Ionian Delight

Ionian Delight

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9 Days From

$2420

Ionian Delight

9 Days Starting and ending in 37.981111,23.730125

Visiting: Greece

Tour operator:

Encounters Travel

Tour code:

302

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

1 - 26

Physical rating:

All Ages / Not applicable

Age range:

8-95

Special diets catered:

Request dietary needs

Tour operated in:

English
From: $2420

NB: Prices correct on 19-Sep-2024 but subject to change.

Tour Overview

The historic capital city of Athens is the starting and ending point for this 9-day tour of Greece. We launch our Greek adventure with a fully guided tour of the capital, and you will have the chance to visit the Acropolis and its Parthenon.
From the city, the tour will take you to the picturesque island of Zakynthos. Popular for its golden beaches and azure seas, Zakynthos provides countless opportunities for snorkelling and diving.
We will also visit the volcanic island of Santorini, which is widely acclaimed for its breath-taking scenery and beautiful sunsets. It's not hard to understand why it's considered to be one of the most romantic and stunning Greek islands.

Highlights

  • Athens City Tour including the Acropolis & Parthenon, Idyllic islands of Zakynthos and Santorini.

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1 : Day 1: Your Greek Tour Begins In Athens

Accommodation Name: Upon arrival at Athens Airport (ATH) you will be welcomed by one of our representatives and transferred from the airport to your four-star hotel. Centrally located, this hotel is the perfect spot to stroll around the ancient city, discover its iconic sigh

Day 2 : Day 2: Exploring Athens

Accommodation Name: The city tour will start at the Panathenaic Stadium-the site of the first modern-day Olympic Games in 1896. The next stops include the Parliament, the memorial of the Unknown Soldier, the Temple of the Zeus Olympian, the Arch of Hadrian, the National Libr

Day 3 : Day 3: Athens To Zakynthos

Accommodation Name: You'll be taken to the bus station this morning to take a bus to the port of Kyllini. From here, a ferry will take you to the amazing island of Zakynthos-the third largest in the Ionian Islands. Upon arrival, you will be picked up by our tour and taken to

Day 4 : Day 4: Exploring Zakynthos

Accommodation Name: You will be brought from your hotel to the port today and set off for your half-day cruise. With the wind of the sea in your hair, you'll head to the renowned Shipwreck Beach-this dramatic stretch of sand is made even more striking by the cliffs and spark

Day 5 : Day 5: Return To Athens

Accommodation Name: Returning to Athens, the tour will take you to the port for your ferry to Kyllini, and then you will return by bus to the city. Your driver will take you to the hotel at the station.You have the whole day at your disposal in Athens, so why not visit the o

Day 6 : Day 6: Athens To Santorini

Accommodation Name: Today we're heading for the enchanting island of Santorini. Santorini is associated with Greece, with its steep slope of huddled white homes, blue domed churches, and winding rows of stairs.You will be guided to your four-star hotel and then have a rest d

Day 7 : Day 7: Santorini

Accommodation Name: If you are looking for an adventure, the tour offers an optional boat ride to the world's largest volcanic crater above sea level. You will have the opportunity to see this active volcano, swim in the steaming waters and take a salutary mud bath.When you

Day 8 : Day 8: Return To Athens

Accommodation Name: You're going back to the mainland and you're going to the port for your ferry to Athens. You will be picked and dropped to your hotel in Athens. You have the rest of the day to check out more sights, visit some museums, pick up souvenirs and gifts, or fin

Day 9 : Day 9: Tour Ends

Accommodation Name: If you have some spare time before your flight, feel free to do some last-minute shopping. You will be moved from your hotel to the airport to take your flight back home.<STRONG> OVERNIGHT: </STRONG> <STRONG> MEALS: </STRONG> Breakfast<STRONG> EXTRAS:

What's Included

What's Not Included

    • International flights (available on request)
    • Visa fees
    • Travel insurance (compulsory, available on request)
    • Single room supplements (chargeable if a same-sex room share is not available)
    • Meals not indicated in the itinerary
    • Entrance fees to sites visited
    • Hotel residence tax (see tour notes)
    • Drinks, snacks and other personal expenses (e.g. laundry)
    • Tips for guide and driver
    • Port fees
    • Opti

More Info

The historic capital city of Athens is the starting and ending point for this 9-day tour of Greece. We launch our Greek adventure with a fully guided tour of the capital, and you will have the chance to visit the Acropolis and its Parthenon. From the city, the tour will take you to the picturesque island of Zakynthos. Popular for its golden beaches and azure seas, Zakynthos provides countless opportunities for snorkelling and diving. We will also visit the volcanic island of Santorini, which is widely acclaimed for its breath-taking scenery and beautiful sunsets. It's not hard to understand why it's considered to be one of the most romantic and stunning Greek islands.

Mode of Transport

AC car/minibus

Ferry

Accommodation

4-star and boutique hotels

Check out our Q&As

  • Are vaccinations required for this tour?

    You should ensure you are fully insured for medical emergencies including emergency evacuation and repatriation. UK travellers visiting other European Union countries including Greece should also carry the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) as it entitles travellers to reduced cost, sometimes free, medical treatment in most European countries.



    Recommended vaccinations and other health protection measures vary according to the country you are visiting and where you are travelling from. We recommend you contact your GP/medical practitioner or a travel clinic for current information on vaccinations needed for your destination.

    You should ensure that you are up to date with vaccines and boosters recommended for your normal life at home, including for example, vaccines required for occupational risk of exposure, lifestyle risks and underlying medical conditions. No additional courses or boosters are normally recommended for Greece though you could conside Tetanus and Tick-borne Encephalitis.



    More information is available here: Greece

    Malaria map - there is low to no risk of malaria in Greece, none in tourist areas.

    Yellow fever certificates are not required.

  • What is the tipping policy?

    Tipping is common practice in Greece, though not as extensive as in nearby Turkey. For basic restaurants, taxis and local markets, leave the loose change. For more up-market restaurants we suggest 5% to 10% of your bill. We include a 'tipping kitty' in your tour price which your tour guide/leader will use to tip a wide range of people along the way to help ensure the smooth running of the tour. This does not include your tour guide/leader, driver(s) or transfer staff though.



    Drivers: You may have a range of private drivers on your trip. For those you see for at least several days and who are more involved with the group, a tip of around EUR 1-2 per person per day is generally appropriate.

    Tour guide/tour leader: If you think you tour guide and/or tour leader has worked hard and provided a good service then s/he will appreciate a tip of a few Euros. How much you tip is subject to your satisfaction with their service and your personal budget. You should not feel pressured to tip any particular amount. As a guideline, we can suggest that for good service, a tip of EUR 3-5 per day for local tour guides or local tour leaders would be fine.

  • What is the maximum group size?

    This tour is offered as a private tour starting on any dates. The Athens sightseeing tours are arranged on a sharing basis, though they can be converted into private tours as well if you wish. Please contact us for details and prices.

  • What currencies are required for this tour?

    The currency in Greece is the Euro (EUR). 1 Euro = 100 Euro cents. Banknotes: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200. Euros Coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 Euro Cents and 1, 2.

    Credit Cards and Travellers Cheques are widely accepted in major cities and tourist resorts. ATMs are also accessible at all our destinations and generally offer the best exchange rate. A mixture of debit, credit cards and cash are the best forms of currency. You should split this up and keep some separately as a backup in case you lose your main money/cards.



    It is difficult for us to specify the amount of money that you will spend per day, however, as a general rule EUR 25 to 50 per day can provide you with additional meals, tipping, snacks & drinks. Should you wish to purchase many souvenirs or other luxuries, of which there is a diverse range, you will have to budget for these.

  • Do you require a visa for this holiday?

    Visa arrangements are the responsibility of the traveller, and requirements are subject to change by the local authorities.



    Some foreign nationals require a visa to enter Greece, though many do not (including UK, EUR, US, CA, AU, NZ, SA).

  • Is travel insurance compulsory?

    Yes! Travel insurance is compulsory on all of our tours and needs to cover personal accident & liability, medical expenses and repatriation, travel delay & abandonment. We also strongly recommend that you take out cover against cancellation and lost/stolen baggage. Personal medical insurance does not normally provide sufficient cover and is generally not suitable for travel on our tours. You will not be able to join your tour if you have not provided us with details of your insurance or if you arrive without cover in place (no refunds will be due in this event).

  • What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?

    You are always able to change your travel date. However, some charges may apply depending on how long before your departure you make the change. Our flexible booking conditions and reduced charges will apply if you are changing date because of a Covid-19 reason or because your government is advising against travel to your destination. Please check our detailed booking conditions for full details.

  • When is my balance payment due?

    60 days prior to departure

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    On most of our group tours, solo travellers may choose to form a temporary 'tour bubble' and share a room with another traveller of the same sex in the group. If a room share is not available then a single room supplement may be payable, with the costs for these kept as low as possible. We have also removed compulsory single supplements from many of our tours, and are reducing the cost by 50% on s

  • Can I transfer my booking to someone else?

    Customers may transfer their booking or any Credit on File to another person who satisfies all the relevant conditions to the tour, provided that we are notified not less than 7 days before departure, and the transferee agrees to these booking conditions and all other terms of the contract between us. The Client and new booker are jointly and severally responsible for any outstanding payments and a transfer administration fee of GBP50 / USD75 / CAD100 / AUD100 / NZD100 / EUR75 / ZAR1000 / INR5000 or GBP100 / USD150 / CAD200 / AUD200 / NZD200 / EUR150 / ZAR2000 / INR10,000 if the transfer is made less than 60 days before departure. Important Note: Certain arrangements may not be amended or transferred after they have been confirmed (for example flight tickets, Gorilla Permits) and any alteration could incur a cancellation and rebooking charge of up to 100% of that part of the arrangements.

Reviews from travellers on this tour

Lia Aiello  

local Guide

January 2020

Very professional and customer service oriented company. All of the staff I encountered were thoughtful, and accommodating. When there was a bit of a concern I had, I was not brushed off and treated rudely as I've experienced with other companies; my concern was addressed immediately in a fair manner. I highly recommend this tour company; they treat people with respect and honestly seem to want your trip to be the best it can be

Cristina Diniz  

Recommended Trip

October 2017

Love them! Very professional and caring service.

Captain_Philly  

8 day/7 night Taste of the Balkans Tour

May 2018

Overall I would recommend this tour. I first saw an ad for Encounters on the internet about a year ago and liked the variety of tours they offered as well as their reasonable prices. The idea of hitting 4 Balkan countries in one trip was appealing (along with the very reasonable price), so I booked it. The pros: I got to see A LOT... starting from Athens and moving up through Meteora, Tirana, Kotor, Budva, Dubrovnik, and finally Split. We did city tours, ancient ruins, the Parthenon, monasteries, forts, museums, excellent food and wine all along the way! The price was very good. Some hotels were better than others (Splendido in Kotor was awesome), but overall for the price I paid, it was more than worth it just for the hotels and transport for 7 days, let alone the guides. Speaking of the guides, Gorgi and Besmir were fantastic!! They were such great company, kept things running, offered great advice, and became my friends. Once the other 8 people or so went home, I enjoyed hanging out with them on the beach in Split on my last day just like old friends. The cons: Encounters is a large agency and subcontracts the guides/drivers in different countries, so you never know what you're gonna get - at least I can say that Gorgi and Besmir were awesome! Also, the group format can be rough because it's hard to get 10-15 people to agree on anything. Some folks in our group were definitely disappointed that due to a bad route plan we had to skip a fishing village or something. Also, some miscommunication on departure times caused some stress. The border crossings can be tricky because some Balkan cultures do not like or recognize others...so if that's the case you may have to wait and hour or two and be hassled (apparently Greece and Albania do not particular recognize Macedonian passports because they think it's not a real country). Lastly, while it was great seeing so much, it was very rushed... early departures in the morning followed by hours and hours in the van, border crossings, quick tours, hotel checkins, and a little free time each night. The title "Taste of the Balkans" is exactly that, a taste. Now that I know that I absolutely LOVE Montenegro and Croatia, I will return to those two places for a week each instead of spending one day here one day there.

1 Select your preferred date

Sunday - Monday

Sep 22, 2024 - Sep 30, 2024
$2515

Monday - Tuesday

Sep 23, 2024 - Oct 01, 2024
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Tuesday - Wednesday

Sep 24, 2024 - Oct 02, 2024
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Wednesday - Thursday

Sep 25, 2024 - Oct 03, 2024
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Thursday - Friday

Sep 26, 2024 - Oct 04, 2024
$2515

Friday - Saturday

Sep 27, 2024 - Oct 05, 2024
$2515

Saturday - Sunday

Sep 28, 2024 - Oct 06, 2024
$2515

Sunday - Monday

Sep 29, 2024 - Oct 07, 2024
$2515

Monday - Tuesday

Sep 30, 2024 - Oct 08, 2024
$2515

Tuesday - Wednesday

Oct 01, 2024 - Oct 09, 2024
$2420

Wednesday - Thursday

Oct 02, 2024 - Oct 10, 2024
$2420

Thursday - Friday

Oct 03, 2024 - Oct 11, 2024
$2420

Friday - Saturday

Oct 04, 2024 - Oct 12, 2024
$2420

Saturday - Sunday

Oct 05, 2024 - Oct 13, 2024
$2420

Sunday - Monday

Oct 06, 2024 - Oct 14, 2024
$2420

Monday - Tuesday

Oct 07, 2024 - Oct 15, 2024
$2420

Tuesday - Wednesday

Oct 08, 2024 - Oct 16, 2024
$2420

Wednesday - Thursday

Oct 09, 2024 - Oct 17, 2024
$2420

Thursday - Friday

Oct 10, 2024 - Oct 18, 2024
$2420

Friday - Saturday

Oct 11, 2024 - Oct 19, 2024
$2420

Saturday - Sunday

Oct 12, 2024 - Oct 20, 2024
$2420

Sunday - Monday

Oct 13, 2024 - Oct 21, 2024
$2420

Monday - Tuesday

Oct 14, 2024 - Oct 22, 2024
$2420

Tuesday - Wednesday

Oct 15, 2024 - Oct 23, 2024
$2420

Wednesday - Thursday

Oct 16, 2024 - Oct 24, 2024
$2420

Thursday - Friday

Oct 17, 2024 - Oct 25, 2024
$2420

Friday - Saturday

Oct 18, 2024 - Oct 26, 2024
$2420

Saturday - Sunday

Oct 19, 2024 - Oct 27, 2024
$2420

Sunday - Monday

Oct 20, 2024 - Oct 28, 2024
$2420

Monday - Tuesday

Oct 21, 2024 - Oct 29, 2024
$2420

Tuesday - Wednesday

Oct 22, 2024 - Oct 30, 2024
$2420

Wednesday - Thursday

Oct 23, 2024 - Oct 31, 2024
$2420

Thursday - Friday

Oct 24, 2024 - Nov 01, 2024
$2420

Friday - Saturday

Oct 25, 2024 - Nov 02, 2024
$2420

Saturday - Sunday

Oct 26, 2024 - Nov 03, 2024
$2420

Sunday - Monday

Oct 27, 2024 - Nov 04, 2024
$2420

Monday - Tuesday

Oct 28, 2024 - Nov 05, 2024
$2420

Tuesday - Wednesday

Oct 29, 2024 - Nov 06, 2024
$2420

Wednesday - Thursday

Oct 30, 2024 - Nov 07, 2024
$2420

Thursday - Friday

Oct 31, 2024 - Nov 08, 2024
$2420
Prices last published on 15-Sep-2024

Book with Confidence

  • Transfer as credit to Future Tours

    Encounters Travel allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform encounters travel, 60 days before departure.

  • Low Deposit

    Encounters Travel requires a minimum deposit of 150 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of encounters travel charges.

    Up to 61 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

    At 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 35% of booking price.

    At 41 days before tour starts: Forfeit 70% of booking price.

    At 27 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.

    At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.

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