Best of Greece

Welcome to Greece! Upon arrival, make your own way the hotel for the start of the tour (airport transfers available at extra cost, please contact us for details). This evening we will enjoy an included dinner at a local restaurant in Plaka, an historical neighbourhood of Athens close to the Acropolis.

It’s an early start this morning as we head north. On our way, we will stop at Thermopylae to admire the statue of Leonidas, King of Sparta. We'll then drive on to Meteora, where we will see amazing rock formations, like towers of sandstone, stand ageless, and have provided sacred retreat for monks over the centuries. A number of monasteries are hidden on top of Meteora and today you will have the option to get to see the Varlaam Monastery and The Great Meteoron Monastery, the highest, largest and oldest monastery in Meteora. The view over the plain is breathtaking and Meteora is considered among the most beautiful areas of mainland Greece and belongs to UNESCO’s list of world heritage monuments. After our visit, we travel to Kalambaka, where we will check into our hotel and enjoy an included dinner at the hotel.

After breakfast, we depart and cross the mountains for central Greece, arriving in Delphi, we will check-in to our hotel and make our way out again, heading straight for our visit to the ancient site of Delphi and museum. In antiquity, Delphi was considered the “omphalos” (navel) of the earth, and the place where people from around the world would visit in order to receive an “oracle” from “Pythia”. We will admire the Sanctuary of Apollo, the Treasury of the Athenians and we will also visit the museum of Delphi with the famous bronze statue of the Charioteer. The evening is yours to spend at leisure, with an included dinner at the hotel.

We leave Delphi behind this morning and head south towards the Peloponnese peninsula. The road will lead through Itea and Nafpaktos to the impressive Rio-Antirio bridge. Crossing over the bridge, we will arrive at the little village of ancient Olympia, Built on the banks of the River Alfios, Olympia is beautiful, green, and placid; it was the home of the original Olympic Games, which began in 776 BC. Before checking into our hotel we will stop for some Olive Oil tasting. Did you know Greece is the third largest producer of olive oil, but its consumption is the highest? After checking in, we will enjoy a tour through the remains of the Ancient Olympia Complex, including the Temple of Zeus, the Palaestra, and Phidias’s Workshop. Later, we will be visiting the Olympia Archaeological Museum, one of the richest museums in Greece. The evening is yours to spend at leisure, with an included dinner at the hotel.

This morning we will cross the mountains of Peloponnese to arrive at Mycenae for our visit to the tomb of Agamemnon and the famous Lion’s gate. Our day continues to the picturesque town of Nafplion, the first capital of modern Greece, dominated by Palamidi castle. We will have some free time for lunch, and to explore the picturesque narrow streets with the neoclassical buildings, and walk on the sea-front promenade with the amazing views to the fortified Bourtzi islet guarding the entrance of the port of Nafplion. We'll then travel on to Epidaurus, the most important healing center in antiquity, and famous for its theater, the best preserved in Greece, with is incomparable acoustics. We then travel back to Athens, with a short stop along the way to admire the Corinth Canal.

After our breakfast we will take a panoramic tour of Athens. We will see the Academy, the National library, the Greek parliament and the tomb of Unknown Soldier guarded by the Evzones, the Panathinaikon marble stadium where the first modern Olympics took place, Hadrian’s Arch, the temple of Olympian Zeus, and other monuments and landmarks of the city. Our panoramic tour will end at the museum of the Acropolis for our guided visit, considered one of the best museums in Europe. We then continue on foot to the sacred rock of Acropolis. We will visit the Propylae, the Erechtheion, the temple of Athena Nike and the Parthenon. We will then walk along Apostolou Pavlou street towards the Thisio neighbourhood for an included lunch at a local restaurant. Later on, we will transfer to the port to catch the local ferry to Mykonos. On arrival in Mykonos we will transfer to the hotel and enjoy a relaxing evening.

Day at leisure to explore the magnificent island of Mykonos with its unique sandy beaches on your own.

Another day at leisure to soak up some sun, explore the bustling town of Mykonos or enjoy the facilities of your hotel. Alternatively, follow our suggested optional excursion to ancient Delos.

Morning at leisure until the time to transfer to the port to catch the local ferry to Santorini. Arrive in Santorini and transfer to our hotel. Rest of the day at leisure.

Day at leisure to explore this unique island on your own.

Another day at leisure for you to explore this unique island. Alternatively, you can follow our optional boat excursion to the caldera islands. We will visit the volcano, the hot springs, little Thirassia island and we will end at Amoudi bay, the little port of Oia. We will climb up to Oia village and admire one of the best sunsets in the Aegean. Later, we will be transferred back to our hotel.

Early in the morning we will be transferred to the airport of Santorini to catch a local flight back to Athens. This flight is with Aegean airlines and is included within the cost of the tour package. Arrival at Athens airport brings your tour to a conclusion.