Experiential travel to selected destinations around the world

 

Athens to the Black Sea

 

Sailing with Oceania aboard the premier small ship Regatta

 

 

 

Sleek, elegantly charming, Regatta is one of the world's premium luxury small ships, and a true delight to sail on. Her decks are resplendent in the finest teak, custom stone and tile work and her lounges, suites and staterooms boast luxurious, neo-classical furnishings, Regatta offers every luxury you expect. Four unique, open seating restaurants, a world class fitness center and spa, 8 lounges and bars, casino and 342 lavish suites and luxurious staterooms, nearly 70% of which feature private verandas. And with just 684 guests to pamper, your 400 professionally trained European staff ensures you will want for nothing. For those accustomed to large ships, there's nothing missing on Regatta, other than crowds and noise, "fad of the day" activities, and long waits at facilities and when disembarking for excursions.

And so what better way to explore paths less traveled, especially the cities that surround the Black Sea? This is not docking at mega-wharves, with 4 or 5 2000+ passengers ships accompanying you - at the dock and on shore. Smaller ships can dock where larger ones cannot - or don't. Shore excursions allow you to see and meet locals, not just other tourists. Visits don't just include two or three major sights, and lots of trinket stores. Welcome to the world of experiential, premier travel, of thoughtful itineraries designed to let you see, feel and understand the destinations, not just quickly cruise through on board ship or coach.

This voyage starts in Athens, where your included air lands the day prior to sailing, and your overnight 5 star hotel and ship transfers are included in the price. So there's time to relax and explore this ancient city, and not worry about missing the boat by arriving on embarkation day. Relax, explore at a leisurely pace, then be transferred to Regatta to begin your journey of exploration the following day.

 

Itinerary

Day 1 - Thursday, August 16: Home City/In Flight
Fly from your home city to Athens via a connection city. (Flights will not be finalized until closer to departure date)

Day 2 - Friday, August 17: In Flight/Athens
On arrival you will be transferred to your Athens hotel. Although Oceania has not announced specific hotels yet, expect them to be Marriott, Intercontinental and similar depending on cabin chosen. Today is free to explore Athens, and depending on arrival times we may organize some light touring. There's lots to see in Athens.

Day 3 - Saturday, August 18: Athens/On Board
Today there will be organized touring, restricted to our group, of Athens and surrounds. Judy has been here several times, and will be leading the touring, along with a local guide that is well known to her. Expect today to be filled with both the well-known and lesser known Athens. However, among the better know activities are climbing up the magnificent Acropolis and stand in awe of the Parthenon, and where beautiful temples and the view over Athens stretched out before you. City highlights include the new and old Olympic stadiums. Journey to Cape Sounion where the temple of Poseidon overlooks the sea, or visit ancient Corinth and the narrow Corinth Canal cut through miles of solid rock. Lesser known are enjoying mezes, the plates of appetizers typical of Greece, and exploring narrow lanes for unique ceramics, jewelry and iconic artwork. Late afternoon we board the Regatta and enjoy our welcome dinner, and at 8pm we depart the port of Piraeus to sail overnight to Mykonos.

Day 4 - Sunday, August 19: Cruising the Dardanelles & Bosphorus Straits
After our flights and exciting exploration of Athens we have some time to relax today as we cruise through the Dardanelles and Bosphorus straits, the Bosphorus separating Europe from Asia and joining the Black Sea ultimately to the Mediterranean via the Dardenelles. The area exudes history, as one of the most strategic areas of the ancient world. Who commanded these straits commanded both the commercial and military connection between the Black and Mediterranean Seas. As we enter the Dardenelles we can imagine ourselves on a much older ship, sailing for Troy, our own Iliad tale.

Day 5 - Monday, August 20: Nessebur, Bulgaria
Thanks to our carefully crafted itinerary we are in port by 8am, where we can discover this lovely Byzantine town and its treasures. A walk through the old quarter past historic churches and visiting the wonderful museum with its icon collection can start the day. Head to the seashore and enjoy a show of traditional dances. Perhaps visit a typical village and local family in their home or take a drive into the lovely countryside to visit one of Bulgaria's oldest wineries.

Day 6 - Tuesday, August 21: Constanta, Romania
Wander along the Black Sea coast through the marvelous ruins of ancient Histria, which began as a Greek colony and ended as a Byzantine outpost, or those of Tropaeum Traiani, a Roman city. Enjoy Constanta's Roman relics and archaeological and folk museums, capped by a lively show of Romanian music and dance. The area is known for its fabric, including carpets and carefully embroided blouses and tablecloths.

Day 7 - Wednesday, August 22: Odessa, Ukraine
City of mystery - or at least for many writers - today allows you to experience centuries of history as you walk through this lovely city and see the famed Potemkin Steps rising from the waterfront, the stunning five-domed Uspensky Cathedral and Shevchenko Park with its views of the Black Sea and remnants of Catherine the Great's Odessa fortress. A good start to act like a local is to enjoy chicken Kiev, blini with sour cream and caviar, or shashlik - marinated grilled lamb on a skewer - washed down with a chilled glass of vodka. In the shops look for toys, cloisonné, hand-painted wooden boxes, embroidery, glass and nested matryoshka dolls. Today is the first of our three days in Ukraine, allowing us a much better insight into the country, and its regional differences.

Day 8 - Thursday, August 23: Sevastopol, Ukraine
Enjoy a drive through this historic town and see its ancient Greek walls and theater, or explore its more contemporary history with a visit to a Crimean War battlefield - countires as far away as Australia have towns or villages named after this important site. Admire its lovely architectural monuments and visit the fascinating Historical and Archaeological Museum. Or perhaps travel into the countryside to Balaklava, captured without bloodshed by the British in 1854. Beautiful embroidery, intriguing local handcrafted wood pieces and artwork make lovely souvenirs. With our usual 8am arrival, our 8pm departure tonight allows us to enjoy the evening light in this picturesque place, adding to both our memories and our photographs.

Day 9 - Friday, August 24: Yalta, Ukraine
Spend the day seeing the beautiful Crimean countryside and the elegant summer palaces of tsars Alexander III and Nicholas II. Livadia Palace brought Yalta to the world stage when the Yalta Conference was held there in 1945. See how the Russian elite once lived, admire the view over the romantic Swallow's Nest Castle and visit the Massandra Winery. And what better to eat than local caviar, fresh fish and blini; pick up the beautiful lacquerware and jewelry made here to help bring back memories of your visit.

Day 10 - Saturday, August 25: Sochi, Russia
While we've been exploring parts of the old Russian Empire, and the newer Soviet Republic, we spend today in Russia itself at Sochi, the coutnry's largest resort city. Stretched out between the snow-capped Causcasias and the sea, you can take a stroll along the seafront promenade and admire the lovely botanical gardens, the pretty Riviera Park with its statues and pools, and the palatial Matsesta Spa, renowned for its healing waters and adjacent to Stalin's dacha. Head into the countryside to visit a local tea plantation and be treated to some traditional Russian song and dance while you sip tea and eat homemade pie. Selected as the site of the 2014 Winter Olympics, the port is buzzing with preparations. Typical food here is shaslyk - grilled meat on a skewer - and delicious chicken with a garlic and nut sauce or venison, rabbit and quail.

Day 11 - Sunday, August 26: Batumi, Georgia
Wander Old Batumi and admire the 19th century merchant mansions, or roam the beachfront promenade and the whitewashed facades along streets lined with palm trees, cypresses and magnolias. Batumi is home to one of the world's largest botanical gardens, perched high on a cliff overlooking the Black Sea. Traditional dishes include satsivi, a zesty walnut sauce served with chicken or turkey; and khinkali, dumplings stuffed with cheese, spiced beef, pork or mushrooms. Aromatic coffee and Georgian wine are also not to be missed, and once again with an 8pm departure there are plenty of possibilites to try the local fare.

Day 12 - Monday, August 27: Trabzon, Turkey
Backed by the steep Pontic Mountains, Trabzon is blessed with fertile soil and a climate that blankets the countryside with dense forests and subtropical flowers. It's a beautiful setting on the Black Sea. The name Trabzon comes from the Greek "trapezous," meaning table, a reference to the flat hilltop that the walled Old City occupies. While there are plenty of historical buildings in town, in particular Hagia Sophia and Saint Eugene churches, the most stunning religious site is the nearby Sumela Monastery, which dates to the 6th century. Silk and leather goods are good buys at the market.

Day 13 - Tuesday, August 28: Sinop, Turkey
The most northerly city in Turkey, Sinop sits on the neck of a peninsula on the Black Sea. In the 7th century B.C. Sinop was a prosperous Greek colony, and throughout antiquity a citadel to the south and a fortified wall on the seaside protected the city. You can still see those defensives and the ruins of the Temple of Serapis. The 13th century Aladdin Mosque and the Byzantine period Balatlar Church in the city's Ada Quarter are also outstanding. Ancient coins, vases and jewelry are still being unearthed around Sinop, and many of them end up in the city's archaeological museum. The area is known for the anchovies-and-rice dish, hamsi pilavi, and a vegetable bread called miroloto. Today is our earliest departure, at 3pm, for our overnight sail to Istanbul, our return to the Bosphorus.

Day 14 - Wednesday, August 29: Istanbul, Turkey
A mid-morning arrival in this most famous Turkish city, sitting on the Bosphorus and one of the most stunning cities in Europe - or is it Asia? Indulge your eyes and senses in this magnificent city astride two continents. Visit beautiful Topkapi Palace, the awesome Hagia Sophia and the impressive Blue Mosque. Cruise the Bosphorus to see the city and its surroundings from another perspective. Visit one of the many museums or stroll through the spice market and the famous Grand Bazaar. Food experiences include savoring a simmering kebab, fresh-caught fish and sweet, sticky baklava washed down with thick Turkish coffee. The Grand Bazaar is a splendid cornucopia of leather and sheepskin, world famous handmade carpets, jewelry, souvenirs, tin and copper items - just about anything you can imagine.

Day 15 - Thursday, August 30: Istanbul, Turkey
We disembark this morning, and can continue to explore the city (depending on flights). While some will fly home this afternoon, others will want to linger to spend more time in this fascinating and varied city, juxtaposing east and west, and one of the world's major crossroads.

 

 

Cruise Map

 

 

Tour costs, and further information can be found on our Black Sea Cruise Information page.

 

Cabin and other ship information on the Regatta can be found on our Regatta Information pages

 

 

 

 

Additional Ideas

Spend your holidays to Turkey and enjoy a fantastic time in this wonderful country. The amazing places that you can visit here make this a great destination for families and friends looking for the perfect getaway. However, if you want to see more places on your getaway, you could go for a cruise tour that will enable you to visit other great countries and places. Experience going for a cruise in the elegant and luxurious Regatta ship.

As can be seen on our Regatta information pages, sleek, elegantly charming, Regatta is one of the world's premium small ships, and a true delight to sail on. Her decks are resplendent in the finest teak, custom stone and tile work and her lounges, suites and staterooms boast luxurious, neo-classical furnishings and Regatta offers every luxury you expect. Four unique, open seating restaurants, a world class fitness center and spa, 8 lounges and bars, casino and 342 lavish suites and luxurious staterooms, nearly 70% of which feature private verandas. And with just 684 guests to pamper, your 400 professionally trained European staff ensures you will want for nothing. For those accustomeand to large ships, there's nothing missing on Regatta, other than crowds and noise, ""fad of the day"" activities, and long waits at facilities and when disembarking for excursions.