GREECE – A JOURNEY TO FABLED PLACES

A JOURNEY FROM ANCIENT GREECE TO THE CRYSTAL BLUE WATERS OF THE

MEDITERRANEAN

May 2, 2020

Athens

Upon Arrival, Transfer from airport to hotel 3 nights in Athens

Hotel Elia Ermou, Athens

Standard Room (Breakfast)

https://www.eliaermouhotel.com/

May 3

Athens

Half Day City Tour with Acropolis Museum

After breakfast, meet our guide who will take us on a comprehensive morning tour of the famous sites of ancient and modern Athens. Offering a perfect overview of the city, our guided half-day tour will help you get your

bearings if this is your first visit to Athens. The tour starts with a photo stop at the Panathenaic Stadium where the first Olympic Games took place in 1896. It is the only stadium built out of white marble. The tour continues, passing by Zappeion and Temple of Olympian Zeus then on to the “Athens Trilogy” which includes the University of Athens, the Academy of Athens, and the National Library.

We will continue to the National Garden, Hadrian’s Arch, St. Paul’s Church, Parliament, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Schliemann’s House (the Numismatic Museum), Catholic Cathedral, Old Parliament, Constitution Square, Russian Orthodox Church, and finally reach the Acropolis (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), where we will visit Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Parthenon, and the Erechtheion with its Porch of Maidens). Then continue the expert-guided Athens sightseeing and museum tour with a pleasant short walk passing by Herodian and Dionysus Theater, and visit the Acropolis museum. We will be able to avoid and skip the lines for the new museum, which houses attractions including votives, artifacts of everyday life, statues from the archaic period, Caryatids, and of course the Parthenon hall where the metopes, the pediments and the frieze will impress you.

May 4 – Athens at leisure. Enjoy the sights and sounds of Athens at your leisure

May 5 - Leave Athens in this 3 day Delphi-Meteora tour.

Our guide will pick you up from your central Athens hotel and depart through Thebes, Livadia (short stop) and Arachova for Delphi, known in ancient times as the ‘navel of the world’ and which is today a UNESCO World Heritage

Site. Explore the archaeological site and marvel at the Temple of Apollo famous for its oracle. Stroll around the relics of the Temple as our professional guide describes its purpose and construction. Our second stop is the Museum of Delphi with its spectacular finds, including the unique bronze Charioteer, the Naxian Sphinx and the statue of Antinoos. Check in to your hotel and spend your afternoon as you wish.

Overnight in Delphi at a 4-star hotel. Dinner and Breakfast included.

May 6- Delphi to Kalambaka The morning is at your leisure to relax or to visit the town of Delphi. In the afternoon, we meet our guide and depart through Central Greece to Kalambaka, a small town built at the foot of the majestic grey rocks, crowned by the Meteora Monasteries. Overnight in Kalambaka at a 4-star hotel. Dinner and Breakfast included.

May 7- Kalambaka to Athens:

After breakfast, depart for nearby Meteora (another UNESCO World Heritage Site) to visit the ethereal Byzantine monasteries built on top of rock towers and providing fantastic views over the plain. Listen to fascinating stories by our guide and learn how the monasteries provided refuge for monks in the bloody aftermath of the Roman Empire. Return to Athens late in the afternoon, passing by the heroic monument of King Leonidas of Sparta at Thermopylae. We return to Athens in the late afternoon.

Hotel Elia Ermou, Athens (Standard Room + Breakfast)

May 8- Athens to Santorini

After breakfast, we transfer to the Airport for a short flight to the island of Santorini, one of the prettiest islands of the Cyclades with a beautiful view of the Caldera. On arrival, we will transfer to our beautiful cliff hotel where we can relax and enjoy the Greek Islands for three nights.

Hotel Tzekos Villa (Superior Room + Breakfast daily)

https://tzekosvillas.gr/

May 9 – A full day to enjoy the sights and sounds of Santorini

May 10-Santorini and Sunset Cruise

After the morning on your own, we will meet to transfer to the Port of Athinios where we will board an Aphrodite

boat and sail along the lava rock until we reach Oia Amoudi Bay, from where we will watch the beautiful Oia sunset. We will have welcome drinks and dinner served onboard. After the cruise we will return to our hotel.

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May 11- Santorini to Heraklion, Crete

After breakfast, we will take the Fast Ferry/Catamaran to the historical island of Crete, one of the largest of the Greek islands. On arrival, we will transfer to the seaside resort where we will stay for the next 3 nights. Hersonissos Maris Hotel (Side Sea View Room + Breakfast + Dinner daily) https://www.hersotels.gr/hotels/hersonissos-maris

May 12 – Crete (Knossos Palace and Heraklion)

Today we will visit the mythical palace of King Minos in Knossos, home to the famous labyrinth and Minotaur. Then we will stroll the city centre of Heraklion on a guided walking tour that will detail the past and present of a city

that combines the old with the new. Heraklion is the largest city on the island and the capital of Crete. We will visit the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, enjoying the fine art and jewellery on display in one of the most popular Bronze Age museums of Europe.

Afternoon at leisure

May 13 - Wine and Olive Oil Tour with Tastings, Crete

Today, we will take a guided full-day wine-tasting, olive oil -tasting and terroir tour in Heraklion. After breakfast, we will head to Archanes and Peza in central Crete where some of their best wines are made. Meet two winemakers who will guide us through their wineries. After a wine presentation we will experience a unique private wine tasting featuring 15 samples of wine. Crete is also the island of olive oil. Here you can find some of the best olive oils in the world. Partake in a sensational olive oil tasting with about 10 different olive oils, and learn about process of making olive oil and how to taste it. Discover traditional Cretan cooking with a mezze bar visit for a real Cretan lunch. Prepare for several plates of cold and warm mezzes to be brought to your table to share. This is a fantastic experience in a cozy, friendly atmosphere. We will continue our wine tasting here and also try raki (an unsweetened, anise-flavored alcoholic drink which is thought to aid digestion). After lunch, we will take a short walk to explore the picturesque village of Archanes which has a rich history in wine culture. Return to our hotel for the final evening in Crete.

May 14- Heraklion to Athens

Transfer to airport for your flight to Athens to connect to your international flight home.

PRICE - 4995.00 + 396.00 TAXES PER PERSON, BASED ON DOUBLE OCCUPANCY

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT RATE- 1825.00

1400.00 DEPOSIT PER PERSON

BALANCE DUE 90 DAYS BEFORE TOUR START DATE

Includes – All meals, accommodation, transportation, sightseeing and touring as described above.

ALTERNATE DATES MAYBE POSSIBLE; RATES ARE ON REQUEST

Does not include international flights, tipping and items of personal nature.

Please check with Sonny for corresponding international flights

PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITH AVAILABILITY AND WITHOUT NOTICE.