The Black SeaFeaturing Istanbul and ports in Georgia, Ukraine and Bulgaria

Itinerary

July 15 – Depart U.S.A.
Depart the U.S.A. on your overnight flight.

July 16 – Arrive Istanbul, Turkey
Arrive at Ataturk International airport and transfer to your hotel.

July 17 – Istanbul, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace
With its strategic location between the Balkans and Anatolia, the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, Istanbul has been at the center of things for centuries. Tour highlights of this exotic city and marvel at the Byzantine cathedral of the 6th-century Hagia Sophia, and the fabulous Blue Mosque with over 20,000 brilliantly-colored Iznik tiles. Discover famous Topkapi Palace, seat of the Ottoman Empire for almost 400 years. Enjoy free time to explore this vibrant city on your own. (B)

July 18 – Istanbul, Archaeological Museum, The Underground Cistern, embark Aegean Odyssey
During your tour of the Archaeological Museum, trace the footprints of Anatolian civilizations thousands of years back. The museum features hundreds of invaluable artifacts including the Code of Hamurabi, the chains used to close the entrance of Golden Horn during Istanbul conquest and the Kadesh Peace Treaty. Continue on foot to The Underground Cistern, used during the Ottoman period as a reservoir for water storage for Topkapi Palace. The interior is spectacular with its 336 columns in 12 rows and most column capitals are either in Corinthian or Doric style.
Embark Aegean Odyssey in the afternoon and sail through the Bosphorus to the Black Sea coast of Turkey. (B, D)

July 19 – At Sea
Relax onboard and enjoy the onboard lecture program as Aegean Odyssey makes her way to Trabzon. (B,L,D)

July 20 – Trabzon, Turkey
Your first port of call in the Black Sea is Trabzon, founded in the 9th century BC and mentioned in the writings of Herodotus. From here you’ll explore the Sumela monastery, built high on a mountain ledge in the 4th century, it is located in a place of mouth-watering natural beauty. Construction began in 385AD and to this day it remains a wonder how this huge monastery was built into the rock cliffs, given the primitive technology of the time. Enjoy an optional Trabzon city tour in the afternoon or choose free time for independent exploration. (B,L,D)

July 21 – Batumi, Georgia
Throughout history, Batumi played host to the Greeks, Byzantines, Persians, Turks and Mongols. It is situated in a charming natural harbor and is home to the Botanic Gardens, featured during your morning tour. Nestled above the shores of the Black Sea, the vast 280-acre gardens were the work of Russian botanist Andrey Krasnov and opened in 1912. They are home to over 5,000 species of plants. (B,L,D)

July 22 – Feodosiya (Sudak) Ukraine
Discover the remarkable Genoese fortress at Sudak during your afternoon tour from the port of Feodosiya. Built in the 14th and 15th centuries and perched high on a clifftop, this massive citadel is a truly remarkable monument overlooking the town of Sudak. This superb example of Genoese fortification architecture resembles a mini Great Wall of China. (B,L,D)

July 23 – Yalta, Ukraine
The elegant town of Yalta was once the summer residence of the Russian royal family. During included half-day tours, witness exotic Alupka Palace and tour the lavish interior including such splendors as the Wedgwood blue room, the English dining hall and indoor conservatory, all enhanced with period art and furnishings. From a viewpoint above the famed Swallow’s Nest Castle, enjoy a superb view of this Gothic fairytale castle jutting out over a sheer cliff. Visit the home of writer Anton Chekhov and tour Livadia Palace, summer residence of Tsar Nicholas II and site of the Yalta Conference in 1945, where the palace’s rooms evoke a tsarist past. (B,L,D)

July 24 & 25 – Sevastopol, Ukraine
Your overnight stay onboard in Sevastopol allows for several included tours and time to explore on your own. Visit the Panorama Museum, where the circular painting tells the story of the 349-day siege of the city during the Crimean War and continue to Balaklava for a visit to the "Valley of Death" site of the Charge of the Light Brigade. Discover a top-secret Cold War facility, now a Naval Museum, one of many historic spots on Balaklava’s seafront. Visit the Naval Museum, formerly an underground plant for submarines which could carry nuclear weapons, responsible for making Balaklava one of the most restricted towns in Russia until the Soviet Union collapse in 1991. (2B,2L,2D)

July 26 & 27 – Odessa, Ukraine
Discover historic and cultural landmarks of Odessa, including the Potemkin Steps, the Archaeological Museum, the Odessa Fine Arts Museum and Odessa’s largest church – the Transfiguration Cathedral. Your highlight-filled visit to Odessa will feature an opera performance at the grandiose Opera and Ballet Theatre, a 19th-century structure by Viennese architects. Enjoy a shipboard lecture onboard as Aegean Odyssey departs Ukraine and heads for the port of Nessebur in Bulgaria. (2B,2L,2D)

July 28 – Nessebur, Bulgaria
Following a morning at sea, your walking tour will take you to the heart of Old Nessebur, one of Bulgaria’s most endearing towns and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Marvel at the walls of the original Thracian fort and learn of the abundant churches representing the Byzantine Empire, including Christ Pantokrator and St. Paraskeva. Savor the charm of the small squares lined with 19th-century wood houses and visit the magnificent ruins of the Old Metropolitan Church, a basilica dating back to the 6th century. (B,L,D)

July 29 – Istanbul, Turkey
Disembark and transfer to Istanbul Airport for flight home.(B)