- Greece Escorted Tours
- Greece: Temples, Legends & Timeless Landscapes with Athens City Stay
Step into the cradle of Western civilization on a journey through Greece’s most storied sites. From Athens’ marble masterpieces and the soaring rock pinnacles of Meteora to the oracle-haunted slopes of Delphi and the golden-era citadels of the Peloponnese, this immersive tour combines iconic landmarks with authentic Greek hospitality. Enjoy scenic drives framed by olive groves and sparkling seas, taste regional cuisine in traditional tavernas, and discover how myth and history intertwine at every turn.
Extend your stay in the historical city of Athens. Explore it's fascinating history at your own pace. With this extra time, you can explore world-class museums, relax in scenic cafés, or even take a day trip to nearby towns.
Dinner
Fly from the UK to Athens and transfer to your hotel. This evening, enjoy a welcome dinner and meet your fellow explorers.
Breakfast & Lunch
After breakfast, set out on a guided city tour showcasing Athens’ layered history. Pass Syntagma Square and the Parliament House, pause at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to witness the ceremonial changing of the guard, and admire the elegant neoclassical trio of the University, Academy, and National Library. Continue to the Acropolis to explore the Parthenon, Erechtheion, Temple of Athena Nike, and the Propylaea, all magnificent UNESCO-listed monuments. A leisurely lunch at a local restaurant follows. Spend the afternoon strolling the narrow lanes of Plaka, where pastel façades, small shops, and cafés capture the charm of old Athens. An optional excursion to Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon is available before returning for dinner on your own and overnight in Athens.
Breakfast & Lunch
Travel north through changing landscapes toward Thessaly. Stop at Thermopylae, the historic pass where Spartan King Leonidas and his 300 warriors faced the Persian army in 480 B.C. and view the monument honouring their valour. Continue to Meteora, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where colossal rock pillars rise dramatically from the plain. Visit one of the cliff-top Byzantine monasteries and enjoy a lunch highlighting Thessaly’s regional Flavors before settling in Kalambaka, the lively town at Meteora’s base, for dinner and your overnight stay.
Breakfast & Lunch
Begin with a visit to a workshop of Byzantine icons to learn about the techniques and symbolism behind these intricate religious artworks. Then ascend winding mountain roads to two Meteora monasteries. Marvel at fresco-covered chapels, centuries-old libraries, and the peaceful rhythm of Orthodox monastic life, all set against breathtaking panoramas of the Pindus range. Return to Kalambaka for an evening at leisure.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Travel south through mountain villages and pine-covered slopes to Delphi, once revered as the “Navel of the World.” Explore the celebrated archaeological site, including the Temple of Apollo, the ancient theatre with sweeping valley views, and the stadium where early Panhellenic games were held. Visit the Archaeological Museum to see treasures such as the famous Charioteer of Delphi. After lunch at a local restaurant, enjoy free time to wander the modern village or take in vistas of the olive-draped Anfissa valley and the Gulf of Corinth. Tonight includes dinner and overnight in Delphi.
Breakfast & Lunch
This morning, depart for the Peloponnese, pausing in Patras for a panoramic view of Saint Andrew’s Cathedral, the bustling port, and lively shopping streets. Continue to Olympia, birthplace of the Ancient Olympic Games. After lunch, tour the archaeological site to see the Olympic Stadium, the Temple of Zeus—once home to a Wonder of the Ancient World—and the Temple of Hera. Visit the Archaeological Museum to admire masterpieces such as the temple frieze of Zeus and the Hermes of Praxiteles before travelling onward to the coastal town of Tolo for your overnight stay.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Today you will head to Mycenae, the legendary Homeric city rich in gold and once the capital of King Agamemnon. Highlights include the iconic Lion Gate, the massive Cyclopean Walls, and the Tomb of Agamemnon, a remarkable example of Mycenaean funerary architecture. Following lunch at a local restaurant, continue to Epidaurus to explore its renowned 4th-century B.C. theatre, celebrated for its exceptional acoustics and still used today for the summer Classical Theatre Festival. The journey continues with a visit to an olive oil estate, where you’ll have the opportunity to taste local products. Tonight marks the end of your Hellenic Journey, enjoy a farewell meal with your fellow sojourners and your final night stay in Tolo.
Breakfast
Following breakfast, you shall make a brief stop at the Corinth Canal, a 19th-century engineering marvel connecting the Aegean and Ionian seas through a 6 km long narrow strait, before transferring to Athens for an additional 2 nights at leisure. Whether its more sight seeing or people watching in coffee shops, the choice is yours.
Breakfast
Spend this day at leisure. Whether that’s lounging at a rooftop terrace, browsing local shops, or revisiting a favourite historical site. As the sun sets, consider heading to a scenic viewpoint like Lycabettus Hill or a waterfront spot in Piraeus.
Breakfast
Following breakfast, transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK.
The order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. The schedules of the domestic airlines in country are subject to frequent changes. For this reason, we have indicated approximate times only. Your local guide will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them. The driving times listed are point to point and do not include the duration of excursions or stops en route. Some road construction and/or weather conditions may lengthen the driving times. Our intention is to adhere to the day-to-day itinerary as printed; however, order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions.
If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of £295.00pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.
Your passport must have a ‘date of issue’ less than 10 years before the date you arrive and have an ‘expiry date’ at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area.
You can travel without a visa to the Schengen area, which includes Greece, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa as a tourist.
We work closely with The Travel Visa Company who will be able to arrange your visa on your behalf. Please call them on 01270 250 590 and quote 'Mercury Holidays'. When calling the Travel Visa Company, they will advise you of any changes to the fees or the procedure, they will also advise you of all information they will require in order to apply for the visa. We recommend you check with your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy prior to departure for the most up to date guidelines regarding these.
Please note your final documentation will be sent to you approximately 21 days before departure. Check in baggage is included with your flight. Weight restrictions will be finalized on your final documentation. Should you wish to take additional luggage you will need to pay extra at check-in. Check-in should be at least 3 hours before departure. If you wish to arrange Airport car parking or accommodation at preferential rates, we recommend you book this in advance with Holiday Extras on 0333 188 0407, quoting HX313.
IMPORTANT: A printed E-ticket is no longer required at check-in; all you need to do is present your passport to the staff at the desk and your boarding pass will be given to you. Please note that you should carry your invoice with flight details on it as you will need to show this at the airport.
We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras. To arrange your travel insurance with Holiday Extras, please call 0333 188 0407 and quote 'WK830' for preferential rates. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24- hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.
It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include www.fco.gov.uk, http://travelhealthpro.org.uk/, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.
This tour is accessible to most people with an average level of fitness and normal mobility. It involves full days of sightseeing, early mornings, long days of driving, some days with lots of walking and includes some climbing of stairs and getting on and off coaches and boats. This tour is not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties.
The currency in Greece is the Euro (EUR) Credit cards are widely accepted and ATMs are available in most town/cities. We recommend that you exchange your currency before you leave the UK. It is advisable to carry smaller note denominations.
As normal practice you may be asked for your credit card details on check-in at the hotel in order to cover any extras incurred during your stay. If you do not have a credit card, you may be asked for a cash deposit. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels as well as American Express.
You will need to take extra money with you to cover any dinners where these are not mentioned on your itinerary and personal purchases. Approximately £300-£400 per person should be sufficient for the duration of your tour.
It is customary to tip both your driver and guide. We would recommend tipping your guide and driver approximately €20-25 Euros for the while trip. It is customary to tip your guides /drivers at the end of your time with them.
Tipping for restaurants is recommended at €2 euros per person and the porters at your hotels will be at your discretion, but generally €2 euros. Tips are accepted in the local currency.
The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 15, and the maximum will be 35. If in the unlikely event there are less than 15 people booked on your tour date, we will endeavour to reduce any disruption to your holiday and try to operate your tour with lower passenger numbers. If we are not able to operate your departure date then you may be asked to change to a different date and a full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.
There is no minimum number of travellers for this extension however the main tour passenger numbers will apply for the main part of the tour. If in the unlikely event there are less than the required number of people booked on your main tour date then you may be asked to change to a different date. A full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.
This is a fully escorted tour, meaning that you will be met on arrival by your guide who will remain with you for the duration of the tour, ensuring that you have first-hand knowledge at all times.
Your extended stay is not escorted by a tour guide and your time will be free to explore the area at your own pace. Transfers are included.
Your accommodation is selected for convenience, location, comfort or character. Hotel accommodation is generally rated as local three to four-star standard, but please note there is no international classification system for hotels, and differences in facilities and quality do exist between the UK and Indonesia. All group tours hotels have private bathroom facilities and air-conditioning, where needed. Rest assured that all accommodation used by Mercury Holidays is regularly inspected by our staff and partners to ensure that standards meet your needs.
Western and international food will be served however some establishments will serve traditional meals giving you a chance to experience local flavours.
Vegetarian and Vegan options available, please request prior to departure. Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information.
It is not recommended to drink the tap water, even in developed countries water may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way, so we recommend you drink bottled water.
For visits to the monasteries of Meteora: skirts/dresses for ladies and long trousers for gentlemen. In case you have forgotten to bring skirts/dresses and trousers with you, It is possible to purchase them at the monasteries for an additional cost of approximately €4-6 per person on the spot.
On your arrival you will be met by a representative from our local agent, Nueva Vista, holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays/Nueva Vista, representative will show you to your transfer vehicle. Your guide will be on hand 24 hours a day should you have any queries.
If you need to contact your representative during your stay the details are:
Maria Sigalou Telephone Number +306972861370
E-mail tours@nuevavista.gr