Island Hop Through History: Unique Greek Island Hopping Itinerary

Temples of Paestum, archeological area in Italy

What to expect on this itinerary

During this luxurious 9-day excursion to Delos, Tinos, and Nea Kameni have been arranged for you to uncover the beauty, history, and culture of the remarkable Greek Islands. This vacation immerses you in the history and culture of each destination. Explore the iconic sites of the Acropolis, traverse the ruins of Akrotiri, venture to the charming island of Tinos, and uncover the diverse ancient history of Greece.

Countries Visited

Greece

Places Visited

Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Crete

Suggested Duration

9 Days

Customizable Itinerary

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Day 1

Athens – Tour the Acropolis

Your exclusively crafted trip, which has been designed with history and culture in mind, will begin when you land at Athens International Airport. Your private transfer will be waiting to escort you to your luxurious hotel. After you have had time to check-in and become acquainted with your new surroundings, your expert guide will arrive to begin your private tour of the Acropolis. Some of the first impressive sights that you will witness include the Theatre of Dionysus, the Parthenon, and the Erechtheion. Afterward, you will be transferred to the Acropolis Museum, which contains thousands of pieces of history that have been collected from the area surrounding the Acropolis.

What's Included:

Transfer
Accommodation
Lunch
Day 2

Mykonos – Exclusive Tour of Mykonos

Day 3

Mykonos – Immersion into Delos’ Culture

Day 4

Mykonos – Discover the Church of Tinos

Day 5

Santorini – Initial Impressions of Santorini

Day 6

Santorini – Nea Kameni’s Volcano and Hot Springs

Day 7

Crete – Tour Knossos Palace

Day 8

Crete – Explore the Heraklion Archaeological Museum

Day 9

Crete – Depart for Home

Trip Highlights

  • Explore the iconic sites of the ancient Acropolis, including the unparalleled Parthenon
  • Indulge in a visit to the intriguing Monastery of Panagia Tourliani, which dates back to the 16th century
  • Discover the ancient island of Delos, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, during an exciting day-trip to the island
  • Traverse the charming island of Tinos, which is considered the holiest Greek Island, during an exclusive excursion
  • Uncover the ruins of Akrotiri, which is an archaeological site on Santorini
  • Swim in the idyllic hot springs of Nea Kameni, which is a volcanic island near Santorini
  • Marvel at the preserved frescoes of Knossos Palace, which is an ancient palace of Crete
  • Delight in a private tour of the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, which is considered to be one of the premier museums in all of Greece

Detailed Description

A tour of the stunning islands of Greece can be considered a trip back in time because each island is full of history and intrigue. This luxurious, 9-day journey to discover the history and culture of the islands will begin the moment you land at Athens International Airport. One afternoon to discover the history of Greece’s capital city will be the perfect way to begin your trip. After checking in at your luxurious hotel, your afternoon will feature an exciting tour of the Acropolis. Your expert private guide will lead you around the fascinating ruins from the Theatre of Dionysus to the Parthenon. After you are left in awe of the ruins and temples that are still standing after centuries, your tour will continue to the renowned Acropolis Museum. Here, you will uncover more pieces of history as you witness a plethora of rare artifacts. After your tour nears its end, you will enjoy an evening in Athens at your leisure.

The following day, your immersive discovery of the Greek Islands will begin when you depart Athens via speed boat and venture to the island of Mykonos. You will be traveling in pure luxury as you cruise over the Aegean Sea and admire your gorgeous surroundings. The next three nights on Mykonos will lead you to the best parts of the island in addition to intriguing day trips to the nearby islands of Delos and Tinos. Historical attractions can be found around every corner alongside the island’s many wonderful shops and delicious restaurants. From the age-old windmills of Mykonos to the archaic ruins of Delos, you will discover nearly all that this idyllic destination has to offer. On day five, your journey will continue to the beautiful island of Santorini. Two nights on this island will allow you to engage in its lifestyle and culture. An exclusive tour of the island and an exciting day trip to the volcanic island of Nea Kameni will highlight your visit. The fascinating ruins of Akrotiri will be an archeological marvel, and to climb the crater of Nea Kameni’s volcano will be an unforgettable experience.

The final island destination of your luxurious, island-hopping adventure will be the ancient island of Crete. Crete is Greece’s largest island and is filled with an intriguing history that spans thousands of years. After you check-in to your opulent hotel in Heraklion, your first afternoon on the island will feature a visit to Knossos Palace. Your expert guide will lead you around the remains of the palace, and you will marvel at the details and design of the impressive structure. The following day, your discovery of Crete will continue with a guided tour of the Heraklion Archaeological Museum. The museum is considered to be one of the best in the world for Minoan art, and you will learn more about this ancient civilization as you view countless pieces of art and artifacts. Each room of the museum will fascinate and immerse you deeper into the culture of the island. On the morning of day nine, a brief flight will carry you back to Athens International Airport, where you will board your connecting flight home. You will leave Greece enriched and captivated by its history, culture, and beauty.

Every aspect of this luxurious, island-hopping adventure is customizable, so you will be able to adjust anything and everything about this itinerary to further accommodate your moods and desires once you are in Greece.

Starting Price

$3,100 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

The starting price is based on travel during the low season for a minimum of two travelers staying in shared 3-star accommodations. Please inquire for a custom trip quote based on your travel preferences and travel dates.

4.9

Verified Traveler Reviews

Based on 1317 reviews

Luxury Greece Trip Review: Crete, Santorini, Athens, Catamaran Sunset Cruise, Acropolis, Botanical Gardens, Changing of the Guard
Traveled to several locations on Crete, Santorini, and Athens Greece having use this Travel Agency working with Dimitrios.Dimitrios was very helpful and responsive to my emails and calls and worked to understand the type of trip I was looking to put together. From the type and location of hotel properties, to the type of tour activities, he stuck with me through the process to make the trip - exactly what we wanted. And he even met up with us in Athens over lunch.As for the trip itself - many companies encouraged Santorini, Mykonos and Athens. I can not say enough about Crete - except that I wish I had more time there. If you can spend the time - Crete is a far superior destination to many of the smaller island - and should not be missed. We were in Santorini near the end of 'the season' - and we truly enjoyed missing the crowds. We got to relax and sit and enjoy. And of course the feel of the island - and the sunsets are - just as 'advertised'. Oh - and I thought the whole Catamaran Sunset Cruise thing was going to be a little 'touristy' but it was truly a great experience. Great to get in the water. Great to see the island from another perspective. Great staff and great food. (Have I overused the word Great?.... No. It was.)Athens - it turns out - is more than just the Acropolis. We truly enjoyed the Botanical Gardens, Changing of the Guard, walking down streets to find a hidden gem of a cafe or shop. And the people of Athens (Greeks and visitors both) were wonderful.We do wish we had more time - on Crete and to see more of the mainland as there are so many other places we did not have time to get to.... But we will come back.Great trip. Thank you travel company. Thank you Dimitrios. Thank you to the people of Greece!!

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Review: Luxury Greece Vacation, Mykonos, Crete, Santorini, Delos, Chania, Athens, Acropolis, Constitution Square, Knossos Palace

This Greece travel company did a great job setting us up at ideal locations in Athens, Mykonos and Santorini. All were located in the central area, right near the center of each town for shopping and restaurants. The people at the hotels were really nice and everything was very organized that we did not have to worry about anything.

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Review: Anniversary Vacation in Greece, Athens, Santorini, Mykonos, Crete, Delos, Knossos Palace, Acropolis Tour, Catamaran Cruise

We booked a 2 week vacation to Greece with this agent and travel company for the end of May.   Our travel agent helped us plan the perfect vacation for our 25th wedding anniversary. It was the most incredible trip, more than we could ever have imagined! She planned accommodations, excursions and tours at each place we visited that highlighted each place.  We started our trip in Athens for 3 nights, Crete 3 nights, Mykonos 3 nights and Santorini for 4 nights.

We were met promptly at the Athens airport by our driver taken to our Hotel in Athens where we were met by our agent personally to give us all of our tickets and instructions for our stay in Greece. As well she gave us a cell phone programmed with her number and the travel agency in case we had any issues during our time in Greece.

We stayed at the foot of the Acropolis in Athens at a wonderful boutique hotel. Our trip started with a private tour(highly recommend)  of the Archeological museum of Athens ,the Acropolis and the area surrounding. Truly specials and unforgettable! A romantic dinner at a beautiful restaurant in the center of Athens.  Watching the sun set on the Acropolis with all of Athens at our feet...stunning. A free day to explore a bit of the ancient and beautiful city then onto Crete.

We were met by a delightful young man, who was our guide for all 3 days on this amazing island. Wine tours, Palace of King Mynos at Knossos, ancient cities Rhethmynon and Chania, beautiful beaches and stunning views. We fell in love with Crete.

Then Mykonos. A beautiful little jewel of an island with beautiful beaches and ancient cities once attacked by pirates. A romantic dinner, tour of the island of Delos (incredible!) and getting lost in the maze of streets that make up Mykonos town.

Then onto Santorini. A jewel in the beauty of the Aegean Sea. Stunning hotel on the cliffs with a view that you never tired of, wine tours, a full day Catamaran sail to beaches and the Caldera ending with a magnificent sunset at Land's End. Santorini was the cherry on top of the trip. Truly a stunning island.

And everywhere we went the friendly, hospitable and welcoming Greek people.  We can't say enough on how well orchestrated this trip was. We had flawless connections, over-the-top accommodations, incredible guides, amazing excursions that did not disappoint at any of our island visits.  "More than we could have ever imagined" is how we describe this trip to friends and family.  We highly recommend this company and the travel agent who planned a trip exactly to fit us personally.

Thank you Zicasso for your stellar travel agents and fantastic job of Jackie who paired us up with such great agents to choose from.

Tanya and Ross

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Greece Luxury Trip Review: Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Crete, 10-Day Tour
"Our Zicasso travel agent assisted my wife and me on a wonderful trip of a lifetime. All we had to do was enjoy ourselves."

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Greece Travel Review: Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Cooking Class, Sunset Cruise, ATV Tour, Wine Tasting
Greece was amazing. Loved seeing all three cities, Athens, Mykonos and Santorini. Hotel in Athens was a bit small, room sizes could have been a bit bigger. Hotels in Mykonos and Santorini were amazing! Loved the accommodations and the views!!! Activities planned were all amazing and all different which my family loved

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Luxury Vacation Review: Greece, Crete, Naxos Villages & Winery, Mykonos, Santorini, Athens, History
I consider myself a traveler but had never been to Greece before and wanted to ‘do it right’. I had a three week timeframe to spend in the islands.  Of course Mykonos and Santorini were on my list and I looked to this travel team for additional recommendations.  They suggested Crete and Naxos.  It was a wonderful and interesting mix.  From our Acropolis tour in Athens, authentic Naxos tour of villages and winery, every detail was meticulously tended to and this travel team checked in with me multiple times throughout my journey.  All transfers and guides were timely, knowledgeable and very nice people. Several of the guides felt like friends by the time we concluded.  The travel planner of this team was responsive to my inquiries and did a very good job of delivering the best Greece had to offer! 

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Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist.

28,000+ Verified Traveler Reviews