Itinerary
DAY 1 | ISTANBUL
Embark on a European and Asian adventure packed with a wealth of charm and cultural diversity. Roam the ‘blue’ mosque of Sultan Ahmet, the Grand Bazaar, opulent Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia or sink into a serene Turkish Bath experience. Embrace the city’s vine-shaded homely district where ladies shop for butter-soaked baklava and freshly picked olives. Explore further to haggle for gold jewellery, linen and oriental antiques. Dine in the atmospheric old city or take a ferry to Asia for street-served food. Feast over rich platters of meze, moist grilled bluefish and succulent kebabs. Heighten your senses even further in the spice bazaar with enticing aromas and vibrant, colourful displays. After such a sensorial feast, indulge in a restorative raki, whichever continent you’re in. By night parties don’t start until late, but expect to dance till dawn. Join the late crowd spilling into the streets overlookingthe Bosphorus. Sway at European rooftop bars, shimmer by ferry over to the Asian suburbs or remain ensconced in old-fashioned folk venues. An eclectic fusion of east and west, this city is conservative at heart with a truly modern soul.
DAY 2 | KEPEZ (TURKEY)
Blend world cultural heritage and archaeological findings with exquisite nature, and you get a small outpost along the Dardanelles Straits that’s packed with prominent treasures. Soak up local arts as you visit the Ottoman Empire ceramic museums, fortresses, and the Suvla wine factory. Step back in time to a classical world of myth and legend amid Troy’s ancient ruins, where the fabled horse was brought ashore. Then slow down to discover restful green forests, fresh springs and the wild beauty of Mount Ida. Dive into Türkiye's only underwater national park to meet monk seals or find inner calm on one of the area’s beautiful beaches. With boundaries touching both Europe and Asia and surrounded by an abundance of nature, you’ll enjoy this mythological and historically rich island with great peace of mind.
DAY 3 | AT SEA
DAY 4 | KAVALA (GREECE)
Wind into lively alleys once known as the mecca of tobacco. Climb cobbled streets to Kavala’s old town and the Byzantine walled fortress. Wander the scenic walls to the whitewashed lighthouse for a chance to spot Mount Athos. Watch the amphitheatre put on a show at the top of Panagia, then descend into the Imaret complex of domes. Amble the taverna and bar-filled pedestrianised streets around Agios Nikolaos church and visit the atmospheric old hammam and mosaic memorial before routing to the ancient UNESCO city of Philippi. Refresh in waterfalls at the foot of Mount Pangaion, stroll to village watermills, neo-classical mansions, a celebrated winery and stockpile home-made honey. Float to leafy Thasos for coveted snow-white mined marble, archaeological sites andquaint old stone houses in Kastro. Then relax for Turkish coffee with a side of Greek schnapps in this quietly forgotten corner of Greece.
DAY 5 | THESSALONIKI
Breeze into a beguiling mix of vintage and modern, awash with a thriving art, culture and history scene. Crowded with museums dedicated to the past plus an extraordinary 15 UNESCO sites – there’s much to learn. Admire ramparts built to last; the impressive Galerius Palace, the beautiful domed multi-serving Rotunda, a bevy of Byzantine churches and the curious 15th century White Tower. Dig deeper into the past to trace pre-historic times at the Archaeological Museum. Rove around Ladadika narrow streets and charming squares that emit a Parisian air, absorb Greek produce in the Market’s holy halls and soak up modern art on the lively waterfront. Raise hairs at Heptapyrgion, take coffee in Aristotelous Square or head out of town to peer at Alexander the Great’s birthplace in Pella and Vergina’s royal tombs. Perfectly poised on the placid Thermaic Gulf, Thessaloniki brings past and present together in remarkable harmony.
DAY 6 | VOLOS (GREECE)
Volos deals a perfect blend of architectural gems, scented archaic landscapes and beach-fringed salty bays. Discover treasures in the mythical home of Jason and the Argonauts before bearing off to Pelion, homeland of the mythical Centaurs. Zig zag through a network of old cobbled donkey tracks linking villages and wander a botanist’s dream of eucalyptus, fruit trees and thyme-scented woodland. Dip in blissfully quiet Pagasitic waters, bring history to life on gorge and bridge crossing Moutzouris and paddle past secluded coves into eerie sea caves and the Secret School. Visit Damouchari for a riot of bougainvillea and silvery olive trees, Tsagarada for the oldest plane tree in Greece and Milies for murals and absurd acoustics. This playground of the gods remains a quietmemory of Greek gone by - the Centaurs have protected it well.
DAY 7 | AT SEA
DAY 8 | KUSADASI (EPHESUS)
Prepare for an exclusive explosion of history, culture and carpets. Walk in Cleopatra's steps and pay homage to the Roman ruins of Ephesus. Journey through fields bursting with cotton, olives and peaches until the hills broaden and Ephesus arises. Dedicated to Artemis, visit monuments, shrines, columns and ruins. The place where Popes pray and pilgrims drink (holy water). Fully immerse yourself within this ancient spot of worship; wish for good health and meditate in the sacred thermal pools of Pamukkale. Travel out to Orthodox villages combining Turkish-Greek culture and feast on organic filo, feta and spinach. Learn about Turkish weavings, natural dyes and different materials; see looms in action, knotting carpets and kilims. Steeped in history and with terrain as diverse as the culture, it won't just be the traditional Turkish coffee that will make you sit up straight.
DAY 9 | MARMARIS (TURKEY)
Mesmerising Marmaris, overlooked by the mighty castle of Suleiman the Magnificent, crowns Turkey’s Turquoise Coast. Founded by traders and warriors more than 3000 years ago, the city and her sheltered harbour are a gateway to ancient civilisations. Graceful Turkish gulets and sleek-sided superyachts arc through secluded coves, where pine-scented hillsides spill down to timeless beaches and crystal-clear water. Cast your eyes upon the sacred sands of fabled Cleopatra Island and listen for Apollo’s song in the hilltop ruins of fallen empires, or a day trip to Dalyan to delve into King Tombs, mud baths, reed-lined rivers, miles of sandy beach, and the infamous Caretta-Caretta sea turtles. Cleanse body and mind in traditional hammams and Turkish bathhouses, while an emporium of Ottoman arts awaits in the Grand Bazaar.
DAY 10 | CHANIA (CRETE)
Untrod, untravelled yet a muse for artists and poets since time immemorial, Chania is a cultural crossroads where eclectic architecture bears witness to ancient empires. Lose yourself in narrow streets lined with Venetian townhouses and Byzantine churches, where hidden corners reveal bougainvillaea-covered courtyards and well-worn workshops. Woodcarvers and weavers flaunt their wares in covered markets, stalls piled high with olive oil and fragrant herbs from the surrounding hillsides. Beyond the ancient shipyards and leather tanneries of Halepa, a Homeric wonderland of fathomless beaches is rendered in shades ofdazzling blue. Lazy afternoons turn into romantic evenings at harbourside restaurants, where pastel sunsets streak the sky and the Egyptian lighthouse stands tall.
DAY 11 | PIRAEUS (ATHENS)
