DAY 1: Welcome to Athens!
We’ll start our Greek adventure in the birthplace of western civilization -- Athens! We’ll start on “Souvlaki Row” in the Monastiraki neighborhood with a traditional lunch of kebobs & gyros at O'Thanasis Restaurant. A favorite for locals and tourists alike! We'll then meet our private guide at the Ancient Agora. During ancient times, this was the meeting place for all administrative, commercial, political, and social activity. Socrates spent a lot of time here expounding his philosophy and St. Paul tried to convert Greeks to Christianity. So much of our current history can be traced back to this golden era.
DAY 2: Athens Walking Food Tour
We have something very special planned for today -- a Walking Food Tour! Our local guide will take us through the picturesque streets and markets of Athens while enjoying tastings from several eateries. From charcuterie to cheeses, traditional dishes, desserts, and spirits -- this tour promises to be a highlight.
After breakfast, we’ll step back in time with our private guide at the legendary Acropolis and Acropolis Museum. Built high up on a rocky hill overlooking Athens, the Acropolis holds the remains of 2,500-year-old buildings of great significance. The most famous is the Parthenon temple dedicated to the goddess Athena. In addition to these ancient sites, we’ll see more of Athens today at Constitution Square known as Syntagma.
DAY 3: Ancient Greece
After the tour, you'll have free time to explore, shop, relax, tour the National Archeological Museum -- the choice is yours!
We'll cap the night off dining on a rooftop with a view of the Acropolis lit up at night. We can soak in our surroundings with new & old friends while reminiscing about our magical time in Athens.
DAY 4: Minibus Athens to Delphi (~3 hour bus ride)
After breakfast, we'll board our private minibus for a few days in the countryside. We'll start at a UNESCO World Heritage Site - The Byzantine Monastery of Ossios Loukas -- founded in the early 10th century by the hermit St. Loukas. Then it's back on the bus, making our way to the famous city of Delphi.
Delphi was believed to be the center of the ancient world. With the expertise of our private guide, we will tour the Archaeological Museum with its expansive collection of Greek antiquities. We will then go outside to see the actual site -- monuments such as the Tholos of Athena Pronaia, the Treasury of the Athenians, the Temple of Apollo where the Oracle sat and gave her prophesies, the ancient Theater, and more.
DAY 5: Minibus Delphi to Meteora (~3 hour bus ride)
Today, it's back on the bus to see a truly unique and memorable site -- The Monasteries built into the cliffs of Meteora. Built on top of sandstone rock pillars, these 14th-century Byzantine Orthodox monasteries are a Unesco World Heritage Site and are breathtaking to view. We will visit 2 of the 6 monasteries including The Monastery of Varlaam (monks) and The Monastery of St. Stephen’s (nuns).
DAY 6: Minibus Meteora to the Athens Airport (~4 hour bus ride)
Today is a travel day. To break up the ride, we'll stop for lunch at a quaint family-run restaurant overlooking the sea before continuing on to our late afternoon flight to the Greek Isle of Naxos!
Naxos Free Time
Naxos is the perfect place for relaxing; past customers were unanimous in wanting more time to explore! Sleep in. Read a book. Enjoy a late breakfast and an extra cup of cappuccino. Lounge by the pool or doze under an umbrella on the beach. Go for a swim in the Aegean Sea. Get a massage or go shopping. Enjoy lunch and a glass of wine overlooking the harbor. Shuttle to a nearby beach. Unwind, take in your surroundings, and just savor the fact that you're on a Greek island!
DAY 7: Free Day & Early Evening Naxos Old Town, Castle & Portara Sunset Tour
We'll get back together and meet our guide for the night around 5:00 for a leisurely walk through the narrow Old Town streets on our way to the Venetian Castle of Naxos. She will explain how the castle came to be and how it is used today. Along the way, we will stop at picture-perfect settings to admire the view and learn a bit of Greek mythology. The walk ends during sunset at the famous “Portara“ which honors the god Apollo.
DAY 8: Relaxing day on Naxos
Some of us will have the day open to do as we please. Others might be interested in a Citron Lemon Tour at the 4th generation, Promponas Distillery family estate. After a tour of the orchard, you will relax at the opulent tasting table in the shaded courtyard to enjoy 6 liqueurs with selected food accompaniments all while learning the secrets of distillation.
Today, we have no set plans. Enjoy the day!
DAY 9: Half-Day History and Culture Sightseeing Tour
We will begin with a visit to Demeter’s Temple, a sanctuary dating from the 6th Century BC dedicated to the goddess of harvest and fertility. We will then explore Chalki, one of the most beautiful villages of Naxos and on to the Flerio Valley to see the infamous Kouos Statue, finally making our way to the Eggares Olive Press Museum to taste samples of delicious olive products.
DAY 10: Breathtaking Greek Island of Santorini
We'll spend one last leisurely morning on Naxos before boarding our ferry to the iconic Greek Island of Santorini! This is the Greece of your dreams -- blue-domed white volcanic houses perched on the inner side of a steep caldera overlooking the brilliant Mediterranean Sea. It's like nowhere else on earth. After getting settled into our hotel overlooking the caldera in Oia, we'll make our way down to Ammoudi Bay for a delicious seafood dinner on the water. Yum!
DAY 11: 5-Hour BBQ Lunch Catamaran Cruise
Today, we'll leave the crowds behind and sail the tranquil seas of the caldera on our private catamaran. Grab a drink, lounge on the deck, go for a swim. Try your hand at snorkeling. Feel the warm sun on your face. Life doesn't get any better than this.
The afternoon will be your opportunity to wander the crooked streets of Oia. Browse the shops or enjoy an ice cream cone. We'll have dinner at one of the many cliffside restaurants overlooking the beautiful harbor. Since we'll be staying on the caldera, we will have a front row seat to enjoy the famed Santorini sunset.
DAY 12: Day in Oia before flight to Athens Airport Hotel
Your time in Santorini is not quite over yet. You'll have most of the day to pack, shop, swim, maybe go on an early morning hike to Fira or enjoy a relaxing lunch with your newfound friends. We'll say Gia (yah) to Santorini on our flight back to Athens, where we'll stay at a hotel close to the airport, ready for our early flight home the next day.
DAY 13: Depart for Home