Dionysos Splendour: Sun, Wine and Food

Itinerary

DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN ATHENS

Arrival in Athens. You will be met and transferred to your hotel. Balance of day at leisure.

DAY 2: ATHENS ACROPOLIS PRIVATE GUIDED TOUR

Explore the majestic Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum in 4 hours. Visit the world-famous Acropolis with a 2-hour private guided tour and uncover the myths behind the greatest landmark in Athens. Step back in time and discover how Athens became one of the greatest cities of the world while you learn about Greek gods and heroes from your guide. Continue with a visit to the Acropolis Museum. Out of the 4.000 exhibits we have handpicked the ones that you simply must see! Discover them and explore the public and private lives of ancient Athenians by decoding the hidden messages contained within the artifacts they left behind.

DAY 3: ATHENS PRIVATE FOOD TOUR

Eat your way through Athens! Discover Greek flavors and their history, with a walk through some of the city’s most interesting neighborhoods, rarely visited by tourists. Taste olive oils, Greek cheeses, tsipouro drink, honey, souvlaki, tapenades, baklava, Greek coffee, sweets and a variety of Greek tapas!

HIGHLIGHTS

• Awaken your senses with aromas and flavors of specialty food shops, tavernas and open-air markets

• Taste unique local delicacies, from local cheeses to “bougatsa”, cream-filled phyllo pastry

• Stroll through off-the-beaten-path residential areas

• Learn about the famous “Mediterranean” diet and the history behind each family-owned business visited

DAY 4: NEMEA PRIVATE WINE TOUR

Start your day early in the comfort of your private vehicle on your way to Ancient Corinth. Your first stop will be at the Corinth Canal, which connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea and is a sight not to be missed! Snap an Instagram-worthy photo and continue to the heart of Ancient Corinth, where you will admire the Agora, the stunning Temple of Apollo and many other important ancient and Roman sights.

Following your Ancient Corinth guided tour, your driver will take you to Nemea, famous since antiquity for its wine production. There, you will have the opportunity to enjoy a tour of a local winery with the help of a wine expert and revel in a unique wine-tasting experience.

You will try 4 different labels accompanied by platters with a variety of cheeses and cold cuts, spinach pie with feta cheese and stuffed grape leaves served with fresh, seasonal vegetables. At the end of the tasting, indulge in a semi-sweet dessert wine accompanied by dark chocolate and raisins.

DAY 5: ATHENS / NAXOS

At the indicated time, you will be transferred to the port for your ferry to Naxos island. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel. Balance of day at leisuere.

DAY 6: NAXOS FULL DAY PRIVATE ISLAND TOUR

Starting from your hotel we head to the first site for the day. In the fertile plains of western Naxos, between reeds and neatly cultivated plots, lies a temple fittingly dedicated to the goddess of agriculture, Demeter. A century older than the Parthenon, this temple has managed to weather two and a half millennia with more than 50% of its original structure preserved carrying invaluable information on ancient architecture.

Moving on we arrive at Halki, a village situated in a fertile plateau, adorned with beautiful neoclassical mansions and home to the second site on our journey; the distillery that first made the –today– iconic liqueur “Kitron”, Vallindas Distillery. We get to know everything about the production (tree, fruit distillation methods) and the consumption (taste tasting) of one of the three PDO liqueurs in the country.

The next location we visit is the picturesque mountain village of Apiranthos. The marble-paved alleys, the majestic view, the distinct traditions and the rich culture are only a few of the charms that will make you fall in love with this jewel of a village.

Crossing the mountains of the north-east we end up in Apollonas, the northernmost village of the island. Just a small fishing village today, Apollonas was one of the most important Naxian ports in antiquity as that is where the famed local marble was exported from. The restaurants around the bay are full of delicacies waiting to be tasted. Just a few minutes away, on a hill overlooking Apollonas, in an ancient marble quarry lies the unfinished statue of Kouros (5th-4th century BC), an imposing 11-meter colossus that invokes images of ancient art, worship and trade.

Making our way back south our final stop for the day is in yet another part of the island blessed with fertile soil, Eggares. There, we visit the village’s traditional 19th century olive press and gain precious insight into practices and a way of life that now belongs to the past/ now long gone.

DAY 7: NAXOS AT LEISURE

Naxos features especially fertile soil and produces enormous crops of both olives and grapes, and its very own Naxian wine. With charming mountain villages, superb beaches and endless Greek sunshine, it is easy to see why the island has become so popular. The island has plenty to see and do: the highest mountains in the Cyclades, intriguing fertile central valleys, a spectacular north coast and long, marvelously sandy beaches in the southwest.

DAY 8: NAXOS / SANTORINI

At the indicated time, you will be transferred to the port for your ferry ride to Santorini island. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel.

DAY 9: SANTORINI, PRIVATE CATAMARAN SUNSET CRUISE

Morning free to explore the island. In the afternoon join the 5 hour private catamaran sunset cruise along the caldera. Whilst taking in the striking landscape of the Santorinian sunset you can also enjoy swimming, sunbathing and snorkeling in private bays like the famous volcanic hot springs. Satisfy your appetite with famous Greek dishes, enjoy a rich barbecue on board, with fresh seafood and taste not only our culinary skills but also the history of Santorini which will amaze you and the cultural diversity which will intrigue you.

DAY 10: SANTORINI AT LEISURE

Day at leisure to enjoy the sun, the unforgettable view and the most romantic sunset in the world. Santorini is the essence of a Greek island, where sea meets weather-beaten rock and colors are bold and elemental. Blue-domed chapels stand on hilltops; houses are simple white cubes, sunsets flamboyant orange. The half-moon island, with its rearing cliffs and dramatic outlooks, is all that remains of a huge volcanic explosion. Inland, fertile soils provide a softer landscape of silvery olive trees, fields of tomatoes and neatly pegged vineyards that produce sweet amber-colored wine.

DAY 11: SANTORINI / ATHENS

At the indicated time, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Athens. END OF SERVICES