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To the Crossroad of Europe & Asia: A Voyage from Istanbul to the Black Sea, the Meeting Place of East and West

Great civilizations have always been drawn to the Black Sea. It was a highway for commerce and conquest, but also for ideas. Greek and Roman culture flourished along the southern shore. From Constantinople the Byzantines spread their civilization north and west. And both the czars and the Soviet leaders prized the Black Sea as a gateway to the Mediterranean. We’ve selected every port of call carefully, so you can experience the fascinating interplay of cultures all around the Black Sea. You’ll explore the remains of ancient Greek cities as well as a Mongol-Tatar palace in the Crimea, visit a Genoese castle and trading post in the Ukraine, and wander through the corridors and garden of Livadia, the favorite summer residence of Nicholas and Alexandra, and later the site of the Yalta Conference. Our ship is the all-suite Corinthian II. Built in the style of a private yacht, it accommodates only 114 guests in 57 suites, all with views of the Black Sea. The cities, ancient sites, and shoreline of the Black Sea are enchanting, yet few travelers have experienced them. This summer, join us aboard Corinthian II and discover for yourself one of the great crossroads of civilization.

Itinerary

Day 1 • Fly from USA

Day 2 • ISTANBUL, Turkey | EMBARK

Day 3 • ISTANBUL

Day 4 • AT SEA

Day 5 • KERCH, Crimea, Ukraine

Day 6 • TAGANROG | TANAIS, Russia

Day 7 • FEODOSIYA | SUDAK | FEODOSIYA, Crimea, Ukraine

Day 8 • YALTA

Day 9 • SEVASTOPOL | CHERSONESOS | BAKHCHYSARAY | SEVASTOPOL

Day 10 • ODESSA

Day 11 • VARNA, Bulgaria

Day 12 • ISTANBUL, Turkey | DISEMBARK | Fly to USA

View Detailed Itinerary

ALLEN ROKACH was Director of Photography at The New York Botanical Garden and Senior Features and Garden photographer at Southern Living magazine. He will lecture on travel photography and answer questions throughout the voyage.

Mr. Rokach is just one of the lecturers accompanying us on this voyage. For more information, please click here to view the brochure.

There is no single supplement for this voyage.

AIRFARE: Airfare is not included in the cost of the program. Please call the Air Travel Desk at toll-free 877-711-9896 or 212-592-1340 to make your reservations, or see your travel agent.

Corinthian II Deck Plan

PROGRAM INCLUSIONS

• 10-night cruise aboard the all-suite, 114-guest Corinthian II
• Welcome and farewell cocktail receptions aboard ship
• All meals aboard ship, including house wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner
• Open bar aboard ship throughout the cruise
• Complete program of tours and excursions
• Educational program of lectures and discussions by accompanying guest lecturers
• Professional Travel Dynamics International tour staff
• Complete pre-departure materials
• Baggage handling and transfers abroad on the designated program departure and arrival dates
• Port and embarkation taxes
• Gratuities to porters, guides and drivers
  

Day 1
USA
Fly from the U.S. to Istanbul, Turkey.

Day 2
ISTANBUL, Turkey | EMBARK
Arrive in Istanbul and transfer to Corinthian II. Set on the Bosphorus, fabled Istanbul blends the cultures and traditions of East and West. Overnight aboard ship.

Day 3
ISTANBUL
Tour the city’s principal landmarks, including the majestic Hagia Sophia basilica, built by the emperor Justinian I in A.D. 537; the Topkapi Palace, once the principal residence of the Ottoman sultans and, from the mid-15th to 19th centuries, the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire; the Blue Mosque; and the Grand Bazaar, where time at leisure will be provided. Board the ship and sail through the Bosphorus, the narrow waterway that separates Europe from Asia, to enter the Black Sea.

Day 4
AT SEA
Spend the day at sea sailing toward Kerch.

Day 5
KERCH, Crimea, Ukraine
Sited at the easternmost part of the Crimea and guarding the narrow entrance into the Sea of Azov, Kerch, the ancient Pantikapaion, was founded by Greeks from Miletos in the late 7th through early-6th centuries B.C. Our tour of Kerch focuses on the area of Mitridat Hill, where most of the city’s ancient remains are found, including the acropolis of Pantikapaion, with its temple of Apollo; the Melek-Chesmensky Tomb; the mausoleum of the Bosporan Kings; and the church of St. John the Baptist, which dates to the 8th century and has preserved many of its frescos.

Day 6
TAGANROG | TANAIS, Russia
Founded in the 3rd century B.C. by Greeks, Tanais city prospered through trade, becoming the main contact point between the Greco-Roman world and the inhabitants to the north. It later fell to the Kievan Rus, the Cumans, the Genoese, the Turks, and the Don Cossacks. Peter the Great captured the city in 1696, thus allowing Russian access to the south. Explore the ruins of Tanais, situated on a plateau, and visit the museum, which houses artifacts from the excavations. 

Day 7
FEODOSIYA | SUDAK | FEODOSIYA, Crimea, Ukraine
Returning to the Black Sea, the ship will call at Feodosiya, a pleasant port city with attractive old mansions and inviting tree-lined promenades. Drive to the town of Sudak, an old trading center and a stop on the Silk Road to China. Sudak’s main attraction is the huge Genoese Fortress, built in the 14th and 15th centuries on a large cliff overlooking the sea. Ten of the eighteen towers survive, and its walls extend for more than 1.5 miles. Explore the fortress and return to Feodosiya to reboard Corinthian II.

Day 8
YALTA
In the mid-19th century, the Russian imperial family chose Yalta for its summer residence, and almost overnight the town mushroomed into an elegant and popular resort. Tour the Alupka Palace, a stunning 19th-century edifice with both English Tudor and Byzantine embellishments, and Anton Chekhov’s House. After lunch at a local restaurant, visit the Livadia Palace, famed site of the 1945 Yalta Conference among Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin, and attend a private concert at its Organ Hall.

Day 9
SEVASTOPOL | CHERSONESOS | BAKHCHYSARAY | SEVASTOPOL
Arrive in Sevastopol, a beautiful port city and the former base of the Russian Black Sea Fleet from the days of Catherine II until the fall of the Soviet Union. Drive to nearby Chersonesos, an ancient city founded by Greeks in the 5th century B.C. that became a prosperous trading post. Return to Sevastopol to visit the Panorama Museum, featuring a circular, three-dimensional work of art depicting the defense of the city during the Crimean War. In the afternoon, enjoy time at leisure in Sevastopol, or alternatively, drive to the Crimean interior to explore Bakhchysaray, the seat of the Tatar state from the 16th to the 18th centuries. Visit the imperial Khan’s Palace, built in 1519.

Day 10
ODESSA
Stroll through Odessa’s elegant leafy streets, lined with stately mansions. Discover its prime landmarks, including the grand, Viennese Baroque-style Opera House; the historic Potemkin Steps, site of the 1905 uprising of workers and sailors from the battleship Potemkin; and the Archaeological Museum. In the afternoon, you will have the chance to meet with local families in their homes, or enjoy time at leisure in the city.

Day 11
VARNA, Bulgaria
Explore Varna, founded in 580 B.C. as the ancient Greek trading colony Odessos. Visit the domed Cathedral of the Assumption, with its splendid iconostasis and bishop’s throne, and the Archaeological Museum. Continue to the remains of the Roman Thermae (Baths) and the adjacent Church of Sveti Atanas, and then to the grounds of Evksinograd Palace, a former royal summer residence, and its botanical gardens, built in 1882 by Prince Alexander Battenberg.

Day 12
ISTANBUL, Turkey | DISEMBARK | USA
Disembark in Istanbul and transfer to the airport for return flights to the U.S.