It’s Time To Re-Evaluate Greek Wine
The truth is that it’s actually long past time to re-evaluate Greek wines. Forget Greek taverna wine, we’re talking about the Premier Cru of Hellenic wines. Cuvees that you never see, simply because they never leave Greece. (Greek connoisseurs drink them all). Bottles that, if you can find them in a wine shop., cost upwards of 30 or 40 euro.
A Tutored Tasting By A True Industry Great
Don’t take our word for it because the man who has put this cruise together, the palate that has selected the wineries, the wines, the wine-pairings at supper and the vintages, is none other than Tim Clarke. Tim is rightly a legend when it comes to Greek wines. A true guru of Hellenic viticulture, Tim and his wife Lynette Arblaster have been champions of ‘oenology’ of Greek winemaking on both the mainland and the islands for more than 30 years.
A Gastronomic Extravaganza
On this tutored cruise Tim will cover Greek winemaking from the classical age through to the present day. He will take you to wine estates for tastings and lunch. He will discuss differences between soils on the islands and the mainland, and the grape varieties which thrive there. He will identify the differentiating factors of wine production and how that has changed.
Don’t miss…
Tim Clarke Our Wine Expert
Wonders of ancient Athens
Volcanic Santorini and Akrotiri
Medieval Monemvasia
The artists paradise of Hydra
Gaia winery at Ancient Nemea
Imery wines, the finest vintages from Crete
A full-on wine day at Samos
What’s on tim’s wine list?
Wednesday – Athens
Fly to Athens. You will be met in Athens airport and transferred to the Emporikon hotel for a 2 night stay.
Location is everything when it comes to exploring a foreign city and we have chosen the Emporikon Hotel as much for its central position as its creature comforts. In brief we are talking about four star comfort in a brilliant location. In detail it’s situated halfway between the Acropolis and Omonia Square.
Thursday – Athens
Explore Athens at leisure or an Athens tour can be organized for you. Please ask for details.
As such you’ll find yourself within a 500m stroll of all the famous places to go and see in Athens such as the Roman Agora, Syntagma and Hadrian’s Arch – and, of course, the Acropolis itself. It’s the perfect place to grab an early breakfast and you can get the hot-spots before the tourists and be first in the queue. As it is also well located for the little back streets where you can find the hidden bars and eateries the locals use, you can also be first for lunch. In the afternoon shop in the flea market as Monastraki and end the evening with dinner in one of many traditional taverna restaurants in the Plaka district. You’re guaranteed a big day and a short walk home.
Meals included: Breakfast
Saturday – Nafplion & Nemea
Morning arrival in Nafplion and visit to an ancient site of Mycenae. Later we visit Nemea, Gaia estate and on to Semeli where we will have lunch with wines from Nemea and Mantineia. In the afternoon we enjoy a swim stop on the way to Monemvasia.
Dinner on board paired with wines from the Peloponnese region.
Meals included : Breakfast & Lunch & Dinner
Sunday Monemvasia
After breakfast we visit the Monemvasia winery. Lunch ashore with free time to explore the old town.
Dinner on board with special guests – Tsimbidis family, the owners of the Monemvasia Winery.
Meals included : Breakfast & Lunch & Dinner
Monday – Milos
Morning at leisure. You may enjoy swimming or exploring the island and locally produced food and wines.
Dinner on board tasting the Imery wines from the nearby Crete island.
Meals included : Breakfast & Lunch & Dinner
Tuesday – Santorini
Today we will visit the Argyros winery who make some of the islands’ finest whites.
Meals included : Breakfast & Lunch & Dinner
Wednesday – Samos & Fourni Isles
A full-on wine day at Samos and then Fourini, tasting wines from Vakakis, Platanos and Chios-Ikaria vineyards.
Dinner on board paired with wines from Chios and Ikaria, both prized wines in ancient times.
Meals included : Breakfast & Lunch & Dinner
Thursday – Tinos & Karystos
Tasting at the Volacus winery on the holy island of Tinos (there are more than 700 churches on the island of Tinos).
In the afternoon we drop an anchor near Adros for a swim stop and lunch with Greek wines from international grape varieties.
In the afternoon we make a short sail across to Karystos on Evvia island.
Meals included : Breakfast & Lunch & Dinner
Flights from London Heathrow, London Gatwick, London Luton, London Stansted, Manchester or Bristol
All local transfers
2 nights at Emporikon hotel on a bed and breakfast basis
On Board Harmony G
Accommodation on board Harmony G for 7 nights in your chosen grade of cabin with private SH/WC & air conditioning, mini fridge and flat screen TV with complimentary movies.
Full-board: Buffet breakfast and two meals daily, including a Welcome Cocktail, a local themed party evening , fun BBQ on the beach or on deck (weather permitting) and Captain’s Dinner.
Daily Wine & History tours
Regular (filter) coffee, tea and drinking water free all day, plus abundant fresh fruit.
Use of fishing and snorkelling equipment, sea kayak and stand up paddle boards (subject to availability).
Professional English speaking Cruise Director and Wine Expert Tim Clarke on board.
Port charges
Below, flight times are indicative and subject to availability. You will be advised exact flight details at the time of booking.
London Heathrow
- Wednesday Depart Heathrow:07:30 Arrive Athens: 13:00
- Friday Depart Athens:13:50 Arrive Heathrow: 15:45
London Gatwick
- Wednesday Depart Gatwick:05:45 Arrive Athens:11:20
- Friday Depart Athens: 12:10 Arrive Gatwick: 14:00
London Luton
- Wednesday Depart Luton: 06:50 Arrive Athens:12:30
- Friday Depart Athens: 13:10 Arrive Gatwick: 15:10
Bristol
- Wednesday Depart Bristol: 17:30 Arrive Athens:23:15
- Friday Depart Athens:11:00 Arrive Bristol: 13:00
Manchester
- Wednesday Depart Manchester: 10:40 Arrive Athens: 16:30
- Friday Depart Athens:22:00 Arrive Manchester: 00:05 (+1)
All local transfers are included in your package.
- Athens airport to Emporikon hotel – approximately 40 min
- Emporikon hotel – Marina Zea (cruise embarkation) – approximately 30 min
- Marina Zea – Athens airport – approximately 45 min
- Beverages, except regular (filter) coffee, tea, drinking water and wines during lunch and dinner.
- Shore excursions on the islands or other land arrangements.
- Crew gratuities (optional – recommend Eur10-14 per passenger per day).
- Passenger personal expenses
- Wi-Fi (available at charge)
A Feast Of Wines
To embark on this journey of exploration, you need to be prepared for the fact that every day you will taste multiple wines. There will be tastings in the morning, tastings over lunch, tastings most afternoons and paired tastings with food at dinner. Tim has also worked with our master chef to ensure the food matches the wines he has chosen to offer.
Our Wine Ambassador Tim Clarke
Tim Clarke is one of the pioneers of wine tours around the world. With his wife Lynette Arblaster, he co-founded Arblaster & Clarke Wine Tours, which they ran together for 30 years. At A&C, Tim was responsible for the programme and marketing. Under their ownership it became the world’s leading wine tours company.
In the early 1980s, Tim had worked in wine retail in London and saw first hand how fascinated people were by Champagne and the many newly emerging wine regions. In 1986 Tim & Lynette invented the concept of the ‘Champagne Weekend’ and went on to pioneer Wine Tours around the world. Tim led the first international consumer wine tours to places as diverse as Australia, Sicily, Ribera del Duero, Uruguay, The Republic of Georgia and Greece.
Having sold Arblaster & Clarke Wine Tours some years ago, Tim has been busy with other projects,
These include a WINE PROJECT in Greece making a ‘passito-style’ Muscat wine on the island of Samos, planting a vineyard in Hampshire and the WINEROUTES wine tourism consultancy.
Tim was able to return to wine tours again in 2019 and has taken on a role consulting at Kirker Holidays, developing a programme of superb, up to the minute tours and wine holidays.
Starting from 2022, Tim took up a role with Variety Cruises of Athens as Wine Ambassador developing Wine Cruises and in the future a Greek Wine Tours prorgramme, Wine Cruises elsewhere in the Mediterranean and other special interest cruise ideas.
Ports of call: Hydra - Naflio- Nemea - Monemvasia - Milos - Santorini - Samos
The Weather
Daily sunshine is virtually guaranteed in the Greek Isles. The season runs from April to late October with temperatures ranging from the low to mid 20s in early and late season up to the high 30s in late June through August. Winds are predictable with moderate to fresh winds (force 2-5) in the afternoon.
Your Vessel: Mega Yacht Harmony G With the Wines
The Harmony “G” is a modern mega yacht with a sleek high-tech profile, boasting spacious and comfortable accommodation . At 53 meters long / 7.2 meters wide, she is large enough to offer superior comfort for up to 42 guests in 21 guest cabins. whilst permitting access to small harbours and islands beyond the reach of large cruise ships. There is a spacious lounge and bar plus a dining room and a spacious sun deck. The vessel was launched in January 2001 and renovated most recently in 2019. She complies with the most stringent SOLAS safety regulations ,while its powerful engines and state of the art stabilisers allow for safe and comfortable cruising.
Home at Sea
- Single seating dining Indoor & Outdoor Lounge – Bar
- Indoor Restaurant
- Audiovisual in Lounge
- Mini library
- Beach Towels
- Snorkeling equipment
- Kayak
- Board Games
- Wi-Fi
Comfort Zone
- Large portholes: upper deck cabins
- Portholes: lower deck cabins
- Triple Occupancy cabins: Category A
- Flat-Screen TV
- Mini Safe
- Mini Fridge
- Individually controlled A/C
- En suite bathroom with shower
- Hairdryers
- Telephone for internal use
- Central music
Category C
LOWER DECK- 1 DOUBLE OR 2 LOWER BEDS.
(10-11 sq.m. / 108-119 sq.ft.)
The Category C cabins are located on the lower deck. Cabins have bathroom with shower, individually controlled A/C, piped music, flat-screen TV (Satellite channels), CD/DVD player, telephone for internal use, mini safe, mini-fridge, hairdryer, adapters (220V).
>Category B
MAIN DECK – 2 LOWER BEDS
(10.50-11 sq.m. / 113.5-119 sq.ft.)
The Category B cabins are located on the main deck. Cabins have bathroom with shower, individually controlled A/C, piped music, flat-screen TV (Satellite channels), CD/DVD player, telephone for internal use, mini safe, mini-fridge, hairdryer, adapters (220V).
Category A
MAIN DECK – 2 LOWER BEDS.
(10.50-11 sq.m. / 113.5-119 sq.ft.)
The Category A cabins are located on the main deck. Cabins have bathroom with shower, individually controlled A/C, piped music, flat-screen TV (Satellite channels), CD/DVD player, telephone for internal use, mini safe, mini-fridge, hairdryer, adapters (220V).
Category P
UPPER DECK – 1 DOUBLE BED OR 2 LOWER BEDS.
(15-18 sq.m. / 162-195 sq.ft.)
The Category P suites are located on the upper deck. Cabins have bathroom with shower, individually controlled A/C, piped music, flat-screen TV (Satellite channels), CD/DVD player, telephone for internal use, mini safe, mini-fridge, hairdryer, adapters (220V).
Interior Lounge
Outdoor Dining Area
Dining Area
Your Hotel: Emporikon Athens Hotel
Stay in the heart of Athens
Located in the centre of Athens City, the neoclassical Emporikon Athens Hotel, in Agia Irini Square, is a 19th century building. It features air-conditioned accommodation with Acropolis or Lycabettus Hill views. Monastiraki Metro Station is 350 yards away.
Fitted with a flat-screen TV, all rooms and suites of Emporikon Athens come with a minibar. Each has a private bathroom with free toiletries. Some units open to a balcony or offer an open-plan or separate seating area.
The property facilities include a 24-hour front desk and a ticket service. Bicycle and car rental services are provided.
Several café bars and restaurants can be reached within a short walk. Syntagma Square is 650 yards away and the popular sites of the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum are at a distance of approximately 0.6 miles. The scenic Plaka district is a 5-minute walk away.
Facilities
- Free WiFi
- Airport shuttle
- Family rooms
- Non-smoking rooms
- 24-hour front desk
- Room service
- Tea/coffee maker in all rooms
Basic Room, City View(Included in your Holiday)
The following room types are available with a supplement
- Superior Triple Room, City View
- Exclusive Suite
- Executive Suite (Double, Acropolis View )
- Superior Double Room, Balcony (Acropolis View)
- Junior Suite, Balcony (Acropolis View)
- Family Suite
Location is everything when it comes to exploring a foreign city and we have chosen the Emporikon Hotel as much for its central position as its creature comforts. In brief we’re talking four star comfort in a brilliant location. In detail it’s situated half way between the Acropolis and Omonia Square.
As such you’ll find yourself within 500m stroll of all the famous places to go and see in Athens such as the Roman Agora, Syntagma and Hadrian’s Arch – and, of course, the Acropolis itself. It’s the perfect place to grab an early breakfast and you can get the hot-spots before the tourists and be first in the queue. As it is also well located for the little back streets where you can find the hidden bars and eateries the locals use, you can also be first for lunch. In the afternoon shop in the flea market as Monastraki and end the evening with dinner in one of many traditional taverna restaurants in the Plaka district. You’re guaranteed a big day and a short walk home.
Prices
december, 2022
Greek wine cruise flight inclusive package
Inlc: cruise, port charges,, flights, transfers| Departure Dates | Category C | Category B | Category A | Category P |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01/9/2023 | £4,590 | £5,059 | £5,407 | £5,981 |
| Single use | £6,541 | £7,245 | £8,917 | £9,921 |
| 3rd person | £3,435 | - | - | - |
Greek wine cruise
Cruise-only prices (£) per person| Departure Dates | Category C | Category B | Category A | Category P |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01/9/2023 | £3,783 | £4,252 | £4,600 | £5,174 |
| Port charges | £296 | |||
| Single use | £5,674 | £6,378 | £8,050 | £9,054 |
| 3rd person | £3,610 | - | - | - |
Book your flights with us to ensure full financial protection for your holiday.
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Your flight inclusive holiday with us is financially secure as we are ATOL licensed and the full package is ATOL protected. We have been trading since 1995 so you can book with total confidence. |
