ATHENS CITY BREAK 5 nights/6 days

Price on request

Day 1 – Arrival in Athens airport and transfer to a hotel in the center of Athens.

Day 2 – City tour

From the Acropolis to Omonia Square, with the half-day sightseeing and Acropolis museum tour you’ll see all the famous sites of ancient and modern Athens on this comprehensive morning tour. Hear insightful commentary from your guide, and pass top Athens attractions including the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Greek Parliament building and Presidential Palace. Offering a perfect overview of the modern city, this guided half-day tour will help you get your bearings if this is your first visit to Athens.

The Athens half-day tour, depart for a photo stop at Panathinaiko Stadium where the first Olympic Games took place in 1896. It is the only stadium built out of white marble. Proceed, passing by Zappeion and Temple of Olympian Zeus.  You will then pass the Athens Trilogy which includes the University of Athens, the Academy of Athens, and the National Library.

Continue passing by National Garden, Hadrian’s Arc, St. Paul’s Church, Parliament, Tomb of the Unknown soldier, Schliemann’s House (Numismatic Museum), Catholic Cathedral,  Old Parliament, Constitution Square ,Russian Orthodox Church, and finally ACROPOLIS (visit Propylae the gateway, Temple of Athena Nike, Parthenon,Erechtheion with its Porch of Maidens). Stroll up to the UNESCO-listed site that served as the ancient citadel, and tour the buildings as you hear how they reflected Athens’ prosperity in the 5th century BC.

Continue the expert guided Athens sightseeing and museum tour with a pleasant short walk passing by Herodion and Dionysos Theater, in order to visit the  ACROPOLIS museum. Avoid and skip the lines of the new museum. Main attractions such as votives, artifacts of every day life, statues from archaic period, Caryatids, and of course the Parthenon hall with the metopes, the pediments and the frieze will impress you.

Day 3 – Athens is a city of contrasts. On one hand the capital of Greece is a western modern city, but on the other hand it has the appearance of a little village with its narrow streets and ancient houses that fight to catch the attention of the traveller. The history of the city goes back thousands of years as the amazing temples on the Acropolis testify. Beautiful  neoclassical buildings are also very prominent in the center and a few of those are the old palace, the archaeological museum, the three buildings of the university and the Zappeion exhibition hall. Not to forget the Kallimarmaro stadium which was built for the first olympic games of our times in 1896.

The oldest neighbourhood of Athens lies on the slopes of the Acropolis and is called Plaka. This neighbourhood never sleeps and is full of traditional and modern coffeehouses, bars, restaurants and tavernas where everyone can find something that he/she likes. You can find greek design and souvenirs everywhere in the little shops of the old town and everybody should be able to find something to his/her liking.

Free day to explore Athens on your own and to get the feel of the city which has become one of the liveliest and artistic cities in Europe. It has also become popular with its food scene where the traveller can taste food from all over the world with the best and the freshest ingredients.

Day 4 – One day cruise

The Saronic islands are truly amazing, with different landscapes and aesthetics; they all, though, have sandy beaches, scenic views and a number of attractions to admire and explore.

The cruise will start early in the morning. You will be received at the Port of Piraeus by the hostess and a warm welcome from the crew of the ship and you can either enjoy a soft drink at the lounge or stay at the open deck to watch the departure.

After about 3 hours of sailing we visit first the island of Hydra. We recommend you to be on the deck to watch the arrival because the island of Hydra is amphitheatrically shaped and offers a unique view when entering the port.

The landscape of the island of Hydra is dramatic and is adorned by the traditional mansions and stone houses that reflect the richness of the island and its old citizens. You will notice right away that there are no cars on the island. Indeed, no vehicles are allowed, so you can only walk, take a bicycle, a donkey, or hire a water taxi to visit one of the more remote villages of the island!

Hydra is the ideal island to stroll; beautifully paved streets, quite many stairs, and a truly captivating seaside promenade. This is probably the island you will adore due to its uniqueness. You will be staying for an hour and a half in Hydra and when you return on the ship you will have a nicely prepared lunch that will give you a full idea of what the Greek cuisine tastes like.

The cruise will take you to the island of Poros next, which is the smallest of the islands you will be visiting, but also the greenest, with the most interesting coastline.

Poros is separated from the mainland of the Peloponnese Peninsula by a narrow strait that creates a truly unique landscape. The leisure time in Poros is approximately 50 minutes and you have ample time to walk down its small streets and take as many pictures as you like.

The last island of the day is the island of Aegina, where you can choose what you want to do. Aegina is the largest of the islands and has a number of interesting sites to explore. You can either take a stroll in the town or you can go on a tour to visit the ancient site of the temple of Aphaia.

There is a guided bus tour on the island that takes you to the Temple of Athena Aphaia, one of the best-preserved temples in Greece, which is built on a lovely hill and offers spectacular views to the entire island, as well as the Saronic Gulf and even Piraeus. On the way back to Aegina’s port you will make a short stop to the Byzantine Church of St Nectarius.

When you return to the cruise ship, do not think that the cruise is over. The best is yet to come! The crew of the ship along with dancers and singers will dress in their original Greek costumes and offer you a Greek Traditional Folk Show on board, to animate you during the return to the Port of Piraeus. The main goal is to feel rejuvenated with this cruise, but also entertained!

The cruise from Athens to Poros, Hydra, and Aegina is by far the most popular cruise in Greece: elegant boats, delicious food, live music + dance, and a sea of happy faces from all over the world on a wonderful voyage to three Greek islands. Let’s sail together! You only need to bring your camera… we’ll bring a good mood!

Day 5 – Free day or optional whole day tour to either the ancient site of Delphi or Argolis in the Peloponnese.

Day 6 – Transfer to the airport and departure