☼  Highlights for Classical Greece Extension

★ Enjoy a guided exploration of Olympia, the site of the world’s first Olympic games
★ Take part in a morning visit to Delphi, an archaeological site which the ancient Greeks regarded as the center of the world
★ Saunter through the laid-back seaside town of Nafplio
★ Be privy to a special visit to the Grand Meteoron Monastery, led by a Local Expert
★ See the famous Lion Gate at Mycenae, a bronze age town which actually predates many of Greece’s other ancient sites
★ Take an optional tour of Epidaurus, an ancient Greek town which features a very well preserved ampitheatre

  What’s Included for Classical Greek Extension

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   ACCOMMODATION       6 nights of accommodation at upscale, centrally located hotels

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   TRANSPORTATION       Private airport transfer upon arrival.  Private coach or minibus rides between all listed destinations.

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   MEALS      8 meals:  6 breakfasts, 1 dinner, 1 light lunch.

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   EXCURSIONS AND ENTRANCE FEES      Entry tickets to the Delphi and Mycenae archaeological sites.  Fully guided tours of the Olympia archaeological site and the Grand Meteoron Monastery, including entrance fees.  Guided visit to the Nafplio waterfront along with boat excursion.  Optional excursion to Epidaurus archaeological site and optional guided tour of Delphi.

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   TOUR LEADER       A Blue Onyx Tour Leader to handle all logistical aspects of the group, offer valuable information, and guide your group from start to finish.

 
   Itinerary for Classical Greece Extension (7 days)

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DAY 1:  ARRIVAL IN ATHENS, VISIT TO MYCENAE, JOURNEY TO NAFPLIO
Arrive at Athens International Airport where a Blue Onyx Travel representative will meet you and direct you to your private transportation en route to sightseeing in Corinth and Mycenae, an ancient citadel and the center of Mycenaean culture.  Enjoy an extended photo op at the ancient Lion Gate, a low-relief wall sculpture that is over 3,000 years old! 

   ACCOMMODATION:    Agamemnon Hotel (2 nights)

DAY 2:   FREE TIME IN NAFPLIO, OPTIONAL EXCURSION TO EPIDAURUS, BOAT EXCURSION
In the morning, you’ll have the option of visiting the ancient town of Epidaurus, which, according to legend, was the birthplace of Asklepios, the Greek god of medicine and one of Apollo’s seven sons.  A local expert will lead you on a tour of the ampitheatre of Epidaurus which is renowned for its astonishing acoustics.  Should you opt for the excursion to Epidaurus, you’ll still have ample time for relaxation back in Nafplio, followed by a brief boat excursion to Bourtzi Castle, a Venetian fortress in the middle of the harbor.

  MEAL:  Breakfast       

OPTIONAL EXCURSION:   Guided tour of Epidaurus, including round-trip transportation and entrance fee – $45 per person.

DAY 3:  GUIDED TOUR AT OLYMPIA, ARRIVAL IN DELPHI
Today you will travel to Olympia and after a light lunch, you’ll enjoy a fully guided exploration of the Olympia archaeological site – the venue for the first Olympic games.  In the evening, you’ll arrive in Delphi, where everyone will have a hotel room with a view.

  MEAL:  Breakfast, Light Lunch            ACCOMMODATION:    Arion Hotel (2 nights)  

DAY 4:   SELF-GUIDED EXCURSION TO DELPHI (WITH OPTIONAL GUIDED TOUR), FREE TIME
In the morning, you’ll enjoy a visit to the sprawling Delphi archaeological site, with the option to meet with a local expert who aims to guide interested parties through its many areas.  The ancient Greeks placed a stone, the “Omphalos” at the precise location that they considered to be the center of the world and your local expert will spend a fair amount of time discussing the significance of this artifact.   Following the excursion to Delphi, the rest of the day is yours for free time and relaxation.

  MEAL:  Breakfast 

OPTIONAL EXCURSION:   Guided tour of Delphi – $15 per person.

DAY 5:   ARRIVAL IN KALAMBAKA – HOME OF THE METEORA, FREE TIME
The name “Meteora” – which is actually a contraction of a Greek phrase which means “suspended in air” – refers to a group of monasteries constructed atop a cluster of tall and unusual rock towers.   Only six of the original twenty four monasteries have survived and on this day, you will have plenty of free time to explore any or all of the monasteries on your own.  Don’t forget to ask your Tour Leader about the best spot to watch the sunset.  

  MEAL:  Breakfast           ACCOMMODATION:    Hotel Kosta Famissi (2 nights)

DAY 6:  GUIDED TOUR OF HOLY MONASTERY OF GREAT METEORON, FAREWELL DINNER
On this, the last full day of the tour, a local expert will guide your group on a tour of the Monastery of Great Meteoron – the oldest and largest of the monasteries of Meteora.  In the evening, we’ll enjoy a hearty Greek dinner in a celebrated restaurant just a stone’s throw from our hotel.    

DAY 7:  DEPART FOR ATHENS
We’ll need to depart Kalambaka via private coach or minibus quite early in order to allow time for everyone to arrive at Athens International Airport to catch their return flight home.   Our goal will be to reach the Athens Airport no later than noon.  We urge you to book your flight to your next destination no earlier than 2 p.m.  If you should need to get back to Athens earlier, please inform your Tour Leader on the first day of the tour and he/she will try to help you make arrangements.   

In any case, we sincerely hope you enjoyed our journey through Ancient Greece!  Many happy returns!  Kaló taxídi!

  MEAL:  Breakfast, Farewell Lunch

 
   Optional Excursions for Classical Greece Extension

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DAY 2: 

Optional Excursion #1:  Excursion to Epidaurus, including entrance fees

Epidaurus is a small ancient town that was believed to be the birthplace of Apollo’s son, Asclepius the healer.  Once touted as a place where sick people could visit to become well, it remains a popular tourist attraction today, mainly due to its large well-preserved ampitheater (Price: $45 per person).

DAY 4:

Optional Excursion:  Fully guided tour of Delphi.

The Greeks considered Delphi the center of the universe so it’s hard to overstate just how important this archaeological site is.  Please note, however, that even if you decide not to partake of the fully guided tour, the entrance fee is still included.

(Price: $15 per person)

*Please note that optional excursions are reserved and paid for on the first day of the tour.

 
   Dates & Prices for Classical Greece Extension

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June 18 – 24, 2022 (Sat – Fri)         $2,086    Book Now (Combined – Standard)              $1,828   Book Now (Combined – Value)    

                                                               $1,029     Book Now (Stand-Alone)

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   What to Expect for Classical Greek Extension

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  The Weather

Like most Mediterranean places, Greece tends to have long, warm summers and cool, moderate winters.  In the summer months, highs generally reach the mid 80’sand the lows reach the mid 60’s to low 70’s.  There’s is plenty of sun and little rainfall in the summer months.

We advise our guests to bring sunscreen with them on this tour.

  Bugs and Pests

Depending on who you talk to, you’ll hear very different versions of the mosquito situation in Greece.  Based on our own experiences in Greece, however, as they relate to this tour, we believe that participants of this tour may encounter some mosquitoes and other pests on this tour.

Some hotels in Greece have insect repellent plug-ins that look like air fresheners.  Be sure to ask the front desk of your hotel to see if they can supply you with a plug-in.  You may want to bring some insect repellent with you. We also recommend that you keep your hotel room windows closed at night and leave the air conditioning on.  Mosquitoes don’t like air conditioning.

  Physical Activity of Tour

On a scale of 1 to 10, the level of physical activity of this tour is 8, which is high.  Several days will incur a great deal of walking, and there will be some steep stairs to ascend, such as on the slopes of Delphi and other places.  

  Potential Issues

We urge our guests to use common sense on our tours.  Be wary of strangers offering you something or trying to sell you something.  Keep guard of your important belongings, such as purse, wallet, keys, and cell phone.  Pickpocketing is more of a problem in Athens than other parts of Greece, but you should exercise caution nonetheless.  A common scam that occurs is where one person will walk up to you, pretending to ask directions, while his or her partner in crime will slip past you from another direction entirely, casually taking your wallet or cell phone.  Be aware of your belongings at all times.

We also urge our guests to use extra caution while crossing the street.  Walk defensively and look in every direction before crossing. Don’t walk distracted.

  What to Bring

We urge our guests to pack light.  As previously stated under our Terms and Conditions, all of our guests are allowed one carry-on measuring 45 linear inches (22 x 14 x 9) and a small personal item, such as a small laptop bag or purse.  Your personal item should be able to fit underneath a carseat, if need be.  We strongly recommend bringing travel size toiletries.  We recommend bringing sunscreen and possibly insect repellent.

  Journeys Between Destinations

Most journeys between destinations on this trip will not exceed two hours, with the exceptions being Day 3 and Day 7, which are heavier travel days.

  Your Hotels

We strive to book hotels that are centrally located, highly rated, and close to major attractions.   The service level of this tour is Standard, which means that the hotels are upmarket and usually include a full breakfast.   

Having said that, there are a couple of things that one should understand about hotels in Europe, especially if one is from the United States.  More often than not, hotel rooms in Europe are smaller than hotel rooms in the United States. Additionally, hotel rooms in Europe may not have the exact same amenities that our guests may be used to seeing.  For instance, many European hotels do not have elevators.

On the other hand, for our guests who are traveling to Europe for the first time, the breakfasts that are offered at European hotels are a huge breath of fresh air.  There is usually an abundance of protein sources in the form of cold cuts, cheeses, eggs, milk, and yogurt, along with an assortment of fresh fruit, pastries, cereal, fruit juice, tea, and coffee.  Occasionally, some European hotels will serve a hot breakfast as well and this often consists of scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, and pancakes or waffles.

  Your Restaurants

We strive to treat our guests to lunches and dinners at restaurants with interesting settings and this tour is no exception to that concept.

  
  Currency Exchange and Credit Card Usage

The Tour Leader will be able to tell you where to exchange currency and there will usually be a place to do so within walking distance of your hotel.  Most major banks will be able to exchange any currency that you have brought with you, for a small fee.

In most European countries (Greece included), the best exchange rate can be obtained by simply withdrawing money from a standard bank ATM using your debit card (not to be confused with your credit card).  For instance, let’s say it’s your second day in Greece and you need to withdraw some euros. Just go to a local bank which has an ATM machine (often in a small, enclosed lobby-style room) and withdraw the amount of money you want.  Nearly all standard ATM machines worldwide have the capacity to issue instructions in English, so English speakers should have no problem at all understanding how to use them.

When we tell you to seek out standard bank ATM machines, we mean it.  Avoid the omnipresent stand-alone ATMs which are not part of a bank. Euronet, Moneybox, Travelex, and Cashzone are examples of independent ATM machines which have very unfavorable exchange rates.  If you have any questions at all while on tour, just ask your Tour Leader to point you the direction of a standard bank ATM. Now it’s true that your home-based bank, such as Wells Fargo, will charge a small fee ($5) for this transaction, but the European bank will not. 

But wait, why don’t I just use my VISA credit card for all my shopping and for the fancy dinner, you may ask?  That’s fine, but there’s usually a 3% foreign transaction fee (or higher) for these types of transactions. And there might even be an additional transaction fee from the store or restaurant in which you’re using your VISA card.  Dollar for dollar, withdrawing cash from a standard bank ATM in the country you’re visiting is the most cost-effective way to exchange currency.

  The Tour Leader

All of our Tour Leaders must undergo a rigorous training course designed to help them handle not only the ups and downs of a tour group situation, but also the disparate personalities that they might encounter.  All of our Tour Leaders are thoroughly background checked and must adhere to a strict code of conduct at all times.  You can rest assured that we are placing you with a Tour Leader who has your best interests at heart.