The Most Beautiful Greek Islands with Ponant

Description

Sail the Aegean Sea with PONANT and set off to discover Greece and its famous islands aboard Le Bougainville for a 12-day brand-new Mediterranean cruise.

From Athens, you will set sail to the island of Hydra, famous for its incomparable light, before calling at the charming town of Nafplio, the departure point for visiting the famous Epidaurus Theatre and the Mycenae site, listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

After a stop on the picturesque island of Folegandros, Le Bougainville will then approach the Santorini archipelago in an incredible cruise along the foot of its caldera formed during an eruption in around 1600 BC.

You’ll visit Amorgos, in the Cyclades Islands, a mountainous island where some scenes of the film “The Big Blue” were filmed then the island of Symi, covered with vines, olive trees and cypress trees.

You’ll then head for Patmos, known as the “Jerusalem of the Aegean Sea”, this island, where Saint John is said to have written the Apocalypse. Then you will discover Delos, a minuscule island in the Cyclades archipelago and an open-air museum.

Next comes Mykonos, its beaches and windmills, with Alefkandra, a district that is typical of the island, with houses built right on the water’s edge and the island of Paros, reputed for its sublime white marble.

Le Bougainville will finally stop in Syros, an authentic island with neo-classical architecture before sailing to Sifnos, exploited since Antiquity for its gold and silver mines, today offering gentle landscapes, mountains paths and a rich endemic flora.

Your journey around the Mediterranean will draw to a close in Athens.

Trip Name

The Most Beautiful Greek Islands with Ponant

Days

Overview

Vessel Type: Luxury Passenger Capacity: 92 cabins Built: 2017/2018 Featuring innovative and environmentally-friendly equipment, elegantly designed cabins, spacious suites with large windows, and lounge areas that open onto the outside, this new limited-capacity yacht boasting just 92 cabins and suites will offer you a truly unique cruising experience. As the first ship in a new series that remains true to the Ponant spirit, Le Bougainville will embody the unique atmosphere that is the cruise line’s hallmark: a subtle blend of refinement, intimacy and comfort. Aboard this ship that flies the French flag, you will experience the incomparable pleasure of an intimate cruise, with the possibility of exploring an ever-increasing range of destinations in an ethnic-chic ambiance with luxury service. Experience a luxurious setting where the accent is on authenticity and passion for travel. RESTAURANTS As it is an essential part of French culture, gastronomy will naturally have pride of place aboard this new ship. Through its two restaurants, Le Bougainville will invite you on a journey to elegance and epicureanism. In a relaxed atmosphere, a first dining area located on Deck 3 and able to seat 70 will serve grilled meats daily, along with a variety of salads and desserts. To the back of Deck 4, you will find a 260 m² panoramic restaurant which can accommodate all of our passengers in a single sitting. Designed differently to that on our other ships, this dining area, which opens onto the outside, will have a buffet of salads, desserts and cheeses at your disposal. Our discreet and attentive crew will provide table service for hot meals. PUBLIC AREAS Like Le Boréal and its sisterships, Le Bougainville has many common areas that are designed and equipped to meet all of your needs while preserving the intimacy of each passenger. A 140 m² reception area includes: A reception/concierge desk, An excursions desk, The ship’s administrative services, The sales office, manned by our Guest Relations Officer, Our 50 m² boutique which sells clothing, jewellery, beauty products, postcards and various accessories, Toilets accessible to passengers with reduced mobility. A new hydraulic platform with adjustable height provides: Easier boarding than on any other cruise ship, Easier Zodiac embarkation and disembarkation for expeditions, Easier access to the sea for swimming and practising various water sports such as kayaking or paddle-boarding. A pool deck offering: A pool with a panoramic view, equipped with a counter-current swimming system, A pleasant solarium, An outdoor bar and lounge with armchairs and sofas. A 200 m² main lounge which can accommodate all of our passengers to share convivial moments and to host activities organised during the day or evening. Lastly, a theatre that seats 188, equipped with: The latest sound and lighting technology, A LED wall as the stage backdrop, for the projection of high-resolution images and videos.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Day 1 ATHENS

The Greek capital city is located on the edge of the Saronic gulf, in the east of the country. It bears a plural name in reference to the first villages that surround the Acropolis. You will be enchanted by the rocky plateau presided by its monuments listed as UNESCO World Heritage. In the city below, you can visit some of the liveliest districts in Athens: Plaka, with its maze of colourful streets, and where, in the evenings the drifting aroma of moussaka and garlic prawns will tickle your taste buds. The National Archaeological museum and the Cycladic Art Museum are also some of the city’s key attractions and allow visitors to discover Athens’ cultural past.

Day 2 - Day 2 HYDRA

This unusual gem belonging to the Saronic islands is located to the east of the Peloponnese. There are no cars here. Named after the island, the harbour town is layered up the slopes of a mountainous bay. You may be surprised to see beautiful stone mansions. These are traditional here, as are the multi-coloured caïques along the quays. Further along the shore, you will discover the Historical Archives Museum. Collections from Athens National History Museum are exhibited in the elegant villa Koundouriotis.

Day 3 - Day 3 NAFPLION

The engaging town of Nafplion is staggered up green hillsides of the Argolic Gulf, to the east of the Peloponnese. Do not be surprised by its extremely varied cultural heritage. Some of the must-see visits are the ancient agora on the plateau of Akronafplia, Italianate arcades in Syntagma square as well as the baroque fortress of Palamidi on a hillside of the same name. At the top of the hill, views of the gulf and the surrounding mountains are simply awesome. If you want to chill out by the water’s edge, walk along the Arvanitia promenade to a beautiful creek in the shade of cedars and cypresses.

Day 4 - Day 4 FOLEGANDROS & SAILING IN THE SANTORINI CALDERA

Folegandros is a treasure concealed in the Cyclades archipelago. You approach this mountainous island from the south-east side of continental Greece. The blue and white houses built on a steep plateau in its main town, Chora, is a feast for the eyes. Why not climb up to the belvederes and admire the view of the Aegean and the port of Karavostasi. The jetty in Karavostasi port leads to a lovely beach where you can have fun in the turquoise water. Higher up, Ano Meria, a village surrounded by terrace farms, offers a magnificient panorama over the sea.Sailing in the waters of Santorini caldera is breathtaking. The gigantic scale of the unique setting, the majesty of the high cliffs surrounds this ancient crater that was flooded in 2000 years before Christ, is one of the highlights of the cruise. The colourful whites, greys, reds of the volcanic rocks, the blue of the Aegean Sea and the immaculate perched villages form a unique and marvellous spectacle.

Day 5 - Day 5 AMORGOS

It’s no accident that the island of Amorgos was chosen as a shooting location for Luc Besson’s film, The Big Blue. You too will fall under the charm of this island as your ship edges closer. Amorgos is the most easterly island in the Cyclades and stands out for its rocky inlets with crystal-clear water and its small, picturesque villages. This port of call will be your chance to visit one of the prettiest villages in the Cyclades, Chora, and discover its cobbled streets and whitewashed houses overlooked by a castle. Byzantine churches, windmills and courtyards brimming with flowers complete this typical tableau of timeless Greece.

Day 6 - Day 6 SYMI

A simply ravishing gem in the Dodecanese, Symi is located north-west of Rhodes. This island of cypress forests, vineyards and olive orchards, possesses a capital city of the same name that is as colourful as the surrounding countryside. The charm of the port district of Gialos is not to be missed: its quaysides are lined with picturesque houses with multi-coloured facades. You can get to the upper town by car or climb the 500 steps up the Kali Strata ramp. The second option offers superb viewing points of the coast and gorgeous turquoise waters.

Day 7 - Day 7 PATMOS

Patmos is one of the legendary must-see islands in the Dodecanese. This is where Saint John resided, presumed author of the last book in the Bible. The cave of the Apocalypse and the Saint John Monastery are dedicated to him. These sites, which are listed by UNESCO as World Heritage, are located at the top of a hillside planted with vines and orchards. On the shore, the crystalline coves of Kambos and Lampi offer absolutely gorgeous swimming areas.

Day 8 - Day 8 DELOS & MYKONOS

This legendary Cyclades island of Delos stands just a few miles southwest of Mykonos. The ceremonial solemnity of this ancient holy sanctuary will not leave you indifferent. The sheer size and importance of this UNESCO World Heritage site which covers over half of the island is thrilling in itself. From the Stoa of Antigonos, the Terrace of the Lions, to the carved marble animal statues, you will make discovery after discovery, against a backdrop of the Aegean stretching to the horizon. The theatre steps on the hillside are a particularly good place from which to enjoy the expansive view.Nicknamed “little Venice”, Mykonos is famous for its Alefkandra district where houses are built right on the water’s edge. Their multi-coloured loggias are emblematic of this Cyclades island, as are the pelicans and windmills. You can get close up to the birds on the quaysides of the old port. Up on the hillside, you can see the windmill sails turning. In the cobbled streets of the pedestrian centre, bougainvillea bedeck immaculate facades. As you weave in and out of the little streets, snatches of coastline will undoubtedly call you to the island’s beaches, the quietest of which can be found on the northern coast.

Day 9 - Day 9 PAROS

Famous for its white marble, the island of Paros is located in the Cyclades. Along the quays of Parikia, its main town, you’ll see Byzantine churches and neoclassical buildings. To make the most of the turquoise waters, you can stop over in Naoussa. This little fishing port is bounded by a very beautiful cove.

Day 10 - Day 10 SYROS

Located to the west of Mykonos, Syros is an attractive island in the Cyclades. It has been inhabited since early antiquity, as you’ll discover by visiting the archaeological museum in Ermoupoli, its capital built in the shape of an amphitheatre and stretching out over two hills. Don’t miss the historical district, where the beautiful houses are evidence of the island’s strategic location for trade, between the East and the West. Admire the superb Agios Nikolaos Church or the Church of the Assumption of Virgin Mary. Further on, the medieval town of Ano Syros allows to admire charming stairways and arched passageways, as well as small, white houses decorated with bougainvilleas.

Day 11 - Day 11 KAMARES, SIFNOS

Nestling in the Cyclades, the harmonious and much less crowded island of Sifnos is home to many treasures. Exploited since antiquity for its gold and silver mines, this little-known pearl boasts gentle landscapes and is a botanical paradise. The rich endemic flora can be admired along the island’s mountain paths that have been trodden for thousands of years. From the main port of Kamares, set off to discover the nearby sandy beach which runs along a lagoon and whose dunes are covered in sea daffodils. The picturesque fortified village of Kastro is another of the island’s wonders. Sitting atop a hill overlooking the Aegean Sea, this spot, where people have lived since prehistoric times, is very much an open-air museum.

Day 12 - Day 12 ATHENS

Day 13 - Please Note:

Itineraries are subject to change.

Trip Dates

Start	End	Price From	Room Type

Inclusions

A new cruise in the Aegean Sea to discover the Greek Islands.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Acropolis in Athens (embarkation and disembarkation port), the Mycenae ruins and the Epidaurus theatre (from Napflion), Delos, the sacred island, the monastery of Saint John and the Cave of the Apocalypse in Patmos.
Discover the pearls of the Cyclades: Folegandros, Santorini, Amorgos, Delos, Mykonos, Paros, Syros, Sifnos and their ancient ruins, typical landscapes and beaches.
Exceptional sailing in the Santorini caldera.