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.

Split's Diocletian Palace

Today's Split is the product of 17 centuries of building, renovating and remodeling so that the new of today meshes with the old of yesterday. Split is the largest Dalmatian city and is at least 1,700 years old, although recent archaeological research suggests that is might go back as far as the 6th century BC.

At the core of this sprawling cityscape is the palace that Emperor Diocletian built for his golden years at the turn of the 4th century. What began as an imperial residence and fortified camp is today an intriguing warren of narrow cobblestone streets, where pre-Romanesque churches live alongside Gothic chapels, history-filled museums abut galleries of contemporary art and delicious-smelling restaurants compete with bustling cafes for the attention of passers-by.

The palace is almost a town in itself. Entering the palace through its impressive arches, take time to stroll around this 4th century architectural feat that boasts grand open courtyards, restaurants, shops, magnificent stone columns and narrow cobbled lanes.

The walking tour starts with a walk through the cellars of the Palace that are still very well preserved. The cellars offer a good view at how the life in the Palace was organized. Once you come out from the cellars, you will emerge at Peristyle Square, where you will see the Cathedral of St. Duje (St. Dominus), the patron saint of the city. The Cathedral was also built by Emperor Diocletian on the remains of an ancient shrine, and is supposed to be the oldest in the world. A visit will be made to the charming Temple of Jupiter, a 13th century structure that has been remodeled many times over the years and features imposing stone columns.

On your walk through the narrow streets of the Diocletian palace, you will also see the beautiful Golden and the Silver Gates. After the walking tour, take advantage of the wonderful shopping and souvenir hunting opportunities nearby in the market, or stroll along the Riva waterfront boulevard. Reserve your spot on this fascinating tour of Split's most beautiful historic sights.

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.