Highlights of the Greek Islands

Our tour of the Greek islands starts in Athens. Combining the ancient and modern world, the centre of Athens is surprisingly compact. If your flight arrives earlier in the day, you might like to visit one of the cafes in the colourful Psyrri district which offer traditional Greek cuisine such as scrumptious aubergines, tomatoes and cheese washed down with ouzo or raki. There are traditional rustic tavernas in the well-known Plaka area at the foot of the Acropolis, too. For those arriving in time, our tour leader will meet you in the hotel reception at 7pm and for those that wish, there'll be the chance to go out for dinner. Due to a number of flights arriving into Athens later in the evening, our welcome meeting will take place on day two - details will be left in the hotel reception. There are no other activities planned today, so you\ re free to arrive in Athens at any time. If you\ d like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Athens International Airport (ATH), which is about a one-hour drive from the hotel. Our time in Athens on this highlights trip is limited, if you can spare more time why not consider extending your trip by arriving a couple of days earlier.

Heading out on foot, this morning we'll visit the Plaka district, just a short walk from our hotel, to soak up the atmosphere of the old town. Here, the streets are lined with atmospheric tavernas, their tables spilling out onto the narrow, cobbled streets, and traders selling all kinds of specialties. Climbing up from Plaka to the Acropolis, we'll pass through the Anafiotika district, where the architecture is more in keeping with Cyclades than the Greek capital. We'll have a guided tour of the Acropolis. Deservedly named one of the wonders of the ancient world, the Acropolis is made up of the Temple of Athena Nike, Pericles and the Parthenon Tower and the Erechtheion (the monument most venerated by the ancient Athenians themselves). Once we\ ve taken in the ancient icons, we'll collect our bags from our hotel and drive to Piraeus harbour for our ferry to Naxos. We'll depart at 5.30pm and the crossing to the island takes around five hours. Onboard, we have reserved seats but feel free to head out on deck to take in the sea air or grab a drink at the bar. Naxos is the largest and most fertile of the Cyclades Island group, covering an area of around 430 square kilometres, with tranquil beaches, ancient ruins and mountainous villages.

The morning is free to relax at our hotel. Read a book in the garden courtyard, take a dip in the jacuzzi, or take a stroll on Agios Georgios Beach. This afternoon, we'll head out to explore Naxos town on foot. At the entrance to the harbour sits the grand Portara marble gate, the doorway of the Temple of Apollo, that has greeted visitors for over 2500 years. The town itself is a mix of whitewashed houses and medieval Venetian mansions, with the fortified 'kastro' (castle) occupying a prominent position overlooking the bay. Our tour leader will show us around the network of alleyways and courtyards, as well as making recommendations for eating out in town. We'll return to our hotel along the promenade alongside Grotta beach.

Heading inland, this morning we'll drive to a small chapel at the foot of Mt. Zas. Situated at over 500 meters, the air here is noticeably cooler and is a welcome escape from the summer heat. We'll explore on foot, heading to the village of Apiranthos along the foothills of Mt. Zas (also known as Mount Zeus), the highest mountain in the Cyclades Island group. Along the way, we'll make a stop at the amazingly well-preserved Fotodoti Monastery before continuing to Apiranthos. In total we'll cover just over five kilometres but if you\ d rather not walk, there's the option to drive to Apiranthos and re-join the group for lunch. Apiranthos is a charming village, far removed from the crowds of the beaches along the coast; with the most Cretan influence of all the interior villages of the island. The village square is surrounded by cafes and tavernas looking out to the terraced valley below, making it an idyllic spot to have a leisurely lunch. After we\ ve refuelled, there should hopefully be time to visit the village museum. Returning to Naxos town, this afternoon we'll make a stop at the Vallindras distillery, known for its distinctive citron liqueur. Now in their fifth generation, the Vallindras family continues the tradition of producing their fragrant liqueur, which is made from the leaves of citrus fruits grown on the islands' fertile slopes. We'll have a tour of the distillery followed by a tasting.

This morning is free to relax or explore a little more of Naxos at your own pace. Once we\ ve checked out of our hotel, we'll head back to the port of Naxos to catch the lunch-time ferry to Santorini - a crossing of two and a half hours. The posterchild of Greece's tranquil islands, Santorini (or Thira as the island is also known) is renowned for its natural beauty. It's the most southerly of the Cycladic Islands and is perhaps most famous for its whitewashed churches with blue-domed roofs. It's also an area of particular interest to those keen on the Lost Atlantis legend. Formerly a huge volcano, Santorini's centre disappeared in an enormous explosion in around 1450 BC. The area of the explosion now forms a lagoon where some believe that the city of Atlantis remains, having been destroyed by the eruption and swept into the waters. Records show that the eruption did overwhelm the Minoan settlements at Akrotiri as well as those on Crete. We'll check in to our hotel and the rest of the day is at your leisure. Our hotel is on the beachfront and has a large swimming pool to cool off in. It's located in the village of Kamari, which is around a 20-minute drive from Santorini's main town, Fira. Local buses depart frequently from the hotel if you\ d like to head into town.

This morning, we'll take in the island's natural beauty on a coastal walk from Thira to Oia. We\ ve graded the walk as moderate and it's expected to take us around three to four hours, covering ten kilometres. We'll hop on a local bus to our starting point before joining the path which goes along the lip of a caldera, giving great views out to sea and of the surrounding countryside. Halfway through the walk, there's the option to stop at a coffee shop for refreshments. The town of Oia, on the northwestern tip of Santorini, is built along a rocky stretch of coastline and is one of the most photogenic spots on the island. It has an age-old seafaring culture and there are two types of houses here - the whitewashed cave houses that are dug into the volcanic rock in the cliffside and the captain houses above ground where the upper-class ship owners once lived. Oia has a host of taverns and cafes and it's well worth spending time here before getting the bus back to our hotel in time to witness the famous Santorini sunset.

This morning we'll enjoy a local wine tasting at Artemis-Karamolegos Winery in Exogonia, the island is best known for its delicious white wines. The middle of the day is left free to explore the island a little more at your own pace. In the late afternoon, we'll head to the port of Athinios and board a shared sailing boat. The captain will take us to the best spots to enjoy the vistas of the Caldera and the Volcano. A delicious buffet dinner is served onboard and, before the sun starts to dip into the water, the captain will bring the boat to the prime viewing spot to capture it in all of its glory. After the sunset, we'll sail back to Athinios port, where we'll be met and taken back to our hotel.

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Santorini. There are no activities planned today, so you\ re free to depart from Santorini at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you\ d like an airport transfer today, you need to depart from Santorini Airport (JTR), which is about a 15-minute drive, depending on traffic.