ITALY and GREECE WITH 3 DAY CRUISE EXTENSION (64862010)

Transportation
Scheduled transatlantic flights and airport transfers in Rome and Athens if Cosmos issues the air tickets. Touring by private first-class air-conditioned motorcoach. Canal transfer boat in Venice. Ferry Ancona-Patras accommodation in two-berth cabins with private shower and toilet. Cruise extension in inside cabins with private shower and toilet; supplement for cabin upgrades are listed under Dates & Prices; all port taxes are included.

Guides
Local Guides for city sightseeing in Rome, Florence, Mycenae, Athens. Services of a professional Tour Director while touring.

Hotels


Rome
Caravel (ST),

Florence Area
Europa (ST) at Signa,

Venice Area
Crowne Plaza (F) at Quarto d’Altino,

Olympia
Olympia Palace (F),

Tolon
Flisvos (ST),

Athens
Coral (F)

Meals
Buffet breakfasts (B); lunches (L); dinners (D) as detailed in the tour description

Day 1:
Sun. BOARD YOUR OVERNIGHT TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT.

Day 2:
Mon. ARRIVE IN ROME, ITALY. Check into your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to explore Italy’s ancient capital. Tonight, meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers.

Day 3:
Tue. ROME. Included sightseeing with a Local Guide starts in St. Peter’s Square, followed by a visit to the Roman Forum and the mighty Colosseum. (B)

Day 4:
Wed. ROME–PISA–FLORENCE AREA. Vistas of undulating hills, austere rows of cypress trees, terraced vineyards, olive groves, and rural villages form the backdrop of your journey through beautiful Tuscany. Take a break in Pisa to see the Square of Miracles and the amazing Leaning Tower, then on to the Florence area. (B)

Day 5:
Thu. FLORENCE. This Renaissance gem and city of the Medicis will keep you enthralled the entire day. Traffic is banned in part of the historic center so visitors can wander at leisure and admire the city’s timeless beauty in relative peace and quiet. Don’t miss out on the included walking tour with a Local Guide, which features most of the city highlights. You will see the Piazza Santa Croce; the beautiful Piazza Signoria; the Palazzo Vecchio and its courtyard; the Loggia dei Lanzi; and, to top it all, the Piazza del Duomo and its cathedral with the Giotto Campanile, and the magnificent East Door of the Baptistry known as the “Gate of Paradise.” End the day by joining the optional Tuscan dinner in a typical restaurant. (B,D)

Day 6:
Fri. FLORENCE AREA–VERONA–VENICE AREA. An interesting journey today northwards for a first stop in enchanting Verona to see the legendary balcony of Romeo and Juliet. Just a few more miles eastwards to Venice. (B)

Day 7:
Sat. VENICE. Venice is more like a marvelous film set than a real live city, with its criss-crossing canals, gondolas and water buses, arched bridges, palaces, and little quiet piazzas. The included orientation starts with a boat ride and is followed by time at leisure and a chance to watch Venetian glassblowers fashion their delicate objects as they did centuries ago. Don’t miss out on the optional gondola trip, gliding along the picturesque canals with a local troubadour to serenade you. (B,D)

Day 8:
Sun. VENICE AREA–RAVENNA–ANCONA (EMBARKATION). Start the day by journeying across the flatlands of the Po Delta to medieval Ravenna. Next, reach Ancona on the shores of the Adriatic. Here, in the afternoon, you embark on the ferry for the crossing to Patras. (B)

Day 9:
Mon. PATRAS, GREECE (DISEMBARKATION)–OLYMPIA. Plenty of time to enjoy all the ship’s facilities. Disembark this afternoon in Patras. Drive south into the Peloponnese for an overnight in Olympia. (B,D)

Day 10:
Tue. OLYMPIA–TOLON. Make the most of this morning by taking the optional tour of the sights of ancient Olympia, including the ruins of the Temple of Zeus. In the afternoon, enjoy the rugged scenery of the Peloponnese on the way via Tripolis to Tolon. (B,D)

Day 11:
Wed. TOLON–MYCENAE–ATHENS. Morning visit with a Local Guide to the impressive ruins of Mycenae. Later, stop to view the Corinth Canal, which was built between 1881 and 1893. Overnight in Athens. (B)

Day 12:
Thu. ATHENS. Join the included sightseeing tour of Athens featuring the highlights of the ancient capital and a visit to the Acropolis. Explore the shops and museums or take a trip to the coast to swim. In the evening enjoy the lively atmosphere of the tavernas and nightclubs in the old Plaka district with its narrow streets and sound of bouzouki music, or join an optional Greek dinner. (B)

Day 13:
Fri. ATHENS–PIRAEUS (Embarkation)–MYKONOS. Board your cruise ship (see page 131). Afternoon cruising in the Aegean on your way to Mykonos with its white houses, chapels, and thatched windmills. Late-evening departure for Kusadasi, Turkey. (B,L,D)

Day 14:
Sat. KUSADASI, TURKEY–PATMOS, GREECE. Morning arrival in Kusadasi, on the coast of Turkey. Join the optional excursion to the ancient ruins of Ephesus. Later, arrive in Patmos, the beautiful island where John the Divine wrote the Revelation. Optional excursion to the Monastery of St. John is available. (B,L,D)

Day 15:
Sun. HERAKLION & SANTORINI. Early arrival in Heraklion on Crete. A few miles away is Knossos, the center of the 3,000 BC Minoan civilization. Afternoon call (weather permitting) at Santorini, the “Black Pearl of the Aegean.” Later, depart for Piraeus (B,L,D)

Day 16:
Mon. PIRAEUS, GREECE (Disembarkation)–ATHENS. Early morning arrival at the famous port of Piraeus. After disembarkation, continue to Athens for an overnight. (B)

Day 17:
Tue. YOUR HOMEBOUND FLIGHT ARRIVES THE SAME DAY. (B)

Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
9/12/2010 - 9/28/2010	$2,375
9/19/2010 - 10/5/2010	$2,375
9/26/2010 - 10/12/2010	$2,375
10/3/2010 - 10/19/2010	$2,375
10/10/2010 - 10/26/2010	$2,349
10/17/2010 - 11/2/2010	$2,349
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

City Highlights
Visits to Pisa, Verona, Venice, Ravenna, Olympia, Corinth CanalNotes:Security cruise regulations require clients’ family and first name, D.O.B., gender, nationality, and passport number at time of booking.Shore excursions can be booked on board. Please allow for a total cost of approximately EUR.145 per person if you plan to participate in all excursions offered. We also recommend that you plan to spend about EUR.30 per person for gratuities to the service personnel on board.Port taxes of approximately US$75 are included in the Cosmos price.

Ship
M/V CristalAquamarineAegean Pearl

Price Details US
Supplement for single room on land and single occupancy of outside cabin on Greek cruise: $770Single accommodation not available on Ancona-Patras ferry: singles will be asked to share.Reduction for triple room on land and triple occupancy of outside cabin on Greek cruise:$75

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6480|Italy & Greece

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