Duration: 12 Days
Italy and Greece are steeped in history with a treasure trove of ancient sites and scenic beauty. On this affordable Italy & Greece tour, you’ll see the fantastic features these countries have to offer, starting in Rome and ending in Athens. In Italy, you’ll stay in Rome, and the Florence and Venice areas; in Greece, you’ll stay in Olympia, Nauplia, and Athens. You’ll also spend one night on a ferry-crossing of the Adriatic Sea from Ancona, Italy to Patras, Greece.
Visit Rome with a local guide who brings ancient Imperial Rome back to life as you pass the Colosseum. Enjoy must-see sights, including Piazza Signoria, in the center of Florence; Juliet’s balcony in the medieval town of Verona; and Pisa’s famous Leaning Tower. In Venice, take a boat ride to St. Mark’s Square for some relaxation and people-watching. While in Venice, you’ll have the opportunity to watch glassblowers create works of art as they have done for centuries.
Step back in time on your visit to Athens’ Acropolis and the Parthenon, dating back to the 5th century BC and the most accurate indication of the influence and wealth of Athens at its greatest peak. Also visit Mycenae, dating back to 1350 to 1200 BC, where you’ll marvel at the arches, fountains, ramparts, and amazing masonry still standing.
All of these elements come together perfectly to create a value-minded Italy and Greece tour like no other!
Check into your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to explore Italy's ancient capital using your CosmosGO app. This evening, meet your Tour Director and fellow travellers.
The "Eternal City" is steeped in history, vibrantly alive and exciting, and absolutely unique! Included sightseeing with a Local Guide starts with St. Peter's Square and Basilica. Other highlights are the iconic Colosseum, the largest amphitheatre ever built and Circus Maximus. An optional visit is available to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, world famous for Michelangelo's The Last Judgment. (B)
Vistas of rolling hills, cypress trees, vineyards, olive groves, and rural villages form the backdrop of your journey through beautiful Tuscany. Stop in Pisa and enjoy a mini-train ride to see the Square of Miracles and the amazing Leaning Tower, then on to the Florence area. End the day by joining the optional Tuscan dinner in a typical restaurant. (B)
This Renaissance gem and city of the Medicis will keep you enthralled the entire day. Don't miss out on the included walking tour with a Local Guide, which features most of the city highlights. You will see Piazza Santa Croce; beautiful Piazza Signoria; Palazzo Vecchio and its courtyard; Loggia dei Lanzi; and, to top it all, Piazza del Duomo and its cathedral with the Giotto Campanile. Later, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. (B,D)
Journey north to enchanting Verona to see the legendary balcony from Romeo and Juliet and spend some time at leisure strolling around Market Square. Continue to the Venice area. (B)
Venice is more like a marvellous film set than a reallife city, with its crisscrossing canals, gondolas and water buses, arched bridges, palaces, and quiet little piazzas. Take a BOAT RIDE to St. Mark's Square and enjoy time at leisure and a chance to watch Venetian GLASSBLOWERS at work. Don't miss out on the optional gondola trip, gliding along the picturesque canals with a local troubadour to serenade you. (B,D)
Travel across the flatlands of the Po Delta to reach Ancona on the shores of the Adriatic, to embark on the FERRY for the crossing to Patras. (B)
During the crossing, enjoy all the ship's facilities. Disembark in Patras and drive south into the Peloponnese to Olympia. (B,D)
Enjoy time at leisure, or make the most of this morning by taking the optional tour of the sites of ancient Olympia, including the ruins of the Temple of Zeus. In the afternoon, enjoy the rugged scenery of the Peloponnese on the way to Nauplia. This evening, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. (B,D)
Make a morning visit with a Local Guide to the impressive ruins of MYCENAE, an ancient city of Homer's epics. Later, stop to view the Corinth Canal, which was built between 1881 and 1893. (B)
Join the included sightseeing tour of Athens, featuring the highlights of the ancient capital and a visit to the ACROPOLIS. Explore the shops and museums or take a trip to the coast to swim. In the evening, enjoy the lively atmosphere of the tavernas in the old Plaka district with its narrow streets and sound of bouzouki music, or join an optional Greek dinner. (B)
Your holiday ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
