Complete Greece and Sicily | 16 Days

We will enjoy the city tour with a local guide which includes the Presidential Palace, the Panathinaikos stadium where the first modern Olympic games were held, the national library, the bustling squares of the center; the new neighborhoods that emerged after the 2004 Olympic games. The tour will finish at the Acropolis site (entry not included). In the evening we include a transfer to the Plaka area, which is full of small Greek bars and where you will be able to enjoy the rich folklore of this country.

Meals Included:

Breakfast

We depart early in the morning towards the North of Greece. We will make a stop in Kamena Vourla, a beautiful touristic hub next to the sea surrounded by beautiful landscapes. We will then proceed to the north. We will make a short stop in the gorge where the Battle of Thermopylae took place. We will visit Kastraki, a picturesque village with beautiful views of the whole valley and where we will have free time for lunch before visiting the Meteora valley, a breathtaking place which has been declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO. We include admission to one of the most famous monasteries. Dinner is included in Kalambaka.

Meals Included:

Breakfast, Dinner

We will travel south through the Thessaly region. We will arrive in Delphi after enjoying the view of wonderful landscapes. We include admission to the beautiful archaeological complex that overlooks the Gulf of Corinth with incredible landscapes, time for lunch. After that we travel to the Osios Loukas Monastery, one of the most beautiful Byzantine monasteries in Greece, UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its magnificent 11th century mosaics are incredible. We continue towards Athens. Arrival in the evening.

Meals Included:

Breakfast

Our journey is very special today. Greece has almost 6.000 islands, of which more than 100 are inhabited. Several ships connect the islands with the continent. We will depart from the hotel early in the morning to get the ferry that will take us to Aegina. The way takes a bit less than an hour. This island has been inhabited for more than 4.000 years. You will be able to walk around the picturesque harbor, the typical quarters of little houses and old churches, or go to the Greek temple of Apollo. We then will come back to take the ferry again and, after a 1:15 h journey, we will get to Poros island. You will have free time in this charming place, full of tourist life; its old houses climb up to the clock tower. Free time for walking around and lunch. After lunch, we will make a 15-minutes journey to Galatas, a small harbor in the Peloponnese. We then continue by road, across beautiful landscapes of hills, to Epidaurus. The admission is included, and there will be free time to visit its old theater which was built 2.400 years ago and has been excellently preserved. It still holds performances nowadays and has capacity for 14.000 people. We then continue to Nafplion, which is a charming coastal city dominated by the citadel and the Venetian fortress. Free time to walk around. Dinner included.

Note: the schedules of the ferries are subject to change. During the low season months, the ferries between Aegyna and Poros may not operate. In this case, Aegyna island will be replaced by the Hydra Island.

Meals Included:

Breakfast, Dinner

We will travel across the mountains of the Peloponnese hinterland to Tripoli. Stop in the lively capital of the Arcadia region. There will be free time to walk around the Areos Square, with its cafes and restaurants. We will resume our way to Olympia, where we will visit the archeologic site (admission and visit with a local guide included). This is the place where the first Olympic Games were held in the year 776 BC. Athletes from all over Greece and its colonies participated. The Temple of Zeus, the stadium, the gymnasium, and the arena are outstanding landmarks. We then continue to Patras, the third city of Greece in terms of population. It is a port city with an active life, a medieval fortress which overlooks the city, and the biggest cathedral in Greece. Both the cathedral and the small Saint Andrew’s church are pilgrimage destinations. Dinner included.

Meals Included:

Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast, we will cross over the Rio-Antirrio bridge, an impressive cable-stayed bridge which connects the Peloponnese with the Greek continent. We travel across the Central Greece regions and the Epyrus. Igoumenitsa, arrival at this coastal city; free time for a walk before taking the modern ferry (expected departure time at 14:00h) on which we will cross the Ionian Sea towards Italy. Arrival at Brindisi by the end of the day (arrival time expected at 21:00h).

Meals Included:

Breakfast

Today we will visit two spectacular and authentic towns. Alberobello, charming town famous for its unique conical-shaped houses known as “trulli”. These unique structures, with their stacked stone roofs, are a World Heritage Site and are considered an outstanding example of Italian rural architecture. After that we continue to Matera, located in the Basilicata region, known for its ancient historic center with its “Sassi di Matera”, a complex of ancient houses and buildings carved into the rock that date back thousands of years. It is a World Heritage Site and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited human settlements in the world. Time for a walk and lunch. In the afternoon we continue through Basilicata and Campania, admiring their beautiful mountain landscapes. Naples, arrival in the evening. Free time afterwards.

Meals Included:

Breakfast

Free time to have a walk in Naples before boarding. Boat trip to the Island of Capri included. You may take a boat to the Blue Grotto or the cable car to Capri city. We will get on board again and continue to Sorrento, a charming, touristic town at the base of a cliff. Free time to stroll around. We will continue to the Gulf of Salerno. Sojourn in Salerno.

Meals Included:

Breakfast

We travel to the south of ¨the boot¨. Attractive southern Italian scenery as we cross the Cilento National Park. We arrive in Paola, on the shores of the Tyrrhenian Sea, we visit the sanctuary of St Francis of Paola and we have free time for lunch in its pretty historic centre. We go on our way to Villa San Giovanni where we take a short ferry crossing to the island of Sicily. Arrival in Messina where we will have time for a stroll and to visit the cathedral before continuing to Taormina. Dinner included.

Note: Accommodation in the “region of Taormina”, the accommodation may sometimes be in Messina.

Meals Included:

Breakfast, Dinner

At the foot of the Etna volcano, the very beautiful city of Taormina was defined by Churchill as the prettiest place on earth. Time to stroll around the ancient city centre full of life, its Greek theatre overlooking unforgettable scenery. You can also enjoy the beach. Dinner included.

Meals Included:

Breakfast, Dinner

We travel to Syracuse, a city which for a time rivalled Athens and Rome for its power and splendor. Time to visit its magnificent historic center. After lunch we go on to Noto, a small city that seems to have stopped in time, the Baroque jewel of Sicily. We carry on towards Agrigento. In the coach we see the magnificent temple complex. Dinner included.

Meals Included:

Breakfast, Dinner

With a local guide we visit the Valley of the Temples, an impressive archaeological site considered the most complete complex of Greek temples (ticket not included). We travel to Marsala, a historic city with a lot of atmosphere and a famous wine, and time for lunch. We go on around the Marsala salt marshes to Erice, a very picturesque Phoenician town overlooking the sea. Time to stroll. We carry on to Palermo. Dinner included.

Meals Included:

Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast visit of Palermo including a transfer to the beautiful village (today outskirts of the city) of Monreale, with its beautiful Arab-Norman cathedral (entrance included), a World Heritage Site, for its impressive golden mosaics that cover the interior. The Sicilian capital is a city full of contrasts with stories of Arabs, Normans and Baroque splendor. Highlights include the Cathedral (entrance included) and the Palace of the Normans with its Palatine Chapel. Free time at the end of the visit. In the late afternoon we board a modern night ferry. Accommodation in double cabins with en-suite bathrooms.

Meals Included:

Breakfast

Arrival in Naples early in the morning (breakfast not included) and continue to Pompeii where you can admire the remains of this Roman city that was covered by the ashes of Mount Vesuvius with a local guide (entrance and visit with a local guide included). After that, we visit Naples, one of the most fascinating cities in Italy and one of the oldest and most continuously inhabited in Europe. The old town of Naples is one of the largest in Europe and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Time for a walk and lunch. Continuing to Cassino, we will see the immense abbey where one of the toughest battles of the Second World War took place. Arrival in Rome at the end of the day.

Meals Included:

Breakfast

After breakfast, end of our services.

Meals Included:

Breakfast

English speaking tours in Athens, Agrigento, Palermo and Pompeii

Touring as per itinerary

15 Buffet Breakfasts, 7 Dinners

Transportation by air-conditioned vehicle

Arrival transfer

Ticket admission: Monastery at Meteoras, Archaeological Ensemble of Delphi; Monastery of Osios Loukas , Greek Theatre of Epidaurus , archaeological site of Olympia with guided tour , Entrance and visit to the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento , Palermo cathedral , Monreale cathedral , Pompey

Basic travel insurance

Ferry: Galatas – Poros – Aegina – Athens, Igumenitsa (GR) – Brindisi (IT), Naples – Capri – Sorrento, San Giovanni – Messina in Sicily, Palermo – Naples

Passport or visa fees

Other meals, snacks and drinks

Departure transfer

Pre and post tour accommodation

Any other items of personal nature