•  Experience a guided tour of the historic Acropolis in Athens
•  Enjoy the lovely ferry rides from Mykonos to Ios and from Ios to Santorini
• Take a sightseeing boat tour of rock formations in Santorini
• Visit the breathtaking and historically significant island of Delos 
• See the famous Greek author Homer’s grave
• Witness the famous blue domes at Santorini:

• Private, air-conditioned transportation from the Athens International Airport to your Athens hotel
• Flights from Athens to Mykonos and from Santorini to Athens
• Ferries from Mykonos to Ios and from Ios to Santorini
• 10 nights of accommodations at superior, centrally located, tourist-class hotels
• 15 meals (10 full breakfasts, 1 luncheon, 4 multi-course dinners)
• Guided tours of the Acropolis at Athens, the main town at Mykonos, the island of Delos, and the archaeological site at Akrotiri (Santorini).
• Visits to the Temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens and to the grave of Homer in Ios
• Tickets to the Ancient Agora of Athens (including the well preserved Temple of Hephaestus), the Museum of the Ancient Agora, Hadrian’s Library, the Roman Agora of Athens, the Archaeological Site of Lykeion, and the Archaeological Museum of Kerameikos
• A special boat excursion at Santorini
• A semi-guided, optional excursion to Oia (Santorini) to watch the sunset
• All hotel taxes, tips, and porterage fees
• Insider advice and recommendations from your Tour Leader

DAY 1:  ARRIVE IN ATHENS

        Arrive at Athens International Airport where a Blue Onyx Travel representative will meet you and direct you to your private transportation en route to your centrally located Athens hotel.  At 7 p.m., your tour group will meet in the lobby of the hotel with your Tour Leader where there will be a brief orientation.  Afterwards, the group will proceed to our welcome dinner.

        MEAL:  Dinner        ACCOMMODATION:  Acropolis Select Hotel (3 nights)

DAY 2:  TOUR OF ACROPOLIS, FREE TIME

        Our group will meet in the lobby at 10 a.m. where a Local Expert will lead us to the historic Acropolis to give us a guided tour of The Parthenon, The Erechtheion, the Temple of Athena Nike, and other sections.  After the tour, dabble in local cuisine, shop in the trendy Monastiraki district, or navigate the ancient cobblestone streets of our favorite section of Athens: The Plaka.

        MEAL:  Breakfast

DAY 3:  OPTIONAL VISIT TO TEMPLE OF OLYMPIAN ZEUS, GUIDED TOUR OF AGORA OF ATHENS

        There will be an optional visit to the Temple of Olympian Zeus in the morning, for which we will meet in the lobby at 7:30 a.m. This excursion is included in the tour, but we understand that not everyone will want to get up this early.  (Your multi-attraction pass includes this site, so you are free to visit this attraction at a later point during the day if you so choose.) In the late afternoon, a Local Expert will lead our group on a tour through the Ancient Agora of Athens, which was in use either as a marketplace or a residential area for over 5,000 years.

        MEAL:  Breakfast

DAY 4:  FLIGHT TO MYKONOS, FREE TIME, TRADITIONAL  GREEK DINNER 

        Around 10:00 a.m. we will meet in the lobby of the hotel, where we will travel by luxury bus to the airport so we can catch our flight to Mykonos.  After checking into our hotel, the rest of the day is yours to explore this glorious gem of the Cyclades. Take a gander at the historic Panagia Paraportiani church. Get lost in the seemingly endless narrow footpaths of the main town.  Enjoy a major photo opp at the windmills. Or ask your Tour Leader about his favorite cafe! In the evening, we’ll savor a traditional Greek dinner at a highly rated local restaurant.

        MEALS:  Breakfast, Dinner        ACCOMMODATION:  Hotel George (2 nights)

DAY 5:  WALKING TOUR OF MYKONOS TOWN, EXCURSION TO DELOS

        We will meet with a Local Expert who will take us on a brief walking tour of Mykonos and then on a ferry ride to the nearby isle of Delos, where he’ll lead us on an in-depth tour of this highly significant historical and archaeological site.

        MEAL:  Breakfast

DAY 6:  FERRY TO IOS, VISIT TO THE GRAVE OF HOMER  

        In the morning, we will catch a leisurely ferry to Ios where we’ll take a short ride to visit the grave of Homer, the legendary Greek author of the Iliad and the Odyssey.

        MEAL:  Breakfast        ACCOMMODATION:  Ios Resort (2 nights)

DAY 7:  FREE TIME IN IOS, DINNER WITH LIVE MUSIC

        The day is yours to explore the infinite charm of the island of Ios.  Some locals will tell you that the island has 365 churches, one for every day of the year!  Consider a visit to one of those, or to the excellent local archaeological museum, just a stone’s throw from our hotel.  Or take a side trip to one of Ios’s legendary beaches. Ask your Tour Leader about his favorite place to have coffee and watch the world go by!  In the evening, we’ll have a quiet elegant dinner with live music.

        MEALS:  Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 8:  FERRY TO SANTORINI, TOUR OF AKROTIRI, BOAT RIDE TO ROCK FORMATIONS

        We’ll depart Ios in the late morning to catch our ferry to Santorini.  Later, we’ll meet with a Local Expert who will guide us on a tour of the ancient Minoan site of Akrotiri, which actually predates many of the historical sites of Athens.  Afterwards, we’ll enjoy a leisurely lunch at the beach and then we’ll take a boat ride around towering rock formations at the southern tip of the island.

        MEALS:  Breakfast, Lunch        ACCOMMODATION:  Nissos Thira (3 nights)

DAY 9:  FREE DAY IN SANTORINI, SUNSET AT OIA

        There are a couple of highly regarded museums to visit right in the heart of Fira, near our hotel.  Or take the aerial tramway to experience stunning views of the caldera. In the evening you can join your Tour Leader on a journey to Oia for truly breathtaking views of the sunset.

        MEALS:  Breakfast

DAY 10:  EXCURSION TO CALDERA, FAREWELL DINNER

        Our final full day in Greece.  In the middle of the afternoon, we’ll embark on our boat excursion to the caldera.  In the evening, we’ll relish our farewell feast at a local restaurant.

        MEALS: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 11: DEPART SANTORINI FOR ATHENS

We’ll check out of our Santorini hotel early to catch our flight back to the Athens International Airport.  From there, our guests will be able to return home or extend their stay.  Bon voyage!

        MEAL:  Breakfast

THE WEATHER

        Like most Mediterranean cities, Athens tends to have long, hot summers and moderate, rainy winters.  In the months of June, July, August, and September, highs generally range from the mid-80’s to the mid-90’s and in July and August the low temperature often doesn’t go below 75 at night.  This is why it’s so important to make sure your hotel room has air conditioning!

        The weather in October tends to be mild, with occasional rainfall and with highs ranging from the mid 60’s to the mid 70’s.

        The spring months of April and May confer pleasant weather on Athens, with highs generally ranging from the mid 60’s to upper 70’s.  Late April marks the beginning of the dry season and temperatures at night usually don’t get below 50 degrees during this time frame.

        The weather patterns of the islands of Mykonos, Ios, and Santorini are similar to the weather patterns found in Athens, but with two key differences:  Mykonos, Ios, and Santorini receive a higher number of sunshine hours than Athens does, especially in winter.  And these islands also experience slightly cooler summers than Athens does.

        We advise you to bring sunscreen with you on this tour, regardless of month.  

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, we can tell you two things that we believe: 1. Mosquitoes tend to be more of a problem on the mainland than on the islands.  2. The mosquito problem begins in June, peaking in July or August, and abating in September.

        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 7, 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 the Acropolis and other places.  The nice thing, though, is that the physical demands of the trip diminish toward the end, allowing for some honest relaxation in Santorini.

IMPORTANT SUGGESTIONS

        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 a problem in Athens, and pickpockets are wily. 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 in Athens.  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 personal item, such as a laptop bag or purse.  We strongly recommend bringing travel size toiletries. We recommend bringing sunscreen and possibly insect repellent.

JOURNEYS BETWEEN DESTINATIONS

        The journeys between destinations on this trip tend to be short.  The plane ride from Athens to Mykonos is less than half an hour. The ferry ride from Mykonos to Ios runs about 2 hours and the ferry ride from Ios to Santorini runs about an hour.  Pity, because we really do love longer ferry rides.

OUR HOTELS

        We always book hotels that are centrally located, highly rated, and close to major attractions.  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 same amenities that our American guests may be used to seeing.  For example, some hotels in Europe do not have an elevator.  

        On the other hand, for our American 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.

OUR 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.  Whether it be right off the beach in Santorini, overlooking the marina in Mykonos, or at a lovely, elegant restaurant in the heart of Ios, Blue Onyx Travel will always seek out compelling venues for your included meals.

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 Athens and you need 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 credit card for all my purchases, you may ask?  That’s okay, 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 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.