Viking Ocean have introduced a new eleven-day sailing to new ports of call in Turkey and Greece. The cruise line believes that the new itinerary will allow guests to explore the the Aegean Sea during the quiet season, with the sailings starting in January 2021.
New itinerary and ports of call in 2021
The itinerary will sail round-trip from Athens and will feature three new ports of call for Viking Ocean – Volos, Thessaloniki and Nafpilo, as well as a stop in Ephesus marking the cruise line’s return to Turkey.
Guests will step on-board the award-winning 930-guest Viking Sea for the itinerary, with highlights including:
- Ephesus (Kuşadasi), Turkey: One of the best-preserved cities of antiquity in the world, guests can visit the remains of the Byzantine Basilica of St. John, take in sights such as the massive Great Theater and the magnificent Library of Celsus, or see the modest home where, according to legend, the Virgin Mary lived out her final days.
- Volos, Greece: Now a modern, cosmopolitan port city, this region was once thought of as the playground of the gods. Guests can experience the stunning scenery of Meteora, where medieval monasteries stand precariously on hilltops, or explore the ancient religious center of Dion, located on the foothills of Mt. Olympus.
- Thessaloniki, Greece: Greece’s second-largest city offers an exhilarating mix of ancient culture and modern life. While in port, guests can walk the vibrant waterfront promenade with its many cafés and restaurants, or venture outside the city to the remains of the ancient Macedonian kingdom of Alexander the Great.
- Nafpilo, Greece: Set between breath-taking mountains and the Bay of Argos, Nafpilo is one of Greece’s most beautiful and romantic port cities. Guests can discover the charms of its Venetian homes and Byzantine churches, take a drive to Palamidi, an imposing fortress towering over the city, or travel to the nearby Peloponnese peninsula, an ancient area rich in history.
- Scenic cruising: Mt. Athos: During the one sea day on this itinerary, guests will sail past the majestic slopes of Mt. Athos, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the spiritual capital of Orthodox Christianity. Called the “Holy Mountain,” the peninsula’s soaring peaks are home to 20 monasteries whose monks work to preserve and catalogue a vast collection of liturgical works and art.
Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking, said:
“Our guests are curious explorers who want opportunities for learning while they travel in comfort. Our destination-focused ocean itineraries are built on the same successful principles as our river itineraries – we offer our guests more time in port, enriching cultural experiences, the best-designed ships at sea with no children, no casinos and no nickel-and-diming. With this new itinerary in Greece and Turkey offered during the quiet winter season, we look forward to helping our guests explore such a culturally rich region of the world in ‘The Viking Way.’”
Take a look at all our Viking Ocean 2021 sailings by clicking the button below. For further information, call our Cruise Concierge team on 0808 202 6105, who can offer their expert advice and award-winning customer service on Viking Ocean cruises.
See all Viking Ocean 2021 sailings
Would you like experience this brand new sailing aboard Viking Sea? Have you sailed with Viking Ocean before? Let us know in the comments below!