Athens and Santorini Tour

Welcome to Athens! Our local driver will wait for you at Athens International Airport ahead of your arrival. Then you will be escorted to the hotel. In the rest of the day, you could either have a good rest in the hotel or stroll around on your own.

➤ Recommendations for Early Arrival
Walk 20 minutes south from your hotel to the old town Plaka if you are still full of beans. You may find the old town full of distinctive Turkish flavor with many restaurants and specialty bars filling the streets. Delve into the Hadrian’s Gate and the Roman Agora of Athens nearby if time permits. Then find a favorite roadside restaurant to enjoy a meal or have a taste of an authentic Greek ice cream. Lartecono Davinci Gelato, with delicious ice creams in rich flavor and reasonable prices, is a good choice. Have a waffle ice cream or a smoothie with a choice of pistachio, vanilla or mango flavors to your taste. A cup of three flavors of ice cream charges about €7.

➤ Taxi Tips
1. Taxi fares: The initial fee is €1.8 and then €0.9 per kilometer, and it hops to €1.25 per kilometer from midnight to 5 am. The minimum fare is €4.
2. Taxi apps: The most popular taxi hailing app in Athens is "FreeNow". "Taxiplon" and "Uber" work here, too.
3. Taxi stand: Piatsa is the local taxi stand. Several famous piatsas in central Athens can be found on Syntagma Square, Monastiraki Square and Klafthmonos Square.

Accommodation: Brown Acropol, Athens (4 stars) or similar

Good morning! You will meet our experienced guide in the hotel lobby and then start to visit the “Neoclassical Trilogy”: the Academy of Athens, the highest research institution in Greece, and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and National Library of Greece. Then the Syntagma Square and the Monument of the Unknown Soldier will be visited in turn. The monument commemorates the unknown heroes who died in the war 400 years ago. The two sides of the monument are engraved with "Here is the tomb of the outstanding soldiers of the world" and "The bed of the unknown soldiers". You may encounter the changing ceremony of the Presidential Guard, which displays every day on the hour, with a more solemn one every Sunday at 11 am. The movements of the guards are exaggerated, but solemn, showing the respect for the unknown heroes.

Then follow your guide to the Acropolis, which represents the pinnacle of ancient Greek architectural complex and sculpture. Surrounded by cliffs 70 to 80 meters high on three sides, it can only be walked up from the west. The path to the Acropolis and the inside roads are stony, so wear comfortable sneakers; and it’s open-air with no shade, so it’s better to wear sunscreen. Get insight into the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Parthenon and Eechtheion, among which the Parthenon, the temple dedicated to Athena, is the core building of the Acropolis.

Then we’ll head to the Panathenaic Stadium, the horseshoe-shaped arena capable of holding tens of thousands of spectators. It used to host the Panathenian Games in honor of the goddess Athena in ancient times and was rebuilt in 1895 for the first modern Olympic Games which was held the following year. It’s the only major stadium in the world built entirely of marble, which makes the stadium still solid enough after more than 100 years. In 2004, it was even used as the finishing spot for Marathon of the Athens Olympic Games. Standing at the starting line, imagine the scene of world's top athletes competing and feel the pride of the world champion on the podium. After that, head to the Temple of Olympian Zeus, which was built in honor of the Greek god Zeus and is famous for its ivory and gold statues. Opposite is the Hadrian's Gate, the triumphal arch of the Roman era.

Then after a 1.5-hour drive, we’ll arrive at the Cape Sounion, our last destination today. You will see the Temple of Poseidon and enjoy the marvelous sunset on the Aegean Sea. In the end, we’ll escort you back to the hotel.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Brown Acropol, Athens (4 stars) or similar

After breakfast, the local driver will pick you up from the hotel and drive to Porto Pires to take a boat to Santorini departing in the early morning. Arriving at the destination in 7.5 hours, head to the hotel for check-in. The afternoon is free for you to arrange your own schedule, like relaxing in the hotel or strolling around to buy some good souvenirs.
➤ Note: We’ll be at your disposal to upgrade a flight from Athens to Santorini if you are not good with the long boat ride. The flight will take around 50 minutes.

➤ Early Arrival Recommendations in Santorini
Enjoy the afternoon at leisure in Fira, a picturesque town of Santorini famous for its blue-roofed churches, white buildings and spectacular views of the Aegean Sea. Please wear comfortable non-slip shoes as the roads are with slippery cobblestones. Knock around small shops selling Greek handicrafts, hats and postcards. Explore the archaeological museum and art galleries. A donkey ride on the winding cliff roads is a different experience. Or you can take a cable car or hike to the foot of the cliff to admire the stunning sunset over the sea. On this brightly lit night, end the day with a nice dinner or ordering a glass of wine in a bar with a cozy atmosphere, dipping yourself into soft music.

➤ Dinner Recommendation in Santorini
Enjoy a local tasty dinner and a yummy specialty Greek yogurt in Onar Restaurant Bar Santorini, 5 minutes’ walk north from the Three Bells of Fira. It’s a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant with loyal repeat customers. Moussaka, fried pita with tzatziki sauce, grilled octopus and Greek salad are all delicious. It costs €35-45 per person and can be paid by card.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Philippion Boutique Hotel, Santorini (4 Stars) or similar

Spend today exploring the renowned Santorini Island! After breakfast, a bus will come to pick you up and send you to the Athinios Port to board a boat to the Volcano of Santorini. The island is covered with volcanic rocks, making it an uneven and unique landscape. Wear comfortable sneakers and sunscreen. After touring around the crater, return to the boat and head to the nearby hot spring. When the boat stop near the spring, you can jump into the sea and swim to the hot spring and relax for a while. Bring your bath towel and avoid wearing light colored swimsuit, as it’s a sulfur hot spring and light colored clothes would get stained. Then we'll move on to the next attraction, Thirasia Island, where you can have a delicious lunch.

After that, take a boat to the Ammoudi Bay. After disembarking at about 5 pm, you can choose to walk or ride a donkey to the town of Oia, where you could enjoy the most beautiful sunset in the world. At the end of the day, return back to the hotel.
➤ Location and Dressing Tips for Photo-taking:
Ladies are recommended to wear skirts with flowing materials, mainly in light colors such as soft pink, light yellow or beige. Men can wear shirts in black, white, gray or plain patterned and slacks in solid color. Several spots are perfect for photo-taking:
1. 3 Blue Domes: There’s a path facing the jewelry store Thomas at the end of the coastal path west of the Central Square. Walk along this path and you’ll find it.
2. Oia Castle: Go along the main road into town from the post office. This is the perfect spot for you to take pictures of the sunset, windmills and night lights.
3. Pink Stairs: The pink stairs are near Oia Castle. Search for the Kastro Restaurant on Google map to find it.
4. Arch of Blue and White: Located in the south of Oia, it can be easily seen on the roadside when you’re walking along the town's main road.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Philippion Boutique Hotel, Santorini (4 Stars) or similar

Enjoy the morning at leisure on your own. In the afternoon, you will be escorted by the local driver to the port of Santorini and take a boat back to Athens. After 7 and a half hours, you’ll arrive near midnight and be picked up by the local driver at the port and sent to the hotel.

➤ Recommendations for Free Morning in Santorini
Delve into the Monastery of Profitis Ilias this morning. Take a taxi and after about 20 minutes’ drive southeast you’ll arrive at the monastery located on the top of the mountain. Admire a panoramic view of the entire island and even the mountains of Crete on a clear day, more than 100 kilometers away. The monastery offers some locally produced wine and olive oil for visitors to taste. If you want a cozy time on the beach, go to the famous black beach - Kamari Beach or Perissa Beach. The former one is great for swimming and sunbathing, and the latter has a variety of water sports. Both beaches can be reached by bus which takes about 20 minutes to half an hour, and the bus station is about a 15-minute walk north of your hotel.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Brown Acropol, Athens (4 stars) or similar

Say farewell to your Athens to Santorini tour today. At the agreed time, our local driver will meet you at the hotel lobby and transfer you to Athens International Airport. Wish you a nice trip back home!

➤ Later Flight Recommendations
Take a 20 more minutes' walk southeast from your hotel to the green paradise, National Garden, free of charge, with tree-lined avenues and shady terraces, towering palm trees, antique bridges and cool fountains. You may find cute turtles slowly crawling in the ponds. Explore the small zoo and botanical museum inside the Garden.

Collins Canal, ruins of the Ancient City of Collins, as well as Cape Sounion and Temple of Poseidon are all great spots around Athens to see. If you are interested, feel free to contact us to add a one-day guided tour. If you’re longing to extend your trip to Turkey, Cyprus, Italy or other European countries, please let us make you a hassle-free travel plan.

Meal: Breakfast