Country(ies): Greece
Tour type: Shoestring
Group size: Min: 4 | Max: 50
Accommodation: 4-star hotels
Meals:
Transport: A/C car/minibus & ferry
Highlights: Acropolis & Parthenon in Athens, UNESCO World Heritage site of Mycenae, Nafplion & Palamidi fortress, birth place of the Olympic Games at Olympia, Temple of Apollo at Delphi, clifftop monasteries at Meteora, beaches of Santorini
This 10-day Greece tour balances some of Greece's most impressive and fascinating ancient sites around Athens, Olympia and Delphi with the spectacular monateries at Meteora and one of the Mediterranean's most beautiful and interesting islands, Santorini.
We start with a tour of Athens itself, taking in the ancient sites of the Acropolis and some of modern Athens below as well. Next we head west towards Mycenea with several stops and some scenic coastal scenery along the way. Our guide will provide explanations about Greek history and mythology, relating them to the places you're visiting. Its an amazing feeling seeing the actual places where heroes and heroines from mythology played out their stories. Our next stop is Olympia, birthplace of the Olympics and more ancient sites, before we tour the temples and ruins at Delphi. Our final mainland highlight is then the clifftop monasteries and amazing scenery at Meteora before we return back to Athens.
We take to the ferry next and sail into the Aegean Sea to the volcanic island of Santorini. The island was created in its present form by a huge volcanic eruption over 3,500 years ago that created a large crater which is now filled by the sea forming a huge bay surrounded by steep cliffs and coloured lava pebble beaches. The island is full of small villages with narrow winding alleys and whitewashed buildings that are fascinating to hike through. There are also hot springs, wineries and the remaining active volcano itself to discover. We have a couple of days here to relax and explore the island before returning to Athens to finish our tour. You can extend your time in Santorini if you wish, or finish the tour here before continuing your time in Greece independently.
This is a small-group tour that runs all year round, staying in comfortable hotels at around the 4-star level (smaller boutique style guesthouses may be used on Santorini, especially during the winter months). We can also arrange the tour privately if you would prefer not to join a group.
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The itinerary above is subject to change based on the Greek island ferry schedules. While it does not happen often, sometimes ferry schedules are changed without notice and ferries may also be cancelled completely due to poor weather conditions. In this event the program may need to be adjusted and you may end up spending more or less time in one location than originally planned. This is the nature of travel between the islands and we thank you for your patience and understanding in the rare event of this occurring.
Unlike many of the Greek islands, Santorini is an all year round destination, and remains a very attractive and interesting place to visit whatever time of year it may be. However, some hotels, shops, restaurants and attractions do close during the winter months (November to March). During this time we may use boutique style guesthouses located closer to the centre of Fira so that you are as close as possible to what is still open.
This tour is also available for booking privately for travel anytime through the year, and we can also customise the itinerary to fit your personal requirements. Please contact us for details and prices.
The hotels and accommodations listed below are the ones we most often use on this tour. From time to time we may exchange these for similar properties at the same level. In general, specific hotels cannot be guaranteed on our group tours, but you may select your preferred options if you are booking a tailor-made trip.
Our tours are designed to include all that you need to enjoy a really special time in the destination youre visiting. However, we do also offer some extra options to complement the tour and add some additional sightseeing or activities, or some extra time at either end of the tour.
All accommodation based options (e.g. Single supplements, extra nights, cruise upgrades) should be booked and paid for in advance so that we can make the appropriate arrangements. Other options may either be booked and paid for in advance or while you are on the tour, though we recommend booking in advance to ensure there are no issues with availability.
Many options are priced the same throughout the year, but some may incur single or high season supplements - full details are given on the tour reservation form or on request.
The detailed Tour Notes below have been written to give you some more detailed information about how the tour runs, what to expect, and how to prepare for your holiday. We recommend downloading an up to date copy of these shortly before you travel in case of any changes.
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