Itinerary Details
Insight Vacations: Greece Undiscovered - Classic Group
Day 1 - Welcome to Athens
Ancient civilizations dating back to 2700 BC, Greece has lured the most curious of travelers for centuries. Your Insight host meets you at the airport and transfers you to your hotel where you have time to settle in. Begin your time on Greece Undiscovered joining your Travel Director and fellow travelers over a delightful evening of Greek favorites and wine.
Accommodations: Divani Palace Acropolis, New, Athens, Athens Marriott
Meals: Dinner
Day 2 - The Glorious City of Athens
Sites so iconic they will leave you spellbound, starting with the Acropolis, one of the most important ancient sites in the Western world. Crowning the top is the Parthenon, visible from almost everywhere in the city. Gain further insight at the Acropolis Museum, where original sculptures and artifacts from the site, including the Caryatids and sections of the Parthenon frieze, are brought into focus by your Local Expert. View the Panathenaic Stadium where the first modern Olympic Games were held, Hadrian’s Arch, Temple of Zeus, Parliament building, the tomb of the unknown soldier and the trilogy of Athens. This evening, choose to join an optional dinner experience in lively Psiri.
Accommodations: Divani Palace Acropolis, New, Athens, Athens Marriott
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3 - Ancient Dion and on to Thessaloniki
Embark north from Athens to the mountain pass and battle site of Thermopylae. Learn how at this very spot King Leonidas led his Spartan army, along with fellow Greek soldiers, into battle against the Persians in 480 B.C. See the memorial dedicated to Leonidas and his Spartans as you pay homage. Your next stop is the archaeological park of Ancient Dion, located at the foot of Mount Olympus, the mythical home of the 12 Greek Gods illuminated by your Local Expert. Hear the insightful stories and myths of this fascinating site also known as the city of Zeus. This afternoon’s destination is Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city. After settling in, enjoy dinner in a local restaurant with northern Greek cuisine.
Accommodations: MonAsty, Thessaloniki
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4 - Thessaloniki, Greece’s Foodie Capital
From ancient archaeological sites to contemporary art exhibitions, the port city of Thessaloniki is yours to discover today with Insight Choice. Explore with a Local Expert, walking the quaint narrow streets of the old town or “Ano Poli” to take in views of the city below. Spot the landmark White Tower, the Rotunda Monument and the beautiful church of Saint Demetrius. Alternatively, indulge your foodie side with your Travel Director, sampling local delicacies along the way. On your walking tour of the city’s markets, taste treats such sesame rings, fragrant cheeses, cured meats and the famous bougatsa - a creamy custard and filo pastry dessert. Conclude your excursion with the stroll along the harbor, enveloped in a sea breeze and views of the White Tower.
Accommodations: MonAsty, Thessaloniki
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5 - Vergina, Metsovo and on to Ioannina
Full of curiosities, the UNESCO World Heritage site of Vergina – historically known as Aigai – is a treasure trove of important remains including a monumental palace and burial ground with more than 300 tumuli. Your Local Expert reveals the excavations and the tomb where Alexander the Great’s father Philippos is believed to be buried. Continue your discovery at the Polycentric Museum of Aigai, where you can peruse artifacts of the life, culture and history of the Kingdom of Macedonia. Culinary delights await as you visit the traditional mountain town of Metsovo, famous for its cheese and grilled meats as well as stone architecture. Stroll at your leisure and perhaps sample some of the local fare before arriving at your hotel in the lakeside town of Ioannina for dinner.
Accommodations: Du Lac, Ioannina
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6 - Picturesque Ioannina
The town of Ioannina will inspire the mind of any curious traveler. Delve into its history as you walk within the castle walls of the old fortified city, the Kastro, punctuated with ancient towers. From striking architecture to natural beauty, admire the stunning Lake Pamvotis before hopping on a local boat to cruise to the Island of Ioannina. This car-free escape invites you to stroll along quiet streets, visit the Ali Pasha Museum, and see the Monastery of Saint Nicholas of Philanthropinoi. Savor the good life and perhaps treat yourself to freshly made baklava.
Accommodations: Du Lac, Ioannina
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7 - Venetian town of Nafpaktos to Galaxidi
The Summer version of this tour will overnight in Galaxidi. The site of the Great Sea battle of Lepanto, scenery and history are revealed on your visit to the Venetian town of Nafpaktos. Begin your discovery exploring the sights and insights where the 1571 Battle of Lepanto in the bay of Nafpaktou marked the victory of the Spanish Empire and their European allies against the Ottoman Empire. The Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes even fought in the battle and lost the use of his left hand. Nafpaktos Port, once used to defend the city, is now home to gorgeous private yachts. Admire the yachts, an old lighthouse and two statues depicting the Greek national hero Anemogiannis and Cervantes. Continue your travels to Galaxidi, your home for the next two nights, where you'll unwind sampling local dishes at a seaside restaurant.
Accommodations: Ganimede, Galaxidi, Epavlis Boutique Galaxidi, Nostos, Galaxidi
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 8 - Delphi with a Local Expert
No visit to Greece is complete without a trip to Delphi. Ascend the Sacred Way of Delphi, once lined with offertory temples, with your Local Expert. Pass the Parian marble Treasury of the Athenians and Polygonal Wall, with its interlocking stones still intact after thousands of years. Approach the Temple of Apollo where for 14 centuries the mysterious Oracle of Delphi breathed her ‘words,' rumored to have predicted events related to the Argonauts expedition and the Trojan War.
Accommodations: Ganimede, Galaxidi, Nostos, Galaxidi, Epavlis Boutique Galaxidi
Meals: Breakfast
Day 9 - On to Nafplion
With the impressive Rio–Antirio bridge—one of the longest in Europe—guiding your journey, travel into the heart of the Peloponnese. In Nemea, enjoy a light lunch and sample the region’s renowned wines during a guided tasting. Continue to a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at an organic beekeeping facility, where you’ll meet a local family dedicated to pollinator conservation and sustainable honey production. Arrive in Nafplion, the first capital of modern Greece, where your Travel Director introduces you to the elegant charm of the Old Town. Stroll past neoclassical facades draped in bougainvillea, through lively squares and narrow laneways, before catching sight of the hilltop Palamidi fortress, bathed in golden light as day turns to dusk.
Accommodations: Ippoliti, Nafplio, 3Sixty, Nafplio, Castellano, Nafplio
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 10 - The Beauty of Nafplion
Classical Greek culture is revealed on your visit to the ruined city of Mycenae with a Local Expert. Gain insight into these ruins of the two of the greatest cities of the Mycenaean civilization, which helped shape classical Greek culture and are closely linked to Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey. Walk through the Lion Gate, visit the royal beehive tombs and see the giant Cyclopean stones used to build the city walls. Continue your exploration of the ancient world visiting the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus, one of the best-preserved amphitheatres in Greece. Built in the 4th century BC, the Sanctuary of Asclepius at Epidaurus was once a sacred healing center, attracting visitors seeking treatment from resident priests. Today, the theater is best known for its excellent acoustics due to the steps’ “acoustic traps” and is still in use for live performances. Before returning to Nafplion, stop at a local olive oil grove to learn about the olive oil-making process and enjoy a tasting of extra virgin olive oil, a staple of the Mediterranean diet.
Accommodations: Ippoliti, Nafplio, 3Sixty, Nafplio, Castellano, Nafplio
Meals: Breakfast
Day 11 - The Big Island of Crete, Heraklion
Rich in history and natural beauty, Crete lives up to its name, “the island of the gods.” Travel to Athens crossing the mighty engineering feat, the Corinth Canal, for your flight to Crete, your home for the next four nights. In Heraklion, enjoy an orientation walking tour viewing sites such as the ‘Koules’ fortress, Venetian Loggia, Morosini Fountain, Basilica of St Mark, Churcof Agios Titus, the medieval Monastery of St Catherine and the Cathedral of Agios Minas. You’ve surely worked up an appetite and Cretan cuisine is traditionally considered some of the best in Greece. This evening, sample local dishes accompanied by the “fiery” local drink, raki.
Accommodations: Megaron, Heraklion
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 12 - Heraklion history with a Local
Visit Knossos with your Local Expert and explore Crete’s largest surviving Minoan palace complex, first established in the Bronze Age and rebuilt after earthquake damage. You’ll move through the Central Court and the Throne Room and see reconstructed frescoes including the ‘Prince of the Lilies’. Continue with your Local Expert to the Heraklion Archaeological Museum to view objects recovered from Knossos and other Cretan sites, including ceramics, jewelry, seals and sculpture from the Minoan period.
Accommodations: Megaron, Heraklion
Meals: Breakfast
Day 13 - Rethymno and on to Chania
Spend the morning in Rethymno, a Cretan port town shaped by Venetian rule and later Ottoman administration. Join a walking tour through the old town, moving along cobbled lanes where Venetian facades sit alongside Ottoman domes and minarets. You’ll pass courtyards and shaded alleys, then continue towards the waterfront to view the lighthouse and the 16th-century Venetian fortress above the harbor. Later, continue to Chania for the night, a former Venetian stronghold known for its preserved old town and working harbor that remains central to the city’s daily life.
Accommodations: Samaria, Chania
Meals: Breakfast
Day 14 - Chania, The Old Town
Explore Chania with your Local Expert, focusing on the old town’s layered neighborhoods. Begin in Splantzia, the former Ottoman district, and walk through Splantzia Square to view the Church of Agios Nikolaos, a landmark shaped by changing religious use over time. Continue into the Jewish district to understand the city’s long multicultural history through its streets and surviving communal landmarks. The afternoon is at leisure. You might walk the Venetian harbor to the lighthouse, visit the Maritime Museum of Crete for the island’s seafaring story or browse the covered market halls for Cretan products such as thyme honey, herbs, olive oil and graviera cheese. This evening, join your Small Group for dinner in a traditional Cretan restaurant.
Accommodations: Samaria, Chania
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 15 - Farewell Greece
Sadly, all good things must come to an end. After breakfast, you'll be transferred to the Chania airport for your onward flight.
Meals: Breakfast
