The jewels of the Aegean

Sail the Greek and Turkish shores during an exceptional journey, an 10-day cruise aboard Le Dumont d’Urville, during which you will fall under the spell of these island jewels and secular cities, featuring ancient ruins and splendid scenery, which people the Eastern Mediterranean.

Throughout your journey, you will benefit from an excursion included per person per port of call, to choose from a selection offered by PONANT. During this cruise, visit the archaeological site of Ephesus from Kusadasi, discover the ruins of Mycenae and Epidaurus from Nafplio, or admire the sumptuous archaeological sites, from the Temples of Zeus, Apollo and Athena to the Terrace of the Lions, from Delos. The diversity of experiences on offer promises you intense and varied moments (to discover the full range of excursions, go to the itinerary tab). The diversity of experiences on offer promises you intense and varied moments (to discover the full range of excursions, go to the itinerary tab).

From Antalya, a former Roman port with picturesque alleyways and fine Ottoman residences, Le Dumont d’Urville will sail south for the Dodecanese archipelago. On the mythical island of Rhodes, let yourself be swept away by the charm of this medieval city with its gothic architecture, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Le Dumont d’Urville will leave Greece to reach Kusadasi in Turkey. An old fishing village with history going back 5,000 years, not far from the Ephesus site, the town is now one of the country’s most famous seaside resorts. You will discover Patmos, known as the “Jerusalem of the Aegean Sea”. This island, where Saint John is said to have written the Apocalypse, offers unique landscapes combining white sandy beaches and rocky coves.

Your ship will sail to the southern Aegean Sea to discover the capital of Crete, Heraklion, built on a hillside overlooking the port and encircled by formidable Venetian walls.

You will then sail north-west for the charming Monemvasia. A romantic haven for the Athenians, this magnificent peninsula conserves treasures of Venetian and Byzantine architecture in the small vaulted streets of its fortified medieval village, which feature thousands of shades of ochre.

Further north, you will arrive in Nafplio, the departure point for discovering the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus and the Mycenae archaeological site, both UNESCO World Heritage sites.

In the south-eastern Aegean Sea, the Cyclades archipelago invites you to enjoy the wild and appealing beauty of its islands. Delos, a veritable open-air museum, offers a unique testimony of the succession of different civilisations during the Aegean period. Then there's Paros, renowned for its sublime white marble, a veritable concentration of Greek beauty, with its olive groves and ancient monuments. The island of Syros is the last port of call on your cruise: the Cyclades capital will surprise you with its authenticity and neo-classical architecture.