Wonders of the Aegean: Athens, Crete and Santorini 2024

Picture yourself in the fashionable town of Oia on the beautiful island of Santorini sitting on a slightly breezy rooftop restaurant sipping a cocktail and listening to new age music while the sun softly sets on the colorful horizon.  Without equivocation, I can guarantee that this will be one of the most magical experiences of your life.  Centered in the heart of the Aegean, Santorini has been called one of the most romantic places on earth by Travel and Leisure Magazine--and for good reason!  The island was once a huge volcano that exploded around the year 1645 B.C., leaving an eight mile wide picturesque caldera embraced by a rim of cliffs composed of volcanic ash.  Perched along and on top of these cliffs are whitewashed, blue-domed buildings that comprise several of the towns of the island, including Oia, Fira and Firastefani.  These scenic settlements offer spectacular views and teem with life; tavernas, churches, quality shops and bars provide an exciting playground for lovers of nightlife.  Sun worshipers can find their way to the nearby black sand beach of Kamari to work on a tan befitting the Greek gods.  And for the history buff, a visit to the remains of the 3700 year-old town of Akrotiri will provide a stimulating glimpse into the life of ancient Cycladic culture.  In short, Santorini is one of those few places that you will remember and talk about for the rest of your life.  This ArawjoTours Aegean Wonders 2016 package provides you with the opportunity to spend three nights on this paradisaical island.

Santorini is just one of our three stops on this twelve day journey through the Aegean.  We will in fact begin our tour with three nights in Athens at the Divani Palace Acropolis Hotel which is located at the base of the famous Athenian citadel.  We will have a guided tour of the Acropolis and city, including visits to the Parthenon, Erechthuim, Constitution Square, Olympic Stadium and more.  You will also be provided with the opportunity to go on an optional half day excursion to Capes Sounion to see the magnificent Temple of Poseidon.  In addition to these activities, you will have free time to visit the Plaka (the pedestrian dining and shopping zone around the Acropolis), the flea market and/or any one of a number of museums in the city.   There is also Mt. Lycabettus  which you can ascend by funicular in order to catch some fantastic views of the city. When you are in the archaeological heart of Athens, you will be impressed by the architectural accomplishments of the ancient Greeks.  The Parthenon itself is a triumph of aesthetic engineering.  You will quickly come to realize why the statesman Pericles once called Athens "the school of Hellas."

Following our stay in Athens, we will fly to the marvelous island of Crete, where we will spend five nights just outside the well-preserved Venetian town of Chania. Crete is known for its cultural and environmental diversity--there are Greek, Roman, Turkish, Venetian and Native Cretan influences and the topography is green, mountainous and very fertile, unlike the dry and rocky landscape of many other Greek islands.  In addition to a half day tour of the old town of Chania, your Greek tour manager will offer one or more optional excursions in the local area in order for you to appreciate the richness and beauty of this magnificent island.  After our lovely stay in Chania, we will travel to the island’s Capital, Heraklion, to visit the famous 3500 year old Palace of Knossos, which was the center of Minoan power in the ancient world.  Considered to be the first European civilization, Knossos is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. We will spend one night in Heraklion, where you can enjoy dinner in the charming and bustling Old Town before our transfer by boat the following day to the island of Santorini (described above), where we will spend the last three nights of our tour.

I must tell you without reservation that Greece is really my favorite travel destination. It has everything: incredible ancient ruins, fantastic museums, friendly people, delicious Mediterranean cuisine, and spellbinding natural scenery, particularly in Crete and Santorini. You will feel alive and in tune with the beauty of the Aegean. This is not a cruise, where you stop for a few hours at an island and then claim you have been there; we do things the right way when it comes to Greece—nothing can match an evening on the cliffs of Santorini or a lovely dinner in the town of Chania. We have operated this tour for well over 20 years, and have taken hundreds of people to Athens, Crete, and Santorini. No one is left indifferent to this experience and many of our travelers have told us that the trip was one of the best experiences of their lives.

WONDERS OF THE AEGEAN TOUR FEATURES: The Wonders of the Aegean fully-escorted Greece package includes: Round trip trans-Atlantic air on Emirates Airlines from Newark to Athens; all transfers to/from airports/ports and hotels inside Greece; three nights in the five star Divani Palace Acropolis Hotel with breakfast daily; a half day guided tour of Athens and the Parthenon; an optional half day tour to Cape Sounion; domestic Aegean air transportation from Athens to Chania, Crete; four nights near Chania in the four stars Cretan Dream Royal Hotel with breakfast daily; a half day guided tour of the Old Town of Chania; one night in Heraklion at the Atlantis Hotel; a half day guided tour of the Palace of Knossos; ferry transportation from Heraklion to the island of Santorini; three nights in the first class Santorini Palace Hotel with breakfast daily and a complimentary dinner on the first evening; a half day guided tour of Akrotiri and the Fira Archaeological Museum; an optional full day volcano, caldera and Oia cruise on a private traditional boat; and air transportation on Aegean Air from Santorini to Athens. The tour also includes a full time licensed Greek tour manager/guide, and an ArawjoTours tour representative. You will be in excellent hands throughout the trip.