Istanbul - Kiev (15 days 14 nights)

Welcome to Istanbul! One of our drivers will meet you at the airport or the train station and take you by comfortable car to а 4-star hotel. Tonight you will have dinner at the hotel and you can get settled and relax after your journey to Istanbul.

Istanbul formerly known as Byzantium and Constantinople is the largest city in Turkey and the 5th largest city in the world with a population of over 12 million. The city is located on the Bosphorus Strait and encompasses the natural harbor known as the Golden Horn. It extends both on the European and Asian sides of the Bosphorus and is the only metropolis in the world that is situated on 2 continents. In its long history, Istanbul has served as the capital city of the Roman Empire (330–395), the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire (395–1204 and 1261–1453), the Latin Empire (1204–1261), and the Ottoman Empire (1453–1922). The historic areas of Istanbul are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

After breakfast at the hotel we will go on a city tour to see the many rich cultural and historic sites that Istanbul has to offer. We will see the Hagia Sophia the massive domed cathedral built between 532 and 537 AD on the orders of Byzantine Emperor Justinian. This incredible structure was the largest cathedral in the world for over 1000 years and is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture. We will also see the Topkapi Palace the official and primary residence in the city of the Ottoman Sultans for 400 years of their 600-year reign from 1465 to 1856. We will also visit the Grand Bazaar, one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with more than 58 covered streets and over 1,200 shops. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant.

Optional program: Istanbul by Night

We will have some free time in the morning, during which an optional tour will be offered – Bosphorus boat trip

In the afternoon we will check out from the hotel and board a comfortable bus for the 6 hour tour on the way to Nesseber, a famous Bulgarian seaside resort and UNESCO World Heritage Site. In Nesseber we will board the ship and have dinner.

Nesseber has an interesting history; it was founded as a Greek colony in the 6th century BC and was later annexed by the Roman Empire in 71 BC. It was one of the most important strongholds of the Byzantine Empire from the 5th century AD onwards. During the time of the Second Bulgarian Empire it enjoyed particular prosperity under Bulgarian Tsar Ivan Alexander (1331–1371) until it was conquered by the Crusaders in 1366. Monuments from the Middle Ages include the 5–6th century St. Sophia, the 10th century church of the Virgin and the 11th century St. Stephen. The capture of the town by the Turks in 1453 marked the start of its decline. After the liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule in 1878, Nesebar became part of the autonomous Ottoman province of Eastern Rumelia and was united with the Principality of Bulgaria in 1886. Since the end of the 19th century, Nessebar has developed as a major seaside resort and port.

After breakfast we will take a walking city tour throughout the Old Town and look at many of the ancient ruins and medieval churches. This part of the city is situated on a peninsula that juts out into the Black Sea. The city and the surrounding areas are extremely picturesque and full of history - there is so much to see!

Optional program: Visit to Bulgarian Village

Today we arrive in Sulina, a town and free port in Romania,. which is the easternmost point of Romania.Once a prosperous port and important shipyard, from 1856 to 1939 the seat of the Danube Commission, Sulina has become a disadvantaged location. The reason is that the town has no road access, the only way to reach it is by boat that leaves Tulcea and goes along the Sulina branch of the Danube. This keeps the tourists wanting a quiet vacation at the seaside at low numbers. The waters of the Danube flowing into the Black Sea form the largest and best preserved of Europe´s deltas. The Danube delta with its numerous lakes and marshes is a home to over 300 species of birds as well as 45 freshwater fish species in its numerous lakes and marshes.

We will take a boat trip along Danube Delta.

Arrival in Odessa. a beautiful seaside city of over 1 million with a wonderful Mediterranean feel and lots of cultural attractions. You will be taken on a city tour to become acquainted with the city’s many places of interest.

The area that is now Odessa was first settled by the Tatars in 1240. In 1529 it became part of the Ottoman Empire but was annexed by Russia after the Russo-Turkish War of 1792. Officially the city of Odessa was founded by the decree of Catherine the Great in 1794. In the 19th century, Odessa was the fourth largest city of Imperial Russia after Moscow, St. Petersburg and Warsaw. Its historical architecture has a style more Mediterranean than Russian, having been heavily influenced by French and Italian styles. The city has always had a very diverse population and a more Western and cosmopolitan feel to it than many other cities in the former Russian Empire. The city was home to many different nationalities including Albanians, Armenians, Bulgarians, French, Germans, Greeks, Italians, Poles, Romanians, Russians and had a very large Jewish population. In 1897 the Jewish population was estimated as being 37%. Jewish life in Odessa was the subject of Isaak Babel’s famous “Odessa Stories”. The city was also made famous by the 1905 uprising by workers supported by the Russian battleship Potemkin. Sergei Eisenstein’s famous motion picture The Battleship Potemkin commemorated the uprising. The city was also home to fierce fighting and a vibrant partisan movement during WWII.

Optional program: Visit to the Art Gallery, evening performance

On this free day in Odessa you will be offered optional excursion - visit to Shabo Village

After breakfast we depart Sevastopol and head towards Yalta. On arrival in Yalta we will take a city tour and visit the famous Livadia Palace, the site of the Yalta Conference.

Yalta has a fascinating history, the city is located on the site of an ancient Greek colony (yalos actually means “safe shore” in Greek) and is situated on a deep bay facing south towards the Black Sea, surrounded by wooded mountains. The city enjoys a warm Mediterranean climate with many vineyards and orchards in the vicinity. In the 12th century Yalta was first described as a Byzantine port. In the 14th century it became part of the Genoese trading colonies on the Crimean coast. The area was captured by the Ottoman Empire in the late 15th century and put under the rule of the Crimean Khanate. Yalta was annexed to the Russian Empire in 1783 sparking the Russo-Turkish War. Yalta newly became famous due to its being the site of the Yalta Conference, the famous wartime meeting of Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin on February 4–11, 1945 for the purpose of discussing Europe’s postwar reorganization. During Soviet times Yalta and the surrounding towns became famous as the Russian (now Ukrainian) Riviera, a major resort area full of guest houses, spas, rest houses and hotels that was especially popular with the Soviet Elite.

Today we will have some free time in the morning and then we´ll depart from Yalta as we journey onwards.

Optional program: Visit to Alupka Palace with wine tasting>

Today we arrive at the Black Sea and will visit one of the most famous and important cities of the region – Sevastopol. The city, formerly the home of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet is now home to a Ukrainian naval base and facilities leased by the Russian Navy and used as the headquarters of both the Ukrainian Naval Forces and Russia´s Black Sea Fleet. Sevastopol is one of the most famous naval citadels in Europe. It was founded in 1783 by Rear Admiral Makenzie and in 1784 Catherine the Great ordered Grigoriy Potemkin to build a fortress on the territory and call it Sevastopol. One of the most notable events involving the city is the Siege of Sevastopol carried out by the British, French, Sardinian and Turkish troops during the Crimean War. Despite its efforts, the Russian army had to leave its stronghold and evacuate over a pontoon bridge to the north shore of the inlet. The Russians had to sink their entire fleet to prevent it from falling into the hands of the enemy and at the same time to block the entrance of the Western ships into the inlet. When the enemy troops entered Sevastopol, they were faced with the ruins of a formerly glorious city.

During your time in Sevastopol you will visit a Panorama of the famous siege created by Franz Roubaud housed in a specially constructed circular building and take a city tour and learn more about this fascinating city on the Black Sea coast.

Optional program: Coach tour to Bakhchisaray

Our port call today is to Kherson, an important city along the Dnieper’s route towards the Black Sea. Until 1774, the region belonged to the Crimean Khanate. Kherson was founded in 1778 by Grigori Potemkin on the orders of Catherine the Great. The city was built on the site of a small fortress called Aleksandr-Shants. The name Kherson comes from the name Chersonesos, an ancient Greek colony founded on this site approximately 2500 years ago.

We will take a scenic boat trip along the Dnieper Delta and dock at Fisherman’s Island where you will be served a picnic lunch.

Today we will visit the city of Zaporizhia famous for its connection to the Cossacks. From the fifteenth through the seventeenth centuries the area was famous for the Cossack’s fortress Zaporizhian Sich located on the Island of Khortytsia. After taking a city tour, we will visit the Cossack History Museum and learn more about the Cossacks – members of military communities who formed the Cossack Republic in Southern Russia and the Ukraine and who defended their lands from the Crimean Tatars and the Ottoman Empire.

Optional program: Cossack Show

You´ll spend the day aboard the ship. The views of the lake and the surrounding nature are breathtaking

Today we arrive in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. You will be taken on a city tour to become acquainted with Kiev. You will visit the Saint Sophia Cathedral perhaps Kiev’s most important monument built in 1037 during the golden era of the Kievan Rus. The structure has 5 naves, 5 apses and 13 cupolas. It is surrounded by two-tier galleries from three sides. On the inside, it retains intricate mosaics and frescos from the eleventh century. The site was also the burial place of the Princes of Kiev. The site is inscribed on the World Heritage List. Other places of interest that you will see are Kontraktova Square, Kiev’s most famous thoroughfare Kreschatyk Street, Independence Square, Mykhaylovsky Monastery, the monument to Princess Olga, Starokyivska Hill, the Golden Gates, the Opera Theater, the embankment of the Dnieper river, monument to Apostle Andrew, and Pochtovaya Square.

Optional program: Visit to Kiev-Pecherskaya Lavra with Caves

Kiev: The capital of Ukraine and one of the oldest cities in Eastern Europe, Kiev has much to offer in terms of history and sightseeing. Kiev was founded in the 5th century as a trading post and became the capital of the Kievan Rus (the medieval state of Russia) in the 10th century. Kiev flourished as the center of power and culture of the Eastern Slavs over the next 250 years until it was completely destroyed by Mongol invaders in 1240. On your trip to the city you will see historical places of interest associated with this period including St. Sophia Cathedral and Kiev-Pecherskaya Lavra, 2 important sites for the Eastern Orthodox religions. In 1321, the greatly diminished city and surrounding area was conquered by the Grand Duchy of Lituania. By the 16th century, the city was controlled by the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth. In the 17th century Kiev was transferred under rule of Russia. In 1991, Kiev became capital of the independent Ukraine. Kiev today is an extremely pleasant city filled with beautiful architecture, busy boulevards and quiet side streets.

On the last day of your journey you will say goodbye to the many new friends we are sure you will have met during your time with us. We are sure that your memories of the trip will last a lifetime and we look forward to welcoming you back to this region of the world someday in the future. Our driver will meet you at the ship and take you to the airport to see you off.