The Best of Greece
10 Days Starting and ending in Athens
Visiting: Greece
Tour operator:
Tour code:
6670-2025
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
0 - 43
Age range:
5-99
Special diets catered:
Please Advise Request
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
On this Best of Greece tour, discover the highlights of historic and mythical—as well as modern—Greece. As the birthplace of Western civilization, Greece has some of the world’s most fascinating archaeological sites, and now is your chance to explore the Greek mainland and the Peloponnese peninsula. Your affordable tour of Greece starts and ends in Athens with overnights along the way in Nauplia, Sparta, Olympia, Delphi, and Kalambaka. Step back in time as you visit some of Greece's ancient sites where the Mycenaean civilization thrived between 1600 and 1200 BC. Enjoy the included guided sightseeing tour of the Mycenae archaeological site and learn about its history and legends. In Athens, visit the Acropolis, still standing after 2,500 years. Your Local Guide will give you many insights on this ancient masterpiece. Dedicated to the goddess Athena, the Acropolis sits high on a rocky hill and is a symbol of the wealth and power of Athens at its apex. In Epidaurus, climb the limestone steps of the amazingly well-preserved, 2,300-year-old open-air theatre and marvel at the perfect acoustics. You'll step back into the Middle Ages when you walk around the medieval Byzantine Citadel of Mystra, a castle founded in 1249. You’ll also love the mystic mountain landscape of Meteora with its 24 rock-top monasteries set in almost inaccessible sandstone peaks. On this affordable Greece tour, you’ll travel to Olympia, legendary home of the Olympic Games, and Delphi, where people visited in ancient Greece to seek the advice of the Oracle. But that’s not all…you’ll experience modern Greece as well, as you cross over one of the world's longest cable-stayed bridge, the spectacular Rion-Antirion Bridge, linking the Peloponnese peninsula to the Greek mainland. From ancient ruins to contemporary engineering —with beautiful landscapes in between—this affordable Greece tour is perfectly designed for value-minded travel lovers. You’ll agree that your Greece vacation is a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive In Athens,Greece
Accommodation Name: ACROPOLIS SELECT
Check into your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to start exploring the Greek capital with the help of the CosmosGO app. Later, meet your Local Host.
Day 2: Athens
Accommodation Name: ACROPOLIS SELECT
Meals Included: Breakfast
A day to relax and discover Athens at leisure. Our suggestion: join an optional day cruise to the islands of Aegina, Hydra, and Poros. In the evening, free time to enjoy the lively atmosphere of the tavernas and nightclubs in the old Plaka district with its narrow streets and sound of bouzouki music.
Day 3: Athens,Corinth,Nauplia
Accommodation Name: REX
Meals Included: Breakfast
Join the included guided tour of Athens, featuring the highlights of this ancient capital with a visit to the Acropolis. Cross the Corinth canal, a project conceived in ancient Greece but only completed in 1893, and head for the coast to the picturesque seaside town of Nauplia.Today’s Distance: 90 mi/ 145 km
Day 4: Nauplia,Epidaurus,Mycenae,Sparta
Accommodation Name: MANIATIS
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
This morning, stop in Epidaurus, located in the hilly countryside dotted with pine trees and oleanders. In this magnificent setting, visit the ancient open-air theatre, which can still seat 14,000 spectators. Later, enjoy the included guided excursion to the archaeological site and museum of Mycenae, with the imposing ruins of the great city that dominated the eastern Mediterranean world from the 15th to the 12th century B.C. It played a vital role in the development of classical Greek culture and is linked to the Homeric epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey. Travel into the Peloponnese to Sparta, where history hangs between reality and legend. Today’s Distance: 126 mi/ 202 km
Day 5: Sparta,Mystra,Olympia
Accommodation Name: OLYMPIA PALACE
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Enjoy the included visit of the medieval Byzantine citadel of Mystra, at one time known as the “Florence of the East.” Before arriving in Olympia, visit an olive oil museum. Today’s Distance: 99 mi/ 160 km
Day 6: Olympia,Patras,Delphi
Accommodation Name: APOLLONIA
Meals Included: Breakfast
Explore Olympia, where the athletes of antiquity performed as a tribute to of the king of deities. Spend some free time in this pretty town, or learn more about the history of the Olympic Games on the optional archaeological site sightseeing tour. Later, drive north to Patras, the capital of the Peloponnese and the west coast’s largest port. Continue crossing the spectacular Rion-Antirion bridge through the picturesque fishing villages along the south coast of the mainland to legendary Delphi. Today’s Distance: 134 mi/ 215km
Day 7: Delphi,Kalambaka
Accommodation Name: FAMISSI EDEN RESORT HOTEL
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Enjoy free time in town or join the optional morning sightseeing tour of the archaeological site in Delphi, where the oracle of Apollo spoke. It was the site of the omphalos, the 'navel of the world'. Blending harmoniously with the superb landscape and charged with sacred meaning, Delphi in the 6th century B.C. was indeed the religious hub and symbol of unity of the ancient Greek world. On to Kalambaka. Today’s Distance: 143 mi/ 230 km
Day 8: Kalambaka,Meteora,Athens
Accommodation Name: ACROPOLIS SELECT
Meals Included: Breakfast
Discover Meteora, a cluster of spectacular Christian-Orthodox monasteries perched in an unforgettable manner on a set of rising rock formations. They were originally built by hermit monks living in caves carved into the rocks. Your included visit is certainly the day’s highlight. Continue south to Athens. Today’s Distance: 224 mi/ 360 km
Day 9: Athens
Accommodation Name: ACROPOLIS SELECT
Meals Included: Breakfast
Spend a full day at leisure to explore the unseen parts of the city, do last-minute shopping, or to visit a museum. Tonight, enjoy the optional Greek dinner.
Day 10: Athens
Meals Included: Breakfast
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
What's Included
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Accommodations
Stay in a selection of handpicked hotels throughout your journey, including Moxy Athens City, Hotel Rex, Maniatis Hotel, Olympia Palace, Hotel Apollonia, and Famissi Eden Resort Hotel.
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Guided Tours
Enjoy guided tours of Athens, including the Acropolis; the ancient open-air theatre in Epidaurus; the archaeological site and museum of Mycenae; the medieval Byzantine citadel of Mystra; and the ancient site of Olympia.
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Special Visits
Discover Meteora, a cluster of spectacular Christian-Orthodox monasteries perched on rising rock formations.
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Meals
Buffet breakfasts daily; 3 dinners.
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UNESCO Sites
Visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites including the Acropolis Athens, Archaeological site of Mycenae, Archaeological site of Mystras, Meteora, and the Sanctuary of Asklepios at Epidaurus.
What's Not Included
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International Flights
International flights to and from the start and end point of the tour are not included.
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Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is not included and is recommended for all travelers.
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Optional Tours
Optional tours and activities not mentioned in the itinerary.
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Personal Expenses
Personal expenses such as laundry, telephone calls, minibar, etc.
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Tips and Gratuities
Tips and gratuities for tour guides, drivers, and hotel staff.
Meals
Buffet breakfasts daily; 3 dinners
UNESCO Sites
Acropolis Athens|Archeological site of Mycenae|Archeological site of Mystras|Meteora|Sanctuary of Asklepios at Epidaurus
Accommodation
Moxy Athens City
Located in the heart of the historical town just steps away from cultural attractions with a metro station nearby, the interior decor of this funky eco-friendly hotel displays a voguish concept that integrates bold color splashes with modern decorative elements. All guest rooms boast Free high speed Wi-Fi Internet connection, safety deposit boxes, 42-inch flat screen HD televisions with high quality sound systems, high-thread count bedding with motion activated LED guidelighting below the bed and backlit glass panels to add ambience. Amenities include a fitness centre, bar and lounge areas with 24/7 'grab and go vending machines for snacks and drinks.
Rex
Hotel Rex is located in the city center of Nafplio,very close to the port in a cozy atmosphere guarantees a pleasant stay.With 42rooms and a cafeteria-bar the hotel offers rest and relax to the customers .All the archailogical sites and museums are very close to the hotel and that gives you the opportuity to visit them very easy.
Maniatis
The modern Maniatis Hotel is situated in the center of Sparta. It houses a marble lobby with elegant seating areas and lounges, an a la carte restaurant and a breakfast area. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel.The stylish rooms are warmly decorated with contemporary light-wood furnishings and soft soothing colors. Each room is equipped with air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, 28'' LED PHILIPS HOTEL TV, DVB-T2 and DVB-S2, MPEG-4, fridge, hairdryer and wall-to-wall carpeting. All rooms have balconies with city view.The Ino Restaurant and the Milky Way breakfast area boast one of the tastiest buffet breakfasts in town. The up-market ?eus Restaurant serves fine Greek and International dishes.Located in the city centre of Sparta, Maniatis Hotel provides a great starting point for excursions in Laconia, visits to the city's archaeological museum, art museum, the Greek Olive museum, and more.
Olympia Palace
The Olympia Palace is a 3-storey building with 65 spacious rooms, indoor and outdoor restaurants, located in the town on Ancient Olympia.
Apollonia
The Hotel Apollonia is 4 * accommodation with the majority of rooms overlooking the Corinthian Gulf, located in the village of Delphi.
Famissi Eden Resort Hotel
Nestled at the base of the magnificent towering rocks of Meteora on the outskirts of Kalambaka, this welcoming property has an in-house restaurant offering both Mediterranean and International cuisine and a beautiful seasonal outdoor swimming pool open during the warmer summer months. Modern guest rooms are equipped with air-conditioning / heating and coffee / tea-making facilities.
Check out our Q&As
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What countries does the tour visit?
The tour visits Greece.
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What are the highlights of the tour?
Highlights of the tour include: Arrive in Athens, Greece and start exploring the Greek capital, Optional day cruise to the islands of Aegina, Hydra, and Poros, Guided tour of Athens, featuring the Acropolis, Visit the ancient open-air theatre in Epidaurus, Guided excursion to the archaeological site and museum of Mycenae, Visit the medieval Byzantine citadel of Mystra, Explore Olympia, where the ancient Olympic Games were held, Discover Meteora, a cluster of spectacular Christian-Orthodox monasteries perched on rising rock formations.
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What type of accommodations are included?
Accommodations include: Moxy Athens City, Hotel Rex, Maniatis Hotel, Olympia Palace, Hotel Apollonia, and Famissi Eden Resort Hotel.
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Are meals included in the tour?
Yes, the tour includes buffet breakfasts daily and 3 dinners.
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Are there any UNESCO World Heritage Sites included in the itinerary?
Yes, the tour visits UNESCO World Heritage Sites including the Acropolis Athens, Archaeological site of Mycenae, Archaeological site of Mystras, Meteora, and the Sanctuary of Asklepios at Epidaurus.
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What is not included in the tour package?
The tour package does not include international flights, travel insurance, optional tours and activities not mentioned in the itinerary, personal expenses such as laundry, telephone calls, minibar, etc., and tips and gratuities for tour guides, drivers, and hotel staff.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Since 1961
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Cosmos is committed to minimizing our impact on the environment and to reducing dependence on non-renewable resources. In this endeavor, we have implemented policies to support this mission and are working carefully to enhance our products with this mission and our values combined. We are committed to complying with all relevant legislation and/or regulations.
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Travel documents, including any air tickets, itineraries, and other information, are available approximately two to three weeks prior to departure provided full payment has been received.
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
All guests are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 for travel through February, 2023. Beginning March 1, 2023, while we highly recommend vaccination, we will no longer require it. We ask all guests to comply with airline and destination requirements, which still may apply. To check your destination requirements for your travel dates, view the Latest Travel & Health Restrictions for Travel.
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Low Deposit
Cosmos requires a minimum deposit of 200 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of cosmos charges.
Up to 91 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 90 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 29 days before tour starts: Forfeit 80% of booking price.
At 1 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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