7 Day Essential Greece : Athens, Olympia, Delphi

Escorted Package Includes

• Round trip flights New York-Athens, Athens-New York
  Other departure cities available. Click on date of departure for selection and prices
• Airline taxes & fuel surcharges
• 5 nights accommodations
  • 3 nights Athens
  • 1 night Olympia
  • 1 night Delphi
• Hotel taxes, fees & service charges
• Hotel porterage
• All transfers included only with airfare purchase on package arrival & departure dates†
• 7 meals: 5 breakfasts, 2 dinners
• Sightseeing per itinerary in modern air-conditioned motor coach
• Services of English-speaking tour manager throughout
• Services of local guide in Athens
• Entrance fees per itinerary

Special Features

• Visit the Acropolis Museum, a modern museum housing ancient relics from the Acropolis
• Visit Olympia, birthplace of the first Olympic Games
• Tour the archaeological sites of Delphi and the Temple of Apollo

†Transfers are available for purchase for land only or on alternative flight dates

Is This Trip Right for You?

This value program provides the comfort of an escorted tour, with the freedom to explore on your own. Minimal inclusions plus a variety of optional excursions allow maximum customization. This program is moderately active. Walking is done over cobbled streets, uneven surfaces, stairs, steps and significant slopes. For touring days, expect most of the sightseeing to require three to four hours of walking as well as a considerable time standing. Many historical cities have specific driving regulations, with set drop off and pick up points, that result in extra walking to and from the sights. The pace is moderate as numerous sites are included. A variety of airfare options are available for this program, including some low-cost fares which may exclude complimentary checked luggage and advance seat assignments. Please read each offering to ensure you choose the option that best fits your wishes. This is a Value program which may include relatively basic tourist class, 3-star hotel choices with comparably fewer central locations.

Athenian Callirhoe Hotel, Athens

   This first class hotel is located within walking distance of the Acropolis and many major attractions.

Amalia Hotel Olympia, Olympia

   This first class hotel is a ten minute drive from many of the archaeological sites of Olympia.

Hotel Apollonia, Delphi

   This superior tourist class hotel is situated in an ideal location with majestic views.

DAY 1, Thursday – Depart for Greece
Depart for Greece

DAY 2, Friday – Arrive in Athens
Arrive in Athens, the classical capital of Greece; transfer to your hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure to discover the ancient wonders of this city known as the cradle of Western Civilization and the birthplace of democracy. Your tour will begin with an orientation meeting with your Tour Manager at approximately 7 PM at your hotel. We recommend that you select flights which arrive no later than 5 PM
Overnight: Athens

DAY 3, Saturday – Athens City Tour
This morning is at leisure, or join the optional guided tour of the Acropolis. This architectural masterpiece was built during the Golden Age of Athens and today is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For passengers who opt not participate in the optional tour, transportation has been included to meet the Tour Manager and the rest of the group at the Acropolis Museum. Visit the museum, built at the base of the famous monument, housing many of the precious original statues from the Acropolis. After lunch on your own, join the Tour Manager for a walk through the lively Plaka area, the oldest section of Athens, a neighborhood of charming restaurants, shops and sidewalk cafes. Continue by bus to Syntagma Square. Upon arrival, you might catch a glimpse of the colorfully-costumed Evzone guards, outfitted in the traditional Greek style. Tonight, consider joining the optional dinner in Athens. Begin the evening with a panoramic drive through illuminated Athens. Continue to the lively Plaka area under the Acropolis and enjoy a 3-course traditional Greek dinner, including wine and live music at a typical Greek taverna
Optional: Acropolis Archaeological Site Walking Tour (AM)
Optional: Dinner in Athens (PM)
Overnight: Athens
Meals: Breakfast

DAY 4, Sunday – Sightseeing en route to Olympia
Depart Athens via the scenic coastal road to the mighty Corinth Canal, dividing the Peloponnese from mainland Greece. Continue via Nauplion to Mycenae, the heartland of Greek mythology. Visit the Acropolis of Mycenae and the Tomb of Atreus, built around 1250 B.C. From here, drive through the Central Peloponnese Peninsula, whose major cities in classical times were Corinth and Sparta. Continue to Olympia, birthplace of the first Olympic Games. Arrive at your hotel in time for dinner
Overnight: Olympia
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 5, Monday – Tour the Olympia Archaeological Site
Morning visit to the archaeological site of Olympia, including the Sanctuary of Olympian Zeus, and the ancient stadium where the Olympic Games were first held in 776 B.C. At the Archaeological Museum view astonishing Greek works of art such as the Nike of Paionios and terracotta statues dating back to the 5th century B.C. Visit a local store, where you will have a chance to taste local olive oil and spices. Then, drive north through the plains of Eliad and Achaia, crossing the Corinth Strait via a cabled bridge from Rion to Antirion. Pass the town of Nafpaktos en route to Delphi, home of the ruins of the Tholos Temple. Tonight, savor dinner in Delphi
Overnight: Delphi
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 6, Tuesday – Archaeological Tour of Delphi
Tour the excavated site of Delphi and the archaeological museum, perched on the slopes of Mount Parnassos, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Considered one of the most important places in Greek history, its stunning setting and ancient ruins are truly inspirational. Walk the Sacred Way to the imposing 4th century B.C. Temple of Apollo, site of the most important oracle in the classical world. Afterward, travel south and arrive in Athens in late afternoon. The rest of the day is at leisure. Tonight, meet your Tour Manager for a drink to bid farewell
Overnight: Athens
Meals: Breakfast

DAY 7, Wednesday – Depart Greece
Transfer to the airport for your departure flight
Meals: Breakfast