Greece on your Hands

Discover the very best of the Greek Islands on this fourteen day tour around the most noted island in the Aegean Sea. This tour is a wonderful mixture of guided tours, discovering places on your own, ferries to exotic destinations and above all, relaxation.

Day 1 (ATHENS ARRIVAL TRANSFER)
On your arrival at Athens international Airport look for your name being held up in the arrivals hall by your driver, who will take you in air conditioned luxury to your hotel. Full details of the trip will be waiting for you at the hotel reception. Please ask for your envelope on your arrival. This is most important as within the envelope are tickets and other information. Keep all of this safe with your passport and other valuables. Once you have checked in the afternoon and evening are yours to do as you please, whether you relax in your hotel or venture out to the streets of Athens to do some shopping. Syntagma and Plaka in the centre of Athens and in the shadow of the Acropolis have wonderful shopping and restaurants.

Day 2 (FULL DAY ATHENS TOUR)
Wake up and have an early breakfast, as your guide will pick you up for your Athens tour at around 8.00 (the official time will be stated in your envelope). Your English speaking Guide will take you to the Acropolis where you can wonder around this ancient wonder and visit the excellent Acropolis Museum. The tour also visits the Temple of Zeus, Syntagma Square, the Presidential Palace and Omonia Square. On your return to your hotel just after midday relax and have a light lunch and await your guide for the second tour of the day. You will be picked up at around 14.00 (see your envelope for full notice) and the tour coach will drive you down to Cape Sounion at the start of the Aegean, where your English speaking guide will relate the sad story surrounding the beautiful Temple of Poseidon. You will be returned to your hotel around dusk, and your evening is again free to do as you desire, whether it be spent relaxing, or wandering around the bustling city.

Day 3 (FLIGHT TO SANTORINI)

Check your envelope for your transfer times the night before, and after breakfast you will be picked up by our driver an taken to the airport for your flight to Santorini. On arrival in Santorini, look for your name being held up by our assistance staff just at the exit or outside the arrivals area. Once you have found our helpful staff will transfer you to your hotel where the rest of the day is yours to relax and enjoy. The majestic views from the caldera are one of the natural world's greatest wonders. Thira and Oia are thriving towns with a myriad of shops. Enjoy the beauty and elegance of this marvellous island.

Day 4 (SANTORINI)
What a way to start your day! Breakfast on the balcony overlooking these remarkable cliffs. You can choose to have your breakfast on the balcony, just taking in the view. It is hard not to relax. You may wish to stay by the pool and relax, taking in the golden Greek sunshine. Nothing official is planned for today, but please enquire about other activities on offer. Ask about taking a tour of the island at the reception of your hotel. One idea is to arrange a tour by boat to Nea Kameni, the active volcano that rests in the middle of the sea among the cliffs, then over to Thirassia, another part of the island. Some boat tours end with a donkey ride up the cliffs at Oia to witness what are know as the most beautiful sunsets in the world.

Day 5 (SANTORINI)
You should be very relaxed by day five. Having breakfast on your balcony looking over the magnificence of the cliffs is a luxury everybody should experience. This is another free day so how you spend your time is again your decision. You can have a swim in the pool, take a long drink at the bar, sleep, read and enjoy the view. Or again you may wish to see a bit more of the island. There are remarkable black sand beaches in the South of the Island there for the enjoyment. Local taxis can take you there or you can go local and take one of the many frequent busses. Ask at your hotel reception for more options. In the evening, walk into Thira and have dinner at any one of the excellent restaurants. The choice of cuisine is excellent. Don't forget to check your envelope for instructions for the following day.

Day 6 (PASSAGE TO CRETE)
You will be checking out of your little patch of paradise sometime after breakfast. Our Santorini staff will provide you with ferry tickets and transfer, so please be ready for your pick up. While waiting for the ferry to Crete take in your last views of Santorini. There is nowhere else like it on the planet and when you finally alight the ferry, watch as Santorini magically floats into then distance, as if carried away by mermaids.
When you disembark on Crete, once again look for our service staff holding up your name on a card. Your hire car will be waiting for you and after completing the paper work, giving your licence and international licence details, follow the instructions and drive to your hotel. Please check your vouchers for the words Half Board, Full Board or All Inclusive, your dinner is included in your package. The evening is free to do as you please, but after a long day of travelling, relaxing is likely to be the first thing on your mind.

Day 7 (CRETE)
Enjoy your breakfast after waking in very different surroundings and then work out your plan, thereafter your day is free to roam this big and wonderful island in your hire car. There is much to discover and to see on Crete. The town of Chania is a must see with its colourful streets and dockside walks overlooking the bay. The old town on the hill winds around in little streets - the perfect place to get lost in of an afternoon with so many little shops and restaurants to visit. If dinner is arranged with your trip, return to your hotel for dinner, if not find yourself one of the many international restaurants that are at your disposal. A note on driving on the Islands. As with anywhere in the world, take a lot of care when driving, plan your trip and have an idea where you are going. Most of the road signs are in Greek, so having an idea of where you plan to go is prudent. Also remember that bad driving and driving under the influence of alcohol carry large fines and sometimes prison terms - so please keep safe.

Day 8 (CRETE)
After breakfast you have another day to enjoy the wonders of Greece. You may choose to visit the mountains in the island's centre, or find a secluded beach along the many kilometres of shoreline. There are amazing ruins to visit, natural wonders to admire or other cities to visit and enjoy. Crete has something for everybody, and make the most of your hire car to see it at its best. In the evening, return to the hotel in the evening in time for dinner if it's included in your hotel or find a local restaurant and take in the local flavours. And remember to check your envelope for the following day's flight details.

Day 9 (FLIGHT TO RHODES)
After breakfast make plans to leave for the airport. Have your tickets for your flight from Crete to Rhodes ready along with your travel documentation. Check out of the hotel and drive back to the airport, leaving enough time to drop off your hire car and be at the airport an hour before your flight. On arrival in Rhodes, go to the Car Hire (we named to you) desk and pick up your car. You will be given directions to your hotel. On arrival, check in to your hotel and enjoy your time. There are no planned excursions for your time in Rhodes, so the time is yours to enjoy as you wish.

Day 10 (RHODES)
After breakfast decide what to do with your day. Rhodes has plenty to offer travellers of all kinds. You can take your hire car and drive to a secluded beach, or go inland and discover any one of the many villages in the centre of the island. To the north is the town of Lindos with its remarkable castle that is well worth visiting. You may also choose to stay by the pool at your hotel and relax, maybe straying into the town to find a traditional taverna and enjoy some local wine, ouzo and mezes. You can do as much or as little as you wish on this wonderful island.

Day 11 (RHODES)
Your second full day on Rhodes can be a time of great adventure. Take your into town, park and wander around the amazing Rhodes Town. Visit the old town, a walled city, with its twelve metre thick walls and maze like streets, the perfect way to while away the hours. After wandering the old town, why not venture into the new part of town, where the restaurants and shopping are as good as anywhere in Greece. After spending the day doing as you please, why not find dinner at one of the many Turkish inspired restaurants nearby and discover the diversity of this large island.

Day 12 (FLIGHT TO ATHENS)
After breakfast you will check out of your hotel, fill the hire car with fuel, and drive to the airport. Park in the appropriate car hire returns area, return the key to the representative and catch your short flight back to Athens. On arrival in Athens find our representatives with your name on a card and they will transfer you to your Athens hotel of choice. Your evening is once again free to explore central Athens. Maybe the Plaka calls you back, or perhaps sit at Syntagma Square and watch the changing of the guards. You can always find a local taverna, eat mezes, drink some retsina and watch the city go by.

Day 13 (DAY DELPHI TOUR)
After and early breakfast your luxury coach will collect you from your hotel for you tour of Delphi. Located approximately hours to the north of Athens this tour will be one of the highlights of your trip. Nestled in the mountains near Mount Parnassos, Delphi is Greece's most sacred site, a place where the Gods used to bask and send their messages through the oracles. Your English speaking guide will provide you with all of the history of the mystical place. Wander the extensive ruins and ponder the greatness of Ancient Greece. The museum at the site is one of the best in Greece and is not to be missed. Lunch is provided on this tour too. You will be returned to your hotel at approximately 20.00, after which you are free to once again go into town or find some dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 14 (TRANSFER TO AIRPORT, FLIGHT BACK HOME)
This is your last morning in Greece. All that is required of you today is to have your breakfast, check out and have our transfer driver take you to the airport so you can take your flight home.

Tailored & Quotation on request.