This voyage will take you to Turkey and Greece’s best-preserved ancient sites: the Acropolis in Athens, Volos, the City of the Argonauts, and the remains of the ancient city of Ephesus in Turkey
With its mighty Acropolis fortress, Athens makes an appropriate
starting point for this history-laden voyage. Your classical ship -
the world's largest square-rigged sailing vessel - will first sail
to the sacred Cycladic island of Delos, the birthplace of twins
Apollo and Artemis. The ancient centre here was initially a shrine;
now UNESCO-protected, its ruins include marble theatres and
lion-themed terraces.
Still-better-preserved wonders await in Turkey's Ephesus, near
the resort of Kuşadası. In this abandoned city, visitors can get a
sense of prehistoric life better than anywhere else, courtesy of
two-tier temples devoted to the fertility goddess Cybele. In
liberal, multicultural Izmir, make sure to wander the city's lively
bayfront kordon (promenade) and rummage around one of Turkey's most
colourful bazaars.
Following a day at sea, your next port of call is Volos, aka the
City of the Argonauts - it was from here that Jason supposedly set
off for the Golden Fleece. Renowned for its raki-like spirit called
tsipouro, Volos is a gateway to Mount Pelion, where stone-house
villages and rustic coves are featured in the film Mamma
Mia. Take a tour or visit miraculous Meteora, where medieval
monasteries somehow teeter atop 700-metre rock pillars. A final day
at sail will then take you back to Piraeus, the port serving
Athens.
You can be as active as you like during your cruise, with a
choice of amazing optional excursions, and you will enjoy the
thrill of sailing on the world's biggest square-rigged vessel -
Golden Horizon will operate under sail whenever possible - as well
as the onboard spa, pools, marina (complete with water sports),
gym, local delicacies, lectures and entertainment.