1^st day: Samos isl. – Arki and Marathi isl.

After flying from Athens El Venizelos airport to the island of Samos, you will join Nova in Pithagoreon harbor, situated on the site of the ancient city of Samos which apogee was under Polykrates the tyrant in the 6^th century BC. Samos is the birthplace of the Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras, after whom the Pythagorean theorem is named. Samos is the closest of the Greek islands to Turkey, with high mountains rising as high as 5 000 feet. We will set sails south to Arki and Marathi islands, remote and attractive, with spots like an Indian ocean lagoon.

2^nd day: Arki isl. – Patmos isl.

Patmos is the island where Saint John was banished by the Emperor Domitian, and where he wrote the Apocalypse. Halfway between the large natural harbor of Skala and the Chora is the cave where St John lived. The Chora is full of charm and built around the 11^th century fortified monastery and its treasury: really worth a visit ! The walk down back to Skala amidst pine trees is enchanting.

3^rd day: Patmos isl. – Lipsi isl.

Lipsi is an attractive and authentic quiet island away from tourist routes, surrounded by scattered islets with beautiful anchorages and wonderful sea bottoms for snorkeling fans.

4^th day: Lipsi isl.- Leros isl.

5^th day: Leros isl.

Leros like Lipsi remains largely untouched and is quite a beautiful and likeable island. At the north point of the island, the large bay sheltered by islet Arkhangelos is a very attractive anchorage. The chora Platanos is colourful and friendly, and a walk up to the castro offers an amazing view on the bay and mills of Pandelli, and the neighboring islands of Kalymnos and Pserimos.

6^th day: Leros isl.- Kalymnos isl.

Lying immediately south of Leros, Kalymnos is an imposing barren rocky island, and is the center for sponge-fishing in Greece.

7^th day: Kalymnos isl.- Kos isl.

Kos harbor at the north-east end of the island is a very likable city with an architectural mixture seldom seen: you will moor at the foot of the medieval castle of the Knights of St John, wander in the romantic roman ruins among palm trees and plane trees, then walk through a monumental door wrapped in bougainvillea towards the main square where the Turkish minaret rises, and enter the old Turkish market. You might like to have dinner in one the garden restaurants on the edge of the roman ruins. Kos is also the first island since Samos with an airport, so if members of your party must leave, or if others are joining, it is the convenient place to do so.

8^th day: Kos isl.- Nisiros isl.

Nisiros is an almost round volcanic island, 6 kms in diameter. The crater at the center of the island is 698 m high,and 300 m deep. Its last eruption took place in 1873. An excursion to the crater offers a spectacular view of the surrounding sea and islands, and an interesting walk among fumaroles and sulfur veins.

9^th day: Nisiros isl.- Symi isl.

10^th day: Symi isl.

A barren precipitous island with many indentations in the coastline providing numerous strikingly beautiful and impressing anchorages.Symi harbor is a natural bay which slopes are covered with multicolored Italian style houses: a jewel indeed !

11^th day: Symi isl. – Tilos isl.

12^th day: Tilos isl.- Khalki isl.

Tilos and Khalki are two charming quiet islands, seldom visited by tourists or yachts. Khalki harbor looks like a little Symi with its multicoloured houses. Tilos west coast is wild and imposing.

13^th day: Khalki isl.- Rhodes isl.

We will set sails to Rhodes, the capital of Dodecanese which has had a major influence over the surrounding islands since ancient Greece. The Colossus of Rhodes is not here anymore to welcome you, but entering the harbor by sea remains an unforgettable experience, with the huge fortifications of the medieval town in the background, dominated by the palace of the Grand Masters of the Knights of Saint-John. Visiting the old town is a dive in the middle ages, but at night it becomes quite a busy and trendy place.

14^th day: Rhodes isl.

Today you have to say goodbye to Nova and your captain…. and start planning your next cruise onboard !..Spending a couple of days visiting the island of Rhodes before flying back home is really worth it: you might like to think about it !