Hidden Greece: Unexplored Greek Islands


from$ 4250 AUD



Note: Current p/p indicative rate. Final price may change due to currency fluctuations.

Ship
Callisto
City
Athens to Athens


Overview

Let us show you our home, off-the-beaten path. These 10 stunning island destinations offer a more nourishing side of Greece, a taste of true Greek culture. These are places where people take pride in offering hospitality – in line with the ancient custom of filoxenia, love of strangers – and where things are done with meraki, love and soul. A cruise voyage unraveling the most authentic Cycladic and Dodecanese islands of Greece. Discover unknown gems with rich history, incomparable light, translucent water, and heavenly beaches. Whether Greece has always been on the top of your bucket list or whether you are returning for yet another visit, Greece is a magical land with an endless supply of beauty and knowledge, so be prepared to experience it all with new eyes.

Overview

  • XPLVC
  • 8 Days
  • Callisto

Cruise Itinerary

  • Athens (Greece)
  • Athens (Greece)
  • Greek Islands

Departures

Note: Current p/p indicative rate. Final price may change due to currency fluctuations.

Cruise Itinerary

Embark at 2:00-3:00 pm, on this unique trip part of Variety Cruises Limited Collection Voyages and set sail for the most authentic and unexplored Greek islands! Our first stop is the nearby Cape Sounion, where we will enjoy our sunset cocktails and welcome dinner al fresco under the ancient Greek temple of Poseidon. Overnight at sea to the island of Ikaria.


In the morning, we stop for a refreshing swim at the Seychelles beach of Ikaria island, accessible best by yacht. Enjoy the translucent blue waters and bright white pebbles covering the sea bottom. BBQ lunch on board and our ship docks in Ikaria's quaint port. Ikaria is an island-phenomenon unlike anywhere else in Greece or the world. People here live much longer than the population on other islands and on the mainland. In fact, people here live on average 10 years longer than those in the rest of Europe and America. Join our tour discovering authentic villages that march to a different drummer, enjoy a hike in wild landscapes followed by a dip in one of the eight natural thermal springs. Or join a cooking class in a family’s country home, kitchen and garden in an ancient village for a personalized experience cooking and learning about life and the secret to the inhabitants' famed longevity in Ikaria, the Blue Zone Greek island. Enjoy your afternoon at leisure, or at one of the village traditional fairs.


Early morning sailing and arrival in Patmos, an island revelation with a touch of the divine. Surrender yourself to the mysticism and tranquility of the island of the Apocalypse. Morning discovery of two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Grotto and Monastery of St. John and the historic centre of the medieval town of Chora, filled with grandeur and serenity. Patmos has been frequented by intellectuals, artists, royalty and discerning visitors from all over the world. Small and secluded yet spectacular all the same, it is the “Jerusalem of the Aegean”. Afternoon sailing to Lipsi island, a time capsule of authenticity in the Dodecanese. Lunch al fresco and swimstop in one of the glittering necklace of 24 islets await, protected by the Natura 2000 network making an ideal refugee for the shy Mediterranean Monk seal. Evening at leisure to enjoy the setting of the local harbour at sunset, and a seaside dinner with home-cooked traditional recipes made of local produce. Overnight in Lipsi.


Early morning sailing to Kalymnos with a swimstop on the way. Kalymnos is a hidden gem island for those who crave simplicity and authenticity. Home of the famous sponge divers, this island in the Dodecanese is ideal for modern-day adventurers with 1,300 market hiking routes to be explored. Join our tour to engage with the locals harvesting sponges and producing about 30,000 sponges annually, witness the numerous species of sponge and the various stages they go through before reaching the market. Afternoon at leisure to enjoy a hike or marvel at the Esperidon fjord, perhaps the most beautiful fjord in Greece. Overnight in Kalymnos quaint port.


The ship sails towards the white and blue Cyclades. Enjoy a stop at Levitha island, inhabited by a family of four, raising animals. In the summer the family also runs a small but spotless restaurant for the visiting yachts. They grill to perfection fresh fish and meat. Enjoy a hike on one of the island's goat paths. On top of the island there is an abandoned World War II Italian outpost. Midday sailing to Amorgos, the island of Luc Besson's "Big Blue". Mellowed with traditions, firewater and laid-back villages, Amorgos will make you forget the 20th century, never mind the 21st. Enjoy an afternoon with locals learning how to make the island's famous "Psimeni Raki", a local homemade liquor with the flavor of honey and clove made since ancient times on Amorgos. Evening at leisure to enjoy the breathtaking medieval capital, situated 400m above sea level. Overnight in Amorgo's quaint port of Katapola.


Our early morning discovery will take us to the impressive monastery of Chozoviotissa built in 1088, inside the rocky cliffs of the mountain. We will visit monks’ cells which are open to visitors and contain important heirlooms and artifacts. We are offered a glass of Psimeni Raki and a local sweet while we enjoy magnificent views of the Aegean. Return on board for a short sail to the Small Cyclades: enjoy a swim in Koufonissia, take out the ship's Kayaks and Paddle boards to explore sea caves only accessible by yachts. Afternoon scenic cruise around the nearby island of Schinoussa before we reach Iraklia, a tiny hidden island gem in the midst of the Aegean. Part of the Natura 2000 network of natural habitats, it enchants with the superb views offered by its mountainous footpaths, the variety of its coastline and its own, unique sights.. There is no supermarket on the island, and deliveries come by ferry from the nearby island of Naxos. Evening at leisure to enjoy the true laid-back greek island life. Overnight in port.


In the morning we reach Serifos, a quintessentially Cycladic island of brilliant light, clear water and steadfast traditions. Enjoy a swim in one the island's remote beaches accessible best by small ship. Barbecue lunch on board, followed by an afternoon stroll to explore the island's picture-perfect "Hora" castle-village. Join our tour to a local winery offering unobstructed views to the Aegean, or get creative in the island's ceramic studio where you can master the basics of pottery, and bring as gifts back home. Farewell dinner reminiscing all the hidden gems of Greece. Midnight sailing back to Athens.


Morning arrival in Marina Zeas, Piraeus. Disembarkation after breakfast at 9:00 am.


Itineraries are subject to change.


Callisto

Vessel Type: Motor Yacht Length: 50 metres Passenger Capacity: 34 Built/Refurbished: 2000 / 2015-16 Imagine a place far from home that feels just like home, where the borders are delineated by the golden shores of the sea; and home is wherever the anchors drop. Imagine 170 feet of comfort, classic beauty, and safety classified by the latest International “Safety of Life at Sea” (SOLAS) standards. Imagine your floating home on board the classically designed, reminiscent of a Mega Yacht that sails the seas under the name CALLISTO, waving her Greek flag through the wind. Discover the world by sea at 10 knots per hour, in her un-rushed pace, one island or seashore at a time. Callisto loves to seduce her select 34 guests with her classic lines and comfortable lounges redefining what yachting was meant to be. A spacious lounge with ample space, dining areas decorated with warm colors, rich library and two decks for sunbathing, shaded areas and outdoor bar and loungers are just some of the elements that define her essence. 360° views of unobstructed ocean are your eyes’ canvas painted with ocean blue and deep green mountains. Mingle with likeminded travelers in` our public areas, enjoy a moment to yourself in our ample deck space, or retreat to one of our 17 ocean view cabin-sanctuaries all offering windows or portholes connecting you with mother nature’s wonders. Calisto’s experienced crew of 16 is trained with hospitality at heart to pamper her guests and guarantee the ultimate home away from home experience. Elegance is a state of mind; on board Variety Cruises it means feeling at home at sea- it’s our state of mind. Home at Sea Single seating dining Indoor & Outdoor Lounge - Bar, Indoor & Outodoor Restaurant, Audiovisual in Lounge, Mini library, Beach Towels, Snorkeling equipment, Kayak, Board Games, Swimming Platform, Wi-Fi Comfort Zone Windows: Main deck cabins, Portholes: lower deck cabins, Triple Occupancy cabins: Category C & B, Flat-Screen TV, Mini Safe, Mini Fridge, Individually controlled A/C, En suite bathroom with shower, Hairdryers, Telephone for internal use, Central music

Highlights

• Patmos: A touch of the Divine. The Cave of the Apocalypse, this sacred, candlelit grotto is believed to be the spot where St John the Divine received his visions from Christ and transcribed the Book of Revelation, the last chapter of the Christian Bible. Exiled on Patmos in 95 AD, he preached to, baptised and prayed with the island’s inhabitants. Eventually, Patmos came to be considered sacred and the cave became the focal point of a significant religious pilgrimage. • Kalymnos, the island of the sea-sponge harvesters. The fourth largest island of the Dodecanese Group is widely known as an international sponge-harvesting trade center. After WW II, Kalymnos remained the only Greek island engaged in the sea sponge-harvesting activity, supplying Syros, Nafplio and Constantinople and travelled as far as Odessa, St Petersburg, Moscow, Trieste and the Middle East. • Longevity Secrets of Ikaria. Enjoy a cooking class with fresh local produce and discover the Ikarian diet: Vegetables from the garden, legumes and greens, and plenty of olive oil. On the Greek island of Ikaria, life is sweet… and very, very long.

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