Past and Present in Athens, Tinos, Mykonos & Naxos - 13 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Athens, Welcome Dinner

Welcome to Greece! You'll begin your trip in Athens, home to both the iconic Acropolis and so 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, the Acropolis is the hill.) This temple to Athena has enchanted visitors since its construction was completed in 438 BC. 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 cafes. 
• Find your perfect souvenir or sun hat in the busy stalls of the Monastiraki flea market. 

In the evening, you'll sit down to enjoy either a welcome dinner with views of the Acropolis or wine tasting in a bar in downtown Athens.

Day 2: Acropolis and 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, ancient cemetery at Kerameikos, and the Agora. The myths that founded the city and are featured in its retellings for generations will accompany as you go, with stories of Zeus, Athena, Poseidon, Dionysus, and more. Hear both the stories themselves and the historic 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 ten 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 cafe, 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: Museums and Ancient Cooking Class

Start your morning at one of Athens' more off-beat museums. Some of your options include:

• Museum of Cycladic Art, where you can also buy some truly unique souvenirs
• The digital interactive museum at the Platonic Academy, next to the site where the actual Academy stood
• Museum of Ancient Greek Technology in the center of Athens, featuring a working model of the Antikythera mechanism, which can roughly be described as the first analog computer. It was used to predict astronomical positions and eclipses years in advance.

Have a light lunch, but don't get too into the cafes as your afternoon class will teach you to cook and eat like an ancient Athenian.  A resident chef will take you on a journey of discovery into the methods used by the Ancient Greeks to cook their meals. You'll use ingredients available today to reproduce the distinct flavors found in classical dishes over the course of this 3-hour class. And no class is complete without the opportunity to sample the fruits of your labor over dinner (with wine included, of course).

Day 4: Day Trip to Mycenae and Nafplio

Start the day early with a full day trip back to a true classic. You may recognize Mycenae from its role in Homer's Iliad: It was home to the famous Helen, whose Mycenean husband King Agamemnon led his people to war when she left him for Paris of Troy. See its Cyclopean walls, whose construction method is still a mystery. They got their name due in part to the belief that only the mythical Cyclops would have been strong enough to lift their boulders.

You'll pass through the Lion Gate to enter the ruins of the city, wandering past the tombs of Aegisthus and Clytaemnestra and the Treasury of Atreus.

You'll go on to Nafplio, one of the prettiest seaport towns in the Peloponnese peninsula and once believed to have been founded by the son of Poseidon. The town was the first capital of the new Greek state after the war of independence in the 1800s. Take a stroll through the old town, where you'll pass statues honoring significant figures from Nafplio's history, Ottoman fountains, and Venetian architecture along the winding streets, topped off by the Bourtzi Castle in the middle of the harbor. Don't miss the climb up 1,000 steps to see the view from the Palamidi Castle before you're transferred back to Athens in the evening.

Day 5: Ferry to Naxos

Time to ferry over to bustling Naxos after breakfast. With an active main town where you can shop and admire the Venetian architecture, a historic Kastro (castle) area, and expansive beaches, the island offers opportunities for both laidback relaxation, as well as water or land activities. The rest of the day is yours to unwind as you choose. Try out some of these options:

• Hike up to the summit of Mount Zas, the mythological childhood home of Zeus, the ruler of the gods, and the highest point in the Cyclades.
• Head inland to the town of Chalki, home to the island's oldest market and a petite, shady square perfect for whiling away the afternoon. Stop at the kitron distillery to sample the local liqueur and learn about its distillation process over the years.
• Visit the Temple of Demeter at Sangri on your way. Multiple deities of fertility were worshipped here, particularly the goddess Demeter. The temple was constructed in 530 BC, during the tyranny of Lygdamis, and represents a precursor of classical Athenian architecture. 
• Stroll to the Portara, the entrance to the Temple of Apollo. Construction on the temple began in the sixth century BCE but was never finished, but the still-standing entranceway has become one of the hallmarks of the island. You can find it on the islet of Palatia, just over a causeway from the heart of Naxos Town (Chora).

For dinner, wander up the hill through the streets of the Kastro neighborhood to pick out your favorite of the area's tavernas, where you can sample the island's fresh produce in its best forms.

Day 6: Naxos Food Panorama

Taste some of the trademarks of the island known for having some of the best local produce in the Cyclades.  Your guide will take you around the island to towns like Kindaros, Kaloxylos, Chalki, and the marble town of Apeiranthos, as well as the main Naxos town.

You'll meet with local producers to sample and even create some of the island's better-known dishes, such as loukoumades fried donuts, keftedes meatballs with tzatziki sauce and Naxian cheeses, and a cheese or olive pie picnic with coffee, juice, bread, fruit, and yogurt. You'll also sample the local kitron liqueur at a distillery before you top off the afternoon with a tour of the Venetian castle in the main town.

Spend your evening wandering the streets of town in search of your perfect aperitif spot. Or, put your new food-spotting skills to use in the tavernas.

Day 7: Ferry to Mykonos

You'll take a ferry in the morning to Mykonos, one of the most famous islands in the Cyclades. Known for its glitzy restaurants and nightlife, art scene, and jet set crowds (it was recently home to a Gucci pop-up boutique), Mykonos is one of the most quintessential Greek isles.

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 own 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 8: Day Trip to Delos

Travel back in time after breakfast with a morning boat ride out to the archaeological site at Delos. You'll board a small boat at the old port to cruise for 45 minutes out 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 twin deities Apollo and Artemis. Pilgrims from around the region were attracted to the mystical site 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. Don't skip the island museum, where many of the smaller artifacts and frescoes have been moved to protect them from the elements.

You'll return to Mykonos in time to catch up on your shopping in your 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 9: Ferry to Tinos

Take an early ferry to Tinos, one of the most overlooked islands of the Cyclades. Tinos has remained under the radar for many years, overshadowed by its celebrity neighbor of Mykonos and seen mainly as a religious destination. Those who continue to believe that, however, are missing out on an island with fascinating history and culture, winding streets, great outdoor activities, and glittering beaches.

The imposing Panagia Evangelistria should not be overlooked, as Tinos is also known as the island of the Virgin Mary. Its icon is believed to have healing powers, and the annual August pilgrimage is a key part of the island's identity as churchgoers crawl on their knees toward the temple as a sign of piety.

If pilgrimage isn't quite your scene, there are also nearly 80 windmills to be explored, Venetian ruins, hiking at Exomvourgo mountain, and beaches for any moods. Try the island's craft beer from Nissos brewery or sample the cheeses at the shop belonging to the Cheese Cooperative of Tinos. Keep an eye out for the many painted dovecotes around the island as well, small white pigeon homes dotting the countryside of which there are nearly 1,000.

Day 10: Follow the Marble Route

Tinos is known for its marble crafting, and you'll see why as you follow this route from raw materials to artists' workshops.

Start at the Museum of Marble Arts. In its halls, you'll learn how Tinian craftsmen start with slabs of stone and craft them into artful statues and other works from fountains and altarpieces to tower bells, palaces, and stadiums. See that work in practice as you walk through the cemetery of Pyrgos, also an open-air sculpture museum, on your way to Pyrgos Square. Take a break in the square for some coffee or ouzo along with an afternoon snack or sweet. 

Your next stop is the home of sculptor Yannoulis Chalepas and the Museum of Tinian Artists. You'll make your way through the workshops of the village, where you can meet a sculptor who will introduce you to the raw marble along with their tools and tricks of the trade. 

Cap it off with a swim at Agia Thalassa beach and dinner in the fishing village of Panormos.

Day 11: Tinian Culinary Workshop

Visit an aromatic garden and harvest fresh ingredients as part of this culinary experience. You'll learn the stories of some Greek recipes, then cook them yourself with expert instruction. Enjoy the fruits of your labor al fresco, as you consume your creations under the trees and arched alleyways accompanied with local wines and the scent of the herb garden.

Spend your evening in the main Tinos town and take advantage of the many cafes and tavernas along the seaside or in the interior. Complete your island culinary education with louza, a cured pork that's been refined by Tinians over years of practice, and rich volaki cheese balls and kariki cheese aged within pumpkin skins, similar to a stilton or roquefort. See if the menus offer fourtalia, a fresh Cycladic dish similar to an omelette made with fresh local eggs, sausage, and potatoes, or dishes made out of the signature Tinian artichokes. Complement them with a glass of crisp, light Tinian wine or Nissos beer brewed right on the island.

Day 12: Return to Athens, Sunset at Cape Sounion

Return to Athens in the morning. After you've settled back into the city, you'll be transferred down to the Athenian Riviera, full of both history and stunning island views. Your adventure will take you along the coast to visit the Temple of Poseidon, while being provided with historical background on the way. The views overlook the Saronic Gulf, with one of the best sunset views Greece has to offer. Sip a complimentary beverage and take in the sunset while you listen to music and immortalize the moment with a Polaroid-style photo.

You'll be transferred back to your lodging in the evening just in time for a late (Greek-style) dinner. Or, if you're not ready to call it a night, you can request a drop-off at some of the most popular beach bars to dance until the sun comes up.

Day 13: Depart Athens

Time to say farewell to Greece. Enjoy your final Athenian breakfast and sneak in some last-minute exploring before your transfer to the airport.