Step Back in Time: Athens & Santorini History Tour

Traditional houses and church in Santorini, Greece.

What to expect on this itinerary

This historically-based 7-day getaway promises to be the perfect vacation for avid explorers of history or anyone that is interested in the millennia-old. History buffs have been flocking to Greece for years, and it is a well-known fact that this nation is the true cradle of civilization. Steeped in a storied past of political upheaval, fierce struggles of power, and endless myths and legends, Greece practically begs to be explored. Traverse the Acropolis, witness the iconic sites of Athens, and indulge in an authentic hammam spa experience.

Countries Visited

Greece

Places Visited

Athens, Santorini

Suggested Duration

7 Days

Customizable Itinerary

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Day 1

Athens – Sunset Dinner with a View

Once you arrive in Athens, a private driver will lead you to your luxury accommodation in the heart of the city. After checking in and having a bit of time to regroup, you will spend your first evening partaking in a Greek feast. The meal will be complete with all of the standard Mediterranean fare for which this country is known and beloved. Tonight, you will be feasting a stone’s throw away from the world-famous Acropolis. As you are wined and dined, you will have an unrivaled view of Athens and its iconic site.

What's Included:

Transfer
Accommodation
Dinner
Day 2

Athens – Historical Tour of Athens

Day 3

Athens – Exploring Corinth’s Past

Day 4

Athens – Seek Your Future in Delphi

Day 5

Santorini – Island-Hop to Therasia

Day 6

Santorini – Santorini’s Archaeological Gems

Day 7

Santorini – Departure

Trip Highlights

  • Indulge in an evening of wining and dining as you gaze upon a 360-degree view of the world-famous Acropolis
  • Witness all of the iconic sights of Athens while being regaled with wondrous backstories that bring them all to life
  • Explore the past while also seeking your future at the world-famous Oracle of Delphi during a private tour
  • Marvel at some of Santorini’s most famous locales while delving into the fascinating history behind each site
  • Bask in an authentic hammam spa experience, where you will learn how ancient Greeks of the Ottoman and Byzantine era found their bliss
  • Escape on a day-trip to explore the idyllic, island haven of Therasia
  • Uncover the history of Corinth and embark on a full-day tour to view its most famous sights, including the Corinth Canal

Detailed Description

Historians with a keen interest in uncovering secret gems and fascinating truths about the world’s past will tell you that exploring Greece is essential. From archaeological remains to mystical tales and legends of ancient mythology, Greece has a little bit of everything to excite and satisfy every history buff’s desires. From the world-famous Acropolis in Athens to the charming and timeless villages of Santorini, this historically-based, 7-day journey will have you knee-deep in history. You will also witness the most riveting and wondrous landmarks of Greece while experiencing new and exciting adventures. You may even learn a thing or two en route.

The first half of your trip will lead you to Athens, where you will settle in the lap of luxury at your hotel. During your first evening, you will feast on a delicious and authentic Mediterranean meal under the stars. Your opulent offerings will be complete with a picturesque locale that will provide you with an unrivaled view of the world-famous Acropolis.

The following day, you will be led on a historical, VIP tour of Athens, where you will explore the city’s iconic sights, such as the Acropolis, Hadrian’s Arch, the Temple of Zeus, and Parliament. Your guide will time your tour just perfectly so that you will be able to see the famed changing of the guards, which is something that is on almost every tourist’s must-see list for Athens. After hearing about the Ottoman and Byzantine era in ancient Greece and culminating the evening with an authentic hammam experience, you will recognize that you made the correct choice in Greece for your historical tour.

The next day, you will uncover the captivating past of Corinth. While you are here, you will witness majestic sights, such as the Corinth Canal and seemingly endless relics of this once-influential Greek enclave. A full day of discovery at Delphi will follow, which is where you can wander among whispers of the past in addition to seeking your own future fortune from the Oracle of Delphi like so many others before you.

The second half of your historical adventure through Greece will have you sailing to the stunning locale of Santorini. Upon your arrival to this beloved Greek Island, you will have just enough time to check-in to your luxury island accommodation before being whisked away to your first adventure, which will be an island-hopping excursion to nearby Therasia.

This lovely, volcanic island may be small, but it sure packs a punch when it comes to the historical department because this island has been able to maintain its pristine and simple framework from the past. Here, you will immediately fall in love with the charming villages of the island, all of which harken back to olden times. As you wander among the old churches, landscaped gardens, and old cave dwellings, you will be fascinated by the stories that your private guide shares with you about this intriguing and unassuming locale.

A full day of exploring the archaeological gems of Santorini fill your final day in Greece. From seeking insight into the past at the ancient settlement of Akrotiri to perusing the Prophet Elijah’s Monastery, there will be no better way to end your time on this gorgeous Aegean island, except by indulging in an awe-inspiring sunset after strolling through its world-famous streets.

Throughout your entire getaway to Greece, your hotel accommodations will be the epitome of luxury, and you will have every one of your wants and desires accommodated. You will also have a private driver available to you, who will be ready to take you to and from every destination during your stay. Everything about this historically-based tour through Greece is entirely customizable, so you can adjust anything and everything about this itinerary to your moods and desires once you are in Greece.

Starting Price

$2,400 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 3181 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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