This holiday package includes touring a bunch of really laid back yet incredibly unique islands, with impressive features reflecting authentic Greek tradition and absolute tranquillity. North Aegean Islands can be easily explored by car, so this package tour is provided complete with includes a rental car, so that you can make up your own plan, drive around at your own pace and approach even the most remote places and beaches far from the crowds.
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Day 1 - (ATHENS ARRIVAL AIRPORT TRANSFER)
On your arrival at Athens airport you will be greeted by our English speaking driver and transferred in air conditioned, modern vehicles to your central Athens hotel, where you will be spending the next two nights. The rest of the day is yours to acclimatise to this wonderful, bustling city. We suggest after you have checked in making your way to the Plaka, at the base of the Acropolis. On the narrow streets you will find wonderful shopping as well as great bars and restaurants to enjoy.
Day 2 - (ATHENS SIGHTSEEING)
After breakfast you will be picked up from you hotel for your half day tour of Athens. Travelling in a modern, air conditioned coach you will be taken to the Acropolis, the Tower of Winds, the Old Palace, the Greek and Roman Agora, the Tomb of The Unknown Soldier in front of the Parliament where you will witness the changing of the guards. The tour also includes a visit the Temple of Zeus and the Olympic Stadium, the original stadium built in the 1863 for the first modern Olympic Games in the late 1800s. You will also visit Lycabetus and see its amazing views of Athens before returning to your hotel for a short rest and lunch. In the afternoon you will be taken on a tour of Cape Sounion, to the South of Athens, visiting the unforgettable Temple of Poseidon, while watching your first sunset over the magical Aegean Sea, before returning to your hotel after dark.
Day 3 - (FLIGHT TO SAMOS)
After breakfast you will check out of your Athens hotel and our transfer driver will collect you and transfer you to the airport for your domestic flight to Samos. On arrival in Vathy, the main town in Samos, our driver will take you to your hotel, where you will be spending the n next three nights. Your hire car will be waiting for you at your hotel. The next three days are yours to explore this wonderful island. For dinner you can travel into Vathy and have a meal at any one of the many waterfront restaurants. The hire car gives you to the freedom to do what you want, when you want.
Day 4 - (SAMOS)
Samos is located very close to the Turkish coast and because of this, there is a very different feel to the island. After breakfast, you have the choice to do as you please, whether that entails taking your hire care and finding a deserted beach or visiting the quaint towns in the centre of the island. The best beaches are found in the island's south. This holiday is about doing what you please. Samos is also the birthplace of Pythagoras, the father of mathematics, and the town of the Pythagoria in the island's south is well worth a visit. This town is also the location of the Evpalinos Tunnel, and ancient tunnel over a kilometre long. Pythagoria is more equipped for tourists than Vathy, but being a smaller town it is quainter. Return to your hotel in the evening after discovering a local taverna for a glass of local wine and a meal.
Day 5 - (SAMOS)
Your second full day in Samos can take you wherever you wish to go. The hills in the centre of the island are home to some wonderful wineries, and the island is known for its muscats. You may wish to wander the town of Vathy, escaping the crowds of the port and heading to the hills around the town, where you can find a myriad of old mansions in various states of repair. Samos was also home to one of the Ancient Wonders of the World, the Sanctuary of Hera. Today the archaeological site of Hereon is worth a visit. How you spend your time is up to your - there are always the island's wonderful beaches or the hills to explore and spend your time. Spending time by the pool is also a very valid option.
Day 6 - (PASSAGE TO CHIOS)
Today is a travelling day, so after breakfast you will check out of your hotel and drive the hire car to the port. Leaving the car with the hire car representatives, you will board the ferry to Chios. On arrival in Chios you will be transferred by our representative to your hotel. A hire car will also be waiting for you at the hotel for you use over the next three days. You will be spending the next three nights on this wonderful island. Chios Town overlooks the Turkish coastline, and you can dine in Turkish inspired restaurants in the town.
Day 7 - (CHIOS)
Chios is one of the more unspoiled of the Greek Island and using your hire car you can uncover some little treasures. The island is also greener than many of the island and there is a thriving agricultural industry on the island. A lot of the world's mastic comes from Chios. There are also many unspoiled beaches on the other side of the island there for the discovery. Chios Town also has a lot to visit. Behind the port and in the hills surrounding it is the Turkish quarter of the city, a wonderful old Kastro and a number of museums and galleries. The Philip Argenti Gallery and the Byzantine museum are as good as any of the Museums in Athens. Chios is a large island, so take advantage of the hire car to make the most of your time here.
Day 8 - (CHIOS)
On your last full day in Chios you can explore the parts of the island you missed on the day before. To the north, there are amazing hills and beaches to see, to the south, the Masticaria, or villages where mastic is produces. Mastic chewing gum can still be purchased on the island. For those wanting something a bit different, there is a monastery in the centre of the island - a quaint set of buildings hosting a macabre site. The monastery was the scene of a massacre in the late 1800s and the skulls of the martyred monks are on display.
There is also the option to stay near to the hotel pool, relaxing and enjoying the sunshine and hospitality. In the evening, venture into Chios Town and enjoy the vibrant night life.
Day 9 - (PASSAGE TO MYTILENE)
Today is another travelling day. Once you have had your brekfast breakfast and checked out of your hotel, you will drive the hire car to the port. Depositing the car with the hire car representatives, you will board the ferry to Mytiline. On arrival in Mytiline you will be taken by our representative to your hotel. Once again, a hire car will also be waiting for you at the hotel for you use over the next three days. You will be spending the next three nights on this , the largest and most famous of the Northern Aegean Islands. Often known as Lesbos, Mytiline is a tourist's paradise which many things to see and do over the next three days.
Day 10 - (MITILENE)
Mitilene (Lesvos) is the third largest of the Greek Islands and to see the best of the island the hire car will be invaluable. Mytilini is a thriving town filled with restaurants and bars near the waterfront. Behind the port are a fascinating array of shops, and the antique jewellery, icons and cake shops are among the best in Greece. The town is well worth exploring, especially in the evening where the local ouzeries and restaurants can show you a fantastic night out. With the island being so large, food is plentiful, so you evening meal could be of traditional Greek fare or you could dine at any one of the international restaurants found in the town.
Day 11 - (MITILENE)
Outside of the main town there is plenty to see and do on this large, green island. The island is over one hundred kilometres long, so make the most of the hire car for exploring the island. To the North, the village of Molyvos is quieter and traditional than Mytilene and gives a good look into the lives of the traditional island dwellers. The poet Sappho was born on Lesvos and the town of Eresos is a place of pilgrimage for many. The island also offers some of the best hiking and wilderness walking in Greece. The hills, lakes and forests providing the perfect setting for bush walking. Your time will be well spent exploring this large and fascinating island. Make the most of you last full day in the Greek Islands.
Day 12 - (FLIGHT BACK HOME)
As this is the last day of the vacation, all that is left to do is have your breakfast, check out and drive yourself to the airport for your domestic flight back to Athens. From there, you will connect to your international flight back home. Please contact us if you require further accommodation in Athens for this final night.
Excludes
- International air fare
- Lunches or dinners
- Beverages
Unfortunately this package does not yet have partnered hotels for instant booking. Please send your request and we will get in touch with you with more details such as pricing and suggestions
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