Trip Overview

Athens and the Aegean

July 15 - 24, 2022

  • Claudia Clark
  • 27857
  • SAT
  • 0 days

Announcements & Reminders

  • Last minute reminders: We are departing for Greece on Friday, July 15. Please be at the Delta counter of the San Antonio airport by 8am to check in. I have ACIS baggage tags to give you for your checked baggage. Remember that you are going to have to be able to carry your own bags up and down a flight of stairs so pack light. Be sure to bring a copy of your vaccination card with you. Please note that the cruise ship is requiring that travelers will need a booster, so anyone whose last Covid shot was October 27th, 2021 or earlier will need a booster. For those who have already received a 3rd shot (booster), there is no limit to validity. Also, a negative antigen test is required to board the ship so your group will be tested at your hotel one day prior to embarkation. If you have not turned in your tip monies for the tour manager and our bus drivers, please bring two envelopes clearly labelled to the airport. $54 per person for the tour manager and $8 per person for our bus driver (we only have a bus two days since we are on a cruise). Read More

Athens and the Aegean

July 15 - 24, 2022

Itinerary

The itinerary is the starting point to your tour, but it’s not set in stone. Your group leader may make changes leading up to departure.

Day 1, Friday July 15: Overnight Flight

Depart from the USA.

Day 2, Saturday July 16: Athens

Arrive in Athens, meet your ACIS Tour Manager and begin to explore this enchanting, ancient city. Perhaps stop for a plate of honey-soaked, cinnamon-spiced loukoumades while you stroll through the winding streets of this cradle of civilization. (D)

Day 3, Sunday July 17: Athens

A guided morning sightseeing tour that reveals the glory of Greece. Ascend the Acropolis for a visit to the Parthenon see the Agora and stroll through the Acropolis Museum, a modern architectural jewel. Then the afternoon is free to take snapshots from atop Mount Lycabettus. Tonight you’ll be thoroughly entertained by a Greek cultural evening in a traditional village setting. Taste freshly pressed olive oil, watch a tzatziki making demonstration, dine on authentic taverna cuisine and feast your eyes and ears on professional dancers moving to the traditional music. An expert also teaches you the steps of traditional Greek dances so that you can join in the fun! (B,D)

Day 4, Monday July 18: Cruise

Board your cruise ship in the morning and settle into your outside cabin. After a late-morning sailing from Piraeus, drop anchor in the afternoon on Mykonos, the dazzling white island with a jet-set atmosphere. View windmills, whitewashed houses and the rugged shoreline of coves and grottoes. Spend an enjoyable evening ashore. (B,L,D)

Day 5, Tuesday July 19: Cruise

Dock today at the Turkish port and resort town of Kusadasi and travel inland to Ephesus to tour a complete ancient city. Walk down the marble road still grooved by chariot wheels and see the intact façade of the Library of Celsus and great Temple of Serapis, as well as the stadium, theater, baths and more. Sail again in the afternoon and dock at tiny, sparkling white town of Patmos. Visit the sprawling castle-like Monastery of St. John and the Cave of the Apocalypse before returning to the ship. (B,L,D)

Day 6, Wednesday July 20: Cruise

Sail to Rhodes and enjoy a full day ashore the island Romans called the Bride of the Sun, beginning in the city of Rhodes with a locally guided tour of the spectacular medieval Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes. Then travel to Lindos to tour its Acropolis and see picturesque old captain's mansions as well as the Byzantine Church of the Virgin Mary, or Panagia. You’ll have time to soak up more of the island's culture at your own pace before an early evening sailing. (B,L,D)

Day 7, Thursday July 21: Santorini

Dock at Heraklion, the capital of Crete and take a guided tour of the 5,000 year-old Minoan Palace of Knossos. Then continue to stunning Santorini and enjoy a ride on the cable car from the old port up to the white-washed village of Fira perched on the rim of an ancient volcano. Many believe this is part of the fabled lost continent of Atlantis. Disembark early from your cruise and enjoy two nights in Santorini. Take a three hour Caldera cruise including Thirassia & Hot Springs including private caique or catamaran, with an English speaking guide, and entrance fees at Geological park. (B,L,D)

Day 8, Friday July 22: Santorini

Full day tour of the island including the Akrotiri excavations, Red Beach and Oia Village. Explore Fira this evening. (B,D)

Day 9, Saturday July 23: Athens

Arrive back in Athens by air or ferry. A scenic drive through vineyards and olive groves brings you to Delphi, the center of the universe for ancient Greeks. A local guide shows you the ancient site where ancient Greeks asked for counsel from its fabled oracle. Visit the Temple of Apollo and the Delphi Archaeological Museum, featuring artifacts unearthed during local excavations, before you return to Athens. (B)

Day 10, Sunday July 24: Departure

Depart for the USA. (B)

Join Us

Ready for fun, adventure, and stories you’ll be telling family and friends for years?

Register Now

Want to know more?

Still have questions about this trip or what you can get out of traveling with ACIS? Feel free to contact us and we’ll provide you with more information.

Tell Me More