Cruise Description

11 Night Cruise sailing from Venice to Istanbul aboard Azamara Journey.

Immerse yourself in the scenic and cultural riches of Greek Isles and powerful ancient cities. Experience Dubrovnik’s marbled streets by day and again after dark when the ramparts light up. Then sail to mountainous Cephalonia, a green isle of sapphire inlets and stunning beaches (don’t miss Myrtos Beach). A late stay in Crete gives experienced hikers a day for the magnificent Samaria Gorge while others enjoy Chania’s ancient Venetian harbor. Enjoy three distinct experiences among the friendly villages and windmills of Mykonos, the stunning vistas of volcanic Santorini, and peaceful Patmos, an island where St. John once lived (don’t miss the monastery and Chora town). You’ll love charming, tree-studded Lesvos where Agiassos is one of the best small villages for authentic shopping, tiny restaurants and friendly people.

Highlights of this cruise:

Venice, Italy
Venice is one of the world’s most beautiful cities, and arguably the most romantic. An independent city-state and major power during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, it was a center of commerce in silk, grain, and spices, and home to a wide range of interesting characters from Marco Polo to Casanova. Consisting of more than 100 small islands connected by arched bridges, its thoroughfares are canals, and transportation options are limited to boats and your own two feet. After the requisite gondola ride, do stroll the winding traffic-free streets along the canal sides – prime real estate for the palaces of the aristocracy of old.

Dubrovnik, Croatia
To visit Dubrovnik is to step back in time to the Middle Ages. The town is one massive museum, its thick walls constructed from the 13th to the 17th century encircle the entire city, and contain within them a treasure trove of striking architecture – squares, fountains, palaces, churches, and monasteries, all built from the same stone, line streets free of motor vehicles. Once the only city-state on the Adriatic to rival Venice, Dubrovnik has long been a center for Croatian culture, and home to artists and scholars of all disciplines. It is possible to circumnavigate the city atop the medieval walls.

Santorini, Greece
Your daydream of a Greek island meets reality in Santorini – its whitewashed villages cling to cliff sides, and bright blue roofs reflect the sea and sky. So beautiful is it, that you can almost believe the myths that claim it as the birthplace of gods. Born itself as a volcanic cone, the island blew its top in 1450 BC, its center sank, and it assumed its current crescent shape, outlined by three main islands. The capital, Fira, a pedestrian haven with narrow, meandering cobblestone lanes, is reachable only by cable car, donkey, or for the fit and fearless, a flight of 600 steps.

Mykonos, Greece
Mykonos is living proof that picture postcard destinations do exist. Its many charms include its iconic windmills, fabulous beaches, and an irresistible traditional town with a maze of twisting streets and alleys originally designed to confuse marauding pirates. Dazzling sunlight reflects off of whitewashed houses and hundreds of small chapels. Other adornments include shaded courtyards and balconies lush with flowers, and a lively nightlife that some claim is the best in Europe. Nearby you can visit the uninhabited island of Delos, birthplace of Apollo, fittingly the god of sunlight, music and beauty.

Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey
Kusadasi is your port of access to an age-old civilization. Ephesus was once the second largest metropolitan area in the Roman Empire, eclipsed only by Rome herself. Explore this city of construction both monumental and mundane. It was famed for the Temple of Artemis, one of the wonders of the ancient world; the Library of Celsus, with its thousands of scrolls; and its amphitheater, with a capacity of 24,000 spectators. But you can also imagine yourself in the sandals of a resident as you stroll the streets, past marketplaces, and into bath complexes that offered piped-in hot water, massage, and sauna.

Istanbul, Turkey
Istanbul is supremely exotic, warmly welcoming, and quite unique – after all, where else can you tour Europe and Asia on the very same afternoon? Must sees include Haghia Sophia, decorated in 30 million tiny mosaic tiles, the greatest church in Christendom for 1000 years, then a mosque and now a museum; and Topkapi, palace of sultans, complete with harem quarters. And of course shopping in the Grand Bazaar, a medieval version of a mall, for unusual gifts to take home, stopping along the way in a café for a cup of Turkish coffee or mint tea.

Cruise Itinerary

Itinerary may vary by sailing date and itineraries may be changed at the cruise lines discretion. Please check itinerary details at time of booking and before booking other travel services such as airline tickets.

Available Sailing Dates

• 12 Jun 2015