Agean & Holy Land and Ancient Wonders, help with excursions.

[Gavinrussell115]

Hi everyone off on the thomson celebration on the 19th May for 2 weeks doing the following itennaries. Any suggestions of trips etc or must see places, I would appreciate.

 

Aegean & Holy Land

1. Rhodes Town

2. Ashdod Israel

3. Ashdod Israel

4. Larnaca Cyprus

5. Alanya Turkey

 

Ancient Wonders

1. Istanbul Turkey

2. Mytilene Lesbos

3. Piraeus (Athens)

4. Thira Santorini

5. Kusadasi Turkey

 

I have always wanted to go to the Holy land, so want to see the most, was thinking about the overnight trip.

 

Thanks again everyone.

 

Gav

[happy v]

I can only help you with Istanbul and Athens.

Istanbul is very easy to do on foot. The main tourist sights are all very close together on the top of the hill, Topkapi Palace, Agia Sophia, and the Blue Mosque. Further along the street is the Grand Bazaar. If you would rather do an excursion you will find these on Thomsons web site.

 

We did Athens on your own, where the bus takes you into the city and then back to the ship afterwards. We did go to the Parthenon but my favourite thing in Athens is the changing of the guard. If you look it up online before you go you will find the times etc.

 

I've been to Santorini but only went up to the top in the cable car and posters on here have told me it is best to visit Olia but I'm sorry I don't have any details.

 

Others will have lots of advice for your other destinations I'm sure.

[Gavinrussell115]

Thank you Happy V

 

 

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[dronnygirl]

Hi Gav, We are also on Celebration 19th May - only 1 week though!

Can't wait. We did Ancient Wonders a couple of years ago and it was really good. Istanbul is fantastic but do it on foot if you can, it's very walkable. For Athens we were going to go by bus but as it's a way from the port we decided in the end to book 'Athens on your own' which was basically a coach trip into Athens and then back again after a few hours. This turned out to be great as the guide on our coach said he had nothing to do in Athens so to pass the time he would do a free walking tour for anyone interested.There were about 12 of us went with him and he took us all over the place - everyone just gave him a good tip at the end.

Lesbos is a small island and we just wandered around the town and had a drink by the harbour - nothing special but nice and relaxing.

Kusadasi is a typical Turkish seaside place and as you get off the ship you go straight into the markets. The Turkish have learned over the years and don't pester you as much as they did which makes it easier to look in the shops. Really good if you want souvenirs and the gold is cheap but be very careful. You really have to haggle hard!

On our trip we should have visited Mykonos (not Santorini) but it was quite windy and we could not tender ashore. Had to go to Bodrum instead but it's quite a nice place.

Not long now.......

[Gavinrussell115]

Thanks Donnygirl, I know it's coming upon us quick, I can't wait. I'm doing a solo cruise on my own but there is a few people from Thomson cruises FB page going that week.

 

Thx again

 

Gav

 

 

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[happy v]

Thank you Happy V

 

 

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No bother.:)

[ambey]

hi gavin myself mam and my son are on this cruise with you and we cant wait now!! if ur in liberties we will be parked in there every night lol if you or anyone else wants to say hi feel free lol

esther

[me edds in bits]

http://www.GuidedToursIsrael.com

hi , I have booked 2 tours with the above tours as my friends have been with them and they come recomended on trip advisor, we booked jeruselam and bethlehem and also the dead sea, both tours you can pay on the day in dollars after confirming with your card. 214 dollars each for both full day excursions, hope this helps, we are on the same cruise as yourselves, ejoy !

Regards. Dave.

[Tatto]

http://www.GuidedToursIsrael.com

hi , I have booked 2 tours with the above tours as my friends have been with them and they come recomended on trip advisor, we booked jeruselam and bethlehem and also the dead sea, both tours you can pay on the day in dollars after confirming with your card. 214 dollars each for both full day excursions, hope this helps, we are on the same cruise as yourselves, ejoy !

Regards. Dave.

 

 

Not a great lot cheap than doing them with Thomson's? All very long day trips! Everyone as to be up early when docking in Israel as face to face immigration ( 5.30 am ).;)

Edited February 25, 2014 by Tatto

[kruzseeka]

Yes happy v is right imo Oia is the place to aim for on Santorini. The first time we went we did the Thomson excursion but we didn't have as long there as we would have liked so since then we've gone on the local bus to Oia. (I'm having a problem opening up the timetables on the Nexus but if you Google Thira bus timetables you will see the Thira to Oia schedules)

 

Tip: get off the ship on the earliest tender you can in the hope that you miss the queues which can build up for the cable car which takes you to the top of the cliff. Using the map you'll get from on board, go to the bus station (it's down some steps on the left hand side of the main street which runs parallel to the cliff edge) and for a small cost about 3€ if I remember correctly you get the bus which takes you to Oia.

 

It takes about 20 minutes and you get off at the terminus. This is where you pick it up for the return too. You should have plenty of time to spend a couple of hours at Oia (find a bar with views over the caldera for a drink whilst you're there - unforgettable!) then you will have time to look round Thira as well before getting the cable car down again to the tender point.

 

One of my all time favorite destinations and DiY. Enjoy! :)

[crystaltips99]

I did Athens on your own when we docked there and managed to fit in the Acropolis, the changing of the guard and the Acropolis museum by using the underground system and also not stopping for lunch - as we left Piraeus at 15:00 we didn't have a huge amount of time in Athens itself.

 

In Thira you should definitely think about going to Oia, or perhaps walking the cliff path to Firostefani (?) if you're feeling active - Thira is lovely but there isn't enough to fill an entire day (and the bars on the caldera side cost a fortune to drink in!)

 

In Kusadasi I went to Ephesus and it was fantastic, but I was pleased that I did the half day excursion - the people on my cruise who did the full day excursion thought it was a bit "padded out", and it was nice to have a couple of hours on deck while the ship was quieter.

 

Hope some of this helps!

[joeholiday2]

Agree with all the comments on going to Oia and how to do Istanbul. Also the half day trip to Kusadasi.

Try to see the sulemani mosque in Istanbul, we thought it was better than the blue mosque.

 

If you have long enough in port you can walk to the metro in Athens and do Acropolis etc on your own, it's a good 25-30 minute walk along the front then cross over the footbridge.

Last time we went there we were departing at 3pm so didn't do this, we just walked around the headland in Pireaus and back over the hill, it was Ok, but if you have never been into Athens City before you should go and see the great sights there.

[kruzseeka]

There is HoHo which picks up at the port in Piraeus which takes you into Athens - I think it's a 90 minute round trip if you don't get off. You can get off very close to the Acropolis so that could be another way of doing Athens. If you Google hoho Athens it's the second option which picks up at the port and is £20 p.p.

[happy v]

Yes happy v is right imo Oia is the place to aim for on Santorini. The first time we went we did the Thomson excursion but we didn't have as long there as we would have liked so since then we've gone on the local bus to Oia. (I'm having a problem opening up the timetables on the Nexus but if you Google Thira bus timetables you will see the Thira to Oia schedules)

 

Tip: get off the ship on the earliest tender you can in the hope that you miss the queues which can build up for the cable car which takes you to the top of the cliff. Using the map you'll get from on board, go to the bus station (it's down some steps on the left hand side of the main street which runs parallel to the cliff edge) and for a small cost about 3€ if I remember correctly you get the bus which takes you to Oia.

 

It takes about 20 minutes and you get off at the terminus. This is where you pick it up for the return too. You should have plenty of time to spend a couple of hours at Oia (find a bar with views over the caldera for a drink whilst you're there - unforgettable!) then you will have time to look round Thira as well before getting the cable car down again to the tender point.

 

One of my all time favorite destinations and DiY. Enjoy! :)

 

"Oia". I was almost right.;)

[kruzseeka]

"Oia". I was almost right.;)

 

Do you know I'd read your post and never even noticed happy v? :D Another example of reading what you want to read! I'm so 'into' Oia that a quick glance and I was there! Whatever the spelling! ;)

[happy v]

I should have kept quiet then;), unfortunately that's not something I usually do.:rolleyes:.

 

By the way are we not having "5 favourites" this week, or are you too busy?

[kruzseeka]

I should have kept quiet then;), unfortunately that's not something I usually do.:rolleyes:.

 

By the way are we not having "5 favourites" this week, or are you too busy?

 

Funny you should say that as only today I thought about it. Will look back at some of the suggestions and choose something. ;)

[happy v]

I'll look forward to it.:D

[me edds in bits]

Not a great lot cheap than doing them with Thomson's? All very long day trips! Everyone as to be up early when docking in Israel as face to face immigration ( 5.30 am ).;)

 

Hi tatto, thompsons quoted me 125 pounds as opposed to 115 dollars , thats about 70 quid. X that by 2its about a ton less

[Gavinrussell115]

hi gavin myself mam and my son are on this cruise with you and we cant wait now!! if ur in liberties we will be parked in there every night lol if you or anyone else wants to say hi feel free lol

esther

 

Thanks Ambey, Im cruising on my own this time. So I will deffo look out for you. If you are on the Thomson group on FB, you will get my photo there xx:)

[Gavinrussell115]

http://www.GuidedToursIsrael.com

hi , I have booked 2 tours with the above tours as my friends have been with them and they come recomended on trip advisor, we booked jeruselam and bethlehem and also the dead sea, both tours you can pay on the day in dollars after confirming with your card. 214 dollars each for both full day excursions, hope this helps, we are on the same cruise as yourselves, ejoy !

 

Regards. Dave.

 

Thanks will look out for you, there is a lot of us going, we should all meet at some point

[Gavinrussell115]

Thanks everyone,

 

Cant wait to meet you all, maybe we should all meet at some point while ship is at sea.

[ambey]

Thanks Ambey, Im cruising on my own this time. So I will deffo look out for you. If you are on the Thomson group on FB, you will get my photo there xx:)

 

 

I'm on the group so I'll be FB stalking ur pic now lol x

 

 

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