HISTORY AWAITS AT EVERY STOP

Having now left behind many ancient wonders of the Middle East we spend a day at sea before arriving at the beautiful..................

 Mykonos :- We will walk around by ourselves as we are only here for a short time. Take some photos, have a coffee or wine and dream of returning. Pretty much like every other place we visit on this trip..........

No sea day straight on to.......

 Istanbul :- Here we have already joined a private tour with others we  "met" on our roll call on cruise critic. Here is a excerpt from the email about the tour.

Starting from the port at 9am, finishing at 6pm,

you will have good enough time to see:

- Blue Mosque (Ottoman, 400 years old),

- Hippodrome (Roman-Byzantine, 1700 years old / s short stop since not much is left to this day),

- Topkapi Palace & Harem Sections (Ottoman, 500 years old),

- St. Sophia (Byzantine, 1500 years old)

- Basilica Cistern (Byzantine, 1500 years old) and

- Grand Bazaar (Ottoman, 500 years old).

After Istanbul we spend the next morning cruising in Anzac Cove from 6am to 11am, a service will be held on board and as the cruise will be a majority of Aussie's and Kiwi's I'm sure it will be a touching time for many. The bugle usually causes a tear or two to roll down my cheeks at the best of times! We then head on to....

Athens :-  Have decided to do the Princess tour here, as we would love to be able to see everything there is in Athens and to spend time appreciating it , it's just not possible, so this is our compromise.

Acropolis, National Museum & Plaka Experience the best of Athens on a guided driving and walking tour highlighting its major sights. Explore the ruins of the Acropolis and see the Parthenon. Visit the National Archeological Museum and its trove of Greek antiquities, and enjoy free time to stroll the colorful shops and cafes of the Plaka. WHAT YOU VISIT Acropolis - The Acropolis dominates the Athenian landscape. Your guided walking tour begins with a walk up steep steps through the Propylea, which extends 150 feet across the western face of the Acropolis. Beyond the Propylea, on the highest point of the Acropolis, stands the Parthenon, which was dedicated to the virgin goddess Athena.National Archaeological Museum - This treasure trove of Greece, is filled with important archaeological finds from all over Greece. You will have the opportunity to marvel at the perfection, presence and power of the bronze statue of Poseidon along with a plethora of gold items such as the Mask of Agamemnon, the Greek Commander-in-Chief during the Trojan War. SHOPPING IN THE PLAKA There will be approximately an hour of free time to browse through Athens' famous shopping district. The cobbled pedestrian lanes are lined with shops, boutiques, souvenir stands, jewelry stores and flea market stalls offering a wide variety of items. LUNCH A delicious buffet lunch with wine will be served during your excursion. WHAT YOU SEE ALONG THE WAY Board your motorcoach for the approximately 30- to 40-minute drive to the heart of Athens. Your narrated drive passes a host of major sites, including Hadrian's Arch, the statue of Lord Byron, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Constitution Square, the former Royal Palace, the National Gardens, the Academy and the University Library.SPECIAL NOTES The tour involves climbing approximately 80 steps at the Acropolis, as well as walking over some uneven and slippery paths. There will be a 10 minute walk from the motorcoach drop-off point to the Plaka area. Wear comfortable walking shoes. Passengers with limited mobility should take this into consideration before taking this tour.This tour uses headsets.

We now have a day at sea before we do 5 ports in a row without a sea day to recover, first stop and last for this entry is....

Naples :- Here is where we are having a private tour using Stefano from RomeCabs (also using his company in Rome) and will be visiting Pompeii, Sorrento, Positano and where-ever else our driver suggests. Pompeii has always been one of those places that is a must see for me, not every port has one, so am looking forward to this stop. We should also be able to sample some lovely fresh cheese, olives and a nice wine or two. Throw in some shopping, breath taking views and this will be a wonderful day! It is also Katie's 22nd birthday :)

Next stops are  Rome, Florence, Monte Carlo and Barcelona. Its a hard life but some-one has to do it.