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The Greek Isles |
Athens (Piraeus), Greece |
Mykonos, Greece | Santorini, Greece
| Rhodes, Greece
Bodrum, Turkey | Kusadasi,
Turkey | Instanbul, Turkey
| Stark white villages set
against a shimmering blue sky. Black volcanic cliffs plunging into the
sea. Golden beaches...olive groves…haunting ruins…From Athens to Istanbul,
Windstar explores the mythic beauty of the Greek Isles and Turkey.
The sun’s heat plays pinball off the white cubist houses lining the streets. Come duck into the shadows of a cool blue doorway. A donkey laden with baskets clops up the cobblestones, in no hurry. (No one hurries.) There is all the time – centuries and eons of time – in the world. How many civilizations have come and gone where you are standing? What great cultures have flourished; how much literature, and thought? Atlantis…Ephesus…the Byzantines and Ottomans…the Knights of St. John. Welcome to the Greek Isles, your reprieve from the twentieth century has been granted. For the next seven days, you’re free to stand in the wind among ruins; sun on glorious golden sands; explore bazaars filled with alabaster, kilim rugs, and spices; and dance to bouzoukis late at night. From Athens to Istanbul (or in reverse, if you prefer), Wind Spirit and Wind Song will sail to the best of the Greek Isles: Mykonos, Santorini, and ravishing Rhodes, then call on the sparkling Turkish resorts of Bodrum and Kusadasi, outside of which lie the ruins of Ephesus and the splendors of a luminous past. |
| Athens (Piraeus), Greece
Above the city, looking out towards the blue Aegean, stands the Acropolis, and here lie the ruins of a culture 2,500 years old: the Propylaea; the Temple of Athena Nike; the Erechtheum temple, and, most famous of all, the Parthenon. Meanwhile, modern Athens buzzes busily below, a city of chic restaurants, lively bazaars, sophisticated banking, historical museums, and the inimitable sights and smells of the Plaka district. back to top |
| Mykonos, Greece
Mykonos is the classic Greek isle, with hundreds of white-washed churches and cubist houses; round, thatched windmills catching the brisk breeze; and a harbor bobbing with fishing boats and luxury yachts. Sit in the shadow of a café and watch as native fishermen and jetset Europeans pass by. Or explore the Parportiani church, a Byzantine architectural masterpiece. back to top |
| Santorini, Greece
Santorini is a spectacular sight, especially when approached by sea. Steep cliffs rise dramatically from deep azure waters. The capital of Fira is located 1,000 feet above our anchorage, accessible by donkey, cable car, or foot. The views from on top are unforgettable: stark white-washed buildings are scattered along the clifftop village; the sea stretches outward from black volcanic sands. Santorini has an explosive history of volcanic activity, and some say that here in the ruins at Akrotiri lie the remnants of the lost civilization of Atlantis. back to top |
| Rhodes, Greece
Rhodes is called the island of roses. The terrain is mountainous and features beautiful coastal beaches. On the plains, figs, wheat, and citrus fruits grow. When the three ancient Doric cities of Ialissos, Lindos, and Kameros banded together in 408 B.C. to create a new capital, Rhodes flourished. Great temples were erected, a modern code of law was instituted, and the Colossus, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was built to symbolize Rhodian strength and wealth. Later, in 1291, the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem took refuge on Rhodes and reigned for over two centuries. The Street of the Knights, dating from the 15th and 16th centuries, leads to the Palace of the Grand Masters, one of the highlights of the old town. back to top |
| Bodrum, Turkey
White-washed and flower-bedecked Bodrum is one of the most charming cities and sophisticated resorts on the Aegean coast. Beautiful, Turkish-made wooden boats called gulets line the waterfront and can be hired for the day. (In fact, Bodrum has been a center for boatbuilding since the days of Mark Antony and Cleopatra.) Local restaurants feature specialties of octopus and calamari; shops are filled with Turkish treasures like leather and woven rugs. back to top |
| Kusadasi, Turkey
Inland from Kusadasi lies Ephesus, one of the most impressive and best preserved archaeological sites in Turkey, if not the world. During the Golden Age (second century, A.D.), the city had a population of 250,000 and was one of the principal ports of the Mediterranean. Today, as you explore the grand colonnaded marble streets, the Celsus Library, the Great Theater, ancient Agoura, and the Baths, you'll feel this once-splendid center of commercial and financial power come to life. back to top |
| Istanbul, Turkey
Byzantium… Constantinople… Istanbul…The city has worn many names over the centuries, and its rich mix of cultures and history is present everywhere. Aya Sofya, built in 537 and one of the world's greatest churches, is here; along with the Blue Mosque, the splendid mausoleums of Suleyman the Magnificent, the palace of the Ottoman sultans, and museums filled with Byzantine frescoes and mosaics. Throughout the city are the sounds of the evening call to prayer, the smell of exotic spices, and the sight of minarets against the sky. back to top |