Cruise Description

11 Night Cruise sailing from Athens to Istanbul aboard Explora I.

Highlights of this cruise:

Athens
The port of Piraeus is one of the last old-style Mediterranean ports from where you can catch ferries to all of the Greek islands and travel a short distance to Greece's capital city Athens.

In the heart of the city lies the ancient Plaka district, with its honeycomb of streets, little shops - and tavernas that come alive at night. Situated on the north and east slopes of the Acropolis, it is rich with historic sites, such as ancient monuments and churches. Within Athens there are eight large hills, including the Acropolis, and on the outskirts, Mount Parnitha, Mount Pendeli and Mount Hymettos surround the city. A trip to Athens' most famous tourist attraction, the impressive Parthenon built on the Acropolis around 2,500 years ago, will be memorable to say the least.

There are an extraordinary number of historic tourist sights in Athens and many of these are known world-wide. Some of the top Athens attractions include the Agora - a grand, ruined Roman building, Hadrian's Arch - originally the city gate linking the Roman quarters with original town of Athens and the stunning Dionysos Theatre - the world's oldest theatre where many great plays have been performed over the years.

Paphos
Paphos is a coastal city in the southwest of Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In Antiquity two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos and New Paphos. The currently inhabited city is New Paphos which is a popular fast developing tourist resort, home to an attractive fishing harbour.

Paphos is divided into two major quarters: Ktima, on the sea terrace, is the main residential district, and Kato Pafos, by the sea, is built around the medieval port and contains most of the luxury hotels and the entertainment infrastructure of the city. Apostolou Pavlou Avenue (St. Paul's Ave.), the busiest road in Paphos, connects the two quarters of the city.

Paphos is listed on the World Cultural Heritage List. Among the treasures unearthed, are the remarkable mosaics in the Houses of Dionysos, Theseus and Aion, beautifully preserved after 16 centuries under the soil. Then there are the mysterious vaults and caves, the Tombs of the Kings andthe ancient Odeon Theatre. Other places of interest including the Byzantine Museum and the District Archaeological Museum, with its attractive collection of Cypriot antiquities from the Paphos area, dating from the Neolithic Age to 1700 AD. Near Odeon, there are the remains of the ancient city walls, the Roman Agora and a building dedicated to Asclepius, god of medicine.

Istanbul
Istanbul is Europe's most populous city (the world's 4th largest city proper and 20th largest urban area) and Turkey's cultural and financial center. The city covers 27 districts of the Istanbul province. It is located on the Bosphorus Strait, and encompasses the natural harbor known as the Golden Horn, in the northwest of the country.

Part of Istanbul’s great attraction is its unique position on two continents, divided by the Bosphorus. Most of the population live on the European side; the Asian sector is reached via the high-level Bosphorus Bridge, the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge or by ferry. With 13 million inhabitants Istanbul offers all the excitement of a cosmopolitan city. Its numerous monuments, mosques and museums, plus the famous Grand Bazaar, make it one of the world’s great destinations.