Taste Of Greece

Welcome to Greece! Arrive in the morning and make your way to the hotel for the start of the tour. Your tour leader will meet you at the hotel to brief you on the upcoming itinerary. Then, get ready for an orientation tour of Athens! Get acquainted with this ancient city and its many iconic sites. One of the highlights of this tour is the traditional changing of the guard ceremony! This evening, enjoy an included dinner of authentic Greek cuisine. Get to know your tour leader and fellow travellers over this delicious meal.

Orientation tour of Athens: Get to know Greece’s bustling capital city on an orientation tour with your tour leader. See top attractions like the Academy, National Library, Greek parliament, Panathinaikos marble stadium, Hadrian’s Arch, and the temple of Olympian Zeus. Witness the ceremonial changing of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Welcome dinner in Athens: Greek cuisine is one of the world’s most delicious cuisines, renowned for fresh flavours and ingredients. Get your first taste of Greek food in Athens as you get to know your fellow travellers over a welcome dinner.

Depart from Athens this morning and travel to Kalabaka. On the way, stop at Thermopylae to admire the statue of Leonidas, King of Sparta. Next, travel to Kalabaka, an excellent base town from which to visit the famous Meteora landscapes and monasteries. Upon arrival, visit a Byzantine art workshop to see how locals create exquisite works of Christian Greek art. Then, head to tonight’s hotel accommodation and take some time to settle in. Finish the day with a mesmerising sunset drive of the Meteora hills and catch panoramic views of the monolithic pillars and hills with its celebrated cliff top monasteries. It’s truly any photographer’s dream! Enjoy traditional Greek food for dinner this evening at the hotel.

Visit Thermopylae and see the statue of Leonidas, King of Sparta: Enjoy a photo stop and admire the statue of Leonidas, King of Sparta in Thermopylae. This location is famous around the world as the scene of the battle of Thermopylae between the Greek and Persian forces in 480 BC.

Visit a Byzantine art workshop: Visit a Byzantine art workshop under the hills of Meteora. Byzantine art was inherited from the empire of Istanbul and later brought to the Mediterranean world. See how Greek artists handcraft hagiographic art based on the traditional methods of old craftsmen of Meteora.

Take a sunset drive of Meteora, a UNESCO World Heritage Site: Take a sunset drive through the Meteora hills at day’s end to see amazing rock formations that have provided sacred retreats for monks over the centuries. The views are breathtaking and you’ll soon understand why Meteora is considered among the most beautiful areas of mainland Greece. This area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Enjoy free time in Kalabaka this morning. Choose to explore at your own pace or join the exciting optional excursion of the monasteries of Meteora. Explore the hills and giant sandstone formations of Meteora and stop at two spectacular cliff-top monasteries during the excursion! This afternoon, hop back aboard the coach and cross the mountains of central Greece to Delphi. Arrive and embark on an orientation tour with your tour leader. This evening, enjoy an included dinner with the group followed by free time to spend at your leisure.

Delphi orientation tour: Take a short driving and walking tour of Delphi. Your tour leader will show the group where the ancient sanctuary of Delphi is located and will then guide the group through the main street to point out local amenities, restaurants and main attractions.

This morning allows free time in Delphi. Join the highly recommended optional excursion to discover Delphi with a local guide. Admire the Sanctuary of Apollo, the Treasury of the Athenians and visit the famous museum of Delphi. Then, drive along the Coast of Corinth and take a short ferry to the colourful Greek island of Trizonia. The last of its kind, this island is only 2,5 km² big with almost no cars. Catch a ferry ride back to Glyfada and continue to ancient Olympia, home of the original Olympic Games, which originated in 776 BC! Tonight, choose to join a Greek evening of traditional food and dance.

Trip to the colourful Greek island of Trizonia: The last of its kind, this island is only 2,5 km² with almost no cars. Soak up the culture, tastes, sights and sounds, and experience how the rhythm of life here has remained unchanged. You also have the option to join your tour leader for a seafood lunch in one of the popular eateries with spectacular views of the island.

Enjoy a locally-guided tour of the Olympia Museum and ancient site before crossing the mountains of Peloponnese. Arrive at Mycenae for our visit to the tomb of Agamemnon and the famous Lion’s Gate. It’s not only one of the most important archeological sites in Greece, but also the place where many of the ancient Greek myths have their origin. Tour the grounds with an expert guide and enjoy an included lunch before travelling to the picturesque town of Nafplion. Nafplion is the first capital of modern Greece, the skyline of which is dominated by Palamidi castle. Settle in at your hotel upon arrival and spend the rest of the evening at your leisure, or join an optional evening tour to Epidaurus.

Olympia ancient site and museum visit: Learn more about the history of Olympia, the Temple of Zeus and the Olympic games with a locally guided tour of the Olympia Museum. Discover ancient Greek art and explore significant exhibitions about ancient Greece.

Explore the ancient ruins of Mycenae: Visit Mycenae and take a walking tour with an expert guide to explore the ruins of this once powerful settlement. Learn all about how it came to exist and, according to Greek myth, was ruled by King Agamemnon. See highlights such as the Palace, Tomb of Agamemnon and Lion’s Gate. Lunch is included this afternoon as we sit down in a local restaurant for a 3-course meal.

Visit the hillside seaport of Nafplion: Dominated by Palamidi Castle, Nafplion is one of the most beautiful towns in the area of Argolis. Be sure to take time to explore the picturesque narrow streets and admire the neo-classical architecture. Take a stroll along the seafront promenade and enjoy the amazing views of the fortified Bourtzi islet, which once guarded the entrance to the port of Nafplion.

Journey from Nafplion towards Athens. Make a short stop along the way to enjoy captivating views of the Corinth Canal. Next, continue to Athens and depart on a city tour with a professional local guide. The tour will introduce you to iconic sights like the Academy, National Library, Greek parliament, Panathinaikos marble stadium, Hadrian’s Arch, the temple of Olympian Zeus. The tour ends at the museum of the Acropolis where you will have the option to join a guided tour of the Acropolis site and Acropolis Museum. Due to popularity, this optional excursion must be booked prior to the start of the tour - contact us to book now! The afternoon is yours to explore Athens at your leisure.

Stopover at the historic Corinth Canal: Constructed between 1880 and 1893, the Corinth Canal is one of Greece’s most important engineering achievements. The four-mile-long canal was designed to link the Corinth and Saronic Gulf, and in the past it used to be an important navigational route for ships coming in from the Aegean sea. Today it’s mainly used for small ships and tourist boats.

City tour of mesmerising Athens: Enjoy a locally guided tour of Athens! Make stops at The Academy, the National Library, the Greek parliament and the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Panathinaikos marble stadium where the first modern Olympics took place, Hadrian's Arch and the temple of Olympian Zeus.

After a week of Greek adventures, the tour comes to an end this morning in Athens. We hope you've enjoyed your tour of Greece and look forward to welcoming you on board an Expat Explore tour again soon!