Northern Greece Vacation: Off the Beaten Path to Corfu

Kalambaka is a Greek city at the very foot of the Meteora rocks, on which the world famous Meteora monasteries are located.

What to expect on this itinerary

Byzantine treasures and whispering oracles will emanate from the dramatic landscapes and uninhibited history on your 14-day off the beaten path Greece tour focused on exploring Northern Greece. Preserved traditions will meet the relaxed ambiance shaped by ancient cultures, Ottoman occupation, and enchanting fairytale villages known as the Zagorohoria. Your custom-tailored tour of Greece will immerse you in adventure and discovery uncovering heritage, wonder, and beauty.

Countries Visited

Greece

Places Visited

Thessaloniki, Kalambaka, Meteora, Ioannina, Zagori, Dodona, Pindos, Vistra, Aristi,  Corfu, Pontikonisi, Spartillas, Ipsos

Suggested Duration

14 Days

Customizable Itinerary

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Day 1

Thessaloniki – Stepping Into 3,000 Years of History

Colors spiral through a historical flower market, and traders still call out beside the Roman meeting place. Tavernas entice with their scents, while Byzantine churches entice you into a realm of artistic detail. Welcome to Thessaloniki, the gateway to northern Greece and an easy introduction to what the region is all about. Meet your guide, and after a short airport transfer, you go on an orientation walk, listening to how the city has evolved through Hellenistic, Roman, Ottoman and Byzantine eras. You can really feel that this is a city shaped by a myriad of cultures, not least the laid-back style that influences most places on the Mediterranean. Ease into the vacation this evening as you dine on the seafront promenade, with dusk coming gracefully over the Aegean.

What's Included:

Transfer
Accommodation
Tour
Breakfast
Day 2

Thessaloniki – Byzantine Churches, Roman Agora and Seaside Tavernas

Day 3

Kalabaka – Ancient Macedonian History and Alexander the Great

Day 4

Kalambaka – Discovering the Mountaintop Monasteries of Meteora

Day 5

Ioannina – Enlightenment Along the Lakeside

Day 6

Ioannina – Oracles and Temples in Dodona

Day 7

Zagori – Zagorian Cooking Workshop and Village Exploration

Day 8 - 9

Zagori – Unwinding and Exploring the Zagorichoria

Day 10

Corfu – Mythological History in Old Town Corfu

Day 11

Corfu – Reliving Homer’s Odyssey on a Private Tour

Day 12

Corfu – Jeep Adventure Across the Island

Day 13

Corfu – Best of Local Corfu Food Tour

Day 14

Corfu – Departure

Trip Highlights

  • Immerse yourself in the history of Thessaloniki, a living UNESCO World Heritage Site from which to start your journey
  • Hike and drive to the Zagori villages, enjoying intimate local experiences in fairytale settings
  • Take two adventures across Corfu island, one to see the sights and the other to relive Homer’s Odyssey
  • Feast on new flavors during a Zagorian cooking class and an Old Town Corfu food tour
  • Ascend to the mountaintop monasteries of Meteora, which are as dramatic as they are serene
  • Explore ancient Macedonian history with a day in Vergina and Pella
  • Uncover the center of enlightenment in Ioannina, then travel forward into its Ottoman and Byzantine heritage

Detailed Description

Almost everyone visiting Greece goes south, usually to Athens and then to the Cycladic islands. Hardly anyone goes north, so will be finding a real treat if you are crowd-weary or merely believe that exploring should not be stressful. Northern Greece and Corfu offer breathtaking landscapes that hum with the sound of silence. There is grand history here, although not always of the Corinthian columns variety. Instead, this region is a melting pot of Byzantine remains, Ottoman architecture, Macedonian styles, old-world monastic communities, and villages that keep tradition as commonplace. Include the Temple of Zeus of course, just without the crowds that gather around the country’s major archaeological sites.

This 14-day tour to Northern Greece and Corfu is one for the connoisseurs who like to feel the history rather than just see the sights and those who want to understand a country rather than simply snap a few photos. You will be immersed in local culture and food, wowed by 3,000 years of civilizations and histories, alone on both mountain and island landscapes, and then pampered on old town promenades and tightly-packed cobbled streets. Spread across five overnight destinations, it will be a journey into authentic Greece for an experience that will bring much more than whitewashed island villages and a famous Acropolis.

Start in Thessaloniki, a living UNESCO World Heritage Site and gateway to the north. Here the storyline traverses the centuries, giving you an indication of how the region changed hands many times over the millennia. Explore the birthplace of ancient Macedonia and Alexander the Great on route to Meteora, where mystical monasteries stand atop dramatic mountain pinnacles. Ioannina was once the center of the Enlightenment and continues a journey through the eras, this time going all the way back to a Temple of Zeus and perhaps the greatest oracle of them all. All of that fills six days, and the pace is relaxed throughout with leisurely evenings in pedestrianized old towns.

Spend days seven to nine in the Zagorichoria, Zagori hillside villages of stone houses, ancient bridges, walking trails and snow-capped vistas. This is a place to unwind, hopping from village to village in a very remote European corner. Enjoy a cooking workshop, spend time with the locals, and choose from the countless mountain trails. End your 14-day vacation on Corfu, an island that is somewhat mysteriously less crowded than it should be. The island is rich in tradition and charm, its towns distinct from the crowded, souvenir-shop-laden streets of the Cyclades. Spend a day reliving Homer’s Odyssey, another day on a private jeep tour, and then your final day tasting the history of Kerkiran (Corfiot) food. Each evening you are in Corfu’s Old Town, where a sea breeze cascades past al fresco terraces.

Starting Price

$4,600 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

  • Accommodations
  • In-country transportation
  • Some or all activities and tours
  • Expert trip planning
  • 24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

4.9

Verified Traveler Reviews

Based on 3183 reviews

Lori W.
Greece Tour Review: Athens, Naxos, Santorini, Akrotiri, Winery, Volcano, Walking Food Tour, 8 Nights

We had a wonderful experience with our Zicasso travel specialist while planning our vacation in Greece. We had a group that consisted of two families; in total, eight people. Our travel specialist gave us recommendations based on the types of activities we wanted to do and the types of islands we were hoping to experience.

We stayed two nights in Athens, three nights on Naxos, and three nights in Santorini. The accommodations were fantastic! Every tour guide and driver was helpful and so kind.

When we wanted to add a stop in Naxos for an impromptu lunch, our guide was happy to detour and bring us to a place with the best gyros that the locals really enjoy! Everyone made us feel at home. Thank you for a beautiful trip and all the lovely memories!

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Gus V.
Greece Travel Review: Paros, Santorini, Private Sailing Experience, 9 Nights

Zicasso's travel expert was very professional. She answered all my questions promptly and made sure to book the tours and hotels that fit our needs. Highly recommend.

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Shaun B.
Greece Honeymoon Review: 11 Days

Our 11-day honeymoon in Greece was nothing short of magical—and we owe so much of that to our Zicasso travel specialist and the entire team at her company. From the very start, they worked within our budget and offered a flexible payment plan that made planning feel manageable and stress-free.

As our trip approached, we had a thorough planning call with our specialist. She walked us through every detail of our itinerary, which completely put us at ease. That level of preparation meant we could focus on enjoying the moment instead of worrying about logistics.

Once we landed in Athens, the travel company was just a WhatsApp message away. Anytime we had a question—no matter how small—they responded within minutes. That kind of real-time support made us feel cared for the entire time.

The accommodations they booked were absolutely out of this world. Each hotel felt handpicked just for us—luxurious, romantic, and incredibly welcoming. It was clear the company has strong relationships with local vendors because we were treated like royalty everywhere we went.

As a gay couple, we also appreciated how safe, inclusive, and celebrated we felt throughout the trip. Every detail was thoughtfully planned with us in mind.

We’d recommend our travel company 1,000 times out of 10. If you're planning a gay honeymoon—or any trip to Greece—look no further. This was truly the trip of a lifetime.

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Shilpa M.
Greece Trip Review: History, Local Cuisine, Scenery, 2 Weeks

Zicasso's travel specialist and her company did an amazing job of planning the most incredible and memorable trip for my family of five.

Every detail was meticulously thought out and perfectly executed. Every transfer was spacious and, thankfully, air conditioned. Each boutique hotel booked was unique and beautiful, with stunning views and amenities offered. Every excursion with English-speaking guides was incredible. The guides were knowledgeable and super-friendly.

We can't thank our travel specialist and her team enough for this amazing trip. We have memories for a lifetime!! I highly recommend using her for your next trip to Greece or Europe.

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Khristine A.
Greece Family Vacation Review: Santorini, Athens, Chania, Skiathos, Acropolis, Catamaran Sunset Cruise, Boat Ride, Private Tour, Old Town, Culture, 13 Days

It was our family's first time visiting Greece. We've always wanted to see the country and there were so many good things we'd heard about Greece.

There were a couple of things that made this trip very special. First, our youngest daughter's request for her 16th birthday was to go as a family and celebrate it in Greece. Second, none of us had ever been to Greece (on our previous trips, either my husband and/or I had been there or it was our family's second time there), so experiencing it together for the first time was really special.

Zicasso gave us two very good Greek travel companies. Both presented interesting itineraries to us. It was a year of planning and I'd gone back and forth with both travel companies with revisions of itineraries and, of course, the cost.

What made us choose this travel company was that the specialist was very honest, upfront, and very accommodating. He gave his honest opinion when I asked him about certain excursion activities or even restaurants (social media makes it really look good, especially for people who have not been there), and he did not pressure or force us into doing activities that did not interest us. He wanted to make sure we got to experience the best, but he was also very mindful of the costs. I had many back and forth conversations with him via texts, emails, or phone calls. He wanted to get to know our family. When I told him about our daughter's 16th birthday requests, he made sure he got every detail of what would make her birthday special. He also asked me about the interests of our eldest daughter because he wanted to surprise her with something special from Greece. That says a lot about the travel specialist and his company; they are personal and it's not just pure business for them.

A few days before we left the US, he called us so we could reschedule our flights (Santorini to Athens) to an earlier time going back home because he was concerned we may miss our connecting flights. Who does that? This just shows he checks every detail and wanted to make sure that even before we left the US, up to the time we arrived back home, everything was taken care of.

We had the best vacation in Greece. We did not worry about anything the entire time. The travel company was in constant communication with us. They created a WhatsApp group chat which made it so much easier. They gave us daily reminders and they arranged everything for us. We felt that the entire trip was customized for our family. The "Mamma Mia" island tour and birthday celebration for our daughter was perfect. The restaurant in Kolios was a great recommendation, and when I asked him to reserve the specific table and have a little birthday decoration for my daughter, it was accomplished.

Chania was amazing; both me and my husband loved this place. The view from our hotel room on Zampeliou Street, overlooking the old harbour and the Cretan Sea with the lighthouse, was breathtaking. We enjoyed walking through the streets of the Old Town of Chania.

We thought Santorini would be overcrowded, but we had a great tour guide who knew where to take us first to avoid crowds, and he gave us really helpful advice to go around the island. He took us to the little hidden alleys and showed how locals live. We ended up really loving the island.

We enjoyed every activity planned for us. We enjoyed our stay at our hotels. Mine and my husband's favorite were the hotel in Kalamata and the one in Chania. We really liked the view of the Acropolis from our rooms at the hotel in Athina, and that hotel was very convenient. We also enjoyed their breakfast there. The girls enjoyed the hotel in Skiathos because of how close it was to the beach, and they loved the "Mamma Mia" boat tour.

We each have our own favorite activities/tour/tour guides, but overall, our family had an amazing time in Greece – the way the travel agent and the entire team did a phenomenal job. The way the itinerary was put together and the timing for each place/island was just perfect for us. They exceeded our expectations. We fell in love with Greece, the culture, and the people, who were all so kind, nice, and very hospitable (not once did we have a bad encounter). We will definitely go back; there is so much more to explore and we'll definitely be working with this travel company in the future.

We only have good things to say about our Greece vacation and we highly recommend this travel agency. We've been to other countries and worked with other travel companies. In our opinion, this one was the best travel company we've ever worked with.

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Kerry R.
Greece Trip Review: Athens, Naxos, Acropolis, Delphi, Meteora, 10-Day Tour

Zicasso's travel agent took great care of my family, planning an excellent trip, with revisions based on our interests, and was quick to respond to my emails. He took care of the necessary arrangements when the ferry was unexpectedly cancelled.

We stayed in beautiful hotels and enjoyed our tours with knowledgeable guides and drivers. Our trip to Delphi and Meteora was a highlight of our trip. We had a great driver there.

Highly recommend!

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Customizable Itinerary

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

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