GREECE’S ARCHAEOLOGICAL ISLANDS

Day 1 | Sunday 4 October
Arrive Athens
The tour commences at the hotel in Athens at 6.00pm. Meet the group in the lobby for introductions and drinks, followed by dinner in the hotel. Overnight Athens (D)

Day 2 | Monday 5 October
‘A fair, rich land begirt by sea’ - the island of Crete
This morning we transfer to Athens Airport for a short flight to Heraklion, the largest city on the island of Crete. An introductory stroll through this Venetian city takes us to the excellent Archaeological Museum. Their collection includes Minoan artefacts and colourful wall paintings from Knossos and other Minoan palaces. Later we’ll have a talk in the hotel, followed by a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight Heraklion (B, D)

Day 3 | Tuesday 6 October
Royal palaces of the Minoans
We will begin our day by contemplating the home of the enigmatic Phaistos Disc – the hilltop Minoan royal palace complex of Phaistos. After a leisurely lunch in the seaside village of Matala we will continue to the fabled home of King Minos and the minotaur, the legendary Knossos palace complex. Evening is at leisure. Overnight Heraklion (B, L)

Day 4 | Wednesday 7 October
A slow afternoon in sun-soaked Athens
We take the short flight back to Athens today and after settling into our hotel, we’ll have lunch in a local restaurant.  Afterwards you will have a free afternoon to enjoy the vibrant streets of Athens at leisure. This evening we’ll meet to dine in a local taverna. Overnight Athens (B, L, D)

Day 5 | Thursday 8 October
Splendours of Classical Greece
After a brief talk in the hotel this morning we will enjoy the famed collection of Mycenaean and Classical period art and artefacts at the National Archaeological Museum of Greece. Following a break for lunch, we then continue to the awe-inspiring Acropolis. Situated on a rocky outcrop above Athens, this ancient citadel includes iconic monuments such as the Parthenon, Erechtheion and the exquisite temple of Athena Nike. A visit to the Acropolis Museum will reveal an outstanding collection of the site’s recovered artefacts, which span thousands of years. Overnight Athens (B)

Day 6 | Friday 9 October
Strongholds of the Mycenaeans
After a talk this morning, we depart Athens for the Plain of Argos and explore the famed and mighty walls of Mycenean Tiryns. After free time for lunch, we’ll journey on to the UNESCO World Heritage Listed site of Mycenae, the seat of the great king Agamemnon. We’ll walk through the famous Lion Gate, see the Shaft Graves of Circle A and climb through the site to the crowning Megaron Palace. This evening we’ll dine together in Nafplio. Overnight Nafplio (B, D)

Day 7 | Saturday 10 October
The healing sanctuary of Epidaurus
A morning walking tour takes us through the cobbled streets of Nafplio, which is arguably one of the most beautiful villages of the Peloponnese. We’ll admire the colourful Venetian architecture from central Syntagma Square and view the collection of prehistoric and Mycenaean artefacts at the Archaeological Museum. Later we’ll drive to the site of Epidaurus and take in the Sanctuary of Asclepius, the celebrated healing centre of the ancient world. Afterwards you can make an optional visit to Palamidi Castle, a Venetian architectural masterpiece that offers dramatic views of the coastline and Nafplio. Overnight Nafplio (B)

Day 8 | Sunday 11 October
Strategically placed Pylos
The Port of Pylos played an important strategic role in numerous naval battles, from the Peloponnesian War in 424 BCE to the Greek war of Independence against the Ottoman occupation in 1927. This morning we will depart by coach for this notable seaside town and, after a talk in the hotel, we’ll explore its charming port. This will be followed by dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight Pylos (B, D)

Day 9 | Monday 12 October
The Palace of Nestor
Today’s highlight will be the Mycenaean Palace of Nestor, the hillside seat of power for the wise king in Homer’s Iliad. A complex of four structures, it’s known as the best-preserved palace of the era in all of Greece. After exploring the ruins we will have free time for lunch by the blue waters of Chora. On the way back, we’ll stop by the medieval Castle of Methoni, strategically built by the Venetians on a rocky promontory. Overnight Pylos (B)

Day 10 | Tuesday 13 October
Birthplace of the Games - Olympia
Held to honour Zeus, the original Olympic Games included a series of athletic competitions with representatives from all Greek city-states. This morning we will explore the ancient stadium, where the winners would have been esteemed and offered an olive branch as a prize for their exertions. We also visit the well-preserved Temples of Zeus and Hera and the archaeological museum, which contains a plethora of ancient treasures. We return to the hotel this afternoon and gather tonight for dinner. Overnight Olympia (B, D)

Day 11 | Wednesday 14 October
A pilgrimage to Delphi
Today our journey takes us to the beautiful slopes of Mount Parnassus, home of the mystical Oracle of Delphi. Enroute, we visit the lavishly decorated walled monastery of Hosios Loukas, located near the town of Distomo. Its Middle Byzantine frescoes and mosaic decorations reflect the classic decorative style for this era. We continue to our hotel in Delphi and tonight, we’ll dine together in the hotel. Overnight Delphi (B, D)

Day 12 | Thursday 15 October
‘The Navel of the World’
Departing the hotel, we visit the Delphi Archaeological Museum, which houses the marble Sphinx of Naxos and the marvellous Charioteer, one of the finest bronze statues from the classical world. We then explore the Temple of Apollo, location of the Pan-Hellenic world’s most sacred oracle. Before being dedicated to Apollo, Delphi was associated with the earth goddess, Gaia, and was considered “the navel of the world”, which explains why the temple and most of its statues were destroyed in an effort by zealous Christians to stamp out paganism. Overnight Delphi (B)

Day 13 | Friday 16 October
From Land to Sea | Board Cruise
We depart by coach this morning for Athens, where we’ll transfer to the Marina Zea and board the classically designed mega yacht, the MS Galileo. After we meet the crew and settle in, we will begin our odyssey across the wine-dark sea. Lunch or dinner will be included each day onboard, with the opportunity experience local tavernas in each port at your own leisure. Our first stop is the charming and lively island village of Poros, in the heart of the Saronic Gulf. Overnight MS Galileo (B, HB)

Day 14 | Saturday 17 October
The secret gems of the Aegean
This morning we’ll wake up in Poliegos, a little island with amazing beaches. You will have the opportunity to swim or wriggle your toes in the white sand before departing for laid-back, rocky Folegandros. One of the lesser-known Aegean islands, it is a place of incredible natural beauty and unspoiled charm.
Overnight MS Galileo (B, HB)

Day 15 | Sunday 18 October
Santorini and the ‘Pompeii of Greece’
The volcanic island of Santorini, shaped by a huge eruption in the 16th century, boasts the biggest caldera in the world. We’ll make an excursion to the “Pompeii of Greece,” the ash-covered Bronze Age site of Akrotiri that is known for its colourful and well-preserved frescoes. Later we’ll explore the picturesque capital Fira, perched on the caldera’s top edge. Overnight MS Galileo (B, HB)

Day 16 | Monday 19 October
Paros and Antiparos
We start the morning with a swim in the aquamarine waters of Antiparos before arriving at its sister island of Paros around noon. After wandering the cobblestone streets of Paros’ historic capital, Parikia, there is time for some shopping or a cocktail in the pretty harbour village of Naoussa. In the evening, prepare to show off your dancing skills during the ship’s famous ‘Greek Night’. Overnight MS Galileo (B, HB)

Day 17 | Tuesday 20 October
Sacred Delos and the windmills of Mykonos
This morning we’ll stop at Delos, known in antiquity as ‘The Sacred Island’, and visit the UNESCO World Heritage Listed archaeological site. This uninhabited island legendarily was the temporary haunt of Leto, Zeus’s paramour who escaped there to give birth to Apollo and Artemis, his children. Later you can swim in one of Mykonos’s beautiful bays and on the afternoon tour you can admire the ingenuity of the island’s inhabitants who sought to harness the power of the prevailing winds with their iconic windmills. Overnight MS Galileo (B, HB)

Day 18 | Wednesday 21 October
Serene Syros
This morning we arrive in the calm atmosphere of Syros, the capital of the Cycladic islands and a historically important trade centre of the 19th century. We’ll transfer by coach for a guided tour of the hillside capital town of Ermoupolis, whose neoclassical architecture distinguishes it from other Aegean island towns. Overnight MS Galileo (B, HB)

Day 19 | Thursday 22 October
Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon
On the wild natural island of Kythnos, you can swim, hike or relax at the well-known thermal healing spa. We’ll set sail for a late afternoon arrival at Cape Sounion, to view the Temple of Poseidon from the sundeck, an ancient structure that is fittingly perched on a peninsula and surrounded on three sides by Poseidon’s domain, the wine-dark sea. This evening we’ll enjoy the Captain’s farewell dinner onboard. Overnight MS Galileo (B, HB)

Day 20 | Friday 23 October
Depart Athens | Disembark Cruise
Once the cruise arrives in port this morning, our Odyssey comes to an end. We’ll disembark the ship for a transfer to Athens Airport. (B)