Overview:
7 night Classical Greece cruise with Variety Cruises M/Y Harmony V.
Sailing dates in 2014:
April 25 / May 02, 09, 23 / June 06, 13, 20, 27 / July 11, 18
August 01, 08, 15, 29 / September 05, 12, 19, 26 / October 03, 10, 17, 24
Classical Greece shows Greece at its best: The beautiful whitewashed Cycladic Islands of Santorini and Mykonos, Crete the largest and southern- most Greek Island and the Peloponnese with Monemvassia and Nafplion and their historical treasures. Add to these destinations the less know and quaint islands of Kythira -will probably see turtles swim inside the port of Kythira where we will be docking for the night -and Hydra, a summer destination for the Athenians.
The Variety Cruises Experience
Enjoy a harmonious balance between conventional cruising and private yachting, along with an exciting voyage of discovery, unravelling the wonders of the Classical Greece. Each day you will discover a new port of call, a hidden cove with crystal blue waters to cool you, a glimpse of ancient history to amaze you and rich cultural diversity to intrigue you.
Safety on the Harmony V
The latest addition to the Variety Cruises fleet, the HARMONY V, is a 183 ½ foot-wide Mega yacht was launched in July 2009. The HARMONY V complies with EUROSOLAS safety regulations, ISPS (International Ships Port Safety Code) ISM, (International Safety Management), while its powerful engines, generators and state of the art twin stabilizers will allow for safe and comfortable cruising.
Life on Board
The HARMONY V is a modern Mega yacht with a sleek high-tech look very similar to the private yachts to be found in the famous ports of the world.
Life on board will centre around the Bar Lounge and Dining Room at the Main Deck and at the Sun Deck Bar where meals are served “al fresco” depending on the weather and the ship location. The classy dining room and the adjoining cosy bar lounge are surrounded by large windows providing beautiful views of the ports of call It accommodates all guests in one single seating and provides a high standard of cuisine, always with some local
flavour. The Sun Deck is the ideal place to bask under the sun, read a good book or just gaze at the scenery. The swimming platform on Harmony V stern will allow for easy access to the ship and for a wide range of sea related activities. Service on board is provided by your Captain, the Cruise Coordinator and your experienced Marine and Hotel crew members. Service will be attentive or unobtrusive according to your requirements and priority is always given to the safety and comfort of passengers. Organised excursions are available for most ports of call and can be pre-booked or reserved 24 hours in advance.
The Cabins on Harmony V
The 25 cabins of the HARMONY V are located on the Main deck (9 cabins) and on the Upper Deck (16 cabins). All cabins are premium and contemporary, decorated with soft colour furnishings. Cabins are comfortable and average size is 135 sq feet. All 16 cabins on the Upper Deck offer flexible bedding configuration, which can be set to offer either two twin beds or a double bed. The 9 cabins at the Main Deck consist of 6 double bedded cabins and of 3 twin bedded cabins (no flexible bedding arrangement).
All cabins offer large windows and en suite bathrooms with shower and elegant Corian finishing on walls and floors. The cabins are equipped with flat screen TV sets, DVD players, mini fridges, hairdryers, individually controlled A/C and safe deposit boxes.
Itinerary
Sailing dates in 2014:
April 25 / May 02, 09, 23 / June 06, 13, 20, 27 / July 11, 18
August 01, 08, 15, 29 / September 05, 12, 19, 26 / October 03, 10, 17, 24
FRIDAY: MARINA ZEA, ATHENS - KEA ISLAND
2:00-3:00 pm embarkation in Marina Zea. Depart via Cape Sounion to Kea. Time at leisure to explore Kea’s tiny port, Korrisia after dinner. Departure in the early hours for Delos. Overnight at sea.
SATURDAY: DELOS (anchorage) - MYKONOS
Optional morning tour to the unique archaeological site of Delos, antiquity’s most sacred island. On to the port of Tourlos in Mykonos, with a swim stop on the way. Free afternoon and evening to enjoy the island’s cosmopolitan lifestyle. Overnight in Mykonos.
SUNDAY: SANTORINI
Noon arrival in Santorini (anchorage at Fira). Experience the stunning natural drama of the volcanic caldera. Optional tour to archaeological sites and typical villages with unique views over the Aegean Sea. Overnight sailing to Crete.
MONDAY: RETHYMNON, CRETE
Morning arrival at Crete’s famous and lively port of Rethymnon. Optional tour to the ancient city of Knossos near Heraklion. Late departure for Kythira. Overnight at sea.
TUESDAY: KYTHIRA
Late morning swim stop and afternoon arrival to Kythira, a less known island gem now fast becoming a favourite among visitors to Greece. Evening at leisure to visit the picturesque main town of Chora and experience the subdued charms of this peaceful island. Overnight in Kythira.
WEDNESDAY: MONEMVASIA - NAFPLION
Early morning sailing to Monemvassia. Discover a remarkable medieval fortified town, with time at leisure to explore the uniquely preserved Byzantine and Venetian architecture and experience the beauty of the natural setting. Depart for Nafplion in the early afternoon, with a swim stop on the way. Evening arrival at Nafplion. The old quarter is charming, with narrow streets and characteristic period architecture. Also, impressive medieval fortifications can be seen in the port and crowning the hills above. Overnight in Nafplion.
THURSDAY: NAFPLION - HYDRA or SPETSES
Optional tour to Mycenae, the powerful walled palace of Agamemnon, the Homeric Achaean king. Early afternoon departure for the island of Hydra. Time at leisure to explore this picturesque port town. Overnight in port.
FRIDAY: MARINA ZEA, PIRAEUS
Departure in the early hours for Marina Zea, Piraeus. Arrival and disembarkation after breakfast
Optional Tours
Santorini private guided tour - 4 hours
Visually, Santorini is the most spectacular of the isles in the Cyclades. With its brilliant flooded caldera, high cliffs and charming villages, it is the Greek Isle of everyone’s dreams. Our tour will take us to Santorini’s highest peak, crowned by the Mount Profitis Ilias Monastery. At 883 feet, Mt. Profitis Ilias rugged landscape is largely composed of volcanic rocks as a result of hundreds of eruptions during the last two million years, some of them being large caldera-forming events. Here, in this remote spot, we’ll have an ideal photo opportunity to capture the beauty of this ancient island.
We’ll discover the village of Pyrgos, which was the capital of Santorini until 1800. Here we’ll be able to admire the beautiful old houses and the Venetian Fortress crowned by several churches.
Our half-day tour then takes us to one of the island’s most famous traditional wineries. Viniculture is an ancient art in Santorini, and the fact that vines thrive at all is amazing considering the fact that the island has limited water resources. But the volcanic soil is an excellent medium for producing grapes, especially the Assyrtiko grape – a rare, white variety.
After our visit, we’ll drive through the countryside to visit Oia. This traditional Greek village of whitewashed cubes is perched impossibly high on cliffs at the north west tip of the island. Here, take in the stunning views of the island from one of the charming cafés or stroll above the rooftops of the homes carved into the cliffs and gaze into the deep blue waters of the caldera far below.
From Oia village, we’ll return to the cliff top town of Fira. Our tour ends here.
Mykonos Island Tour
Mykonos - Labyrinth and Landscape... A pearl in the Aegean Sea - blue sky, beautiful snow- white houses, lovely beaches everywhere...
Starting the City-and Island tour by walking the small and narrow streets, we have many possibilities to take nice photographs in the early morning, quiet city.
We get orientation and information in the labyrinth of the old town as well as impressions of the small port and the churches in town. Of course we will see the famous wind-mills and find Petros The Pelecan, the mascot of Mykonos.
After this we are exploring the island with a bus, visiting some of the most famous beaches and the inner land- scape. We see fishermen and kaikis, small private chapels and houses built in typical cycladic style.
In the second main village of Mykonos, Ano Mera, an idyllic place 6km from town, where the guests have enough free time for a stroll around the traditional square and they can visit the monk monastery Panagia Tourliani built in the 16th century.
Next stop is Kalafatis beach were there is time to relax a little and have a coffee or a refreshment (not included in the price), before going back to town and to reach a place with a fantastic view all over the town and neigh- bour islands.
A Half-Day-Trip with a lot of impressions and useful information!
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