Ancient Grandeur of Greece

Sample Itinerary

DAY 1: ARRIVE ATHENS

ELECTRA PALACE

Arrive in Athens on your international flight

DAY 2: ATHENS

ELECTRA PALACE

This morning in the hotel lobby, meet with your local guide and driver to depart on a full day tour of the city of Athens and the Acropolis with its museum. Start with a visit of the Foundation Hellenic World where you’ll enjoy an interactive tour of the Ancient Agora of Athens. Follow with a brief orientation tour of the modern city, before visiting the Acropolis and the New Acropolis Museum. (B)

DAY 3: ATHENS

ELECTRA PALACE

This morning, meet your guide and culinary hostess, for your half day cooking class in the home of a local family. Enjoy your homemade delicacies and relax with a glass of “ouzo” or Greek wine at the end of your fun-filled Greek cooking lesson. (B,L)

DAY 4: NAFPLION

AMPHITRYION HOTEL

Depart Athens with your English speaking driver and travel to Nafplion with a short stop at The Corinth Canal. (B)

DAY 5: NAFPLION

AMPHITRYION HOTEL

Travel to Epidaurus and meet with a local guide for the visits of both Epidaurus and Mycenae today. The Theatre of Epidaurus is the most famous and best-preserved of all the ancient theaters in Greece. Up until it was destroyed by fire in 1100 B.C., the fortified city of Mycenae was the most powerful, brilliant, and sovereign influence in Greece. Return to Nafplion for the afternoon at leisure. (B)

DAY 6: OLYMPIA

HOTEL OLYMPIAN ASTY

Travel to Olympia, birthplace of the Olympic Games. (B)

DAY 7: OLYMPIA

HOTEL OLYMPIAN ASTY

Tour of Ancient Olympia. It is here that the Olympic Games officially began in the 8th century B.C. Today you can only see the remains of the colossal Temple of Zeus, the sanctuary of Hera, the gymnasium and numerous smaller temples, altars, statues, treasuries, and administrative buildings. (B)

DAY 8: DELPHI

DELPHI PALACE

Travel to Delphi through the impressive mountainous terrain, to what is considered one of the most important archaeological sites of classical Greece. Meet with your local guide for an afternoon tour. According to mythology, it was here in Delphi that Zeus released two eagles, one from the East and the other from the West. At the point where they met he threw a sacred stone, thus marking the center of the earth, or the “Navel of the World”. (B)

DAY 9: DELPHI

DELPHI PALACE

Today enjoy a half day of trekking with a local guide. Experience some of the mystery of classical Greece into the Parnassos Mount, including a picnic. (B,L)
NOTE: This is optional and only for guests who enjoy hiking. For those who would like to shorten the trip, it is possible to cut this day out entirely.

DAY 10: DELPHI / ATHENS / CRETE

OUT OF THE BLUE RESORT

This morning travel to the Athens airport and board a flight to Heraklion. Transfer to your hotel. (B)

DAY 11: CRETE

OUT OF THE BLUE RESORT

Tour of Knossos Palace and the Archeological Museum in Heraklion. Your tour aims to enhance the rich history of the Minoan civilization of Crete. (B)

DAY 12: CRETE

OUT OF THE BLUE RESORT

A final day at leisure. (B)

DAY 13: DEPART GREECE

EN ROUTE

A private transfer to the Heraklion airport for your flight to Athens, to connect with your flight home. (B)