Highlights of Greece & Turkey

(15 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Istanbul, Ephesus, Cappadocia

This luxurious private tour visits the most fascinating historic and leisure locations in Greece and Turkey. With your own private driver and guide, enjoy comprehensive touring in the ancient-meets-modern city of Athens, savor the sun-bleached charm of Mykonos and the sublime beauty of Santorini, explore the legendary mosques and bazaars of Istanbul, visit the stunning Greek and Roman ruins at Ephesus, and marvel at the one-of-a-kind topography and amazing caves of Cappadocia.

Begin in Athens for two nights. During flexible touring with your private guide, explore the highlights of the city: the ancient Agora, the Acropolis and the spectacular new Acropolis Museum, small museums like the Benaki Museum, local markets, and the charming, taverna-lined Plaka neighborhood. Time permitting and depending on your interests, also visit a market or other museums (archaeology, history, folk art, Cycladic art, jewelry), watch the changing of the guard at the 19th-century Parliament building, or visit Lycabettus Hill.

Continue to Mykonos for two nights. Enjoy a privately-guided excursion to the nearby island of Delos, which was the religious and political center of the Greek Isles for 1,000 years and has impressive ruins and artifacts. There will also be time to relax at your luxury resort and explore the bougainvillea-draped pedestrian streets of Mykonos Town. Be sure to watch the sunset from a café in Little Venice with a view of landmark windmills.

Next, visit Santorini and stay at a luxury resort for three nights. Tour photogenic Oia, savor a wine-tasting of Santorini’s refreshing whites and rosés, see a black-sand beach, and visit the Museum of Prehistoric Thera with its ruins from the excavation at Akrotiri.

Next, fly to Istanbul. During flexible private touring with your own guide, visit sights such as the Aya Sofia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and the beautiful tiles in its Harem, the Rustem Pasha Mosque, an ancient underground cistern, and Istanbul's Spice Market. Shop for carpets and kilim, jewelry, glass, textiles and antiques at the Grand Bazaar. Enjoy a ferry ride on the Bosphorus, the waterway separating old Istanbul from new, Europe from Asia. Also visit Istanbul's most interesting museums, including the Istanbul Modern, and vibrant neighborhoods. There will also be time to enjoy the city's wonderful cafes and cuisine. Accommodation is at the Four Seasons Sultanahmet, an historic courtyard building steps from the city's main attractions, or on the Bosphorus at the legendary Ciragan Palace Hotel or the exclusive Four Seasons Bosphorus.

Continue to Cappadocia to a cave-style hotel for two nights. Enjoy two days of private touring amid the region’s distinctive landscapes and rock formations as you visit ancient subterranean cities filled with frescoed churches and cave dwellings in Goreme, Kaymakli and other locations.

Take a private tour of Ankara before flying to Izmir for an overnight stay. The next day, with your expert private guide, tour the magnificent ruins of Ephesus, including the Library of Celsus, the Terrace Houses and Ephesus Museum, as well as the nearby House of the Virgin Mary.

Finally, fly back to Istanbul for two more nights, including a half-day of flexible private city touring.