Greece: Islands of the Gods Itinerary
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October 1-14, 2017

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Daily Itinerary

Sunday, October 1: Arrive in Athens

Our journey begins in the shadow of the Athenian Acropolis. We'll gather in our hotel lobby around 5 pm for a brief reception, before making the short stroll to the award-winning new Acropolis Museum, where we'll enjoy a guided tour and our first sumptuous Greek meal.

Hotel: Acropolis Hill Hotel
Meals: D

Monday, October 2: Appointment with the Parthenon

We'll walk in the footsteps of the philosopher Socrates and the legendary king Theseus as we enjoy a guided tour of the Acropolis, the religious center of ancient Athens. After our group lunch at a local taverna, we'll have free time—a nap? shopping? sightseeing? In the early evening, we'll board our bus for the scenic drive to the Temple of Zeus on Cape Sounion. Why go to an archaeological site so late in the day? To see the sun sink to the horizon, framed by the columns of an ancient Greek temple!

Hotel: Acropolis Hill Hotel
Meals: B,L

Tuesday, October 3: A Journey through Greece's Finest Museum

This morning, before leaving for Delphi, we'll visit the premier collection of Greek antiquities—the National Archaeological Museum. This museum, which houses a rich collection of Greek artifacts, is considered one of the greatest museums in the world! We'll see awe-inspiring statuary, epigraphs, jewelry, and pottery from all corners of the ancient Greek world. After this feast for the eyes and mind, we'll head to Delphi. In the evening, we'll convene for our first Mythical Happy Hour, where Randy's stories will give new life to the artifacts we saw earlier in the day.

Hotel: Pitho Hotel
Meals: B

Wednesday, October 4: Walking in the World's Bellybutton

The ancient Greeks considered Delphi the navel of the world, and today we'll learn why. The site, once sacred to Gaia (Mother Earth), became the most famous of Apollo's oracles. Spend the morning exploring the site and the nearby archaeological museum, where some of Greece's best-known antiquities are on display. In the early afternoon, we'll drive to Olympia, settle into the wonderful Hotel Europa. This evening is yours—relax by the hotel’s pool, wander through town, and recharge for tomorrow’s Olympic day.

Hotel: Hotel Europa
Meals: B

Thursday, October 5: Winning Olympic Glory

Olympia, the site of the ancient Olympics, is a beautiful sanctuary with temples to Hera and Zeus as well as a shrine to Phillip II, father of Alexander the Great. We'll gaze also at the workshop of classical Greece's most renowned sculptor and the home in which Nero, the infamous Roman emperor, lived when he competed in the Olympic Games. Oh, yes, we won't forget to run on the dirt track in the ancient stadium! We'll then enjoy lunch together at Randy's favorite taverna in Olympia before journeying on to Nafplio. This evening, we'll convene for our second Mythical Happy Hour, and we'll put into the context of ancient myth all we've seen at Delphi and Olympia.

Hotel: Marianna Hotel
Meals: B,L

Friday, October 6: Seaside Ecstasy

A free morning in Nafplio will allow you to explore the town, a charming seaport village dotted with street cafes, flowering plants, and quiet alleys. If you've got the stamina, climb the 1000 steps to the Venetian fortress (or take a taxi directly to the back entrance) and marvel at the stunning views of the Aegean Sea. In the afternoon, we'll visit Mycenae, a city founded by the hero Perseus and made famous by Agamemnon, its ill-fated king. Then, after a short drive, we'll walk the hallowed grounds of Nemea, where Greeks gathered to honor Zeus and compete in athletic contests. After our day of exploring, we'll gather for a group dinner, which will offer, among other delicacies, an array of fresh seafood!

Hotel: Marianna Hotel
Meals: B,D

Saturday, October 7: Heal Thyself!

Today we'll say yah sou ("goodbye") to the Greek mainland, but not before visiting Epidauros, home to the most celebrated sanctuary of the healing god Aesclepius, son of Apollo. If you happen to be under the weather, sacrifice to the god, and receive a dream that will tell you what to do to be healed. You'll walk away a new person! But the real draw at Epidauros is the well-preserved theater with its astounding acoustics. You can almost hear a pin drop! In the late afternoon, we'll fly to Heraklion, on Crete, to begin our island-hopping,

Hotel: Lato Boutique Hotel
Meals: B

Sunday, October 8: Mythological Fodder and Real(ly Good) Food

This morning, feel free to sleep in, and then to walk the Venetian battlements or to hang out in the public square, just a few minutes' stroll from our hotel. In the afternoon, we'll walk to the recently remodeled Heraklion Archaeological Museum, famous for its artifacts of ancient Minoan culture, the Bronze Age people who gave us the stories of King Minos, the Labyrinth, and the Minotaur. These stories will provide ample fodder for our evening Mythical Happy Hour. And then we'll eat, not fodder, but savory Greek cuisine at our group dinner in a local taverna!

Hotel: Lato Boutique Hotel
Meals: B,D

Monday, October 9: Eluding the Minotaur

Our morning journey will be inland to the highly-rated Lyrarakis Winery. After learning about the winery's grapes and wine making process, we'll sample some of those wines and feast on traditional Cretan cuisine. Then we'll drive to Knossos for a guided tour of the most important Bronze Age site on Crete. As we wander the impressive labyrinthine ruins, keep your eyes out for the Minotaur, the human-eating beast that once haunted the city. The late afternoon and evening will be yours; stroll the pedestrian-only 25th of August Street, with its many shops, and select one of Nafplio's many fine restaurants for your twilight culinary indulgence.

Hotel: Lato Boutique Hotel
Meals: B,L

Tuesday, October 10: Santorini: The Jewel of the Aegean

A 100-minute ferry ride will take us from Greece's largest island to Santorini, its most unique. Once on the island, we'll make several stops before settling into our hotel in Fira, Santorini's chief city. Along the way, we'll step into the huge warehouse-like building that houses and protects the stunning ruins of Minoan Akrotiri, we'll saunter across the beaches of Kamari, where you can grab lunch at a fast food outlet or sit down in a restaurant for a nicer meal before taking a refreshing dip in the sea. After an early evening Mythical Happy Hour at our hotel, we'll walk to the nearby caldera to gaze at the azure sea and the volcano that almost obliterated the island nearly 4,000 years ago. Our sunset dinner together will be at a family-run restaurant that is built into the cliff just below the caldera.

Hotel: Kallisti Thera Hotel
Meals: B,D

Wednesday, October 11: The Sea

You'll have a free morning to meander through Fira's captivating walkways with their unique shops, cafes, and seaviews. In the early afternoon, we'll visit a winery, where we'll be treated to a self-guided audio tour of a museum that features winemaking equipment from nearly all eras of wine production on the island. And what would a visit to any winery be without a sampling of the product? Of course, we'll taste the wines! We'll spend the evening in the beautiful town of Oia, at the northern end of Santorini, to relax and watch the sun set into deep blue waters.

Hotel:Kallisti Thera Hotel
Meals: B

Thursday, October 12: Little Venice

Another ferry ride northward (watch for dolphins and sea turtles) will take us to Mykonos, where we'll find innumerable shopping opportunities, Greece's most-photographed old windmills, wave-lapped buildings called "Little Venice," and more fantastic food. The late afternoon and early evening will be free for exploration. Then we'll gather for our next Mythical Happy Hour. Afterwards, if you're young—or feeling young at heart—you may want to dance and party the night away at one of the island's famous beach parties.

Hotel: Harmony Hotel
Meals: B

Friday, October 13: Commune with Apollo

This day's excursion is a half-day trip to Delos, which is a 40-minute ferry ride from Mykonos. The uninhabited island is home to Greece's most extensive archaeological ruins. We'll stand at the base of the palm tree under which Apollo was born, walk in the ruins of what were once lavish homes, sit in the remains of the ancient theater, and take pictures in a grotto said to have been built by Heracles. At every turn we'll learn about the isle's multi-layered history. In the early afternoon, we'll return to Mykonos Town, where, after some down time, we'll convene for our final Mythical Happy Hour and a farewell dinner. We'll reminisce and plan for our next trip to Greece!

Hotel: Harmony Hotel
Meals: B,D

Saturday, October 14: Our Last Day

Our journey comes to an end after we breakfast together and compare notes about our favorite parts of the tour. From Mykonos you can fly or ferry to Athens for a flight back home, or, if you'll want to continue your own journey, you could go on to other adventures in Greece or other, nearby countries. But, when you leave, don't say goodbye to Greece; instead say tha se tho syntoma ("I'll see you soon")!

Meals: B

October 1-14, 2017

Photos courtesy Katina Sifantonakis, yeowatzup (Creative Commons), uniccus (Creative Commons), Dottie Day (Creative Commons), Bill (Creative Commons), Randall Stewart