Italy and Greece
TOUR DETAILS
Vacation Overview
Italy and Greece are steeped in history with a treasure trove of ancient sites and scenic beauty. On this affordable Italy & Greece tour, you’ll see the fantastic features these countries have to offer, starting in Rome and ending in Athens. In Italy, you’ll stay in Rome, Florence and the Venice area; in Greece, you’ll stay in Olympia, Nauplia, and Athens. You’ll also spend one night on a ferry, crossing of the Adriatic Sea from Ancona, Italy to Igoumenitsa, Greece.
Visit Rome with a local guide who brings ancient Imperial Rome back to life as you pass the Colosseum. Enjoy must-see sights, including Piazza Signoria, in the center of Florence; see the Roman arena in Verona and Pisa’s famous Leaning Tower. In Venice, take a boat ride to St. Mark’s Square. While in Venice, you’ll have the opportunity to watch glassblowers create works of art as they have done for centuries.
Step back in time on your visit to Athens’ Acropolis and the Parthenon, dating back to the 5th century BC and the most accurate indication of the influence and wealth of Athens at its greatest peak. You’ll also visit Mycenae, dating back to 1350 to 1200 BC, where you’ll marvel at the arches, fountains, ramparts, and amazing masonry still standing.
All of these elements come together perfectly to create a value-minded Italy and Greece tour like no other!
ITINERARY
Day 1: ARRIVE IN ROME, ITALY
Check into your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to explore Italy’s ancient capital using your CosmosGO app. This evening, meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers.
Day 2: ROME
The “Eternal City” is steeped in history, vibrantly alive and exciting, and absolutely unique! Start the included introduction to Rome’s landmarks from St. Peter’s Square with a Local Guide. Enjoy a drive along the iconic landmarks of the city: the Tiber River, the Caius Cestius Pyramid, the Aurelian Walls and the Caracalla Baths. Complete the experience with a walk back in time from the Circus Maximus to the Arch of Constantine and to the fascinating Colosseum, symbol of the Roman Empire. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to visit the treasures of the Vatican museum and the Sistine Chapel on our optional excursion.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 3: ROME–PISA–FLORENCE
Vistas of rolling hills, cypress trees, vineyards, olive groves, and rural villages form the backdrop of your journey through beautiful Tuscany. Stop in Pisa and enjoy a mini-train ride to see the Square of Miracles and the amazing Leaning Tower, then on to Florence. End the day by joining the optional Gastronomy Experience in a typical restaurant.
Today’s Distance: 273 mi/ 440 km
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 4 FLORENCE
This Renaissance gem and city of the Medicis will keep you enthralled the entire day. Don’t miss out on the included walking tour with a Local Guide, which features the city highlights. You will see Piazza Santa Croce; beautiful Piazza Signoria; Palazzo Vecchio and its courtyard; Loggia dei Lanzi, and, to top it all, see Piazza del Duomo and its cathedral with the Giotto Campanile.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 5: FLORENCE–VERONA–VENICE AREA
Journey north to enchanting Verona to spend some time at leisure strolling around the historical center with its many highlights. Continue to the Venice area.
Today’s Distance: 242 mi/ 390 km
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 6: VENICE
Venice is more like a marvelous film set than a real-life city, with its crisscrossing canals, gondolas and water buses, arched bridges, palaces, and quiet little piazzas. Take a boat ride to St. Mark’s Square and enjoy time at leisure for a chance to watch Venetian glassblowers at work. Don’t miss out on the optional gondola trip, gliding along the picturesque canals with a local troubadour to serenade you.
Meals included: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 7: VENICE AREA–ANCONA (EMBARKATION)–OVERNIGHT FERRY CROSSING TO IGOUMENITSA, GREECE
Travel across the flatlands of the Po Delta to reach Ancona on the shores of the Adriatic Sea, to embark on the ferry for the crossing to Igoumenitsa.
Today’s Distance: 227 mi/ 365 km
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 8: IGOUMENITSA (DISEMBARKATION)–OLYMPIA
During the crossing, enjoy all the ship’s amenities. Disembark in Igoumenitsa and drive south into the Peloponnese to Olympia.
Today’s Distance: 172 mi/ 276 km
(excluding overnight ferry)
Meals included: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 9: OLYMPIA–NAUPLIA
Enjoy time at leisure, or make the most of this morning by taking the optional tour of the sites of ancient Olympia, including the ruins of the Temple of Zeus. In the afternoon, enjoy the rugged scenery of the Peloponnese on the way to Nauplia. This evening, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.
Today’s Distance: 130 mi/ 210 km
Meals included: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 10: NAUPLIA–MYCENAE–ATHENS
Morning visit with a Local Guide to the impressive ruins of Mycenae, an ancient city of Homer’s epics. Later, stop to view the Corinth Canal, which was built between 1881 and 1893.
Today’s Distance: 143 mi/ 230 km
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 11: ATHENS
Join the included sightseeing tour of Athens, featuring the highlights of the ancient capital and a visit to the Acropolis. Explore the shops and museums or take tram to the coast. In the evening, enjoy the lively atmosphere of the tavernas in the old Plaka district with its narrow streets and sound of bouzouki music, or join an optional traditional Greek dinner.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 12: ATHENS
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
Meals included: Breakfast