Premium Greece Cyclades Islands
Premium Greece Cyclades Islands
Premium Greece Cyclades Islands
9 Days Starting in Athens and ending in Santorini
Visiting: Athens, Paros, Naxos, Santorini
Tour operator:
Tour code:
ZVPI
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
1 - 12
Age range:
15-99 years
Trip Styles:
Interests:
Tour Overview
Let the charm of the Cyclades wash over you on a nine-day Premium island adventure in Greece. Start off in the storied city of Athens, explore the villages of Paros, uncover ancient riches in Naxos and soak up million-dollar views in Santorini. Hike a caldera, tour wineries, sample local kitron and take a cooking class with organic ingredients. Travel with a passionate local leader who’s eager to share the magic of their country as you discover fascinating histories, incredible food and welcoming locals.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Athens
Location: Athens
Accommodation: Hotel The Athenian Callirhoe or similar
Meals Included: dinner
Kalimera! Welcome to Greece. Your adventure begins in Athens, Greece’s storied capital. There’s a lot to experience in this ancient city, so arriving a few days early is highly recommended. You’ll be met at the airport when you arrive and transferred to your hotel, where you’ll have a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. If you arrive early, you might like to visit Athens’ iconic Acropolis or walk around the National Garden. After your meeting, get a taste of Greece’s celebrated cuisine during dinner with the group at a local restaurant in the vibrant Psiri neighbourhood.
Included Activities:
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Day 2: Paros
Location: Paros
Accommodation: Saint Andrea Seaside Resort or similar
Meals Included: breaksfast
This morning, you’ll be transported to Athens' port at Piraeus and board a ferry bound for Paros – a beautiful and relaxed island with a layered history. Ferries are a great way to travel between the islands and are the lifeblood of many remote islands in Greece's archipelagos. In the afternoon, get to know Paros during an island tour with a local guide. Start off in Parikia, the island’s main town, where you’ll visit the Ekatontapiliani church, also known as the Church of a Hundred Doors. Drive through the island’s mainland, passing by ancient marble quarries, then stop off at the village of Lefkes. Take some time to explore the village surrounded by verdant hills, olive and pine trees, then carry on to Naoussa – a village known for its whitewashed alleys, Venetian castle and scenic port.
Included Activities:
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Day 3: Paros
Location: Paros
Accommodation: Saint Andrea Seaside Resort or similar
Meals Included: breaksfast
The day is yours to uncover more of Paros’ charms. There’s certainly no shortage of things to see and do on the island. You might like to take guided morning hike along the coast – starting off at a fishing village and weaving through some of the island’s best beaches. In the afternoon, you’ll have the option to visit the nearby island of Antiparos – a favourite secret holiday spot for royals and celebrities. Or, perhaps you’d like to spend the day relaxing on one of Paros’ many beaches, cooling off with dips in Aegean Sea. Speak to your leader for more information about the activities on offer today and for tips on how to make the most of this spectacular island.
Day 4: Naxos
Location: Naxos
Accommodation: Naxos Resort or similar
Meals Included: breaksfast, dinner
This morning, say goodbye to Paros and catch a short ferry to Naxos. The largest of the Cyclades islands, Naxos has something for everyone – from glittering beaches to an endearing Old Town and hundreds of years of Venetian history. Take some time to settle in, then regroup in the late afternoon to discover the wonders of the town with the guidance of your leader. Visit the Portara – a giant marble doorway and the only remaining part of an unfinished temple of Apollo from 530 BC. Naxos is unique in the fact it is the Cyclades’ only self-sufficient island, meaning all produce is grown and available on the island without imports. Because of this, the cuisine is hyperlocal and differs to the rest of the country. This evening, have dinner with your group as you learn about the regional specialties of the island.
Included Activities:
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Day 5: Naxos
Location: Naxos
Accommodation: Naxos Resort or similar
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch
Drive to Eggares – a small farming village set in the region that produces most of the island’s produce. Here, tour an olive oil press museum to learn about the importance of olive oil to Greek culture and traditional extraction methods. After your visit, you’ll put your new knowledge to good use as you travel to the nearby village of Galini for a hands-on cooking class. Meet with a local who will share her in-depth culinary knowledge with the group, leaving you with wonderful recipes you can cook up at home. First, collect fresh ingredients from your host’s organic garden and learn about cultivation and farming on Naxos, then you’ll be shown how to put the ingredients together to create a Naxian dish from scratch, enjoying the fruits of your labour for lunch. Pair your lunch with a tasting of local kitron. With a history stretching back to the 19th century and only produced on Naxos, a taste of this citron liqueur will take you straight to the heart of the island’s culture.
Included Activities:
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Day 6: Naxos
Location: Naxos
Accommodation: Naxos Resort or similar
Meals Included: breaksfast
Today is free to explore more of Naxos. You may like to head to one of the island’s beaches or discover more of the Naxos’ history at a local museum. The Archaeological Μuseum of Naxos in Chora Naxos dates back to the 17th century and houses artefacts from the Neolithic to the early Christian periods, and the Geological Museum of Apeiranthos digs up the natural history of the island. If you’re after a sweet treat, walnut cake flavoured with local kitron is an excellent regional specialty. Your leader will be on hand to help tailor a day that suits your interests.
Day 7: Santorini
Location: Santorini
Accommodation: Santorini Palace Hotel (Feature Stay) or similar
Meals Included: breaksfast
Depart Naxos in the morning and catch a ferry to Santorini. When you arrive in Santorini's capital, Fira, you’ll be met and transferred to your Feature Stay hotel. A whitewashed building in the traditional Cycladic style, the hotel boasts a magnificent backdrop of the Santorini caldera and volcano. The island’s breezy, laidback atmosphere is translated into this superb hotel, offering tranquillity away from the main town. Here, you’ll have spacious rooms, modern amenities, a swimming pool and a prime location for exploring Santorini. In the late afternoon, make sure you view Santorini's world-famous sunset.
Day 8: Santorini
Location: Santorini
Accommodation: Santorini Palace Hotel (Feature Stay) or similar
Meals Included: breaksfast
In the morning, embark on a hike along Santorini’s legendary caldera. The island you see today is what remains from a huge volcanic explosion that destroyed the early settlements and created a geographical caldera. The natural beauty of this caldera is what makes Santorini such a special place. Your walk will take you along the north-western rim of the caldera, passing steep cliff faces and and amazing views along the way. The walk ends in the town of Oia, built on a steep slope inside Santorini’s incredible volcanic caldera. Famous not only for its stunning scenery, Santorini’s microclimate and volcanic soil make it a top spot for wine production. This afternoon you will sip your way around the island during visits to two wonderful family-run wineries, where you will learn about history of wine production, its importance to the local economy, and taste the different varieties yourself.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 9: Santorini
Location: Santorini
Meals Included: breaksfast
Your adventure comes to an end after breakfast this morning. If you want to spend some more time in Santorini, just speak to your booking agent to organise additional accommodation.
What's Included
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Athens - Welcome Dinner at Local Restaurant
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Athens - Complimentary Airport Arrival Transfer
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Naxos - Halki Half Day Trip
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Naxos - Vallindras Distillery Visit & Kitron Tasting
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Paros - Highlights of Paros Half Day Island Tour with Local Guide
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Naxos - Cooking Class at a Local Home
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Santorini - Winery Excursion & Wine Tasting
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Santorini - Caldera Hike
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Naxos - Old Town Walk & Portara Visit
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Naxos - Eggares Olive Oil Press
What's Not Included
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Tipping and Gratuities
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International Travel
Transport
- GREEK FERRIES
- The 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.
- STRIKES
- Ferry 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.
- OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION
- The 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.
- TWIN SHARE BASIS
- Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multishare basis. We pair up solo travellers with another traveller 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.
- CHECK-IN TIME
- Throughout 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 ACCOMMODATION
- If 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.
- FACILITIES
- Your accommodation may not always have private en suite facilities or air-conditioning. European hotels generally don't provide kettles or fridges.
Important Information
- 1. A complimentary airport arrival transfer is included; valid if you are arriving on Day 1 or if you have booked pre-tour accommodation through us. You must provide your flight details to your booking agent at least 14 days prior to travel.
- 2. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room?on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip?and is subject to availability. There are a limited number of single supplements available per trip departure. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
Check out our Q&As
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Are all entrance fees included in the price?
No
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Is this trip right for you
Pickpocketing can be an issue in Athens, especially on public transport. But if you keep your valuables concealed and secure while travelling on the metro or bus, you should have no problems.
Summer temperatures in Greece can reach up to 40°C, so you will need to be able to cope with the heat if you're visiting at this time. Please consider the time of year and your suitability to visiting during that season. -
Are all the relevant entry visa’s included in the price of the tour?
No
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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Are airport transfers included in this tour?
Yes, Complimentary arrival airport transfer
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Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
Yes if aged 15+ and accompanied by an adult
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Are international flights included in this tour?
No
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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