Grand Tour of Greece - 10 Days
Grand Tour of Greece - 10 Days
Grand Tour of Greece - 10 Days
10 Days Starting and ending in Athens
Visiting: Athens, Corinth Canal, Olympia, Delphi, Kalabaka, Thessaloniki
Tour operator:
Recommended For:
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
2 - 45
Age range:
Children aged up to 12 are welcome on these tours. However please note that finding family rooms for 2 adults and 2 children is not easy - so please check with the Ground Handler before confirming the booking.
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians, Please contact On The Go Tours with specific dietary requests
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
Embark on your own grand tour of discovery on this 10-day journey of Greece, taking us from ancient Athens to Thessaloniki through the sanctuaries, monasteries, monuments, and stunning landscapes at the heart of this cradle of Western civilization.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Athens
Location: Athens
Welcome to Greece! Transfer to your hotel upon arrival at Athens airport, where you may spend the rest of the day at leisure.
Day 2 : Athens
Location: Athens
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today we embark on a tour of Greece's vibrant capital city, named after the goddess Athena and thought to be over 3000 years old. We visit various sites of interest including the Panathenaic Stadium (where the first modern Olympics were held in 1896), Hadrian's Arch, and Syntagma Square. Afterwards we go back in time with a guided visit of the Acropolis, the ancient hilltop sanctuary housing the architectural masterpieces of Classical Athens: the Parthenon, Propylaia, Temple of Athena Nike, and Erechtheion. This is followed by a guided tour of the Acropolis Museum, recently voted one of the best museums in the world. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure in the old Plaka neighbourhood and maybe shopping for souvenirs on Ermou street.
Day 3 : Olympia
Location: Corinth Canal, Olympia
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Athens - Epidaurus - Mycenae - Olympia. After breakfast, we depart towards the Peloponnese, the rocky peninsula home to many of Greece's greatest archaeological sites. First we stop at the gaping Corinth Canal, a narrow waterway separating the Peloponnese and Greek mainland. We continue to Epidaurus, a hub of ancient healing with a theatre famed for its acoustics.
After a short seaside stop in Nafplion, we visit Mycenae, the ancient civilization described by Homer as "rich in gold" and excavated by Heinrich Schliemann. The site includes the towering Cyclopean walls, the beehive tomb of Agamemnon, and the famous Lion's Gate. In the afternoon, we cross the mountains of the Peloponnese to arrive in Olympia for dinner.
Day 4 : Olympia
Location: Delphi, Olympia
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Olympia - Delphi. Built on the banks of the River Alfios, the lush green sanctuary of Olympia once housed the original ancient Olympic Games, held every four years in honour of Zeus. Today we enjoy a tour through its remains, including the Temple of Zeus, the Palaestra, and Phidias's workshop. We continue onto the local museum which houses the impressive statue of Hermes of Praxitelis. In the afternoon, we head north around Patras, over the Rio-Antirio bridge, to Delphi for dinner.
Day 5 : Delphi
Location: Delphi, Kalabaka
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Delphi - Kalambaka. The sanctuary at Delphi was revered in antiquity as a center of pilgrimage, home to the Pythia (Oracle) in the Temple of Apollo. We walk along the Sacred Way - the path followed by ancient visitors through the sanctuary. We then visit the local museum, where we'll find the bronze Charioteer statue and the omphalos stone. Afterwards, we cross the mountains of central Greece back to the mainland, to arrive in Kalambaka.
Day 6 : Kalambaka
Location: Thessaloniki, Kalabaka
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Kalambaka - Thessaloniki. This morning we visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Meteora. Incredible rock formations stand ageless on the landscape, hiding a number of Eastern Orthodox monasteries which have provided sacred retreat for monks over the centuries. We continue driving north through the plain of Thessaly and Valley of Tempi, and under Mount Olympus, home to the 12 gods of Greek mythology, before arriving in Thessaloniki, the capital of northern Greece.
Day 7 : Thessaloniki
Location: Thessaloniki
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
We spend the morning exploring the city of Thessaloniki, visiting its most important landmarks and monuments to get a sense of its rich Byzantine past. Afternoon at leisure.
Day 8 : Thessaloniki
Location: Thessaloniki
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Today we explore the history of Greek Macedonia. First we stop at the town of Edessa, framed by several beautiful waterfalls. Our next stop is Aristotle's School, where the great philosopher educated a young Alexander the Great. We then find the royal Macedonian tombs at Vergina, where Alexander's father Philip II is buried. Our final stop will be at Veria, where we'll see the Bema of St. Paul, colourful market, and Jewish neighbourhood. We return to Thessaloniki for dinner.
Day 9 : Thessaloniki
Location: Thessaloniki
Meals Included: Breakfast
Thessaloniki - Pella - Dion - Athens. Our journey through Macedonian history continues with a visit to Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia and birthplace of Alexander. The site at Pella is known for its exquisite floor mosaics and features a new museum. We then drive to the archaeological park of Dion, an ancient Macedonian sanctuary at the foot of Mount Olympus. We return to Athens for our final night, stopping at Thermopylae, where Leonidas and 300 Spartans made a heroic last stand against the Persians in 480 BC.
Day 10 : Athens
Location: Athens
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today marks the end of our grand tour of Greece. A transfer to the airport for your departure flight is included after breakfast.
What's Included
-
Accommodation
4 star hotels
-
9 nights 4 star hotels
-
9 breakfasts and 6 dinners
-
One arrival transfer on Day 1 and one departure transfer on Day 10 included per booking
-
Guided sightseeing in Athens, Olympia, Delphi, Meteora, Thessaloniki
-
Entrance fees for all included sites
-
Services of an English-speaking tour guide for all scheduled sightseeing
-
All transfers and transportation in modern air conditioned vehicles
-
Note: Touring is operated in conjunction with other tourist groups, not solely On The Go. You will join travellers who booked through other operators for sightseeing each day, some staying in different hotels, and spend your evenings at leisure. The group
What's Not Included
-
International flights and visas
-
A hotel tax of €3.00 per room per night to be paid directly to the hotel at time of check in. Please budget Euro 27, for the duration of the tour. See Trip Notes additional info for details
-
Tipping - an entirely personal gesture
-
A hotel tax of €3.00 per room per night to be paid directly to the hotel at time of check in. See Trip Notes additional info for details
Age Policy
Children aged up to 12 are welcome on these tours. However please note that finding family rooms for 2 adults and 2 children is not easy - so please check with the Ground Handler before confirming the booking.
Check out our Q&As
-
Are airport transfers included in this tour?
One arrival transfer on Day 1 and one departure transfer on Day 10 included per booking
-
Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
-
What is the standard of the hotels on this tour?
4 star hotels
-
What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Ensuring our footprint is light and that the benefits of travelling reach the local communities you visit is paramount to us. We’re proud to say that when travelling with us, the large majority of your holiday funds remain within the countries you visit, supporting local economies at a grass roots level.
-
How long has the tour company been trading?
Since 1998
-
Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?
With English-speaking tours, it's not a huge surprise that most on our travellers are from English-speaking countries or have English as their second language. Our group tours cater for everyone from 18 years old to 70+
-
Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
Reviews from travellers on this tour
1 Select your preferred date
Tuesday - Thursday
Sep 24, 2024 - Oct 03, 2024Wednesday - Friday
Sep 25, 2024 - Oct 04, 2024Tuesday - Thursday
May 06, 2025 - May 15, 2025Wednesday - Friday
May 07, 2025 - May 16, 2025Tuesday - Thursday
May 20, 2025 - May 29, 2025Wednesday - Friday
May 21, 2025 - May 30, 2025Tuesday - Thursday
Jun 10, 2025 - Jun 19, 2025Wednesday - Friday
Jun 11, 2025 - Jun 20, 2025Tuesday - Thursday
Jun 24, 2025 - Jul 03, 2025Wednesday - Friday
Jun 25, 2025 - Jul 04, 2025Tuesday - Thursday
Jul 08, 2025 - Jul 17, 2025Wednesday - Friday
Jul 09, 2025 - Jul 18, 2025Tuesday - Thursday
Sep 09, 2025 - Sep 18, 2025Wednesday - Friday
Sep 10, 2025 - Sep 19, 2025Tuesday - Thursday
Sep 16, 2025 - Sep 25, 2025Wednesday - Friday
Sep 17, 2025 - Sep 26, 2025Tuesday - Thursday
Sep 23, 2025 - Oct 02, 2025Wednesday - Friday
Sep 24, 2025 - Oct 03, 2025Book with Confidence
-
Transfer as credit to Future Tours
On The Go Tours allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform on the go tours, 60 days before departure.
-
Low Deposit
On The Go Tours requires a minimum deposit of 500 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 on the go tours charges.
Up to 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 59 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
Enquire for huge savings
Rated 5* on Trust Pilot & ABTA Protected.