Africa Cruises Alaska Cruises Antarctica Cruises Arctic Cruises Asia Cruises Caribbean Cruises Central America Cruises European Cruises Galapagos Cruises Mediterranean Cruises North America Cruises South America Cruises South Pacific Cruises South & Central
America Tours

E-mail a friend Gift Registry Family Travel Supplement Press Kit Employment Opportunities Question about a cruise? Technical Question? Are you a travel agent?

Adventure Life VOYAGES
800-344-6118 (Toll-free)
406-541-2677 (International)
406-541-2676 (Fax)
E-mail us
1655 S 3rd St. W, Ste 1
Missoula MT, 59801 USA

Ship:  Callisto

Itinerary:  The Ancient Shores of Turkey: From the Golden Horn to the Turquoise Coast

click to enlarge
  Istanbul

 cabins & deck plans  |  additional itineraries |  cancellation policy

Mythic battles, epic love stories, sultans and ancient emperors—Turkey’s coast has been the stage for some the world’s greatest stories and captivating protagonists. Beginning in Istanbul, an exotic fusion of Europe and Asia, with its sublime skyline of minarets and domes, we will visit the great monuments of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. As Callisto makes its way down the stunning turquoise coast, weaving in and out among the inlets and islets, we will call upon the places of legend, such as Troy, the site of history’s most enigmatic romance, and the magical ruins of Ephesus. In Pergamon, discover the remains of one of the great learning centers of the ancient world, and in Bodrum, the birthplace of Herodotus, behold the stones that once formed the grave of King Mausolus.

Day 1 : Istanbul, Turkey

Arrive in Istanbul and transfer to the Hilton Hotel.

Day 2 : Istanbul / Embark

Founded by Constantine the Great in 324 and capital of the Byzantine Empire for over 1,000 years, Istanbul is located on the Bosphorus, the waterway separating Europe from Asia. Tour the Basilica of St. Sophia, Topkapi Palace and Blue Mosque. Board Callisto and sail.

Day 3 : Canakkale / Troy / Canakkale

Arrive in Canakkale, set at the narrowest point of the Dardanelles Strait. Drive to fabled Troy, where excavations began in 1872 and continue to today, and where legend has it that the city fell to Odysseus’ ruse of the Trojan Horse.

Day 4 : Dikili / Pergamon / Dikili

From Dikili, travel to Pergamon, which attained power after the death of Alexander the Great, becoming a center of learning and the arts. Its famed library, which rivaled Alexandria’s, is said to have housed over 200,000 books. Explore the the city’s ruins. Return to Dikili and sail.

Day 5 : Izmir / Sardis / Izmir

Sardis was settled as early as 1200 b.c. and held at various times by Persians, Macedonians and Romans. During the first major excavations here in the 1950s, archaeologists unearthed an ancient synagogue. Later excavations revealed remnants of a flourishing Jewish settlement which coexisted peacefully with Christians. Tour the synagogue, bath complex and Temple of Artemis.

Day 6 : Kusadasi / Ephesus / Kusadasi

One of the most powerful cities in antiquity, Ephesus was founded in the 10th century B.C. and flourished between 600 B.C. and A.D. 500. The center of worship of the great mother-goddess Cybele (Artemis), it is also where St. Paul addressed the Ephesians. See the stunning Terrace Houses and façade of the Library of Celsus, Temple of Hadrian, great amphitheater and Basilica of St. John.

Day 7 : Bodrum / Kos, Greece

Arrive in Bodrum, where 4th-century B.C. King Mausolus lay in state in his beautiful Mausoleum tomb. In the 15th century, the Knights of St. John built the castle of St. Peter here, using stones from the Mausoleum. Visit the ancient site, castle and Citadel, housing the Museum of Underwater Archaeology. Sail to Kos island, where Hippocrates set the standards of medical ethics. Explore the ancient ruins, including the Asklepeion, dedicated to the god of healing.

Day 8 : Amorgos

Cruise to Amorgos, an island of whitewashed villages set in a rugged landscape. Visit the 11th-century Byzantine Monastery of Khozoviotissa, clinging to cliffs facing out to sea.

Day 9 : Athens / Disembark / Return Home

Disembark in Athens and transfer to the airport for flights home.

Ship Description: Callisto

click to enlarge
  Callisto

The finest, most memorable voyages take place aboard a luxurious private yacht. On a private yacht one is part of a small, select, sociable community. Cabins are more like guest rooms in a fine home -- beautifully furnished, comfortably arranged, and complete with the little extras one would expect from a thoughtful host. The yacht's public areas, whether indoors or out on deck, are warm, inviting places where friends meet for conversation, a drink, or to pass a pleasant hour with a good book. The cuisine is superb. And the service is considerate and congenial.

This is the kind of exceptional experience you'll enjoy aboard the Callisto, a beautiful oceangoing yacht that is the fulfillment of a traveler's dream.

Like a fine country house, Callisto is furnished with rich fabrics, handsome woodwork, gleaming brass, rare antiques, and fine works of art. The guest list is limited to no more than 34 individuals -- a group large enough to bring together an interesting mix of travelers, but small enough to foster a genuine spirit of camaraderie.

In addition to all of the other pleasures of the Callisto, the ship's guests enjoy an advantage that eludes travelers aboard big ships: because Callisto is a yacht, it can visit those unspoiled islets, pristine beaches, and intimate coves and harbors that have been familiar to fishermen and other sailors of small craft for thousands of years, but which are inaccessible to large commercial cruise liners.

Callisto was designed with the comfort of her guests in mind. All staterooms are exterior with large windows (portholes on Daphne Deck) that look out on the sea and the yacht's various ports of call; they are air conditioned and feature generous storage space, a telephone, two-channel radio, and a marble bath with shower. The yacht's public areas include a spacious lounge; a dining room in which all guests are accommodated at a single unassigned seating; two broad decks for sunbathing and dining alfresco; and a swimming platform at the yacht's stern. The Callisto flies the Greek flag and is served by a crew of 18.

Cat D Stern outside cabins on Daphne Deck with portholes	Cat C Outside cabins on Daphne Deck with portholes
Cat B Outside cabins on Leto Deck with picture window	Cat A Outside cabins on Leto Deck with two picture windows