Odysseus, also known as Ulysses, was a legendary King of Ithaca. His fate was bound up in that of the Trojan wars started by the abduction of Helen – the ‘face that launched a 1, 000 ships’. Whether the stories are true Odysseus certainly had a reputation as an adventurer and he would have sailed back and forth across these beautiful Aegean waters. How wonderful then to follow in the wake of history cruising on board the wonderful Callisto a mega yacht which still hoists canvas and graces horizons wherever she sails. This trip around the islands and coasts of Greece and Turkey is the perfect backdrop to her elegance and style. Life on board centres on her outdoor areas including the 2 bars and the sun deck. In the evening you can relax in one of the ship’s two lounges, play cards in the library, or enjoy a drink while listening to piano music. This is classic and classy sailing at its best. There is no pool but no need for one – the swimming platform on Callist ’s stern means you get to swim in pristine secluded bays when weather and anchorage conditions permit. That’s how Odysseus would have wanted it. Unravelling the wonders of the Aegean Islands and Turkey. The beautiful whitewashed islands of the Cyclades: Santorini, with her world famous sunsets best seen from Oia village. Mykonos, the queen of the Aegean and nearby Delos, Apollo’s sacred island, a breath-taking open air museum and UNESCO World Heritage site. Mystical Patmos, the queen of the Dodecanese islands, with her medieval town of Chora and monastery of St. John, UNESCO World SItes. The vibrant markets of Kusadasi in Turkey and it’s main lure, Ephesus, once the foremost metropolis in Asia. 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. Average rating: 2 reviews Thank you for you excellent services and enjoy our time on board by Vass from Ross-shire on The holiday was fantastic The holiday was fantastic! The cruise was amazing! It was everything and more than I expected. The weather was great, I made a ton of friends, and I saw some amazing sights. It really was a magical trip and I recommend it to anyone. The boat had all ages and types of people on it and we got along fabulously. Thanks for everything you guys did to get me there safely and in time for my cruise!

Board a short flight back to Athens, where you'll enjoy the last memorable day of your True Greece luxury vacation package. In the afternoon, take a tour of Athens and its most significant sights together with your local True Greece guide. Of course, no vacation package to Athens is complete without a climb to the Acropolis ("peak of the city"), where Ancient Athenians of the 5th century BC erected the great temple dedicated to the goddess Athena - the extraordinary Parthenon. You will also see the Ancient Agora, as well as some of the finest structures of modern Athens, such as the Kalimarmaro Stadium, home of the first modern Olympics in 1896, and the old Royal Palace and today's Parliament, with the elite unit known as the Evzones guarding the Monument of the Unknown Soldier. Finally, celebrate the end of your luxury travel experience with a farewell dinner at one of our recommended Athens restaurants. You're sure to leave Athens, full of wonderful memories, having found a new and comfortable home in Greece.

For about as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to charter a sailboat and sail the Greek Isles. Since we were already over here we decided this would be the year. We just sent in our contract and deposit and I’m so excited. My friends and I got together and chartered a boat and a skipper for 7 days in July. With that you get your own cabin, breakfast, and lunch (dinners are eaten on land) and then you sail around from island to island. In a lot of ways its all the conveniences of a cruise ship: you don’t have to move your luggage around, you always have a place to sleep, meals are provided. But it is on a much smaller scale. There will only be 8 or 10 people on the boat, there isn’t bad food and we can stop at anytime to swim. My friend sailed around Italy and Greece a few summers ago and said it was so great because you would sightsee and explore all day and then the next morning you would sail to a different town so there was built in down time. You could relax and read on the deck of the boat. Sounds perfect to me! While I think it might be interesting to do with kids Paul’s parent’s will be staying with us and agreed to babysit so we’ll be leaving the kids home this time. One thing that surprised me is how affordable it was. It is about $230/night total per couple and when you consider that includes two meals, some tour guiding, lodging and transportation its probably cheaper than if you took a train, ate in restaurants, and stayed in hotels.

Venice Italy Cruise Port, with its very convenient Alilaguna vaporetto service to St Mark's square (and Marco Polo airport). Venice, Queen of the Adriatic Venice is a major cruise ship hubs in the Mediterranean, with over a thousand cruise ship movements, and a million cruise passengers per year. Currently Venice is the 13th busiest cruise port in the world, and the 3rd busiest in Europe. The Venice Cruise Terminal (or Terminal Venezia Passeggeri, or VCT) is situated at the Venice end of the four kilometer road that joins Venice to the rest of Italy. Venice port is not directly on the Mediterranean, but is located in the Venetian Lagoon, this is joined to the Adriatic by a narrow channel called the Porto di Lido. Venice Cruise Terminal is host to more than twenty cruise companies, including MSC, Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Norwegian Cruise Lines. Between them, the cruise-lines offer a tremendous choice of cruises from Venice. Venice Cruise Terminal The Venice Cruise Terminal contains three main quays: the Marittima basin, which can berth the biggest cruise ships that visit Venice, and the smaller Santa Marta and San Basilio quays. These two are just around the corner in the Giudecca Canal. Marittima is the biggest of the ship basins at the Port of Venice's Venezia Terminal Passeggeri, with 6 terminal buildings and enough docking space to handle several large ships at once. The area includes the Isonzo Quay (berths 18 and 20), the Tagliamento Quay (berths 107, 109, 110, and 112), the Piave Quay (117) and the TM Quay (TM berth). Santa Marta (Quays 24 to 28) and San Basilio (Quays 29 to 31) together form a long mooring that runs from the Marittima basin to the western end of the Fondamenta Zàttere, a famed promenade beside the northern shore of the Giudecca Canal. These two quays host smaller ships. Cruises From Venice Cruises from Venice generally focus on three areas, the Adriatic Sea, with the beautiful coastline of Croatia and Montenegro, the Aegean Sea, with the spectacular Greek Islands, and Turkey with Istanbul, the characterful gateway to the East. Things To Do Near Venice Cruise Port In choosing a cruise from Venice, you have already treated yourself to visiting the most spectacular and beautiful city in the world. So ensure you allow at least two to three days somewhere in your busy vacation schedule to enjoy wonderful Venice. The most famous of Venice’s buildings are those clustered around St Marks Square, the Basilica, the Doge’s Palace, and the Campanile. All threes were began in the late tenth century, and in the next three hundred years the buildings all underwent numerous improvements and redevelopments. Basilica Here you can find the famous Pala d’Oro, an altarpiece of solid gold encrusted with precious gems. It was made by Byzantine goldsmiths as long ago as 976. Doge's Palace Next to the Basilica stands the Doge's palace. Marvel at the great Council Hall, and the plaques of the first 76 Doges (except Doge number 55 whose painting was erased, for plotting a coup). Also don’t miss the soulful Bridge of Sighs, the last crossing-place for criminals from the palace into the prison cells (and often onto an untimely death). Campanile The third great building is the Campanile, built in 912. (The original building actually collapsed unexpectedly in 1902, but the rebuild incorporated most of the old building materials). From the top there are magnificent views across the city. Travelling to the Venice Cruise Terminals If you're a vacationer booked on one of the cruises from Venice, the least hassle way to get between the airport and the cruise terminal is to book the transfer from your cruise line/travel agent. If you've booked the components of your holiday separately, the following describes how to travel to the Venice Cruise Terminal. Travelling from the airport The cruise terminals are a 15- or 20-minute cab journey from Venice's Marco Polo Airport. A cheaper alternative is the airport bus to the Piazzale Roma, followed by a taxi or bus ride. Another option is a water taxi, expensive but stylish and fun.

Our gulet trips in Greece were selected as the number one of ’ Greece’s top three cultural holidays ‘ by The Telegraph (2014) Our stylish cruises through the spectacular Islands of Greece are unforgettable journeys of exploration and discovery, the experience of a lifetime. If what you are looking for is a holiday that offers both delightful relaxation and stimulating fascination, discovering the ancient sites and the welcoming harbours of Greece, then our Gulet Cruises in Greece will be perfect for you. “Cruising to the Cyclades was a joy from start to finish. The pleasure we had getting to know everyone, lounging on the boat and the land trips was immense, I can thoroughly recommend this voyage.” Margaret Harris, Bedfordshire, UK Cruising on a Gulet A wide range of gulets are available for travel in Greek waters, but we select the vessels used on our tours most carefully. Only boats that meet our high standards regarding comfort, technological quality and service levels are used on Peter Sommer Travels’ cruises. Based on those standards, we can provide our guests with the high quality experience that they deserve. The experience of a boat tour always relies on the quality of the crew and the service they provide. That is why we always work with captains of great experience and chefs of great skill, performing at their best to make our tours a perfect experience from beginning to end. We enjoy our on-board meals in a variety of panoramic settings, from remote coves via serene old fishing villages to lively and picturesque island ports. The shipboard meals are always freshly prepared on board by our chefs in the gulet’s galley, where they create a great variety of excellent meals every day. They are complemented by the variety of local specialities we enjoy in selected restaurants ashore. “The most successful, enjoyable and very best small group tour that I have taken primarily due to the fact that you had Heinrich as tour leader and a local guide Nota who was of immense value. They both worked seamlessly to ensure the success of this tour...Heinrich by the nature of his personality and ability as a tour leader, guide, lecturer and organizer ensured that we all had a fabulous time. A hard act to follow!” Jay Olson, Hong Kong Discovering Greece Cruising through the Greek islands is a wonderfully adventurous experience that has a subtly different feel to our voyages along the Turkish or Italian coasts. Surrounded by the wide open sea, hopping from island to island, the horizon dotted with enigmatic rocky outcrops, confers a feeling of bold exploration, enhanced by the ambience of the islands themselves. Usually relatively, small, sparsely inhabited and wonderfully diverse in flora, fauna, local traditions, architecture and archaeology, each island is a small world unto itself.

By Rick Steves For many people, Greece is synonymous with islands. If you need a vacation from your busy mainland Greek vacation, the islands exert an irresistible pull. Explore a tight, twisty maze of whitewashed cubic houses with vibrant trim. Dig your toes into the hot sand while basking under a beach umbrella. Go for a dip in the crystal-clear, bathwater-warm Aegean. Nurse an iced coffee along a bustling harborfront, watching fishermen clean their catch while cuddly kittens greedily beg below. Dive into a succulent Greek salad at a rustic taverna, and chat with the big personality whose family has owned the place for generations, all while watching the sun gradually descend into the sea. Putter along remote-feeling roads across the spine of the island on a rented ATV, then drop down on a twisty lane to a desert-isle cove with an inviting beach. The Greek islands really do live up to their worldwide acclaim. While I appreciate a healthy dose of restorative island time, I prefer to spend the bulk of my Greek vacation visiting the country's amazing wealth of ancient sights. That's why I've focused my Greece: Athens & the Peloponnese guidebook on the bustling capital of Athens and Greece's "heartland, " the Peloponnese, where — compared to the islands — prices are much lower, people tend to be friendlier, and travelers have more exciting opportunities to peel back layers of history. Still, a visit to Greece isn't complete without at least one island stay. Greece's Island Groups Greece's roughly 6, 000 islands and islets (227 of which are inhabited) are scattered far and wide across the eastern Mediterranean. Most are in the Aegean Sea (south and east of mainland Greece), while a few are in the Ionian Sea (west of the mainland). The islands are divided into distinct clusters: The Ionian Islands, closer to Albania and Italy than to Athens, are Greece's northwest gateway to the Adriatic and the rest of Europe — they've had more foreign invaders and rulers (from Venice, France, Britain, Russia, Austria, and so on) than anywhere else in the country. The main island is Corfu (Kerkyra in Greek), with a bustling, architecturally eclectic main town and a lush, green islandscape dotted with attractions and beaches. The Saronic Gulf Islands (Argosaronikos), conveniently wedged between the Peloponnese and Athens, ooze lots of island charm and give you a chance to get away from it all without actually going very far. Hydra, my favorite, is in this group. The Sporades Islands, due east of Athens, are dominated by the giant Evia island, which is attached to the mainland by a bridge. Thickly forested and less touristed by international visitors, the Sporades are a popular and handy weekend getaway for Athenians. The Cycladic Islands (or simply Cyclades) — a bit farther south, between Athens and Crete — are the prototypical "Greek islands, " boasting chalk-white houses with colorful windowsills and doorways; rocky, sun-parched landscapes; delightful beaches; old-fashioned white windmills topped with tufts of grass like unkempt hair; and an almost overwhelming crush of international visitors. Mykonos and Santorini are the two best and most famous of the Cyclades. Near Mykonos is the archaeological site of Delos (one of the most important locales of the ancient world). The Dodecanese Islands, at the sunny, southeastern end of the Greek lands, are more rustic and less developed than the Cyclades. Their proximity to Turkey and historic ties to Venice give them a hybrid Turkish-Venetian flavor (though the population is mostly ethnic Greek, these islands merged with Greece only after World War II). Rhodes, with an appealing and very real-feeling Old Town, is the biggest of these islands. The North Aegean Islands, relatively untrampled and remote-feeling, lie roughly between Turkey and Thessaloniki (at the northern end of mainland Greece). The southernmost of these, Samos, is a particularly handy springboard for Turkey, as it's very close to the Turkish port city of Kuşadası (near the remarkable ancient site of Ephesus).

Our yachts all come fully equipped for bareboat charters without skipper or crew. To rent a bareboat one of your party must have a valid International Certificate of Competence (ASA and RYA equivalents may be easily converted in your home country). It is advisable for at least one of your crew members to also hold a RYA Competent Crew certificate or equivalent. For more details please feel free to contact us or see our list of frequently asked questions. If you hold a valid license and want to get straight to the point, browse our list of available yachts for bareboat charters! About our yachts Istion maintains a wide range of sailing yachts, sailing catamarans and motor yachts up to 60 feet available for rent to any island chain in Greece. Our yachts include the latest models from some of the most famous yacht builders including Beneteau, Bavaria, Jeanneau, Dehler, Ocean Star, Elan, Dufour, Lagoon, Fountaine Pajot and Nautitech. All equipped with any add ons needed and delivered together with Istion's unmatched service.

Greece’s small geographical footprint is deceptive, if only for the fact that at least 6, 000 islands exist within its territory, to say nothing of it being the birthplace of modern civilization. You could spend a month or even a year in Greece, and likely be able to comprehend only a fraction of the treasures buried in its soil.Unfortunately, most people who aren’t Greek Gods don’t have that long to travel, let alone to devote to a single country, so this itinerary is crafted toward a more pragmatic end. If you’ve got about a week to spend in Greece and want to make the most of your time there, continue reading. Athens Athens is the site of Greece’s busiest international airport, which means you’ll almost certainly have to spend a portion of your week in Greece here. It’s definitely not Europe’s most beloved capital, the Arcopolis and some other historical areas notwithstanding, but I urge you to explore Athens for at least a couple days to appreciate it as more than a mandatory layover. To be sure, you’d be hard pressed to spend more than a full day trekking up to the Acropolis and back, particularly if you visit during Athens’ oppressively hot summer. Instead, traipse through the charming historical districts of Monastiraki, Plaka and Thissio, take in the splendor of Syntagma Square or have a coffee in bohemian Metaxourgeio. Or, find something else to do entirely – just don’t spend less than 2-3 days of your week in Greece in Athens. The Greek Islands It probably seems ridiculous to even attempt making a “Greek Islands” sub-section for this article, given the statistic I cited earlier RE: the number of islands that exist within Greek territory. Still, I imagine that visiting at least one of these islands is a top priority for your week in Greece, so I’ll do my best to summarizing your options in a concise way. The two most popular Greek islands are definitely Santorini (for its white buildings and blue roofs) and Mykonos (for its out-of-this-world beaches), but other Greek Islands that are easy to reach by ferry from Athens’ Piraeus port include Rhodes , Corfu , Naxos, Paros and Ios, while islands such as Ithaca, Ikaria and Koufonisia require more of a trek to reach, but are also more rewarding in the end. Spend the majority of your week in Greece – at least 3-5 days – on one of more of its islands. Other Destinations in Greece Have more than a week in Greece? Thank God. Thank Gods, Greek ones – all of them. If there is one wish I have, it’s that my next trip to Greece will be longer. I want to venture north to the city of Thessaloniki, explore a wider array of Greek islands and visit the large island of Crete, which is a destination in and of itself.

There were plenty of Homeric adventures in Greece I’d wanted to share with my son, but losing my ship in the Aegean was not one of them. Way back in 1975 I had cruised the Greek islands at about Luke’s age as part of a mythology tour I’d taken with my mother. In those disco days, Greece had been ascendant, with a flourishing tourism industry churning to keep pace with the international jet set. I had been thoroughly seduced not only by the country’s beauty but also by the myth of the Trojan War, that most foundational of travel stories. How the Greeks set sail across the Aegean Sea with the largest expeditionary force in history. How hot-tempered Achilles, history’s original sore loser, had been forced to give his war prize—the maiden Briseis—to King Agamemnon and refused to fight. And how Achilles finally joined the battle, vanquished the great Trojan hero Hector, and dragged him around Troy’s high walls. Decades later, I hoped that Achilles’s story would trigger my son’s inner adventurer. This was Luke’s first big foreign trip. He had no idea what a country was, what history was, or why one civilization conquered another. It was a voyage during which all of this could come alive for him. Or he could end up bored and disappointed. And while the highly structured megacruises that have become the industry standard in Greece would have insulated us against unforeseen experiences (like losing our ship), I didn’t want a packaged experience. So I’d booked us on a more improvisational trip that would start in Athens and range across the islands until we reached Istanbul. Along the way we would read The Iliad and The Odyssey and piece together a travel mythology of our own. But now, with our cruise boat on the verge of leaving us behind, we were about to fall off the page into a completely different story. WE HAD BEGUN OUR trip three days earlier in Athens without a hitch. Yes, there’d been a swarm of police cars circling the Acropolis protesting the dismissal of thousands of police officers and other civil servants. And yes, we had been goaded into buying a Greek soccer uniform for Luke and had watched while he joined a pickup game with fancy-footed local kids. And yes, when we finally persuaded Luke, who, like Achilles, is prone to rages, to mount the Acropolis, I’d been required to put all 50 pounds of him on my shoulders and haul him and his stuffed animal Daddy Pooh to the top. Fortunately we had prepped enough to establish a beachhead against Luke’s boredom. Not only had we read the classic D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths, we had also spent an afternoon at the new, glass-walled Acropolis Museum. Literally walking over ancient ruins (the floor is transparent, too), we were given a child’s backpack that contained a treasure hunt centered on the museum’s different Athena sculptures. With the hunt came an explanation of the fight between Athena and the sea god, Poseidon, over the naming rights to Athens—a long- standing god-grudge that spilled over into the Trojan War. Afterward, sitting in Café Yiasemi, a restaurant built into the Acropolis’s hillside, we discussed how the Trojan War began. How Eris, the goddess of discord, who was the only deity not invited to the wedding of Achilles’s parents, tossed a golden apple to Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite with the inscription: for the fairest. How Paris declared Aphrodite the most beautiful and was rewarded with Helen, setting off 10 years of bitter international conflict. “And that’s how it started, ” I said as I surveyed the suave Greek intelligentsia blowing cigarette smoke out their nostrils.

A yacht provides a magical way to explore these mythical isles. Sailing between all 2000-odd islands would be a Herculean task, so opt for one of five well established bareboat areas within Greece. The Ionian Islands: The lush green beauty of the Ionian Islands offer gentle sailing from bases in Corfu and Lefkas makes this a family friendly yacht charter area in Greece. This is also great for beginners and people trying to build there confidence on their first charter. The Saronic Islands: The Saronic Islands are easily accessible from Athens or Poros, short distances separate bustling ports from quaint harbours and quiet anchorages excellent for bareboat holidays or flotillas alike. This area is also ideal for beginners with steady predictable afternoon breezes. The Cyclades Islands): Archetypal Greek islands with brilliant white buildings, bluedomed churches, and superb beaches easily cruised from Athens, Lavrion or Paros. Stronger winds, especially during the Meltemi season, make this a choice for experienced sailors and a great Greek yacht charter destination.