9-Nights Odysseus' Journey: The Peloponnese & Ionian Isles - Private Guided Experiences, Arts & Culture from $6,788

Corfu Town & Achilleion Palace - 4.5 hours

Guests will be met by our English speaking guide to commence the tour. Upon completion of the tour, transfer will be provided back to the ship.

We drive to the old historical village of Gastouri and we arrive at the Achilleion Palace, the former residence of Empress Elizabeth of Austria and later that of Kaiser Wilhelm the 2nd.  Here we visit the museum with mementos of the two Royalties and enjoy the splendour of its landscaped gardens and the statues including the famous statue of the dying Achilles.

Continue through the coastal road of Perama to the beauty spot of Kanoni, where there will be time for drinks (upon consumption) and to photograph the famous views of Mouse Island.

From Kanoni, we continue to Corfu Town for a walking tour in the Historical centre of the fascinating old city where the following historical sights are to be seen:

• The residence of the High Commissioner, a splendid Edwardian building completed in 1824, once the sea  of the Knights of Saint Michael and Saint George up to 1864 and later the Palace of the King of Greece.
• The bronze statue of the British High Commissioner, Sir Frederick Adam.
• The Venetian quarters of Cambiello and Corfu's Historical Centre.
• The Town Hall, once a Venetian theatre, built in 1690.
• The Church of Saint Spyridon, Patron Saint of Corfu with the rare icons and where the Holy body of the Saint lays in a crypt.
• There will be free time for shopping before transfer back to the Port

Duration: approx. 4 1/2 hours

Notes:
It is recommended that guests wear flat, comfortable walking shoes.

Corfu Culinary Experience (Full Day)

Highlights/Description:
Corfu is the ideal place to enjoy a diverse mix of different tastes. The cuisine is inextricably tied in with its history and this is what makes the food here so different from the rest of Greece. The cuisine is neither spicy nor bland, but rich in the flavours of the Mediterranean. Specialties consist of local ingredients found on the island; especially olives, lemons, vegetables, tomatoes and fish. Many dishes hark back to the days when cooks put all the ingredients in a single pot and left it to simmer all day.
 
Today’s excursion starts with the Old Town of Corfu, where you may enjoy a walking tour of this UNESCO’s World Heritage Site. You will discover the town’s beautiful sites such as Saint Spyridon Church, dedicated to the protector of the island, the charming narrow Venetian alleyways, the famous Esplanade, one of the largest squares in Europe, the elegant Liston where access in the past was only allowed to the aristocracy of Corfu who were written down in the “Libro d’Oro’’, the Dimarcheio, or Town Hall, and the imposing Palace of St Michael and St George. After exploring Corfu historical center take a stroll through the local market.
 
Your tour continues with a scenic drive through the countryside to Triklino Vineyard, also known as Ambelonas Corfu, which is situated in Pelekas upon a hill with a panoramic view of central Corfu. Here local varieties of grapes are grown around a building of local architecture, in which traditional oil and wine production tools are displayed.
 
Upon arrival you will be welcomed with herbal soft drink. Get to know the history of the estate, the vineyard, the wild herbs and vegetables, the equipment and the processes for traditional olive and wine making and then spend some time learning about the principles ingredients and techniques of Mediterranean cuisine and the Corfiot culinary culture. You will then follow a step-by-step live presentation of the preparation of a full Corfiot meal – starter, salad, first course, main course, and desert. Participate in the cooking and sample the dishes at different stages of cooking. After the demonstration you will be able to enjoy lunch while relaxing in the ambient surroundings in the nature before returning to the port.
 
Tour Duration: 7 Hours
Tour can operate: Morning
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Physical Activity Level: Light

Inclusions:

• Licensed, English-speaking guide
• Applicable taxes
• Transfers to/from Corfu port (applies to tour + cooking class only)

• Meals, unless otherwise noted
• Gratuities
• Personal expenses

Cultural Tour of Corfu (Half Day) - 4 hours

Highlights/Description:

• Kanoni (Mouse Island and the Monastery of Vlacherna)
• Museum of Asiatic Art in the Palace of St. George
• Old Town of Corfu

• Licensed, English-speaking guide
• Luxury vehicle
• Applicable taxes
• Pick-up/Drop off at Corfu port  
• Entrance and tasting fees will be additional and can be pre-booked

• Meals, unless otherwise noted
• Gratuities
• Personal expenses

Exciting Jeep Safari in Corfu (Half Day) - 4 hours

Highlights/Description:
Discover Angelokastro, Lakones and Paleokastritsa driving through lush vegetation routes and traditional Corfiot villages. Admire panoramic breathtaking views of West Corfu and explore the magnificent bays with the crystal clear blue waters in a premium 4x4 vehicle.
First we will follow a route through Corfiot villages heading towards the western part of the island to Angelokastro – (“Castle of Angels”) which is located at the top of the highest peak of the island’s shoreline in the northwest coast near Paleokastritsa and is one of the most important Byzantine castles of Greece. A stunning view of Corfu’s west coast and the amazing terrain provide an ideal spot to admire the view, shoot some panoramic photos and refresh ourselves. Continuing our route through Lakones village with its surroundings is also known as Bella Vista, one of the top 10 views in Europe, and along the road in and out of the village, we will stop to enjoy the view while enjoying our coffee or tea. After our coffee stop, we follow a route from the top of the hill down to Paleokastritsa. Paleokastritsa is one of the most celebrated and attractive spots on Corfu island, with many coves with incredibly clear water surrounded by olive, cypress, and lemon trees. The lush vegetation and landscape combines blue and green waters with picturesque rocky bays and the monastery of Virgin Mary with the small museum. Visit the Monastery of The Virgin Mary in Paleokastritsa and take in superb views over the sea, and the rock that is said to be Odysseus' ship turned to stone.

• Tea/coffee or juice included
• liability insurance included
• Angelokastro is closed on Tuesdays
• Don’t forget to wear comfortable shoes
• Sun protection and a hat are recommended

• English-speaking driver - escort
• Applicable taxes
• Entrance fee to Angelokastro
• Pick-up/Drop off at Corfu port

• Meals, unless otherwise noted
• Gratuities
• Personal expenses

Highlights of Corfu - 4 hours

Highlights/Description:

• Mon Repos Palace
• Kanoni (Mouse Island and the Monastery of Vlacherna)
• Old Town of Corfu

• Licensed, English-speaking guide
• Luxury vehicle
• Applicable taxes
• Pick-up/Drop off at Corfu port
• Entrance fees

• Meals, unless otherwise noted
• Gratuities
• Personal expenses

Paleokastritsa and Theotoky Estate - 4 hours

Highlights/Description:

• Monastery of Paleokastritsa
• Wine and meze in Theotoky Estate

• Licensed, English-speaking guide
• Luxury vehicle
• Applicable taxes
• Pick-up/Drop off at Corfu port
• Entrance fees

• Meals, unless otherwise noted
• Gratuities
• Personal expenses

Athens at a Glance - 3 hours

Guests will be met by our English speaking guide to commence the tour. Upon completion of the tour, transfer will be provided back to the ship.

Take a short drive to Athens, the cradle of European civilization. For twenty-five centuries, the panorama of this city is dominated by the rock of the Acropolis. Leave your vehicle at the foot of the rock and follow your guide uphill to visit the Acropolis and see the principal buildings: the Propylaia, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion and the Parthenon Temple.

During your visit, you will also have some free time to enjoy the magnificent view and take some photos. Continue on with a panoramic tour of the city where you will view the Olympieion (the Temple of Olympian Zeus) from the 6th Century BC, one of the largest Corinthian style temples in Greek history and Hadrian's Arch (2nd Century AD) which divided the Greek city from Hadrian's new Roman city. Arriving at Syntagma Square, see the Royal Palace, built for Otto I of Bavaria and the present-day Parliament.

In front of the Palace stands the Monument of the Unknown Soldier where two soldiers (Evzoni) stand guard continuously. Finally visit the Stadium, which stands on the site of the Ancient Stadium, laid out under Lycurgus in the 4th Century BC and rebuilt in 1896 on its original plan for the modern Olympic Games.

Notes:

• Sun protection indispensable
• Comfortable non-slip shoes for uneven cobble or marble streets/steps
• Bottle of water recommended

Athens - Enlightening Classical Athens Tour w/ lunch - 6 hours

Guests will be met by our English speaking guide to commence the tour. Upon completion of the tour, transfer will be provided back to the ship.

We begin our exciting tour with a visit to the glamorous Acropolis, where we admire one of the world's masterpieces, the eternal Parthenon. The marble monuments and temples built in the classical times remind us that the Acropolis is more than the living history of Greece: it is the western world's prototype of aesthetics.

Continue with the highlights of historical and modern Athens. Enjoy the most famous historical spots in Athens including the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, guarded by the colourful Evzones, the ex-Royal Palace and the Panathenaikon Stadium, where the first Olympic Games of modern times were held, and admire the unique perspective of the Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Hadrian's' Arch. Enjoy lunch at a restaurant in Plaka (old part of Athens).

In the afternoon (or even before lunch), continue with a visit to one of the following of your choice:

• The National Archaeological Museum: This is the most important archaeological museum in Greece and one of the richest in the world concerning ancient Greek art. The Ancient Agora: At the foot of the Acropolis is the archaeological site of the ancient Agora. The Agora was the heart of ancient Athens; the focus of political, commercial, administrative and social activity; the religious and cultural centre and the seat of justice.
• The Cycladic Arts Museum: A private museum founded ten years ago in order to present the art that was created in the Cycladic islands in the central Aegean Sea during the 3rd and 2nd millenniums BC. The sculptures on display are extremely interesting, sophisticated and modern for their time.
• The Benaki Museum: Visit the outstanding Benaki Museum, housed in an elegant neoclassical mansion and travel through the millennia of Greek History starting from the depths of prehistory to the 20th century.

Notes:

• Benaki Museum and Cycladic Museum will remain closed on Tuesdays
• Sun protection is recommended
• Comfortable non-slip shoes for uneven cobble or marble streets/steps is recommended
• Bottle of water - recommended

Duration: Approx. 6 hours

Athens - Enchanting Cape Sounion at Sunset with dinner - 6 hours

Guests will be met by our English speaking guide to commence the tour. Upon completion of the tour, transfer will be provided back to the ship.

Scenic drive (70km/43miles) along the coastal road known as "the Riviera of Attica" to Cape Sounion. Enjoy the splendid view of the Saronic Gulf. Here stands the ruins of the Temple of Poseidon, built near the edge of the cliff, one of the most beautiful monuments of the classical times to have survived to the present day. According to Mythology, Poseidon had his palace in the depths of the sea and his temple on a windswept rock rising above the Aegean Sea.

Enjoy the most enchanting at sunset before your transfer to the Ithaki Restaurant located on the waterfront of Vouliagmeni.

Enjoy a lovely dinner at the waterfront restaurant, Ithaki overlooking Vouliagmeni Bay and the sparkling Saronic Gulf, Ithaki is probably the best outdoor sea viewpoint of Attica. A typical Greek fishing boat at the entrance, full of crushed ice, fresh fish and lobsters of all sizes give you a hint that you are not here for steaks, although they are available. The elegant, exclusive seaside restaurant is built amphitheatrically on varying levels in a way to secure privacy and a magnificent view of the bay. The Ithaki cuisine is based mainly on traditional Greek recipes and gives priority to seafood delicacies and fresh fish. Soft piano music and songs are entertaining the guests during the whole evening. Greek hospitality and excellent service are priority at the Ithaki, ensuring clients' satisfaction!

Notes:

• Sun protection is recommended 
• Comfortable non-slip shoes for uneven cobble or marble streets/steps is recommended
• Bottle of water - recommended

Duration: Approx. 6 1/2 hours

Athens - The Athenian Riviera & the Temple of Poseidon - 4 hours

Guests will be met by our English speaking guide to commence the tour. Upon completion of the tour, transfer will be provided back to the ship.

Scenic drive (70km/43miles) along the coastal road known as "the Riviera of Attica", which affords a splendid view of the Saronic Gulf, to Cape Sounion the southern-most point of the entire peninsula of Aemos (Balkans). Here stand the ruins of the Temple of Poseidon, built near the edge of the cliff, one of the most beautiful monuments of the classical times to have survived to the present day. According to Mythology, Poseidon had his palace in the depths of the sea and his temple on a windswept rock rising above the Aegean Sea.

This tour is most enchanting at sunset!

Notes:

• Sun protection is recommended
• Comfortable non-slip shoes for uneven cobble or marble streets/steps is recommended
• Bottle of water - recommended

Duration: Approx. 4 hours

Delphi – History & the Oracle w/lunch - Full Day Tour

In the morning, you will be met by your English-speaking guide upon disembarkation from the cruise ship to commence the tour. Upon completion of the tour, you will be transferred back to the ship.

Enjoy a scenic drive to Delphi via the National Highway passing through the spectacular sites of Boetia, Thebes and Levadia.

Delphi is by common consent the most spectacularly beautiful ancient site in Greece and the one, which, even to the uninitiated, most vividly evokes the Classical Past.  In antiquity Delphi was regarded as the centre of the world (omphalos of the earth) and to this, and its oracle, the place owed its prestige, which extended far beyond the Greek world.  

Our visit to Delphi is divided into three parts: the Sanctuary of Apollo with the Stadion; the Castalian spring and the Sanctuary of Athena at Marmaria (from above as it is a steep ragged climb to access it); and the Museum.

Enjoy lunch at a traditional local restaurant.  En route to Athens, there will be a short stop at the picturesque mountain village of Arachova. The village is famous for its attractive hand-woven carpets and rugs as well as for its wine and cheese.

In the early evening return to Athens.

Notes:
•    Sun protection indispensable
•    Comfortable non-slip shoes for uneven cobble or marble streets/steps
•    Bottle of water recommended

Athens - Ancient Corinth Tour - 4.5 hours

In the morning, you will be met by your English-speaking guide upon disembarkation from the cruise ship to commence the tour. Upon completion of the tour, you will be transferred back to the ship.

Departure for the excursion to Corinth and Cenchreae, from the where St. Paul left for Ephesus.  Stop to view the Corinth Canal connecting the Aegean with the Ionian Sea.  Ancient Corinth is sited inland at the foot of Mount Acrocorinth.  The City’s ‘Long Wall’ began from the summit of the mountain, encompassed the city and ended at the port of Lechaio, which was the artificial harbor built on the shore of the Gulf of Corinth.

In the area of the city itself, the ruins are those of its Agora (Forum) as it was in the days of the Romans in the 1st century AD. On the northern side of the agora, seven of the thirty-eight columns of the Ancient Temple of Apollo (6th century BC) still stand. To the northeast of the Agora are the remains of the Theater and the Roman Odeon. Among the ruins of the Roman Forum, the Bema can be seen single structure from where St. Paul preached to the Corinthians.  Corinth was the city where St. Paul created one of the biggest Christian communities in Europe.  A visit to the Museum is also included as well as a stop at the small port of Lechaio, where Paul disembarked.

Duration: Approximately 4½ hours

Notes:
•    Sun protection is recommended
•    Comfortable non-slip shoes for uneven cobble or marble streets/steps is recommended
•    Bottle of water - recommended

Athens - Jewish History Tour - Half Day Tour approx 4 hours

Guests will be met by our English speaking guide to commence the tour. Upon completion of the tour, transfer will be provided back to the ship.

Take a short drive to the city of Athens, the cradle of the European civilization. For twenty-five centuries, the panorama of this city is dominated by the rock of the Acropolis. Leave your vehicle at the foot of the rock and follow your guide uphill to visit the Acropolis and see the principal buildings: the Propylaia, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion and the Parthenon Temple. During your visit, you will also have some free time to enjoy the magnificent view and take some photos.

Continue on with a panoramic tour of the city where you will view the Olympieion (the Temple of Olympian Zeus) from the 6th Century BC, one of the largest Corinthian style temples in Greek history and Hadrian’s Arch (2nd Century AD) which divided the Greek city from Hadrian’s new Roman city. Arriving at Syntagma Square, see the Royal Palace, built for Otto I of Bavaria and the present-day Parliament. In front of the Palace stands the Monument of the Unknown Soldier where two soldiers (Evzoni) stand guard continuously.  Finally visit the Stadium, which stands on the site of the Ancient Stadium, laid out under Lycurgus in the 4th Century BC and rebuilt in 1896 on its original plan for the modern Olympic Games.

We continue onward with a visit to the Jewish Museum of Athens. The Museum was founded in 1977 in order to collect, conserve, research and exhibit the material evidence of 2300 years of Jewish life in Greece. Its collection, which is continuously enriched, consists of seven and a half thousand original artifacts, photographs, documents and archives, and includes diverse material pertaining to the domestic and religious life, as well as the historical course of the Greek Jews.

The permanent exhibition illustrates subject areas such as the synagogue, the Jewish Holidays, traditional costumes, the Holocaust, the cycle of life and more.

It is recommended that guests wear flat, comfortable walking shoes.                   

Opening hours of the Jewish Museum:                             Daily 09:30-14:30 
Sunday 10:00-14:00 
Saturday: closed

Athens - The Acropolis & a walking tour of the Plaka w/lunch - Full Day tour

Guests will be met by our English speaking guide to commence the tour. Upon completion of the tour, transfer will be provided back to the ship.

Take a short drive to Athens, the cradle of the European civilization. For twenty-five centuries, the panorama of this city is dominated by the rock of the Acropolis. Leave your vehicle at the foot of the rock and follow your guide uphill to visit the Acropolis and see the principal buildings: the Propylaia, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion and the Parthenon Temple. During your visit, you will also have some free time to enjoy the magnificent view and take some photos.

Enjoy a walking tour the wonderful alleys of the Plaka area.  Following the Ermou Street, the most famous shopping street which begins in the Syntagma square, and going down south, you will arrive in the neighbourhood of Plaka.

The neighborhood is an historic center, full of beautiful buildings, Byzantine churches, little touristy shops, cafe, bars and taverns (Greek restaurants). One will surely enjoy walking around in the small streets of Plaka Monastiraki - As you near the point where Adrianou and Ayiou Philippou Streets meet, you will have the impression that you are entering a melting pot of sound; all kinds of music can be heard simultaneously from the loud-speakers of record shops and street-vendors selling second-hand records. Shopping or simply walking around in Monastiraki is an experience not to be missed. You will be amazed by the variety and the quality of the things sold in this busy market.

Notes:
It is recommended that guests wear flat, comfortable walking shoes.

Argolis – Mycenean & Epidavros Adventure w/lunch - 9 hours

Guests will be met by our English speaking guide to commence the tour. Upon completion of the tour, transfer will be provided back to the ship.

We begin this exiting tour with a scenic drive along the Saronic Gulf to the Corinth Canal, which connects the Aegean Sea to the Ionian Sea After a short stop we drive on to Mycenae, the Homeric city of the Atreides. Visit the Lions Gate, the Cyclopean Walls and the famous Royal Tombs of King Agamemnon. Continue to Nafplion through the fertile plain of Argolis. The picturesque town nestling at the foot of a cliff crowned by the mighty ramparts of the Palamidi Fortress was the first capital of Greece. After lunch in Mycenae, leave for in the hinterland of Epidavros to visit the sanctuary of Asklepios, the most brilliant centre of healing in the ancient world and the 4th century theatre is one of the most perfect and the best preserved of the ancient Greek theatres.

Duration: approx: 9 hours


Notes:
• Sun protection is recommended
• Comfortable non-slip shoes for uneven cobble or marble streets/steps is recommended
• Bottle of water - recommended

Athens the Acropolis and the New Acropolis Museum approx 4 hours

Join us on this tour of Athens and learn the history of one of the greatest cities of the ancient world and most vibrant cities of Europe If this is your first time visiting Athens this is the ideal way experiencing as city rich in history and culture.  Our enthusiastic licensed guides will narrate the significance of all the landmarks and sites and bridge the past with present, while you enjoy your leisurely panoramic drive through the city of Athens.
 
The next stop on the tour is the Acropolis the most important ancient site in the Western world.  Crowned by the Parthenon positioned high above and visible from almost every part of the city.   You will feel  uplifted  high above the city as you marvel and stand  amongst this everlasting achievements of ancient Greece:  The  Parthenon, the Propylaia, the Temple of Apteros Nike (Wingless Victory) and the Erechtheum, with its classical stone draped maidens, the Caryatids.
 
The Acropolis is the prelude to the final visit on the tour the Acropolis museum, where the final chapter of the tour will be told and your short odyssey will end. The monuments of the Acropolis have withstood the ravages of past centuries, both of ancient times and throughout the middle ages. These circumstances cultivated the need and conception of the Acropolis museum. One museum that would house and conserve the invaluable Greek artifacts, where eventually the Parthenon sculptures will be reunited. 

Bits & Bites Athens street food walking tour approx 3 hours

Start on a walking tour of the local markets: The senses of taste and smell are so powerful that Greece will intoxicate you and create a mystical experience. Take a look, sniff, and taste the vegetable, meat, and fish markets of Athens. Try the traditional Greek tastes: Greek sweets, koulouri, sausages, olive oil, olives, cheeses, rusks, Greek alcohol (wine, ouzo), and spices and herbs.
-Ariston (for tyropitta)
-Zisis, traditional small fish bites in a paper cone
-Bairaktaris Souvlaki
-Varvakios central food and spice market, then visit Ouzeri for ouzo-meze
-Traditional honey dough bites in Lukumades
-Brettos, for a shot glass of masticha,
-Time permitting, go for a Greek coffee at Café Melina in Plaka

The program and shops visited are indicative and may differ on the day depending on opening hours
Available May to October, morning to mid-afternoon*

Inclusions: Licensed English-speaking guide, Metro Tickets, Taxes
Exclusions: Gratuities, Personal expenses, anything not mentioned above, Snacks or meals

Tips: Wear flat, comfortable walking shoes a hat & plenty of sunscreen. Don’t eat before the tour!

Acropolis & Plaka walking tour approx 3 hours