One Week in the Greek Islands
One Week in the Greek Islands
One Week in the Greek Islands
8 Days Starting in Athens and ending in Santorini
Visiting: Athens, Paros, Lefkes, Ios, Santorini, Fira
Tour operator:
Tour code:
ZMYG
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
1 - 16
Age range:
18-35
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Tour Overview
Calling all nature lovers, beachside loungers and avid explorers – this eight-day adventure will take you to all the hotspots throughout the famous Greek Islands. Explore an ancient citadel in Athens, then take a ferry to Paros in the Aegean Sea. See traditional villages, natural swimming coves and maybe even take a ride to the sister island Antiparos for a local bite. Head to the village of Lefkes and explore the scenic olive-grove locale before a lunch of moussaka, dolmas or Greek salad. Head to Ios – a hub of vibrant nightlife and countless beaches to kick back on – and watch the sunset over an iconic city. End it all in Santorini, where you can hike off the refreshing glass (or glasses) of the country’s most popular wine and sit down for another epic sunset.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Athens
Location: Athens
Kalimera! Welcome to Greece. Your Greek Island adventure begins in Athens – the capital of Greece – with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight at your hostel. If you arrive early (and it’s recommended that you do – there’s so much to see and do here), why not take a day trip to the Saronic Islands – a stunning archipelago including the car-free island of Hydra. History lovers can walk in the footsteps of ancient Greeks and discover the remnants of an empire with a pass into the Acropolis – the ancient citadel with gorgeous views over the city. Tonight, ask your leader where the best place for a gyros is, or head out on a Taste of Athens Urban Adventure to sample some of Athen’s many culinary delights.
Optional Activities:
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Day 2: Paros
Location: Paros
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
Wake up early this morning as you make your way by ferry to Paros in the Aegean Sea. Paros is best known for its beaches, traditional villages and the Panagia Ekatontapiliani – a Byzantine church from the 4th century AD. When you arrive, you’ll have a free day at your leisure to explore, find the perfect swimming spot or just kick back on one of the sandy beaches – Kolymbithres Beach is a good spot to set up for the day, as it’s known for the unique rock formations that create natural swimming coves! Wander around the Cycladic architecture (this whole trip is an Instagrammer’s dream), and if you like, gear up for a big night by taking it easy while the sun’s out – Paros is also popular for its vibrant nightlife.
Day 3: Paros
Location: Lefkes, Paros, Paros
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfastdinner
You have the morning free to explore Paros further – maybe take the ferry to Antiparos (the sister island easily reached by a short ferry ride), go kayaking or visit Psaralyki Beach for a morning swim. This little island is also a great spot to pick up local food. After, head back to Paros and rejoin your group for a visit to Lefkes – an enchanting village known for its distinct white and blue architecture, olive groves and pine forests. You’ll enjoy an included group dinner in the village, with options including moussaka, imam eggplants, dolmas with lettuce, Greek salad and more. This is also a great opportunity to rub shoulders with the locals, as this village is less touristy than the rest of the island.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 4: Ios
Location: Ios
Meals Included: breaksfast
Take the ferry to Ios – a popular island known for its cliffs that plunge into the sea and its hills peppered with Cycladic architecture and palm trees, idyllic during sunset. When you arrive, maybe head straight for the most visited beach on Ios – Mylopotas Beach – and kick back somewhere in the horseshoe-shaped bay. If crowds aren’t your thing, maybe hit Magganari Beach for a quieter setting. If you’d like to spend your day sightseeing instead, maybe visit Homer’s Tomb (legend says that this is the last resting place of the famous Greek poet) in Plakotos or the Church of Panagia Gremniotissa. Tonight, rejoin your group and walk to the Odysseas Elytis Theatre to watch an epic sunset overlooking the town.
Included Activities:
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Day 5: Ios
Location: Ios
Today is a free day in Ios. Maybe take a boat tour to explore seven different beaches across the island – this tour includes lots of opportunities for swimming and snorkelling! After a day of hitting the sandy shores or wandering around this bucket list destination at your own pace, you might want to explore the nightlife. Go bar hopping with your new travel buddies or meet some new friends along the way at the thriving beach clubs – Ios is popular with a younger crowd, so you’re sure to find a few drinking or dancing buddies to hit the town with and boogie the night away.
Optional Activities:
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Day 6: Santorini
Location: Santorini
Accommodation: Hotel
This morning, you’ll take a ferry to Santorini – one of the must-see destinations on any Greek Island adventure! Famous for its gorgeous hiking opportunities and countless sunset spots, Santorini is also home to some of the best wines in the country. This island was devastated by a volcanic eruption in the 16th century, the evidence of which now shapes the landscape. Explore the two main towns – Fira and Oia – that sit on cliffs above the underwater crater, now home to lava pebble beaches and iconic scenery. Kick back on the volcanic beaches, hit the town for some souvenir shopping or just wander the streets in search of delicious treats, epic photo spots, and the occasional glass of Assyrtiko to refuel. Tonight, maybe regroup for an iconic sunset in Oia and sit down for an optional farewell dinner.
Day 7: Santorini
Location: Santorini
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
In 1500 BC, a volcanic eruption sank the centre of Santorini, forming the awe-inspiring caldera. The spectacular natural beauty of this caldera is what makes Santorini such a special place and this morning, you’ll hike along the crater rim. Walk through little villages, passing cliff faces and gorgeous views along the way. After, you have a free afternoon to explore the island at your own pace. Grab a well deserved bite to eat after the hike – maybe try some of the local tomato fritters or feast on local seafood. Alternatively, just relax on the beach, soaking up the vibes of the sun.
Day 8: Santorini
Location: Fira
Meals Included: breaksfast
Today is your last day of the trip, and with no further activities planned, you’re free to leave at any time. It’s recommended you stay longer, to really soak up all Santorini has to offer. Maybe take a half-day trip to the volcano and hot springs or take on the Fira Hills hike. Explore the town of Imerovigli and the Akrotiri archaeological site – the list goes on! Just speak to your booking agent if you’d like to organise additional accommodation here.
Optional Activities:
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What's Included
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Accommodation
Hostel (Multi-share) (1 night), Hotel (3 nights), Hotel (Multi-share) (2 nights) -
Meals
4 breakfasts, 1 dinners -
Lefkes - Local Dinner
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Paros - Lefkes Village Visit
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Ios - Teatro Odysseas Elytis Sunset
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Santorini - Caldera Hike
What's Not Included
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Insurance
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International Travel
Transport
TRANSPORT IN EUROPEHalf the fun of travel is the travelling itself, that's why we like to travel the local way – whether that means mingling with commuters on a local train, watching the scenery roll by from the window of a long distance bus, arriving on a high speed train in the city centre of your next destination, or navigating each city's public transport system. In Europe, you are guaranteed to travel by genuine local public transport wherever possible, which puts you right in the centre of the action.GREEK FERRIESThe main means of transportation in the Greek Islands is by public ferry. These ferries are large car ferries that transport hundreds of people, along with cars and trucks. There are no reserved seats and passengers are free to walk around the ferry freely. Luggage is stored in a designated area on the car deck and is not accessible while the ferry is moving.STRIKESFerry strikes, bad weather and the general unpredictable nature of Greek public transport means you need to be prepared for possible delays and itinerary changes.
Accommodation
The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.We've sourced our accommodation very carefully and picked the best possible hotels in line with the Intrepid 18-35 style of travel. Our first accommodation choice is always as close to the main attraction of the destination as possible, however, sometimes we are not in the right centre of action, which means you may need to hop on a public transport to get to the city centre. Please note that service and accommodation in Europe may be different to the standards you are used to. Your accommodation will not always have private en suite facilities or air-conditioning. European hotels generally don't provide kettles or fridges and in particular destinations, rooms may be rather small.OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATIONThe style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances.ROOMING ALLOCATIONAccommodation on this trip is on a twin/multi-share basis. We pair up solo travellers with other travellers of the same gender as per the gender marker on each of their passports. Please note there may be times where facilities will be shared rather than ensuite and rare occasions when you share a room with passengers travelling on different Intrepid trips than your own.SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENTPlease note that on our 18-35 trips in Europe we do not provide a single room supplement option.CHECK-IN TIMEThroughout the trip we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination.PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATIONIf you've purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (if available), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights.
Important Information
1. A single supplement is not available on this trip.
Mode of Transport
TRANSPORT IN EUROPEHalf the fun of travel is the travelling itself, that's why we like to travel the local way – whether that means mingling with commuters on a local train, watching the scenery roll by from the window of a long distance bus, arriving on a high speed train in the city centre of your next destination, or navigating each city's public transport system. In Europe, you are guaranteed to travel by genuine local public transport wherever possible, which puts you right in the centre of the action.GREEK FERRIESThe main means of transportation in the Greek Islands is by public ferry. These ferries are large car ferries that transport hundreds of people, along with cars and trucks. There are no reserved seats and passengers are free to walk around the ferry freely. Luggage is stored in a designated area on the car deck and is not accessible while the ferry is moving.STRIKESFerry strikes, bad weather and the general unpredictable nature of Greek public transport means you need to be prepared for possible delays and itinerary changes.
Check out our Q&As
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Is this trip right for you
As this trip only has limited time in Athens, we highly recommend staying a few extra days before your tour to enjoy all this amazing destination has to offer.
The main means of transportation on this trip is by public ferry. These ferries are large, and transport hundreds of people, along with cars and trucks. There are no reserved seats and passengers are free to walk around the ferry freely. Luggage is stored in a designated area on the car deck and is not accessible while the ferry is moving.
Summer temperatures in Greece can reach up to 40°C, which can be uncomfortable for those not used to the heat. Please consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability for that season.
Some of the Greek Islands are hilly and mountainous, which means steps are an inherent feature of the landscape. You will need to be able to lift your luggage and carry it up and down stairs and inclines. We recommend packing as lightly as possible for this reason. For more information, check out the "Packing" section of the Essential Trip Information. -
What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest COVID-19 policies
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Intrepid Travel has been taking travellers around the world for over 30 years
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Since 2002, The Intrepid Foundation has supported over 130 organisations across the world. We’re creating positive impact through the joy of travel, community and connection.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Over 50% of traveller travel solo with Intrepid. You can choose to share a room with another solo travelle of the same sex for no additional charge, or choose to pay a single supplement if you’d like your own room. Please request this when booking, and we will secure you a single supplement wherever possible. Please note, if you are booking a last-minute trip, it may be harder for us to secure a single room
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Free Date Changes
Intrepid Travel allows you to make 10 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 56 days before the start of the tour.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Intrepid Travel allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform intrepid travel, 56 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Intrepid Travel requires a minimum deposit of 400 USD per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 56 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of intrepid travel charges.
Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 60% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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Terms and Conditions