Cruise itinerary
18-Night Europe Cruise from Istanbul
18 nights · Europe · 19 ports of call
18-night Europe cruise aboard Seven Seas Explorer, departing Istanbul and calling at Çanakkale, Izmir, Bodrum, Marmaris, Cruising the Mediterranean Sea and Rhodes and 12 more.
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- No booking fees
- 10,000+ sailings
At a glance
- Cruise line
- Regent Seven Seas Cruises
- Duration
- 18 nights
- Region
- Europe · Southern Europe · Mediterranean · Greek Islands · Aegean
- Departs
- Istanbul
- Returns
- Civitavecchia
How NestCruise works:we're advisor-led, not a booking engine. No fares are listed and there are no booking fees — tell an advisor your dates and party and they price your exact Seven Seas Explorer sailing, typically within 24 hours.
Where this voyage takes you
Day-by-day itinerary
- Day1
Istanbul
Arrive 07:00 · Depart 16:00
The city straddling Europe and Asia along the Bosphorus, once Byzantium and then Constantinople. Ships dock near the historic peninsula, within reach of the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the covered Grand Bazaar's labyrinth of stalls.
- Hagia Sophia
- Blue Mosque
- Grand Bazaar
- Day2
Çanakkale
Arrive 07:00 · Depart 16:00
A Turkish port at the narrowest point of the Dardanelles strait, between the Aegean and the Sea of Marmara. It is the gateway to the ruins of ancient Troy and to the Gallipoli battlefields and war memorials across the water on the peninsula.
- Ancient Troy
- Gallipoli battlefields
- Dardanelles strait
- Day3
Izmir
Arrive 07:00 · Depart 18:00
- Day4
Bodrum
Arrive 09:00 · Depart 18:00
A resort town on Turkey's southwest Aegean coast, set on a twin bay beneath the Castle of St. Peter, built by the Knights of St. John. The site of the ancient Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, it is now known for its marina, whitewashed lanes, and nightlife.
- Bodrum Castle
- Mausoleum ruins
- Marina waterfront
- Day5
Marmaris
Arrive 08:00 · Depart 17:00
- Day6
Cruising the Mediterranean Sea
- Day7
Rhodes
Arrive 07:00 · Depart 16:00
The largest of Greece's Dodecanese islands, off the Turkish coast, with one of Europe's best-preserved medieval walled towns. The Old Town keeps the cobbled Street of the Knights and the Palace of the Grand Master, while Lindos and its acropolis lie down the coast.
- Medieval Old Town
- Palace of the Grand Master
- Lindos Acropolis
- Day8
Heraklion (Iraklion), Crete
Arrive 07:00 · Depart 17:00
The largest city on Crete and the island's main port, in Greece. A Venetian harbour and fortress front the town, while the Bronze Age palace of Knossos and the Heraklion Archaeological Museum's Minoan treasures lie close by.
- Palace of Knossos
- Venetian harbour
- Archaeological Museum
- Day9
Milos
Arrive 07:00 · Depart 17:00
A volcanic island in the Greek Cyclades, ringed by some of the most unusual coastline in the Aegean. The white cliffs and sea caves of Sarakiniko, the fishing village of Klima and the bay of Adamas draw visitors ashore.
- Sarakiniko cliffs
- Klima village
- Adamas harbour
- Day10
Piraeus
Arrive 05:30 · Depart 16:00
The ancient harbour of Athens and Greece's principal cruise port. Ferries fan out to the Aegean islands from its quays, while the Acropolis, the Plaka district and the National Archaeological Museum sit a short metro ride inland.
- Gateway to Athens
- Acropolis
- Aegean ferries
- Day11
Katakolon
Arrive 09:00 · Depart 19:00
A small port on Greece's western Peloponnese coast, best known as the gateway to ancient Olympia. The sanctuary where the original Olympic Games were held lies a short drive inland, among ruined temples and the old stadium.
- Ancient Olympia
- Olympic stadium
- Temple of Zeus
- Day12
Corfu
Arrive 09:00 · Depart 18:00
An Ionian island off Greece's northwest coast, greener and more Venetian-feeling than the Aegean isles. Ships call at its old town, a UNESCO-listed warren of Italianate streets between two hilltop fortresses, with pebbly coves around the shore.
- Old Fortress
- Liston arcade
- Ionian coves
- Day13
Kotor
Arrive 10:00 · Depart 20:00
A walled medieval town at the head of the Bay of Kotor, a fjord-like inlet of the Adriatic ringed by steep mountains. Ships anchor below the old town, whose stone lanes and ramparts climb toward the fortress of San Giovanni.
- Bay of Kotor
- Old town walls
- San Giovanni fortress
- Day14
Dubrovnik
Arrive 07:00 · Depart 19:00
A walled city on Croatia's Dalmatian coast, its limestone old town wrapped in sea-facing ramparts above the Adriatic. Ships call here for the marble main street of Stradun, the circuit of the city walls and the cable car to Mount Srđ.
- City walls
- Stradun
- Mount Srđ cable car
- Day15
Cruising the Ionian Sea
- Day16
Valletta
Arrive 07:00 · Depart 17:00
Malta's fortified harbour capital, built by the Knights of St. John on a peninsula between two deep ports. Honey-coloured limestone defines St. John's Co-Cathedral, the Grand Master's Palace and the bastions overlooking the Grand Harbour.
- Grand Harbour
- St. John's Co-Cathedral
- Upper Barrakka Gardens
- Day17
Messina
Arrive 07:00 · Depart 17:00
A Sicilian port on the strait that separates the island from mainland Italy, framed by the Peloritani mountains. Its harbour clock tower performs an elaborate noon display, and the town is a common gateway to Taormina and the slopes of Mount Etna.
- Etna day trips
- Taormina gateway
- Astronomical clock
- Day18
Naples
Arrive 07:00 · Depart 17:00
A southern Italian port on its namesake bay, in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. Ships dock near the historic centre, the gateway to Pompeii, the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast and the island of Capri, in a city that claims to have invented pizza.
- Mount Vesuvius
- Pompeii
- Gateway to Capri
- Day19
Civitavecchia
Arrive 07:00 · Depart 16:00
The deep-water port serving Rome, roughly 80 kilometres up the coast. Ships dock here for shore excursions to the Colosseum, the Vatican and the Roman Forum, while the town itself keeps a working harbour and a Michelangelo-designed fortress.
- Gateway to Rome
- Fort Michelangelo
- Vatican excursions
Upcoming departures
- 24 Sep 2028
Upcoming sailings of this itinerary — a NestCruise advisor confirms current availability and your fare.
18-Night Europe Cruise from Istanbul FAQ
Which ports does this cruise visit?
This 18-night Europe cruise calls at Istanbul, Çanakkale, Izmir, Bodrum, Marmaris, Cruising the Mediterranean Sea, Rhodes, Heraklion (Iraklion), Crete, Milos, Piraeus, Katakolon, Corfu, Kotor, Dubrovnik, Cruising the Ionian Sea, Valletta, Messina, Naples and Civitavecchia.
How many days are spent at sea?
2 days are spent at sea; the rest are in port.
Where does this cruise depart from?
It departs from Istanbul and ends in Civitavecchia.
How long is this cruise?
18 nights aboard Seven Seas Explorer.
When does this itinerary sail?
Upcoming departures include 24 Sep 2028. A NestCruise advisor can confirm current availability.