Highlights
- Experience ancient history alongside modern art in vibrant Athens
- Visit the home of the oracles at Delphi on Mount Parnassus
- Island hop through the Saronic Gulf
- Step into the Iliad at the Bronze Age city of Mycenae
- Explore the magnificently-situated medieval town of Monemvasia
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Athens | Athens |
| Day 2 | Explore the Acropolis | Athens |
| Day 3 | Day Trip to Delphi | Athens |
| Day 4 | Sail to Aegina | |
| Day 5 | Sail to Poros | |
| Day 6 | Sail to Moni | Palaia Epidavros |
| Day 7 | Ancient Epidavros, Mycenae & Nafplio | Nafplio |
| Day 8 | Monemvasia | Monemvasia |
| Day 9 | Drive to Mystras & back to Athens | Athens |
| Day 10 | Farewell to Greece |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Athens
Welcome to Athens, a vibrant city where ancient landmarks rub shoulders with ultramodern museums and multi-arts spaces. Once you’ve settled into your accommodation, take a leisurely stroll and start exploring the city’s beating heart. Wander the colorful network of streets in the town center, stroll the island-like paths of the Plaka neighborhood in Acropolis, and end your day relishing an elegant Greek dinner overlooking the beautifully-lit Parthenon.
Day 2: Explore the Acropolis
You’ll start today with a half-day tour of Athens’ most famous ancient sites. Starting from Panathinaiko Stadium where the first Olympic Games took place in 1896, you’ll visit the Areopagus, the hill from which the apostle Paul spoke to the Athenians, and continue to the Propylaea, grand entrance to the Acropolis. Here you’ll explore the Temple of Athena Nike, the intricate Erechtheion, and the iconic Parthenon.
Continue past the Herodion and Dionysos theaters to reach the Acropolis Museum, where you’ll skip the lines and admire the main attractions. Admire votive offerings, statues from Greece’s Archaic period, and Caryatid columns, before ending your tour with a wander through the Parthenon hall and its exquisitely carved metopes and pediments.
Day 3: Day Trip to Delphi
Today you'll seek out the oracle during a day trip to the ruins of Delphi. This essential ancient site was once home to the priestesses of Apollo, who ancient Greeks believed could predict the future. After being transferred from your hotel to Delphi (about 2.5 hours from the city), you'll take a guided tour through this sprawling archaeological site, with stops at the Treasury of the Athenians, the Temple of Apollo, and an expansive theater from the 4th century BCE. After exploring the ruins, you can venture up an ancient footpath once used by worshippers of the god Pan, who started from the temples of Delphi and proceeded to Corycean Grotto for their religious rites. Following in their footsteps, you’ll make your way through a valley of olive trees and be rewarded with views of the Corinthian Gulf and peaks of the Peloponnese along the way.
After lunch, take a short downhill walk to the museum. Wander through its halls to find the bronze Charioteer of Delphi, marble Sphinx of Naxos, and what may be the first recorded notation of a melody once inscribed on the walls of the Athenian Treasury.
You'll be transferred back to Athens in the late afternoon to rest up or spend the evening out and about in the city.
Day 4: Sail to Aegina
Day four starts the sailing portion of your holiday, mooring your yacht for the night at the island of Aegina. Located southwest of Athens in the Saronic Gulf, the island once operated as the first capital of the newly formed Greek state after the country won independence from Ottoman rule in 1821. Today Aegina is known for its pistachio groves, ancient hilltop temples, and the horse-drawn carts that amble around its traditional seaside town.
From the port, you’ll hike a historic path above the village to the Temple of Aphaia. Built around 500 B.C., ancient Greeks dedicated the site to Vritomartis, the daughter of Zeus and Karmis. Legend has it that to escape from King Minos, Vritomartis hid in a forest on the island protected by Artemis, who helped her to become invisible.
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Day 5: Sail to Poros
Day five docks at Poros, a sun-soaked island of whitewashed villages and forested hills. Once believed to be the home of Poseidon, today the island offers pine-flanked beaches and a chic harbor town. Once on shore, you'll visit the nearby monastery of Zoodochos Pigi, a holy site tucked on a private beach surrounded by forest, or travel north to explore the remains of the Temple of Poseidon. You’ll end the day relaxing on deck, watching the sunset over the brilliant blue of the Saronic Gulf.
Day 6: Sail to Moni
The last day of your sailing journey will take you to the uninhabited island of Moni, a nature lover’s paradise of untouched pine forests and pristine beaches. Its tranquil shores are home to friendly deer, wild goats, and peacocks, and its secluded coves are the perfect spot for dropping anchor and relaxing in a peaceful setting.
After returning to dock in Athens, you’ll pick up a car to drive two hours west to the Peloponnese peninsula, ending your day in the ancient harbor town of Palaia Epidavros.
Day 7: Ancient Epidavros, Mycenae & Nafplio
Day seven starts in Palaia Epidavros, famous for its well-preserved 3rd-century theatre and once the healing center of the classical world due to its associations with Apollo’s son Asklepios, the Greek god of medicine.
Next, you’ll drive an hour northwest to the Argolis peninsula and the ancient citadel of Mycenae, home to Agamemnon and the powerful rulers of Bronze Age Greece. The history and legends of the Homeric epics will come to life as you wander the UNESCO-listed archaeological site, marveling at the Treasury of Atreus, the Cyclopean Walls, the Lion’s Gate, and the royal tombs of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra.
Your day of exploration ends in Nafplio, the first capital of modern Greece. With distinctive architecture showing the influences of ancient Byzantine, Venetian, and Ottoman rulers, the city is renowned for its beauty and atmosphere. You’ll see the iconic Palamidi Castle and the fortified islet of Bourtzi, before settling in for a leisurely dinner in the romantic Old Town.
Day 8: Monemvasia
Today you’ll drive three hours south to the very edge of the Peloponnese to reach the fairytale-like castle town of Monemvasia. Once reachable only by boat, the medieval village was carved out of the rock on which it stands, rising majestically from the sea. As you stroll along narrow, cobblestone streets, you’ll be awestruck by dramatic sea views and gorgeous architecture that transports you to another era. After settling into your accommodation, dinner awaits you on a terrace overlooking the upper Old Town and the magnificent Byzantine castle of Agia Paraskevi.
Day 9: Drive to Mystras & back to Athens
Day nine starts with a drive to Mystras, an hour north of Monemvasia. Perched on the lush hillside of Mount Taygetos, the abandoned Byzantine fortress is a UNESCO World Heritage archaeological site. Its labyrinthine staircases connect a beautifully-preserved warren of medieval churches, monasteries, and palaces, with exquisite frescoes and engravings hidden amongst the ruins.
Later in the day, a 1.5-hour drive takes you back to Athens for the night, where you can relax and enjoy your last evening in the glittering capital.
Day 10: Farewell to Greece
All too soon it’s time to pack your bags and bid farewell to the Greek sunshine as you head to the airport for your flight back home—or hop a ferry to your next adventure.