Cruise Description

Seven Seas Splendor® is luxury perfected. From her elegant décor to the crowning Regent Suite, every space is elevated to the utmost.

Kavala/Philippi, Greece
Explore ancient Kavala with its striking mountains, crystalline waters, and multicultural buildings hugging the cliffs. Both the fortress and the Kavala aqueduct date back to the 16th Century. Visit the marketplace, stop for a coffee, stroll through the new shops and galleries. Look for ceramics, great wine, fine leather, white marble, handmade cigars, and designer clothing. The Castle of Kavala and the castle at Palaiochori are not to be missed. Then one of the many museums – the Archaeological Museum or the Municipal Museum top the list. The Imararet, the home built by Mohammed Ali Pasha in the 19th Century boasts Ottoman architecture and spectacular views of the sea. Linger over a meal of local specialties, stuffed eggplant or grilled seafood. Enjoy a glass of wine, a coffee and pastry as you absorb the harmony of Kavala.

Thessaloniki, Greece
With a history spanning more than two millennia, Thessaloniki reigned alongside Constantinople as a capital of the Byzantine Empire. So numerous are the outstanding Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments that as a group they have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Don’t miss the ornate church and sacred crypt of St. Demetrius, the city’s martyred patron saint, or the palace complex of Galerius and the mosaics in the Rotunda. The Archaeological Museum holds even more ancient treasures.

Volos, Greece
Volos is a city situated at the center of the Greek mainland, north of Athens. It is the capital of Magnesia prefecture. Modern Volos is built on the ancient cities of Demetrias, Pagasae and Iolkos. To the west of Volos there are the Neolithic settlements of Dimini with a ruined acropolis, walls and two beehive tombs dated between 4000-1200 BC, and Sesklo with the remains of the oldest acropolis in Greece (6000 BC), as well as examples of Neolithic civilizations.

Athens (Piraeus), Greece
Piraeus is the gateway to the ancient city of Athens, known as the “Cradle of Western Civilization” because of its immense impact on cultural and political achievements throughout the world. Due mainly to tourism and the 2004 Olympics, Greece has redeveloped many sites in Athens. A historian’s delight, Athens is home to such magnificent wonders as: the Acropolis, the Parthenon, the atmospheric winding streets of the Plaka, Temple of Olympian Zeus and Temple of Athena Nike, and the Archaeological Museum with the world’s finest collection of ancient artifacts.

Mykonos, Greece
Steeped in Greek mythological history, Mykonos was named after Apollo’s grandson, Mykons, and was the location of the grand battle between Zeus and the Gigantes. Today, this island is one of Greece’s most adored destinations due to its picture- postcard setting and growing nightlife. Mykonos is a superb example of Cycladic architecture, and by law even new buildings have to be built in the same style of whitewashed, organic, cube-like buildings. Be sure to plan a day trip to take in picturesque Little Venice, the unique Paraportiani church, and the archeological dig at Delos.

Heraklion (Crete), Greece
The capital city of Greece’s largest island, Heraklion beguiles with a pair of Crete’s must-see sights: the state-of-the-art Heraklion Archaeological Museum, home to treasures of Minoan civilization and finds covering over 5,500 years of Crete’s history; and the Palace of Knossos, a center of Minoan power that dates back to 2000 BC and revered as the location of the mythic Minotaur’s Labyrinth. Take in spectacular harbor views from Iraklion’s 13th-century fortress and revitalized waterfront, where ‘fish taverns’ serve authentic Cretan dishes like sweet or salty kaltsounia washed down with raki, Crete’s local spirit.

Marmaris, Turkey
With an azure-blue sea lapping golden beaches, a multitude of wood-hulled yachts bobbing in marinas and pine-covered hillsides framing it all, Marmaris earns its stripes as a popular resort town. Take in the views along the walls and ramparts of Marmaris Castle (1522) before stopping off at its artifact-rich museum, which includes fascinating finds from surrounding archaeological sites and Marmaris Bay shipwrecks. Admire Old Town’s traditional buildings, then head to the waterfront for dizzying varieties of Greek and Turkish food – and maybe a sip (or two) of ouzo.

Izmir, Turkey
Curled around a cerulean bay, Izmir buzzes with a remarkably cosmopolitan vibe considering its estimated 4,000 years of history. Soak up sublime Mediterranean atmosphere along a café-laden waterfront, noshing on boyoz, kumru, kokoreç and lokma (‘king of desserts’) over kahve, Turkey’s thick, strong coffee. Snap photos roaming the archways and columns of Izmir’s Roman agora before visiting the intricately patterned clock tower in Konak Square. Haggle at 500-year-old Kemeralti Bazaar, visit Izmir’s archaeological museum and ride a teleferic (cable car) for panoramic views of the ‘Pearl of the Aegean’.