Itinerary
- Day 1
Athens
You'll get transferred to your hotel in Athens and have time to settle in. The afternoon is yours to either relax at the hotel or take a walk around the nearby areas. Stop by the reception desk to check for information about when the tour kicks off.
- Day 2
Athens
This morning you'll have a guided tour of Athens covering the Presidential Mansion, Panathenaic Stadium (where the first modern Olympics happened back in 1896), the National Library, and various city squares. You'll also see neighborhoods that were built up after the 2004 Olympics. The city tour wraps up at the Acropolis where you can go in on your own (admission costs extra). Later in the evening, you'll head to Plaka, the historic neighborhood, where there's time to check out Greek tavernas and get a feel for the local culture.
Included Activities
- Guided city tour of Athens including Presidential Mansion, Panathenaic Stadium, National Library, and city center squares
- Exploration of neighborhoods developed after the 2004 Olympic Games
- Evening transfer to Plaka neighborhood
Optional Activities
- Acropolis visit (admission not included)
Landmarks/POIs Presidential Mansion Panathenaic Stadium National Library Acropolis Plaka - Day 3
Athens to Kalambaka
You'll leave early and drive north into Greece, stopping first at Kamena Vourla, a seaside resort with nice views. From there, you continue to Thermopylae Mountain Pass, which is the site of an important ancient battle. After that you'll reach Kastraki village with views of the valley and time to grab lunch. The main event is seeing Meteora, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with monasteries built on top of rock formations. Your ticket includes entry to one monastery. Dinner is provided once you get to Kalambaka for the night.
- Meals
- Dinner (Dinner in Kalambaka)
Included Activities
- Stop at Kamena Vourla seaside resort
- Visit to Thermopylae Mountain Pass historic battle site
- Visit to Kastraki village
- Exploration of Meteora UNESCO World Heritage Site with monastery admission included
- Dinner in Kalambaka
Optional Activities
- Lunch in Kastraki (free time)
Landmarks/POIs Kamena Vourla Thermopylae Mountain Pass Kastraki Meteora - Day 4
Kalambaka to Athens
You'll travel south through the Thessaly region and arrive in Delphi. The archaeological site there sits on a hillside overlooking the Gulf of Corinth with great views. You'll have time for lunch, then visit the Hosios Loukas Monastery, a Byzantine structure with detailed 11th-century mosaics (it's also a UNESCO site). Later in the day, you head back to Athens.
Included Activities
- Exploration of Delphi archaeological site
- Visit to Hosios Loukas Monastery with admission included
Optional Activities
- Lunch in Delphi (free time)
Landmarks/POIs Delphi Archaeological Site Hosios Loukas Monastery Gulf of Corinth - Day 5
Athens to Nafplio
After breakfast, you'll go to the Peloponnese Peninsula with a quick stop at the Corinth Canal. Then you take a 15-minute ferry to the island of Poros, where you can walk up through the old town toward the Clock Tower and have lunch there. Back on the mainland, you'll visit the ancient Theater of Epidaurus (admission included), which has been standing for about 2,400 years. Next you'll go to Nafplio, a coastal city known for its fortress and Venetian buildings, with free time to explore. Dinner is included.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner in Nafplio)
Included Activities
- Stop at Corinth Canal
- Ferry to Poros island from Galatas port
- Exploration of Poros
- Visit to Theater of Epidaurus with admission included
- Visit to Nafplio with exploration of citadel and Venetian fortress area
- Dinner in Nafplio
Optional Activities
- Lunch in Poros (free time)
Landmarks/POIs Corinth Canal Poros Theater of Epidaurus Nafplio - Day 6
Nafplio to Patras
You'll cross through the Peloponnese mountains heading to Tripoli, the capital of the Arcadia region, where you can check out Areos Square on your own. Then you arrive in Olympia where a guided tour of the Archaeological Site is included. You'll see the Temple of Zeus, Stadium, Gymnasium, and Arena, all connected to the original Olympic Games from 776 BC. Later you drive to Patras, Greece's third-largest city and a major port, where you can visit the country's largest cathedral and the nearby church of St. Andrew. Dinner is included.
- Meals
- Dinner (Dinner in Patras)
Included Activities
- Stop at Tripoli with free time in Areos Square
- Visit to Olympia Archaeological Site with ticket and guided tour included
- Exploration of Temple of Zeus, Stadium, Gymnasium, and Arena at Olympia
- Visit to Patras medieval fortress, cathedral, and church of St. Andrew area
- Dinner in Patras
Landmarks/POIs Areos Square Olympia Archaeological Site Temple of Zeus Patras - Day 7
Patras to Athens
Starting out, you'll cross the Rio-Antirrio bridge, a large cable-stayed structure connecting the mainland to the Peloponnese. You'll stop in Nafpaktos where there's a Venetian fortress overlooking the harbor and the old town to explore. Later you head to Mycenae, an ancient citadel from around 1800 BC (admission included). After that comes the Fortress of Acrocorinth with ticket included, where you can see remains of an old temple of Aphrodite at the top. You'll make a brief stop at the Corinth Canal before arriving back in Athens in the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Crossing Rio-Antirrio cable-stayed bridge
- Stop at Nafpaktos with exploration of Venetian fortress and harbor
- Visit to Mycenae citadel with admission included
- Visit to Fortress of Acrocorinth with tickets included
- Brief stop at Corinth Canal
Optional Activities
- Lunch at Mycenae (free time)
Landmarks/POIs Rio-Antirrio Bridge Nafpaktos Mycenae Fortress of Acrocorinth Corinth Canal - Day 8
Athens
You have the whole day free to explore Athens on your own. Wander through different neighborhoods and discover things at your own pace, letting each area show you its own character and history.
- Day 9
Athens to Mykonos (Cruise)
After breakfast, you'll head to Lavrio Port and board the cruise ship at 11:00 a.m. You'll spend the day sailing with views of the sea. The ship arrives in Mykonos at 6:00 p.m., giving you time to see the island's famous windmills and white houses before the ship leaves at 11:00 p.m. You'll sleep onboard that night.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Transfer to Lavrio Port
- Sailing departure from Lavrio
- Arrival and free time in Mykonos
- Overnight accommodations on cruise ship
Landmarks/POIs Mykonos - Day 10
Kusadasi to Patmos (Cruise)
The ship reaches Kusadasi in Turkey, a nice seaside resort on the Aegean coast. You'll visit Ephesus with admission included to see the ancient ruins. After returning to the ship, you sail to Patmos, the island where St. John supposedly wrote the Apocalypse. You get some time on the island before the ship departs at 9:00 p.m., and you'll spend the night on the ship.
Included Activities
- Arrival in Kusadasi
- Exploration of Ephesus Ancient City Ruins with admission included
- Sailing to Patmos
- Visit to Patmos
- Overnight accommodations on cruise ship
Landmarks/POIs Kusadasi Ephesus Ancient City Ruins Patmos - Day 11
Rhodes (Cruise)
You'll arrive in Rhodes at 7:00 a.m. This medieval walled city was once home to the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. You'll have the day to walk around and see the city. The ship leaves at 6:00 p.m., so you can use the ship's facilities during the evening and sleep onboard.
Included Activities
- Arrival in Rhodes
- Exploration of medieval walled city
- Overnight accommodations on cruise ship
Landmarks/POIs Rhodes Colossus of Rhodes - Day 12
Heraklion to Santorini (Cruise)
The ship arrives in Heraklion at 7:00 a.m., the capital of Crete. You'll have some time there before continuing mid-morning to Santorini, which has dramatic cliffs, white villages, and sea views that really stand out in the Mediterranean. The ship sets sail again at 9:00 p.m. There's an evening party onboard and you'll sleep on the ship.
Included Activities
- Arrival in Heraklion
- Sailing to Santorini
- Exploration of Santorini
- Boat party in evening
- Overnight accommodations on cruise ship
Landmarks/POIs Heraklion Knossos Archaeological Site Santorini - Day 13
Lavrio Port
Your ship arrives back at Lavrio Port at 6:30 a.m., marking the end of your Mediterranean cruise and your tour of Greece.
