Trip Summary
Embark on a journey aboard the exclusively chartered Le Lapérouse, an intimate yacht designed for discovery. Cruise the sapphire Aegean Sea, tracing the paths of ancient civilizations and exploring the enduring legacy of Greece and coastal Turkey. Begin in Athens, setting sail for Chania, Crete’s Venetian-influenced port city. Here, choose your experience — delve into the labyrinthine Old Town, uncover archaeological treasures or relax on a beach. Next, glide to iconic Santorini to explore the excavations of Akrotiri, a Bronze Age settlement preserved in volcanic ash, and enjoy time at leisure in Fira, known for its panoramic caldera views. After crossing into Turkey, select to explore the fascinating Ephesus Museum or visit the House of the Virgin Mary, Plus, enjoy a visit to a traditional carpet weaving workshop! Continue to Rhodes, where the UNESCO-listed Medieval City reveals layers of history from the Knights Hospitaller to Ottoman times. Then journey to Delos, the mythological birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, and one of Greece’s most sacred archaeological sites. Conclude with free time in cosmopolitan Mykonos, known for its whitewashed architecture and vibrant waterfront, before your return to Athens. Enhance your journey with our Pre-Extension in Athens.
Event Itinerary
Day 1: Depart Home City
Day 2: Athens, Greece | Embark Le Laperouse
Day 3: Chania, Crete | Akrotiri/Aptera
Day 4: Santorini
Day 5: Kusadasi, Turkey | Ephesus
Day 6: Rhodes, Greece | Lindos
Day 7: Delos | Mykonos
Day 8: Mykonos
Day 9: Athens | Disembark | Return to Home City
Highlights:
- Cruise for 7 nights through the Aegean Sea to historic Greek islands and Turkey's Turquoise Coast aboard Le Laperouse.
- Visit the preserved prehistoric ruins of Akrotiri and soak in the atmosphere of cliffside Fira, perched on the Aegean Sea.
- Gain a deeper connection to the destinations through expert talks as well as traditional Greek and Turkish cultural performances.
- Visit 3 UNESCO World Heritage sites: Greek ruins in Delos; awe-inspiring ancient Ephesus, Turkey; and the medieval city of Rhodes.
- Included meals | 2 receptions, 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 7 dinners.
- Athens Pre-Tour Extension. (Available at additional cost.)
Meet Your Faculty Expert
Ada Cohen
Ada Cohen is the Israel Evans Professor in Oratory and Belles Lettres. Ada's research has focused on the era of Alexander the Great and the impact of Alexander's imagery. She has also worked on topics in Near Eastern and prehistoric art; sexuality and the construction of pictorial identity; travel and landscape; as well as the depiction of childhood and the family in ancient art. Her current book project is titled The Judgment of Female Beauty in Ancient Greek Art.
In addition to her lecture courses, Ada Cohen teaches First-Year and advanced seminars and regularly teaches the Senior Culminating Seminar on theory and method in Art History. Periodically she directs the Art History Department's Foreign Study Program in Rome.