Come with us to some of the greatest ancient sites and hidden islands as we make our way through the Dodecanese, Cyclades and around the Northeast Aegean Isles to the Dardanelles and the endlessly captivating city of Istanbul. Our journey is perfectly timed to take advantage of the late summer temperatures and enjoy the islands at their quieter time of year when the high season crowds have dispersed. Our private yacht, with just 44 guests, is a wonderful way to experience the lesser known islands of the Aegean.

We will begin our odyssey in Athens’ port of Piraeus, heading for the Cyclades. Our first island call is a cultural treat as we explore the legendary birthplace of Apollo. Delos is extraordinary, an unparalleled outdoor museum of archaeology with remains from the 3rd millennium B.C. to the early Christian era. Next is Naxos, famous for its glorious sunsets. Take a stroll through the Potara, all that remains of an ancient temple dedicated to Apollo, and continue up to the old castle of Hora and watch the sun go down. Our itinerary continues in a similar vein with calls at picturesque islands that are out of bounds to the big ships. Folegandros with its charming clifftop capital, Chora, the enchanting islands of Tilos and Simi, and Kos with its white-washed buildings and 14th century fortress although our main reason for visiting is the ancient site of Askeplion.

More splendours follow with calls at Patmos where St John the Divine is said to have written the Book of Revelation, Fourni, an island that takes you back in time and Chios, a marvellously contrasting island with its medieval mastic villages that are built like fortresses. Our journey ends with a visit to Troy and navigation of the Dardenelles and Sea of Marmara that take us into one of the world’s greatest and most historic ports, Istanbul. This heady mix of islands and ports is certainly one of our most fascinating itineraries, combining as it does some ‘must see’ sites together with little known and rarely visited places that are totally unsuitable for vessels larger than ours.