Aegean Voyage: Istanbul to Athens

Tour begins: 6:00 PM, InterContinental Hotel Istanbul. A transfer is included upon arrival from Istanbul International Airport to the InterContinental Hotel Istanbul, ideally located in Taksim with stunning views of the Bosphorus and Istanbul's world-famous skyline, including the Blue Mosque and the historic peninsula of Sultanahmet. Join us for a welcome reception and dinner tonight at the hotel. Stay Three Nights: InterContinental Istanbul (D)

Begin your day with a visit to the Hippodrome, also known as Sultanahmet Square, once the chariot, horse racing and social center of Constantinople, and the site of several historic monuments including the Obelisk of Theodosius. Learn about the history of the city with insights from expert local guides as you view the sights.

Continue on to the Blue Mosque, built in the early 1600s, for a guided visit. Distinguished by its six iconic minarets, the mosque is a showcase of classic Ottoman architecture. Inside, 20,000 blue Iznik tiles, featuring intricate floral patterns, line the high ceiling. The interior is lit by 260 windows, once adorned with 17th-century stained glass and now replaced with replicas. One of the most popular tourist sites in the city, it is still a working mosque that is closed to visitors during prayer time.

Cross over the Bosphorus for lunch on the Asia side of the city and embark on an afternoon cruise along the Bosphorus Strait. View architectural treasures from intercontinental bridges to grand Ottoman palaces to 'yali', the Italianate architecture homes that line the Bosphorus. This evening, join us for a special dining experience in Istanbul, exclusive to Tauck guests. (B/L/D)

Guided sightseeing today includes a visit to 15th-century Topkapi Palace, home of the Ottoman Sultans for almost four centuries. One of the world's largest surviving palaces, it was built under the orders of Sultan Mehmed II a few years after he conquered Constantinople. Enjoy a glimpse of the imperial life of the sultans as you walk through the grand courtyards, pavilions and ceremonial rooms that display an impressive collection of artifacts and treasures. And venture into the Harem where over 400 exquisitely decorated rooms were shared by the sultan, his wives, concubines and children.

Take a short walk from the palace and descend into the Cisterna Basilica, the underground reservoir that at one time provided Ottoman Emperors with water brought by aqueducts from outside the city. Have lunch at a local restaurant before entering the colorful world of the Grand Bazaar, one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 streets and over 4,000 small shops. Explore as you wish for the remainder of the day. (B/L)

Learn about the Five Pillars of Islam from a local guide during a fascinating visit this morning to one of Istanbul's most revered mosques, Rusem Pasha or Yeni Cami Mosque.

Continue on to Misir Çarsisi, the center for the spice trade in Istanbul, for a guided walk through the many stalls of this large bazaar, followed by free time to explore – and shop – as you wish. Embark your Explorer yacht after lunch today, departing for Lemnos, Greece before dinner. Stay Eight Nights: Star Legend (B/L/D)

This morning, dock at Lemnos for a choice of shore excursions. Blessed with abundant agricultural riches and a millennia-long historically strategic position in the northern Aegean, Lemnos is one of Greece's best kept secrets. Discover it your way on a sightseeing drive that visits a national archaeological site and a British Commonwealth cemetery honoring the soldiers who fought in the nearby Gallipoli campaign in World War I and learn about the crops which provide Lemnos with its economic base.

Alternately, join an island guide for a visit to a local winery, tempting with tastings and locally produced cheese, followed by free time in the capital city of Myrina. Your third choice is a walking tour of Myrina that samples its culinary specialties for an authentic taste of daily life here. Return to the ship for an afternoon sail bound for Myknos. Have dinner onboard as you please. (B/L/D)

From its sparkling white architecture against an Aegean blue backdrop to the iconic windmills of its Little Venice neighborhood, its maze of whitewashed alleyways, captains' homes, churches and wells in its artistic capital of Chora – and a bevy of beautiful beaches necklacing its shores - Mykonos is legendary. Once a humble stop for travelers en route to nearby Delos, it became a popular summer resort for the rich and famous in the 1960s after celebrities like Jackie O, Marlon Brando and other jet-setting stars discovered its many charms.

A choice of excursions today includes exploring the island by private transportation with a local guide. Or, board a small boat bound for Delos, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that once was the holiest of all Greek sanctuaries and today is a fascinating archaeological wonderland and one of the largest active dig sites in Greece. Both excursions enjoy free time in Mykonos. (B/L/D)

Dock in the port city of Kusadasi this morning and head out to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ephesus. Evoking the grandeur of ancient Roman Empire, Ephesus, founded in the Bronze Age and important from ancient Greek times, served as a crossroads between the East and West for centuries. Its excavated remains reflect centuries of history, from classical Greece to the Roman Empire to the spread of Christianity. Marble paved streets wind past squares, baths and monumental ruins.

See the Temple of Hadrian, built before 138 A.D. for Emperor Hadrian's visit; the ruins of the Temple of Artemis (completed around 550 BC), one of the Seven Wonders of the World; the Library of Çelsus that once housed between 12,000-15,000 scrolls; and an acoustically amazing theatre built to hold and entertain some 24,000 spectators. See the mosaic-filled Terrace Houses where wealthy citizens lived from the first to the seventh centuries. Have lunch in a local restaurant with the opportunity to see a presentation about handmade Turkish carpets.

This evening dine under the stars back in ancient Ephesus with live music by the Aegean Chamber Orchestra for an evening you are sure to remember. (B/L/D)

The gateway to the Bodrum Peninsula in the Republic of Türkiye, the picturesque port of Bodrum, dubbed the "St. Tropez of Turkey," sits on the country's South Aegean coast amidst crystal-clear waters, gorgeous landscapes, and historical sites dating back millennia. Your choice of shore excursions today includes a guided tour of the medieval Castle of St. Peter, a stunning example of 15th century Crusader architecture, and the Museum of Underwater Archaeology, where you will see artifacts from ancient shipwrecks.

Alternatively, embark on a more active walking excursion to the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, which also visits the Castle of St. Peter and the Museum of Underwater Archaeology. This afternoon, if you wish, join us for a ride on a traditional wooden boat in the waters around Bodrum which will include, conditions permitting, an opportunity to swim. Your ship departs for Santorini this evening. (B/L/D)

Your morning arrival into Santorini inspires with visions of towering multicolored cliffs and white-washed houses and blue-domed buildings, along with volcanic beaches pebbled in red, white and black and kissed by a deep blue sea. Created by a volcanic explosion three millennia ago, Santorini reigns over a flooded caldera which today is renowned as one of the most scenic destinations in Greece, popular with honeymooners, movie makers and celebrities.

Disembark ship via a tender for a driving tour around the crescent-shaped island, before free time to experience the eye-candy sights of the island's clifftop capital as you wish. Descend down to the ship by gondola for dinner aboard ship. You may choose to savor the island's amazing sunset and have dinner onshore before returning to the ship. The ship sets sail for Itea tonight. (B/L/D)

Relax aboard your Windstar ship today on a full day cruise, spending time by the pool and attending an informative presentation on the region by your Tauck Director. Recently refurbished with added onboard comforts including two new dining venues, a new spa, elevated pool, and fitness area, as well as all new bathrooms in every suite, the all-suite Star Legend is big on pampering and small enough to go where the bigger ships can't. Dine as you wish and join us for a cocktail hour this evening. (B/L/D)

Arrive in the port town of Itea in central Greece this morning.

Disembark for a guided visit to the nearby archaeological site of Delphi. A UNESCO World Heritage Site dating to the 8th century BC, Delphi was an ancient religious sanctuary dedicated to the Greek god Apollo and was home to the Oracle of Delphi. It was here where the priestess Pythia, famed throughout the ancient world for divining the future, and consulted before all major undertakings. Join a local guide as you explore the site on a walking tour before returning to your ship as it charts a course towards Piraeus.

En route, transit the Corinth Canal, 2,500 years in the making, and linking the Ionian Sea with the Aegean. When it was completed in 1893, it effectively turned the Peloponnese peninsula into an island and created an international maritime hub that transformed navigation in southern Europe. Accessible only by small ship, your transit through this narrow canal cuts off hundreds of miles of your journey around the Peloponnese to mainland Greece. (B/L/D)

Disembark ship this morning for a drive to Athens and a panoramic tour of the city, with a visit to the National Archaeological Museum. Considered one of the greatest museums in the world, the museum contains a rich collection of Greek artifacts from prehistoric times to late antiquity discovered on finds throughout the country. A locally guided visit to the museum showcases ancient Greek sculpture from 700 BC to the 5th century AD; stunning gold masks, cups, dishes, and jewelry unearthed from the site of Mycenae; metalwork dating back to the first century BC; Egyptian art; some 2,500 Greek vases and much more.

Enjoy lunch and join a local guide for a walk to your hotel, steps from the enchanting cobblestoned Plaka neighborhood where archeological sites are tucked amidst cozy tavernas, flower stands and artisan shops. Settle into your hotel and enjoy a free evening to experience as you wish. Stay Two Nights: Hotel Grande Bretagne (B/L)

Begin your exploration of ancient Greece at the citadel of the Acropolis today, perched atop a hill overlooking Athens since the fifth century BC and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site as "the greatest architectural and artistic complex bequeathed by Greek Antiquity to the world." Imagine being here thousands of years ago as your local guide shares insights about the white marble ruins you will see, including one of the most important buildings in ancient Athens, the Parthenon; the Erechtheion; the Temple of Athena Nike; and the Propylea.

Enjoy time at leisure to walk about as you like, taking in spectacular views deserving of the goddess Athena, for whom the magnificent complex was built, before a guided tour of the Acropolis Museum, housing priceless finds from the Acropolis. After time at leisure this afternoon, join us for a farewell reception and dinner at the hotel, where views of the Acropolis are lit up at night. (B/D)

Tour ends: Grande Bretagne Hotel. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from the Grande Bretagne Hotel to Athens' Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport. Allow a minimum of three hours for flight check-in at the airport. (B)