Compare Circumnavigation Of The Black Sea by Travcoa vs Tokyo To Seward (Anchorage) by Silversea

Day 1 – 3: Istanbul, Turkey & Embark the Variety Voyager

Accommodation: Pera Palace Hotel,

Departing your home city on Day 1, you are greeted upon arrival and transferred to our luxury accommodations at the spectacular Pera Palace Hotel. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure before gathering with your travel director and fellow travelors for a special welcome dinner.

After breakfast, we set out to explore the heart of Istanbul’s historic Sultanahmet District, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We visit the 17th-century Blue Mosque and continue to the beautiful Hagia Sophia. Alternatively, a visit can be made to the Byzantine Church of the Holy Savior of Chora, the beautiful Rustem Pasha Mosque, and the colorful Spice Bazaar. Explore the opulent Topkapi Palace, which served as the chief residence of Ottoman sultans for nearly 400 years. In the late afternoon we board the Variety Voyager and cruise up the scenic Bosporus, a strait which runs through the center of Istanbul and forms part of the boundary between Europe and Asia.

Day 4: Safranbolu

Today we dock in Bartin and travel inland to Safranbolu, a World Heritage Site. Once an important center of saffron production and stopover for Silk Road caravans, Safranbolu boasts a wealth of well-preserved Ottoman architecture. A walking tour visits the marketplace as well as a mosque, traditional house, and Turkish hammam that date back to the 16th century. Enjoy lunch in a converted Ottoman caravanserai, with free time to explore on your own before returning to the ship in Bartin.

Day 5: Sinop

The charming port of Sinop has been continuously occupied since the 7th century B.C. Tour the ancient fortress walls; the small archaeological museum, with fascinating artifacts spanning the centuries; and the 11th-century Alaaddin Mosque. After lunch there is free time to explore on your own.

Day 6: Trabzon, Turkey

Ancient Greeks settled in Trabzon along a branch of the Silk Road from Asia. A highlight of our visit takes us to a stunning alpine setting within a national park. Here, we find the Byzantine Sumela Monastery perched dramatically on a cliff face in the monastic tradition of Greek Orthodox architecture. The interior is covered with detailed frescoes, etched in brilliant blues, reds, and golds. Later, we continue to the 13th-century Hagia Sophia and its exquisite frescoes followed by free time to explore the modern city of Trabzon.

Day 7: Batumi, Georgia

Today the ship docks in the charming port of Batumi. Here we visit the colorful farmers market and take a relaxing walk through the lovely Botanical Gardens. We savor regional delicacies and Georgian wines during lunch at a local restaurant, and enjoy a fantastic folk performance of traditional music accompanied by energetic dances. In the afternoon, we board coaches for the short drive to the ruins of the ancient Gonio Fortress, which dates back to the first century A.D. On our return to Batumi, you will have free time to explore on your own.

Day 8-9: Sochi, Russia

This Russian mineral-spring resort community with a subtropical climate is sometimes called the Russian Riviera. This morning we explore the town with a special visit to Stalin’s dacha. Well-hidden among trees on the outskirts of town, this house was a favorite summer retreat for the infamous leader. After hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics, Sochi has taken its place on the world stage.

Day 10: Odessa, Ukraine

Odessa’s European-Russian heritage is evident as we ascend the Potemkin Steps to explore cobblestone streets lined with shady plane trees. Explore the compact central district’s spectacular architecture, including monuments, statuary, parks, and ornate 19th-century gems such as the Opera House and Gagarin’s Palace. We also visit one of the country’s oldest archaeological museums, housing an extensive collection of Ukrainian artifacts ranging from the Paleolithic age to the medieval period. Enjoy free time this afternoon to stroll the graceful boulevards, with the option to dine ashore on your own.

Day 11-12: Danube River Delta, Romania

The Danube is Europe’s second longest river as well as a World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve. Board a local boat to explore this wetland habitat looking for over 200 species of birds, including pygmy cormorants, purple herons, white-tailed eagles, and Dalmatian pelicans. On board, sample local vodka and Romanian snacks.

Day 13: Histria & Constanta, Romania

Histria was Romania’s earliest-founded city and flourished as an extraordinary trading center, later to be abandoned and swallowed by alluvial deposits and sand. The site has been under excavation since its rediscovery in 1914. We walk through fascinating seaside ruins, tour the new museum, and spot birds in this wetland environment. Next we explore Constanta where we tour the archaeological museum and view one of the largest Roman mosaic floors in Europe. In the late afternoon, we enjoy wine tasting and a cultural performance on board our ship.

Day 14: Varna, Bulgaria

The modern port city of Varna was once the Greek colony known as Odessos. We disembark in the morning and visit Varna’s archaeological museum that chronologically traces the progress of human society in the region over the course of millennia, and includes the oldest worked gold in the world. We also explore the extensive remains of the 2nd-century Roman thermae, or public baths, which make up the largest Roman ruins in Bulgaria. Afterwards, we reboard the ship for lunch as we sail full circle to Istanbul.

Day 15: Istanbul, Turkey & Depart for Home

After disembarking mid-morning, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight home or on to your next destination.

Day 1: Tokyo, Japan

In places Tokyo seems to have been frozen in time—especially in the traditions that underpin many Tokyoites’ lives or the temples and gardens that have survived centuries of upheaval—yet in others the city never stands still, and change of some kind—gradual and rapid—is always afoot. Lights, sushi, manga! Sprawling, frenetic, and endlessly fascinating, Japan’s capital is a city of contrasts. Shrines and gardens are pockets of calm between famously crowded streets and soaring office buildings. Mom-and-pop noodle houses share street space with Western-style chain restaurants and exquisite fine dining. Shopping yields lovely folk arts as well as the newest electronics.

Day 2

Day At Sea

Day 3: Kushiro, Japan

Kushiro, known as the "town of mist", is situated in the south eastern part of Hokkaido. With about 200,000 inhabitants, it is the largest city in the region and the base for deep-sea fishing. The marine products industry of Kushiro has flourished since the early 20 th century and many streets of this port town retain features of this era. Thanks to its strategic location on Hokkaido's Eastern Pacific seaboard and the area's only ice free port, Kushiro is experiencing steady growth as an important economic, social and cultural centre. A literary atmosphere can be attributed to the poet and novelist Takuboku Ishikawa, who lived here in the early 20th century

Day 4 & 5

Day At Sea

Day 6: Petropavlovsk (Kamchatsky), Russian Federation

The Kamchatka Peninsula is part of the Eastern frontier of Russia. Due to its close proximity to the United States, the region has played a strategic role in the defense of Russian territory throughout modern history. As a result, the territory was closed for many years to foreigners and Russians alike. Fortunately, the region's isolated position played a significant role in preserving and protecting its unique wilderness and rich biodiversity. With few roads, most regional transportation is by plane, boat, or helicopter.

Day 7

Day At Sea

Day 8

Date Line Gain A Day

Day 9: Dutch Harbour, Unalaska, AK, United States of America

The Aleutians are a chain of more than 300 small volcanic islands extending in an arc from the Kamchatka Peninsula towards Alaska. The islands became the stepping stones of history that attracted Russian explorers to Alaska in the 18th century. Along the treeless, windswept islands, one can see onion-domed churches mixed in with rusted Quonset huts, weed-covered bunkers and shell casings; reminders of the bitter campaigns fought here between American and Japanese forces during World War II. Together with the city of Unalaska, Dutch Harbor, located at Unalaska Island at the end of the Aleutian chain, is a bustling community with about 4,000 residents.

Day 10

Day At Sea

Day 11: Kodiak, Kodiak Island, AK, United States of America

Today commercial fishing is king in Kodiak. Despite its small population—about 13,500 people scattered among the several islands in the Kodiak group—the city is among the busiest fishing ports in the United States. The harbor is also an important supply point for small communities on the Aleutian Islands and the Alaska Peninsula. Visitors to the island tend to follow one of two agendas: either immediately fly out to a remote lodge for fishing, kayaking, or bear viewing; or stay in town and access whatever pursuits they can reach from the limited road system

Day 12: Homer, Alaska, United States of America

At the southern end of the Sterling Highway lies the city of Homer, at the base of a narrow spit that juts 4 miles into beautiful Kachemak Bay. Glaciers and snowcapped mountains form a dramatic backdrop across the water. Founded in the late 1800s as a gold-prospecting camp, this community was later used as coal-mining headquarters. Chunks of coal are still common along local beaches; they wash into the bay from nearby slopes where the coal seams are exposed.

Day 13: Seward (Anchorage), AK, United States of America

It is hard to believe that a place as beautiful as Seward exists. Surrounded on all sides by Kenai Fjords National Park, Chugach National Forest, and Resurrection Bay, Seward offers all the quaint realities of a small railroad town with the bonus of jaw-dropping scenery. This little town of fewer than 3,000 citizens was founded in 1903, when survey crews arrived at the ice-free port and began planning a railroad to the Interior. Since its inception, Seward has relied heavily on tourism and commercial fishing. It is also the launching point for excursions into Kenai Fjords National Park, where it is quite common to see marine life and calving glaciers.