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Destination > Europe > Greece

Hellenic Harmonies

Day 1: Home - Rome

Today you depart home for your flight to Rome.

Day 2: Rome (D)

Arrive in Rome today and be met at the airport for your transfer to your hotel. En route, enjoy a panoramic sightseeing tour covering the major archaeological monuments of Rome. The Forum was the city’s religious, political and commercial center in the days of Caesars. It was the colossal size of the Colosseum that gave it its name, but it was its games of bizarre cruelty that made this the most famous building in Rome. The Circus Maximus today is a long esplanade planted with flowers and is all that’s left of the Circo Massimo’s great chariot tract. The Pantheon, with its original doors and ancient granite columns will not prepare you for the interior. The outside gives little hint of what’s to come – there is nothing like it in the world, the immensity of the round space so high above the coffered ceiling around it is awe inspiring. Later, settle into your hotel and then head outside to explore Italy’s capital city on your own. Don’t miss tossing a coin into the legendary Trevi Fountain and relaxing on the Spanish Steps or take the time to stop at a sidewalk café or do some shopping.

Day 3: Rome (B, D)

Begin your day today with a half day guided tour of this ancient city. No visit to Rome is complete until you have witnessed first hand the majesty of the Papal State, the Vatican. The Vatican is a city unto itself with its own postal service, radio station, newspaper, and army. Your guide will ensure that you spend some time visiting St. Peter’s Basilica and Square, the Vatican Museum and of course the Sistine Chapel to admire Michelangelo’s wonderful frescoes which took him 4 years to paint on the barrel vaulted ceiling. Then it will be off to stop and witness first hand the ruins of the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. The remainder of this day is free for you to perhaps visit one of the many catacombs found in this ancient city.

Day 4: Rome (B)

Today enjoy a free day to shop, sightsee or just relax on your own.

Day 5: Rome - Pompeii - Brindisi - Patras (B)

Depart early this morning for your guided excursion to the ancient city of Pompeii, the town that was buried under lava during a volcanic eruption of Vesuvius that started in August 79 A.D. The city tells the story clearly; the tragic figures caught under the ash, crouching under tables, struggling to get upstairs or a horribly contorted dog on a leash. In Pompeii the fascination lies in the glimpses of everyday life frozen in time. Later today be transferred to Brindisi for your ferry trip across the Sea to Patras, Greece.

Day 6: Patras - Olympia - Naufplion (B)

This morning you will be met at the ferry by coach and transferred to Olympia, birthplace of the original Olympic Games in 776 B.C. Visit the original stadium, the treasures and gymnasiums of the athletes. Later in the afternoon continue to the coastal resort town of Nafplion for dinner and overnight. Naufplion is a gem among all of the towns in the Peloponnese. Before the Venetians built it in the 15th century, Naufplion consisted of a hilltop fortress. It was passed back and forth between the Venetians and the Turks. Today it is a beach resort featuring a picturesque and crumbling old town and an amazing fortress with 999 gruelling steps to the site. At the top you can walk around the intricate and well preserved walls which provide spectacular views of the town and the gulf.

Day 7: Nafplion - Mycenae - Epidaurus - Delphi (B, D)

This morning your coach will pick you up from your hotel after breakfast and transfer you to Mycenae to see the Palace of Agamemnon and the nearby Beehive Tomb, then on to the spa at Epidaurus to see the ancient theatre and visit the museum. Later in the day you will be transferred to Delphi for your overnight.

Day 8: Delphi - Athens (B)

Delphi clings to the side of Mount Parnassus at 2000 feet. This is the site of the splendid Parian Marble Treasury and the Temple of Apollo, where for 14 centuries the Greeks traveled to consult the Oracle. Also visit the museum with its 2400 year old bronze charioteer and other treasures. Time for shopping in the small town of Delphi and then on to Athens for your overnight.

Day 9: Athens (B, D)

This morning meet by your guide for your morning tour of ancient and modern Athens. Highlights include the Royal Palace, the Olympic Stadium, and the Temple of Jupiter, Hadrian’s Arch, Constitution Square and a visit to the Acropolis to see the most perfect of buildings, the Parthenon. The afternoon is free for you to shop the colourful Plaka district or to sightsee on your own in this noisy, lively and sprawling city. Athens is a curious blend of antiquity and modern urban sprawl. The old quarter, the Plaka is huddled at the foot of the Acropolis in a hodge podge of narrow winding alleys, flower filled courtyards, old balconied houses and marvellous lively cafes.

Day 10: Athens (B, D)

Today is a free day in Athens for you to explore on your own.

Day 11: Athens - Home (B)

Today depart your hotel for your transfer to the airport for your return flight home.

Tour includes:

Return Airfare
Airport transfers
8 nights accommodation
Breakfast daily
5 dinners
Panoramic sightseeing tour of Rome
Half day guided tour of Rome
Entrance to the Vatican
Coach transfer to Pompeii and Brindisi
Guided tour of Pompeii
Entrance to Pompeii
Ferry from Brindisi to Greece
Half day guided tour Athens
3 day guided motorcoach tour throughout Peloponnese region
Admission to Acropolis
Admission to Delphi
Admission to Olympia
Admission to Epidaurus
Admission to Mycenae

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