Greek Islands +Hotel in Crete +Flights Cruise on Celestyal Journey from Heraklion (Crete)

Day 4

Port of call in Santorini.

Santorini

Santorini is an island in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km (120 mi) southeast from Greece´s mainland The island remains the home of a small, but flourishing, wine industry, based on the indigenous grape variety, Assyrtiko, with auxiliary cultivations of two other Aegean varietals, Athiri and Aidani. Wine Industry The vines are extremely old and resistant to phylloxera (attributed by local winemakers to the well-drained volcanic soil and its chemistry), so the vines needed no replacement during the great phylloxera epidemic of the late 19th century. In their adaptation to their habitat, such vines are planted far apart, as their principal source of moisture is dew, and they often are trained in the shape of low-spiralling baskets, with the grapes hanging inside to protect them from the winds. Architecture The traditional architecture of Santorini is similar to that of the other Cyclades, with low-lying cubical houses, made of local stone and whitewashed or limewashed with various volcanic ashes used as colours. The unique characteristic is the common utilisation of the hypóskapha: extensions of houses dug sideways or downwards into the surrounding pumice

Day 5

Port of call in Santorini. Port of call in Mykonos.

Santorini

Santorini is an island in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km (120 mi) southeast from Greece´s mainland The island remains the home of a small, but flourishing, wine industry, based on the indigenous grape variety, Assyrtiko, with auxiliary cultivations of two other Aegean varietals, Athiri and Aidani. Wine Industry The vines are extremely old and resistant to phylloxera (attributed by local winemakers to the well-drained volcanic soil and its chemistry), so the vines needed no replacement during the great phylloxera epidemic of the late 19th century. In their adaptation to their habitat, such vines are planted far apart, as their principal source of moisture is dew, and they often are trained in the shape of low-spiralling baskets, with the grapes hanging inside to protect them from the winds. Architecture The traditional architecture of Santorini is similar to that of the other Cyclades, with low-lying cubical houses, made of local stone and whitewashed or limewashed with various volcanic ashes used as colours. The unique characteristic is the common utilisation of the hypóskapha: extensions of houses dug sideways or downwards into the surrounding pumice

Mykonos

Probably the most famous of the Greek Islands, Queen of the Cyclades, and the most cosmopolitan. Mykonos, owes its fame to the beauty of its capital, its white houses narrow passages, and their numerous high quality beaches. Tourism is a major industry, and Mykonos is particularly renowned for its cosmopolitan nightlife; many international celebrities visit the island every summer and and its proximity to the island of Delos, rich in archaeological treasures.

Day 6

Port of call in Mykonos. Port of call in Milos (Greece).

Mykonos

Probably the most famous of the Greek Islands, Queen of the Cyclades, and the most cosmopolitan. Mykonos, owes its fame to the beauty of its capital, its white houses narrow passages, and their numerous high quality beaches. Tourism is a major industry, and Mykonos is particularly renowned for its cosmopolitan nightlife; many international celebrities visit the island every summer and and its proximity to the island of Delos, rich in archaeological treasures.

Milos (Greece)

Milos is a small greek volcanic island in the Aegean Sea, belonging to the archipelago Cyclades. Although the island is less visited by tourists than the other islands in the group, Milo has some attractive point to see. Due to its geological peculiarities, Milos has beaches that are different in styles, from the small cala of Tsigrado to the beach of white rock, with no trace of the sand of Sarakiniko, passing by extense sandy beaches like Firiplaka. Also the weastern part of the island is not accessible by foot, but we can find in Adamas multiple cruises of one day or half day duration, showing the west coast of the island and allowing the tourists dive into diferent coves. In the capital of the island you can visit the archeological museum where you will see numerous pieces found in the island and you can also see a replica of the venus found in the 19th century. Near Milo we can also visit an amphitheater and the Trypiti catacombs.

Day 8

Port of call in Thessaloniki (Greece).

Thessaloniki (Greece)

Thessaloniki, is the second largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace. The city is renowned for its festivals, events and vibrant cultural life in general, and is considered to be Greece´s cultural capital. Events such as the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair and the Thessaloniki International Film Festival are held annually, while the city also hosts the largest bi annual meeting of the Greek diaspora. Thessaloniki is home to numerous notable Byzantine monuments, including the Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as several Roman, Ottoman and Sephardic Jewish structures. The city´s main university, Aristotle University, is the largest in Greece and the Balkans. The earliest known letter by Paul the Apostle was written to the early Christian church in Thessaloniki and is identified as First Thessalonians; it is among the books in the New Testament whose authorship by Paul is generally regarded by scholars as being undisputed. A later letter to the same church follows in the Christian Bible as Second Thessalonians. In addition to its historic roots, Thessaloniki is also a very popular tourist destination in Greece. In 2010, Lonely Planet ranked Thessaloniki as the world´s fifth-best party city worldwide, comparable to other cities such as Dubai and Montreal.For 2013 National Geographic Magazine included Thessaloniki in its top tourist destinations worldwide.