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Wines Of Greece Cruise

Greek wine cruise, Wines Of Greece

Greek wine cruise, Wines Of Greece

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.

Your Holiday Includes:

Return flights from the UK
In-destination transfers
7 Night Cruise on a Full-board Basis
Daily Wine & History tours
2 Night Hotel in Athens on a Bed & Breakfast basis
Port Charges
ATOL Protection

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?

Day 1

Wednesday – Athens

Fly to Athens. You will be met in Athens airport and transferred to the COCO-MAT Athens BC hotel for a 2 night stay.

Location is everything when it comes to exploring a foreign city and have chosen the COCO-MAT Hotel as much for its central position as it creature comforts.

It’s situated a few steps away from all the major attractions in the city of Athens and with unobstructed Acropolis view is the right spot to discover, enjoy and be part of the cultural vibe that the city of Athens embodies.

Day 2

Thursday – Athens

Explore Athens at leisure or an Athens tour can be organized for you. Please ask for details.

From the hotel 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 to 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

Wines Of Greece

Day 3

Friday – Athens

Transfer from Athens to Marina Zeas mid-afternoon to board Harmony G. Welcome drink on board. Evening sail to Hydra and dinner served with wines from the Ionian region. Overnight in Hydra.

Embarkation Time: 15:00

Meals included: Breakfast & Dinner

Wines Of Greece

Day 4

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

Wines Of Greece

Day 5

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

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Day 6

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 island of Crete.

Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch & Dinner

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Day 7

Tuesday – Santorini

Today we will visit the Argyros winery who make some of the islands’ finest whites.

Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch & Dinner

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Day 8

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

Wines Of Greece

Day 9

Thursday – Tinos & Karystos

Tasting at the Volacus winery on the holy island of Tinos (there are more than 700 churches here).

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

Wines Of Greece

Day 10

Friday – Athens

Disembarkation at 9am after breakfast and transfer to Athens airport.

If your flight is departing later there is an optional excursion to a nearby Kotokos Estate including lunch and wine tasting.

Meals included: Breakfast

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What is included:

Flights from London Heathrow, London Gatwick, London Luton, London Stansted, Manchester or Bristol

All local transfers

2 nights at COCO-MAT Athens BC 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

Flights

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)

Transfers

All local transfers are included in your package.

  • Athens airport to COCO-MAT Athens BC hotel – approximately 40 min
  • COCO-MAT Athens BC – Marina Zea (cruise embarkation) – approximately 30 min
  • Marina Zea – Athens airport – approximately 45 min

What is Extra

  • 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

Greek wine cruise, Wines Of Greece

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.

 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

Routes may need to be varied in the event of adverse weather and operating conditions at the captains discretion, in the interests of the comfort and safety of guests. The Captain and Cruise Director will will keep you fully briefed on the daily programme.

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

Mega Yacht Harmony G

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

Cabins

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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).

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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).

Wines Of Greece

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).

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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).

Public Areas

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Interior Lounge

Life on board centers around the Indoor/Outdoor lounge and its American Bar (inside/outdoor). The interior lounge has relaxing couches and comfortable lounge chairs where you can have a drink and gaze out of the large windows into the breathtaking sceneries you are cruising to, relax and read a book, watch television on the satellite TV or one of our documentaries on the next place you are visiting.
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Sun Deck

The spacious sun deck is the ideal place to bask under the sun and just completely unwind, or you can just sit under the shaded area and let your senses drift while looking at the view.

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Outdoor Dining Area

Located on the Upper Deck, the outdoor dining area provides beautiful views of the ports of call visited, and meals are served “al fresco” depending on the weather and the ship location. It accommodates all guests in one single seating and provides a high standard of cuisine, always with some local flavour.
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Dining Area

The classy Dining Room offers large windows providing for the most beautiful views of all destinations the ship cruises to, while accommodating all guests at one single seating and provides a high standard of cuisine, always with some local flavours.

Deckplans

Sun Deck

Greek wine cruise, Wines Of Greece

Upper Deck

Greek wine cruise, Wines Of Greece

Main Deck

Greek wine cruise, Wines Of Greece

Lower Deck

Greek wine cruise, Wines Of Greece

Your Hotel: COCO-MAT Athens BC

COCO-MAT Athens BC

Stay in the heart of Athens

Location is everything when it comes to exploring a foreign city and we have chosen the COCO-MAT Hotel as much for its central position as it creature comforts.

In brief we’ve talking five-star comfort in a brilliant location. In detail

In detail, it’s situated a few steps away from all the major attractions in the city of Athens and with unobstructed Acropolis view is the tight spot to discover, enjoy and be part of the cultural vibe that the city of Athens embodies.
As such you’ll find yourself within a 500m stroll of all the famous places to go and see in Athens such as the Temple of Zeus, the Roman Agora, Syntagma and of course Acropolis itself.
It’s the perfect place to grab an early breakfast and you can get to the hot-spots before the tourists and be first in the queue.

In the afternoon shop in the flea market at Monastiraki and end the evening with dinner in one of the many traditional taverna restaurants in the Plaka district.

Facilities

  • Free WiFi
  • Airport shuttle
  • Family rooms
  • Non-smoking rooms
  • 24-hour front desk
  • Room service
  • Tea/coffee maker in all rooms

Room options

City view room (Included in your Holiday)

The following room types are available with a supplement

  • Acropolis suite
  • Exclusive Suite
  • Acropolis view room
  • Master suite
  • Museum view room

Athens

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, 2023

2024 - Full Package Holidays

Greek wine cruise flight inclusive package

Prices (£) per person from:
Departure DatesCategory CCategory BCategory ACategory P
28/8/2024£5,120£5,598£5,946£6,555
Single use£7,223£7,941£9,691£10,756
3rd person£3,753---

2024 - Cruise Only

Greek wine cruise

Prices (£) per person
Departure DatesCategory CCategory BCategory ACategory P
30/8/2024£4,087£4,565£4,913£5,522
Single use£6,130£6,848£8,598£9,663
3rd person£2,861---
Port charges £313£313£313£313
0208 324 3117
[email protected]

Book your flights with us to ensure full financial protection for your holiday.

Greek wine cruise, Wines Of Greece 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.

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