Join us for the ultimate Greek island adventure, as we explore the astonishing historical wealth and natural beauty of the Aegean Sea. Clear blue waters, vast island-dotted horizons and a stunning range of ancient and medieval treasures combine to make Cruising to the Cyclades the quintessential Greek island experience.
This brand new two-week cruise through the Dodecanese and Cyclades archipelagos includes over a dozen Aegean islands in its itinerary. They are a carefully chosen mix of the world-famous (such as glorious Santorini, laid-back Kos and mountainous Naxos) and rarely visited secrets of the Aegean (such as remote Astypalea, picturesque Nisyros and tiny Anafi), each one with its own distinctive character and beauty.
This region has been a crucible of history from the very earliest times. Its archaeological sites range from whole Bronze Age cities to Classical temples, Roman towns, Byzantine monasteries and Crusader castles, as well as countless traditional villages and towns. Our expert guide will bring them all to life, and as the islands glide by you will travel through the pages of history.
Avoiding the hectic crowds and the hustle and bustle of conventional island-hopping, you will travel in style aboard a beautiful and traditional 12 cabin gulet, Aegean Clipper. Beautifully hand-crafted from Turkish pine, she is simply gorgeous, one of the finest gulets in all Turkey. We have used her for special trips previously including our most recent Alexander the Great tour in Turkey, and we are delighted to be using her for this unique trip. 41 metres long from bow sprit to stern, and with a deck length of 33 metres, she is extremely spacious and comfortable. She is kept in gleaming and immaculate condition by her owner and captain, Ergun, who has a wealth of knowledge and experience of cruising in the Greek islands.
The delicious meals prepared by our on-board chef will be a constant highlight of your journey, as will the many lunches and dinners ashore, all carefully chosen to showcase authentic Greek cuisine and traditional hospitality.
You will feel the excitement of discovery, crossing wide open seas or narrow straits to drop anchor at a new island, be it in a bustling port town, a tranquil seaside village or a peaceful cove, and there will be plenty of time to relax, swim, snorkel or kayak, or just lie back and watch the ever-changing island scenery.
Why not join us for a unique experience of exploration and relaxation, a perfect mix of culture and nature, in a truly epic maritime setting?
Request a brochure or to book your place, please contact our office.
Day 1: Arrival in Kos and transfer to our gulet in the ancient harbour of Kos for welcome drinks and dinner.
Day 2: We will explore Kos town, a beautiful and beguiling mix of ancient, medieval and modern, before cruising towards picturesque Nisyros.
Day 3: We investigate the awe-inspiring volcanic crater of Stefanos and the tiny village of Emporio, perched dramatically on its rim. Lunch in the labyrinthine port town of Mandraki.
Day 4: We head to remote Astypalea, where we take a leisurely walk through the stunning chora (island capital), one of the most beautiful in the Aegean, with its grand Venetian castle offering breathtaking views across the blue sea.
Day 5: We cruise into the Cyclades proper to drop anchor at the small, rarely visited and unspoilt island of Anafi, with its single village and a Byzantine monastery built over an imposing ancient temple of Apollo.
Day 6: Onwards to Santorini, where we anchor within the enormous volcanic caldera, one of the most astonishing sights in the Mediterranean. In its glamorous capital, Fira, we visit two museums dedicated to the island’s extraordinary Bronze Age civilisation and enjoy the unforgettable views.
Day 7: Excursion to the miraculously-preserved Bronze Age town at Akrotiri, the Pompeii of the Aegean, followed by a visit to a traditional winery, and a free afternoon to relax or further explore the many sights of Santorini at leisure.
Day 8: We will cruise around the caldera and the volcanic Kameni islets before spending a relaxing day travelling via Ios to the romantic islets of the Lesser Cyclades.
Day 9: On to Naxos, to walk around the lanes of the medieval town and castle, and out to the famous Portara, the huge marble gateway to a long-lost temple. In the afternoon we head inland to the ancient marble quarries at Flerio, where unfinished 2600-year-old statues lie as if asleep on the ground.
Day 10: South-east to picturesque Katapola on Amorgos where we visit the ancient hilltop city of Minoa, the striking chora, and the Choziovotissa monastery, perilously clinging to a cliff-face overlooking the Aegean.
Day 11: We will explore the stupendous ancient fortifications of Agia Triada before heading east to the tiny islet of Levitha, inhabited by just a single farming family.
Day 12: East to green and fertile Leros for an island tour and an exploration of its fascinating medieval and 19th century architecture.
Day 13: From Pothia, the harbour of Kalymnos, we visit the Early Christian church of “Christ in Jerusalem” with its elaborate mosaics, and the archaeological museum’s extraordinary collection of Classical Greek sculpture, before cruising on to overnight at Pserimos.
Day 14: After a leisurely morning, we return to Kos harbour and travel inland to the grand hillside sanctuary of Asklepios, one of the most famous healing centres of the ancient world. A final chance to shop or snack upon tasty local treats, before our on-board farewell dinner.
Day 15: Transfer to Kos airport.
Arrival and Departure Information
Arrival Airport - Kos (also connected by ferry with Athens/Piraeus or with Bodrum in Turkey)
Departure Airport - Kos (also connected by ferry with Athens/Piraeus or with Bodrum in Turkey)
We recommend you arrive at the gulet in the late afternoon/evening on the first day, and leave the boat first thing in the morning on the last day (check out time on the final day is 10 am). We will arrange local transfers from the airport at the start of the tour, and to the airport at the end of the trip.
Guests can board the gulet after 5pm on the first day. You are more than welcome to arrive earlier to drop off your bags, but please be aware that the crew will be busy cleaning and tidying until late afternoon making everything ready for your group.
Booking Flights
The cheapest way to book flights is directly with the airline online.
If you prefer to book with a travel agent, we are happy to recommend specialists in a number of countries around the world, please contact our office for more details.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is a requirement of our booking conditions and we recommend you investigate the options thoroughly to make sure that your trip is properly covered.
In the UK we work with specialist travel insurers Milsom Howard Ltd. 22 Highfield Drive, Ickenham, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB10 8AN, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1895 234 919 • Fax: +44 (0) 1895 231 864 • Email: globetrotter@milsomhoward.com.
Our travel insurance specialist in the US is Julie Gorny, Email: juliannegorny@yahoo.com • Tel: +1 773 445 7537 • Mob: +1 773 972 8849.
Alternatively you might like to look at an online travel insurance company like World Nomads to give you a comparison in terms of price and coverage.
If you would prefer not to take out travel insurance you will need to complete a travel insurance waiver form.
Visas
Citizens of European Union or Schengen Treaty member states need no visa for Greece, those from the United States, Canada and Australia do not need to apply for a visa to visit Greece for trips of less than 90 days duration.
Athens, Kos and the Greek islands
If you are planning to stay in Athens before or after your tour we have included below links to more information and things to see and do. If you intend to add time on Kos or any other Greek island, we are happy to offer information and advice.
Athens Destination Guide
Nature of the Cruising to the Cyclades itinerary
Cruising & Itinerary: This remarkable cruise has a character very different to that of most of our other gulet cruises. We will be crossing some stretches of wide open sea between the islands and covering considerable distances on some of the days. In so doing you’ll gain a wonderful appreciation of the nature and beauty of this part of the Aegean, a thoroughfare for sailors since the Bronze Age. There will be some early starts so we can make passage in the early morning before the wind picks up in the afternoon. While the average travelling time will be longer than our normal coastal gulet cruises, there will be opportunities to swim each day (schedule and weather permitting).
As with all of our gulet cruises, we have spent a great deal of time crafting the itinerary to be as good as it can be, but we are travelling aboard a boat and may need to make changes according to the weather and the captain’s advice.
Overnights: Compared with our coastal gulet cruises in Turkey and Italy, where we tend to spend a good number of nights moored out in isolated bays, on this trip we will be spending more nights in harbour on the islands. This means you’ll have the chance to explore not only as part of the expert led outings, you’ll also be able to go ashore and wander in the mornings and evenings when we are tied up in the picturesque Greek harbour towns.
Food: The Aegean Clipper is a Turkish gulet with a Turkish crew including a chef who will be cooking up wonderful meals throughout your cruise. As such the food served onboard will be traditional ‘Turkish’ or Eastern Mediterranean. We will be going ashore to eat authentic Greek food in family run tavernas at intervals along the way and your tour leader will ensure you’ll have the chance to sample a good many of the local Greek delicacies of the islands. The gulet will be stocked with Greek wine and spirits and your guide, Heinrich, something of a Greek wine connoisseur, will introduce you to some of the best beverages (alcoholic and non alcoholic) the Greek islands have to offer.
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
See our videos