Classical Greece

What's Included

• Guided Tours

  Join a local expert to explore Athens and its famed sites, including a panoramic tour of the highlights in Athens showcasing the city's ancient and glorious monuments.

• Visit to Metéora

  Come to know two breathtaking Byzantine monasteries in Metéora, built over 600 years ago.

• Delphi Museum

  Experience the Delphi Museum with its priceless collection of ancient artifacts.

• Greek Dance Class

  Broaden your knowledge of traditional Greek music with a delightful Greek dance class.

• Olive Oil and Jam Tasting

  Taste olive oil and homemade jams at a local farm in the Peloponnese countryside.

• Mediterranean Cooking Experience

  Partake in a Mediterranean cooking experience followed by a traditional Greek lunch.

• Ouzo Distillery Visit

  Visit a family-owned distillery producing ouzo since 1869.

• Welcome and Farewell Dinners

  Celebrate the beginning and end of your Greek experience with delightful welcome and farewell dinners.

What's Not Included

• Optional Tours

  Optional local food tour of Athens is available but not included in the main package.

• Personal Expenses

  Personal expenses such as souvenirs, additional meals, and drinks are not included.

• Travel Insurance

  Travel insurance is not included and is recommended to be purchased separately.

• Flights

  International and domestic flights are not included in the tour package.

Experiences

• Come to know two breathtaking Byzantine monasteries in Metéora, built over 600 years ago.
• Experience the Delphi Museum with its priceless collection of ancient artifacts.
• Broaden your knowledge of traditional Greek music with a delightful Greek dance class.

Options

Athens: Athens Local Food Tour Experience Athens as a local! Join a local guide for a walking tour highlighting the cuisine of Athens. You'll make your way through three neighborhoods in the city, full of hidden gems that few travelers ever get to see. Be welcomed into several local restaurants, bakeries, and markets to sample some of the area’s best culinary specialties and wine. Your guide will explain the significance each dish serves to the culture and region. You'll learn about common grocery items found in the markets and the importance of spices used in Greek cooking. Along the way, view the traditional architecture and see historic artifacts from ancient Athens that were recently discovered. Duration approximately 3.5 hour(s). Transportation is included. A minimum of 10 passenger(s) is required to operate this option.

This option does not operate on national and religious holidays when most venues are closed.
As this is a walking tour, a comfortable pair of shoes is recommended.

Culinaries

• Taste olive oil and homemade jams at a local farm in the Peloponnese countryside.
• Partake in a Mediterranean cooking experience followed by a traditional Greek lunch.
• Visit a family-owned distillery producing ouzo since 1869.

Must See

• Join a local expert to explore Athens and its famed sites.
• Explore the grandeur of Olympia, birthplace of the Olympic Games.
• View the Corinth Canal, one of the greatest engineering marvels of the 19th century.

Choice Highlights

Athens A place where democracy was born and the birthplace of the Olympics; happens to be the largest city located in one of the most historic countries and is also the capital of Greece. Located in Athens is one of the 7 wonders of the modern world, Acropolis of Athens, the Holy Rock which dates back to 5 BC. Athens is recognized as a global city for its strategic location and its modernistic views in finance, commerce, media, entertainment, arts, international trade, culture, education, and tourism.

The Acropolis and Parthenon

Metéora Meteora, located in Thessaly and Kalampaka, is a city under the rock of towers. The most famous attraction is the monasteries on the top of the rock towers. Today, the Orthodoxy has been continually practiced uninterrupted for over 600 years by the monasteries on top of the Meteora rocks: Holy Monastery of the Great Meteoro, the Varlaam Monastery, the Saint Stephen Monastery, the Holy Trinity Monastery, the Saint Nicolas Anapafsas Monastery, and the Roussano Monastery.

Delphi The place where heaven meets earth. It is said that the Pythia, the priestess serving as the oracle in the pre-classical Greek world, resided in Delphi. Delphi is the setting for many Greek myths and serves as a major site for the worship of Apollo because of his accomplishment of slaying Phython, a dragon protecting the navel of Earth. Delphi is both an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece. Delphi’s deep history is a large attraction for tourists.

Olympia The birthplace of the Olympics, which was held in honor of Zeus. Olympia is a sanctuary of ancient Greece in Elis on the Peloponnese peninsula, also nicknamed the “Vallyey of Gods.” Overtime the site was buried under sedimentary deposits, from what is thought to have been a flood. It wasn’t until 1766 when it was re-discovered. The first excavation took place in 1829. Today the Olympic flame of the modern Olympic Games is lit by the reflection of sunlight in a parabolic mirror in front of the Temple of Hera. Visitors can walk through the ruins of the area where athletes trained in the ancient stadium as well as visit the museum that houses sculptures of decoration of the temple of Zeus, which happens to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Visitors can also take part in activities, such as walking along the promenade, and outdoor sports like biking, rafting, kayaking, and kite surfing.

Greek Farm Visit Farming has been a core part of Greek culture since the ancient times. This was one of the main sources of income for the Ancient Greek economy. Now, farming still flourishes in Greece thanks to its most famous crop – olives. Although olives are the most popular crop, Greece also produces many other crops such as grapes, tomatoes, and cotton. You’ll be able to visit an authentic Greek farm and meet with the owners to learn about daily life in the countryside.

Cooking Class In Olympia, learn how to cook some of the region’s best dishes as you roll up your sleeves and partake in a Mediterranean cooking experience, followed by a flavorful and traditional Greek lunch.

Greek Dance Class The Greek dance class is an interactive, one hour Greek dance and music presentation on a variety of Greek dances and musical instruments. Guests will be able to participate in various traditional dances.

Choice on Tour: Nafplio Walking Tour or Mycenae Archaeological Tour Today you have the choice between 2 activities. Your first option is to visit ancient Mycenae, an archaic city once ruled by mythological King Agamemnon, commander-in-chief of the Greeks during the Trojan War. Explore the excavations during a guided visit featuring the Beehive Tombs and the Lion Gate. Your second choice is to linger in Nafplio, and join a walking tour of Greece’s first capital city. During your tour, enjoy views of the island fortress of Bourtzi, which the Venetians fortified in the 17th century to protect the town’s harbor. Nafplio’s mix of Venetian and Neo-classical architectural influences make it Greece’s most elegant city.



Nafplio Walking Tour

Activity Level: 2

Travelers should expect about 90 minutes walking tour at a leisurely pace on mostly flat, but cobblestoned surface. When operating, the tour of Nafplio will include also a visit to the Bourtzi fortress.



Mycenae Archaeological Tour

Activity Level: 3

Travelers should expect a 1 hour bus transfer from the hotel to Mycenae, followed by a 90 minute archeological tour of the excavation site. The excavation site is located uphill vs. bus drop off point. As common in excavation sites, Travelers should expect some uneven surfaces, unpaved areas with loose stones/gravel.

Mode of Transport

Travel through Greece with ease, enjoying scenic drives from Athens to Thermopylae, Kalambaka, Delphi, Olympia, and Nafplio, with stops at iconic landmarks and local attractions along the way.

Accommodation

Stay in comfort at the Crowne Plaza City Center, Grand Meteora Hotel, Domotel Anemolia Mountain Resort, Europa Hotel, and Amphitryon Hotel, offering a blend of modern amenities and traditional Greek hospitality throughout your journey.