September 27 - October 8 2020
Pompeii, The Amalfi Coast, The Island of Capri,
The Acropolis, Ancient Theatres, Sun-drenched Greek Islands,
Caldera Views On Santorini,
Fast-Track Transportation, Skip-the-line Tickets,
and the Best in Culinary Delights!
Join Hiram College and tour hosts Patricia (Hiram 1984)
and Manolis on this 12 day journey
The Acropolis, Ancient Theatres, Sun-drenched Greek Islands,
Caldera Views On Santorini,
Fast-Track Transportation, Skip-the-line Tickets,
and the Best in Culinary Delights!
Join Hiram College and tour hosts Patricia (Hiram 1984)
and Manolis on this 12 day journey
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Day One-
September 27 We'll meet in Rome where our tour starts. By fast train we will make our way to the ruins at Pompeii, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was here in 79 AD that Mount Vesuvius erupted spewing ash and pumice and covering the entire town. We will take our time to explore this amazing site with our guide. In the afternoon we'll make our way to Sorrento and the Amalfi coast. Our hotel enjoys sweeping views of the town and the bay of Naples with Mount Vesuvius in the distance. Once we check in, we will meet and introduce ourselves while enjoying a taste of Prosecco. We'll toast to honor the start of our tour-as we take in the setting sun on the veranda of our hotel. Later, join us as we enjoy a full-course dinner with your choice of red or white wine together at a nearby spot that specializes in local delicacies. Meet in Rome/ Fast train/ Entrance & guided tour of Pompeii/ Transportation to Sorrento/UNESCO World Heritage Site/ Multi-coursed dinner together/ Overnight Sorrento |
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Day Two-
September 28 Today, we'll make our way down the Amalfi coast. Our stop is Positano with its houses clinging to the hills overlooking the beautiful blue Gulf of Salerno. We will take our time looking over this amazing town. For those of you who want to join us we will take a walk on the Path of the Gods to experience the Amalfi coast and its breathtaking views. Enjoy a dip in the ocean and later have lunch at any one of many places on offer. There is also excellent shopping to be had (clothes and pottery) so we will take our time here. We will find ourselves back in Sorrento in the late afternoon. These are also the small streets of the old town of Sorrento that has excellent places to eat and more great shopping. But before you head out we will meet at our hotel to taste test some Limoncello, made locally. We will also share our favorite recipe so you can make it at home. Breakfast/ Positano/ Path of the Gods / Limoncello tasting & recipe / UNESCO World Heritage Site/ Overnight Sorrento |
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Day Three-
September 29 We are off to the Island of Capri. We will be swooped up at the port and taken to the very top where we can enjoy spectacular views of the entire island and the Bay of Naples. We will continue our tour of the gardens, beautiful buildings and shops that have made this place a stop for the jet-set. You might want to pick up a pair of pants too :). We are back in Sorrento, in the late afternoon for you to enjoy more views from our hotel. In the evening we will be on hand for recommendations for dinner on your own. Breakfast/ Fast ferry to Capri/ Walking tour of Capri/ Garden tour/ UNESCO World Heritage Site/ Overnight Sorrento |
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Day Four-
September 30 Have a wonderful morning enjoying our view from our hotel along the Bay of Sorrento, but be ready to leave for Rome where we will board our plane for Athens. Greece awaits us with some of the most auspicious ancient sites in the world. We will check into our hotel and afterwards have a walk to the nearby Acropolis Museum, rated one of the best small museums in the world. Here we will have a look at some of the treasures preserved from the Parthenon. We will let you take your time to absorb this museum at your own pace. Join us later in the afternoon for a drink on our hotel balcony with views up to the 'sacred rock' the Acropolis (acro-at the edge of or top of and polis-city). We will walk together to one of our favorite restaurants, with views of the city for your introduction to marvelous Greek food! Breakfast/ Welcome Drink/ The New Acropolis Museum/ Dinner together/ Hotel with Acropolis view from Roof-top bar and Jacuzzi/UNESCO World Heritage Site (Acropolis)/Overnight Athens |
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Day Five-
October 1 We are up early this morning as we take a walk in the hills surrounding the Acropolis. We will make our way up to the "historic rock” to take in the Parthenon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Take all the time you need to explore this monument dating from 447 BC, including sweeping views of Athens. We will walk together through the Ancient Agora and end up in the winding streets of Monastiraki, one of the oldest markets of Athens. Lunch is on your own, but we can recommend some of the best souvlaki that Athens has to offer. In the afternoon, we will shuttle into the Greek heartland and one of its most beautiful seaside towns - Nafplio. We will have an orientation walk of cobblestone streets and marble squares in this family friendly town. Join us for dinner together at an outdoor taverna featuring local specialties. Breakfast/Entrance fee Acropolis & Agora/ Walk/ Transport to Peloponnese and Nafplio / UNESCO World Heritage Site (Acropolis)/ Dinner together/ Overnight Nafplio |
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Day Six-
October 2 Today we visit Mycenae, the previous home of King Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. It was here where the explorer Heinrich Schliemann believed he had found the mask of Agamemnon. The approach takes us through low lying hills and valleys studded with shinning olive groves- but once there, beehive tombs and cyclopean walls await us. After touring the grounds and the museum, we will make our way to Nemea, where Hercules was put to one of his labors, slaying the Nemean Lion. We will tour the grounds, which once held games that rivaled those at Olympia. Afterwards we will stop at an award winning winery to taste test their best wines. We will tour their vineyards, and enjoy a light lunch on the grounds. In the afternoon, we will return to Naufplio where dinner will be on your own, but first join us in the courtyard of our hotel for a wine tasting of some of the best regional wines that Greece has to offer. Breakfast/Entrance Fee and Visit to Mycenae/ Entrance fee to Nemea and Stadium/ Wine tasting with Lunch/ UNESCO World Heritage Site/ Overnight Nafplio |
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Day Seven- October 3 We are off to the auspicious fortress at AcroCorinth and the area in which St. Paul wrote his letter to the Corinthians. Views across the mainland and blue waters of the Gulf of Corinth await us as we take our time visiting this archaeological site where the outside walls measure over 2 km long. We will have a stop to look over the famed Corinth Canal to take in this feat of engineering, before lunch on our own nearby. We will head for the airport for our fast trip to the island of Paros. We will shuttle from the airport to the whitewashed island village of Naoussa. We will check in and then walk to our favorite seaside taverna for dinner together. Breakfast/ The Fortress at AcroCorith/ Visit to Corinth Canal/ Transportation back to Athens Airport/ Flight to Paros/ Dinner together/ Overnight Island of Paros |
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Day Eight-
October 4 We have our tour of the island today. Hilltop villages, marble mines and Byzantine trails await us. Our first stop are the ancient marble mines at Marathi. We walk a short while to see the clarity and beauty of this marble and we will see why the ancients used it for their statues. After that we are off to the village of Lefkes, high in the middle of the island. Before setting off for our walk you can enjoy a coffee in the shady town square. Our walk takes us along the trails that used to be the only way that the people of Paros could get from one village to another. Our walk ends at a lovely village where we will enjoy a taverna lunch together with a variety of local mezedes (small plates). The afternoon finds us back in Naoussa where there are plenty of choices for dinner on your own with plenty of recommendations from us. Includes-Breakfast/ Private Transportation Tour of the island of Paros/ Marble works/ Mountain villages/ Seaside villages/Lunch together/ Overnight Island of Paros |
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Day Nine-
October 5 Enjoy your morning on Paros-talk a seaside walk or sit in one of the quayside coffee houses to enjoy a quiet island morning. We are off mid-day by ferry to the island of Naxos. Naxos is one of the most iconic island of the Cycladic chain. Once we check in, we will meet for an orientation walk of the main town of the island called, Chora with its white-washed architecture and cobblestone walkways. Our walk will end at the ancient temple to Apollo called 'portara' where we can watch the sunset. Join us later at one of our favorite tavernas for a island meal to remember. Includes-Breakfast/ Ferry to Naxos/ Orientation walk of Chora / Temple to Apollo/ Dinner Together/ Overnight Island of Naxos |
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Day Ten-
October 6 We have an auspicious day planned for our tour of Naxos. Our first stop is the village of Halkio to visit a family that owns a distillery that produces a local liquor known as Citron. We will taste test this liquor and see how they make it. From there we will take off through the heart of this beautiful island. We will stop at a village made entirely of marble, where you can enjoy lunch on your own. In the afternoon we will stop at a local family's garden where they discovered not too long ago a 2000 year old Kouros statue still lying in what was discovered to be an ancient quarry. Later we can revisit the Temple to Apollo near our hotel, for more sunset viewing before dinner on your own. Includes Breakfast/ Tour of Naxos/ Visit to local villages/ Visit to the garden Kouros/ Visit to the Citron distillery/ Optional sunset walk to the Temple of Apollo/ Overnight Island of Naxos |
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Day Eleven- October 7 We are off by ferry to the famed island of Santorini. We will drop our bags and have a walk to the pre-historic museum of Thira, a small fascinating museum that shows the civilization that once flourished on Santorini, predating the Classical age of Greece by 1000 + years. After our visit we will set off to the beautiful town of Oia, on the far top of the island for exploring. Have lunch in any number of small cafes and enjoy fabulous shopping. Join us in the afternoon as we enjoy a bit famed Santorini wine as we toast to the beautiful trip and then enjoy a farewell dinner with multi courses and famed wine. Breakfast/ walk/ Pre-historic Museum of Santorini/ Shopping/ Town of Oia/ Greek cooking demo/ Farewell dinner/ Overnight Santorini |
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Day Twelve
October 8 Our tour ends this morning on the island of Santorini. You can stay a few more days or explore other parts of Greece. Either way we bid you 'Kalo Taxidi'. Have a good trip! Breakfast |
What do you get with this tour?
2 Countries -Italy & Greece
7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Start in Rome
Pompeii-Entrance Ticket and Guided tour
Sorrento
The Amalfi Coast
Positano
The Path of the Gods
Limoncello tasting and recipe
The Island of Capri
Flight between Rome (or Naples) and Athens*
Acropolis Museum-Entrance fee
The Acropolis and Agora -Entrance fee
Nafplio
Mycenae-Entrance fee
Nemea & Stadium-Entrance Fee
AcroCorinth-Entrance fee
Corinth Canal
Cycladic Islands
Flight to Paros*
The Island of Paros
Ferry to Naxos
The Island of Naxos
Ferry to Santorini
The Island of Santorini
The Pre-Historic Museum in Thira (Santorini)
Winery Visit and Lunch
Fast Ferries
Fast Trains
11 full Breakfasts
6 Multi-course Dinners With Wine
1 Winery Lunch
Wine Tastings
Prosecco Tastings
All Transportation From the Beginning of Our Tour Until the End (except
when you are doing activities on your own)
Your Own Insider's Passport Page For Info Pre-Tour
Bilingual Guides With 20 Years' Experience
Attention to Detail
2 Countries -Italy & Greece
7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Start in Rome
Pompeii-Entrance Ticket and Guided tour
Sorrento
The Amalfi Coast
Positano
The Path of the Gods
Limoncello tasting and recipe
The Island of Capri
Flight between Rome (or Naples) and Athens*
Acropolis Museum-Entrance fee
The Acropolis and Agora -Entrance fee
Nafplio
Mycenae-Entrance fee
Nemea & Stadium-Entrance Fee
AcroCorinth-Entrance fee
Corinth Canal
Cycladic Islands
Flight to Paros*
The Island of Paros
Ferry to Naxos
The Island of Naxos
Ferry to Santorini
The Island of Santorini
The Pre-Historic Museum in Thira (Santorini)
Winery Visit and Lunch
Fast Ferries
Fast Trains
11 full Breakfasts
6 Multi-course Dinners With Wine
1 Winery Lunch
Wine Tastings
Prosecco Tastings
All Transportation From the Beginning of Our Tour Until the End (except
when you are doing activities on your own)
Your Own Insider's Passport Page For Info Pre-Tour
Bilingual Guides With 20 Years' Experience
Attention to Detail
What is your responsibility?
Airfare to Italy and from Greece (arrive Rome depart Athens)
Transportation to our starting hotel from the airport (we can help with this)
Transportation at the end of the tour (tour ends on Santorini)
Meals not together as indicated on the itinerary
Transport to and from activities during optional activities
Any medicinal or medical needs while on the trip
* Trip medical and cancellation insurance should be bought or waiver signed if you choose not to buy it*
Expenses arising from personal needs such as medications, vaccinations, travel documents, communications such as mobile phone and internet charges or any other expenses incurred due to traveling.
Airfare to Italy and from Greece (arrive Rome depart Athens)
Transportation to our starting hotel from the airport (we can help with this)
Transportation at the end of the tour (tour ends on Santorini)
Meals not together as indicated on the itinerary
Transport to and from activities during optional activities
Any medicinal or medical needs while on the trip
* Trip medical and cancellation insurance should be bought or waiver signed if you choose not to buy it*
Expenses arising from personal needs such as medications, vaccinations, travel documents, communications such as mobile phone and internet charges or any other expenses incurred due to traveling.
Trip Cost-Per person with double occupancy.
16 participants-$5180
14 participants and over- $5380
12 participants and over- $5580
Terms
This trip is strictly limited to 16 participants. For a limited time you can do an Easy Deposit for $400 per person. All spots on this tour are on a first come, first serve basis. All remaining trip costs (16 people- $4780/ 14 people $4980/ 12 people $5180/ will be due by June 5 2020. Until that time all deposits are fully refundable.
Solo/ Single travelers- We welcome single/ solo travelers on all of our tours. You will be paired up with a same-sex fellow traveler and you will each have your own bed in each hotel room during the tour. If you want to secure your own room we offer what we call a single supplement. This guarantees your own room each night of the tour. For this tour it is $1075 added to the cost of your tour.
Want to get into Rome a few days earlier or stay a few days after our tour in Santorini on your own? We offer our trip planning insider know how, on where to stay and how to get around as a complimentary service for people who book this tour.
Have a question? Email us directly HERE
[email protected]
Or schedule a conference call with us HERE
No obligation
*includes one checked-in bag 20 kilos max and one carry-on 8 kilos max. All other luggage costs to you.
Our trip begins in Rome and ends on Santorini.
Your arrival flight from the US should arrive in Rome and your departure flight to the U.S. should depart from Athens or Santorini whatever you prefer. Upon depositing for this trip we offer help on booking your flights.
Your arrival flight from the US should arrive in Rome and your departure flight to the U.S. should depart from Athens or Santorini whatever you prefer. Upon depositing for this trip we offer help on booking your flights.
Who are your leaders?
Manolis HajifotiouA native of Greece, Manolis has been leading tours in Europe for 21 years. Besides traveling, his passion is playing his guitar and creating his own music. He also likes to keep up with the stone house he shares with his wife, Patricia, especially trimming their olive trees. He looks forward to showing you his favorite places and making sure you feel right at home.
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Patricia HajifotiouA native of the U.S.A., Patricia has been leading tours in Europe for 21 years. She lives on the island of Evia, Greece, with her husband Manolis. When she is not on tour, she lives off the grid in a rock house, powered by the wind and sun. There she likes to spend her time digging in the garden. She looks forward to showing you the places she likes the best.
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