Azure Mediterranean/Vista
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Vista

Azure Mediterranean - 10 night cruise



Cruise only from €3,075

Price based on lowest available cruise only fare for double occupancy. Subject to change at any time.


Description

Gratuities

Dates and Prices

Cabins

Your World From A New Perspective.

Step aboard Oceania Vista and you'll discover a dramatic new way of seeing the world. Vista invites you to savour the journey on a ship whose captivating beauty and stylish design evoke the wonders you'll discover ashore. Stunning interiors and harmonious spaces reflect a fresh, new perspective through organic elements inspired by the land and sea. Sail to fascinating destinations in faraway lands while enjoying The Finest Cuisine at Sea® and personalised service that distinguish every ship in our fleet along with several unique firsts in the realms of dining, accommodations and guest experience.

Cruise ID: 2485

How much you choose to tip is a personal matter and completely at your discretion. For your convenience, the following gratuities are automatically added to your shipboard account.

  • For guests occupying staterooms, gratuities of $18.00 per guest, per day will be added.
  • For guests occupying Penthouse, Oceania, Vista or Owner's Suites where Butler Service is provided, gratuities of $23.00 per guest, per day will be added.
  • In addition, an 20% service gratuity is automatically added to all beverage purchases, spa services and dinner at La Reserve. Naturally, guests may adjust gratuities while on board the vessel at their sole discretion.

Date Time Price * Booking
24 August 2024 22:00 €3,075 Call us to book

* Price based on lowest available cruise only fare for double occupancy. Subject to change at any time.

Cabins on Vista

Owner's Suite
1-4

Vista's Owner's Suites span the full beam of the ship and showcase sweeping walls of glass that celebrate the stunning seaside views. These sun-filled retreats feature luxurious fabrics, designer furnishings and thoughtful touches that exude opulence yet call on familiar comforts to create the ultimate home at sea. Savor an in-suite dinner in the elegant dining room and then indulge in convivial conversation within the stylish comfort of the inviting living area. In the spacious master bedroom, bask in sublime relaxation with a plush king-size bed and a master bath featuring spa-caliber facilities. Expansive verandas off both the living room and master bedroom promise moments of cherished privacy as you survey the world from the pinnacle of luxurious living.

+Owner's Suite square footage varies according to deck location.

Owner's Suite Privileges

In addition to Stateroom Amenities

  • Complimentary laundry service – up to 3 bags per stateroom+
  • Priority 11 am ship embarkation with priority luggage delivery
  • Exclusive card-only access to private Executive Lounge staffed by a dedicated Concierge featuring complimentary soft drinks, coffees and snacks throughout the day
  • 24-hour Butler service
  • Complimentary in-suite bar setup with 6 full-size bottles of premium spirits and wines from our suite beverage menu
  • Complimentary welcome bottle of Champagne
  • Fresh fruit basket replenished daily
  • Priority online specialty restaurant reservations
  • Unlimited access to Aquamar Spa Terrace
  • iPad® upon request for your enjoyment on board
  • Optional private in-suite embarkation day lunch from noon to 2 pm in Owner's Suites
  • Customized entertainment system
  • Bulgari gift set and variety of amenities
  • Choice of daily printed newspaper
  • Complimentary Oceania Cruises logo tote bag and personalized stationery
  • Cashmere lap blankets
  • Choice of pillow from a luxurious selection
  • Complimentary shoeshine service
  • Complimentary pressing of garments upon embarkation++

+Up to 20 garments per laundry bag; additional restrictions apply.

++Certain limitations apply.

Smoking in suites, staterooms and on verandas is strictly prohibited.

Facilities

  • Queen or Twin Configuration
  • Lounge Area
  • Dining Area
  • Vanity Area
  • Shower
  • Bath
  • Room Service Available
  • Butler Service
  • TV
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk

Vista Suite
1-4

Offering the loftiest of locations that afford sweeping 180-degree views and 1,450 to 1,850 square feet of living space, the eight Vista Suites are designed to be the ultimate seaside villas. Swathed in subtle tones that pay deference to the sea and sky and accented by luminescent marbles, granites and rich weathered oak, each is a true retreat. The airy living room is flanked by a handsome dining room and bar area, which feature commanding views and open onto the expansive teak veranda. An extravagant master suite features a capacious wardrobe room and dressing area adjacent to the oversized and sunlit master bathroom complete with porcelain soaking tub. Vista Suites offer an additional layer of pampering with 24-hour Butler service and access to the suites-only Executive Lounge.

Vista Suite Privileges

In addition to Stateroom Amenities

  • Complimentary laundry service – up to 3 bags per stateroom+
  • Priority noon ship embarkation with priority luggage delivery
  • Exclusive card-only access to private Executive Lounge staffed by a dedicated Concierge featuring complimentary soft drinks, coffees and snacks throughout the day
  • 24-hour Butler service
  • Complimentary in-suite bar setup with 6 full-size bottles of premium spirits and wines from our suite beverage menu
  • Complimentary welcome bottle of Champagne
  • Fresh fruit basket replenished daily
  • Priority online specialty restaurant reservations
  • Unlimited access to Aquamar Spa Terrace
  • iPad® upon request for your enjoyment on board
  • Customised entertainment system
  • Bulgari gift set and variety of amenities
  • Choice of daily printed newspaper
  • Complimentary Oceania Cruises logo tote bag and personalised stationery
  • Cashmere lap blankets
  • Choice of pillow from a luxurious selection
  • Complimentary shoeshine service
  • Complimentary pressing of garments upon embarkation++

+Up to 20 garments per laundry bag; additional restrictions apply.

++Certain limitations apply.

Smoking in suites, staterooms and on verandas is strictly prohibited.

Facilities

  • Queen or Twin Configuration
  • Lounge Area
  • Dining Area
  • Vanity Area
  • Bath
  • Room Service Available
  • Butler Service
  • TV
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk
  • Suite Benefits
  • Full Bar
  • Wi-Fi (Additional Cost)

Oceania Suite
1-4

Spacious and sophisticated with a metropolitan flair, the 14 Oceania Suites are situated in prime locations atop the ship to offer unparalleled views. Averaging approximately 1,000 to 1,200 square feet, each radiates an ambiance of exquisite residential luxury. Thoughtfully appointed living and dining spaces, including the oversized private teak veranda, invite gracious entertaining while the master bedroom provides the perfect retreat for relaxation with its grand king-size bed, dressing room and opulent marble-clad bathroom. Each home away from home features the added luxury of a cozy study or guest studio and guest bathroom. Oceania Suites offer a dedicated Butler and keycard access to the suites-only Executive Lounge.

Oceania Suite Privileges

In addition to Stateroom Amenities

  • Complimentary laundry service – up to 3 bags per stateroom+
  • Priority noon ship embarkation with priority luggage delivery
  • Exclusive card-only access to private Executive Lounge staffed by a dedicated Concierge featuring complimentary soft drinks, coffees and snacks throughout the day
  • 24-hour Butler service
  • Complimentary in-suite bar setup with 6 full-size bottles of premium spirits and wines from our suite beverage menu
  • Complimentary welcome bottle of Champagne
  • Fresh fruit basket replenished daily
  • Priority online specialty restaurant reservations
  • Unlimited access to Aquamar Spa Terrace
  • iPad® upon request for your enjoyment on board
  • Customised entertainment system
  • Bulgari gift set and variety of amenities
  • Choice of daily printed newspaper
  • Complimentary Oceania Cruises logo tote bag and personalised stationery
  • Cashmere lap blankets
  • Choice of pillow from a luxurious selection
  • Complimentary shoeshine service
  • Complimentary pressing of garments upon embarkation++

+Up to 20 garments per laundry bag; additional restrictions apply.

++Certain limitations apply.

Smoking in suites, staterooms and on verandas is strictly prohibited.

Facilities

  • Queen or Twin Configuration
  • Vanity Area
  • Shower
  • Bath
  • Room Service Available
  • Butler Service
  • TV
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk
  • Exclusive
  • Lounge Area
  • Dining Area
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Wi-Fi (Additional Cost)

Penthouse Suite
1-4

An overabundance of space and elevated levels of luxury define the Penthouse Suite experience. Ingenious design and tony furnishings punctuate the space, which is resplendent in rich upholstery, fine leathers and stunning works of art. Measuring 440 square feet, Penthouse Suites feature the added luxuries of a walk-in closet, an oversized bathroom with dual vanities and of course, a large private veranda overlooking the sea. Penthouse guests also have unlimited use of the sublime Aquamar Spa Terrace along with Butler service and keycard access to the suites-only Executive Lounge with a dedicated Concierge.

Penthouse Suite Privileges

In addition to Stateroom Amenities

  • Complimentary laundry service – up to 3 bags per stateroom+
  • Priority 11 am ship embarkation with priority luggage delivery
  • Exclusive card-only access to private Executive Lounge staffed by a dedicated Concierge featuring complimentary soft drinks, coffees and snacks throughout the day
  • 24-hour Butler service
  • Complimentary welcome bottle of Champagne
  • Priority online specialty restaurant reservations
  • Unlimited access to Aquamar Spa Terrace
  • iPad® upon request for your enjoyment on board
  • Cashmere lap blankets
  • Complimentary shoeshine service
  • Complimentary pressing of garments upon embarkation++

+Up to 20 garments per laundry bag; additional restrictions apply.

++Certain limitations apply.

Smoking in suites, staterooms and on verandas is strictly prohibited.

Facilities

  • Queen or Twin Configuration
  • Shower
  • Bath
  • Room Service Available
  • Butler Service
  • TV
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk
  • Exclusive
  • Lounge Area
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Wi-Fi (Additional Cost)

Concierge Level Veranda Stateroom
1-4

Vista's Concierge Level Veranda Staterooms envelop guests in lavish comfort. Shades of cream and rich fawn set the tone for a luxuriant respite with an extravagantly dressed queen-size Tranquility Bed, sumptuously comfortable sitting area and a private veranda to take in the marvels of the surrounding seascapes. All feature extraordinary closet and storage space, and a marble bathroom with walk-in rainforest shower. A wealth of additional amenities, such as a dedicated Concierge Lounge, unlimited use of the Aquamar Spa Terrace, room service from The Grand Dining Room and free laundry services, elevates the experience to the sublime.

Exclusive Concierge Privileges

In addition to Stateroom Amenities

  • Expanded lunch and dinner room service menu from The Grand Dining Room
  • Complimentary laundry service – up to 3 bags per stateroom+
  • Priority noon ship embarkation
  • Exclusive card-only access to private Concierge Lounge staffed by a dedicated Concierge featuring complimentary soft drinks, coffees and snacks throughout the day
  • Complimentary welcome bottle of Champagne
  • Priority online specialty restaurant reservations
  • Unlimited access to the Aquamar Spa Terrace
  • iPad® upon request for your enjoyment on board++
  • Complimentary Oceania Cruises logo tote bag
  • Cashmere lap blankets, perfect for relaxing on your veranda
  • Complimentary pressing of garment upon embarkation++
  • Complimentary shoeshine service

+Up to 20 garments per laundry bag; additional restrictions apply.

++Certain limitations apply.

Smoking in suites, staterooms and on verandas is strictly prohibited.

Facilities

  • Queen or Twin Configuration
  • Shower
  • Room Service Available
  • TV
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk
  • Lounge Area
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Wi-Fi (Additional Cost)

Concierge Level Solo Veranda Stateroom
1

Solo travelers have a fresh reason to delight in this new category of stateroom designed exclusively for them. Spacious and airy yet cozy, each features all of the comforts and luxuries world travelers expect. Concierge Level Solo Veranda Staterooms offer a sitting area overlooking the private veranda, separate sleeping area with a sumptuously comfortable Tranquility Bed and copious storage space. Solo guests, like all sailing in Concierge Level, receive an astonishing array of amenities such as free laundry service and keycard access to the exclusive Concierge Lounge and unlimited use of the sublime Aquamar Spa Terrace.

Exclusive Concierge Privileges

In addition to Stateroom Amenities

  • Expanded lunch and dinner room service menu from The Grand Dining Room
  • Complimentary laundry service – up to 3 bags per stateroom+
  • Priority noon ship embarkation
  • Exclusive card-only access to private Concierge Lounge staffed by a dedicated Concierge featuring complimentary soft drinks, coffees and snacks throughout the day
  • Complimentary welcome bottle of Champagne
  • Priority online specialty restaurant reservations
  • Unlimited access to the Aquamar Spa Terrace
  • iPad® upon request for your enjoyment on board++
  • Complimentary Oceania Cruises logo tote bag
  • Cashmere lap blankets, perfect for relaxing on your veranda
  • Complimentary pressing of garment upon embarkation++
  • Complimentary shoeshine service

+Up to 20 garments per laundry bag; additional restrictions apply.

++Certain limitations apply.

Smoking in suites, staterooms and on verandas is strictly prohibited.

Facilities

  • Queen or Twin Configuration
  • Shower
  • Room Service Available
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk
  • Lounge Area
  • Toiletries Provided
  • TV
  • Wi-Fi (Additional Cost)

Veranda Stateroom
1-2

Like the ubiquitous little black dress, timeless elegance is a universal staple of Allura's Veranda Staterooms. Within an expansive 290 square feet, residential warmth is reflected in soothing neutral shades with splashes of sienna. High-tech amenities and ample closet space are de rigueur. The embrace of a lush queen-size bed is complemented by a lavishly appointed bathroom with a large vanity and captivating rainforest shower. A comfortable sitting area is a relaxing prelude to time spent on the private veranda, watching the world glide past.

Veranda Stateroom Amenities

  • Tranquility Bed, an Oceania Cruises exclusive, with 1,000-thread-count linens
  • Complimentary soft drinks replenished daily in your refrigerated mini-bar
  • Complimentary still & sparkling Vero Water
  • Private teak veranda
  • Bulgari amenities
  • Room service menu 24 hours a day
  • Twice-daily maid service
  • Oversized rainforest shower
  • Belgian chocolates with turndown service
  • Interactive television system with on-demand movies, weather and more
  • Wireless Internet access and cellular service
  • Writing desk and stationery
  • Plush cotton towels
  • Thick cotton robes and slippers
  • Handheld hair dryer
  • Security safe

Facilities

  • Queen or Twin Configuration
  • Shower
  • Room Service Available
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk
  • Lounge Area
  • Toiletries Provided
  • TV
  • Wi-Fi (Additional Cost)

French Veranda Stateroom
1-2

A seaside home should joyously enfold the ocean and in every French Veranda Stateroom, that promise is fulfilled. Fling open a floor-to-ceiling glass door that opens onto the graceful banister of the French veranda and transform your entire residence into an open-air terrace reminiscent of a chic hillside villa on the Côte d'Azur. These spacious havens feature an enticing queen-size bed, separate sitting area and comfortable furnishings that exude relaxation and sense of the familiar. Attention to detail is meticulous, including a roomy bathroom with an indulgent rainforest shower.

French Veranda Stateroom Amenities

  • Tranquility Bed, an Oceania Cruises exclusive, with 1,000-thread-count linens
  • Complimentary soft drinks replenished daily in your refrigerated mini-bar
  • Complimentary still & sparkling Vero Water
  • Bulgari amenities
  • Room service menu 24 hours a day
  • Twice-daily maid service
  • Oversized rainforest shower
  • Belgian chocolates with turndown service
  • Interactive television system with on-demand movies, weather and more
  • Wireless Internet access and cellular service
  • Writing desk and stationery
  • Plush cotton towels
  • Thick cotton robes and slippers
  • Handheld hair dryer
  • Security safe

Facilities

  • Queen or Twin Configuration
  • Shower
  • Room Service Available
  • TV
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk
  • Lounge Area
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Wi-Fi (Additional Cost)

View Itinerary By Date



Day 1 Monaco, Monaco

The 202-hectare Principality of Monaco is located east of France's Mediterranean coast. Known for its royal family, especially Prince Albert of Monaco, its casinos and racetracks and for being a wealthy state with no applied taxes. Monaco is reachable by air through the French airport of Nice Côte d'Azur, located approximately 16 miles from the principality.

Day 2 La Spezia, Italy

La Spezia is sometimes thought of as nothing but a large, industrialized naval port en route to the Cinque Terre and Portovenere, but it does possess some charm, and it gives you a look at a less tourist-focused part of the Riviera. Its palm-lined promenade, fertile citrus parks, renovated Liberty-style palazzos, and colorful balcony-lined streets make parts of La Spezia surprisingly beautiful. Monday through Saturday mornings, you can stroll through the fresh fish, produce, and local-cheese stalls at the outdoor market on Piazza Cavour, and on Friday take part in the busy flea market on Via Garibaldi. There's also Porto Mirabello, a newly built tourist port with a pool club, shops, and several restaurants that overlook the fleet of super-yachts.

Day 3 Civitavecchia, Italy

Italy's vibrant capital lives in the present, but no other city on earth evokes its past so powerfully. For over 2,500 years, emperors, popes, artists, and common citizens have left their mark here. Archaeological remains from ancient Rome, art-stuffed churches, and the treasures of Vatican City vie for your attention, but Rome is also a wonderful place to practice the Italian-perfected il dolce far niente, the sweet art of idleness. Your most memorable experiences may include sitting at a caffè in the Campo de' Fiori or strolling in a beguiling piazza.

Day 4 Sorrento, Italy

Sorrento may have become a jumping-off point for visitors to Pompeii, Capri, and Amalfi, but you can find countless reasons to love it for itself. The Sorrentine people are fair-minded and hardworking, bubbling with life and warmth. The tuff cliff on which the town rests is spread over the bay, absorbing sunlight, while orange and lemon trees waft their perfume in spring. Winding along a cliff above a small beach and two harbors, the town is split in two by a narrow ravine formed by a former mountain stream. To the east, dozens of hotels line busy Via Correale along the cliff—many have "grand" included in their names, and some indeed still are. To the west, however, is the historic sector, which still enchants. It's a relatively flat area, with winding, stone-paved lanes bordered by balconied buildings, some joined by medieval stone arches. The central piazza is named after the poet Torquato Tasso, born here in 1544. This part of town is a delightful place to walk through. Craftspeople are often at work in their stalls and shops and are happy to let you watch; in fact, that's the point. Music spots and bars cluster in the side streets near Piazza Tasso.

Day 5  Cruising

Day 6 Santorini, Greece

Undoubtedly the most extraordinary island in the Aegean, crescent-shape Santorini remains a mandatory stop on the Cycladic tourist route—even if it's necessary to enjoy the sensational sunsets from Ia, the fascinating excavations, and the dazzling white towns with a million other travelers. Called Kállisti (the "Loveliest") when first settled, the island has now reverted to its subsequent name of Thira, after the 9th-century-BC Dorian colonizer Thiras. The place is better known, however, these days as Santorini, a name derived from its patroness, St. Irene of Thessaloniki, the Byzantine empress who restored icons to Orthodoxy and died in 802. You can fly conveniently to Santorini, but to enjoy a true Santorini rite of passage, opt instead for the boat trip here, which provides a spectacular introduction. After the boat sails between Sikinos and Ios, your deck-side perch approaches two close islands with a passage between them. The bigger one on the left is Santorini, and the smaller on the right is Thirassia. Passing between them, you see the village of Ia adorning Santorini's northernmost cliff like a white geometric beehive. You are in the caldera (volcanic crater), one of the world's truly breathtaking sights: a demilune of cliffs rising 1,100 feet, with the white clusters of the towns of Fira and Ia perched along the top. The bay, once the high center of the island, is 1,300 feet in some places, so deep that when boats dock in Santorini's shabby little port of Athinios, they do not drop anchor. The encircling cliffs are the ancient rim of a still-active volcano, and you are sailing east across its flooded caldera. On your right are the Burnt isles, the White isle, and other volcanic remnants, all lined up as if some outsize display in a geology museum. Hephaestus's subterranean fires smolder still—the volcano erupted in 198 BC, about 735, and there was an earthquake in 1956. Indeed, Santorini and its four neighboring islets are the fragmentary remains of a larger landmass that exploded about 1600 BC: the volcano's core blew sky high, and the sea rushed into the abyss to create the great bay, which measures 10 km by 7 km (6 mi by 4½ mi) and is 1,292 feet deep. The other pieces of the rim, which broke off in later eruptions, are Thirassia, where a few hundred people live, and deserted little Aspronissi ("White isle"). In the center of the bay, black and uninhabited, two cones, the Burnt Isles of Palea Kameni and Nea Kameni, appeared between 1573 and 1925. There has been too much speculation about the identification of Santorini with the mythical Atlantis, mentioned in Egyptian papyri and by Plato (who says it's in the Atlantic), but myths are hard to pin down. This is not true of old arguments about whether tidal waves from Santorini's cataclysmic explosion destroyed Minoan civilization on Crete, 113 km (70 mi) away. The latest carbon-dating evidence, which points to a few years before 1600 BC for the eruption, clearly indicates that the Minoans outlasted the eruption by a couple of hundred years, but most probably in a weakened state. In fact, the island still endures hardships: since antiquity, Santorini has depended on rain collected in cisterns for drinking and irrigating—the well water is often brackish—and the serious shortage is alleviated by the importation of water. However, the volcanic soil also yields riches: small, intense tomatoes with tough skins used for tomato paste (good restaurants here serve them); the famous Santorini fava beans, which have a light, fresh taste; barley; wheat; and white-skin eggplants.

Day 7 Marmaris, Turkey

This big, brash resort city has two faces, and they're hard to reconcile. From the sea, a line of hotels stretches around the northern edge of a great bay, the whole encircled by a magical necklace of pine-clad mountains. Behind those same hotels, however, the city has been overwhelmed by boxy concrete development and streets lined with a hundred generically named eateries. An annual horde of European tourists descends on these workaday establishments, but for the international traveler, there is little about Marmaris that can't be savored elsewhere in Turkey. Although it is a pretty spot, there isn't much reason to linger unless you are meeting a yacht, traveling on to the Greek island of Rhodes, or perhaps snapping up an unbeatable deal at one of the top resorts, some of which are spectacular worlds unto themselves.

Day 8 Antalya, Turkey

As the largest Turkish city on the western Mediterranean coast, Antalya is a mix of antiquity and modernity. It is popular with tourist all year round for its warm climate and sandy white beaches.

Day 9 Bodrum, Turkey

Day 10 Pátmos, Greece

For better or worse, it can be difficult to reach Patmos—for many travelers, this lack of access is definitely for the better, since the island retains the air of an unspoiled retreat. Rocky and barren, the small, 34-square-km (21-square-mi) island lies beyond the islands of Kalymnos and Leros, northwest of Kos. Here on a hillside is the Monastery of the Apocalypse, which enshrines the cave where St. John received the Revelation in AD 95. Scattered evidence of Mycenaean presence remains on Patmos, and walls of the classical period indicate the existence of a town near Skala. Most of the island's approximately 2,800 people live in three villages: Skala, medieval Chora, and the small rural settlement of Kambos. The island is popular among the faithful making pilgrimages to the monastery as well as with vacationing Athenians and a newly growing community of international trendsetters—designers, artists, poets, and “taste gurus” (to quote Vogue's July 2011 write-up of the island)—who have bought homes in Chora. These stylemeisters followed in the footsteps of Alexandrian John Stefanidis and the English artist Teddy Millington-Drake who, in the early '60s, set about creating what eventually became hailed as one of the most gorgeous island homes in the world. The word soon spread thanks to their many guests (who included Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis) but, happily, administrators have carefully contained development, and as a result, Patmos retains its charm and natural beauty—even in the busy month of August.

Day 11 Piraeus, Greece

It's no wonder that all roads lead to the fascinating and maddening metropolis of Athens. Lift your eyes 200 feet above the city to the Parthenon, its honey-color marble columns rising from a massive limestone base, and you behold architectural perfection that has not been surpassed in 2,500 years. But, today, this shrine of classical form dominates a 21st-century boomtown. To experience Athens—Athína in Greek—fully is to understand the essence of Greece: ancient monuments surviving in a sea of cement, startling beauty amid the squalor, tradition juxtaposed with modernity. Locals depend on humor and flexibility to deal with the chaos; you should do the same. The rewards are immense. Although Athens covers a huge area, the major landmarks of the ancient Greek, Roman, and Byzantine periods are close to the modern city center. You can easily walk from the Acropolis to many other key sites, taking time to browse in shops and relax in cafés and tavernas along the way. From many quarters of the city you can glimpse "the glory that was Greece" in the form of the Acropolis looming above the horizon, but only by actually climbing that rocky precipice can you feel the impact of the ancient settlement. The Acropolis and Filopappou, two craggy hills sitting side by side; the ancient Agora (marketplace); and Kerameikos, the first cemetery, form the core of ancient and Roman Athens. Along the Unification of Archaeological Sites promenade, you can follow stone-paved, tree-lined walkways from site to site, undisturbed by traffic. Cars have also been banned or reduced in other streets in the historical center. In the National Archaeological Museum, vast numbers of artifacts illustrate the many millennia of Greek civilization; smaller museums such as the Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art Museum and the Byzantine and Christian Museum illuminate the history of particular regions or periods. Athens may seem like one huge city, but it is really a conglomeration of neighborhoods with distinctive characters. The Eastern influences that prevailed during the 400-year rule of the Ottoman Empire are still evident in Monastiraki, the bazaar area near the foot of the Acropolis. On the northern slope of the Acropolis, stroll through Plaka (if possible by moonlight), an area of tranquil streets lined with renovated mansions, to get the flavor of the 19th-century's gracious lifestyle. The narrow lanes of Anafiotika, a section of Plaka, thread past tiny churches and small, color-washed houses with wooden upper stories, recalling a Cycladic island village. In this maze of winding streets, vestiges of the older city are everywhere: crumbling stairways lined with festive tavernas; dank cellars filled with wine vats; occasionally a court or diminutive garden, enclosed within high walls and filled with magnolia trees and the flaming trumpet-shaped flowers of hibiscus bushes. Formerly run-down old quarters, such as Thission, Gazi and Psirri, popular nightlife areas filled with bars and mezedopoleia (similar to tapas bars), are now in the process of gentrification, although they still retain much of their original charm, as does the colorful produce and meat market on Athinas. The area around Syntagma Square, the tourist hub, and Omonia Square, the commercial heart of the city about 1 km (½ mi) northwest, is distinctly European, having been designed by the court architects of King Otho, a Bavarian, in the 19th century. The chic shops and bistros of ritzy Kolonaki nestle at the foot of Mt. Lycabettus, Athens's highest hill (909 feet). Each of Athens's outlying suburbs has a distinctive character: in the north is wealthy, tree-lined Kifissia, once a summer resort for aristocratic Athenians, and in the south and southeast lie Glyfada, Voula, and Vouliagmeni, with their sandy beaches, seaside bars, and lively summer nightlife. Just beyond the city's southern fringes is Piraeus, a bustling port city of waterside fish tavernas and Saronic Gulf views.

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