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A unique opportunity to explore the islands of the Cyclades aboard a Greek gulet with a maximum of just 12 guests.

For most of us, islands are things you sail to, something distant and exotic, a place away from here that grows on the horizon. And, of course a lot of that’s true, especially on a trip like this where each day brings a new marvel, a new seascape filled with other islands, or one apparently far from everything. There’ll be hidden quiet coves where there’s no noise but the splash of swimming, or busy little havens where houses of all hues stand happily in polychrome tiers throwing themselves against a hillside and threaded with winding lanes that disappear into enchantingly mysterious nooks. There’ll be volcanic landscapes and the relics of prehistoric civilizations, masterpieces of ancient Greek art and architecture, landscapes unmoored from other planets, and the forbidding blank walls of fortified places of worship. So yes, this is a tour that more than answers the desire for a peaceful odyssey: some new memorable book to be written in the memory with every passing day. But in some ways its quite the wrong way to look at the Cyclades.

Because for great swathes of history, they’re not at the fringe at all. Far from being the record’s edge, they’re the spindle around which everything revolves, around which the music is made. And that is the other strand that makes this such a fascinating tour. It might not be the story that’s usually told, but these pretty islands, famed now for their gleaming white villages and pretty windmills, have often been at the core of Greek history and culture, right back to its very beginnings. As a result, our tour will have a layer upon layer of history to tell, with experts to do it justice, and a rich seam of art and culture to explore. We’ll have the Bronze Age world of the Cycladic Culture, precocious seafarers and artists famed for inspiring those of more recent times with their magnificently distinctive sculpture; the venturesome Greek cities of the Archaic period whose ambition produced some of the most breath-taking experiments in her art and architecture, brilliant pulses that supercharged the Greek world long before Athens’ dominance; and, as Greece took its place in an ever more interconnected Mediterranean, we’ll encounter the staggering remains of the greatest trading centres of the ancient world just as Rome entered it. There’s more to tell – frescoed Byzantine churches, Venetian castles, prosperous neoclassical mansions, but that’s surely enough to tempt you to make the crossing.

This is a tour that allows you to expansively sample the full breadth of the Cyclades’ history. You’ll discover historical powerhouses that few know exist as well as secluded villages where tradition marks every sinuous alley and which it takes a lifetime, or a passionate guide, to find; you’ll see sights renowned around the world like the awe-inspiring island of Santorini, and have the time to relax and think about them at a sublime islet that rarely sees a living soul and keeps its beauty to itself. An island is always a chapter in itself, and a destination in someone else’s tale. Here, you get to see both in a truly rich compendium.

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Day 1: NB: The itinerary on this cruise is likely to change slightly according to the weather conditions. Some modifications regarding the order or days of crossings or visits are likely to occur, so please bear that in mind when reading.

We welcome you to Paros, and have our first meal together, on board our gulet.
Day 2: After breakfast we cruise south and west, skirting the coasts of Antiparos and Despotiko before rounding the islet of Strongyli to come into the anchorage at the bay of Aghios Giorgios. The magnificent Archaic and Classical sanctuary on Despotiko can be seen standing proudly just above the shore. It is currently closed to the public while restoration is completed, but if it reopens in time we will pay a visit. If not, we have a glorious swimming opportunity, with marvellous views of the two islands that embrace this anchorage, in what will be a day devoted to relaxation.

After lunch ashore in a seaside taverna, we will leave the bay behind and take to the water once again for a relaxed afternoon cruising over to Ios, where we’ll anchor overnight.
Day 3: After breakfast and a chance to swim, we cruise across to Sikinos, a quiet island seldom visited by tourists. We’ll enjoy the beautiful unfolding views as we drive along its single winding road, making our way to Episkopi and a breath-taking surprise. Pressed into the flanks of Mont Troullos, just below a ridge that gives marvellous views of Sikinos’ neighbours, is a grand and near-complete Roman building from the height of the empire, temple-like and standing to the beginning of its roof. Saved in part by becoming a church in later centuries, it’s an unexpected and impressive survival. We’ll consider what it originally was amid gorgeous surroundings.

After lunch, we will cruise south. The mind should supply some swirling orchestral music at this point as the majesty of Santorini – properly, Thera – is revealed to us: the expanse of cobalt blue waters of the mighty caldera embracing the broken ramparts that make up this little island group, and the etched long trailing zigzags of the paths winding their way up. A wonderful place to experience what awe really feels like. We drop anchor at Akrotiri, and have some time to swim before enjoying dinner onboard.
Day 4: We come ashore and walk just a short distance to one of the world’s greatest and most precious archaeological sites: Akrotiri. Many places claim to be a Pompeii of one sort or another, but at Akrotiri we really have it, and all the more impressive for its vastly greater age. Here we are given a window (windows!) into the Middle Bronze Age. A spectacularly preserved town, still being excavated, buried by a volcanic eruption 3,600 years ago. Houses stand to their second storey, looking only recently abandoned, cracked flights of steps speak of the geological violence that has otherwise left so much so clearly visible so that we can understand the Bronze Age world of the Aegean better here than anywhere else. The same process bequeathed us some of the finest frescoes of the ancient world, and we make the journey to Thera’s archaeological museum to see its famed treasures next: the saffron-gathering women and leaping blue monkeys await us here, surrounded by a wealth of other finds from this outstanding place.

Our journey to the rim of the Cyclades has been breath-taking, but with a last gaze at the spellbinding Theran archipelago we make our way out and head north, returning to Ios, where we take a swim in quieter waters where the Cyclades seem to have found yet another wonderful form of blue.
Day 5: After breakfast, we head into Ios harbour. Our first target is the magnificent Early Bronze Age site of Skarkos, just inland. Here, on a low hill swaddled in tall stone terraces, faintly like Mycenae, and spread with a mesh of stone walls – some still standing above head height – we have a remarkable site of the Cycladic Culture, famed for its marble sculptures. Hundreds of people lived here, trading, working obsidian and farming. We continue on to Ios chora, the island’s modern (and ancient) capital, where white painted houses, blue domed churches and pretty windmills competitively stack themselves around its steep sugar-loaf hill. We’ll visit the excellent local museum to see the finds of living Skarkos used by those whose footsteps we traced – and some fine Archaic and classical remains before enjoying lunch in a harbour side taverna. In the afternoon, we will make our way further north to a bay on the island of Naxos.
Day 6: We begin our day at Yria, for centuries a major cult site of the god Dionysus. From simple beginnings with offering pits, careful excavation has shown us the gradual development of shrine buildings from simple mud-brick through to a great marble temple, one of the earliest in Greece. We continue on to Flerio, to see one of the most remarkable sights of the Archaic Greek Aegean, its kouros. This figure of a young man, frozen mid-stride, is typical of the age if a little mysterious; what makes him typically Naxian, perhaps, is his great size. To make him even more evocative, he lies unfinished in the landscape, the mammoth task of completing and transporting him to his destination for some reason never completed.

After an impressive morning, we return to our gulet to glide over the Aegean waters as we make our way to a very famous island indeed, one which brought forth gods. To Delos.
Day 7: Our final full day, and you’ll agree we’re going out on the most impressive note possible. For all its small size, Delos was never peripheral to the ancient Greek world. Religion, war and trade gave her a prominence that sees her mentioned often in ancient writings, and a late flourish where unholy wealth created an extraordinarily rich city of temples and statues, marble and mosaics. The island’s prominence begins with Leto fearfully and secretly giving birth to the twins Apollo and Artemis here, leading to the emergence of an important shrine which exploded under Athenian domination in the fifth century BC, becoming for a time the headquarters of the grand alliance against Persia, the so-called “Delian” League. In the later Hellenistic era, after centuries of patronage by other competing kings, cities and aristocrats, the already burgeoning opulence of the site was taken to a vastly higher level by a powerful new interloper: the Roman Republic. Growing obscenely rich on a trade in goods and lives, Delos developed as a sprawling showcase for the wealth of the new arrivals and their trading partners. Theatres, grand houses awash with frescoes and ornate mosaics and temples to gods drawn from across the widened Greek world of the Hellenistic empires stood, skinned in marble, on street after street. Delos’ later decline has left the site in an amazing state for us, from those great public buildings down to house after house of an era where the ancient world was undergoing a pivotal transformation.

As are we, because after our final swim in the sacred waters of Apollo’s isle, we take to the same seaways as those the merchants of the second century BC plied and head back to Paros and our final meal aboard.
Day 8: With scores of landscapes, seascapes and ancient sites to cast our mind’s eye back on when we return, and millennia of history and culture safely stowed in the memory, we make our departures.

Transfer to Paros Airport or Harbour.

I would like to book, what else do I need to know?

For information not covered below please refer to our FAQ’s or contact us directly on info@petersommer.com

Arrival and Departure Information

Arrival Airport – Paros

Departure Airport – Paros

Arrival Location – Paros Port (approx. 10 mins from airport)

Departure Location – Paros Port (approx. 10 mins from airport)

Embarkation and departure is planned for approx.17:00. 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 making everything ready for your group so you will not be able to settle into your cabin.

If your travel plans or flights do not allow you to arrive before 17:00 we recommend arriving the day before the tour starts. This would also allow time to relax, recover from any jet lag and arrive at the boat on time for embarkation and departure.

If you arrive at the gulet after 17:00, we will do our best to enable you to join the tour at a later time and place.

Please Note: Departure time is subject to change depending on weather, harbour, or other conditions.

Disembarkation is around 09:00. We will arrange local transfers on the first and last day of the tour.

Booking Flights: If you are staying in or connecting via Athens then the easiest way to get to and from the gulet is to fly. There are a number of airlines that offer domestic flights in Greece. The cheapest way to book flights is directly with the airline online.

Please note: Flights are subject to change. Please contact the airline for exact details.

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:We consider adequate travel insurance to be essential. You should ensure that you take out a suitable policy, to make sure that your trip is properly covered.

Visas
For UK Nationals, You can travel without a visa to the Schengen area, which includes Greece, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa.

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 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 for any of the Greek islands, we are happy to offer information and advice.

Nature of the Cruising the Cyclades itinerary

Cruising and 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 nearly every day (schedule and weather permitting), but occasionally they will be quite early in the day or quite late.

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 authority.

Food: As well as meals on board the gulet 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 guides will introduce you to some of the best beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) the Greek islands have to offer.

Tour Includes:
Full board accommodation with water, tea and coffee and wine with dinner
Airport transfers on the first and last day of the tour
Travel by private minibus
Harbour fees and crew services
All entrance fees and tips on land
The services of your expert tour leaders throughout the entire trip
WiFi (coverage permitting)

Not included:
Flights and airport taxes
Visas
Travel insurance
Gratuities on the gulet. It is customary to tip the crew at the end of a tour (we recommend a minimum of 20Euro per day per guest)
Tips for guides

Maria Girtzi

Born in Thessaloniki, Maria is an Archaeologist and professional tour guide. She studied Archaeology and Art at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and did her postgraduate studies on Greek Archaeology (MA and PhD.) at the University of Birmingham in the UK. She has taught History, Archaeology and Art history at the Universities of Thrace, Birmingham (UK), Cornell (USA), the Hellenic Open University and the Open University of Cyprus as well as working as a field archaeologist on excavations in Macedonia, Thrace and on Crete. Maria is the author of the book “Historical Topography of Ancient Macedonia”.

A great believer in “lifelong learning” she is involved in the design and implementation of educational programs that appeal to a wide range of ages (primary-secondary education and adults) and is an expert of the Institute of Educational Policy in Educational Programs. We are delighted to welcome her as part of our team.

What previous guests have to say about Maria:

"Maria is a terrific guide. Her stories and explanations were excellent. She combines deep knowledge with extraordinary organizational skills." Raymond Kulla

"the highlight of the tour was having such a wonderful and accomplished tour leader as Maria. She made all the sites come alive with her dramatic flair in explaining the history, mythology, geography, culture, and even the cuisine of the different localities. I have been on many tours before and never have I had such a marvelous guide as Maria. With her background in archaeology and her experience on digs and her wide knowledge of history, she was truly a ne plus ultra in the guide department. She was also most solicitous of the comfort of each tour member. At the Farewell Dinner we all raised our glasses high to Maria and declared that this had been the best tour we had ever been on! Maria is the most accomplished, knowledgeable, professional, conscientious, and just plain nicest guide I have ever had on a tour!" Louise Lindemann

"Maria our guide was an absolute star - her passion, energy and deep knowledge not only of the archaeology but the region and its people made the whole holiday experience outstanding. She could not have done more to inspire, educate and enthuse us and bring the history alive." Giles Cockerill

"Dr. Maria Girtzi has to be the highlight of the tour. She was truly amazing, she had boundless energy, enthusiasm and joy in sharing her knowledge." Janet Cowell

"a guide whose expert knowledge and passion was transmitted to us with energy and colour. She painted a picture of the past, with readings from ancient historians and philosophers so that the spirit of the archaeology, culture and history meant the ancient world came alive. We were grateful for her generosity in imparting her knowledge and passion for her country. She was also attentive to our appreciation of the food of the places we visited, giving us many great culinary experiences, in addition to attending to our individual needs or requests. We could not have had a more passionate and engaging guide in this region and of the historical periods. She made the tour come alive for us, painting a picture of the past so that we easily followed in the footsteps of the historical giants." Wendy McCartney

View Maria Girtzi's Biography

Anastasios Papadopoulos

As an archaeologist, Anatasasios has dug a huge variety of sites in Greece, covering thousands of years of its history – everything from the Neolithic to the mediaeval Byzantine era, particularly in his beloved north. He has a degree in history, an MA in Byzantine Archaeology and is studying for a PhD at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Having excavated widely for a decade, from the lovely Khalkidiki peninsula to urban rescue excavations in Thessaloniki, he’s since turned his encyclopedic knowledge in a new direction and become a licensed tour guide.

As well as working with us, he designs and runs his own cultural and walking tours around Thessaloniki and northern Greece with an extraordinary array of themes encompassing a phenomenal historical sweep. With his comprehensive personal experience of so much of Greek culture, history and archaeology, you couldn’t have a better companion for your trip.

What previous guests have to say about Anastasios (Tassos):

"Tassos did an excellent job making sure all was well organized and was very knowledgeable. He made the tour what it was. Excellent!" John Gosch

"Our tour guide Anastasios ("Tassos") Papadopoulos was expert and very well-educated and informative. A charming and expert guide, he could not have been more gracious and made this tour a special and educational experience for us." Robert Harmon

"The enthusiasm of our guide and his willingness to share his knowledge was a highlight of the tour. As well as his archaeological expertise, Tassos was extremely knowledgeable about art history and English literature. We had many fascinating conversations with him. He also showed great consideration for all of us." Joan Weighell

"Excellent! Anastasios was highly knowledgeable, caring and enthusiastic." Laurie Gosch

View Anastasios Papadopoulos's Biography

Nigel Spivey

Peter had the good fortune of directing Nigel a good few years back in a documentary about Britain’s ancient monuments. We are absolutely delighted that he is one of our tour leaders.

Nigel is a Fellow of Emmanuel College and Senior Lecturer in Classics at Cambridge University, where he teaches Classical Art and Archaeology. His books include The Ancient Olympics, Greek Art, and Panorama of the Classical World. A renowned TV presenter, his credits include How Art Made the World (BBC), Kings and Queens, and Heroes of World War II. He’s also an experienced tour lecturer. His knowledge and passion make him an ideal guide for bringing past Mediterranean cultures to life.

What previous guests have to say about Nigel:

"I can't say enough good things about Nigel. He gave us just the right amount of fascinating history to make us think about what life may have been in ancient times. He made himself available at all times for questions and chitchat. We loved having him as part of the group." Carol Wade

"Our trip was outstanding, but then, We had an amazing Cambridge Classicist with us! It was a treat to be able to combine the archaeological sites with Dr. Spivey's encyclopaedic knowledge of the ancient world. I hope Peter Sommer Travel knows what a treasure they have in Dr. Spivey. He is friendly, jovial, kind and instinctively knows how to adjust his interesting and engaging presentations for the audience in front of him which comes from years of teaching. Few Classicists have his range of knowledge." Margaret-Anne Gillis

"I so enjoyed the expertise of Nigel. He made a real contribution to the trip. His commentary was insightful and thought provoking. Nigel connected well with all the guests and cared about his audience's perspectives and interests. I could listen to Nigel all day, he's such a great speaker." Rosanne Taylor

"Nigel was wonderful. Superb in every way. He adapted so well to all of the clients. Unsurpassable. An experience of a lifetime." Pamela Lyon

"Exploring the amazing history of the area was fascinating. Nigel gave the right level of information, education and stories to bring it to life in a way that will stay with us forever! Though we are sure all of your expert guides are wonderful, we are so glad that Nigel Spivey led our cruise. He offered the right level of context on what we were going to see and what we had seen, left no-one ‘behind’, and generally elevated what was already a great experience to a truly memorable one." Julie Kleinman

"Nigel was delightful, as always. He is always interesting to listen to and learn from. Excellent." Carol Theodore

View Nigel Spivey's Biography

Deborah Carlson

Deborah studied classical archaeology at the University of Arizona and participated in the terrestrial excavations of a Roman villa in Tuscany and a Greek temple in the Peloponnese. In 1996, Deborah moved to Texas so that she could study shipwreck archaeology with George Bass, the Father of Underwater Archaeology. When Bass invited her to assist with the excavation of a fifth-century B.C. Classical Greek shipwreck in Turkey, Deborah traded in her trowel for a wetsuit and never looked back.

Deborah earned a Ph.D. in Classics from the University of Texas at Austin in 2004 and joined the faculty of the Nautical Archaeology Program at Texas A&M University the same year. From 2005-2011 she directed the excavation of a first century B.C. ship that sank off the Turkish coast while transporting a cargo of marble to the oracular Temple of Apollo at Claros. As President of the Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA) since 2012, Deborah spends part of each year in Turkey conducting research at the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology. She adores Turkish culture and food and is happiest thinking about languages, words, and amphoras.

View Deborah Carlson's Biography

Accreditations

Tour Operator of the Year 2015 Gold Award AITO logo Tour Operator of the Year 2017 Gold Award AITO logo Tour Operator of the Year 2018 Silver Award AITO logo Tour Operator of the Year 2019 Silver Award AITO logo Tour Operator of the year Gold Award 2022 AITO logo Tour Operator of the year Silver Award 2023 AITO logo British Travel Awards Best Travel Company for Arts and Culture Holidays Silver 2022 logo Member of ABTA the Association of British Travel Agents Member of ASTA The American Society of Travel Advisors Member of ABTOI the Association of British Travel Organisers to Italy

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