THE BEST OF GREECE - 2016

Itinerary

Day 1Fri. BOARD YOUR OVERNIGHT TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT

Day 2Sat. ARRIVE IN ATHENS, GREECE

Check into your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to start exploring the Greek capital. Later, meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers and maybe join them in an optional evening out.

Day 3Sun. ATHENS

An opportunity to see island life from the cruise ship on the optional three-island cruise, visiting Aegina, Poros, and Hydra. Poros is a lush island with a maze of narrow streets. Aegina is the main producer of pistachio nuts in Greece, while Hydra is home to a large artist community and where beautiful boutiques line the scenic harbor. (Breakfast)

Day 4Mon. ATHENS–EPIDAURUS–NAUPLIA

Join the included sightseeing tour of Athens, featuring the highlights of this ancient capital with a visit to the Acropolis. Next, west to the Corinth Canal. Journey into the Argolis to stop in Epidaurus, located in the hilly countryside dotted with pine trees and oleanders. In this magnificent setting you’ll visit the open-air theater that can still seat 14,000 spectators. Head for the coast and overnight in Nauplia. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 5Tue. NAUPLIA–MYCENAE–SPARTA

This morning, enjoy the included excursion with a Local Guide to Mycenae, a city fortress cursed by the gods but rich in gold and warrior kings. Motor south in the afternoon deep into the Peloponnese to Sparta for an overnight. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 6Wed. SPARTA–MYSTRA–PYLOS

Your morning highlight will be the included sightseeing of the medieval Byzantine citadel of Mystra, at one time known as the “Florence of the East.” In the afternoon, drive to Pylos, located on a quaint bay on the Messenian Gulf. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 7Thu. PYLOS–NESTOR’S PALACE–OLYMPIA

Olympia is the founding city of the Olympics, dated from 776 B.C.E.

Drive north this morning to Nestor’s Palace. Your included visit will help you imagine the siege of Troy, where Nestor commanded a large fleet. A short stop at the Chora Museum will get you acquainted with the splendor of the past. Later, travel northwest to Olympia, the legendary venue of the Olympic Games, when every four years the city-states engaged in sport instead of war. (Breakfast)

Day 8Fri. OLYMPIA–DELPHI

Delphi Ruins

Focus on Olympia, where the athletes of antiquity performed in honor of the King of Deities. Learn more about the history of the Olympic Games on the optional sightseeing tour. In the afternoon, drive north to Patras, the capital of the Peloponnese and the west coast’s largest port. Then, proceed via the spectacular Rion-Antirion Bridge through the picturesque fishing villages along the south coast of the mainland to mythical Delphi. (Breakfast)

Day 9Sat. DELPHI–KALAMBAKA

Optional morning sightseeing of the archaeological site in Delphi. Once called the “Navel of the Earth,” Delphi was the greatest Oracle of the ancient world, where people flocked to seek advice. Now, it’s one of the grandest sights in Greece; its theater and Temple of Apollo

Visit the Temple of Apollo, dedicated to Apollo the god of light and truth

Day 10Sun. KALAMBAKA–METEORA

The Meteora monastery in Greece

–ATHENS

A short drive to Meteora, which is a cluster of monastic buildings perched in an unforgettable manner on a set of rising rock formations. Your included visit is certainly the day’s highlight. Later, drive south to Athens for an overnight. Why not join the optional Greek dinner? (Breakfast)

Day 11Mon. YOUR HOMEBOUND FLIGHT ARRIVES THE SAME DAY. (Breakfast)