Greece – discovering legends – The Educated Traveller

I’m delighted to announce a new journey for 2023. This one is all about Greece. New and existing friends are all welcome. Departure one successfully completed.

NEW DATES: 24th May and 6th June, 2024 – to reserve your place contact us – maximum 8 guests on each trip.

From Euros € 5200 per person / standard double room for single use. No single supplement.

We’ll start in Athens, with a few day to discover this fabulous ancient city. Then we’ll travel in our own little mini-van, across the plains of Attica to the sacred site of Delphi. This was where the prophetess ‘The Oracle of Delphi’ lived. Here on the slopes of Mount Parnassus we’ll see the site of the very first Pythian Games (similar to the Olympic Games). It’s an amazing archaeological site on a hillside, a place of great importance to the Ancient Greeks. From Delphi we’ll head to the coast and the seaside town of Volos. Here we take a ferry to Skopelos, a typical Greek island for a day or two of rest and relaxation. It was here on Skopelos and nearby Skiathos that ‘Mamma Mia’ the movie was filmed.

Next we take the ferry back to the mainland and drive north through Greece to Thessalonika. On the way we’ll see Mount Olympus, home of the gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece. Thessalonika is a university and port town with a fabulous waterfront promenade. The city is famous for a huge array of early Christian and Byzantine churches, which contain exceptional mosaics and frescoes dating from the 4th century. The city has fifteen UNESCO World Heritage buildings to visit.

There’s loads of opportunity to try typical Greek cuisine. Breakfast is included daily. Lunches will be picnics or very casual salad and soup affairs at local tavernas. Then most evenings we’ll eat together as a group in a typical local hostelry.

_{Greece – discovering the legends from Athens to Thessalonika – May or June, 2023}

Greece – In Search of legends – Outline itinerary

Starting in Athens (3 nts) staying in a charming town house hotel.
Then across the Plains of Attica to Delphi, to visit ‘The Oracle of Delphi’ and Mount Parnassus – just amazing
Arachova (1 nt) for Delphi and Mt Parnassus – staying in a rustic stone house with comfortable rooms
Then north again to Volos (1 nt) – a cute little seaside town and on to Skopelos – Greek island (3 nts)
Mount Olympus – see the mythical ‘Home of the Gods’ usually snow-capped.
Explore a Crusaders Castle
Then on to Thessalonika (2 nts) for a few days in this wonderful university city – bohemian, quirky, fun
Explore the water front and visit the nearby town of Drama – where the word comes from….
Enjoy a Greek lesson too.

Warmth, hospitality, fun and learning…….
Small group – 6-8 guests
Total length of trip: 11 days (10 nts)
Simple accommodations (10 nights) good quality and clean, simple, guest house style
Breakfast daily – typically a buffet in the hotel
4 x lunches included – salad and soup / cheese plate / picnic type affair w/ water/soft drink
5 x dinners included – 3-course with a glass or two of wine.
Expert guide to lead sight-seeing and explain the history of Greece
Local guides in Athens, Delphi and Thessalonika
Transportation in mini-van and some ferries too all included.

Costs:

Euros € 5500 per person in double room for single use. Book before 1st Nov for € 300 early bird discount
Euros € 4900 per person sharing a twin room (with one other person)

This journey is operating on the following date:

24 May – 03 June, 2024
06 June – 16 June, 2024

Flexibility:

When we arrive on the island of Skopelos, we will be spending 3 nights on the island. This is an opportunity for fresh air, relaxation and a hike or walk or two. The Greek islands are so exquisitely beautiful and peaceful that you may well want to stay for ever.

Note: Air fare is not included. Guests should plan to fly into Athens and out of Thessalonika. Lufthansa has numerous flights from Thessalonika to Frankfurt and Munich with onward connections to the US.