Greet the day with breakfast at your hotel, then join a guided tour of Istanbul. See the 17th-century Blue Mosque, delve beneath Sultanahmet – the Old City, formerly known as Constantinople – to visit the Basilica Cistern, dating back almost 1,500 years, and take a trip to the renowned Spice Market.
Later, embark on a cruise along the Bosphorus Strait, gliding through the waters that separate Europe and Asia.
This morning, wander the Grand Bazaar, one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world, and peruse more than 3,000 stalls.
This afternoon is at your leisure, or you may wish to join an optional visit to Dolmabache Palace, Topkapi Palace and the Hagia Sofia. Spend the rest of your evening relaxing for the next day’s adventures.
Following breakfast at your hotel, travel southwest to Canakkale, a gateway to the World War I battlefields of Gallipoli. Arrive at the Gallipoli Peninsula, the famed site where ANZAC troops fought for nine months during the Great War. Here, take the time to wander ANZAC Cove, where soldiers landed on 25 April 1915. Pause for a moment of silence to pay your respects at the Lone Pine Memorial, commemorating the Australians and New Zealanders who lost their lives in battle.
Cross the Dardanelles Strait to check in at your Canakkale hotel, where you’ll enjoy dinner before turning in for the evening.
Travel time: Driving – approx. four hours
Set off this morning to the historic city of Troy, immortalised in the tales of the Trojan War. Follow your guide as you visit the Troy Museum to learn about the siege of Troy, detailed in the Iliad.
Next, pay a visit to Pergamon, a once-mighty Greek city boasting the Asklepion hospital. In ancient times, patients would enter the Asklepion temple via a sacred pathway believed to mark their journey back to good health.
Later, travel further on to Izmir, where you can check in and freshen up at your hotel before sitting down to dinner.
Travel time: Driving – approx. five hours
This morning, enjoy breakfast at your hotel before departing for one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Follow your guide through the Greco-Roman ruins of Ephesus. A century’s worth of excavation has uncovered rich architectural history here, including the ruins of the imposing Temple of Artemis and the restored Library of Celsius.
Travel to the nearby village of Sirince, a traditional Greek-Ottoman village known for its olive oil and fruity wine production. Sit down for lunch, then head to Pamukkale, famed for its thermal springs and travertines. Pay a visit to a local workshop for leather production, a practice with a centuries-old legacy.
This evening, savour dinner at your hotel and free time to explore its health facilities.
Travel time: Driving – approx. three hours
Ephesus ruins visit
Pamukkale thermal spa stay
Rise and shine for a day exploring Pamukkale, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site. Tour the travertine pools, admiring their glacial appearance.
Visit Hierapolis, the ancient city founded by the King of Pergamon atop the thermal terraces in 130 BCE. Make your way to the Cleopatra Antique Pools within its ruins, a famous spa rumoured to have once been visited by the Queen of the Nile herself.
Spend time admiring the thermal pools before travelling onward to Konya. Upon arrival, check-in and sit down for a well-earned dinner at your hotel.
Travel time: Driving – approx. five hours
Your day begins with a guided tour of Konya, renowned for the Sufi whirling dervishes. Explore the Mevlana Museum, dedicated to the 13th-century poet and religious figure. Visit a dervish hat workshop and learn about the practice and origins of felt making, and the significance of the ‘tombstone’ hats to Sufism.
Continue to Cappadocia, a landscape of caves and ‘fairy chimneys’ – unique formations of eroded volcanic rocks – and attend a ritual of the dervish dancers.
Arrive in Goreme village in the heart of Cappadocia, characterised by terraces and skies often dotted with hot air balloons. Check into your hotel and get settled for an evening of leisure.
Travel time: Driving – approx. three hours
Goreme stay
Gather your energy over breakfast and set your sights on the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Goreme Open Air Museum. You may even choose to rise early to take a hot air balloon flight over the fairy chimneys themselves (surcharges apply).
Move on to a Turkish carpet factory to learn about the artistry of traditional carpet-weaving. Savour a traditional lunch at the charming Old Greek House, located in the village of Mustafapasa.
On return to Goreme, you will have the rest of the afternoon at leisure.
Goreme stay
Following breakfast, depart for an exploration of the broader area surrounding Cappadocia. Begin at the Three Beauties, prominent fairy chimneys with boulders resting at their tops, believed to represent a family immortalised in stone. Then, explore the Valley of Love and the hills of the Red Valley.
Descend into the underground avenues of either Ozkonak or Mazi, subterranean cities dating back to the early Roman and Byzantine periods. Join a traditional pottery demonstration to discover the skilled process and local techniques in shaping clay. Continue on to a nearby local winery for a Turkish wine tasting with cheese pairing. Then, return to your hotel for one last evening for dinner before a Turkish dance performance in a typical cave venue.
Goreme stay
This morning, head to the airport for your economy class flight to Istanbul Airport (IST). Once you’ve arrived, the rest of the day is at your leisure.
In the evening, join your fellow travellers for a dinner of traditional Turkish seafood at Surbalık Haliç.
Travel time: Flight – approx. 90 minutes
After breakfast, it’s time to checkout and head to Istanbul Airport (IST) for your included flight to Athens. Choose to explore the city or head straight to the Grand Hyatt Athens, where you’ll spend three nights balancing relaxation and exploration in this ancient metropolis.
Your Grand Hyatt Athens stay includes:
- Daily buffet breakfast at The Grand
Travel time: Flying – 90 minutes / Driving – approx. 30 minutes
Grand Hyatt Athens stay
One economy-class flight from Istanbul to Athens
Today is your first full day at the Grand Hyatt Athens, and you’ll spend today at your leisure.
Your hotel is a 30-minute walk or less than 10 minutes’ drive from the Acropolis and its museum, making for a memorable day out in Athens. For a more relaxed alternative, try the Aegeo Spa at your hotel where an indoor heated pool, sauna, steam room and spa treatments will renew your travelling spirit.
Your Grand Hyatt Athens stay includes:
- Daily buffet breakfast at The Grand
Wake up to enjoy another full day in Athens to spend at your leisure.
In the evening, consider the hotel’s Aphrodite Lobby Lounge for a charming atmpshere and tasty tipples. The Grand restaurant serves an elevated dining experience on the eight and ninth floors where breathtaking views of the Acropolis pair well with a romantic dinner.
Your Grand Hyatt Athens stay includes:
- Daily buffet breakfast at The Grand
Enjoy one final Grand Hyatt breakfast this morning before making your way to Piraeus Port to embark upon the Azamara Quest cruise by 5pm. After check-in, you’ll drop your bags in your Interior Stateroom and get to know your seabound home for the coming week.
On this mid-sized cruise ship, discover seven restaurants, cafes and lounges, alongside a refreshing pool, spa and round the clock room service. Hit the bar for free-flow beer, wine and spirits or lay by the pool as the sun sets over Athens. From here on out, the choice is all yours.
For those looking to take their cruise to the next level, consider upgrading to a lavish Veranda Stateroom or Oceanview Stateroom (at own expense).
Your Azamara Quest Cruise inclusions:
- Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner across all dining venues
- Free-flow beer, wine and spirits
- Signature AzAmazing Evenings with live entertainment
- Unlimited self-service laundry
- Onboard gratuities
Travel time: Driving – approx. 15 minutes
All-inclusive Azamara Quest cruise
Enjoy a leisurely sleep in on your first morning aboard the Azamara Quest as you sail around the southwest coastline of mainland Greece. Enjoy a cosy breakfast in-room or at Mosaic Cafe where barista-made coffee is served at the right temperature to kick-start your day.
At 1pm, the ship docks in the seaside town of Katakolon, just a 40-minute drive from the UNESCO World Heritage-listed site of Olympia – the site of the original Olympic Games in 776 BC (surcharges apply). Visit the Archaeological Museum of Olympia or the Museum of the History of the Ancient Olympic Games to picture those ancient athletes strutting their stuff around these now humble grounds.
Return to the ship before 8pm as you enter the Ionian Sea bound for the shores of Albania.
By 8am, your ship will dock in Sarande where pristine beaches and crystal-clear water greet your morning coffee. Nearby, another UNESCO World Heritage-listed site reveals fascinating ancient ruins in Butrint (surcharges apply).
Visit the Blue Eye spring (40 minutes’ drive inland) or enjoy a leisurely lunch on the promenade of this quaint coastal town. This quick stop in Albania will leave you with a charming impression of this picturesque Balkan nation.
Return to the ship by 3pm as you embark across the Ionian Sea bound for Italy.
Another leisurely morning at sea gives you the time to lay by the pool, or peruse the seven onboard restaurants, cafes and lounges.
At 1pm, disembark in Syracuse – a town that commanded the respect of the Mediterranean some 2,700 years ago. Here you’ll find archaeological sights such as the Tomb of Archimedes and the Baroque town of Noto (surcharges apply). Further afield, a local wine tasting is never far from reach in Italy and your cruise staff are sure to offer their best recommendations (surcharges apply).
This morning, you’ll rise to the sight of an active volcano, Mount Etna, as the background to the architectural wonders of Catania.
The highest point of the island of Sicily, Mount Etna has buried Catania in molten lava an incredible seven times and its mystique continues to attract tourists from all around the world.
Head on a tour of the mountain and the nearby town of Taormina for sightseeing, shopping and delicious cannoli (surcharges apply) before heading back to the ship for dinner.
Wake on the shores of mainland Italy this morning as Salerno comes into focus. This seaside town is a great stop to disembark and explore the iconic ruins of Pompeii in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius (surcharges apply).
If history and archaeology don’t take your fancy, you can take part in a private cooking class in town and get hands-on with a local chef as they regale your group with culinary tips and tales (surcharges apply).
Salerno is your only multi-night stop of the cruise, so make the most of your free time and explore a little further afield.
Today marks your second day in Salerno, so be prepared for sunshine and adventure.
Explore the anicient Ruins of Herculaneum, an archeological wonder that was fossilised after that fateful eruption of Mount Vesuvius (surcharges apply). For those who are more artistically inclined, learn about the histroy of ceremics in the Amalfi area on a fascinating walking tour (surcharges apply).
In the evening, return to the ship and prepare for your final stop – Rome.
Wake early as your ship docks in Rome, where your Mediterranean journey comes to an end. Disembark at 6am, waving goodbye to your onboard crew and hello to the lively capital of Rome.