Itinerary
- Day 1
Athens
You'll arrive in Athens and get transferred to your hotel. After you've had time to settle in and freshen up, check the boards at the hotel reception in the afternoon for information about tomorrow's tour and any other helpful details.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Novotel Athenes), Hotel (Skylark)
- Day 2
Athens
Start your morning with a guided tour through Athens, walking past the Presidential Mansion and heading to the Panathenaic Stadium where the first modern Olympic Games took place. You'll also see the National Library and various city squares before moving through some of the newer neighborhoods that developed after 2004. The afternoon takes you to the Acropolis, and by evening you'll transfer to Plaka where you can explore the historic neighborhood's traditional Greek tavernas and narrow streets.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Novotel Athenes), Hotel (Skylark)
Included Activities
- City tour of Athens with local guide visiting Presidential Mansion, Panathenaic Stadium, National Library, and city center squares
- Exploration of neighborhoods developed after 2004 Olympic Games
- Evening transfer to Plaka neighborhood
Optional Activities
- Acropolis visit (admission not included)
Landmarks Presidential Mansion Panathenaic Stadium National Library Acropolis Plaka 
- Day 3
Athens - Kamena Vourla - Kalambaka
Head out early heading north, starting with Kamena Vourla, a quiet seaside resort where you can stretch your legs. Next comes Thermopylae Mountain Pass, the site of that famous ancient battle between Greeks and Persians. Stop in Kastraki village for lunch where the views down over the valley are really something special. Later you'll reach the Meteora UNESCO site, visiting one of the monasteries perched on those massive rock formations. Dinner's included in Kalambaka.
- Meals
- Dinner (Dinner in Kalambaka)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Amalia Kalambaca)
Included Activities
- Visit to Kamena Vourla seaside resort
- Thermopylae Mountain Pass (historic battlefield site)
- Kastraki village with valley views
- Meteora UNESCO World Heritage Site exploration
- Admission and visit to Meteora monastery
Landmarks Kamena Vourla Thermopylae Kastraki Meteora 
- Day 4
Kalambaka - Delphi - Athens
Travel south through the Thessaly region toward Delphi, an archaeological site with beautiful views overlooking the Gulf of Corinth. You'll have time to walk around and grab lunch before heading to the Hosios Loukas Monastery, known for its Byzantine architecture and remarkable 11th-century mosaics. The return journey takes you back to Athens by evening.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Novotel Athenes), Hotel (Skylark)
Included Activities
- Delphi archaeological site exploration with views of Gulf of Corinth
- Hosios Loukas Monastery visit (Byzantine World Heritage Site with 11th-century mosaics)
Landmarks Delphi Hosios Loukas Monastery 
- Day 5
Athens to Heraklion
The morning is yours to explore Athens on your own, hit up a museum if something interests you, or do some shopping around the city. In the afternoon, you'll head to Piraeus Port and board a night ferry to Crete. Your double cabin has the kind of amenities you'd find on a cruise ship, so settle in for the overnight journey.
Optional Activities
- Museum visits
- Shopping in Athens
- Day 6
Heraklion - Rethymno - Chania - Heraklion
Pull into Heraklion at 7:00 a.m. and start heading west along the coast. You'll check out Rethymno with its medieval castle, then continue on to Chania to see its impressive fortress and historic architecture. This city's been through quite a lot with Romans, Byzantines, Venetiles, Genoese, Turks, Egyptians, and Greeks all having their turn ruling it over the centuries. By end of day you'll head back to Heraklion.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Ibis Styles Heraklion)
Included Activities
- Coastal travel to western Crete
- Rethymno visit (Venetian coastal city with medieval castle)
- Chania visit (historic city with fortress and mansions)
Landmarks Rethymno Chania 
- Day 7
Heraklion
Start by visiting the Palace of Knossos to explore the Minoan culture that essentially started Greek civilization about 4,000 years ago. From there, head through the island's tall mountains going south toward the Libyan Sea coast and reach Agia Galini with its winding streets, fishing port, and tavernas perfect for lunch. If you feel like it, there's time for swimming. Return to Heraklion by evening. Note: November through April you'll visit Matala instead, which has a nice beach and famous cliff caves.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Ibis Styles Heraklion)
Included Activities
- Palace of Knossos exploration with admission and guided tour (Minoan culture)
- Journey through southern mountains to Libyan Sea coast
- Visit to Agia Galini (or Matala November-April)
Optional Activities
- Swimming in the sea at Agia Galini or Matala
Landmarks Palace of Knossos Agia Galini Matala - Day 8
Heraklion
Travel east along the coast to Kritsa and visit Panagia Kera, a 13th-century church with exquisite frescoes covering its interior. Continue to Agios Nikolaos, a port town where you can stop for lunch and walk around the harbor. Then it's on to Elounda for some time there before taking a boat out to Spinalonga Island to see the old Venetian Fortress, which later became a leper colony. You'll take a boat back to Heraklion.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Ibis Styles Heraklion)
Included Activities
- Panagia Kera church visit (13th-century with exquisite frescoes) - admission included
- Agios Nikolaos port town visit
- Elounda tourist enclave
- Boat ride to Spinalonga Island
- Spinalonga Fortress visit (ancient Venetian fortress and former leper colony)
Landmarks Kritsa Panagia Kera Agios Nikolaos Elounda Spinalonga Island Fortress of Spinalonga - Day 9
Heraklion - Santorini - Athens
Get transferred early to the port for a high-speed ferry to Santorini, arriving between 9:00 and 10:00 a.m. Travel through the island's beautiful landscapes to reach Oia, the most spectacular town with its white-painted streets, cliff views, castle ruins, and windmills. You'll have time for lunch and walking around. Next stop is Fira, the island capital, where you can either take a cable car or ride a donkey down to the port for views of cruise ships. Around 3:15 p.m. you'll board an afternoon ferry heading back to Athens, arriving around midnight. Note: November through mid-April, fly from Heraklion to Athens instead since ferry service isn't running.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Novotel Athenes), Hotel (Skylark)
Included Activities
- High-speed ferry transfer to Santorini
- Travel through scenic landscapes by bus
- Oia town visit (white streets, cliff views, castle ruins, windmills)
- Fira capital visit
- High-speed ferry return to Athens
Optional Activities
- Cable car descent to Fira port
- Donkey ride to Fira port
Landmarks Oia Fira 
- Day 10
Athens
After breakfast, your time in Greece comes to an end and you'll head home with good memories of what you've seen and done.
- Meals
- Breakfast
