Top Aegean Sea Tours & Vacations 2024/2025 [reviews &...

Aegean Sea Tours & Travel Packages 2024/2025

65 Aegean Sea trips. Compare tour itineraries from 31 tour companies. 105 reviews.

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Top Aegean Sea Attractions & Experiences

Top Aegean Sea Experiences

  • Sailing through the Aegean on a yacht, ferry boat, or gullet (traditional Turkish vessel) and island hopping
  • Sitting on the terrace of a café in Santorini gazing at the harbor far below, formed from an ancient volcanic caldera
  • Wandering the narrow streets and harborside of Mykonos to find windmills, tavernas and tucked-away shops
  • Visiting the beautiful medieval center of Rhodes town
  • Discovering lesser-known but fascinating islands such as Naxos, Patmos, and Ios
  • Exploring the ruins of Ephesus, the best preserved classical-era city in the world
  • Touring the ancient ruins of Knossos on Crete
  • Dining on Greek and Turkish cuisine and enjoying Greek wines
  • Learning about ancient mythology and famous classical artists and philosophers
  • Admiring stunning island and coastal landscapes and cliffs

Aegean Sea Tours & Travel Guide

Aegean Sea Attractions & Landmarks Guide

Encompassing most of the Greek Islands, the Aegean Sea stretches from mainland Greece east to mainland Turkey and is one of the most captivating regions of the Mediterranean. S

ome of its most popular islands are Mykonos, Santorini, Crete, and Rhodes, which can be explored by small ship cruises or tours. The Aegean Islands offer much more than sand and sea: ancient history, archaeology, a variety of cultural influences, exceptional cuisine, and scenic hiking and cycling.

Except for the islands of the Ionian Sea west of the Greek mainland, almost all of the fabled Greek Islands are in the Aegean Sea.

This is the legendary realm of much of Homer’s Odyssey, of Greek gods such as Apollo (the island of Delos was his sanctuary) and Poseidon (god of the sea), of the Atlantis myth of a civilization beneath the sea – said to have been the result of the horrific volcanic explosion that blew apart the present-day island of Santorini – and the birthplace of Hippocrates and many other notable ancient Greeks.

The area has been under the control, at varying times, of the Greeks, the Romans, the Venetians, the Byzantines, the Turks, and the modern-day Italians. It’s harbored crusaders, Knights Templars, brigands, conquerors, and hundreds of generations of fishermen, farmers, shopkeepers, goat herders and winemakers.

Aegean Sea Islands

Island groupings include the Cyclades – the mostly desert-like isles southeast of Athens that form a circle around the once-sacred island of Delos. Today, they form the most visited part of the Aegean, with popular stops such as Mykonos, Santorini, Ios, Amorgos, Milos, Paros, and Naxos. Cycladic architecture is typically cubist and blindingly white and deep blue, echoing the colors of the iconic Greek sky, sea and puffy clouds.

The Dodecanese Islands of the southeast Aegean lie near Turkey and display heavy Byzantine and Turkish influences. Rhodes, the Island of Roses, has wonderful medieval architecture and riveting history; Lindos is a pretty town with ancient ruins. Kos and Patmos are two other exceptional islands in this chain.

The island of Crete is Greece’s largest, and is known for the ancient archaeological site of Knossos -- ruins of the great Minoan civilization -- as well as caves, beaches, and other natural wonders.

In the northwest Aegean, the Sporades are a small group; of islands, with two particular beauties: Skiathos and Skopelos . And in the islands of the northeast Aegean, Lesbos stands out.

The Saronic Islands, near Athens, are worth a visit too – Hydra, Aegina, and Poros are the most interesting.

While primarily associated with Greece, the Aegean also fronts the west coast of Turkey, where scenic boat rides are a must. Top sights along the way include the extensive and wonderfully preserved ruins of classical-era Ephesus, near the lively coastal city of Kusadasi.

5 Top Activities in the Aegean Sea

If you’re thinking of Aegean Sea travel as Greek islands, beaches, and yachts with champagne overlooking stunning blue waters...you’ve got half of it right.

The Aegean region is all of that, but it also has a wealth of unexpected joys and activities available to travelers.

1. Hiking - There are dozens of amazing hiking trails around the islands in the Aegean. And because of Greece’s incredible past you might just stumble upon an ancient site or two, far off the tourist radar.

Because there are so many, it’s easy to find a hike suitable to your physical level, and regardless of whether you get to the top or not, the views along the way are unbeatable. Santorini in particular holds some of the most popular hikes, rewarding travelers with stunning views over the ocean, unique from the common postcard shots.

2. Wildlife - Dolphins are one of the most popular wildlife sightings in the Aegean, and have been a staple of the area for centuries. Dolphins are depicted in many ancient Greek texts, and so their existence there is intrinsically linked to the Aegean culture.

Many initiatives are in place to keep them protected, and it is advisable to look very carefully at any dolphin related activities on your itinerary.

3. Water Sports - Yes, the yacht is nice, and what better way to enjoy relaxing on the deck with your cocktail than after an exhilarating day of waterskiing, wakeboarding, canoeing, snorkeling, and scuba diving? Ok, some maybe not all in the same day, but during your Aegean cruise, these options are often available and are a great way to enjoy the sun and warm waters.

4. History Tours - The Aegean is home to some of the most ancient sites in the world, so no trip around the Greek Islands and Turkish coast could be complete without at least some historical context to bring the region into fascinating focus.

Touring the many ancient ruins around the islands with a knowledgeable guide, often a professional archaeologist or historian, is one of the highlights when visiting the Aegean Sea.

5. Wine Tasting - Greece or Turkey may not immediately spring to mind when one thinks about wine, however there are many options for partaking around the Aegean islands.

Wine enthusiasts will enjoy the opportunity to taste some unique varietals, not common in the United States or other well known wine regions in Europe. Sweet white wine is one of the most popular items. And one of the many things Greece excels at it’s delicious food, particularly cheese and olives, both of which incidentally go very well with wine.

Aegean Sea Reviews

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Ainsley

Oct 2019

Written on

This was my first intrepid experience

This was my first intrepid experience and it was amazing. I loved every minute of it. Exploring this part of the world, I was amazed by how beautiful the surrounds w...

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Vanessa

Sep 2018

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This trip is fantastic.

This trip is fantastic. If you are deciding between the shorter dubrovnik to athens, and this longer version, I 100% recommend the longer trip. we became such great ...

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AWFUL COMPANY AVOID

Nov 2019

Written on

Worst holiday experience ever - unsafe and fraudulent company

AVOID this AWFUL company

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Tiffany

Jun 2019

Written on

DO NOT BOOK WITH SAIL IN GREECE.

"Itinerary" and "inclusions" are completely irrelevant. We were promised a DJ, unlimited cocktails, free shots of ouzo, beach parties, boat parties. They did not del...

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Bhoondi

Jan 2017

Written on

The islands visited are a must! Souvlaki was our fav meal of the day!

We and me crew of 5 joined Sail in Greece yolo cruise end of September. We were on Aiolos and our skipper Christos was funny as hell! Even if when we faced a small p...

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