Cruising Ancient Greece to Malta - MV Aegean Odyssey
Day 1 – Arrival in Athens
Arrive at the airport for your flight. On arrival, we transfer by coach to the four-star Metropolitan Hotel in Athens, where we stay for two nights with breakfast.
Day 2 – Delphi
A trip to Greece would not be complete without a visit to Delphi, perhaps the most important sacred site in the ancient Greek world. Set high on the natural terraces of Mount Parnassos with birds of prey soaring overhead, Delphi was once considered the centre of the known world. At the heart is the Sanctuary of Apollo, dedicated to the god of light and truth and where he counselled the people through the Oracle. As we enter, we’ll see the treasuries once filled with the votive offerings of grateful pilgrims. Overlooking it all is the astonishing temple, while the adjacent museum exhibits some of the finest archaeological finds of Greece, including the spectacular ‘Charioteer’, a life-size bronze sculpture that dates back to 478 BC.
Following our fascinating excursion, we sit down to an included lunch before returning to Athens later this afternoon.
Day 3 – Athens
Many of Classical civilisation’s intellectual ideas originated in Athens, which is widely considered the birthplace of Western civilisation. This morning we’re introduced to this fascinating city on a walking tour. We visit the capital’s ancient citadel, the extraordinary Acropolis, which represents the glorious achievements of Athenian culture during its Golden Age. Among the magnificent monuments is the remarkable Parthenon, a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, protector of the city. Many of the statues are now on display at the Acropolis Museum, which we also visit today. Exhibits include an incredible series of carved pediments from the Temple of Athena.
After a leisurely lunch, we board the superb Aegean Odyssey for five nights of spectacular cruising.
Day 4 – Santorini
Have your camera at the ready this morning as we witness one of the Aegean Sea’s most wondrous sights: the majestic red-tinged cliffs of Santorini rising from a massive half-moon caldera. Beautiful Santorini is the southernmost island of the Cyclades and the remaining half of an exploded volcano.
Once moored, we transfer by a local boat then drive to the northern tip of the island to the picturesque village of Oia, where whitewashed and blue-domed buildings are carved right into the cliffs. A highlight of today’s tour is our visit to Akrotiri, one of the most fascinating and significant archaeological sites. A Minoan settlement once thrived here during the Bronze Age until a series of natural disasters, including severe earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, forced the inhabitants to evacuate in the 17th century BC. It had been a crowded city that spanned 20 acres, complete with public roads, sanitary engineering and multi-storey buildings.
Later we visit the medieval hilltop village of Pyrgos, where the ruins of a Venetian castle can be seen. Here we have lunch at a local taverna, included with the cruise. Our adventure concludes in Firá, the scenic capital, where you have the option of exploring the town or returning to the ship by cable car.
Day 5 – Heraklion
Overnight we sail to vibrant Heraklion, the largest city on the island of Crete. After breakfast we have a guided tour of the Minoan Palace of Knossos, a magnificent complex with flamboyant decoration and impressive courts. We explore the sprawling five acres, where everything from the throne room to royal living quarters is reconstructed with meticulous care. This may be the closest you can get to piecing together the intriguing puzzle of the Minoan civilisation.
We then visit the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, the best museum in the world for Minoan art, famous for the most notable and complete collection of Minoan artefacts.
Day 6 – Chania
We moor in Chania, the former capital of Crete and one of the most beautiful cities in Greece. During our tour this morning, we first visit the tomb of Eleftherios Venizelos, the island’s national hero, who prior to becoming Prime Minister of Greece, played a significant role in securing independence from the Ottoman Empire. It was here that Cretan rebels raised the Greek flag in 1897 in defiance of the Great Powers, making it a place of pilgrimage to this day.
We then drive to the Archaeological Museum of Chania, a small but charming attraction housed within the Venetian church of Saint Francis. The artefacts are truly fascinating and include Cretan pottery, sculpture and mosaics, as well as coins dating from the Neolithic period to the Roman era.
Later we take a leisurely walking tour around the Old Town and market of Chania. You’ll have free time to explore under your own steam before returning to the ship.
Day 7 – At Sea
Make the most of a full day at sea as the Aegean Odyssey glides across the azure waters of the Mediterranean towards Malta. After a week of fascinating sightseeing, you may wish to indulge in some pampering treatments at the Athena Health Spa. Or perhaps head up to the observation deck for fantastic panoramic views.
Day 8 – Valletta
Prepare for a breathtaking sight this morning as we leave the vastness of the Mediterranean Sea and gracefully enter the impressive Grand Harbour of Valletta, a fortress city founded by the Knights of St John in 1566. There’s a typical Mediterranean feel here, with restaurants lining charming squares and honey-coloured buildings decorated with colourful balconies. We enjoy a sightseeing tour that includes a visit to St John’s Co-Cathedral, a remarkable Baroque masterpiece with a gold-leaf ceiling and fine paintings such as Caravaggio’s ‘The Beheading of John the Baptist’. We’ll also visit the Malta Experience, an engaging audio-visual experience that brings to life the island’s 7,000-year history.
This afternoon is at leisure for you to explore the local area or simply relax. We stay for two nights with breakfast at the four-star Victoria Hotel in the coastal town of Sliema, once the home of Malta’s aristocracy.
Day 9 – Gozo
After breakfast we drive to the sleepy island of Gozo nearby and visit its capital, Victoria, known as Rabat to the locals. Visible from most of the island is the imposing Citadel with superbly preserved battlements, rising sharply above the surrounding countryside. The winding streets of this charming medieval town are wonderful to stroll through. Why not enjoy a drink at a local café and watch the world go by?
A drive to the coast takes us to Dwejra Bay, where dizzying cliffs plummet into deep blue waters and grand coastal formations surround an inland sea. The magnificent limestone Azure Window once stood here until it succumbed to a heavy storm in early 2017.
We continue to Ggantija, the largest of the island’s prehistoric temples sites, even older than the pyramids. Some of the superbly preserved stones weigh several tonnes and stand 20 feet high – legend says they were brought here around 3600 BC by a female giant!
Day 10 – Return Flight
Today we transfer to Malta airport for our return flight.