Cruises & Cabin Charter/Boutique cruises

Wines of Greece - Limited Collection Cruise

8 day cruise: September 1 - September 8, 2023
Aboard the 21-Cabin Mega Yacht HARMONY G
Hosted by Tim Clarke, wine ambassador
Friday, Athens - Athens

Limited places available

We are pleased to announce the first new Wine Cruise in Greece. This journey takes us to many of the Greek wine hotspots including Nemea, Santorini, Samos and Tinos Wine and the making of it is central to this voyage, but as we follow its trail we’ll also discover the limestone crags and wild mountains of the Peloponnese, the breathtaking views of Santorini, and the quieter villages of the Cyclades and Eastern Aegean islands We’ll meet leading winemakers, taste at top wineries, and enjoy dinners paired with a specially chosen selection of wines each exploring the superb native grape varieties of Greece’s many diverse regions.

Cruise highlights

• All inclusive tours to local wineries
• Lunches at wine estates
• Tim Clarke – your wine guide
• On board meals paired with wines from all over Greece
• Swimstops
• Evening wine tastings on board

Tim Clarke - wine ambassador

This carefully curated itinerary was designed by wine expert and wine tourism guru, Tim Clarke. Tim accompanies the cruise as our on-board wine guide and expert. With his wife Lynette Arblaster, he cofounded Arblaster & Clarke Wine Tours, which they ran together for nearly 30 years. He has also been engaged in winemaking himself, on the island of Samos. We’re sure you’ll find his enthusiasm for Greece and its wines infectious. We know we do. On this specialty cruise, expect Tim to cover the wine scene from the classical age through to the modern era, and to give you an exceptional insight into the country.

Itinerary

Day 1: ATHENS, Marina Zeas (Piraeus) - HYDRA
Welcome drink, tasting Ionian Sea’s wines.
Begin as you mean to go on with a welcome glass of sparkling wine while you meet your crew and fellow passengers. Evening sail to Hydra and dinner served with wines from the Ionian Sea. Overnight at Hydra.

DAY 2: NAFPLIO AND NEMEA
Gaia winery, SEMELI winery lunch 
After a morning arrival into Nafplio, we’ll visit the ancient site of Mycenae. Then on to Nemea - the leading red wine appellation in Southern Greece - to visit the pioneering, top-quality estate, Gaia. Our next visit is also our lunch stop; at Semeli where we’ll taste their range of fine wines from Nemea and Mantineia. Enjoy some free time in Nafplio, one of the most attractive towns in mainland Greece, before we sail south along the coast of Arcadia, letting the anchor down for a swim stop as soon as possible. Dinner on board, paired with select wines from the Peloponnese.

DAY 3: MONEMVASIA
Monemvasia winery, Dinner with TSIMBIDIS FAMILY 
Monemvasia’s wealth came from its Malvasia (also known as Malmsey), so it’s safe to say wine meant a lot to the mediaeval town. Visit the vineyards with Monemvasia Winery who are re-establishing the island`s wine fame. Lunch ashore with freetime in the afternoon; exploration of the old town and taking a dip in the cooling waters are recommended. Tonight’s dinner is on board where we welcome the Tsimbidis family of Monemvasia Winery to dine with us.

DAY 4: MILOS
Swim stop, Imery winery, Crete’s best wines.
Swimming at the beaches of Milos is almost unbeatable. Almost, but not quite: dropping anchor at sea nearby and diving deck to water wins every time. Spend your morning this way before drying off to explore the island, enjoying locally produced food and wines in a village taverna. Learn about the island`s grape history, and about the recent Imerys investment in its vineyards. At this evening’s dinner your wine host, Tim Clarke, presents some of the best wines from nearby Crete.

DAY 5: SANTORINI
Argyros winery, tasting some of Santorini’s wines 
Santorini is rightfully known as one of the top spots for white wine in Greece, and has local grape varieties of extraordinary quality. We’ll visit the top winery, Argyros, with century-old vines. Setting sail in the afternoon, we’ll enjoy wines from the Santorini grapes as we cruise through the Cyclades to the Eastern Aegean islands.

DAY 6: SAMOS AND FOURNI ISLES
Vakakis winery, Platanos winery lunch, Chios-Ikaria wines. 
This morning we’ll moor in the sleepy fishing village of Ormos before heading inland to visit the inspiring Vakakis winery. Then on to Platanos, its steep vineyard terraces seeded with White Muscat. Over an idyllic lunch we’ll taste a range of Samian wines. Our afternoon sail takes us to the Fourni Isles, rarely visited by tourists and an ideal spot for swimming thanks to its largely untouched beaches. Dinner tonight is paired with wines from Chios and Ikaria, both prized wines in ancient times.

DAY 7: TINOS AND KARYSTOS
Volacus winery, Andros lunch with Greek wines
Tinos is a holy island, said to be home to more than 700 churches. It’s also another wine hotspot, known for its Assyrtiko grape; one with extraordinary quality when grown in soils rich with volcanic ash, such as those on Tinos. In the morning we’ll visit emerging star winery, Volacus, before we set sail and moor near Andros for lunch, swimming, and a tasting of Greek wines from international grape varieties. In the afternoon we make a short sail across to Karystos on Evvia island.

DAY 8: ATHENS
Wine tasting at Kokotos Estate
8 a.m. Breakfast and disembarkation. For those not arranging their own onward transport this morning, we offer an optional tour of Athens including wine tasting and lunch at Kokotos Estate, followed by a transfer to Athens Airport. The Optional Excursion on the final day arrives at Athens Airport in time for flights after 18.00.

NOTE: In many cases the journeys between ports are reasonably short so the ship will be in harbour or at a mooring for part or much of the night, though there will be some sailing at night. Wine visits are subject to confirmation and subject to change in the event of regulations changing, or in the event of weather conditions disrupting the cruise itinerary. Details such as swim stops, will be entirely at the captain’s discretion.

m/y Harmony G

2023 Cruise Dates

September 1 - September 8, 2023

2023 Cruise fares per person, per double occupancy 

Cruise fares are per person and week and include:

• Accommodation in double or twin cabins with private SH/WC & air conditioning
• Tim Clarke as your Wine Guide and Expert Host on board
• Daily Wine & History Tours on shore
• 12 Meals paired with Wines handpicked from our Wine Ambassador, including 9 served dinners or buffet lunches on board paired with selected fine wines from the regions we are sailing in, plus 3 lunches ashore at wine estates or local tavernas including wines, traditional Greek food and coach transfers
• Buffet breakfast each morning
• On board tastings as per the itinerary
• Special Activities on board: Welcome Sail-away Reception on Day 1 with sparkline wine, dinners with local wines and guests, and Captain’s Dinner
• Use of snorkeling equipment (Masks, Fins and Snorkels), and Beach Towels
• Kayaks, Water Toys and Stand-Up Paddle Boards (subject to availability)
  
  Not included:
• Beverages (except those mentioned above)
• Crew tips
• Passenger personal expenses
• Wi-Fi
• Optional excursion to Kokotos winery in Athens on Day 8. 

Not included in the cruise fare:
Such personal expenses as drinks (other than included in the rate), laundry, spa - where applicable - boutique items and gratuities (gratuities are optional but as a rule, satisfied clients are expected to give to the captain, at the end of the cruise, approximately Euro 13-15 per person per day for distribution among all crew members), medical expenses, port taxes, use of the on board Wi-Fi (available at a charge), expenditures incurred ashore, and anything not mentioned in the cruise programme.  

Note: Itineraries can be changed at the discretion of the Cruise operator or the vessel`s captain in case of:

• adverse weather conditions
• winds of 6/7 Beaufort or more, depending on the vessel
• port authorities not allowing a vessel to leave port
• other extraordinary conditions.

Such itinerary changes do not entitle pasengers to refunds but the Cruise Operator guarantees that passengers are disembarked at the advertised port of disembarkation on time for flights after midday. 

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