From Istanbul to Athens
Experience Istanbul, Turkey’s largest and most fascinating city, which lies in both Europe and in Asia.
See how the past meets the present; the Blue Mosque and the ancient Grand Bazaar stand among a modern developing city. In Troy and Pergamon critical moments in history took place, and in Athens the classical monuments never fail to strike awe.
-
Day 1: Fly overnight to Turkey
-
Day 2: Istanbul
Meet your Tour Director at the airport
-
Day 3: Istanbul
Take a guided tour of Istanbul
With your tour director you will see:- Hippodrome
Visit Hagia Sophia
Visit the Blue Mosque
Visit the Grand Bazaar
Time to explore on your own or
Add this in-depth excursion:
Bosphorus cruise
Take a half-day excursion that includes a cruise through the Bosphorus Straits, the waterway that separates Europe and Asia. Begin your adventure with a visit to a traditional spice market and the Rustem Pasha Mosque, famous for the tomato-red color of its exquisite floral and geometric Iznik tiles. Next, board a two-hour cruise through the Bosphorus Straits, disembarking for a seafood lunch.
-
Day 4: Canakkale • Troy • Bergama
Travel to Eceabat
Take a ferry to Canakkale
Continue to Troy
Take a guided tour of Troy
Continue to Bergama
-
Day 5: Bergama • Kusadasi
Take an excursion to Pergamon
Take a guided tour of Pergamon
Visit the Pergamon Acropolis
Enjoy free time for lunch in Bergama Region
Travel to Kusadasi
-
Day 6: Ephesus • Kusadasi
Travel to Selcuk
Take a guided excursion to Ephesus
Visit the House of the Virgin Mary
Enjoy free time in Kusadasi
Return to Kusadasi
-
Day 7: Kusadasi
Board your cruise ship
Cruise the Greek islands:
- Visit the island of Samos
- Visit the island of Patmos
Optional shore excursions will be offered by the cruise line
-
Day 8: Crete • Santorini
Optional shore excursions will be offered by the cruise line
-
Day 9: Athens
Disembark in Athens
Take a guided tour of Athens
With your expert local guide you will see:- Olympic Stadium
Visit the Acropolis:
- Parthenon
- Temple of Athena Nike
Take a walking tour of Athens
With your tour director you will see:- Plaka District
- Temple of Olympian Zeus
Enjoy a free evening or
Add this in-depth excursion:
Greek Evening
Immerse yourself in Greek culture during an evening of festive entertainment and local cuisine! Witness the fancy footwork of traditional Greek dancing accompanied by musicians playing on bouzoukis, stringed instruments unique to Greece. Music and dancing have long played a central role in Greek culture with over 4,000 dances from all regions of the country.
-
Day 10: Athens
Take an excursion to Corinth
Take a guided tour of Ancient Corinth
Visit Ancient Corinth
Stop at the Corinth Canal
-
Day 11: Depart for home
Add 3 more days
-
Day 11: Delphi • Night ferry
Travel to Delphi
Take a guided tour of Delphi
With your expert local guide you will see:- Temple of Apollo
Visit the Delphi Museum
Continue on to Patras
Board a night ferry to Italy
-
Day 12: Pompeii • Rome
Take a guided tour of Pompeii
Visit the Pompeii Roman Ruins
Travel to Rome
-
Day 13: Rome
Take a guided tour of Vatican City
Visit the Sistine Chapel
Visit St. Peter’s Basilica
Take a guided tour of Rome
Visit the Colosseum
Visit the Roman Forum
Take a self-guided walking tour of Rome:
- Trevi Fountain
- Pantheon
- Piazza Navona
- Spanish Steps
-
Day 14: Depart for home
-
Day 1: Fly overnight to Turkey
-
Day 2: Istanbul
Meet your Tour Director at the airport
-
Day 3: Istanbul
Take a guided tour of Istanbul
With your tour director you will see:- Hippodrome
Visit Hagia Sophia
Visit the Blue Mosque
Visit the Grand Bazaar
Time to explore on your own or
Add this in-depth excursion:
Bosphorus cruise
Take a half-day excursion that includes a cruise through the Bosphorus Straits, the waterway that separates Europe and Asia. Begin your adventure with a visit to a traditional spice market and the Rustem Pasha Mosque, famous for the tomato-red color of its exquisite floral and geometric Iznik tiles. Next, board a two-hour cruise through the Bosphorus Straits, disembarking for a seafood lunch.
-
Day 4: Canakkale • Troy • Bergama
Travel to Eceabat
Take a ferry to Canakkale
Continue to Troy
Take a guided tour of Troy
Continue to Bergama
-
Day 5: Bergama • Kusadasi
Take an excursion to Pergamon
Take a guided tour of Pergamon
Visit the Pergamon Acropolis
Enjoy free time for lunch in Bergama Region
Travel to Kusadasi
-
Day 6: Ephesus • Kusadasi
Travel to Selcuk
Take a guided excursion to Ephesus
Visit the House of the Virgin Mary
Enjoy free time in Kusadasi
Return to Kusadasi
-
Day 7: Kusadasi
Board your cruise ship
Cruise the Greek islands:
- Visit the island of Samos
- Visit the island of Patmos
Optional shore excursions will be offered by the cruise line
-
Day 8: Crete • Santorini
Optional shore excursions will be offered by the cruise line
-
Day 9: Athens
Disembark in Athens
Take a guided tour of Athens
With your expert local guide you will see:- Olympic Stadium
Visit the Acropolis:
- Parthenon
- Temple of Athena Nike
Take a walking tour of Athens
With your tour director you will see:- Plaka District
- Temple of Olympian Zeus
Enjoy a free evening or
Add this in-depth excursion:
Greek Evening
Immerse yourself in Greek culture during an evening of festive entertainment and local cuisine! Witness the fancy footwork of traditional Greek dancing accompanied by musicians playing on bouzoukis, stringed instruments unique to Greece. Music and dancing have long played a central role in Greek culture with over 4,000 dances from all regions of the country.
-
Day 10: Athens
Take an excursion to Corinth
Take a guided tour of Ancient Corinth
Visit Ancient Corinth
Stop at the Corinth Canal
-
Day 11: Depart for home
Add 3 more days
-
Day 11: Delphi • Night ferry
Travel to Delphi
Take a guided tour of Delphi
With your expert local guide you will see:- Temple of Apollo
Visit the Delphi Museum
Continue on to Patras
Board a night ferry to Italy
-
Day 12: Pompeii • Rome
Take a guided tour of Pompeii
Visit the Pompeii Roman Ruins
Travel to Rome
-
Day 13: Rome
Take a guided tour of Vatican City
Visit the Sistine Chapel
Visit St. Peter’s Basilica
Take a guided tour of Rome
Visit the Colosseum
Visit the Roman Forum
Take a self-guided walking tour of Rome:
- Trevi Fountain
- Pantheon
- Piazza Navona
- Spanish Steps
-
Day 14: Depart for home
Reviews
Refer a friend or colleague to EF and we’ll thank you with $1,000. Learn more
Your experience includes
-
Airfare & transportation
Round-trip flights on major carriers; Comfortable motorcoach; Ferry; 2-day Greek island cruise (Cruise staff gratuity included); Night ferry with extension
-
Hotels
7 overnight stays in hotels with private bathrooms (9 with extension); 2 nights cabin accommodations (3 with extension)
-
Regional-style meals
European breakfast and dinner daily; 3 meals daily during cruise
-
Guided sightseeing
6 sightseeing tours led by expert, licensed local guides (10 with extension); 1 walking tour
-
Entrances
Ayasofia; Blue Mosque; Pergamon Acropolis; Ephesus site; House of the Virgin Mary; Acropolis; Ancient Corinth; With extension: Delphi site; Delphi museum; Roman Ruins; Sistine Chapel; St.Peter’s Basilica; Colosseum; Roman Forum
-
Full-time Tour Director
Your culturally connected Tour Director is with your group 24/7, providing deep local insight while handling all on-tour logistics.
-
Expert Local Guides
Your expert local guides are natural historians, adding cultural insight and global perspective on your sightseeing tours.
-
Continuous Support
Your dedicated EF team helps you every step of the way—from recruiting and enrolling travelers to planning and managing your tour.
-
Worldwide Presence
EF has over 500 schools and offices in more than 50 countries worldwide so wherever you go, we're there too.
-
24-hour Emergency Service
Travelers and their families can count on EF's dedicated emergency service team.
-
Peace of Mind Program
Feel secure knowing your group can change their destination or travel dates due to unforeseen circumstances. Learn more about your flexible options at eftours.com/peaceofmind.
