| Cruise Line |
Viking Ocean Cruises |
| Ship |
Viking Sky |
| Destination |
EU Mediterranean |
| Nights |
14 |
| Departure Date |
19 Jan 2022 |
| Description |
14 Night Cruise sailing from Rome to Athens aboard Viking Sky.
Explore the revered and the sacred
Witness the revered and the sacred during an inspiring 15-day cruise into the eastern Mediterranean framed by enriching onboard overnight stays in Rome and Athens. From Naples, you can explore the ancient city of Pompeii. Call on Crete, home of the legendary Minotaur. From your port in Ashdod, Israel, discover the holy sites of Jerusalem and Bethlehem. An overnight stay in Haifa lets you explore further, perhaps visiting Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee. Visit the Cypriot city of Limassol and the Greek islands of Rhodes and Mykonos. Join us on a timeless journey that unravels secrets of the ancients.
Highlights of this cruise:
Rome
Rome is one of the most popular cities in the world and is a history lesson in itself. Key sites include the Vatican City, The Forum, the Colosseum and the ruins of the Circus Maximus. There are many museums and art galleries, with works by Raphael, Bottecelli, Pinturicchio and Belini and many more.
The Vatican City has many spectacular buildings and churches to visit principle amongst which is the Sistine Chapel with its Michelangelo ceiling. It is the world's smallest independent sovereign state and also features St. Peter's Basilica was built over 1,500 years ago the Vatican Library hand the Vatican Garden.
Modern Rome is a city of restaurants, open piazza's, wonderful shopping and more.
Heraklion
Heraklion or Iraklion, is the largest city and the capital of Crete, Greece. It is one of the two main ports on the island and was once the harbor for Knossos, the largest palace and most powerful Minoan center on the island.The ruins of Knossos, which were excavated and restored by Arthur Evans, are nearby.
Attractions include central square which is surrounded by cafes, stores and restaurants and dominated by the fountain of the Lions. The central market coffee house, the Archaelogical Museum of Iraklion and the Historical museum of Iraklion are also worth visiting.
Visitors to the old part of the city can walk following the old Venetian walls that meet at a bastion, called "Koules", which dominates the old harbour of the city . Amoundara, the city’s beach area, is also a popular place for tourists.
Rhodes
The Island of Rhodes is the sunniest place in Europe; it averages 300 days of sunshine per year. It is the fourth largest island in Greece. Occupied by Italy until only 56 years ago, it is now “occupied†by thousands of enthralled international visitors.
The “palia poli†(the old city) is the medieval city of Rhodes, surrounded by a high defensive wall. It is one of the few medieval cities still inhabited in its largest part, excluding its museums, of course. Walking along its cobbled streets one is reminded of iron-armored horse’s hooves clapping, and steel swords clashing and clanging
The New Town of Rhodes, just a short distance from the Old Town, is where the beaches lie, and where hotels, shops, restaurants, discotheques, and even a casino, are packed together to create a lively ambience. A walk in Rodini Park is a must. This park is perhaps the first landscaped park in the world. It is a couple of kilometers away from the Old Town, and one can see part of the ancient aqueduct system of Rhodes within it.
No visit of Rhodes is complete without visiting Lindos. You'll find Lindos at a distance of 55 kilometers from Rhodes town, on the eastern side of the island. Built in the 12th Century B.C., it is now a top-class resort, with a fine sandy beach and a tiny lagoon, which reflects the whitewashed houses and the Lindos Acropolis above. The village contains many houses dating from the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, which are known as “the houses of the captains.†Their architecture and decoration are unique in the Greek world.
Athens
The port of Piraeus is one of the last old-style Mediterranean ports from where you can catch ferries to all of the Greek islands and travel a short distance to Greece's capital city Athens.
In the heart of the city lies the ancient Plaka district, with its honeycomb of streets, little shops - and tavernas that come alive at night. Situated on the north and east slopes of the Acropolis, it is rich with historic sites, such as ancient monuments and churches. Within Athens there are eight large hills, including the Acropolis, and on the outskirts, Mount Parnitha, Mount Pendeli and Mount Hymettos surround the city. A trip to Athens' most famous tourist attraction, the impressive Parthenon built on the Acropolis around 2,500 years ago, will be memorable to say the least.
There are an extraordinary number of historic tourist sights in Athens and many of these are known world-wide. Some of the top Athens attractions include the Agora - a grand, ruined Roman building, Hadrian's Arch - originally the city gate linking the Roman quarters with original town of Athens and the stunning Dionysos Theatre - the world's oldest theatre where many great plays have been performed over the years. |
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| Itinerary |
Cruise Itinerary
| Day | Date | Activity | Arrive | Depart |
|---|
| 1 |
19/01 |
Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy |
|
|
| 2 |
20/01 |
Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy |
|
|
| 3 |
21/01 |
Naples, Italy |
|
|
| 4 |
22/01 |
At sea |
|
|
| 5 |
23/01 |
Heraklion, Greece |
|
|
| 6 |
24/01 |
At sea |
|
|
| 7 |
25/01 |
Ashdod (Jerusalem), Israel |
|
|
| 8 |
26/01 |
Haifa, Israel |
|
|
| 9 |
27/01 |
Haifa, Israel |
|
|
| 10 |
28/01 |
Limassol, Cyprus |
|
|
| 11 |
29/01 |
At sea |
|
|
| 12 |
30/01 |
Rhodes, Greece |
|
|
| 13 |
31/01 |
Mykonos, Greece |
|
|
| 14 |
01/02 |
Athens (Piraeus) Greece |
|
|
| 15 |
02/02 |
Athens (Piraeus) Greece |
|
|
|
All itineraries and ports of call at the discretion of the cruise line subject to local weather conditions and may change without notice.
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