sell12 Day Greek Odyssey: Athens, Ancient Sites, and Santorini 2025

Boarding your overnight flight, you’re off on a journey that will remain etched in your memory forever!

Arriving at Athens airport, meet your host and transfer to your hotel for check-in. Our hotel is perfectly located for a walk around the city center. Welcome dinner on the rooftop of our hotel with a view of the Acropolis.

After breakfast, we depart for our Athens sightseeing tour including the Acropolis and the NEW Acropolis Museum. Our expert guide will take you to see the Constitution Square (Syntagma), the House of Parliament, the Memorial to the Unknown soldier and the National library.

On your way to the Acropolis, you will see Hadrian’s Arch, the Temple of Olympian Zeus and have a short stop at the Panathenaic Stadium, where the first Modern Olympic Games were held in 1896. On the Acropolis, visit the architectural masterpieces of the Golden Age of Athens. The Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion and finally—the famous Parthenon.

Next, we’ll visit a local market to try local products like Greek meze. (Like Italian antipasto or Spanish tapas.) Returning to your hotel, the remainder of your day and evening is at leisure.

After breakfast, depart for your 5-day tour of classical Greece. Leave Athens by the scenic coastal road and reach the famous Corinth Canal, one of the 19th century world’s engineering masterpieces.

Continue to Epidaurus with its 4th Century BC theatre, famous for its astonishing acoustics. Next, we’ll visit the town of Nafplion (naf-fi-OWN), a modern seaside resort watched over by the mighty Palamidi Fortress.  The narrow picturesque alleys and neoclassical buildings make for great photo-ops.

Now to Nemea to visit a local winery. We will try out the 4 local wines produced here, along with a light lunch. Arrival at your hotel for your included dinner and overnight.

After breakfast we will visit ancient Olympia, where the idea, and the site of the Olympic Games, were born. Visit the Sanctuary of Olympian Zeus, and the Archaeological Museum of Olympia, which hosts the famous statue of Hermes and the Infant Dionysus sculpted by Praxiteles.

We then visit an olive oil farm to learn all about the fruit’s production. We’ll enjoy a tasting followed by lunch.

Continue through Achaia and Rio-Antirio towards Delphi, passing through the picturesque towns of Nafpaktos and Itea. We arrive in Delphi to enjoy dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Ancient Delphi, located on the slopes of Mount Parnassus in Greece, was a major religious and cultural center in antiquity. Revered as the site of the Oracle of Apollo, it attracted visitors from across the Greek world seeking prophetic guidance. Pythia, the high priestess, delivered cryptic predictions believed to be inspired by Apollo.

You will also visit the ‘Treasury of the Athenians and Delphi Museum’, which hosts valuable pieces of art like the astoundingly well-preserved bronze charioteer.

Proceed to the picturesque village of Arachova, located in the foothills of Mountain Parnassus, well-known for its attractive hand-woven carpets, rugs and quilts. Let’s head to Kalambaka for dinner and overnight at our hotel.

This is a special morning to visit the breathtaking monasteries of Meteora. Perched on huge granite rocks, the monasteries seem to suspend between earth and sky, providing a magnificent view. Each monastery contains priceless historical and religious treasures.

Return to Kalambaka and overnight at our hotel.

After breakfast, we’ll make our way back to Athens.

But first, we’ll visit the National History Museum of Meteora and Mushroom Museum for a guided tour including truffle hunting in the forest with a specially trained dog.  We’ll end with a little picnic in the forest to try truffle pasta with wine or soft drinks.

As we continue our drive towards Athens, we'll pass through the picturesque towns of Trikala and Lamia. Our journey includes a poignant stop at Thermopylae,

the site of the legendary battle where King Leonidas and his 300 Spartans made their heroic stand. This was the famous Battle of Thermopylae and is depicted in the movie called “300”.

We’ll return to Athens airport to take the domestic flight to Santorini. On arrival, we’ll enjoy a tour of the capital of the island Fira, to walk and browse in the local small shops and cafes. Then you will be transferred to your 5-Star luxury Hotel Noūs Santorini for check-in.

You may think Pompeii, from 79 AD is old. But Akrotiri was preserved by volcanic ash around 1600 BC! You’ll see the excavations and many well-preserved artifacts.

Next, we’ll visit the best-preserved medieval village on the island - Pyrgos - at the foot of Mt. Profitis Ilias, (Mt. Prophet Elijah) which is Santorini’s highest peak at 1900 feet.

Early this afternoon, we visit Koutsogiannopoulos Winery for a great lunch and of course, a wine tasting!

You have undoubtedly seen pictures of the most photographed village in Greece – Oia – with its small white houses and cobalt blue roofs. Oia is best known for breathtaking sunsets. If truth be told, the sunrise in Oia is also magical. Later we’ll return to our hotel to relax.

This morning is at leisure. But later this afternoon, it’s our sunset Catamaran cruise around the magical Caldera (a volcanic cauldron).

We’ll sail the sea route from Red Beach to White Beach, to the Black Mountain and the Hot Springs. What a spectacular sunset. It’s great to be alive!

As night falls, a sumptuous dinner is served complete with wine and dessert. Marvel at the shimmering stars in the sky and twinkling lights on the island by night!

Later this morning we’ll head to Santorini airport for the 45-minute flight back to Athens. We’ll stay at the convenient and beautiful 5-Star Sofitel Athens Airport tonight.

Farewell dinner at a hotel with our traveling friends and our tour leader all to be added to our personal email list!

Your tour leader will escort you inside the terminal for your flight home.