Discover Ancient Greece

Your 11 nights through ancient Greece begins with your arrival into Athens International Airport. After picking up your luggage, your private driver will meet you for transfer to your hotel in the city, where you can take time to relax and refresh. Later, you’ll meet your private guide for a panoramic overview of this incredible city that is widely considered to be the birthplace of western civilization. Sit back and relax in a comfortable vehicle, passing sites like the Temple of Zeus, the Plaka and Monastiraki neighbourhoods, Lycabettus Hill, Syntagma Square and Panathinaic Stadium, the world’s only stadium built entirely out of marble

Get to know Athens’ most iconic site on a private guided walking tour of the Acropolis and Acropolis Museum. Meet your expert local guide who will bring the landmarks that your viewing to life. Climb Acropolis Hill to visit the world-famous Parthenon, Propylaea, Erectheion and Temple of Athena Nike, monuments that date all the way back to the 5th-century BC. Afterward, you’ll head inside the Acropolis Museum to view the excavation site and explore the many impressive finds that have been uncovered from the hill, bringing it all to life. The rest of the day is all yours to discover more of the city.

Your private driver/guide will meet you for a fascinating trip to ancient Delphi, tucked along the slopes of Mount Parnassus. The ruins of one of the country’s most significant archaeological sites is a place the ancient Greeks revered as the center of the Earth. This was once the home to the legendary Oracle of Delphi, and today many significant structures and ruins can still be seen. Head to the highest level of the 4th-century BC Theater of Delphi to enjoy an awe-inspiring view from what’s considered to be the most well-preserved stadium that survives from antiquity in all of Greece.

On your last day in Athens, your private driver/guide will bring you to explore the ancient Agora. Afterwards, you’ll visit one of the world’s greatest antiquities museums. Housed in a grand neoclassical building, the National Archaeological Museum of Athens is spread across nearly 90,000 square feet. It holds a vast collection of ancient Greek sculpture, pottery, and jewellery among over 11,000 exhibits that provide a comprehensive overview of Greek civilization from prehistory through late antiquity. While there are many highlights from ancient sculptures to pottery dating to the 11th-century BC, don’t miss the Antikythira Device, a 2,000-year-old computer discovered in a shipwreck.

Heading to your next destination, your private driver/guide will bring you to Olympia, about a 3.5-hour drive. This small town sits about 10 miles inland from the Ionian Sea on the Peloponnese Peninsula and is best-known for its nearby UNESCO-listed archaeological site, the place where the very first Olympic Games were held, honouring the god Zeus. A major Panhellenic religious sanctuary of ancient Greece, the site still holds remnants of the stadium that hosted the competitions, as well as Temple of Zeus. Upon your arrival, you’ll be taken to a local eatery for a delicious lunch complemented with wine.

This morning your guide will meet you for a private walking tour of the archaeological site where most of the ancient Olympic Games took place every four years for over 1,100 years, through 393 AD. Marvel at the stadium and the Temple of Zeus, constructed of lime and marble. The altar of the temple was built to honour the goddess Hera in the 7th century BC and is where the famous Olympic flame is still lit today for the modern-day Games. The only circular building in the sanctuary, the Philippieion is one of ancient Greek architecture’s finest examples. After touring, transfer to seaside Nafplio.

Today your private driver/guide will bring you to visit the site of Epidavros, also known as Epidaurus. You’ll explore the ancient 4th-century BC theater, one of the finest ancient theaters on Earth. It once held as many as 16,000 spectators, and it’s impressive for its symmetry as well as its classic beauty. It looks much the same as it did centuries ago, thanks to the impeccable restoration and preservation work. The acoustics are so good you can hear someone talking at normal volume in the orchestra from the very top row. The theater host performances today during the Epidaurus Festival.

After breakfast and checking out of your hotel this morning, your private driver will pick you up for the transfer back to Athens. Along the way you’ll do some touring, stopping to visit the kingdom of King Agamemnon, the archaeological site of Mycenae. It was one of the most important centers of Greek civilization in the 2nd millennium BC and you’ll be able to see the famous vaulted tombs, including the 3,300-year-old tomb of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, a hilltop archaeological site and museum. After exploring you’ll make another stop at a local winery to enjoy lunch and some wine tasting.

This morning take private transfer to Athens’ port where you’ll catch your ferry to Mykonos. Upon arrival, a private driver will meet you for the transfer to your hotel. Enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure, relaxing and perhaps getting a preview of the island. There are many beautiful beaches and Mykonos Town is renowned for its shopping experiences. Rub elbows with fashionistas, the rich and famous as you browse designer labels like Louis Vuitton, along with jewellery, leather goods, local art and handcrafted items. Start your evening with sunset cocktails followed by a fine meal at one of many world-class restaurants.

Your private driver will transfer you to Mykonos port for a privately guided excursion to the island of Delos. A short boat trip away, this tiny uninhabited island and birthplace of Apollo was once the center of the Delian League, a religious sanctuary and hub of culture and commerce. Today all of Delos is a UNESCO-protected archaeological site where you’ll tour the fascinating ruins of an amphitheatre, houses with mosaics, Doric temples, markets and the iconic Terrace of the Lions statues. After returning to your accommodation, you’ll have the rest of the day to relax or enjoy doing whatever you wish.

Enjoy your last day in Greece all to yourself, taking advantage of the facilities at your Mykonos hotel, relaxing and swimming on one of the many beautiful beaches, or perhaps taking a tour to explore areas of the island you haven’t seen yet. A 4X4 Jeep tour will reveal many of the island’s most untamed, hidden spots, heading off-road to discover panoramic views from a higher altitude, ancient ruins like the ruins of Ano Mera and Paleokastro, and beaches where you can swim in secluded coves. If you want to learn to cook Mykonian fare, there are cooking classes available in locals’ home too.

Your Highlights of Ancient Greece tour comes to an end this morning having followed in the footsteps of many of the legendary ancient greats. You’re sure to have made many memories and hundreds of photos to bring back with you as you take private transfer to the airport, beginning your journey back home.