Itinerary Expand all Istanbul to Istanbul Day 1 ARRIVE ISTANBUL, TURKEY Arrive in Istanbul and transfer to the Pera Palace Hotel. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure before our welcome dinner and briefing. Accommodation: Pera Palace Hotel Meals included: Dinner Day 2 EXPLORE ISTANBUL Choose from several tours that reveal the highlights of this legendary city, including the Sultanahmet district, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. All tours will include lunch, after which, there is leisure time to explore on your own. Return to the Pera Palace Hotel this evening for dinner and overnight. Accommodation: Pera Palace Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 3 ISTANBUL / EMBARK LE BOUGAINVILLE After breakfast, several guided tours will be available, offering a more in-depth exploration of the city. Or, choose a morning at leisure with lunch at the hotel. In the afternoon, board Le Bougainville and cruise toward the Black Sea up the scenic Bosporus, a strait which runs through the center of Istanbul. Accommodation: Le Bougainville Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 4 BARTIN / SAFRANBOLU From the port at Bartin, 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. Accommodation: Le Bougainville Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 5 SAMSUN / AMASYA From the port of Samsun, drive inland to Amasya, former capital of the kingdom of Pontus during the third century BC. Explore the photogenic alleys lined with 19th-century Ottoman-era houses, the ethnographic museum, and an Islamic seminary. Enjoy lunch overlooking the town and Pontic Tombs. Accommodation: Le Bougainville Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 6 TRABZON / SUMELA Ancient Greeks settled in Trabzon along a branch of the Silk Road from Asia. A highlight of our visit is a morning drive in the countryside to see the 13th- and 14th-century Byzantine Sumela Monastery, perched dramatically on a cliff face in the monastic tradition of Greek Orthodox architecture. Meet with a local expert who will share details on the extensive project to restore the magnificent interior frescoes to their former glory. Then take a stroll through this stunning alpine setting that is also a national park. This afternoon, explore the 13th-century Hagia Sophia, a Byzantine church with exquisite frescoes, and spend some free time wandering through Trabzon. Accommodation: Le Bougainville Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 7 BATUMI, GEORGIA Today the ship docks in the charming port of Batumi. Visit the colorful farmers market and take a relaxing walk through the lovely Botanical Gardens. After lunch on board, take a short drive to the ruins of ancient Gonio Fortress, which dates back to the first century AD. Return to Batumi for a dinner of regional delicacies and Georgian wines at a local restaurant, accompanied by a fantastic folk performance of traditional music and energetic dances. Accommodation: Le Bougainville Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 8 SOCHI, RUSSIA This Russian mineral-spring resort community with a sub-tropical climate is sometimes called the Russian Riviera. This morning, 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. Accommodation: Le Bougainville Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 9 AT SEA Attend lectures today and enjoy the passing scenery during a relaxing day at sea. Accommodation: Le Bougainville Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner 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. Accommodation: Le Bougainville Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 11 DANUBE RIVER DELTA, ROMANIA The Danube is Europe’s second longest river as well as a World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve. Take a walking tour of the small port of Tulcea and visit the Danube Canal Museum and Danube Ecologic Museum. Then, 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. Accommodation: Le Bougainville Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 12 HISTRIA / CONSTANTA 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, enjoy wine tasting and a cultural performance on board. Accommodation: Le Bougainville Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 13 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. Or take a tour of the Balchik Botanical Gardens and Aladzha Rock Monastery. Reboard the ship for lunch as we sail toward Turkey. Accommodation: Le Bougainville Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 14 ISTANBUL, TURKEY / DISEMBARK Disembark after breakfast and transfer to the airport for homeward flights. Tour ends here. Meals included: Breakfast
Turkey From 2 March 2020, nationals of Great Britain, the European Union Schengen area, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and Poland travelling to Turkey for tourist or business purposes will no longer need a visa for visits of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. If you’re travelling before 2 March, you will still need a visa.
Russia All nationalities require a visa for Russia. These requirements will vary depending on your nationality. For British nationals visa applications must now be made in person at a visa processing centre, located in London, Manchester and Edinburgh. At the time of application, fingerprints will be taken. We will be providing a new type of service to assist with the application process; however we will no longer be able to submit the application on your behalf. It is your responsibility to arrange a visa prior to travel, but we will provide you with more information after booking to help and advice with this. The cost of the visa is currently GBP108.40. For more information please click here Please note: The visa application takes approximently 20 working days. You can arrange for your passport to be posted back to you or returned to the visa processing centre to collect it in person. There is a £20pp charge to create an invitation letter if any pre or post tour accommodation is not booked with Exodus.
Romania No visa required for British passport holders. For further Brexit travel advice please visit https://www.abta.com/tips-and-advice/brexit-advice-for-travellers
Bulgaria Visas are not required for Bulgaria for British and other EU passport holders. Other nationalities should check with the relevant authorities. For further Brexit travel advice please visit https://www.abta.com/tips-and-advice/brexit-advice-for-travellers
Ukraine UK passport holders do not need visas for this trip. Other nationalities should check with the relevant embassies.
Georgia Visas are not required for Georgia for UK passport holders, EU, Canadian and US nationals. Check with your travel agent or with the embassy for other nationalities.
Russia There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Tetanus, Hepatitis A, Yellow Fever.
Bulgaria There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Hepatitis A, Yellow Fever. The risk of malaria is slight but you may wish to consult your GP or travel health clinic for further advice.
Georgia There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Ensure all primary courses and boosters are up to date for life in your home country. Recommended vaccinations are: Hepatitis A, Diphtheria, Hepatitis B, Rabies and Tetanus.
Le Bougainville Le Bougainville features innovative and environment-friendly equipment, elegantly designed suites, and lounge areas that open to the outside. All suites feature ocean views and private balconies, while public spaces include an underwater lounge, as well as a pool, outside bar and dining area, theater, single-seating dining room, panoramic lounge, sun deck, salon, and a spa and fitness room. Le Bougainville carries a fleet of Zodiacs. GENERAL Six decks of guest facilities. - Deck 0 (not pictured in deck plan) – Blue Eye Underwater Lounge. - Deck 3 – guest suites, reception, main lounge, pool, outdoor bar and dining area, boutique, theater, and doctor’s office. - Deck 4 – guest suites and restaurant. - Deck 5 – guest suites and bridge. - Deck 6 – guest suites, panoramic lounge, and outdoor seating. - Deck 7 – guest suites, sun deck, outdoor seating, salon, spa and fitness room. Stairs and an elevator service all decks. The bridge is available to visit most times throughout the day, contingent upon weather, security, and navigation conditions. Smoking is permitted only on outside decks. SUITES All suites feature ocean views and private balconies, with two twin beds that can be reconfigured into one king, a well-appointed en suite bathroom, closets, desk, IpodTM players, small refrigerator, flat-screen TV, personal safe, hair dryer, bath robes, French toiletries, individually controlled air-conditioning and heating, and American style outlets (two flat prongs) at 110 volts. Category 1, 2, 3, and 4 suites are 19 square metres and have a sliding glass door leading to a 4 square metre private balcony. Category 5 suites are 27 square metres and have a sliding glass door leading to a 6 square metre private balcony. Category 6 suites are 32 square metres and have a sliding glass door leading to a 8 square metre private balcony. Suites are 45 square metres and have a sliding glass door leading to a 30 square metre private patio. The owner’s suite is the same size as the suites and features a Jacuzzi on the private balcony. DINING The main restaurant can accommodate all guests at one seating. Most diets can be catered for on board, but special dietary requests must be made in advance. Breakfast and lunch are served buffet-style. Dinner is served in the main restaurant with four, a la carte courses. When weather permits, meals can also be served on deck. Afternoon tea is served in the lounge and coffee and tea are available 24 hours a day. SERVICES Le Bougainville carries a fleet of Zodiacs. Laundry services (no dry cleaning) and a small doctor’s office are available on board. Rates are posted. The Euro is the currency used on board. Traveler’s checks, Visa, MasterCard, and American Express are accepted for payment of shipboard accounts. Wi-fi access is available throughout the ship. Rates are posted.
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