• Guaranteed departures group travel: small,friendly group of 12/14 participants only!
• Guided tour of ATHENS with its historical treasures & popular markets
• Unique DELPHI-home to the evocative ruins of an ancient religious complex and theater situated on Mount Parnassos.
• Trace the origins of the athletic games at OLYMPIA
• Visit a local olive oil producer and learn about the importance of olive oil to the Greeks.
• Explore well-preserved 19th century architecture in the picturesque town of NAFPLIO
• Marvel at the imposing walls of Ancient MYCENAE, thought to date from 1200BC
• Experience extraordinary acoustics at the ancient theater of EPIDAVROS, one of the finest examples of Classical architecture in the world
• Majestic CORINTH and NEMEA WINE TASTING in local wine estate
• Experience the stunning TEMPLE OF POSEIDON
• HOME-HOSTED DINNER in NAFPLIO
• Popular UNESCO World heritage sites
• Experienced Greek Tour guide to accompany you throughout your journey
• Included entrances to Greek sites
• Transportation on tour, via private air-conditioned luxury 20 seats motorcoach
• Included hotel city tax
• No hidden extras
• Early arrival/Late stay options: Arrive in Athens a day or more prior to tour start.We’ll be happy to make these arrangements for you.
• Our regional meals:All breakfasts, 3 street food experience, 5 dinners, 4 lunches (main meals include regional wine, mineral water, local coffee or tea only)
• Arrival & departure: The tour will begin on Day 1 with morning transfers from Athens airport and end with morning transfers on Day 12 to Thessaloniki airport
• Activity level:Moderate
• Terms & conditions/Single supplement: (View Here) and FAQ ( View Here)
• Trip Interruption & Cancellation insurance is not included. We highly recommend Travelex-Insurance.com to protect your vacation.
• Purchase of European Travel & Health insurance is strongly recommended

• ATHENS, “Electra Metropolis Hotel” or similar (2 nights)
• NAFPLIO, “Hotel and Suites” or similar (3 nights)
• GALAXIDI, “Galaxa Mansion” or similar (2 nights)
• METEORA,”Doupiani House”or similar (1 nigth)
• THESSALONIKI,”Electra Palace Thessaloniki” or similar  (2 nights)

GREECE SMALL GROUP TOUR

THE PEARLS OF GREECE TRAVEL ITINERARY

TOUR LIMITED TO 12/14 PARTICIPANTS ONLY FROM ATHENS TO THESSALONIKI

DAY 1: WELCOME TO MONUMENTAL ATHENS & THE ACROPOLIS MUSEUM

Arrival at Athens international airport and drive to the city center for the first two nights at at the 5stars ”ELECTRA METROPOLIS HOTEL” or similar, a charming boutique hotel which enjoys an excellent location close to the city’s architecturally treasures.Witness the wonders of Ancient Greek architecture with a guided walking tour of ATHENS.Start the day with a visit to the ACROPOLIS MUSEUM, with its amazing glass floor displaying ancient houses, streets and even an olive press below.Exhibits include superb sculptures and an incredible series of carved pediments from the temple of Athena.Continue to the ACROPOLIS – ascending the hill, you’ll soon experience the Parthenon itself – its blindingly white marble columns with their perfect symmetry and balance completely dominate the skyline.After an included street food experience, you’ll end the day with a panoramic tour to the most important monuments and landmarks of the city,such the Temple of Olympian Zeus, one of the biggest temples ever built in Athens, the Panathenaic Stadium, an ancient stadium originally built in 338 BC, the Presidential Guards on duty in front of the Greek Parliament and the old city of Athens, Plaka, and stroll around its small streets.This evening we gather for a welcome dinner in an elegant restaurant boasting breathtaking views over the Acropolis.Overnight in ATHENS

DAY 2: THE TEMPLE OF POSEIDON

Sun, sand, art and antiquity all lie south-east of Athens in SOUNION. Drive along the picturesque south Attica coastal road for a discovery of the white marble TEMPLE OF POSEIDON, erected in the middle of the 5th century BC and built to honour Poseidon, God of the sea. After an included lunch in a local fishing restaurant, return to Athens for an afternoon at leisure or take advantage of an included entrance to the National archaeological museum, one of the most important museums in the world devoted to ancient Greek art. It contains the richest collection of artefacts from Greek antiquity worldwide and some of the most important artefacts from a variety of archaeological locations around Greece from prehistory to late antiquity.The evening is at leisure to make your own discoveries or simply wandering the colourful winding streets and alleys of Athens. Overnight in ATHENS

DAY 3: THE PEARLS OF THE PELOPONNESE & MAGICAL MONEMVASIA

After breakfast, we depart for the Peloponnese, the rocky peninsula home to many of Greece’s greatest archaeological sites. The tour begins with a drive along the coastal road for a stop at the impressive CORINTH CANAL, the 6 km long and only 21.4 meters wide canal which separates the Peloponnese from the Greek mainland.Drive to Agamemnon’s blood-soaked realm, the mighty fortified palace of MYCENAE, destroyed in 468 BC where you will see the Beehive Tombs,the Treasury of Atreus, the Lion Gate and the remains of Agamemnon’s Royal Palace.The NEMEA region is one of Greece’s premier wine-producing areas, famous for its full-bodied reds, many produced from the local AGIORGITIKO grape,a dark, fruity red often referred to as the “blood of Heracles”.Spend the next two nights in the dramatically set medieval town of MONEMVASIA staying at the charming “KINSTERNA HOTEL“or similar.Dinner is included this evening in a gourmet restaurant.Overnight in MONEMVASIA

DAY 4: BIBLICAL MONEMVASIA

Surrounded by the teal waters of the Aegean Sea,vast, imposing MONEMVASIA is an iceberg-like slab of rock, with sheer cliffs rising hundreds of meters from the sea,linked to the mainland by a single,highly defendable causeway.These days Monemvasia incorporates both the rock,with its medieval village enclosed within the walls of its kastro (fort),plus the modern mainland village of Gefyra,just across the causeway.The old town of Monemvasia is a perfectly preserved medieval settlement still inhabited, an world cultural heritage monument with a unique, magical atmosphere and a fascinating history.Monuments and churches are scattered throughout the old town, creating an amazing backdrop to forever remembered experiences.Once across the bridge, through the stone walls and the castle’s massive gate, you will feel like you walk back into time and you enter a fairy tale.In this atmosphere steeped in history and romance, you will find balconies overlooking the sea, small squares, luxury hotels or even sandy beaches.After an included light lunch in a local tavern, spend the rest of your day as you wish.Overnight in MONEMVASIA

DAY 5: UNESCO MYSTRAS, OLIVE OIL MUSEUM & VENETIAN NAFPLION

Today’s drive takes you to visit the ruins of the glorious Byzantine town of MYSTRAS followed by a discovery of the stunning OLIVE OIL MUSEUM in the town of SPARTA.Drive to the attractive town of NAFPLION, the first capital city of Greece with its Venetian charm staying at the central “HOTEL & SUITES” or similar.With its marble pavements,looming castles and remarkably homogeneous architecture, NAFPLION is a stage set of spectacular Venetian fortresses, Greek churches and neoclassical mansions.The first capital of Greece is one of the most elegant and romantic cities, a wealth of narrow alleyways and a lovely seafront promenade but the best is perhaps just watching the sun coloring the bay an ecstatic red.Dinner is on your own this evening in a local restaurant.Overnight stay in NAFPLION

DAY 6: EPIDAURUS THEATER & HOME-HOSTED DINNER WITH COOKING LESSON

This morning we reach nearby EPIDAURUS, birthplace of Asclepios – the god of healing, and whose sanctuary here became the greatest center of medicine in the Classical world.The ancient Greeks believed that one should be healthy in both mind and body, so the plays and music performed here in the acoustically perfect theater played an integral part in the therapeutic process..In the evening, we meet up in the house of a Greek family for a COOKING LESSON accompanied by a light dinner.Overnight stay in NAFPLION

DAY 7: OLYMPIA-BIRTHPLACE OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES

This morning we head west through the beautiful Peloponnesian countryside towards the ancient site at OLYMPIA, home to the Temple of Zeus, one of the Wonders of the Ancient World.The sanctuary not only lies in a beautiful and peaceful setting but its largely non-reconstructed remains allow a unique opportunity to visualize how this complex would have looked during its heyday. Also within the sanctuary is the ancient Temple of Hera while just outside the precinct are the gymnasium and well-preserved stadium.The archaeological MUSEUM is a treasure trove of artifacts excavated from the sacred precinct including superb architectural sculptures from the Temple of Zeus itself.Drive to the charming town of GALAXIDI for the next two nights in a small family hotel “GALAXA MANSION“or similar, near the town center.Dinner is included this evening in a local tavern. Overnight in GALAXIDI

DAY 8: ANCIENT DELPHI & THE MOUNTAIN VILLAGE OF ARACHOVA

Today’s excursion takes us to explore DELPHI, one of the most beautiful and celebrated ancient sites. Nestled between twin cliffs on a slope of Mount Parnassus and spilling out onto the Sacred Plain, Delphi is where the oracle representing the revered god Apollo presided over the ancient world.We see the ruins of the Sanctuary of Apollo, walk the marble Sacred Way and climb to the 4th-century BCE theater still in use today.We also visit Delphi’s MUSEUM that houses the bronze “Charioteer,”one of antiquity’s greatest statues.Drive to the nearby mountain village of ARACHOVA for sightseeing and time on your own for lunch.Overnight in GALAXIDI

DAY 9: UNESCO METEORA MONASTERIES

This morning, we’ll witness the towering rock formations of the region, on top of which are built the famous monasteries of METEORA, some of which date back to the early 14th century. The word meteora means “suspended in the air “and these astonishing retreats are indeed perched atop pinnacles that rise about 1,000 feet from the valley floor. For centuries, the monasteries served as Christian redoubts while the Ottoman Turks ruled Greece and today, we’ll visit two of these historic structures, which will be dependent on local restrictions at the time. Spend the night near the village of Trikala in the first class hotel “ANANTI CITY RESORT” or similar.Overnight in TRIKALA

DAY 10: UNESCO VERGINA ROYAL TOMBS, WINERY & PELLA

Departure to VERGINA, the ancient capital of the Macedonian Kingdom, where nowadays we can find one of the most beautiful museums of Greece. Visit of the museum, which contains the royal tomb of King Phillip the 2nd, Alexander the Great’s father, along with golden and other artefacts of an incredible beauty and value.After a stop in a local winery for a tasting of their wines and a light lunch, we’ll continue to the village of PELLA, the birthplace of Alexander the Great for a visit of the archaeological site and the museum.The excavations brought to life some interesting findings of the ancient city.You will be impressed by the outstanding mosaic floors that used to decorate the city’s grand mansions – the most famous are the ones depicting the Abduction of Helen, Rapture, the battle of Amazons and the Deer Hunt. The last two nights of your Greek adventure are spent in THESSALONIKI staying in a central boutique hotel “ELECTRA PALACE THESSALONIKI” or similar.Dinner is on your own this evening.Overnight in THESSALONIKI

DAY 11: HIGHLIGHTS OF THESSALONIKI

Today, we’ll explore THESSALONIKI, Greece’s second largest city and the capital of the northern Greek region of Macedonia. First, we’ll visit historic Ano Poli, the only section of the city that managed to escape the devastating Great Thessaloniki Fire of 1917. We’ll wander through Ano Poli to admire the Byzantine churches, traditional pastel-painted homes, and restaurants that cater to the locals. Then, we’ll drive back to the city centre where we’ll spend some time exploring before stopping at two of Thessaloniki’s bustling traditional markets. The remaining of the day is at leisure. In the evening celebrate your Greek adventure with an “Good-bye dinner” sharing travel memories and toasting new friends.Overnight in THESSALONIKI

DAY 12: GOODBYE BEAUTIFUL GREECE

Morning transfers to Thessaloniki airport

2023 TOUR PRICE: € 4,100       SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: € 700       Currency Converter 

Price is per person based on double room occupancy for 12 days/11 nights