Classic Mainland Greece: Athens to Istanbul - 14 Days

We recommend arriving a day or two early to fully explore this world-renowned city.

There are no activities planned until an evening welcome meeting.

Explore the city on a guided walking tour to the Parthenon and Acropolis with a refreshment stop at a local non-profit cafe, Shedia Home, along the way. Enjoy a free afternoon to immerse yourself deeper into this historical city; opt to visit the new Acropolis Museum, the Ancient Agora, or the National Archaeological Museum. Later in the evening attend a cooking class with a local chef and enjoy a dinner of your creations.

Perched on high cliffs there are monasteries built on immense natural pillars and make for a once-in-a-lifetime sight.

Spend a full free day in the area. Head out and visit the mountain top monasteries on your own by bus or pre-book the Meteora Monasteries Hiking Tour to do it on foot with a local guide.

Travel through mountain scenery around Mt Parnassos to Delphi.

Enjoy a visit to the ancient city of Delphi, then spend the evening exploring the charming little town or relaxing in a small café enjoying the views of the nearby valley.

Described as one of Greece's prettiest towns, the narrow pedestrian streets of old town are begging to be strolled upon.

There is a wealth of ancient sites to explore within easy reach of Nafplio on a free day such as Epidavros, which is highly regarded as one of the most renowned of Greek ancient sites. Or choose to visit the famous Mycenae, also close by, with its spectacular treasury and ruins, or for another lesser-known Mycenean site visit Tiryns, just in the suburbs of Nafplio itself.

Thermopylae is an ancient battlefield where Greek (mainly Spartan) soldiers held off the Persian army for three days. A battle which acted as inspiration for the movie 300.

Head out from Volos today on a day of exploration and cultural immersion, hopping village-to-village. Explore Milies and take a short hike to a cave, stop by a women's co-op in Vizitsa then visit the town of Pinakates and have beach time at Kato Gatzea before returning to Volos in the evening. Each stop provides a unique glance into the daily life in this beautiful corner of the world.

Drive north from Volos, stopping at Mount Olympus National Park for a short walk near the mountain that was home to the gods in Greek mythology. Continue to the Polycentric Museum of Aigai to tour the tombs and see the archaeological artifacts before carrying to Thessaloniki. Join your CEO for an orientation walk and enjoy a free evening.

Take advantage of a free day to explore Thessaloniki. Discover historic landmarks like the Roman Forum, visit museums or take a walking food tour, sampling dishes like Greek 'meze' and other regional specialties. In the evening, head out for an optional dinner at one of your CEO's favourite local spots.

Wave goodbye to Thessaloniki this morning and drive to the city of Kavala. Settle in and orient yourself with a CEO-led orientation walk of the old town with the option to walk up to the castle for great views of the city and of the sea. The rest of the afternoon and evening are free to continue exploring or to relax.

Depart Kavala in the morning and drive east to the city of Alexandropoli. Take a short walk with the CEO to explore the area and have some time for lunch before continuing on to the Turkish border and onwards to Istanbul, arriving in the evening.

Depart at any time.