Delve into some of the most legendary sites in ancient Greece—and soak up contemporary Greek culture—as you journey from the Athens Acropolis to the Peloponnese, Crete, and Santorini.

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Starting at: $7,292 * Price includes special offer * Includes airfare, taxes & all fees Make a Reservation Ask Us A Question or Call 855-330-1542

The view from the cliff-top on Santorini

The Palace of Knossos on the island of Crete. Credit: Gloria Baxevanis

Classical Greece

14 days from $7,292 | includes airfare, taxes and all fees

Delve into some of the most legendary sites in ancient Greece—and soak up contemporary Greek culture—as you journey from the Athens Acropolis to the Peloponnese, Crete, and Santorini.

departure passengers

or Call 855-330-1542

Tour Details

JOURNEYS DISPATCHES

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Accommodations

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NJV Athens Plaza Hotel (All 2024 Departures)

Athens, Greece

Located in the heart of Athens on prestigious Constitution Square, the hotel is close to shopping and is within walking distance of the Plaka or Old City. This deluxe hotel offers breathtaking views of the Acropolis and has the flair and ambiance of a smaller boutique hotel. It features luxurious guest rooms and a full selection of amenities for your convenience including complimentary Wi-Fi.

Hotel Divani Palace Acropolis (May 16, 2023 Departure)

Athens, Greece

The Divani Palace Acropolis enjoys an ideal location, just a few blocks from the celebrated Acropolis and close to shopping, Constitution Square, and the popular Plaka district. Hotel amenities include a restaurant, bar, and seasonal rooftop garden; outdoor swimming pool; laundry and dry cleaning service (for a fee); shopping; and complimentary Wi-Fi internet access. Each guest room is air conditioned and has private bath with hair dryer, minibar, in-room safe, TV, and phone.

Athens Capital Center Hotel

Athens, Greece

Opened in September 2020, the Athens Capital Center Hotel – MGallery ranks as one of the newest hotels in Greece’s capital city. The hotel owns an ideal location in central Athens, steps from Syntagma Square and close to the Acropolis, the Plaka, and many other historical sites. Amenities of this stylish, contemporary hotel include a rooftop restaurant, bar, café, rooftop swimming pool with panoramic views over the city, laundry and dry-cleaning service (for a fee), and complimentary Wi-Fi internet access. Each air-conditioned guest room has private bath with hair dryer, in-room safe, minibar, tea- and coffee-making facilities, TV, and phone.

Amphitryon Hotel

Nafplion, Greece

Located between the glittering Bay of Nafplio and the heart of historic Nafplion, the Amphitryon Hotel boasts views across the water to the fortified island of Bourtzi. The hotel takes full advantage of its excellent location, offering an array of eating, drinking, and lounging areas overlooking the bay. In addition to a restaurant, bar, and lounge, the Amphitryon includes laundry and dry-cleaning services (for a fee) and complimentary Wi-Fi internet access. Each air-conditioned guest room looks out over the ocean and features private bath with hair dryer, minibar, TV, and phone.

Liberty Hotel of Nafplio (Apr. 18 & all May 2023 Departures)

Nafplio, Greece

Opened in 2021, the Liberty Hotel of Nafplio is located just a short walk from the Venetian old town and its many shops, cafés, and tavernas. The 31-room hotel features a rooftop restaurant overlooking Palamidi Castle, a lobby bar and lounge, and complimentary Wi-Fi internet access. Air-conditioned guest rooms include a balcony, private bath with hair dryer, in-room safe, minibar, TV, and phone.

Aquila Atlantis Hotel

Heraklion, Crete, Greece

Recently renovated in 2013, the Aquila Atlantis Hotel sits in the heart of Heraklion, just a short walk from the harbor and the Castello a Mare. The hotel offers a modern, airy atmosphere that includes a restaurant, bar, two swimming pools (one indoor and one outdoor with views over the harbor), full spa, laundry and dry cleaning service (for a fee), and complimentary Wi-Fi internet access. Air conditioned guest rooms have private bath with hair dryer, in-room safe, tea- and coffee-making facilities, TV, and phone.

Santorini Palace Hotel

Fira, Santorini, Greece

The Santorini Palace Hotel sits within walking distance of downtown Fira, and just steps from the cliff of the island’s caldera, which offers stunning ocean views. This contemporary hotel offers a range of amenities including a restaurant and bar, swimming pool with snack bar, fitness center, spa, sauna, hot tub, laundry and dry cleaning service, and complimentary Wi-Fi internet access. Air-conditioned guest rooms feature minimalist white walls and furnishings to match the island’s aesthetic, and include private bath with hair dryer, in-room safe, and phone.

Activity Level

Expectations: This Classic Land Journey features visits to cities, ancient ruins, and coastal towns in several different regions and stays at four different hotels. Although comprehensive, it is not rushed, but well paced and finely tuned. Expectations include long touring days with full-day motor coach excursions, standing and walking for long periods of time during city tours, museum visits, and outdoor activities. Daily walks of up to three miles, sometimes including difficult terrain such as cobblestones, unpaved trails, and uneven pavement (especially at archaeological sites), stairs without handrails. Many sites do not have elevators and longer walks may be necessary to get to town centers where coaches are prohibited. Most full-day excursions last from four to six hours, and there are several afternoons at leisure. The itinerary features two boat trips and drives along winding roads.

Appropriate for: Travelers who are physically fit and comfortable with longer days of touring (both walking tours and coach time).

Reading List

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Highly Recommended

National Geographic The Greeks: An Illustrated History

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On the culture that brought us democracy, the Olympics, Socrates, and Alexander the Great, this lavishly illustrated reference about ancient Greece presents the amazing history through gripping stories; the rise and fall of the phenomenal empire; the powerful legacy left by ancient Greece for the modern world; and the new discoveries shedding light on these ancient people that are still so much with us. Even today, Greek art and architecture dominate our cities; modern military strategists still study and employ Hellenic war tactics; Greek poetry, plays, and philosophy are widely read and enjoyed; and science, mathematics, medicine, and astronomy all build on the fundamentals of early Greek thinking. Included are fascinating insights into Greek island living, ancient social networking, and the extreme priority Greeks placed on athletic competition (warring city-states declared truces during the Olympic games). Learn of spectacular discoveries such as the Uluburun shipwreck, the earliest writing ever found in Europe, and buried palaces. A stunning treasure, this lushly-illustrated, uniquely comprehensive and accessible history of Ancient Greece is perfect for anyone interested in the origins of our modern world.

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The Parthenon

By: Mary Beard

Praise for the previous edition:"Wry and imaginative, this gem of a book deconstructs the most famous building in Western history."–Benjamin Schwarz, The Atlantic"In her brief but compendious volume [Beard] says that the more we find out about this mysterious structure, the less we know. Her book is especially valuable because it is up to date on the restoration the Parthenon has been undergoing since 1986."–Gary Wills, New York Review of BooksAt once an entrancing cultural history and a congenial guide for tourists, armchair travelers, and amateur archaeologists alike, this book conducts readers through the storied past and towering presence of the most famous building in the world. In the revised version of her classic study, Mary Beard now includes the story of the long-awaited new museum opened in 2009 to display the sculptures from the building that still remain in Greece, as well as the controversies that have surrounded it, and asks whether it makes a difference to the "Elgin Marble debate."

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The Greek Myths: The Complete and Definitive Edition [May 15, 2018] Graves, Robert

By: Robert Graves

BRAND NEW, Exactly same ISBN as listed, Please double check ISBN carefully before ordering.

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The British Museum Concise Introduction to Ancient Greece

By: Jenifer Neils

This lively and accessible book draws on the latest discoveries and research and presents a concise and readable overview of the fascinating history of ancient Greece, from its earliest origins through to its legacy in the modern world. Designed with the nonspecialist in mind, the book begins with the rediscovery of the Classical Greeks. The author then traces their evolution from Bronze Age civilizations through the emergence of the city state, discussing topics such as writing and art, government and philosophy, warfare and hunting, trade and colonization, gods and heroes, entertainments, and domestic life. Additional information is highlighted in special feature boxes throughout the text. With over 170 illustrations of ancient Greek art and culture as well as extensive reference material and recommendations for further reading, the British Museum Concise Introduction to Ancient Greece will appeal to a wide range of general readers, museum visitors, undergraduate students and life-long learners. Jenifer Neils is Ruth Coutler Heede Professor of Art History at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. A scholar of Greek art and archaeology, she organized the exhibition "Goddess and Polis: The Panathenaic Festival in Ancient Athens" and edited the exhibition catalogue. She is also the author of The Youthful Deeds of Theseus and The Parthenon Frieze.

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In Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea, his fourth volume to explore “the hinges of history,” Thomas Cahill escorts the reader on another entertaining—and historically unassailable—journey through the landmarks of art and bloodshed that defined Greek culture nearly three millennia ago.In the city-states of Athens and Sparta and throughout the Greek islands, honors could be won in making love and war, and lives were rife with contradictions. By developing the alphabet, the Greeks empowered the reader, demystified experience, and opened the way for civil discussion and experimentation—yet they kept slaves. The glorious verses of the Iliad recount a conflict in which rage and outrage spur men to action and suggest that their “bellicose society of gleaming metals and rattling weapons” is not so very distant from more recent campaigns of “shock and awe.” And, centuries before Zorba, Greece was a land where music, dance, and freely flowing wine were essential to the high life. Granting equal time to the sacred and the profane, Cahill rivets our attention to the legacies of an ancient and enduring worldview.

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Travel Insurance

For the convenience of our travelers, Travel Guard provides an on-tour Insurance Plan. On-tour emergency evacuation insurance (up to $100,000), medical expense coverage (up to $25,000), dental expense coverage (up to $500), travel medical assistance and worldwide travel assistance (U.S. Residents only). It also includes up to $25,000 medical and up to $500 dental expense coverage, and 24-hour worldwide travel and medical assistance. Please click here to view complete coverage details.

Please visit www.TravelGuard.com/SmithsonianJourneys or call Travel Guard at 1-800-208-6142 to learn about additional (optional) coverage.