Greece and Crete, the mythical heritage

You’ll take your overnight flight from Montreal to Athens, arriving the following morning.

Welcome on arrival of your international flight at Athens airport and transfer to your hotel. Then enjoy an afternoon at leisure…

Dinner and overnight at Hotel International, or similar.
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Guided tour of Athens: you’ll see the University, the Library, the Academy, the Parliament with its Evzones, the presidential residence, Hadrian’s Arch and the Panathenaic Stadium.

Then, visit the Acropolis, one of the world’s most emblematic archaeological sites: the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, the Theater of Dionysus, temples and sanctuaries.

Dinner and overnight at your hotel.
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Morning departure for the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, one of the most important museums in the world and the largest in Greece, with the most complete collection of Hellenic art, from the Cyclades to the Classical era. Continue to the city center to watch the changing of the guard in front of Parliament. Your day ends with a visit to the typical neighborhoods of Plaka and Monastiraki.

Dinner and overnight at your hotel.
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Departure for the Argolid with a stop at the Corinth Canal, a spectacular 6 km-long 19th-century work of art
. Visit to the theater of Epidaurus, famous for its perfect acoustics and capacity for up to 14,000 spectators.

Continuation to Mycenae, with its famous Lion’s Gate giving access to the citadel: the royal tombs, the throne room, the great courtyard and a stop at the Treasury of Atreus (Agamemnon’s tomb). Transfer to Olympia.

Check-in and dinner at the Palais d’Olympie hotel or similar.
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Visit the archaeological site of Olympia, mythical site of the first Olympic Games: stadium, temples and museum reveal the grandeur of ancient Greece. Drive to Delphi.

Check-in and dinner at Hotel Anemolia or similar.
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Today’s program includes a visit to Delphi, considered the center of the ancient world: the Castalia spring, the temple of Apollo, the sacred way, the Roman Agora, the great altar, the theater and the museum housing the famous Aurige. At the end of the day, transfer to Kalambaka.

Check-in and dinner at Hotel Antoniades or similar.
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After breakfast, you’ll set off to visit the monasteries of Meteora, perched on vertiginous rocky peaks in a spectacular setting. Inside: Byzantine frescoes, icons, manuscripts and ossuaries. After your visit, take the road back to Athens.

Check-in and dinner at the International Hotel
or similar.
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Boarding at the port of Piraeus for a magnificent cruise to the islands of Hydra, Poros and Aegina. Discover the charm of car-free Hydra, with its 18th-century mansions, Poros and its pine forests, then Aegina, famous for its pistachios and colorful markets.

Then we come to the port, with its fish market and colorful
floating fruit and vegetable market.

Dinner and overnight at your hotel.
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After lunch, transfer to Athens airport for your flight to Heraklion (Crete). Visit of Heraklion, Crete’s largest city, a harmonious blend of Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman vestiges.

Check-in and dinner at the Astoria Capsis hotel or similar.
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Visit the Minoan palace of Knossos, center of the
Minoan civilization, built over 20,000 m², with its royal apartments and frescoes. Afterwards, visit the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, rich in artefacts from the Neolithic period to Roman times.

Afternoon city tour.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
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In the morning, departure for Arkadi monastery. One of the
symbols of Crete’s struggle for freedom and independence from the Turks. Next, a visit to Rethymnon, a city that impresses with its architecture, fountains, magnificent alleyways and colorful bouganvilles.

After this day, head for Chania and check into the Hotel Kydon or similar for dinner and overnight.
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On the menu today: a visit to Chania, the jewel of Crete, with its Venetian and Ottoman monuments: the lighthouse, the fortress, the covered market, St. Francis church and the Janissary mosque. From the Kastelli hill, you can enjoy a magnificent view of the port.

Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
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Free day

or

A day exploring the impressive Samaria Gorge, one of the longest in Europe. Full hike from the Omalos plateau (18 km) or shorter hike from Agia Roumeli (8 km). Discover spectacular scenery and the Church of St. Nicholas, built on the remains of a temple dedicated to Apollo.

Return to Chania for dinner and overnight at your hotel.
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After lunch, transfer to Heraklion airport for your flight to Athens. Afternoon free to do what you want!

Check-in and dinner at the International Hotel or similar.
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After breakfast, your transfer will take you to the airport for your return flight to Montreal.
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