAUPLIA–EPIDAURUS–MYCENAE–SPARTA

This morning, stop in Epidaurus, located in the hilly countryside dotted with pine trees and oleanders. In this magnificent setting, visit the ancient open-air theatre, which can still seat 14,000 spectators. Later, enjoy the included guided excursion to the archaeological site and museum of Mycenae, with the imposing ruins of the great city that dominated the eastern Mediterranean world from the 15th to the 12th century B.C. It played a vital role in the development of classical Greek culture and is linked to the Homeric epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey. Travel into the Peloponnese to Sparta, where history hangs between reality and legend.
Today’s Distance: 126 mi/ 202 km

Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 5 SPARTA–MYSTRA–OLYMPIA

Enjoy the included sightseeing of the medieval Byzantine citadel of Mystra, at one time known as the “Florence of the East.” Before arriving in Olympia, stop to visit an olive oil museum.
Today’s Distance: 99 mi/ 160 km

Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 6 OLYMPIA–PATRAS–DELPHI

Explore Olympia, where the athletes of antiquity performed as a tribute to the king of deities, Zeus. Spend free time in this pretty town or learn more about the history of the Olympic Games on the optional sightseeing tour. Later, drive north to Patras, the capital of the Peloponnese and the west coast’s largest port. Continue crossing the spectacular Rion-Antirion bridge through the picturesque fishing villages along the south coast of the mainland to legendary Delphi.
Today’s Distance: 134 mi/ 215 km

Breakfast Breakfast

Day 7 DELPHI–KALAMBAKA

Enjoy free time in town or the optional morning sightseeing of the archaeological site of Delphi, where the oracle of Apollo spoke. It was the site of the omphalos, the 'navel of the world’. Blending harmoniously with the superb landscape and charged with sacred meaning, Delphi in the 6th century B.C. was indeed the religious hub and symbol of unity of the ancient Greek world. On to Kalambaka.
Today’s Distance: 143 mi/ 230 km

Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 8 KALAMBAKA–METEORA–ATHENS

Discover Meteora, a cluster of Christian-Orthodox monasteries perched in an unforgettable manner on a set of rising rock formations. They were originally built by hermit monks living in caves carved into the rocks. Your included visit is certainly the day’s highlight. Continue south to Athens.
Today’s Distance: 224 mi/ 360 km

Breakfast Breakfast

Day 9 ATHENS

Spend a full day at leisure to explore the unseen parts of the city or to visit a museum. Tonight, enjoy the optional Greek dinner.

Breakfast Breakfast

Day 10 ATHENS–EMBARKATION PORT–MYKONOS

Early morning embarkation and afternoon cruising in the Aegean. Arrive this evening in Mykonos, a granite island and the most typical of the Cyclades. Its white and blue houses, windmills, and chapels seem to make the island’s light even more translucent. Spend some time visiting a taverna or just wandering around the town, enjoying its timeless beauty.

Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch
DinnerDinner

Day 11 KUSADASI, TURKEY & PATMOS, GREECE

Two ports of call await today. First, Kusadasi on the Turkish coast for an included morning excursion to the fascinating Greek, Roman, and Byzantine excavations of Ephesus. Next, discover the tiny Greek island of Patmos, where St. John the Divine wrote Revelation. The 11th-century monastery with its valuable manuscript collection is well worth a visit.

Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch
DinnerDinner

Day 12 RHODES

Dock in Rhodes, largest of the Dodecanese Islands and site of the legendary Colossus of Rhodes, a 105-foot statue destroyed by an earthquake in 224 BC. Explore the sites in the historic Old City with its ramparts and palaces built by the Knights of St. John during the Crusades. Another possibility: join an included excursion to Lindos and the Citadel of the Knights. If sightseeing is not your preference, Rhodes’ sun-drenched beaches and vibrant shopping districts are within easy walking distance of the port. Depart from Rhodes around dinner time.

Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch
DinnerDinner

Day 13 CRETE & SANTORINI

Spend the morning in Heraklion on the island of Crete. A few miles away is Knossos, the hub of the 3000-BC Minoan civilization; an optional excursion can be booked. Next port of call (weather permitting) is Santorini, the “Black Pearl of the Aegean.” The optional shore excursion here takes you up to the cliff-top village of Oia for one of the world’s most breathtaking panoramas.

Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch
DinnerDinner

Day 14 DISEMBARKATION PORT–ATHENS

Early morning docking at Athens’ port; disembark and drive to Athens. Time to relax, visit a museum, or to do some last-minute shopping.

Breakfast Breakfast

Day 15 ATHENS

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.

Breakfast Breakfast

 Accommodations

 Optional Excursions

No matter what you’re into: food, wine, history, art, music or anything else, we give you the freedom to personalize your vacation with optional excursions that speak to your interests.

When you book your excursions with us, you can be assured that every optional excursion that we offer coordinates with the free time that you'll have in your destination, so you'll never have conflicts between included and optional activities. Our team of travel experts carefully selects each optional excursion that we offer to ensure that you receive the highest quality at a great value. Our tried-and-true partners have a finger on the pulse of the city in which they operate so they deliver the very best experiences. We offer experiences you cannot create on your own and because you’re booking with us, we coordinate all your transportation and timing needs.

The following optional excursions are examples only for this vacation. These may or may not be offered, and availability is subject to days of operation and seasonality. Please select a departure date to view optional excursions and pricing for a specific date (due to currency fluctuation, pricing shown is subject to change until purchased). Optional excursions are available for purchase on our MyCosmos site 90 days prior to the tour start date.

Price Ranges

$ ($50 USD and under)
$$ ($51 - $100 USD)
$$$ ($101 - $150 USD)
$$$$ (Over $150)


Athens
Nauplia
Olympia
Delphi

Athens

Saronic Islands Cruise

Saronic Islands Cruise

Visit three Greek islands and enjoy lunch on board your modern cruise ship.

Price Range: $$$

Greek Dinner & Culture

Greek Dinner & Culture

Enjoy an unforgettable evening of authentic Greek food, culture and music at this fun dining experience.

Price Range: $$

Nauplia

Caïque Boat to Bourtzi and Taverna Dinner

Caïque Boat to Bourtzi and Taverna Dinner

Discover one of Nauplia's most popular landmarks, the Fortress of Bourtzi, on this remarkable evening excursion that includes dinner and Greek bouzouki music at a local taverna.

Price Range: $

Olympia

Discover Ancient Olympia

Discover Ancient Olympia

This ancient site is the most famous of Greek sanctuaries, where Zeus was worshiped and where his ivory and gold statue was counted among the Seven Wonders of the World.

Price Range: $

Delphi

The Wonders of Ancient Delphi

The Wonders of Ancient Delphi

Experience the magic of Delphi, home to Apollo's famous Oracle, as you visit the Delphi Archaeological Site and its impressive museum.

Price Range: $

 Private Touring

Private Touring: Cosmos European Private Touring enables you to experience all of the attractions, sights and highlights of your selected Cosmos tour as a private experience - delivered just for you and your traveling party. With Private Touring, you'll have your own dedicated Tour Director, your own private transportation and driver, and your own professional local guides. All with greater flexibility in pace and your experience. For your selected tour, there will be additional per-person cost for the size of your party - from 1 to 24. This additional supplement is reduced with each traveler you add to your party. Here's a sample of the additional cost:

6 guests in a party: $978*
18 guests in a party: $285*

Contact Cosmos or your preferred travel agent for pricing for your specific party size as well as any other information on Cosmos Private Touring.

*Supplement pricing is per person (USD) and will be added to the standard published price for your given departure date and is based on availability. Supplement price is valid for 2021 travel year. Occasionally some included and optional activities & excursions may be operated with other guests. Additional restrictions may apply. Not applicable for custom groups. No Group allowances or promotions are available on Private Touring. Published itineraries only. Note that blackout dates may exist where the Private Touring option is not available.


The "Starting at" or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per passenger based on double occupancy and does not include International airfare; additional fees/charges are not included. If a price is crossed out, the new price includes a limited time promotional offer(s) – please review current promotions or deals for additional information. Some tours require intra-vacation flights (and in some cases intra-vacation segments must be purchased from Cosmos).