Trip Schedule
Day 1: On arrival in Athens, you will be met and transferred to hotel. The rest of the day is free to head out and explore the city, an incredible contrast of the ancient and the modern.
Day 2: Today we will learn about Ancient Town of Athens, the cradle of Western civilization. We will visit UNESCO recognized symbol of Greece, Acropolis Rock and Museum. On the Rock we will admire the Parthenon, Temple of Athena Nike, Erechtheion and we will continue with visit to the Acropolis new Museum. Later we will finish our day with a walking tour at area of Plaka and Psyrri neighborhood, home to artisan shops. Continue on through Monastiraki, a historic neighborhood centered on a famous flea market. Navigate its packed streets, and see if you can spot any of its Greco-Roman ruins. Stop to taste authentic Greek bites as you amble on, and get a feel for the pace of Athenian life. Enjoy free time in Athens.
Day 3: Early in the morning we will depart and drive across the Peloponnesian peninsula with a short stop stopping along the way to admire the Corinth Canal—a lockless, four-mile-long cut that links the Aegean and Ionian Seas. Then, continue on to Patras, Greece’s third-largest city, to board a ferry headed for the largest of the Ionian Islands: Kefalonia. After settlement free time.
Day 4: Today we will spend a full day exploring Kefalonia. A mountainous isle dotted with fishing villages. We will drive across the island and admire dramatic coastal landscapes from a viewpoint above the white sands of Myrtos, a beach frequently touted as one of Greece’s best. Head to the outskirts of Sami village and stop at Melissani Lake—an underground cave filled with water so clear, boats look like they’re hovering in the air. While we will be on board, we will watch the sunlight that shoots down through an open ceiling dance and dazzle on the lake’s surface. We will stop at an olive oil mill and walk through the production process. See and smell each sensational step, then move on to a tasting of select oils paired with local products.
Day 5: Early in the morning we will travel north, take the ferry to beautiful island of the Ionian Sea, Lefkada, famous for its sheer cliffs, mountain villages and monasteries, and white-sand beaches. After round tour of the island, settlement at the hotel and free time.
Day 6: We will depart early in the morning back onto the mainland to Epirus, a historically isolated region squeezed between the Pindus Mountains and the sea. We will take a scenic drive along its pristine coast to the ancient city of Nicopolis, nominated for UNESCO monument. Founded in 29 B.C. by the first Roman emperor, Octavian, the “city of victory” served as capital of the province of Epirus Vetus. After finishing up in Nicopolis, board an afternoon ferry bound for the island of Corfu.
Day 7: Early in the morning we will start exploring this Jewel of the Ionian Sea, Corfu. We will see the city’s Italian influence, courtesy of the old Venetian Empire, on display at Spianada Square, arguably the most impressive plaza in all of Greece. Enter the Holy Church of Saint Spyridon. Built in the 1580s and adorned with dozens of icons and gold-and-silver censers, this Greek Orthodox church houses the sacred relics of the island’s patron saint. We take a short drive to visit the Achilleion Palace, once the palatial summer residence of German Kaiser Wilhelm II and site of his diplomatic activity. Stop for a tasting of marmalade, liqueur, and other kumquat products. Originally from China, this bright orange fruit is synonymous with the island of Corfu, and goods made from it have Protected Designation of Origin status in Greece. In the afternoon free time for a walk.
Day 8: Free morning in Corfu and transfer to Airport for flight back to Athens.
Day 9: Check out and flight back home.
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