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In the Footsteps of Antiquity

Resort:
Operator: Viking Ocean Cruises
Destination: Asia, India
Price From: Contact for latest offers

See Arabian & Mediterranean marvels

Sail into the ancient past on this intriguing voyage. Begin with an overnight in Mumbai. Continue on to seaside Muscat and gaze upon imposing ruins in Egypt. Walk among remarkably preserved sites of antiquity in Ephesus. Overnight in Istanbul and admire Athenss iconic highlights before concluding your journey in Venice.

Itinerary:

Day 1 Mumbai, India

Arrive in the bustling metropolis of Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay. Constructed over seven islands, today the city straddles a flat peninsula jutting into the sea. Beyond the modern skyline, discover a great diversity of neighborhoods, making any exploration of Mumbai full of surprises. As we remain in port overnight, you will have time to enjoy dinner in town if you wish.

Day 2 Mumbai, India

Witness the cultural splendor of Old Bombay today. Constructed across seven islands, today the city straddles a flat peninsula jutting into the sea. The citys Portuguese and British influences come to light as you view the Library of the Asiatic Society, the Hanging Gardens, Kamla Nehru Park and Dhobi Ghat, where locals still do laundry. You will also visit the National Gandhi Museum, housed in a mansion known as Mani Bhavan that the Indian hero used as his headquarters from 1917 to 1934, and see major monuments built during the British era.

Day 3 Cruise the Arabian Sea

Follow in the wake of traders, seafarers and adventurers who crossed the Arabian Sea over millennia. The first vessels traced the coastline some 5,000 years ago. In the days of the ancient Greeks, the Indian city of Bharuch to the north of Mumbai was already an established sea port. As you sail, relax by the Main Pool or enjoy the sea breeze from your stateroom veranda.

Day 4 Cruise the Arabian Sea

Follow in the wake of traders, seafarers and adventurers who crossed the Arabian Sea over millennia. The first vessels traced the coastline some 5,000 years ago. In the days of the ancient Greeks, the Indian city of Bharuch to the north of Mumbai was already an established sea port. As you sail, relax by the Main Pool or enjoy the sea breeze from your stateroom veranda.

Day 5 Muscat, Oman

Call on the Arabian Peninsula today for a fascinating visit to Muscat, capital of Oman. Enjoy a city tour among its whitewashed buildings, featuring a photo stop at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, able to accommodate 20,000 worshippers, and explore the low-lying structures of the Old Town, huddled around a small bay. Visit the private House of al Zubair museum with its remarkably preserved items of Omani heritage, and take in local life in the citys traditional souk. This sleepy historic enclave serves as the home of the ruling sultan.

Day 6 Cruise the Omani Coast

The starkly beautiful coast of Oman is kissed by emerald-green waters, dotted with low-lying whitewashed villages and draped in sands and rock whose colors shift in the warm desert glow from coffee-colored hues to vibrant golds. In medieval days, these waters were teeming with ships trading incense, spices, precious stones and countless other valuable goods. Take in the best that the regional flavors of the coast have to offer in a cooking class at The Kitchen Table.

Day 7 Sallah, Oman

Explore the Omani city of Sallah today on the southeastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula. For centuries, Sallah was a major port for frankincense, a trade which extended far beyond the region. This fascinating cultural history was supported by several sites around the city, some of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites today. Take in the major landmarks when you stop for photos at the Sultan Qaboos Mosque, rich in Islamic architecture, and visit the Al-Baleed archaeological site, where you will learn more about the frankincense route.

Day 8 Cruise the Red Sea

Ancient Egyptians sailed the waters of the Red Sea as long ago as 2500 BC. More famously, Moses is said to have parted its waters. And it was a favored route among ancient Romans as they traded with India. History and legend are rich here, and you can learn more about them during an enrichment lecture about the Middle East. This evening, enjoy cocktails in the Explorers Lounge or perhaps an authentic Italian meal at Manfredis trattoria-style restaurant.

Day 9 Cruise the Red Sea

Ancient Egyptians sailed the waters of the Red Sea as long ago as 2500 BC. More famously, Moses is said to have parted its waters. And it was a favored route among ancient Romans as they traded with India. History and legend are rich here, and you can learn more about them during an enrichment lecture about the Middle East. This evening, enjoy cocktails in the Explorers Lounge or perhaps an authentic Italian meal at Manfredis trattoria-style restaurant.

Day 10 Cruise the Red Sea

Ancient Egyptians sailed the waters of the Red Sea as long ago as 2500 BC. More famously, Moses is said to have parted its waters. And it was a favored route among ancient Romans as they traded with India. History and legend are rich here, and you can learn more about them during an enrichment lecture about the Middle East. This evening, enjoy cocktails in the Explorers Lounge or perhaps an authentic Italian meal at Manfredis trattoria-style restaurant.

Day 11 Cruise the Red Sea

Ancient Egyptians sailed the waters of the Red Sea as long ago as 2500 BC. More famously, Moses is said to have parted its waters. And it was a favored route among ancient Romans as they traded with India. History and legend are rich here, and you can learn more about them during an enrichment lecture about the Middle East. This evening, enjoy cocktails in the Explorers Lounge or perhaps an authentic Italian meal at Manfredis trattoria-style restaurant.

Day 12 Aqaba, Jordan

Call on Aqaba, Jordans only coastal city, set amid bleached-out desert hills. History here stretches back centuries, but it is best known as the site where, in 1917, T. E. Lawrence (known as Lawrence of Arabia) led troops in the Battle of Aqaba. Stop to explore Mamluk Fortwon by the Arabs from the Turks during a 1916 camel chargethe opulent house of Sharif Hussein bin Ali and the lively waterfront. You might also journey to the regions must-see archaeological treasure of Petra, an astonishing city of red sandstone carved from the earth millennia ago.

Day 13 Luxor, Egypt

Call on Safaga today, an ancient Red Sea port that has been in use since the 3rd century. It is also the gateway to the magnificent temples of ancient Thebestodays city of Luxor. Traverse the desert sands to the shores of the Nile River, where you will visit the spectacular Temple of Karnak, long buried beneath desert sands. Walk through its monumental peristyles and examine the hieroglyphics illustrating how ancient Egyptians lived.

Day 14 Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt

Visit the seaside resort of Sharm el-Sheikh (called Sharm by the locals) on the southern tip of the Sinai Desert. This major Egyptian center of tourism on the Red Sea, renowned for its unrivaled scuba diving among vibrant coral, is surrounded by starkly beautiful desert. Today you may choose to leave the city and explore the sands up close during a Desert Jeep Tour into a world shrouded in legend.

Day 15 Scenic Cruising: Suez Canal

Transit the Suez Canal today, a travel milestone. This engineering marvel, opened in 1869, connected the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea, changing the regions geographic and commercial landscape forever. The sea-level, one-way waterway requires ships to travel in convoys; two lakes, Ballah Bypass and Great Bitter Lake, allow north- and southbound ships to pass each other.

Day 16 Cairo, Egypt

Call on Port Said today, founded about 150 years ago as a working base for the construction of the Suez Canal. Port Said is also a gateway to the Great Pyramids and Great Sphinx on the outskirts of Cairo. Join an included tour to uncover their mysteries.

Day 17 Jerusalem, Israel

Call on the port of Ashdod today, just one hour from Jerusalem. You can explore the holy city on an included excursion that takes you into the heart of the Jewish Quarter to view the Western Wall, the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock. Or, delve deeper on an optional excursion as you visit the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

Day 18 Haifa, Israel

Arrive in Haifa today, an ideal port from which to explore the north of Israel. Ascend Mt. Carmel, where it is said that the prophet Elijah set fire to a sacrifice and ended a drought. On the mountains slope overlooking the city, enjoy commanding views of the magnificent terraced Hanging Gardens of Haifa, center of the Bah faith. Explore the fascinating Old City of Acre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world. Alternatively, you can choose to explore ancient Caesarea, built by King Herod as an early center of Christianity, go up Mt. Carmel for a closer look, and enjoy stunning views of Haifa and the countryside.

Day 19 Cruise the Mediterranean Sea

Enjoy a day on board as you cruise the Mediterranean Sea. Take in the sea views from the Explorers Lounge or reserve a soothing massage at The Spa. Linger over tea and scones in the Wintergarden or soak up the sun on deck.

Day 20 Ephesus (Kuadasi), Turkey

Journey into the ancient world today with a visit to Ephesus, one of the best-preserved cities of antiquity in the world. Stroll the uneven streets of this once-powerful metropolis and pass sights such as the massive Great Theater and the magnificent Library of Celsus. Visit the remains of the Byzantine Basilica of St. John and see the modest home where legend states that the Virgin Mary lived out her final days. Or, take a scenic drive to the Oracle of Didyma and the Temple of Apollo, part of a once-elaborate Hellenic sanctuary.

Day 21 Istanbul, Turkey

Discover where East meets West as you arrive today in Istanbul. Take time to admire this city that straddles two continents across the Bosphorus Strait, with its Old Quarter skyline of domes and minarets and the twinkling lights of modern Istanbul across the water. Sample delicious cuisine for a taste of this fusion, combining fresh Mediterranean fare with spices from the Far East and Asia. Enjoy a wealth of religious sites, such as the spectacular Blue Mosque and the legendary Hagia Sophia. We are docked overnight here, so you will have a full day tomorrow to explore this historic port.

Day 22 Istanbul, Turkey

Spend a second day in Istanbul as you immerse yourself in local life and Turkish traditions. Visit a hamman and partake in a centuries-old wellness ritual. Or, you can relax and take in the sights as you cruise the Bosphorus Strait, where old-world ships once sailed as they delivered spices to Istanbuls lively bazaars.

Day 23 Cruise the Aegean Sea

Cross the Aegean Sea today; a cradle of two great ancient civilazations that have shaped the western world as we know it today. Take this relaxing day at sea to unwind and admire the vistas from your stateroom veranda.

Day 24 Athens, Greece

Today, you will have the entire day to journey into ancient Athens via a panoramic drive, passing the promenade at Mikrolimano Marina as you enter the citys heart. There, you will see the Hellenic Parliament, Syntagma (Constitution) Square, the Panathenaic Stadium, the Temple of Zeus and the iconic Acropolis. Explore the bustling Plaka District at the base of the Acropolis. Or, as an option, explore the interior of this UNESCO Site; climb 80 steps to the entrance for an unforgettable view of the Parthenon at its peak.

Day 25 Cruise the Adriatic Sea

Enjoy the amenities on your ship today as we sail the Adriatic Sea, passing the Balkan States and toward the Italian Peninsula. Share a cappuccino in the Viking Bar with new friends, enjoy a visit to The Spa or relax on the Sun Deck. Finish the day with a drink in Torshavn.

Day 26 Cruise the Adriatic Sea

Enjoy the amenities on your ship today as we sail the Adriatic Sea, passing the Balkan States and toward the Italian Peninsula. Share a cappuccino in the Viking Bar with new friends, enjoy a visit to The Spa or relax on the Sun Deck. Finish the day with a drink in Torshavn.

Day 27 Venice, Italy

Disembark this morning and transfer to the Venice airport for your flight home. Or explore with our extension in this fascinating city.