Join us on an exclusive Aegean Sea adventure from Athens to Istanbul featuring a seven-night cruise aboard the elegant Sea Cloud II. Step ashore on stunning Greek islands. Sail onward to the Graeco-Roman sites of Asia Minor and venture to legendary Troy. Discover the fascinating history of these lands over several millennia, from the archaeological wonders of the Bronze Age to the monasteries of the Byzantine era.

Begin with a night at a historic hotel in Athens, where a private, after-hours tour of the Acropolis Museum will thrill you with its wealth of ancient treasures and spectacular views of the Parthenon. Embark Sea Cloud II for your cruise, first stepping ashore on the island of Amorgos. Explore Amorgos’s thousand-year-old Byzantine monastery perched on a seaside cliff. On the enchanting Cycladic island of Santorini (Thera), visit the Bronze Age settlement of Akrotiri, which, like Pompeii, was marvelously preserved under layers of volcanic ash. Sail to Patmos for special access to the cave where the exiled St. John the Evangelist wrote the Book of Revelation. On Samos, enjoy an inside look at the UNESCO-listed Heraion of Samos, the ancient sanctuary dedicated to Hera. Venture to Turkey and the ancient city of Ephesus, where you will witness the ongoing restoration of ornate ancient villas and their mosaics. After a splendid day at sea, conclude with an exploration of the fabled city of Troy, immortalized in Homer`s Iliad, before sailing to Istanbul for disembarkation. An optional Istanbul postlude is available.