Discover Athens, Mykonos, Santorini & Crete - 11 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Athens

Welcome to Greece! You'll begin your trip in Athens, home to the iconic Acropolis and much more. The mythology of this spectacular city precedes it, with towering temples to Classical deities and the ruins of ancient marketplaces rubbing shoulders with lively nightlife, crowded flea markets, and contemporary cuisine. Make the most of your time in the city at some of these spots:

• Check out the views of the can't-miss Parthenon. (Pro tip: The Parthenon is the temple, and the Acropolis is the hill.) This temple to Athena has enchanted visitors since its construction in 438 BCE. It's probably the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of ancient Greece and is visible from many of the city's high points.
• Stop at the sprawling National Museum for a crash course in ancient iconography. Be sure to seek out the room housing the Antikythera mechanism, essentially an ancient astronomical computer.
• Visit a smaller archaeological site at the Tower of the Winds, then stroll down neighboring pedestrian Aiolou Street to stop at shops and cafés. 
• Find your perfect souvenir or sun hat in the busy stalls of the Monastiraki flea market. 

Spend your evening exploring the up-and-coming Pangrati neighborhood or amid the nightlife and mezze of the Psyrri district.

Day 2: Acropolis & Ancient Greek Mythology Tour

Experience the ancient stories surrounding you with today's guided mythology tour. You'll meet your guide and storyteller at the Temple of Olympian Zeus, then head to landmarks around the city, including the Acropolis, the ancient cemetery at Kerameikos, and the Agora. The myths that founded the city and are featured in its retellings for generations will accompany you as you go, with stories of Zeus, Athena, Poseidon, Dionysus, and more. Hear the stories and the historical facts behind them, adding resonance to the archaeological ruins you will visit during this four-hour tour.

Make your way over to explore the Acropolis Museum on your own after your tour (or join a guide if you'd prefer). Named one of the 10 best museums in the world by National Geographic, this modern museum houses a multitude of artifacts removed from the hill of the Acropolis for safekeeping to provide insight into ancient religious practices and daily life. Linger for lunch in the museum's café, with views of the artifacts' former hilltop home.

As night falls, you may be able to visit the Athens Observatory to learn about the constellations overhead and take a look through the telescope. Its hours vary seasonally and by day of the week.

Day 3: Day Trip to Delphi

Today, you'll seek out the oracle during a day trip to the ruins of Delphi, once home to 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 such as the Treasury of the Athenians, the Temple of Apollo, and an expansive theater.

Explore the ruins or 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, surrounded by the valley of olive trees and views of the Corinthian Gulf and peaks of the Peloponnese on your way. Outside the ruins, you'll head to an old town district that used to serve as the leather tanner's district. One of Greece's last bellmakers keeps his workshop here; if you're lucky, he may be on-site for a visit. Enjoy lunch under the plane trees in the town square, with cheeses, Amfissa olives, and traditional home cooking.

Head indoors after lunch to the museum, a short downhill walk away. Wander through its halls to find the bronze Charioteer of Delphi, the 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 or spend the evening in the city.

Day 4: Ferry to Mykonos

You'll start your time on the islands of Mykonos, one of the most famous islands in the Cyclades chain. Known for its glitzy restaurants and nightlife, art scene, and jet-set crowds, Mykonos will throw you headfirst into your island adventure. Your first day's itinerary is up to you. You'll receive a personalized list of tips for exploration, but some highlights include:

• If you need to get your toes in the sand immediately, head to remote Agios Sostis beach to find your isolated paradise.
• For a more active experience, Ftelia Beach is known for its excellent windsurfing.
• Stroll through Little Venice, an 18th-century neighborhood where colorful former captains' mansions and seaside restaurants seem to sprout straight from the sea. It's also right next to the island's famous hillside windmills for great photo ops.

Day 5: Day Trip to Delos

Travel back in time after breakfast with a morning boat ride to the archaeological site at Delos. You'll board a small boat at the old port to cruise for 45 minutes to one of ancient Greece's most sacred sites. This small island was the center of the Cyclades during the Classical era and the mythological birthplace of the twin deities Apollo and Artemis. Pilgrims from around the region regarded the site as mystical and helped it evolve into one of the largest trade centers of the Mediterranean.

Your guided tour will wind you through the foundations of former traders' mansions, temples, and landmarks such as the Terrace of the Lions. Make sure to visit the island museum, where many of the smaller artifacts and frescoes have been relocated to protect them from any damage.

You'll return to Mykonos in time to catch up on your shopping in the afternoon as you explore some of the best boutiques in the Aegean or check out the weathered Faros Armenistis Lighthouse perched high above the Aegean on the island's northwestern tip, with views across to the neighboring island of Tinos.

Day 6: Ferry to Santorini, Hidden Gems Tour & Wine Tasting

Welcome to Santorini! There's nothing like catching your first glimpse of the island's iconic cliffside architecture. Watch for your first views of Santorini's central caldera—the site of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in history—rising in a crescent. Spend some time after you've settled in to wander the streets of Fira or get to the beachside. Don't wear yourself out too soon, though, as in the afternoon, you'll take a guided tour showing you a side of Santorini that most travelers don't see.

You'll start with a stroll through the famous Oia, where your guide will point out hidden treasures, followed by a trip up to the highest peak on the island, with 360-degree views at the top for the perfect souvenir photo (or five). Then head on to the medieval villages at Megalochori and Pyrgos, which feel a world away from the touristy towns along the caldera rim. Finally, you'll stop for a wine tasting at the caldera's edge to sample varietals dating back centuries as you watch the sun sink into the Aegean.

In the evening, head back to Oia, passing the blue-domed churches of Firostefani along your way. The furthest town along the rim of the caldera, Oia's arty streets are the most famous spot for sunset views, but the evening after the crowds have died down is one of the best times to wander the alleys and linger in the town's tavernas. When searching for your dinner, seek out tomato keftedes, deep-fried tomato balls that encapsulate the essence of the Mediterranean diet, and the Santorini specialty spelt pie.

Day 7: Santorini Catamaran Cruise, Ferry to Crete

Enjoy a leisurely morning breakfast before taking time to stroll and scope out small shops and boutiques. Explore Fira, the island's capital, which offers plenty to check out. History buffs will be delighted by the proximity to the Archaeological Museum of Santorini, the Museum of Prehistoric Thera, the Folklore Museum of Emmanuel Lignos, and the church of Hypapante.

As the day unfolds, you'll head toward Vlychada Port to board your semi-private catamaran cruise around the island. Your first stop will be at the Red Beach to swim, followed by a second stop at the White Beach to take in all the distinctive-colored sands of Santorini.

Enjoy barbecue served onboard while you sail past landmarks at Aspronisi, the Ancient Lighthouse, Indian Rock, and the prehistoric city at Akrotiri, hidden away at the southern tip of Santorini. These ruins are the site of some of the Bronze Age's most advanced settlements, which prospered for centuries before being destroyed by a tremendous volcanic eruption in the mid-second millennium BCE. Top it off with a jump into the hot springs at Nea Kameni, where the mineral-rich volcanic waters are believed to have therapeutic properties. Once you return to port, you'll take a ferry to Crete, the largest and most populous of the 230 inhabited Greek islands and its capital city, Heraklion.

Day 8: Tour Knossos & Heraklion, Transfer to Chania

Set off for a guided exploration of the magnificent Palace of Knossos. This 3,500-year-old Minoan palace is a sprawling maze of royal chambers, grand staircases, storerooms, and workshops. The evocative Bronze Age site is believed to be Europe's oldest city; it flourished for nearly 2,000 years as an economic center, trading with cities across the Mediterranean.

Follow it up with a guided stroll through the streets of Heraklion, exploring the old city's medieval streets with architecture representing the island's Venetian past. Highlights include the elegant arches of the Loggia, now in use as the town hall, and the Koules Venetian Fortress along the harbor walls. In the afternoon, don't miss the Archaeological Museum, home to one of the world's largest collections of Minoan artifacts.

In the evening, you'll head to Chania, a city (and region) on the northwest coast of Crete. Chania is the second largest city in Crete and one of the most scenic spots on the island. Life in this former Venetian city revolves around its charming 14th-century harbor, narrow streets with winding alleys, and colorful architecture influenced by past Ottoman and Egyptian eras.

Day 9: Explore the Villages of Apokoronas

Today, you'll have a chance to hear some of the island's history firsthand during a guided tour through nearby Apokoronas. Seven of the regions are home to a number of sites, including historic churches, a folklore museum, and an Ottoman fort. But the most interesting part will be the conversations you and your guide will have with the local residents of the area. Some potential highlights include the following:

• The hillside ruins at ancient Aptera, one of the largest city-states in Crete, until it was destroyed by an earthquake in the seventh century, including a Minoan tomb believed to date back to roughly the 13th century BCE.
• Two-aisled churches in Stilos Village from the 13th and 15th centuries, along with a limestone fossil once believed to be a fossilized sea siren and a walk along the Kiliaris River to a Venetian watermill.
• A glassblowing factory in Kokkino Chorio.
• The old square of  Gavolochori, where you can visit the women's cooperative and see hand-knit lace created using a Byzantine technique, or the neighboring Folklore Museum of Gavalochori.

In the evening, check out Chania's waterfront districts of Halepa and Tabakaria. Wander among former tanneries and factories in these off-the-beaten-track parts of town, just past the end of the main promenade.

Day 10: Return to Athens, Athens Food Tour

In the morning, you'll head back to Athens. Once you get settled in at your hotel, meet your guide in Syntagma Square to start sampling what the city's street food stalls offer. You'll learn about the Mediterranean diet and its potential benefits while strolling the city streets in neighborhoods you may not have discovered yet and bustling open-air markets.

Venture into the Varvakios Market, the city's largest and most popular fish, meat, and vegetable market, and explore the city's main spice street. Sample olive oils, honey, cheeses from around the country, cured meats, olives, and more. Everything from baklava to souvlaki is available to appeal to even the pickiest eaters. If you haven't had your fill of adventuring during the afternoon, spend your evening in the Koukaki neighborhood. This area's off-the-beaten-path wine bars will introduce you to a wide selection of Greek wines amid friendly crowds, or if you're with the whole family, a selection of great local restaurants await.

Day 11: Depart Athens

Time to say farewell to Greece. Enjoy your final Athenian breakfast before your transfer to the airport.

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