From the Golden Age to the Minoan Civilization ATHENS & CRETE (8 Days | 7 Nights)

Day 1: ATHENS

Arrival to Athens Airport and private transfer to your hotel in the city center.
Check in at the hotel and free time for the rest of the day.
Optional tour:
A Night Out in Athens:
Dep. 20.15 – Ret. 00.30 – Every Thursday & Saturday
Your evening begins with a short panoramic drive through the city center and on the slopes of the sacred hill you will be able to see, admire and take photos of the illuminated Acropolis.Then a pleasant walk through the narrow picturesque streets of Plaka, the old city, will
bring you at a Typical Greek Tavern where you will enjoy your dinner following a floor show with live music and Greek Folk Dances in traditional costumes. The mesmerizing and graphic Plaka was developed mostly around the ruins of Ancient Agora of Athens in an area that has been continuously inhabited since antiquity.During the years of Ottoman rule, Plaka was the known as the “Turkish quarter of
Athens”, and the seat of the Turkish Voivode (Governor).During the Greek War of Independence, Plaka like the rest of Athens, was temporarily abandoned by its inhabitants because of the severe battles that took place in 1826.
The area was repopulated during the first years of King Otto’s rule. Plaka had a sizable Arvanite community till the late 19th century, which led some to refer to it as the Arvanite quarter of Athens.
At the same period the neighborhood of Anafiotika, featuring traditional Cycladic architecture, was built by settlers from the Aegean island of Anafi. In 1884 a fire burned down a large part of the neighborhood which gave the opportunity for the archaeologists to conduct excavations in the Roman Market and Hadrian’s library.
Return to the hotel after midnight.
Overnight at the hotel in Athens.
Day 2: ATHENS
Breakfast at the hotel.
Athens H/D City Tour with New Acropolis Museum (included in package)
Dep. 08.45 – Ret. 13.30 – Daily service
This tour gives you an opportunity to observe the striking contrasts that make Athens such a fascinating city. Our expert guides take you to see the center of the city, Constitution Square (Syntagma), the House of Parliament, the Memorial to the Unknown Soldier and the National Library. Driving down Herod Atticus Street, you will see the Evzones in their authentic uniform and the Presidential Palace. On your way to the Acropolis you will see the Hadrian’s Arch, visit the Temple of Olympian Zeus and you will make a short stop at
the Panathenaic Stadium where the first Olympic Games of the modern era were held in 1896. On the Acropolis visit the architectural masterpieces of the Golden Age of Athens: the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion, and finally “the harmony between material and spirit”, the monument that “puts order in the mind”, the Parthenon.
You complete the visit with the Acropolis Museum.

Evening at leisure.
Overnight at the hotel in Athens.
Day 3: ATHENS
Breakfast at the hotel. Free day for your own city explorations.
We suggest you a walking tour in Plaka, Thission and Psirri areas.
Optional tour:
One Day Cruise to Three Islands with Lunch on Board
Dep. 08.00 – Ret. 19.00 – Daily service
We pick you up from your hotel early in the morning to take you by coach to the port
for embarkation on the cruise ship.At 08.15 the cruise ship departs and sails for the first stopover on the island of Hydra. You
will spend approximately one hour there, you will have the time to explore the unique island.Embarkation and sail to the island of Poros, separated from Peloponnese by a narrow strait and offering a most enchanting view of Poros Town. Leisure time in Poros will be approximately 60min. After two hours trip, we shall arrive to the last port, the island of Aegina, where you have time to either join an optional tour visiting Athena Afea Temple or to swim to the nearest beaches of the island. Total time to spend one hour and a half.
Lunch is served on board during the voyage. Re-embarkation and sailing back to the port. Arrive late in the afternoon and transfer by coach back to your hotel.
Free afternoon at leisure.
Overnight at the hotel.
Day 4: ATHENS – HERAKLION CRETE
After breakfast, our driver will pick you up from the hotel & transfer to the Airport for
your departure flight to the island of Crete (50 min).

Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Here, you can admire the remnants of brilliant civilizations, explore glorious beaches, impressive mountain landscapes, fertile valleys and steep gorges, and become part of the island’s rich gastronomic culture. Crete is, after all, a small universe teeming with beauties and treasures that you will probably need a lifetime to uncover! Heraklion is the largest city of Crete and one of Greece’s major urban centers. Its development begun in the wake of the 9th century AD (in antiquity, Knossos was the island’s most important center, followed by Gortyn). In later times, Herakl ion came under Arabic, Venetian and Ottoman rule; its conquerors initially gave it the name. A priceless gift of culture and history. On Crete, you’ll find some of the most significant attractions in Greece: famous archaeological sites such as the Minoan palaces of Knossos, Phaistos, Malia of course the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion which hosts the most important finds from all over the island. Cretan hospitality displays the same characteristics as the island’s famous landscape: grand, generous and infinitely welcoming. You’ll eat to your heart’s content in Crete, whether enjoying gourmet gastronomy or a simple homemade rusk salad with sea salt, extra-virgin olive oil, artichokes and cheese. Discover the secrets of a Cretan diet, considered one of the healthiest in the world.Upon arrival to Heraklion airport you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 5: HERAKLION CRETE
Heraklion has the major archaeological museum, smart and trendy cafes and shops,
and a noisy business bustle – it also offers many hidden treasures, which we happily reveal.
Today – after breakfast – we will visit Knossos and the Museum (included in the package).
The tour to Knossos and the Heraklion Archaeological Museum is a more fulfilling experience, an ideal tour for the travelers that want to see the site of Knossos and the artefacts of the Minoan collection of the museum. Just after the guided tour of the palace of Knossos head for the city of Heraklion in order to visit the recently reorganized museum and admire the wealth of the Minoan treasures. The Heraklion Archaeological Museum is the largest museum of Crete and one of the most important museums in Greece. It houses representative artefacts from all the periods of Cretan prehistory and history, covering a chronological span of over 5,500 years from the
Neolithic period to Roman times. The archeological Museum of Heraklion is a highlight of the city and definitely a must for those who want to understand the level of the Minoan civilization.

Return to the hotel and free evening. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 6: HERAKLION CRETE
Breakfast the hotel.
Free day at leisure or join an optional full day boat tour to Spinalonga – the island of tears. The tour takes you to the island of Spinalonga, which was the last leper colony in Europe.
Spinalonga is a small island located at the entrance of Elounda lagoon and north of the Gulf of Mirabello. It has an area of 85 acres and its maximum height is 53 meters. The history of the island still inspires awe. It has been a Venetian fortress, a castle colony, a rebel refuge, a place of exile for lepers from Crete and rest of Greece, a communication link with Cairo during the Second World War. The island has been well fortified by the Venetians during their presence in Crete. From structural and architectural point of view and from an aesthetic view of the whole landscape, the island still retains an unsurpassed beauty.
Day 7: HERAKLION CRETE
Bathed in clear sunlight much of the year, the climate is one of the best in Europe. The largest island in Greece, it is understandably a most popular travel and vacation destination. For today we suggest you discover the splendid beaches of the island with some of
them at just 10 minutes far from the city center. Or, join an optional cooking lesson tour. This tour will take you close to an authentic
village, up on the mountain slopes, where you will meet a real Cretan Uncle, who’s eager to show us how he cooks traditional dishes with a gourmet touch. You will feel welcome, as soon as you step inside the courtyard of his traditional taverna. After a hot cup of Greek coffee, we ‘ll get hands-on experience of making fresh tzatziki and traditional dishes like his mouth-watering “gemista”, impressing your friends back home with your authentic Greek cooking. Enjoy preparing authentic Cretan food with some glasses of excellent wine and as the food is baking in the wood-oven, put your swimsuit on and take a dive in the pool, while enjoying the breathtaking views of the valleys underneath.As a bonus, savor a jug of great Cretan wine with your lunch! Overnight at the hotel.

Evening free at leisure. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 8: HERAKLION CRETE
After Breakfast, pick up from the hotel and escorted transfer to the airport for departure
flight.

Important Notes:

• Our drivers may wait up to 45 min for delayed flight. After the 45 min, there will be an extra charge for car & driver which will be paid on the spot by the client.
• Check in time at the hotel is 15.00/ check out at 11.00
• An accommodation tax, per room night will be automatically charged to the guests’ extras invoice and will be payable by the guests prior to their check- out.