DAY 1
ARRIVE ATHENS, GREECE
Arrive in Athens, where you are met and transferred to your hotel.
HOTEL | ATHENS
DAY 2
ATHENS | TIME-HONORED TEMPLES
Set out to explore the ancient city of Athens. Named for the goddess Athena and considered the birthplace of democracy, Athens is the cosmopolitan and bustling capital of Greece, adorned with ever-present reminders of a long and glorious past: graceful Greek temples, proud Roman arches and ornate Byzantine churches. Begin the day at the Acropolis, which overlooks the city. See the majestic Parthenon, one of the most important ancient monuments in the Western world. Then, visit the museum at the foot of the Acropolis. Housing over 4,000 articles in natural light, its top floor contains a storied, 15-block frieze depicting human figures, deities and animals, mainly horses. After taking in views of the Parthenon itself, stroll through the city’s ancient, picturesque Plaka district. Continue along the scenic coastline to Cape Sounion, where you visit the ancient, ruined Temple of Poseidon, believed to date from the fifth century BC.
HOTEL | ATHENS
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 3
ATHENS | BIRTHPLACE OF THE OLYMPICS
There is no better place to learn the story of the Olympic Games than amid its spiritual homeland — the first event can be traced back to Olympia in 776 BC. Visit the Zappeion — the first modern, purpose-built Olympic facility — where you try the discus, javelin and long jump firsthand. Then test your speed during a race at Panathenaic Stadium, the only stadium in the world built entirely of marble. It’s on this hallowed track that the first modern Olympians competed in 1896. After your morning workout, join a local expert for a stroll through Athens’ markets and food stores, visiting pastry shops specializing in cinnamon-spiked, yeast-risen loukoumades. Learn the secrets behind celebrated Greek dishes and sample aromatic coffee en route. Cap off your walk with a tasting of souvlaki at a local venue.
HOTEL | ATHENS
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 4
NAFPLIO | DISCOVERING ANCIENT CORINTH
Leave Athens behind as you head west to one of ancient Greece’s most important cities, Corinth, situated on the isthmus between the mainland and the Peloponnese. Occupying a strategic location along an important trade route, it grew from a Neolithic settlement to a major Greek city in the eighth century BC. Visit the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, constructed in 550 BC at the height of the city’s wealth. After exploring the remnants of Roman Corinth, continue to the Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth, known for its fine collection of historic artifacts. Check in to your hotel in the seaport town of Nafplio.
HOTEL | NAFPLIO
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 5
NAFPLIO | PATHS OF PALAMIDI
Explore the city of Nafplio today. Situated in the Peloponnese, it sprawls into the hillsides near the northern end of the Argolic Gulf. Walk the hidden streets and the forgotten paths leading to hillside Palamidi fortress, built by the Venetians during their second occupation of the area. As you descend the site, take in breathtaking views over the city. This afternoon, your driver is at your disposal should you wish to explore further at leisure.
HOTEL | NAFPLIO
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 6
NAFPLIO | A DAY TO EXPLORE
You may explore today as you wish, perhaps taking a short, scenic drive to Epidaurus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Argolid Peninsula. Named for Epidauros, son of Apollo, it was inhabited since Neolithic times. See its acoustically impressive fourth-century theater, where limestone seating filters out low-frequency sounds. Then, perhaps, continue to Mycenae near Mykines in Argolis. After seeing the fortified citadel, you may choose to enjoy an authentic Greek lunch in a local restaurant before returning to Nafplio for an evening at leisure. Alternately, enjoy a wide range of active options, from sea kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding to hiking and trekking.
HOTEL | NAFPLIO
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 7
CRETE | CAPITAL OF CRETE
Transfer to the Athens airport and board your flight to Crete. Upon arrival, you are met and privately transferred to your hotel in Heraklion, where the remainder of the day is at leisure.
HOTEL | CRETE
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 8
CRETE | MINOAN CULTURE
Spend the afternoon exploring Heraklion, occupied as early as 2000 BC by the Minoans, known for their remarkably advanced society and maritime trading empire. Delve deeper when you visit the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, home to the most notable and complete collection of Minoan artifacts, before visiting the Palace of Knossos. Settled as early as the Neolithic period, “Europe’s oldest city” is the island’s largest Bronze Age archaeological site. After viewing mosaic floors, the grand staircase and the throne complex, head to a local winery, where you sample Greek varietals.
HOTEL | CRETE
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 9
CRETE | JEEP SAFARI
Set out on an exhilarating off-road safari, taking in breathtaking views of central Crete. Journey along the Katharo plateau, winding along dirt tracks and through the forest, where the mountains soar to over 3,700 feet. Continue along roads that can only be accessed by four-wheel-drive, crossing rivers and admiring scenic panoramas as you go. Then, take a short but challenging hike along Havgas Gorge. Refuel over a traditional lunch paired with Cretan wine. Before transferring back to your hotel, spot vultures at a viewing point and see the oldest plane tree on the island.
HOTEL | CRETE
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 10
DEPART CRETE
Privately transfer to the Heraklion airport, where you board your international flight
Meals: Breakfast
