Ancient
Greece

Day 1 – Athens

Scheduled flight to Athens from your preferred airport – transfer with our professional guide in our private executive coach to the 4* Hotel Stanley in central Athens for a two night stay – dinner in our hotel.

Day 2 – Guided tour of Athens, the Acropolis & the Parthenon

Panoramic guided tour of Athens – see the Panathenaic Stadium, the Temple of Olympian Zeus and Hadrian's Arch – on the Acropolis view the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion and, of course, the Parthenon.

Day 3 – Guided tour of Delphi & Delphi Archaeological Museum

Delphi is renowned as the dwelling place of Apollo – walking along the Sacred Way, a guided tour takes in the Athenian Treasury, the Amphitheatre, the Sanctuary of Athena and the Temple of Apollo which has stood on the site since the 6th century BC – the Delphi Archaeological Museum contains a collection second only to those of the Athenian Acropolis and a priceless collection of ancient works of art including the Sphinx of the Naxians, the Silver Bull, the Column of the Dancers and the bronze Charioteer dating back to the 5th century BC – check in to the 4* Amalia Hotel Delphi for a one night stay – dinner in our hotel.

Day 4 – Olympia & Archaeological Museum of Olympia

Travel to the ruins of ancient Olympia where the Olympic Games were originally held every four years to honour Zeus, the father of the Gods – the Archaeological Museum of Olympia’s collection of finds date from prehistoric times to the early Christian period and include the sculpture collection, for which the museum is most famous, the bronze collection, the richest collection of its type in the world, and the large terracottas collection – check in to the 4* Amalia Hotel Olympia for a one night stay – dinner in our hotel.

Day 5 – Mycenae & Theatre of Epidaurus

Travel to the military stronghold of Mycenae, the Homeric city of the Atreides and the city ‘rich in gold’ of the ancient poets, to see sights such as the 3,300 year old Lion's Gate, the Cyclopean Walls and the Royal Tombs – rediscovered in the 19th century, the wonderfully preserved Theatre of Epidaurus was built in the 4th century BC by Polykleitos and supposedly if you drop a pin in the centre of the orchestra you can hear it from anywhere in the theatre – travel on to the coastal city Nafplio located in the Peloponnese and check in to the 4* Amalia Hotel Nafplio for a one night stay – dinner in our hotel.

Day 6 – Cruise of the Saronic Gulf

A relaxing day with lunch included cruising the Saronic Gulf and its islands – at Hydra, a refuge for artists and intellectuals, stroll along the narrow cobblestone streets and admire the wonderful architecture including the 17th century cathedral with its superbly carved wooden screen and icons – Poros is the greenest of all the Saronic Gulf islands with pine woods and lemon and olive tree groves stretching down to sandy beaches – at Aegina taste the pistachio for which the island is famous and join the optional visit to the Athena Aphaia Temple, built in 480 BC and 25 of whose original 32 Doric columns still stand – travel on to Athens and check in again to the 4* Hotel Stanley for a two night stay.

Day 7 – The National Archaeological Museum

Guided tour of The National Archaeological Museum, the world’s most important museum dedicated to the history of ancient Greece boasting 11,000 exhibits from 7000 BC to the Roman conquest – the afternoon is at leisure – optional farewell dinner.

Day 8 – Home

Transfer to Athens Airport for our scheduled flight back home.

First two and last two nights at the 4* Hotel Stanley in central Athens, one night at the 4* Amalia Hotel Delphi at the foot of mount Parnassus, one night at the 4* Amalia Hotel Olympia and one night at the 4* Amalia Hotel Nafplio at the entrance to the seaport town that was the capital of modern Greece during the early 1800s. Days 2, 6 and 7 in Athens are on bed and breakfast basis, while the other four nights are on half board basis. All rooms are en suite.

Single room supplement £199

Insurance

Optional farewell dinner & visit to Athena Aphaia Temple

Audio headphones

Gratuities

Reviews for Ancient Greece

The tour of Ancient Greece was very well organised. Mara, our guide, was really excellent - a mine of knowledge and liked by everyone without exception. Use her without any doubt that a first class outcome will be the result. Driver throughout was Nico and he was also a great chap. Arrival at our hotel left us very impressed. The view from the 11th floor is stunning with floodlighting of the Parthenon just amazing. Overall, all of us would go again without doubt.

WS, Street November 2018