Greece: The Signature Experience | Teen Travel Network

Greece

The Signature Experience

Athens, Central Greece & the Islands

The Experience

Explore the historic city of Athens and its many famous landmarks. Then, discover the scenic mainland of Greece before making your way to the islands, including Santorini!

Trip Highlights

PLEASE NOTE: THIS PROGRAM IS PLANNED FOR SUMMER 2024. IT IS NOT RUNNING DURING SUMMER 2023.

Visit the world-famous Acropolis and Temple of Poseidon
Embark upon an epic train ride through the remote mountains
Make your own Greek cuisine with a traditional cooking class

Explore the Santorini caldera via boat
Kayak over the “Sunken City”
Enjoy a day at the beach

Greece

The Signature Experience

Get a Printable Itinerary

Request a Free Catalog

Program Overview

Experience the best of both land and sea on your one-of-a-kind trip to Greece.

Take an in-depth tour of Athens and see its many wonders, both ancient and modern. Taste delicious Greek food prepared by experienced cooks for a sampling of truly inspired Greek cuisine.

Then journey beyond the city as you discover Central Greece. It might be a small nation, but Greece is a cultural treasure trove, and there’s hardly a turn you can make without running into another scenic vista to behold.

Then make your way through the Greek islands, including world-famous Santorini. After all, no trip to Greece is complete without an expedition to the Mediterranean Sea, which has influenced this country over the eons.

Find uncrowded and relatively free-from-tourists locations off the beaten path while you’re here. With Teen Travel Network, you’ll experience authentic Greece, and discover a side of the country usually a secret to everyone but locals.

KEY DESTINATIONS

REGION: EUROPE

COUNTRY: GREECE

CITY: ATHENS

ISLAND: SANTORINI

Greece

The Signature Experience

Get a Printable Itinerary

Request a Free Catalog

AT TEEN TRAVEL NETWORK, YOU'RE NOT ONLY TAKING A JOURNEY IN MILES, BUT A JOURNEY OF SHARED EXPERIENCES AND SELF-DISCOVERY.

PROGRAM ITINERARY

THIS ITINERARY IS AN APPROXIMATION OF THE OVERALL PROGRAM EXPERIENCE. THE ORDER OF ACTIVITIES ON YOUR TRIP MAY CHANGE.
IF A PARTICULAR SCHEDULED EXPERIENCE IS CANCELED, WE MAY REPLACE IT WITH AN ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITY.

Day 1: Arrival

Welcome to Greece!

Staff will greet you at the airport with open arms, and the group will head to our hotel to settle in and start getting to know one another.

Learn more about this fascinating country and go over rules and group expectations at an orientation.

We’ll enjoy our first group dinner before heading to bed early to ensure we get ample rest for our first proper day of adventure!

Day 2: Athens

After breakfast we’ll head out to explore the city. In Athens, you’ll find breathtaking sights around every corner.

Visit the Acropolis, then enjoy an afternoon tour of the historic center–get familiar with the city’s landmarks at a relaxed pace.

Later, we’ll get familiar with Greek cuisine through a hands-on cooking experience, complete with a trip to a local food market to shop for ingredients.

We’ll prepare a mouthwatering, five-course meal with a local expert.

Day 3: Athens → Delphi

After breakfast, we’ll head to Delphi, a town that shares its name with the famous UNESCO World Heritage archaeological site.

These ancient ruins attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year due to their historical significance and beautiful surroundings.

We’ll also visit the museum on site, home to some of the most important works of Greek art.

Next, we’ll get our blood pumping with a hike through the picturesque Delfi hills, winding through olive groves and rocky outcroppings until we arrive at our final destination: a local olive farm that will have lunch waiting for us!

Once we’ve eaten our fill, head south to the coastal town of Itea, which will be our home for the night.

Day 4: Itea → Kalavryta

Time to hit the road again! We’ll continue south to Kalavryta, crossing between the gulfs of Corinth and Petras.

We’ll take the scenic Odontotos railway to town.

Take in gorgeous scenery of the Vouraikos Gorge as we climb to this unique Greek town.

Upon our arrival, learn more about the monastery of Agia Lavra, which was originally built in 961 AD, but rebuilt several times throughout history.

Learn more about the turbulent history of this ancient edifice.

Day 5: Kalavryta → Nafplio

Continue our journey with a stop at the coastal city of Nafplio, Greece’s first capital city and the perfect location for a game of Mystery Hunt.

This is a great way to see the beautiful old town center of this historically rich city.

Settle in to our accommodations and enjoy a low-key evening spending time together and engaging in discussion on what we have learned of Greece so far.

Day 6: Nafplio → Athens

Today we are in for a treat! Kayak from the beach to the middle of Vatika Bay to check out the “sunken city” two meters below us.

Epidaurus, built in 1200 BC, is well-preserved and clearly visible in the clear waters of the bay.

Paddle above the remains and enjoy breathtaking views of the verdant Methana Volcano in the distance as you imagine what life may have been like for the city’s original inhabitants thousands of years ago.

After our adventure, we’ll load up and strike out for Athens, enjoying lunch along the way. Athens will once again be our home for the night.

Day 7: Athens → Santorini

Island time! This morning we’ll hop a “fast ferry” to the famous island of Santorini, perhaps the most well known of the Greek islands.

With its iconic whitewashed buildings perched atop the caldera, amazing views of the sea and beaches straight out of a postcard, Santorini is hard to top.

We’ll kick off our visit with a tour showcasing the island’s best: medieval villages, a gorgeous peak with showstopping views and photo ops galore are all on the agenda today.

Wrap up the evening with dinner and a view of one of Santorini’s signature sunsets over the village of Oia. (You’ll want your cameras for this one!)

Day 8: Santorini

A visit to Santorini isn’t complete without a caldera cruise. (A caldera is the depression left behind after a volcanic eruption–the islands in the Santorini group are actually the protruding rim of an underwater volcano!).

We’ll hop aboard at the picturesque old port of Fira, bound for the Nea Kameni volcano. Disembark and climb through the barren and rocky terrain to the rim of the volcanic crater, marveling at the layers of earth visible on the steep inner walls of the caldera.

You may see some small, active craters along the way as well, made evident by the steam and vapors escaping them.

Take some time to enjoy the sea as our boat docks off the quiet island of Thirassia, the second largest of the complex of islands forming the caldera, giving you the opportunity to escape into its crystal clear and refreshing blue waters.

Tonight we’ll feast on a traditional Greek barbecue buffet prepared by the crew before returning to Santorini.

Day 9: Santorini → Syros

Island hopping! Take another ferry to Syros, capital of the Cyclades island group and one of Greece’s best-kept secrets.

We’ll get off the beaten path with a walking tour down marble streets through quaint neighborhoods.

Appreciate the diverse landscape that awaits. You may feel as though you’ve stepped back in time as you take in the island’s characteristic terraces and walk through the narrow streets of town. The natural beauty of the place is unrivaled.

After our long walk, relax in our accommodations and turn in early after a hearty meal.

Day 10: Syros

We’ll see more of Syros today, this time from above.

Alithini village towers above the harbor below, and offers amazing views of Syros, and, on a clear day, the neighboring islands as well.

Later, we’ll log some beach time and relax in the sand and swim in the warm waters of the Aegean Sea.

Day 11: Syros → Athens

Because one day at the beach simply isn’t enough, we’ll spend the morning back at it before bidding Syros goodbye and making our way back to Athens for the final few days of our adventure.

We’ll arrive back on the mainland in the evening and enjoy some free time before turning in for the night.

Day 12: Athens area

On our final day, we’ll take a day trip outside of the city for one last hurrah.

Spend the morning at Lake Vouoliagmeni, a thermal saltwater lake known for its supposed healing properties.

After lunch, explore the Temple of Poseidon at the southernmost point of Attica. Made entirely of white marble, it was erected in the middle of the 5th century BC and built to honor Poseidon, god of the sea.

You will be mesmerized by the blankets of blues, reds and oranges that engulf the temple as the sun descends into the sea.

After our visit at the archaeological site, we’ll celebrate with a farewell dinner at a traditional taverna situated at the bottom of the temple. Reminisce together about the incredible time we had together and all that we learned during this unique experience.