GREECE - ATHENS AND THE GREEK ISLES 11 DAYS
Price from $3,495 US Details below or
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Lapped by the azure Ionian and Aegean seas, Greece is considered the cradle of the Western civilization. During the Athens and the Greek Isles Tour, you will embark on an exclusive voyage of discovery, follow the ancient epic tales and encounter history where it was made.
In Athens, you will discover treasures of the Acropolis, including the masterpiece of Periclean Athens: the Parthenon, then explore the ancient Agora with a private guide who will bring those iconic monuments to life.
In Santorini, you'll sail around the island on a private yacht, walk on the crater of a volcano, explore the crescent of the island surviving after the Late Bronze era volcanic explosions, the picturesque vineyards and villages, enjoy the black sand beaches and spectacular sunsets, and even ride on a donkey.
In Crete, the legendary birthplace of Zeus, you will bask in the history, ambiance and beauty of the island, as you visit the Minoan Palace in Knossos, the Venetian design town of Chania, then take a Mediterranean cooking class. You'll see ancient temples and lively villages, but you'll also have time to relax on the beach, swim and enjoy the Greek Isles which are defined by the sapphire waters and the remains of the richest Mediterranean cultures that intersected and influenced each other here.
This tour starts at 4:00PM. Please assure that your flight arrives before 2:00PM on May 17, 2012.
Day 1:
Travel representatives will meet you at the Athens International Airport at your flight arrival time for a private transportation to Hotel Herodion, at the foot of the Acropolis in Athens. In the afternoon, we'll enjoy an introductory walk through the ancient Plaka area, stopping at the Dionysus Theatre, the Roman Forum, the Hadrian's Gate and the Temple of Olympian Zeus, then we'll get to know each other during the welcome dinner of local specialties in an elegant, Greek mythology inspired restaurant.
Meals: D
Day 2: We'll spend our first full day in Greece exploring the treasures of Athens with a private guide. Step back in time, as we visit Acropolis and its imposing temples, including the masterpiece of Periclean Athens: the Parthenon. We'll also tour the city's ancient Agora and other antiquity monuments. The afternoon will be free for individual exploration of the Athens' Archeological Museum, the new Acropolis Museum, right by the hotel or you may choose to enjoy the atmospheric heart of the city with excellent shopping and people watching. In the evening, we'll relax over dinner in a moonlit Greek taverna in Plaka, overlooking the lit up Acropolis, then kick back and join the locals in traditional Greek dancing.
Meals: B, D
Day 3: In the morning, we'll leave Athens and fly to the stunning island of Santorini, set among the lovely Cyclades, where we'll stay in a luxury Volcano View Hotel, overlooking the sunken caldera and the remains of the mythical Atlantis. After check-in and lunch, we'll enjoy the hotel's many pools, terraces and amazing views. In the evening, we'll set out to explore the atmospheric town of Fira with its narrow, winding streets, tiny, whitewashed houses, sapphire blue domes and many terraces overlooking the Aegean Sea.
Meals: B, L
Day 4: Today may be the highlight of our trip, as we sail around the volcanic crescent island of Santorini, on a private yacht, exploring the island's red, black and white sand beaches and hidden coves, swimming in volcanic hot springs, then enjoying freshly prepared lunch and Santorini wines onboard the yacht. You will be accompanied by a local captain who will share with you his love for the island and enhance your understanding of Santorini's natural beauty, ancient sites and contemporary culture.
Meals: B, L
Day 5: In the morning, we'll visit two of Santorini vineyards, Santo Winery and Art Space, where we'll get to appreciate the creative cultivation methods used in the island's vineyards, and sample some of the best wines produced here. In the afternoon, we'll visit the black sand beach of Kamari and the whitewashed village of Oia, located on the hillside overlooking the caldera crescent and we'll enjoy the ultimate sunset dinner at a restaurant perfectly located to appreciate the eerie beauty of the flooded caldera.
Meals: B, D
Day 6: We'll start the day with another sea voyage, this time to the volcanic island of Nea Kameni, where we'll take a walk in the moonscape surrounding the still active volcano crater believed to be the remains of the lost Atlantis. On the way back, we'll ride donkeys or take the cable car back to town, then take the hydrofoil boat for a short ride to the Island of Crete. After checking into boutique Hotel Lato in Heraklion and a rooftop restaurant dinner of Cretan specialties, we can enjoy the rest of the evening exploring Heraklion's Old Town dating back to the ancient times.
Meals: B, D
Day 7: Today, we'll spend the day exploring the Minoan civilization of Crete. We'll start with a visit to Heraklion's Archeological Museum which holds the beautifully preserved remains of the 3,000 year old Minoan civilization. We'll continue to the Palace of Knossos, the most important Minoan palace complex. According to tradition, Knossos was the seat of the legendary Cretan king Minos. The Palace is associated with myths of the Labyrinth and the Minotaur, as well as the story of Dedalos and Icarus, and the site was continuously inhabited from the Neolithic period (7000-3000 B.C.) until Roman times. In the afternoon, we'll travel to western Crete and Chania's Thalassa Beach Resort. In the afternoon, we'll enjoy the hotel's beautiful pools, the beach and views of the sea and St. Theodore's Island from our rooms.
Meals: B, D
Day 8: After breakfast, we'll set out for a slow exploration of Chania, Crete's most beautiful town, designed in a Venetian style. With its white marble streets, labyrinths of narrow alleys, colorful markets, Byzantine architecture and Venetian fortifications overlooking atmospheric harbors, the city casts its spell on all who visit. During the farewell dinner of delicious Cretan specialties at a Turkish bath house turned a unique restaurant, we'll eat, drink, and remember all the best moments from our Greek adventure.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 9: After a full day of history and architecture, today we'll focus on food and wine. We'll start in the morning by joining a Cretan gourmand for a shopping visit to a local market and a private cooking class which will introduce us to Cretan cuisine, which is the basis for the Mediterranean diet. In the afternoon, there will be some time to be spent at leisure, enjoying the Thalassa Resort, its spa services, pools and powdery sand beaches, and in the evening, we'll try dancing the Syrtaki (Zorba's dance) with a Cretan folk dance troupe.
Meals: B, D
Day 10: After breakfast, we'll transfer to Chania airport for an early morning flight to Athens before flying back home.
Meals: B
Day 10: with optional tour: After breakfast, we'll set out to explore Crete's Most Beautiful Beaches: Falassarna and Elafonissi and the breathtaking mountain scenery that surrounds them.
Meals: B
Day 11: with optional tour: After breakfast, we'll transfer to Chania airport for an early morning flight to Athens before flying back home.
Meals: B
This tour ends at 8:00AM on May 26 (or on May 27 with the optional tour) at Athens International Airport. Please assure that your flight leaves Athens after 10:00AM.
Itinerary specifics subject to change.
Spend 2 nights in a boutique hotel in Athens, 3 nights in an exclusive resort on the Island of Santorini and 4 nights on the beautiful island of Crete. Transfer between the islands will be on fast ferries and by air.
While in Athens, you will delve into the complexities of the ancient Greek history and culture with private, in-depth tours of the Acropolis, the Parthenon and the Agora. You'll meander through the ancient alleyways of Plaka, as you soak up the relaxed, festive atmosphere and sample delicious Greek specialties in lively tavernas.
While in Santorini, you will explore the ancient villages of Fira and Oia, the Santorini Volcano Genealogical Park, sail around the island in a private yacht and visit two of the island's wineries. There will also be time to spend relaxing on the black sand beaches, watching the spectacular sunsets and shopping.
You will spend several days on the Island of Crete, exploring the monuments of the Minoan civilization, enjoying the elegant ambiance of the Venetian town of Chania, and learning to dance the Syrtaki (Zorba's dance) during a festive evening of Greek entertainment.
Throughout the tour you will dine in carefully selected gourmet restaurants and sample many delicious Greek wines and the amazing local specialties.
ACCOMMODATIONS
In Athens, we will be staying for 2 nights at the four star Hotel Herodion.
The hotel is ideally located a few minutes walk from Acropolis and the atmospheric streets of the Plaka, near the Herodes Atticus Ancient Theater, the New Acropolis Museum and shopping and dining areas. This first class property has an elegant contemporary look, contrasting with its ancient surroundings. Recently renovated, it has 90 fully air-conditioned rooms, with private bathroom and classy amenities: hand-ironed laundry delivered in wooden baskets with evening turndown service, in-room electronic safe, hair-dryers, marble bathrooms, direct dial phones, satellite TV, fast Internet service, laundry and dry cleaning service, mini bar, double insulated windows, and room service. The guestrooms are tastefully furnished and most have private balconies with breathtaking view of the Acropolis. The hotel's taverna style restaurant specializes in traditional and modern Greek cuisine. The bar is elegantly furnished with fine antiques, Greek works of art, rustic walls, rough hewn stone floors and a woodburning fireplace and offers a setting usually reserved for fine personal residences. The cafe, with its glass walls and ceilings and opening to the back garden shaded by pistachio trees, is an informal place to relax. The roof terrace is the perfect place from which to appreciate the breathtaking view of the Acropolis, while lounging in the deck chairs with your drink, surrounded by potted olives trees and soothing sounds of casacading water.
In Santorini, we will be staying for 3 nights at the four star Volcano View Hotel.
Built in the style of the traditional Cycladic architecture, Volcano View Hotel blends perfectly with the surrounding Aegean landscape. The hotel is located just five minutes from downtown Fira, the charming capital of the island. Suspended in tranquility between the sea and the sky, its location offers some of the world's most breathtaking views. The hotel consists of 82 guests rooms with private balconies or terraces overlooking the sea and the volcano. All rooms are equipped with individual climate control, satellite TV, music, kitchenette, wireless Internet access, direct dial phone, safety deposit boxes, hair dryers. There is daily maid room service. The hotel has a restaurant, coffee bar, pool bar and a snack bar. There are three outdoor swimming pools located on different levels of the hotel, cascading down the Caldera. One of the pools has a hydro massage.
In Heraklion, on the Island of Crete, we will be staying for 1 night at the four star boutique Hotel Lato.
Hotel Lato is situated across from the old Venetian Port, and right next to the Archeological Museum of Crete. The hotel is fully air-conditioned, offers a modern lounge, two elegant restaurants, a roof terrace and an excellent breakfast buffet, bar with a fireplace and a snack room. The property offers room service, business center and laundry and dry cleaning services. Most of the hotel's 50 rooms have a remarkable view of the Venetian Castle at the Old Port of Heraklion. All rooms have private bathrooms, and are sound insulated and equipped with independent air-conditioning, Satellite web browser TV, direct-dial phone, high speed Internet, mini-bar, hair drier, a balcony or a terrace.
In Chania, on the Island of Crete, we will be staying for 3 nights at the four star Thalassa Beach Resort.
Thalassa Beach Resort is located in Agia Marina, outside the Venetian town of Chania, on the most beautiful sandy beach on the island of Crete and it offers the amazing view of the Thodorou Island. Luxury, sophisticated design, and a refined atmosphere of relaxation dominate the ambience of this hotel. Thalassa Beach Resort has 80 luxury rooms, which feature marble bathrooms, all with bathtub, hairdryer and telephone, individual air-conditioning system, satellite TV, telephone with direct line, fast Internet access, mini-fridge, electronic safe. The hotel's amenities include a glass enclosed restaurant with a breathtaking sea view, a bar, outdoor swimming pool and separate children's pool, an amazing pool bar next to the beach with seats in the swimming pool, snack bar with food cooked in front of you, sun beds and umbrellas on the beach, gym with an indoor swimming pool, sauna, Jacuzzi, hair, beauty and massage salon.
Unforgettable Greece
Lit up Parthenon atop the Acropolis Hill
Hadrian's Gate, the Temple of Poseidon, the Agora, the Dionysus Theatre
Lively Plaka with colorful tavernas
The first sight of the surreal island of Santorini
White, black and red beaches of Santorini
Sailing on the Aegean on a private yacht
Walking around the volcanic crater on Nea Kameni Island
Santorini sunsets
Secluded beaches and secret coves of Crete
Minoan Palace in Knossos
Venetian harbors in Chania and Heraklion
White and blue towns spilling out to the sea
Top Greek Experiences
Embracing the antiquity in Athens
Sampling the Mediterranean Greek cuisine and Greek wines
Learning to cook Mediterranean dishes
the overpowering scents of roses, lemons, pines, almond trees and lavender
Learning to dance the "Zorba" in a village taverna
Walking through the remains of Minoan civilization on Crete
The soft, sugary sand of Greek beaches
Shopping for treasures in artisans' shops in the narrow streets of Chania
Riding a donkey among the lush green vineyards
Attending a Greek wedding or village festival
Sailing the Greek seas in the luxury of a private yacht
INCLUDED IN THE PRICE
2 nights in a boutique hotel in Athens
3 nights at a resort hotel in Fira on the Santorini Island
1 night in a boutique hotel in Heraklion, overlooking the Venetian fortress and the sea, close to the Knossos ruins and palaces
3 nights in a resort hotel in Chania
Individual airport transfers on arrival
Delicious a la carte meals: 9 breakfasts, 7 dinners, 3 lunches, including drinks - traditional Mediterranean or vegetarian menu
All transportation in Greece: minibus, hydrofoil and flights between Athens and the islands
Private, professional guides at all sites and a full time tour escort
Sightseeing admissions, tours and cultural activities as per itinerary
NOT INCLUDED
Additional/optional costs may include: optional single room supplement, optional travel insurance, optional driver and guide tips, meals not included in the itinerary, airport transfers for early arrivals and/or late departures, telephone charges, personal expenses.
The cost does not include airfare.
DEPARTURE DATES MAY
PRICES From approx $3,495 US per person
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