2026 GREEK WINE CRUISE

As ‘Wine Ambassador’ for Variety Cruises, I’m very pleased to announce the latest of our new Wine Cruises of Greece.

2026 makes it exactly 30 years since the first ever Wine Cruise of Greece, organised just at the moment when Greek wine was being turned round. That was the first of Arblaster & Clarke Wine Tours extraordinary and wonderful wine cruises…. And it was on a Variety Cruises’ ship too. We’ll see how Greece has re-emerged over these 30 years to give us some of the most interesting and exciting wines in the world.

The changes have been at least as profound as those that have taken place in Australia. Many may be surprised by this, forgetting, or not knowing, that from classical times right up until the early C18th, Greek Wines were among the best and most expensive in the world. The revival is fascinating, with both modern winemaking and many echoes of the past. The spirit remains true to Greece’s core values as a great wine country of the ‘Historic World’.

Wine Cruise of Greece

A small ship wine cruise is a way of experiencing a country like no other. As well as the top level receptions at wine domaines with superb tastings, we’ll enjoy leisurely lunches and dinners with a selected array of the top wines of Greece. These will include local specialities and are served on board on the open aft deck. Our ship, Panorama has a huge swimming pool – the Aegean Sea! and we’ll stop as often as we can and in remote and beautiful spots we know for the chance to swim in the turquoise sea.

So, please do join us on a wonderful small ship wine cruise to exquisite corners of the Aegean on mega-yacht Panorama as we sail from wine island to wine island calling in at historic ports in the wine trade. Along the way, we’ll taste at the top wineries, meet many of the leading winemakers in Greece and enjoy a stunning array of Greece’s top wines.

WINE CRUISE HIGHLIGHTS

Navplio, one of the most attractive towns in Greece and its main capital during the War of Independence. From here we visit Mycenae and the wine region of Nemea, where we’ll taste great red wines from Nemea and white wines from Mantinia.

Monemvasia, the “Gibraltar of the Eastern Mediterranean”, once a city of over 40,000 inhabitants when it produced the most expensive wines in the world. The lower medieval town has been painstakingly rebuilt and fine wines are being made here again.

Santorini Famous as the probable site of Atlantis, Santorini is a volcanic island whose centre, ‘the Caldera’ was blown away in a massive eruption. We visit the island of Thera and moor up in the Caldera where views are quite breathtaking. The wines, largely from grape varieties Assyrtiko, Athiri & Aidani, known jokingly as “The A Team”, must count as a highlight of the tour.

Samos, an Eastern Aegean island with mountains covered in aromatic pine forests with terraced vineyards that are the original home of the delicious Muscat grape. We have a comprehensive look at the island’s wines.

Tinos Back in the Cyclades, Tinos town is a charming fishing port. The beautiful island is a religious centre and an agricultural island with proven excellent wine; the antithesis of the busy neighbouring tourist island of Mykonos

AEGEAN WINE CRUISE ITINERARY

28 August – 4 September 2025

FRIDAY DEPARTURE · 7 NIGHTS / 8 DAYS

ATHENS – NAVPLIO – MONEMVASIA – SANTORINI – SAMOS -NAXOS – SYROS -TINOS – ATHENS

DAY 1 FRIDAY DEPART ATHENS

Join the Panorama in Marina Zeas, Piraeus, Athens.

We set sail in the afternoon and aim to have a swim stop shortly with our first welcome drink.

Dinner will be on board below Cape Sounion with its famous temple of Poseidon. The theme will be the wine and food of Macedonia and will feature some of the finest of all Greek wines.

DAY 2 SATURDAY NAFPLIO for Nemea Wine Tour

Morning arrival into the attractive city of Navplio, dominated by its massive Venetian fortifications.

First, we visit the site of ancient Mycenae, which is just inland from Navplio.

After this – to Nemea, the leading red wine appellation in the Peloponnese.

Here we visit Gaia, the pioneering top quality estate Nemea estate and taste their range, including their great wines from Santorini.

Our second wine visit is to Semeli Winery, where we’ll taste their excellent wines over lunch.

After this there will be free time in Navplio in the evening, which is one of the most attractive towns in Mainland Greece and was the first capital of Modern Greece.

DAY 3 SUNDAY MONEMVASIA WINE TOUR

Our Wine Cruise arrives off Monemvasia, probably the most beautiful medieval town in Greece. Monemvasia’s great wealth in the Middle Ages came from its wines, which we know as ‘Malvasia’ or ‘Malmsey’. These great wines are now being produced once again as ‘Liastos’ or ‘Monemvasia-Malvasia PDO’.
This morning, we’ll have a fascinating tasting of the wines of Monemvasia Winery made from the region’s excellent autochthonous (unique local) grape varieties, such as Monemvasios and Kidonitsa.
There’s free time for lunch in one of the many good restaurants around the harbour or in the old town.
In the afternoon, visit the old town, climb the rock to the ruined Venetian castle, known as “the Castro”, swim at one of the nearby beaches or swim points or just relax.
Dinner is on board Panorama, featuring a range of the best wines from Laconia.

We set sail around midnight, so there time’s to go ashore again in the evening.

DAY 4 MONDAY SANTORINI

In the early morning Panorama sails in the dramatic Caldera of Santorini.
Santorini is one of the real hotspots for Greek wine, and we will have a special visit to one of the great estates Argyros, where we taste a range of superb wines based on the local grape varieties including Assyrtiko. These include both dry wines and the extraordinary, wonderful Vin Santo.
Santorini can get very busy, so after a little free time in Fira, we’ll return to Panorama, then set sail for a quiet spot, perhaps the volcanic rock Nea Kameni or another nearby island for a swim stop and lunch.
Over lunch, we’ll enjoy wines from Santorini grape varieties, but not as you know them: either from other regions or made by radical methods.

Dinner features the food and wine of Crete.

DAY 5 TUESDAY

SAMOS WINE TOUR

Arrive off the South coast of the island of Samos in the Eastern Aegean. Samos is famous for its wines made from Muscat, the ‘Muscat blanc a petit grains’, which originated in this area.
Our morning visit is to the family owned winery Vakakis. Tim Clarke made sweet Liastos (Passito) wine here in 2017, 2018 and 2019 from Muscat grapes, sundried in the traditional Greek way. The tastings then, will be right up to the minute We’ll taste the range of wines from Niko Vakakis, the most important private firm – dry and sweet Muscats plus blends a a good red, with much of the Muscat sourced from organic mountain vineyards 3000 feet above sea level.
We’ll then have a relaxing lunch in the vineyard village of Platanos at the top restaurant on the island. This will feature a tasting of Samos wines in a variety of styles from the cooperative and several of the emerging wineries. Hopefully, we’ll be joined by Efmorphia Kostaki, the most exciting small grower on Samos. We won’t set sail until early evening, so you have plenty of time to relax in the fishing village we’ll moor at.
Dinner will be with wines for other islands in the Eastern Aegean such as Ikaria, Chios and Lemnos. Hopefully dinner will feature a local speciality, Tuna, which is often caught in the deep waters off Samos.

DAY 6 WEDNESDAY NAXOS & SYROS

Mountainous Naxos, the largest island of the Cyclades has been spotted as having enormous wine potential. Other islands are short of grapes, very short of water and have too much tourism eating up the land, not Naxos. It also has a superb grape variety, as yet largely unknown, it’s called “Potamisi” – We tasted it on last year’s cruise and we stunned. So this year we’re heading there to visit the top producer. After the visit, we’ll have a little time to explore charming ‘higgledy-piggledy’ old Naxos town, which will be a sharp contrast to Ermoupouli on Syros, the beautiful and vibrant Capital City of the Cyclades Islands that we visit next.

It’s just a short hop to Syros island where we taste the wonderful wines of Oussyra, which were real favourites on last year’s cruise. We stay on Syros and have the evening in Ermoupouli, the beautiful and vibrant Capital City of the Cyclades Islands. Dinner will be a good Taverna in town.

DAY 7 TINOS WINE TOUR

Morning arrival in the pretty port of Tinos.
Best known as a holy island, Tinos is a new wine hotspot and the Assyrtiko and Malagousia grapes give extraordinary quality when grown in the moonscape-like interior. Here, we visit the emerging star winery Volacus who make outstanding wines from Assyrtiko and Malagousia.

There will be some free time in Tinos town before we set sail.

DAY 8 FRIDAY ATHENS
Marina Zeas. Disembarkation at 8:00 am after breakfast. Own onward transport, our tour manager will assist

OR: EXCUSION & TRANSFER
An interesting Athens tour with a visit to the ancient Agrora and wine visit to the excellent Kokotos Estate in Attica.

There will be time for lunch in the Flea Market / Monastraki area of Athens (which we will arrange at a favourite restaurant here.

A late afternoon transfer to Athens airport, or to a hotel in the city centre is also included.

SMALL SHIP - Panorama

Discover the world by sea at 10 knots per hour, sailing from one island or seashore to another aboard the Panorama.
Her sleek lines and ample deck space redeﬁne what cruising is meant to be. She has a spacious lounge, an on deck dining area, an outdoor bar, shaded areas and deck sun loungers that offers unobstructed 360º views of the sea and islands we pass.
There is a swimming platform at the stern, which we intend to use as often as possible.
The cabins are modern and comfortable. On the whole they could be described as rather small for a cruise ship but very large for a yacht. The cabins on top deck are considerably larger. Panorama’s crew trained with hospitality at heart to pamper her guests and the chef is primed to offer a special array of regional dishes to accompany the superb wines which will be served. She can carry 40 guests, who on a such a wine cruise as this, will be like-minded travellers

NOTES & SPECIAL CONDITIONS
please NOTE: SOME Cabins have changed from this layout

CABIN PRICES

Spring Offer: – 25% OFF or No single supplement for solo travellers. Offer is valid for bookings made until 31st May 2026.

Category A
Main or Upper Deck. Twin or Double beds.

With windows. 11.5 12.5 sq.m. / 124-135 sq.ft.

Price: €4462 per person (inc 25% off). (Approx. £3885)

Category B
Lower Deck. Twin or Double beds (Triple Cabins available).

With portholes. 11.5-12 sq.m. / 124-130 sq.ft.

Price: €4012.5 per person (inc 25% off). (Approx. £3495).

Category C
Lower Deck. Twin or Double beds.

With portholes. 11-11.5 sq.m. / 119-124 sq.ft.

Price: €3600 per person (inc 25% off). (approx £3135).

Port Charges: £230

Tim Clarke – The Wine Guide
The itinerary was designed by wine expert and wine tourism guru, and Variety Cruise Wine Ambassador, Tim Clarke. Tim accompanies the cruise as the Wine Guide.
Tim Clarke and his wife Lynette Arblaster founded and ran for many years the world’s leading wine tours operator and worked closely with Variety Cruises for over 20 years. .
Tim has followed and commented on Greek wine for many years, leading many wine tours and wine cruises here. He has since made the ultra-traditional ‘Liastos’ Muscat several times on the island of Samos. You will find his enthusiasm for Greece and its wines infectious. Besides commenting on the wines you will taste, he will cover the wine scene through from classical age to modern era, and give you a special insight into the country.

The Optional Excursion on the final day arrives at Athens Airport in time for flights after 18.00.

Note re price:
The price includes wine tastings on ship and specially selected wines with all meals, escorted excursions with wine tastings and three meals ahore, all port charges, and allowance for the recent large increase in the cost of fuel.

TO ENQUIRE OR BOOK

Initial enquiries to Variety Cruises https://www.varietycruises.com/cruises/limited-collection-wines-of-greece

There are various packages available via local agents.

UK Bookings – Call Seafarer Cruises (ATOL licenced & bonded).

Tel: 0208 324 3117 Email: Info@SeafarerCruises.co.uk

Web: https://www.seafarercruises.com/cruises/mega-yacht/greek-wine-cruise/

US Bookings – Call Variety Cruises USA

Tel: 800-319-7776 US (Toll Free NY time) Email: Infousa@Varietycruises.com

Greece – Call Variety Cruises Head Office

Tel: 00 30 210 6919191 Email: Info@VarietyCruises.com Web: Variety Cruises.com

Note:

In many cases the journeys between ports are reasonably short so the ship will be in harbour or at a mooring for part or much of the night, but there will be some sailing at night.
Itineraries can be changed at the discretion of Variety Cruises and of the Vessel’s Captain in case of adverse weather conditions:
– winds of 6/7 beaufort or more, depending on the vessel.
– on port authorities not allowing a vessel to leave port.
– or in case of other extraordinary conditions.
Wine visits are subject to confirmation and subject to change in the event of regulations changing or in the event of weather conditions disrupting the cruise itinerary. Details such as swim stops, will be entirely at the Captain’s discretion.
Such itinerary changes do not entitle automatically passengers to any refunds but Variety Cruises guarantees that passengers are disembarked at the advertised port of disembarkation on time for flights after midday.

2026 GREEK WINE CRUISE

As ‘Wine Ambassador’ for Variety Cruises, I’m very pleased to announce the latest of our new Wine Cruises of Greece.

Wine Cruise of Greece