Classic Greece

Day 1 – Air

Board your flight to glorious Athens.

Day 2 – Athens

Welcome to Greece! Your TSA Tours representative awaits to escort you to your hotel.

Day 3 – Athens

Explore this ancient city on an Athens City Tour. Visit the Parthenon on the Acropolis, see the Royal Palace, the National Gardens, the Temple of Athena Nike, the marble Olympic Stadium, the remains of the Agora and other highlights.

Day 4 – Nauplion

Drive along the coast to the Corinth Canal. Construction of the canal began in 1882 but was not completed until 1893 due to the bankruptcy of the original builders. The Corinth Canal drastically changed Greek shipping, much as the Panama Canal affected North America. For the best view of the spectacular vertical walls, try the pedestrian route. Continue to Mycenae. Points of interest include the Acropolis, the Lion Gate, the First Circle of Royal Tombs and the Palace which dates from 15 BC. Then visit Epidaurus and its famous Theatre. Built in the 4th century, the Theatre has fantastic acoustics, can accommodate up to 14,000, and is still used in the summer for concerts.

Day 5 – Olympia

Travel through the Central Peloponnese to Arcadia, the home of Pan and the Nymphs. Continue to Tripoli and Megalopoli. Finally arrive in Olympia, the birthplace of both the ancient and modern Olympics. Excavations here revealed the great temple that once housed a gold-adorned statue of Zeus. On your City Tour, visit the temple and the Museum.

Day 6 – Delphi

Journey to Patras where you’ll board your ferry and cross the “Little Dardanelles” from Rio to Antirio. Spend the evening in Delphi, once regarded as the center of the universe, and the site of the Oracle of Delphi. Walk the Sacred Way to the Sanctuary of Apollo, and visit the Archeological Museum to see the famous bronze charioteer.

Day 7 – Athens

Travel through the village of Aráhova, renowned for its colorful rugs and carpets. Continue to Athens via historic Levadi and Thebes, the latter being one of the most famous cities in ancient Greece.

Day 8 – Athens

Enjoy a full day cruise, with lunch, to the islands of Aegina, Hydra and Poros. Pine-covered Aegina is the site of the beautiful Temple of Aphaia. There are no automobiles on scenic Hydra, only donkeys for hauling luggage and food. Pretty Poros is a small island with green hills— a pistachio nut lover’s delight.

Day 9 – Depart or Cruise

Board your flight home or travel to Piraeus to board your 3-day Aegean cruise. Enjoy being pampered from early morning to late night aboard your luxury ship. At Mykonos, see the three landmark windmills, echoes of the time when wind power was used to grind the island’s grain. Take a refreshing swim or shop in the boutiques along its quaint old streets. According to mythology, Mykonos was formed by the petrified bodies of the giants that Hercules killed. Today it is a beautiful, picturesque island with an all-white Hora (the main village) next to the crystal-clear blue waters of the Aegean Sea.

Day 10 – Cruise

Explore Rhodes, the beautiful “island of roses,” at your leisure. The old town of Rhodes is a fascinating web of Byzantine, Turkish and Latin ruins. Cool yourself in a palace paved with marble and mosaics, or stroll the same cobblestone streets the Knights of St. John once walked. You may also opt to travel to the medieval walled city of Lindos. With its whitewashed houses clustered beneath a soaring Acropolis, Lindos is the most picturesque village on Rhodes.

Day 11 – Cruise

Sail to the port of Kusadasi on the Turkish coast. This quaint fishing village and resort are also home to the ancient ruins of Ephesus, once a city of 250,000 inhabitants. Among the impressive ruins dating back to the Roman period you’ll see beautiful temples, porticoes, fountains and frescoes. Continue to the island of Patmos, where you can visit the monastery and grotto dedicated to St. John the Divine, author of the book of Revelation. You’ll see priceless religious and historical treasures on this island of natural beauty

Day 12 – Depart

Disembark and fly home with fabulous memories of ancient Greece!