Join the yacht-like Le Levant for a voyage to spellbinding ports of call on your Black Sea cruise. Spend four days exploring the wonders of exotic Istanbul, including such fabled sights as the Blue Mosque, Suleymaniye Mosque, the Hippodrome and UNESCO World Heritage Site Hagia Sophia. Take in the antiquities and architecture of Nessebar, Bulgaria, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. During your Black Sea cruise, explore rich cultural traditions as Le Levant calls at ports in Romania and along the coast of Ukraine. Enjoy included shore excursions, accompanied by your professional director and informative local experts.
Day 1: Your Black Sea cruise starts on the Bosphorus
Welcome to Istanbul, where Europe and Asia meet. Your Black Sea cruise and tour begins at 6:00 PM in Istanbul. A transfer is included from Istanbul Ataturk Airport to Ceylan InterContinental Istanbul in the heart of the city; you'll enjoy impressive views of the Bosphorus from your room. Your Black Sea cruise begins with a three-night stay in this age-old city, truly the juncture of east and west; meet your fellow guests at a welcome reception and dinner this evening.
Meals: Dinner
Day 2: Istanbul’s timeless treasures
Sightseeing today includes the Hippodrome, the famed Blue Mosque, and Hagia Sophia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating back 1,400 years. Take a guided tour of Topkapi Palace, residence of all Ottoman sultans for four centuries right up to the 19th century. Its collections of art, antiquities and architectural masterpieces are priceless.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 3: Opulence and art
Visit Dolmabache Palace, the opulent former residence of Turkish sultans and the final home of Atatürk, founder and first president of the Turkish Republic. Journey along the European side of the Bosphorus Strait; you'll view Turkish art, history, and archaeology on display at the Sadberk Hanim Museum, have lunch, and return to Istanbul where the remainder of the day is free.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Day 4: Slice of Turkish life & your Black Sea cruise embarks
Following a lecture on life in Turkey from an American perspective, see the ancient Theodosian Walls, the Byzantine Church of St. Saviour, and Rustem Pasa Mosque, which dates from 1550. Before boarding Le Levant for your Black Sea cruise, explore Istanbul’s famed Grand Bazaar. Jewelry, carpets, gold and more are sold at the largest covered market in Turkey, with approximately 4000 shops under one “roof.” Embark Le Levant late afternoon for the start of your Black Sea cruise along the 13-mile Bosphorus Strait.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
• Day 5: Archaeology and architecture
Today, your Black Sea cruise takes to you to Nessebur on the coast of Bulgaria. The town’s ancient Greek ruins and outstanding examples of Ottoman architecture have earned it a designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site. A walking tour reveals its 19th-century timbered houses, ancient Greek ruins, medieval churches, charming courtyards and small taverns. If the weather is right later on today, enjoy a swim off Le Levant's swimming platform – an advantage of cruising aboard our private yacht! Your Black Sea cruise continues to Constanta, the largest Romanian seaport on the Black Sea.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
• Day 6: Beaches and ruins in Romania
A presentation by a local lecturer precedes your day in the charming seaside city of Constanta, named for Constantine the Great. Steeped in Greek mythology, the city is renowned for Greek and Roman ruins and its beaches. See the Archaeological Museum, ruins of the Roman mosaics, the century-old waterfront casino and the Orthodox Cathedral on a sightseeing tour.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
• Day 7: Odessa, the St. Petersburg of the South
When she founded Odessa in 1794, Catherine the Great envisioned a city in the south of Russia that would rival St. Petersburg in the north; today Odessa is one of the largest ports you'll visit on your Black Sea cruise. A tour of the city includes the Potemkin Steps, the Opera House, the Fine Arts Museum and the Museum of Partisan Glory, housed in the tunnels that sheltered resistance fighters during the 1905 workers’ revolution and Russian partisan freedom fighters during World War II.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
• Day 8: Secrets of the Cold War
Today, your Black Sea cruise calls at intriguing Sevastopol in Ukraine, once the Soviet Navy's main port. See the Panorama, a 360-degree recreation of the defense of Sevastopol during the Crimean War. Travel to Balaclava where you'll discover the story behind The Charge of the Light Brigade. and learn about the secrets of a submarine base concealed in a mountain during a visit to Balaclava. No Black Sea cruise would be complete without a visit to Yalta, where Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin met to discuss the future of Europe in 1945. A drive along the coast provides a chance to view Swallow's Nest, one of Europe's most romantic castles, en route to Livadia Palace, where the czars spent their summer vacations. Yalta was the site of the 1945 Yalta Conference, where the decision was taken to form the United Nations; the center of the Ukraine Riviera, today Yalta is a very popular seaside vacation destination.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
• Day 9: Step back in time in Safranbolu
Dock in the port of Bartin for a full day excursion to Safranbolu, which was an important caravan stop on the "Silk Road," the main East-West trade route. The town is rich in Turkish history, and was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO mainly due to the successful preservation efforts of its historic and cultural heritage. A guided tour shows you excellent examples of Turkish architecture, from cobblestone streets lined with centuries-old homes to the Old Mosque, Old Bath and Süleyman Pasha Medrese.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
• Day 10: Over the bounding main
Today is a glorious day at sea. Relax and reflect upon all that you’ve seen during your Black Sea cruise as Le Levant sails back to Istanbul. The Captain invites you to join him for a farewell cocktail party and dinner this evening.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 11: Spices and summer estates
Two more of Istanbul’s renowned sights await your exploration today. Built in the mid-1500s, the magnificent Suleymaniye Mosque is considered to be the most beautiful of Istanbul’s imperial mosques. The famed Spice Bazaar, also known as the Egyptian Bazaar, intrigues the senses with its scents and sights. Take a drive to the other side of the Bosphorus to view the magnificent summer homes on the Asian side. Tonight's farewell cocktail and special dinner concludes your Istanbul and Black Sea cruise and tour.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Day 12: Homeward bound
Your Black Sea cruise ends: Istanbul Ataturk International Airport. As your Black Sea cruise comes to an end, a transfer is included to Istanbul Ataturk International Airport. We wish you a safe and pleasant journey home.
Meals: Breakfast
*****All itineraries are subject to change without notice.
Want to find out more??