Have you thought about embarking on an exciting journey for a few days to a week to experience the very best of Greece? Have a look at my carefully selected multi-day tours and find out the pros, cons, and unique aspects of these tours. Visit Greece’s most incredible UNESCO World Heritage ancient sites, discover authentic Greek flavors, relax on the best of the stunning beaches that line the Greek coast, and experience the thrill of sailing the Greek Islands.
Why have a ‘regular’ holiday when you can experience wonderful at a very reasonable price? These are the highest quality and best value small group multi-day tours to see the highlights of Greece.
I think you’ll be amazed at how low some of these prices are. Bear in mind that some don’t include dinner and in fact, the number of ‘inclusions’ varies widely.
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Best Ancient Sites Tour:
Mainland Ancient, Classical, and Byzantine Greece
Take a 7-day tour from Athens to Mycenae, Epidaurus, Olympia, Delphi & Meteora
Best Greek Islands Tour:
From Lefkada: 7-Day Island Hopping Sailing Boat Cruise
Take a 7-day tour from Lefkada around the Ionian Islands
Tours of the Greek Mainland and Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is most easily discovered in Athens, the Peloponnese, and just north of the Peloponnese, at Delphi. Most tours will begin and end in Athens.
1. Mainland Ancient, Classical, and Byzantine Greece – 6 nights
This tour gets through an awful lot in one day: From Athens to the Corinth Canal, Theater of Epidaurus, Nafplio, Mycenae, and then over to the western Peloponnese to Olympia.
The next day you visit Ancient Olympia then drive through central Greece to Delphi. This is a nice rhythm for the tour, as the next day you visit Ancient Delphi then it’s on to Meteora which you explore the following morning before arriving in Thessaloniki for dinner.
After a walking tour, on Day 4, you’re left alone to explore the city for the day. Day 5 is unique of the tours being offered in Greece. It’s a day trip into northern Greece to the most important UNESCO World Heritage sites and some lovely old villages and markets.
Day 6 is also unique. On the way back to Athens you visit Ancient Pella and Ancient Dion, arriving in the city late afternoon.
If I could add one thing, it would be Ancient Corinth, and I’d like to take the first day a little slower and stay in Nafplio instead of Olympia.
But, this tour is incredible value and there’s nothing else like it on the market.
2. From Athens: Explore Ancient Greece 4-Day Tour
Take a 4-day tour from Athens to Mycenae, Epidaurus, Olympia, Delphi & Meteora. This is the best tour to get you around the most significant sites of mainland Greece.
Like the tour above, Day 1 of this tour travels from Athens to the Corinth Canal, the Theater of Epidaurus, Nafplio, Mycenae, and then over to the western Peloponnese to Olympia.
Day 2 explores Ancient Olympia then travels to Delphi. There’s a visit to the mountain village of Arachova, before returning to Delphi for dinner.
Day 3 explores Ancient Delphi and then spends the night in Kalambaka in the shadow of the Meteora mountains before exploring the Meteora monasteries on Day 4. The tour concludes in Athens on the afternoon of Day 4.
3. From Ioannina, self-guided hiking tour – 6 nights
On this self-guided tour, all of the arrangements are taken care of, and you can travel at your own pace. You leave from Ioannina on the first day, making your way to Kipi village for dinner and your hotel stay.
Day 2 is a round trip from Kipi Village to Vradeto Village and then the Beloi viewing point over Vikos Gorge. Then it’s on to the rock steps of Vradeto before crossing the Kontodimou Bridge for dinner and overnight again in Kipi Village.
Day 3 begins on the path from Koukouli Village, uphill to Vitsa Village, and then to Monodendri, where you’ll spend the night.
Day 4 sees you heading down to the floor of Vikos Gorge where you spend 4 hours walking beside the river to Voidomatis River Springs. Heading uphill then to Vikos Village to meet your transportation to your accommodation in Aristi Village.
On Day 5 you are transferred back to Vikos Village where you hike from Vikos Gorge via Pipingo to Mikro Papigo for the night.
Day 6 leaves from Mikro to the Astraka mountain hut for lunch. Then it’s a visit to Dragon Lake before hiking to the Astraka refuge, where you’ll spend the night.
On Day 7 you return to Mikro Papigo to meet your transfer back to Ioannina.
4. Central and Northern Greece – 5 Days from Athens
7,000 years of history is what you’ll see on this 5-day tour where you drive from Athens to explore Ancient Delphi before arriving at the base of the Meteora mountains, Kalambaka, where you stay overnight.
The second day begins with touring the Meteora monasteries and then on to dinner and your accommodation in Thessaloniki.
On Day 3 you begin with a walking tour of Thessalinki’s major monuments and sights, before having the rest of the day to explore the city.
Days 4 and 5 are extraordinary days to visit some of the most important ancient sites in the world. On day 5 you see the waterfall of Edessa and Aristotle’s School in Noussa before visiting Vergina (Ancient Aegina).
Here are the Royal Tombs, including that of King Phillip II, and then travel to Veria to tour Saint Paul’s Bema, the Jewish quarter, and the market before returning to Thessaloniki.
On day 5 you visit Pella, the ancient capital of Alexander the Great, and then travel to the base of Mount Olympus, where you visit the Archaeological Park of Dion. You then stop in Thermopylae on the way back to Athens.
Sailing the Greek Islands
Ionian Islands
1. Ionian Islands – 6 nights from Lefkada Island
In my opinion, this is the best multi-day Greek Island-hopping cruise. The boat has double ensuite cabins and there are lots of inclusions. Best of all, it’s limited to 8 passengers.
Essentially, you sail around most of the Ionian Islands, stopping for dinner ashore in the evenings or making your own sunset dinner onboard. You see more islands, inlets, pirate coves, and villages than on any other Greek island-hopping tour I can think of.
Setting sail from Lefkas Marina on Lefkada Island, you will travel each day to an Ionian island and have time to eat in tavernas, swim, explore ancient sites, and wander through villages and markets.
Along the way, you’ll visit Mikros Gialos and Sivoa Village bays on Lefkada Island, Kefalonia Island, Ithaca Island (and Vathi), Kalamos Island, and Meganisi Island (and Spartachori).
The cruise includes breakfasts, lunches, and an onshore BBQ evening.
2. Ionian Islands – 7 nights from Zakynthos Island
This cruise is on the same sailing boat as the previous tour, but this is a new itinerary that leaves from Zante on Zakynthos Island.
After arrival on the boat on Day 1, you set sail on Day 2 to Agia Effimia on Kefalonia Island. Day 3 is also spent on Kefalonia, at Fiskardo.
On Day 4 you set sail for Nydri on Lefkada Island, and then sail onwards to Meganisi Island on Day 5. Day 6 is dedicated to exploring Ithaca Island, with a stop at Atokos, before returning to Zante on Day 7.
Inclusions: breakfast and lunch, Captain’s Welcome dinner, private ensuite double cabins with Wifi and Air conditioning.
Port fees, dinners, corkage fees, some activities, and air-conditioning overnight is at your own expense.
Cyclades Islands and Crete
1. Mykonos and Santorini – 4 nights from Athens
This trip is great for those who want to see Greece’s two most popular islands for the first time, who want to explore without a guide, and who don’t want to have all the arrangements taken care of.
Day 1 of this tour sees you board a ferry to Mykonos where you spend the rest of the day and the following day, for a two-night stay in which other tours, including to Delos, are optional.
A ferry takes you from Mykonos to Santorini where you spend the rest of day 3 and day 4, and again, other tours are optional and at your expense.
On day 5 you board a ferry to Athens and return to your accommodation in Athens. All land and sea transfers are provided throughout the trip, as are breakfasts, but no other meals.
2. Mainland and Santorini – 7 nights from Athens
This tour is an excellent one for first-timers to Greece. After arrival on Day 1, Day 2 includes a private tour of Athens and the Plaka area and includes the Acropolis.
Day 3 takes you to the mountain village of Arachova in central Greece and then to Ancient Delphi. You spend the night in Kalambaka, at the base of the Meteora mountains.
On Day 4 you take a guided tour of two of the monasteries of Meteora and have a traditional lunch in Kalambaka. On the way back to Athens, you stop in Thermopylae.
On Day 5 you catch an early ferry to Santorini and are transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day and the next morning is at your leisure.
On the evening of Day 6, you take a sunset cruise through the volcano and have dinner onboard.
On day 7 you return by ferry to Athens and are transferred to your hotel and then transferred to the airport the following day.
3. Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Crete – 9 nights
Spend nights in Mykonos, Santorini, and Crete on this ferry and plane tour departing from Athens. This tour is best for people who want to explore Santorini, Mykonos, and Heraklion alone and if you don’t want to make your own arrangements for a multi-day tour of Greece.
Day 2 begins with a private tour of Athens and Plaka and includes guides for the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum. On Day 3 you take a ferry to Mykonos and then have free time for the rest of Day 3 and Day 4 (so you can visit Delos Island).
Day 5 is a ferry to Santorini and then free time for the rest of the day and also Day 6. Day 7 begins with a ferry to Heraklion in Crete, with free time on days 7 and 8.
Day 9 includes a visit to the Palace of Knossos, a flight to Athens, and an evening in Athens, and on Day 10 your driver will take you to the airport.
4. Mykonos, Santorini, Crete – 3 nights from Athens
On the first day of this tour, you are taken to Athens International Airport for a flight to Heraklion in Crete.
The rest of the first day is equally busy, with a private tour of the Minoan Palace of Knossos, the Archeological Museum of Heraklion, and a walking tour through the old city and market of Heraklion.
After breakfast on Day 2, you take a ferry to Santorini and have the rest of the day as free time. Day 3 follows a similar pattern with a ferry to Mykonos and then free time in Mykonos, before a ferry back to Athens on Day 4.
5. Mykonos Party Cruise – 7 nights from Athens
Partying is mandatory on this cruise which leaves Salamina port in Athens each week during summer.
The itinerary for the cruise is: Day 2: Kea Island, Day 3: Syros Island, Days 4 and 5, Mykonos Island, and Day 6: Kythnos Island.
The cruise returns to Salamina on Day 7 with departure that day or the next morning.
This is a very economical cruise with lots of onboard activities included with a daily buffet breakfast. Dinners, drinks, and port fees are not included.
6. Crete LGBTQ+ – 7 nights from Heraklion, Crete
Offered in June and October each year, this tour includes accommodation in a 5-star, all-inclusive, gay-friendly hotel.
Beginning and ending in Heraklion, Day 2 includes a Tour of the Palace of Knossos, wine-tasting, and a Food and Wine-pairing experience.
Day 3 includes visits to an olive oil factory, the island of Spinalonga, and Agios Nikolaos. Day 4 is a jeep safari and swimming experience, visiting Kritsa Village, Sarakinas Gorge, Selakano forest, and beautiful Myrtos village.
Day 5 is dedicated to pastry and cooking classes and Day 6 ends with sunset horse riding and a BBQ dinner with wine, before departure the following day.
