Itinerary
- Day 1
Flight to Thessaloniki
You'll fly into Thessaloniki and connect with your guide and group at the airport. From there, it's a transfer to your hotel in the city center. Later this evening, everyone meets up for dinner in one of the lively neighborhoods so you can get to know the other travelers.
- Meals
- Dinner
Included Activities
- Airport transfer from Thessaloniki airport to hotel
- Dinner with tour guide and fellow travelers
- Day 2
Thessaloniki
After breakfast, you'll take a guided tour through Thessaloniki, Greece's second-largest city, walking through 2,500 years of history. You'll pass Turkish baths, Byzantine churches, and the Roman triumphal arch on your way to the White Tower, which sits right on the harbor. The route takes you along the ancient Via Egnatia toward the old city wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with plenty to see. You'll get time to wander through local markets and try traditional bougatsa pastry while learning about the city's past. By evening, you're free to explore on your own and find dinner wherever appeals to you.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided exploration of Thessaloniki's historic city center
- Visit to the White Tower landmark
- Walk along Via Egnatia ancient Roman road
- Visit to UNESCO World Heritage Site old city wall
- Exploration of Thessaloniki's hidden markets
- Tasting of traditional bougatsa pastry
Optional Activities
- Evening exploration of Thessaloniki on your own
Landmarks/POIs White Tower of Thessaloniki Old City Wall of Thessaloniki Via Egnatia - Day 3
Vergina - Ioannina
You're heading to Pella this morning, the ancient Macedonian capital where Alexander the Great was born. There's an excavation site and a museum with impressive ancient mosaics to see. From there you'll drive to Vergina, where the royal palace and ancient theater are located, the same theater where King Philip II was killed. Later, you'll continue on to Ioannina, which sits on the shores of Lake Pamvotida and is surrounded by mountains.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit to Pella excavations and museum
- Tour of Vergina palace and ancient theater (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Landmarks/POIs Pella Vergina Lake Pamvotida - Day 4
Ioannina to Kalambaka
This morning starts in Ioannina's historic old town, which extends into the lake like a peninsula. You'll check out the castle and see what remains from the Turkish occupation, including two ancient mosques with their distinctive minarets. From there, you drive through the mountainous landscape to Metsovo, a rustic village in the Pindos Mountains surrounded by vineyards. After that, you'll head to Kalambaka where you'll spend the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Exploration tour through Ioannina's historic old town
- Visit to castle of Ioannina and remains of Turkish occupation
- Drive through Pindos Mountains landscape
- Visit to rustic mountain village of Metsovo
- Get to know the Greek way of life in Metsovo
Landmarks/POIs Castle of Ioannina Ioannina Old Town Metsovo Pindos Mountains - Day 5
Meteora to Litochoro
You'll start the day at Meteora, where strangely shaped sandstone cliffs rise from the valley below. You'll tour the monasteries perched on the peaks (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and walk through the monastery complexes to see medieval art and frescoes. Later in the afternoon, you head east toward the coast and stop at Platamonas beach for a swim before returning to your hotel in Litochoro for the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Tour of Meteora monasteries (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Exploration of monastery complexes with art treasures and medieval frescoes
- Visit to Platamonas beach
Optional Activities
- Refreshing dip in the cool waters of Platamonas beach
Landmarks/POIs Meteora Monasteries Platamonas Beach - Day 6
Akti Elias
Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece, is where you're headed this morning. There's an archaeological site and museum at Dion with ancient temples, theaters, and baths to check out. You'll then continue to Chalkidiki, where three peninsulas jut into the Aegean like fingers. You'll be staying at Akti Elias on the middle peninsula, and you have the evening free to sit at a café or bar right on the beach.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit to archaeological site of Dion
- Visit to museum of Dion with ancient ruins including theaters, temples and baths
Optional Activities
- Free time in evening at café or bar on Akti Elias beach
Landmarks/POIs Mount Olympus Dion Chalkidiki - Day 7
Mount Athos Boat Trip
You'll travel to Ouranoupoli, the gateway to Mount Athos, and board a boat that cruises along the west coast. From the water, you'll see the monasteries of this male-only monastic republic rising above the sea, surrounded by green vegetation. The contrast between the green rock and blue sea is what monks have been looking at for over 1,000 years. You'll return by transfer back to your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Boat trip along Mount Athos west coast (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Landmarks/POIs Ouranoupoli Mount Athos - Day 8
Akti Elias
This is your day to rest. You can spend it at the Blue Flag beach right at your hotel or just lounge on the sun terrace by the pool. In the evening, you'll take a walk along the pine-lined beach promenade to reach a traditional taverna. You'll toast your last night in Greece with ouzo and order mezze dishes in a relaxed setting.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Typical meze with ouzo in a traditional taverna)
Included Activities
- Tasting meze dishes and ouzo in Greek taverna
Optional Activities
- Relaxation on Blue Flag sandy beach
- Use of sun terrace with pool
- Evening stroll along beach promenade
Landmarks/POIs Akti Elias Beach - Day 9
Return Flight from Thessaloniki
You'll head from your hotel to Thessaloniki airport for your return flight to Germany.
Included Activities
- Airport transfer from hotel to Thessaloniki airport
