We recently returned from this tour. I can't compete with Alan's excellent summary and photos of the tour. We arrived two days early in Athens, so we did a lot of exploring on our own. One of the fun things we did was take a cooking class at the Artiste Hotel. I would highly recommend it. We also went to the Poet Sandal Maker Shop. It was really interesting to have my sandals custom fitted and made in about an hour - all for 100 euro. We also went to the Central Market and bought spices. My 4-euro Greek Red Saffron is also available on Amazon for $30! The same brand and packaging.
If you are lucky enough to get Penny as the local guide you will be very pleased. Her vast knowledge was delivered in an amusing way. She is the best local guide we have ever had in our 14 trips.
Our first stop on the Wind Star to Mykonos and Delos was skipped because of rough seas and gale force winds. The ship was really rocking all day and night. Many people were seasick. We headed straight to Turkey which words cannot describe.
I was very much looking forward to sailing on the Wind Star, but I was disappointed. We were mid-ship on the 2nd level. I expected the rooms to be small but not tired. The carpeting was stained and worn; the furniture chipped, and the toilet was grossly stained.
The staff was incredible, and they have this infectious laugh that always brought a smile.
I do think Tauck needs to be clearer about the physicality required to really enjoy the tours. The walking involves cobblestones that are not only difficult but also very dangerous. And many times, it involves climbing up steep, slippery and uneven steps. There were numerous people on this tour that had mobility issues. As a consequence, the set pace was extremely slow in the blazing 90+ degree weather.
It was a very interesting tour. I wish I would have studied up on Greek Mythology as it plays an important role. It would have made it easier to keep track of the fascinating stories.
