14 Night Mediterranean - Western Cruise
Itinerary
Piraeus
Greece
Day 1It's no wonder that all roads lead to the fascinating and maddening metropolis of Athens. Lift your eyes 200 feet above the city to the Parthenon, its honey-color marble columns rising from a massive limestone base, and you behold architectural perfection that has not been surpassed in 2,500 years. But, today, this shrine of classical form dominates a 21st-century boomtown. To experience Athens—Athína in Greek—fully is to understand the essence of Greece: ancient monuments surviving in a sea of cement, startling beauty amid the squalor, tradition juxtaposed with modernity. Locals depend on humor and flexibility to deal with the chaos; you should do the same. The rewards are immense. Although Athens covers a huge area, the major landmarks of the ancient Greek, Roman, and Byzantine periods are close to the modern city center. You can easily walk from the Acropolis to many other key sites, taking time to browse in shops and relax in cafés and tavernas along the way. From many quarters of the city you can glimpse "the glory that was Greece" in the form of the Acropolis looming above the horizon, but only by actually climbing that rocky precipice can you feel the impact of the ancient settlement. The Acropolis and Filopappou, two craggy hills sitting side by side; the ancient Agora (marketplace); and Kerameikos, the first cemetery, form the core of ancient and Roman Athens. Along the Unification of Archaeological Sites promenade, you can follow stone-paved, tree-lined walkways from site to site, undisturbed by traffic. Cars have also been banned or reduced in other streets in the historical center. In the National Archaeological Museum, vast numbers of artifacts illustrate the many millennia of Greek civilization; smaller museums such as the Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art Museum and the Byzantine and Christian Museum illuminate the history of particular regions or periods. Athens may seem like one huge city, but it is really a conglomeration of neighborhoods with distinctive characters. The Eastern influences that prevailed during the 400-year rule of the Ottoman Empire are still evident in Monastiraki, the bazaar area near the foot of the Acropolis. On the northern slope of the Acropolis, stroll through Plaka (if possible by moonlight), an area of tranquil streets lined with renovated mansions, to get the flavor of the 19th-century's gracious lifestyle. The narrow lanes of Anafiotika, a section of Plaka, thread past tiny churches and small, color-washed houses with wooden upper stories, recalling a Cycladic island village. In this maze of winding streets, vestiges of the older city are everywhere: crumbling stairways lined with festive tavernas; dank cellars filled with wine vats; occasionally a court or diminutive garden, enclosed within high walls and filled with magnolia trees and the flaming trumpet-shaped flowers of hibiscus bushes. Formerly run-down old quarters, such as Thission, Gazi and Psirri, popular nightlife areas filled with bars and mezedopoleia (similar to tapas bars), are now in the process of gentrification, although they still retain much of their original charm, as does the colorful produce and meat market on Athinas. The area around Syntagma Square, the tourist hub, and Omonia Square, the commercial heart of the city about 1 km (½ mi) northwest, is distinctly European, having been designed by the court architects of King Otho, a Bavarian, in the 19th century. The chic shops and bistros of ritzy Kolonaki nestle at the foot of Mt. Lycabettus, Athens's highest hill (909 feet). Each of Athens's outlying suburbs has a distinctive character: in the north is wealthy, tree-lined Kifissia, once a summer resort for aristocratic Athenians, and in the south and southeast lie Glyfada, Voula, and Vouliagmeni, with their sandy beaches, seaside bars, and lively summer nightlife. Just beyond the city's southern fringes is Piraeus, a bustling port city of waterside fish tavernas and Saronic Gulf views.
About this cruise
Attention to detail distinguishes Regent Seven Sea Cruises™ and the exceptional suites on Seven Seas Mariner®. With our all-inclusive fares, every guest enjoys spacious closets, well-appointed bathrooms and a private balcony with views of the shimmering sea.
Soothing colors accented by appealing patterns and textures dominate the interiors of Seven Seas Mariner®. The common spaces offer everything from wide-open views on the upper deck to intimate tables for bridge in the Card Room.
Available dates
Stateroom Options
- insideNOT
AVAILABLE - oceanviewNOT
AVAILABLE - balconyNOT
AVAILABLE - SuiteFROM£9,089 pp
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dining
Compass Rose
Whether you arrive for breakfast, lunch or dinner, you can look forward to European-inspired Continental cuisine served in a beautifully refined atmosphere decorated in blues and silvers with stunning Versace tableware.
As the flagship restaurant aboard each of our ships, the wonderfully spacious Compass Rose serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and features an exceptional variety of European-inspired Continental cuisine, as well as flavorful vegetarian and kosher dishes. Elegantly decorated in blues and silvers with stunning Versace tableware, Compass Rose delights with a beautifully refined atmosphere bathed in natural light during the day.
Compass Rose
Whether you arrive for breakfast, lunch or dinner, you can look forward to European-inspired Continental cuisine served in a beautifully refined atmosphere decorated in blues and silvers with stunning Versace tableware.
As the flagship restaurant aboard each of our ships, the wonderfully spacious Compass Rose serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and features an exceptional variety of European-inspired Continental cuisine, as well as flavorful vegetarian and kosher dishes. Elegantly decorated in blues and silvers with stunning Versace tableware, Compass Rose delights with a beautifully refined atmosphere bathed in natural light during the day.
Compass Rose
Whether you arrive for breakfast, lunch or dinner, you can look forward to European-inspired Continental cuisine served in a beautifully refined atmosphere decorated in blues and silvers with stunning Versace tableware.
As the flagship restaurant aboard each of our ships, the wonderfully spacious Compass Rose serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and features an exceptional variety of European-inspired Continental cuisine, as well as flavorful vegetarian and kosher dishes. Elegantly decorated in blues and silvers with stunning Versace tableware, Compass Rose delights with a beautifully refined atmosphere bathed in natural light during the day.
Compass Rose
Whether you arrive for breakfast, lunch or dinner, you can look forward to European-inspired Continental cuisine served in a beautifully refined atmosphere decorated in blues and silvers with stunning Versace tableware.
As the flagship restaurant aboard each of our ships, the wonderfully spacious Compass Rose serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and features an exceptional variety of European-inspired Continental cuisine, as well as flavorful vegetarian and kosher dishes. Elegantly decorated in blues and silvers with stunning Versace tableware, Compass Rose delights with a beautifully refined atmosphere bathed in natural light during the day.
La Veranda
La Veranda features quiet alcoves, made-to-order omelettes and tasty lunch buffets that include hot carving stations, an authentic pizzeria and regional specialties that reflect cuisines of the region you’re visiting.
Serving breakfast and lunch, you'll find La Veranda to be a popular eating spot any time of day. Spacious and comfortably casual, La Veranda offers regional specialties that often reflect the cuisines of the countries called on. Dishes are presented in a buffet style that displays the diversity of the menu. La Veranda also features an authentic pizzeria and a shaded, open-air veranda for dining al fresco.
Prime 7
Vibrant blue colours and white-leather chairs heighten the senses as you enter this elegantly intimate, art-filled and luxurious setting to enjoy classic American steakhouse cuisine with a modern flair. Open for dinner only.
A true classic that sets a new standard in American steakhouse fare. Handsomely decorated throughout, Prime 7 on Seven Seas Mariner® welcomes you with a vibrant blue palette set off with white-leather chairs, dazzling the eyes as your appetite gets serious. Dine on expertly prepared filet mignon and cote de boeuf, accompanied by tantalising sides to share and topped off with expert wine recommendations. Prime 7 is open for dinner only.
Prime 7
Vibrant blue colours and white-leather chairs heighten the senses as you enter this elegantly intimate, art-filled and luxurious setting to enjoy classic American steakhouse cuisine with a modern flair. Open for dinner only.
A true classic that sets a new standard in American steakhouse fare. Handsomely decorated throughout, Prime 7 on Seven Seas Mariner® welcomes you with a vibrant blue palette set off with white-leather chairs, dazzling the eyes as your appetite gets serious. Dine on expertly prepared filet mignon and cote de boeuf, accompanied by tantalising sides to share and topped off with expert wine recommendations. Prime 7 is open for dinner only.
Sette Mari at La Veranda
Each evening, La Veranda transforms into Sette Mari at La Veranda, a casual, intimate dining experience. Enjoy an extensive menu of authentic antipasti and Italian specialties served á la carte and paired with fine Italian wines — complimentary of course.
Each evening, La Veranda transforms into Sette Mari at La Veranda, a casual, intimate dining experience. Enjoy an extensive menu of authentic antipasti and Italian specialties served á la carte and paired with fine Italian wines — complimentary of course. Delectable dishes are prepared á la minute by our talented chefs using only the freshest gourmet ingredients and served by our attentive waiters. Sette Mari at La Veranda is open for dinner only.
Seven Seas Mariner
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
FROM
£9,089 pp
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Included
Not Included
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