Greece Athens and the Greek Isles 3 - Itinerary
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Day 1: Arrivals, Introductory Tour of Athens On your arrival at Athens International Airport (ATH), a Sights and Soul Travels representative will meet you at the airport at your flight arrival time for your private transfer to the boutique Hotel Herodion, at the foot of the Acropolis in Athens. In the afternoon, we'll enjoy an introductory walk through the ancient Plaka area, stopping at the Dionysus Theater, the Roman Forum, Hadrian's Gate, and the Temple of Olympian Zeus, then we'll get to know each other during the welcome dinner of local specialties in an elegant, Greek mythology inspired restaurant featuring the night time view of the lit-up Acropolis. Day 2: Athens - The Acropolis We'll spend our first full day in Greece exploring the treasures of Athens with a private guide. We'll step back in time, as we visit the Acropolis and its imposing temples, including the Parthenon, the masterpiece of Periclean Athens. We'll also tour the city's ancient Agora and other antiquity monuments and conclude with the showcase of ancient Greek art at the New Acropolis Museum. The afternoon will be free for individual exploration of the Athens' Archaeological Museum or you may choose to enjoy Plaka, the atmospheric heart of the city with excellent shopping and people watching. In the evening, we'll relax over dinner in a moonlit Greek taverna in Plaka, overlooking the lit-up Acropolis, and if we stay long enough we may even join the locals in some traditional Greek dancing. Day 3: Athens to Santorini, Fira In the morning, we'll leave Athens and fly to the stunning island of Santorini, set amongst the lovely Cyclades, where we'll stay in the luxury, cliff-hugging Volcano View Hotel, overlooking the sunken caldera and the remains of the mythical Atlantis. After checking in and having lunch with a view, we can enjoy the hotel's many pools, terraces, and amazing views. In the evening, we'll set out to explore the atmospheric town of Fira with its narrow, winding streets, tiny, whitewashed houses, sapphire blue domes, and numerous terraces overlooking the Aegean Sea. Day 4: Sailing around the Island of Santorini Today may be the highlight of our trip, as we sail around the volcanic crescent island of Santorini, on a private catamaran, exploring the island's red, black and white sand beaches and hidden coves, swimming in volcanic hot springs, then enjoying freshly prepared lunch and Santorini wines onboard the catamaran. We will be accompanied by a local captain who will share with us his love for the island and enhance our understanding of Santorini's natural beauty, ancient sites, and contemporary culture. Day 5: Santorini Wines, Traditional Villages, Oia After a free morning, we'll join a local sommelier to visit one of Santorini's unique vineyards, where we'll get to appreciate the creative cultivation methods used in the island's vineyards, and sample some of the best wines produced here. Afterwards, we'll continue to the famouse black beach of Kamari, where the clear blue waters of the Aegean contrast with the black volcanic sand. We'll conclude with the whitewashed village of Oia, located on the hillside overlooking the caldera crescent, where we'll enjoy the ultimate sunset dinner at a restaurant perfectly located to appreciate the eerie beauty of the flooded caldera. Day 6: Profitis Ilias Monastery, Flight to Crete After breakfast, we'll further explore the island of Santorini, as we visit the traditional villages of Pyrgos and Megalochori, which offer stunning, 360 degrees views of the island. We'll also tour the Monastery of Profitis Ilias (Prophet Elijah), an 18th-century sanctuary built on the highest point of the island, 1860 feet above sea level, and offering all-encompassing views over the entire island that many believe is the lost Atlantis. In the afternoon, we'll fly to Heraklion on the Island of Crete. After checking into the boutique Megaron Hotel in Heraklion, we'll enjoy a rooftop dinner of Cretan specialties as we look out over the imposing Venetian port and the sea fortress. Day 7: Heraklion, Palace of Knossos, Chania Today, we'll spend the day learning about the Minoan civilization of Crete. We'll start with a visit to Heraklion's Archeological Museum which holds the beautifully preserved remains of the 3,000 year old Minoan civilization. Afterwards, we'll continue to the Palace of Knossos, the most important Minoan complex. According to tradition, Knossos was the seat of the legendary Cretan king Minos. The Palace is associated with myths of the Labyrinth and the Minotaur, as well as the story of Dedalos and Icarus, and was continuously inhabited from the Neolithic period (7000-3000 B.C.) until Roman times. In the afternoon, we'll travel to western Crete's town of Chania, stopping en route at the atmospheric town of Rethymno with its Ottoman Empire architecture. In the late afternoon, we'll arrive at Minoa Palace Resort, where we can relax and enjoy the hotel's beautiful pools, the beach, and views of the sea from our rooms. Day 8: Chania, Agia Triada Monastery This morning, we'll set out to visit one of Crete's most important historical monuments, the Monastery of Agia Triada, in the north of Crete's Akrotiri Peninsula. This highly photogenic structure, built in 1634, preserves the Greek Orthodox monks' way of life. After the visit, we'll continue with a slow exploration of Chania, Crete's most beautiful town, where the Venetian architectural style is complemented by the Ottoman designed buildings and Byzantine fortifications overlooking an atmospheric harbor. With its white marble streets, labyrinths of narrow alleys, and colorful markets, the city casts its spell on all who visit. In the evening, we'll enjoy a dinner of delicious Cretan specialties in Chania's Old Town. Day 9: Manousakis Winery and Cooking Class After a full day of history and architecture, today we'll focus on food and wine. In the morning, we'll join a Cretan gourmand for a shopping visit to a local market, followed by a private cooking class, held at a beautiful vineyard, which will introduce us to Cretan cuisine, the basis for the Mediterranean diet. In the afternoon, there will be some time to be spent at leisure, enjoying the Minoa Palace Resort, its spa services, pools and powdery sand beaches. Day 10: Falassarna, Sfinari and Elafonissi Beaches After breakfast, we'll set out to explore Crete's most beautiful beaches: Falassarna and Elafonissi, and take in some of the breathtaking mountain scenery that surrounds them. We'll have time to just relax and enjoy the pink sand and the surreal stone formations or have lunch at one of the rustic fishermen's taverns. On the way back, we'll stop to see the golden stairs at the clifftop Orthodox Chrysoskalitissa Monastery. In the evening, we'll celebrate our Greek adventure with an elegant farewell dinner. Day 11: Chania to Athens - Departures After a very early breakfast, we'll transfer to Chania airport for our morning flight to Athens before flying back home.
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