Greece and Turkey Vacation Packages & Tours

Where to Go

• 

  Athens

  The birthplace of Western civilization, a city of ancient wonders, fables and legends, ruins, and bustling modernity, Athens is always mesmerizing. In the historic district of Plaka, a labyrinth of narrow streets and alleys filled with tiny shops selling everything from clothes to local ceramics leads up a steep hill toward the Acropolis, look out for the Parthenon towering high above, the tiny streets shrouded by its ancient shadow. Visit the National Archaeological Museum to learn more about Greece’s complex history, or take a walk through fashionable Kolonaki on the slopes of Mount Lycabettus, for chic cafes and luxury shopping.

• 

  Santorini

  A volcanic caldera bursting from the Aegean as a distinctive craggy island, where white-washed houses and blue-domed churches provide a striking contrast to the jagged island landscapes and the blazing colors of a Greek sunset. Take a catamaran tour of the black-sand beaches of Perissa and Kamari, visit a vineyard to sip a glass or two of Assyrtiko, a local volcanic wine, or explore the ancient ruins of Akrotiri, which much like the ruins of Pompeii, were left this way by a devastating volcano, but remain exceptionally well preserved.

• 

  Istanbul

  Istanbul is a city of contrasting personalities, a city where the past and present intertwine, where East meets West, where the evocative melodies of the call to prayer echo through a romantic topography of minarets, as the warming scent of spices wafts along the air. Walk the streets of the busy Sultanahmet district to visit some of Istanbul’s most iconic sights, including the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and Topkapi Palace. Journey to Kadikoy on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus to find Istanbul’s bohemian spirit alive and well — with lively markets and colorful murals, or go to Beyoglu for museums, galleries, and walks in leafy Taksim Gezi Park.

• 

  Cappadocia

  Despite finding fame for its cinematic expanses of volcanic rock — posed as thin towers, deep valleys, and caves most often photographed with a blanket of colorful hot air balloons flying overhead, Cappadocia retains a sense of mystery. Explore atmospheric Goreme for its labyrinth of caves, underground cities, and ancient Christian churches, and seek out a restaurant or boutique hotel carved directly out of the rock. For the classic experience, become a couple of pixels in someone else’s memory by flying over the Cappadocian valleys in a hot air balloon at sunrise (evenings tend to be too windy to fly).