Exclusive Ancient Ephesus

Meet your professionally trained guide and drive to Ephesus, approximately 30 minutes from Kusadasi. Famous in antiquity for its Temple of Artemus during the years of the Roman Empire, the Greek port of Ephesus became the greatest city in Asia Minor. You will start your 90 minute Ephesus tour at the upper Magnesia Gate, and work your way down through the city, ending near the ancient Harbor.

Along the way, you will see the Forum, the Odeon, the Library of Celsus, Temple of Artemis, the Thermal Baths of Scolastika, and the Great Theater, built in the Greek era and reconstructed in the Roman period. With your skip-the-line access, you can fully enjoy these sites, which have played host to events as varied as Paul and his sermons to the Ephesians, to concerts by Sting, in part due to their remarkable acoustics.

You will walk along the Arcadian Way, where once Mark Antony and Cleopatra rode in procession. You will hear stories of Alexander the Great, the Virgin Mary, and many other famous visitors who walked the same marble streets that you are walking. As you depart the Ephesus site, you will be able to view the hilltop ruins of the Basilica of St. John in the distance, which was erected over his grave in the 6th century A.D. by Emperor Justinian.

Returning to the town of Kusadasi, guests will have the option to end their Ephesus tour in the shopping area, where they can attend a Turkish carpet explanation and explore the shops filled with jewelry, carpets, leatherware, and copper goods, or both. Turkish salespeople expect you to haggle and quite often you can get 10-15% off the listed price. Treat it as an adventure. The cruise pier is a 5-10 minute walk from the main shopping area.

Guests not wishing to attend the optional carpet shopping should stay on the bus and they will be taken directly back to the pier.

Exclusive Mykonos Old and New

After meeting your guide at the pier, you will join your transportation for a drive to see some of the island. A brief photo stop will be made at northern beach, which is located on one of the largest bays of the island. It can get rather windy, attracting windsurfers and daredevils. Further along is Agia Anna beach which is sheltered from the wind creating a relaxing sandy beach. Enjoy a non-alcoholic beverage and local Greek pastry in a local coffee shop and some free time to explore before making your way towards the yet unspoilt village of Ano Mera.

This is one of the very few places in Mykonos where traditional Greek village life continues regardless of all the night life, jet setting of the island's capital. Ano Mera is the most populated village on the island and its peaceful environment and great location offer easy access to sandy beaches such as Elia, Kalo Livadi, and Kalafatis. The main square of the village is adorned with local coffee shops Kafeneio and traditional tavernas.

The village's claim to fame is the Monastery of Panagia Tourliani which houses a collection of Cretan icons and a magnificent handmade "Templo" which dates back to 1767 and came from Florence. After your visit to the Monastery, you will return to the main town of the island.

After leaving your transportation, you begin a walking tour of the twisting pedestrian streets of Mykonos Town, which is also known as Chora locally. Your guide will point out the Old Harbor area and fish market where you may see its most famous celebrity, Petros, the official mascot of Mykonos for over 50 years.

In the Kastros area, You will see the Church of Panagia Paraportiani, one of the most photographed structures on Mykonos. The church was begun in 1425 and not finished until almost 300 years later. Today it consists of five small churches connected together.

Continuing your walking tour, you will also pass through the area known as Little Venice, whitewashed buildings with multicolored shutters constructed right on the sea's edge with their balconies overhanging the water. On a hill overlooking the town, you will see perhaps the island's most famous landmark, the Mykonos Windmills which date back to the Venetians in the 16th century. From here, you will return to your transportation back to the cruise pier. If your ship is at anchor and is tendering into the old harbor area, your guide will lead you back to the tender pier.

Exclusive Medieval Town of Rhodes

After meeting your professionally trained guide on the pier, you will set off in your transportation to see the highlights of ancient and modern-day Rhodes during this picturesque orientation tour of the city. As you pass by the Mandraki Esplanade, you will see the government buildings, Church of Annunciation built in 1925, a replica of the Old Church of the Knights of St. John and the Deer Statues at the entrance of Mandraki Port where it is believed the Colossus of Rhodes once stood.

Your drive will then continue up to Monte Smith for panoramic views and photo opportunities of Rhodes and the Aegean Sea. From here, you will continue to the top of Rhodes' Old City. You will disembark your transportation at the Gate d'Amboise, from where you will begin your Old Town walking tour.

As you pass through the medieval walls and into the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Medieval Town of Rhodes, the first site that meets you is the imposing Grand Master's Palace. The Palace was built in the 14th century A.D., destroyed in 1856 and rebuilt in 1939 by the Italians to accommodate the King of Italy, Emmanuel II and Mussolini.

Most cruise line tours only visit the outside of the palace, but on this tour, after your guide gives you a brief history of the knights outside, they will lead you on a guided walking tour of the palace.

After leaving the palace, you will walk down the Street of the Knights, where you will see the many inns once occupied by the crusaders. It is considered the most beautiful area of the Old City. At the end of the street, you will see the exterior of what is now the Archaeological Museum. Formerly the Knights' Hospital, the museum was built in 1440 A.D. and is the most spectacular and well-preserved building in the Old City.

Your guide will answer any questions about additional sightseeing, shopping, or where you can find some of the wonderful Greek food before giving you some free time for browsing at your leisure. At the appointed time for those guests wishing to return to the ship pier, your guide will lead you to the transportation for the approximate 3 - 5 minute drive back to the pier. For guests wishing longer in the Old City, please just let your guide know you are ending your tour there.

Exclusive Santorini, Oia and Winery Tour

Departing from the tender pier at Fira port, you will be led to your transportation. From here, you will begin your exploration of this wonderful island.

Your Santorini Winery tour will take you to the major must see sites on the island. Depending on traffic the day of your tour, the order you see the sites may vary from the tour description order. One of your stops will be at the village of Oia, located at the northern tip of the island. As you travel along, you will see the different layers of lava the volcano had produced making a timeline of the island's history. Oia offers magnificent views of the caldera and the rest of the other islands. Depending on the time of day, the sun paints the cliffs with different shades of color and light like an ever-changing landscape painting. Perhaps this is one of the reasons that Oia attracts so many artists. With its cobblestone streets, beautiful old mansions and houses perched on the cliffside, you can admire the traditional Cycladic architecture for which Santorini is so well known.

From Oia, you will travel across the terraced island, through Pyrgos village and make your way up to the highest peak of Santorini, Mt. Profitis Ilias.(883 feet) Here a monastery of the same name was built in 1712. Although you cannot enter the monastery, you can enjoy its magnificent view of the entire island from the south end of Perissa Beach to the north part of the island were Oia village is situated.

After the photo stop, you will drive to one of the local wineries on the island. Here you can learn about how wines were once produced on the island, as well as learning of the unique way in which grapes are grown and harvested on Santorini. You will be able to sample three of the most famous wines of Santorini.

From the winery, you will make your way back to the town of Fira, the picturesque capital town of the island built on the rim of the caldera wall. Your guide will lead you to the major pedestrian street where they will give you a brief orientation of how to navigate the town before you explore on your own. Wander the endless maze of whitewashed streets looking for jewelry, gifts, or the perfect view of the caldera while you enjoy a coffee or wine. The tour ends in Fira, so you can enjoy the atmosphere of this beautiful place and return to your ship at your leisure.

Please Note: The tour duration does not include the time required to tender ashore from your ship. This tour ends in Fira Town.