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To learn more about each port of call and our included as well as optional excursions, click on the individual days below. Going in off season , it is still warm till mid Nov and ess tourists no lines. Som shops might be closed, but still plenty of great cafes and of course all the historical sites. Celebrate the holiday season at the Christmas Market of Nations in Germany. Rüdesheimer Weihnachtsmarkt has more than 120 vendor stalls representing the yuletide foods and traditions of 20 different countries.
Cities of Antiquity & the Holy Land
If Viking were offering this in January, 2024, I would be booked already. DH is quick to say, "Been there; done that. What's next," but I think we left a lot on the table and might be ready to return. On the one hand, I'm reluctant to be the trial balloon for new excursions, destinations, etc, but I'd really like to see more of Greece than just Athens.
NEW! Cities of Antiquity
Beyond, the island of Crete is blessed with generous beaches, soaring mountains and coursing rivers. It is also where the distinct mantinades—couplets of love accompanied by Cretan instruments—could break out at any number of cafés where patrons sip tsikoudia, a grape-based brandy distilled in the hills. Stay current with special offers, news and destination-focused content. Among the delights of Viking’s 16-day Malta, Morocco and the Mediterranean cruise is an underground expedition inside Spain’s Nerja Caves.
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Richard Branson’s adults-only line has taken the industry by storm with its innovative offerings, including 20-plus restaurants instead of buffets, an onboard tattoo parlor, adult-focused entertainment offerings, and a two-story nightclub. Mary Curry is a T+L A-list travel advisor and small ship specialist. Continuously inhabited since at least 3,000 BC, the city has experienced many different periods of independence and occupation, including rule by the Romans, Crusaders and the Ottoman Empire. This splendid metropolis on the Thermaic Gulf was founded around 315 BC by King Cassander of Macedon, who named it for his wife, a half sister of Alexander the Great.
Visit Athens, the “birthplace of democracy,” and Crete, home of the mysterious Minoan civilization. Admire whitewashed buildings with azure domes in Santorini and walk the streets of Rhodes to the imposing Palace of the Grand Masters. You will also call on Volos, Ephesus and Nafplio during your cruise through several millennia of culture and history.
Day 7: Rhodes, Greece
GENERAL RESTRICTIONSCruise fares listed are cruise only in U.S. dollars, per person, based on double occupancy. Air promotion applies to roundtrip flights only from select Viking Cruises U.S. gateways and includes airport-to-ship or hotel transfers, air taxes and air fuel surcharges. Take a holiday, cruise to Greece, and experience the beauty and magnificence of the Mediterranean for an unforgettable vacation. Explore the mainland and witness ancient history, or travel to the Greek Isles for rich culture and picturesque sun-drenched beaches of the once-powerful empire. Experience lively Santorini as you stroll through its picturesque, winding streets.
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Following the Greek War of Independence, Athens was made capital of the new state of Greece in 1834. Today, ancient monuments from the city's time as the cradle of early Western civilization still stand, protected amid the frenetic pace of modern life in this cosmopolitan metropolis. Volos was built in a region once occupied by ancient Greek cities—including Iolcos, home of the fabled Jason, seeker of the Golden Fleece. It is the gateway to Meteora, where spectacular monasteries perch upon towering pinnacles of rock.
Viking Cruises’ 2025 Newbuild to be Named Viking Vesta - Cruise Industry News
Viking Cruises’ 2025 Newbuild to be Named Viking Vesta.
Posted: Thu, 18 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Centuries later, it rivaled Constantinople in its importance as an administrative and power center of the Byzantine Empire. During the Middle Ages, impressive buildings were built here as monuments to Christianity. Today, 15 of them are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the imposing city walls and the 8th-century Church of Hagia Sophia.
Discover these 15 unforgettable things to see and do on a Viking river or ocean cruise in Europe. A mesmerising view at the perfect time of day, a natural phenomenon that must be seen to be appreciated, or a heart-pumping activity in a place rarely visited. Experience a day on a Corfu farm in Alevropari, learn about country life, tour the farm, pick produce, and enjoy a family lunch.... Athens has been called the “birthplace of democracy.” Its legacy looms large from atop Acropolis Hill, the pinnacle of ancient Greece.
Hermit monks lived in caves at the bases of these pillars as early as the 9th century. As the Ottomans encroached, the monks looked heavenward to build these fortress-like sanctuaries as safe havens. Admire one of Greece’s most beautiful and romantic seaside ports and stroll Old Town. We did Istanbul to Athens with Renaissance in January (20-some odd years ago).
Follow your guide around this archaeological marvel, where artefacts indicate human and animal habitation as far back as 25,000 BC. Examine enormous stalagmites and stalactites, the world’s widest column found in a cave, and a natural amphitheatre used as a concert venue. Sailing roundtrip from Barcelona, this 16-day voyage in seven countries also calls at Seville, Casablanca, Valetta (overnight), Corsica, Rome, Marseilles, Tunis and Algiers, with three non-consecutive days at sea. These mineral-rich waters are said to be Iceland’s health and beauty secret.
Nafplio is a remarkably preserved coastal gem on the Peloponnese peninsula. Its richly historic neighborhoods are tucked between breathtaking mountains and the Bay of Argos, which is home to the diminutive 15th-century Bourtzi island fortress. Nearby on a hillside stands the magnificent ancient site of Mycenae. From this rock-carved city, the Mycenaean civilization held sway over much of the Mediterranean between approximately 1500 and 1100 BC, and was most notable for being the home of the mythological conqueror of Troy, King Agamemnon. Itinerary and shore excursions are subject to change and may vary by departure. One of the world’s best preserved medieval cities, Dubrovnik, is surrounded by towering, historic walls.
Wander along a nature trail to discover the park’s restored pre-industrial water mill and a monastery. The Viking 15-day Ancient Adriatic Treasures voyage makes calls in Croatia, Turkey, Greece, Montenegro and Italy including overnight stays in Istanbul, Athens and Venice. Emerge rejuvenated from the nourishing mineral springs of Budapest, Hungary.
Formed after an accidental overflow from an adjacent geothermal plant, the original lagoon has been expanded into a dozen steaming, milky-blue pools with a lava wall looming almost four metres above. Iceland’s Majestic Landscapes ocean voyage spends half of the 13-day itinerary exploring the country’s dramatic vistas, villages and cities, with the other half cruising around the fjords of far north Norway. For most travellers, the aurora borealis is the world’s most sought-after spectacle in the sky. On a clear night, these ethereal lights may appear over Norway as faint wisps of green or dramatically dancing ribbons in multiple colours. In Search of The Northern Lights is Viking’s 13-day ocean voyage in the Arctic, sailing between London (Tilbury) and Bergen via the Norwegian fjords. Multiple departures will operate from January to March 2025, regarded as the best time to see the lights.
Or experience daily life like a local on our new "Go Local" excursions, where authentic experiences await. The Greece-based Celesytal Cruises prides itself on offering an authentic Greek vacation experience. Additionally, Celesytal is unique in that it offers year-round Aegean Sea sailings cruising round-trip from Athens and ranging in length from three to 14 nights. On land, Celeystal guests can choose from a selection of the line’s “Authentic Excursions,” which are specially curated, small-group, expert-led experiences designed to take travelers off the beaten path. Options — including walking food tours and pottery-making demos at a local factory — abound, depending on the particular port of call.
Outside the city, forests of pine and cypress blanket mountain slopes; vineyards and groves of citrus and olive soak up the Aegean sun. The Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem conquered the island in the 14th century, bringing great wealth from the Holy Land. Under their rule, the city was reconstructed to mirror the medieval ideal. Many of the buildings from this era remain and make for rewarding strolls. For a more intimate experience of Athens, the charming Plaka District invites guests with its labyrinth of cobblestone lanes.
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