We’ll set out after breakfast to meet our local guide for a tour of the Acropolis, the ancient sanctuary at the height of the city. This is the highest point of the city, the place of honor, clarity, perspective, and promise; it was here ancient Athenians came bearing gifts and saw divine possibilities in human actualities. Here we’ll visit the Parthenon, the temple dedicated to Athena, who won the Athenians’ favor by giving them the olive tree, a symbol of peace, wisdom, and prosperity. This is not simply a visit to one of the most iconic world heritage sites, nor is it simply the beauty of the ancient temples and the elegance of the sunbaked columns. It’s an invitation to consider how the aspirations of a few fifth century B.C. citizens shaped the future trajectory of Western civilization. It’s the loftiness of an ambition that dares to ask what it really means to be human.

After free time to explore the Acropolis on our own, our local guide will bring us to the new Acropolis museum where we’ll conclude our morning with a tour of ancient Greek statues and the majestic reliefs of temples filled with the stories of heroes and gods. This afternoon we’ll be free to explore Athens on our own, to visit the temple to the Olympian Zeus, the Byzantine Museum, or the Panathenaic Stadium, or to browse the artisan shops of Plaka and the antique stores around Monastiraki.

Walking: strenuous, 4 miles

This morning we’ll depart from the port of Athens, Piraeus, and take the ferry to Naxos.

After dropping our bags at our hotel in Naxos we will be free for lunch before we begin our Greek islands explorations with a walking tour of the Chora. Continuously inhabited for more than five thousand years, Naxos was the capital of the Aegean in ancient times. Whether walking alongside the seashore filled with pottery shards, strolling through the Venetian Castle and medieval town, or ascending to the gate of the temple of Apollo, we’ll begin our immersive journey through the traditions and culture that make the Greek islands unique. This evening, after our walking tour, we’ll conclude with a dinner overlooking the sea.

Walking: moderate

This morning our journey will show us the agricultural and traditional side of Naxian life. As the birthplace of Dionysius, the god of wine, and home to the Temple of Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, Naxos has always been a place of farming and shepherds. It's one of the few self-sufficient Cycladic islands. Our day will be dedicated to experiencing those traditions. We'll spend time hiking with experts in plants and herbology, we'll taste traditional products after a tour of a local farm, and we'll have a cooking lesson and lunch in the home of a local shepherd.

In the late afternoon, we will return to our hotel for a free evening, in time for a quick swim or dinner by the sea.

Walking: moderate

This morning we will immerse ourselves in Naxos island life. We'll take a tour through the villages and mountains where we'll experience traditional island life. We'll visit a ceramics workshop and see the  creation of objects traditionally used in everyday life. We'll be introduced to the art of weaving still practiced by local women and visit villages where the traditional way of working and farming still persists. We'll visit the temple of Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, and we'll enjoy the fruits of Dionysius, the god of wine as we conclude our morning with a lunch of local cuisine and locally produced wine.

This afternoon after returning to town we'll be free to relax on the beach or enjoy an afternoon of shopping for artisan goods in town.

Walking: moderate

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Our journey through sun and sea will continue today with a visit to two of the most iconic islands of the Aegean. Our first stop will be to the island of Delos. Considered the birthplace of Apollo, the god of knowledge and the arts, this has been a sacred place since ancient times. It is this island that gives meaning to the Cycladic Islands—around “cyclic”, κυκλάς or those that form a circle around it.

After our guided tour of Delos we’ll continue to the whitewashed and windswept island of Mykonos where we’ll stop for lunch and independent explorations before returning to Naxos in time for dinner.  

Walking: moderate

After a free morning, we’ll arrive in Santorini. Famous for its beauty even in ancient times, the Phoenecians who settled here in the thirteenth century B.C. called the island Kallisti, ‘the most beautiful’. Created by the volcanic craters that gave way to its existence, the Caldera of Santorini is unique in the Aegean.

We’ll arrive around need and meet our local guide directly. Together we’ll explore the archeological site of Akrotiri. Like a Greek Pompeii, this city was destroyed when the volcano erupted in the sixteenth century B.C. and is a window in time to observe the daily lives of bronze-age Greeks

For lunch this afternoon we’ll enjoy a tasting of its world-famous wines paired with a light Greek lunch that create a sommelier’s journey through the ages.

And after checking into our hotel, we’ll be free for the evening to stroll through Oia and conclude with a spectacular view of the sunset over the Caldera.

Walking: moderate

After breakfast in our hotel, we'll be free this morning to hike the path towards Fira or to relax and explore the cobbled streets and classic viewsof Oia.

We will regroup in the early afternoon and head to the port to embark on a spectacular sailboat cruise around the island. During our last evening together we'll sail through the caldera and have dinner on board while observing the sunset and sea of the Greek mariners.

Walking: moderate

Breakfast is included this day but there are no planned activities. Catch a boat to Crete, Folegandros and other easily reachable Greek islands or head to the airport to connect to your next destination or to fly home. Your Alithea guide will be available to help with travel plans throughout breakfast.