Begin in Istanbul with a visit to the awe-inspiring basilica of Hagia Sophia—the largest church in Christendom for a thousand years—before embarking the luxury yacht Variety Voyager for a twelve-night cruise. In Amasya, admire picturesque Ottoman houses and tombs of ancient royalty, carved into cliffs. Call at the former Byzantine capital of Trabzon to see the fourth-century Sümela Monastery, built into the mountainside, and the villa where Kemal Ataturk stayed. Spend a day in the fin-de-siecle seaside resort of Batumi, Georgia, or choose an inland excursion to Kutaisi to explore its UNESCO-recognized monastery and cathedral. Sunny Sochi, Russia, beckons next, with its impressive Olympic facilities and Stalin’s summer hideaway. Call in Romania to tour the world-renowned painted churches in the countryside and discover the Danube Delta, included on UNESCO’s World Heritage list for its unique flora and fauna.
