Greece Island Hopping

It’s a long flight, but you can relax knowing that we will be there to greet you at the airport and get you to your hotel smoothly — unpack and nap if you want to, but the city beckons and today is yours: explore, shop, make new friends in the nearby taverna – relax, you’re here for the night.

Today, we take to the sea. We all get a chance to get to know each other over breakfast before we head to Piraeus, the port of Athens and board a ferry that will bring us to that most beautiful of islands, Paros, a jewel of the Cyclades. Here the ancients found the source of what might be their greatest legacy: Parian marble. From quarries on this island came statues that are now celebrated in museums throughout the world. Spend the night here and the next two – make friends with the staff (they start out friendly) and you’ll be treated to experiences off the “beaten path”. (B)

In the morning, make some plans – this day is yours to spend as you like – maybe, you want to rent scooters with fellow travellers and see the whole island; maybe visit the Cathedral and its gardens (St. Helena, mother of the emperor Constantine, stopped here on her quest for the True Cross and it has been a pilgrimage site ever since). Don’t forget to set aside a bit of time for the sea – a swim, a splash — it seems wrong not to play. Plenty of time, we’ll be here for the night. (B)

Awake, enjoy breakfast, grab a map, make plans with new friends – today is yours and it’s an island — you can’t get lost! (B)

It will be hard to say goodbye to Paros, but after breakfast we’ll make our way to the port and jump on the ferry to Mykonos. On Mykonos, it’s all about relaxation and pleasure – think beaches, not ruins. The winding streets make for great walks, the windmills and whitewashed homes provide fantastic backdrops for the photographers in the group – for those who want a little art history, the archaeological museum boasts a fantastic pithos (storage jar) that depicts the fall of Troy complete with men looking out from the Trojan Horse! We’ll spend the night here – you might choose to sleep, but for the night owls, Mykonos offers one of the liveliest club scenes in the world. (B)

The whole day is yours, have some breakfast (or lunch, if you did take in the nightlife…) and explore the island – here, that means beaches. After sunset, the promenade comes alive with strolling visitors and locals – grab a coffee or an ouzo and enjoy the scene. We’ll stay here tonight. (B)

A day to eat (watch the day’s catch make the twenty foot journey from the boat to the grill…), wander or hit the beaches you missed yesterday. Catch the sunset and dine with the resident pelican – we are here for the night. (B)

Today you’ll bid Mykonos farewell and board the ferry that will take you to a very different island, Santorini. Santorini (or Thera) is a spectacular sight – 1000 foot volcanic cliffs form a crescent that is all that remains of the volcano that erupted in 1600 B.C. We’ll overnight here – the sunset is one you’ll remember forever. (B)

A bit of breakfast and then hit the road – this island has everything – the day is yours and you might find yourself in the mood for shopping, from local linens to fine jewelry, its all here; you might like a little beach time – there are plenty at the low end of the island. Visit a farm, Santorini makes spectacular wines, especially, sweet dessert wines. A glass of wine, some fresh figs, a little cheese. We’ll stay the night here. (B)

Maybe a little history today? Santorini boasts a very nice, very manageable museum, and no stay is complete without a visit to the ruins of the palace and town that was buried in the eruption – the explosion was so massive that it brought and end to the Minoan domination of the region and may have been an inspiration for the legend surrounding the lost continent of Atlantis. Stroll the walls under the moon tonight, tomorrow it’s back to Athens. (B)

Breakfast gives a chance for some last photos before you make your way to the ferry that will take us back to Piraeus. It’s a short ride, and we’ll be met and taken to our hotel in Athens. You have the day (and night) in Athens to explore, but you owe to yourself to visit the Acropolis, taking in the city from above, imagining the site as it was 2500 years ago – the new Acropolis museum does a fantastic job of this. Have a great dinner, gaze out at the city at night and share memories with new friends. (B)

Visit over breakfast, exchange addresses – we’ll get you to the airport for your flight home. (B)