Highlights of the Greek Islands
Experience Overview
Explore the Grecian greats on this week-long tour of the Cyclades Islands. From the cosmopolitan bustle of Athens to the ancient riches of Naxos and the breathtaking sunsets of Santorini, our Greek island highlights holiday ticks off all the bucket-list sites. Along the way, get a taste for island life with visits to a heritage distillery and plenty of pit stops at tavernas, too.
Visit Athens - Discover the icons of the historic capital city, including the Acropolis.
Island hop - Cross the blue waters to explore the Cyclades Islands of Naxos and Santorini.
Go with the flow - Follow the pace of island life, soaking up the local atmosphere (and a couple of stunning sunsets).
Highlights
A weeklong highlights trip of the Greek islands|Ferry-hop the Cyclades Islands from Athens to Santorini|Enjoy vibrant Greek Islands and stunning sunsets
Trip Details
Product Code: 20452
Tour Type: Small Group
Accommodation: Moderate
Transport: BusBoatFerryPublic Bus
Guide Language: English
Tour Operator:
Explore Worldwide
Supplier Code: GI
Starts: Greece
Finishes: Greece
Duration: 8 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
- Explore Tour Leader
- Driver(s)
- Local Guide(s)
Accommodation
- Arion Athens Hotel
- Hotel Grotta
- Kamari Beach Hotel
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $2,800 ($350 /day)
Itinerary
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.
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Tour Operator
Explore Worldwide
A prominent adventure travel company with over four decades of experience, this business that offers a comprehensive array of unique and thrilling experiences worldwide. Catering to various interests, they provide small group journeys, walking and cycling trips, solo holidays, and family adventures.
In Business Since 1981
Reviews
Darlene - Traveled, September 2024
What an amazing trip! The itinerary was great! The sunset dinner on the sailboat was awesome as was the hike in the foothills of Mt. Zeus. I had a great time in Athens, Naxos, and Santorini. Excellent food! Plenty of wonderful group experiences as well as time to explore on your own. The very best thing about the Greek Island Tour was Charlotte, our tour guide. She was so knowledgeable, fun, and very considerate of the unique needs of every member of our group. Heads up for this Greek experience; be prepared to walk up and down uneven ground or steps for long periods of time. Hiking poles are a good choice to consider for this trip!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/02/2024
Alicia - Traveled, September 2024
Our tour was first rate, but what really made the difference was our leader, Charlotte! There were 15 of us in total. And throughout the week, she made sure that every single member of our group was having fun! Both of the walks were fantastic and the scenery was unparalleled! Although Santorini was beautiful, Naxos was a wonderful surprise. Knowing so little about it before the trip, it was such fun to explore and discover. The Explore app is a great new addition, putting our itinerary right at our fingertips. But there were some discrepancies with timing when it came to the ferries. None of us objected to the lengthy ferry ride from Athens to Naxos. But the itinerary said it was 5 hours when the reality was 7. We would have like better information upfront. Also, skip the hotel dinner at Santorini. There are too many wonderful restaurants to try! We don't need a mediocre buffet dinner. We all would have preferred a cocktail or drinks gathering, or nothing at all. Overall, this was my second trip with Explore and I am now confident that there will be more. This was such a lovely week filled with great experiences and wonderful people. I want to thank the Explore team for the great work that they do with their tour leaders. Again, Charlotte is a star! She is to be commended for her stellar job. Every member of our group adored her! She was so attentive and so in tune with both us and the locals that we interacted with. We felt so well taken care of.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/01/2024
Kerry - Traveled, May 2025
We could not of asked for a better tour guide than George, he was patient, catered for everyone’s ability. The excursions were really good. Hotels chosen where amazing we could not fault them at all
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/10/2025
Linda - Traveled, September 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this Greek Island tour! Our tour leader, Charlotte, was amazing. Not only was she knowledgeable, but also fun and very personable. My favorite part of the tour was the “walk” along the foothills in Naxos – though it should definitely be called a hike because of the hilly and rocky terrain. The coastal hike was another favorite. All the accommodations were clean and decent with lots of breakfast options. Our bathroom at the hotel in Santorini was extremely small, but the gorgeous beachfront location of the hotel more than made up for it. Overall, there was a wonderful mix of activities on this tour – something for everyone. I also loved how well everyone in our tour group got along. We were from several different countries and we were all able to connect and have fun together on this shared travel experience.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/02/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, September 2024
We were a small group, seven, but although we were very different, got to know one another well. Sapfo, our Explore leader, was fantastically efficient but more than that, such fun that we were able to do everything together and enjoy it all. The fact that Explore had described our 'hike' of just over 5km as a 'walk' was hailed as an enormous misnomer by the four Americans, which became black humour - particularly by a very courageous guest who had a leg-brace and did find the 'walk' tough. Her friend videoed and recorded her climbing the steps into the final village, cursing and giggling in equal measure - !! We still have an active WhatsApp, the photos have been treasured by me who takes no photos (to my daughters' disdain). All the hotels were great, food excellent and company irreplaceable. Here's to our reunion!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/07/2024
Susan - Traveled, September 2024
Fantastic holiday with a good mix of activity and relaxation. We had an amazing guide, Sapfo, who made the holiday. She took into consideration all the groups abilities and what they wanted from the holiday. She was also able to adapt the itinerary at very short notice when our sunset cruise was cancelled due to high winds.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/08/2024
Anne - Traveled, May 2024
An excellent trip with a mixture of walks, sight seeing, boat trips and wine tasting. The hotels were excellent and in good positions. Anna, the tour leader had a pleasant, competent and helpful personality. We would definitely recommend this trip
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/10/2024
Sophie - Traveled, May 2024
I really enjoyed this trip; the itinerary is busy enough to occupy but also gives enough free time to enjoy things at your own pace. The hotels are nice (the one in Santorini is a little shabby but the location is good) and the ferry travel was not onerous. I would recommend going a day early to enjoy a bit more of Athens, but apart from that it was a perfect trip.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/06/2024
Jennifer - Traveled, May 2024
George, our tour guide was fantastic. He made the trip memorable with his unwavering care for us,, and attention to every detail to ensure we had a wonderful time. He is Gold! It's people like George that make or break Explores tours.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/10/2024
Fiona - Traveled, May 2024
Our guide, Peter, was excellent, really good fun. My highlight was the walk in the mountains in Naxos. The group got on really well and it was helpful that there were only 10 of us.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/28/2024
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