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16 Day Italy & Greece - Including Cruise
Low Cost Coach Tour starting in Rome and finishing in Athens
Countries Visited: Italy  Greece  Turkey 
Tour Type: Regional
Tour Duration: 16 Days (15 Nights)
From: Rome to Athens
Tour Code: 6485
Operator: Cosmos
from AU $2,098 pp
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Tour Description

Finish this tour with a 3 day cruise extension. Discover two vibrant Mediterranean countries - Italy and Greece - on one exciting vacation. Begin in Rome, with guided sightseeing including the Colosseum and Roman Forum. Follow the coastline of the Tyrrhenian Sea to Pisa to marvel at its Leaning Tower. Spend two nights in Florence, 'Cradle of the Renaissance,' and see Juliet's famous balcony. Spend two nights in Venice, where you will explore this beautiful city and enjoy a canal boat ride. In Ancona, on the shores of the Adriatic Sea, board an overnight ferry to Patras in Greece. In Greece, visit Olympia, the impressive ruins of Mycenae, and see the Corinth Canal. Conclude your trip in Athens, Greece's ancient capital, where the Acropolis and its fascinating museum are part of the included sightseeing tour.

Included Features

  • Headsets throughout the tour
  • SIGHTSEEING: Visits to Pisa, Verona, Venice, Ravenna, Olympia, Corinth Canal
  • GUIDES: Local Guides for city sightseeing in Rome, Florence, Mycenae, Athens. Services of a professional Tour Director while touring
  • TRANSPORTATION: Touring by private first-class air-conditioned motorcoach. Canal transfer boat in Venice. Ferry Ancona-Patras accommodation in two-berth cabins with private shower and toilet. Cruise extension in inside cabins with private shower and toilet
  • HOTELS: Rooms with private bath or shower, hotel taxes, porterage, tips, and service charges

Tour Meals

  • Buffet breakfasts (B); lunches (L); dinners (D)

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Day
1
Rome, Italy
Check into your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to explore Italy's ancient capital. Tonight, meet your Tour Director and fellow travellers.
Day
2
Rome.
Included sightseeing with a Local Guide starts in St. Peter's Square, followed by a visit to the Roman Forum and the mighty Colosseum. (B)
Day
3
Rome - Pisa - Florence Area
Vistas of undulating hills, austere rows of cypress trees, terraced vineyards, olive groves, and rural villages form the backdrop of your journey through beautiful Tuscany. Take a break in Pisa to see the Square of Miracles and the amazing Leaning Tower, then on to the Florence area. (B)
Day
4
Florence
This Renaissance gem and city of the Medicis will keep you enthralled the entire day. Traffic is banned in part of the historic centre so visitors can wander at leisure and admire the city's timeless beauty in relative peace and quiet. Don't miss out on the included walking tour with a Local Guide, which features most of the city highlights. You will see the Piazza Santa Croce; the beautiful Piazza Signoria; the Palazzo Vecchio and its courtyard; the Loggia dei Lanzi; and, to top it all, the Piazza del Duomo and its cathedral with the Giotto Campanile, and the magnificent East Door of the Baptistry known as the "Gate of Paradise." End the day by joining the optional Tuscan dinner in a typical restaurant. (B/D)
Day
5
Florence Area - Verona - Venice Area
An interesting journey today northwards for a first stop in enchanting Verona to see the legendary balcony of Romeo and Juliet. Just a few more kilometres eastwards to Venice. (B)
Day
6
Venice
Venice is more like a marvellous film set than a real live city, with its criss-crossing canals, gondolas and water buses, arched bridges, palaces, and little quiet piazzas. The included orientation starts with a boat ride and is followed by time at leisure and a chance to watch Venetian glassblowers fashion their delicate objects as they did centuries ago. Don't miss out on the optional gondola trip, gliding along the picturesque canals with a local troubadour to serenade you. (B/D)
Day
7
Venice Area - Ravenna - Ancona (embarkation) - Overnight Ferry Crossing To Patras, Greece.
Start the day by journeying across the flatlands of the Po Delta to medieval Ravenna. Next, reach Ancona on the shores of the Adriatic. Here, in the afternoon, you embark on the ferry for the crossing to Patras. (B)
Day
8
Patras (disembarkation) - Olympia
Plenty of time to enjoy all the ship's facilities. Disembark this afternoon in Patras. Drive south into the Peloponnese for an overnight in Olympia. (B/D)
Day
9
Olympia - Tolon
Make the most of this morning by taking the optional tour of the sights of ancient Olympia, including the ruins of the Temple of Zeus. In the afternoon, enjoy the rugged scenery of the Peloponnese on the way via Tripolis to Tolon. (B/D)
Day
10
Tolon - Mycenae - Athens
Morning visit with a Local Guide to the impressive ruins of Mycenae. Later, stop to view the Corinth Canal, which was built between 1881 and 1893. Overnight in Athens. (B)
Day
11
Athens
Join the included sightseeing tour of Athens featuring the highlights of the ancient capital and a visit to the Acropolis. Explore the shops and museums or take a trip to the coast to swim. In the evening enjoy the lively atmosphere of the tavernas and nightclubs in the old Plaka district with its narrow streets and sound of bouzouki music, or join an optional Greek dinner. (B)
Day
12
Athens - Piraeus (embarkation) - Mykonos
Board your cruise ship. Afternoon cruising in the Aegean on your way to Mykonos with its white houses, chapels, and thatched windmills. Late evening departure for Kusadasi, Turkey. (B/L/D)
Day
13
Kusadasi, Turkey - Patmos
Morning arrival in Kusadasi, on the coast of Turkey. Join the optional excursion to the ancient ruins of Ephesus. Later, arrive in Patmos, the beautiful island where John the Divine wrote the Revelation. Optional excursion to the Monastery of St. John is available. (B/L/D)
Day
14
Santorini
A whole day in Santorini, the "Black Pearl of the Aegean." Later, depart for Piraeus. (B/L/D)
Day
15
Piraeus,greece (disembarkation - Athens
Early morning arrival at the famous port of Piraeus. After disembarkation, continue to Athens for an overnight. (B)
Day
16
Athens
Your holiday ends with breakfast this morning. (B)

16 Day Italy & Greece - Including Cruise Reviews

Tour reviews from past clients of Global Journeys. 1 Reviews, Average Rating 5.0 of 5.
We had a great time, it was very well organised, we saw amazing things. I don't really have complaints, more contructive criticism. We were on a tour of 37 people. At the introductory meeting I feel we should have been introduced one by one, very briefly, or at least given name tags. Our guide Lino delivered instructions and outlined the optional tours including one that night in Rome (50 euros each?) which no-one took. He then closed the meeting and we went our separate ways. A much better way would have been to have an included dinner to get some cohesion in the group. It was 6-7 days before we learned everyones names, and that was because I made a big effort on the ferry to Greece, to make sure we knew who was who. Each time Lino had to call out our names for hotel rooms etc, he always used our surnames, so we had no help with names then. More importantly..... the last 'farewell dinner' an exhorbitantly charged event (65 euros I think) most definitely should have been included, so everyone would have been there. There were 18 of us there that night. I assumed we were all going and was really disappointed that half the group were not there. 65 euros for that dinner was appalling, even though we were taken on a train ride around the Acropolis. We would have opted out at that price, but when we booked it and paid for it (many days earlier) we did not know the others well enough to ask them if they were attending. It should have been included - no question! My only complaint is that these optional tours were way too expensive. We should have done research before we left Sydney and we would have realised we could have done these tours on our own and saved hundreds of euros. I will suggest that later on trip advisor. Positives, and there are many. The hotels were excellent, the breakfasts fantastic, the buses very comfortable. We thought our guide, Lino, was okay. That was before we met the guide we had on the cruise. Marieke was exceptional, very calm, efficient and so likeable. She went to a lot of trouble to ensure our embarking and disembarking went smoothly. The disembarkation could have been very ugly, due to a taxi strike and union blockade. Marieke arranged it that we got to our bus without a single problem. She knew our names from day one, only 16 to learn, but she did make the effort. She seemed to enjoy the experience which made it better for us. I would not hesitate to go with Cosmos again. As I said earlier it was extrememly well organised, just needs a little fine tuning.
Linda & Peter Rolfe (Australia)
Tour Date 04/07/2011

Tour Prices

Tour prices are per person. Please request a quote for tour availability.

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2012 Season Sale! Save up to $410 per couple. Exclusive to Global Journeys. Deposit this month only to qualify! Subject to availability at the time of booking.

START DATE END DATE BROCHURE
(Twin Share)
BROCHURE
(Single)
OUR
SAVINGS
OUR
PRICE
21 May 2012 05 Jun 2012 AU $2,399 AU $3,263 Save $205 AU $2,194
28 May 2012 12 Jun 2012 AU $2,399 AU $3,263 Save $205 AU $2,194
04 Jun 2012 19 Jun 2012 AU $2,399 AU $3,263 Save $205 AU $2,194
11 Jun 2012 26 Jun 2012 AU $2,399 AU $3,263 Save $205 AU $2,194
18 Jun 2012 03 Jul 2012 AU $2,399 AU $3,263 Save $205 AU $2,194
25 Jun 2012 10 Jul 2012 AU $2,399 AU $3,263 Save $205 AU $2,194
02 Jul 2012 17 Jul 2012 AU $2,399 AU $3,263 Save $205 AU $2,194
09 Jul 2012 24 Jul 2012 AU $2,399 AU $3,263 Save $205 AU $2,194
16 Jul 2012 31 Jul 2012 AU $2,399 AU $3,263 Save $205 AU $2,194
23 Jul 2012 07 Aug 2012 AU $2,399 AU $3,263 Save $205 AU $2,194
30 Jul 2012 14 Aug 2012 AU $2,399 AU $3,263 Save $205 AU $2,194
06 Aug 2012 21 Aug 2012 AU $2,399 AU $3,263 Save $205 AU $2,194
13 Aug 2012 28 Aug 2012 AU $2,399 AU $3,263 Save $205 AU $2,194
20 Aug 2012 04 Sep 2012 AU $2,399 AU $3,263 Save $205 AU $2,194
27 Aug 2012 11 Sep 2012 AU $2,399 AU $3,263 Save $205 AU $2,194
03 Sep 2012 18 Sep 2012 AU $2,418 AU $3,282 Save $205 AU $2,213
10 Sep 2012 25 Sep 2012 AU $2,418 AU $3,282 Save $205 AU $2,213
17 Sep 2012 02 Oct 2012 AU $2,418 AU $3,282 Save $205 AU $2,213
24 Sep 2012 09 Oct 2012 AU $2,418 AU $3,282 Save $205 AU $2,213
01 Oct 2012 16 Oct 2012 AU $2,332 AU $3,196 Save $200 AU $2,132
08 Oct 2012 23 Oct 2012 AU $2,332 AU $3,196 Save $200 AU $2,132
15 Oct 2012 30 Oct 2012 AU $2,293 AU $3,157 Save $195 AU $2,098

Note: The majority of departures above will proceed or are guaranteed to depart. We will outline the status of your departure date in your quote along with all applicable discounts and specials.

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  Click on the descriptions below for more detail. We will apply all valid discounts automatically to your quote to provide you with the best possible price. Terms & Conditions apply to the discounts below.

SAVE2.5 % Early Payment Discount
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Flights:

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General Information

The information below relates to this itinerary only.

Tour Operator: Cosmos Tours

Cosmos holidays combine the freedom of independent travel with the benefits of group travel, all at an unbelievable value. If you have never taken a package holiday, consider this: travelling with Cosmos is less expensive, more comfortable and far easier than going it alone. Our expertly planned tour packages combine all the benefits of group travel with much of the freedom of an independent tour to create a balanced experience for each and every traveller. You travel hassle-free knowing that we've taken care of all the details. Once you have discovered the special advantages of Cosmos, you'll never want to travel any other way again. Cosmos turns your dreams into reality.


Tour Type: Regional

Our most popular style, Regional Discoveries, are well-planned, in-depth escorted vacations that provide one-of-a-kind opportunities to experience the character, personality, and flavour of a specific region or country.


Frequently Asked Questions

Why should we choose a Cosmos Tour?

  • Our famous value with complete travel packages including hotel, transportation, sightseeing and services of a professional Tour Director
  • Visits to major and must-see sights included in the vacation price
  • Expert Tour Directors share their unique stories and knowledge of destinations
  • Cosmos hotels are selected with care - three star or better hotels with private facilities, so you can relax in a comfortable, clean, and attractive environment
  • Optional excursions at an unbeatable value - diverse enough for unique interests and at reasonable prices
  • A dynamic blend of transportation, including first-class motorcoach, rail, air, and cruise - we make getting there part of the fun
  • Plenty of leisure time to explore on your own or to sit back and take it all in
  • Porterage included - not handling your own bag really makes you feel like you are on a holiday
  • Cosmos budget travel packages receive a 93% satisfaction rating on our customer's post-vacation surveys

I'm leaving in 4 weeks, when will I get my travel documents?

Travel documents, including any air tickets, tour itinerary, hotel lists, and helpful hints and other information are sent approximately four weeks prior to tour departure.

Who else will be travelling with me, and how many will be on tour with me?

Cosmos attracts a wide range of clientele of many ages from all over the English speaking world. Cosmos offers an affordable way to travel and as such the size of the Cosmos group can vary from departure to departure. A Cosmos coach can carry up to 51 passengers however on many tours the number of passengers is below 50 people.

Will the coach be modern and comfortable, and how many will be on tour with me?

Your Cosmos coach is a quiet smooth-riding high cruiser, equipped with soft, semi-reclining lounge seats, huge pan windows, a high-fidelity sound system, and air-conditioning. There is a no smoking policy enforced on the coach, but there are plenty of opportunities to smoke during the frequent stops. Cosmos uses the custom of daily seat rotation which gives every tour member a variety of vantage points to see the passing countryside and city scenery.

What hotel standards can I expect on a Cosmos tour?

Our experienced hotel contractors carefully select hotels that provide the best value for money. Of course, different countries have different standards, but Cosmos endeavours to provide our clients with the best available in cleanliness and comfort. They are mainly 'superior tourist' and 'tourist' class establishments that follow the standards set by the independent Official Hotel Guide (OHG) or by national tourist boards.

Where are Cosmos hotels located?

When Cosmos selects its hotels, it does so with you in mind. A great deal of effort goes into ensuring that the hotels are suitably located to meet the needs of the tour. Some hotels are more centrally located than others. In bigger cities (particularly in Europe), we sometimes use hotels that are located in the suburbs rather than using overpriced hotels or hotels in less desirable areas. In these instances, we make every attempt to locate hotels near public transport and with good access to shopping and/or meals.

Are breakfasts included in the tours?

Breakfast is not included on our American tours but Cosmos does offer the option to pre-pay breakfast supplements on selected North American tours to have a full breakfast daily. On Cosmos European tours a daily continental breakfast is provided. In London and on the Continent, you can expect to start the day with cereal, croissant, yoghurt, bread, butter, jam, cold cuts (cheese, ham, salami) and juice, coffee, tea or hot chocolate. Elsewhere in the United Kingdom, a fully cooked breakfast is provided.

What about dinners?

The number of dinners provided varies from tour to tour, check your itinerary for details. Where dinners are on offer, they tend to have an 'international' flavour. For clients wanting to sample some of the 'local' fare, there are optional excursions which feature dining out at local restaurants. Alternatively, clients can discover the local cuisine when there are free evenings without scheduled meals.

What is the difference between a tour director & a local guide? What are they like?

Your tour director will accompany you from the start to the end of your tour, educating you on the places and the history of the destination. Local guides are included in many cities to give you in-depth information on the culture, history and attractions of the city. Both Tour Director and Local Guides have a passion for travel, people and the destination and look forward to sharing their passion with you.

I'm finding it difficult to match two tours together?

Have you considered pre or post tour accommodation? We offer fantastic rates hard to find elsewhere and this may enable you to select sequential tours with minimal disruption to your intended travel plans.

What does the tour cost include?

Our packages take in each destinations's most popular highlights. They are carefully planned to include visits to places of interest and panoramic drives through areas of natural beauty. There's so much for you to look forward to! In North America you can ride a snocoach on Alberta's Columbia Icefield, tour Washington DC and Québec City with expert Local Guides, and cruise the swampy waterways of Louisiana's bayous. Please refer to the itineraries for a complete description of what is included in the holiday of your choice.

Do coach tour prices include tips to Tour Directors, Drivers & Local Guides?

It is customary worldwide to pay tips to Tour Directors and Drivers on all international vacations and these are not included in your quote. The option to prepay these tips prior to departure is possible however. Please ask your consultant to include this in your quote. You will receive Gratuity vouchers with your travel documents and all you need to do is give this to the Tour Director and driver or Cruise Director and ship's crew at the end of the vacation.

Are there optional excursions & is there much free time?

In addition to included sightseeing, we offer a rich program of optional excursions, all full of interest and very reasonably priced. Optional activities can be booked through your Tour Director. Many optional excursions are mentioned in the package descriptions. Your pre-vacation literature will specify cost and content of the optional highlights that may be offered during your trip. This enables you to budget accordingly before you leave home.

Do you have a share program for singles?

More than one third of Cosmos' clients travel alone. We can provide clients with a 'guaranteed share' facility. This means that we charge singles the basic price and match up singles of the same gender in twin-bedded rooms. If we cannot find a roommate for a tour member who has booked on a 'guaranteed share' basis, we will absorb the single room supplement. For mutal comfort, we do adopt a no-smoking rule in shared rooms. Please note that 'guaranteed share' cannot be offered for pre and post tour accommodation.

Where can I find out more information on Cosmos?

We have a dedicated section on our website providing more detailed information on Cosmos including FAQ's on what you need to know before, during and after your travel; as well as information on their 'Touring Styles', and a comprehensive search facility to enable you to easily find more of their tours. Read more> (NB: This link will take you away from this tour itinerary page).


Airport Transfer Information

Cosmos tour members may reserve our airport transfer service at AU$ 25 per person one way on the tour start and end date of the tour and are available for flights arriving/departing, within certain times (your tour consultant will outline these to you in your quote). Please see travel documents for full details regarding set pick-up times at designated airport locations. For very early departures, please note that breakfast cannot be included.

Note: Airport transfers can be arranged when you purchase extra nights before or after the tour only if the extra accommodation is booked in conjunction with Global Journeys & Cosmos.


Terms & Conditions:

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Georgie Walpole

Your Tour Consultant Will Be:

Georgie Walpole
Tour Consultant
Email: georgie@globaljourneys.com
Expertise: International Coach Touring & River Cruising
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