BEST OF GREECE in 9 days
My Best of Greece tour weaves my favorite Greek destinations into this itinerary. We begin in the countryside at Delphi, home of the ancient Oracle and her temples. After crossing the Bay of Corinth, we’ll spend several days on the Pelopenes Peninsula, visiting ancient temples, worship sites, historic cities, and theatres. Hopping on a ferry, enjoy a short ride to traffic-free Hydra Island for two days of relaxation. Then it is off to Athens, where we’ll dedicate the better part of two days to exploring this capital city. My Best of Greece tour provides the perfect mix of sightseeing, education, and relaxation.
Your Adventure Starts Here!
| PRICE FROM | DATES | |
|---|---|---|
| $3889 + air | Apr 14-25, 2026 |  |
| $3889 + air | Jun 3-11, 2026 | |
| $3889 + air | Oct 11-19, 2026 | |
Delphi – 1 night
Olympia – 1 night
Nafplio – 2 nights
Hydra Island – 2 night
Athens – 2 nights
——————
Single Room Additional Cost ~$750
ITINERARY
DAY 1: Welcome to Greece! –Leaving Athens for later, we will head north to the barren slopes of Mount Parnassus. Here we find Delphi, the 2500-year-old home of fortune-telling oracles, temples of worship, and Olympic-like stadiums and theatres. Enjoy dinner together and overnight in peaceful Delphi town. Sleep for 1 night near Delphi. Walking: light. Driving: 4 hours. Dinner.
DAY 2: The Gulf of Corinth and Peloponnese – It is a beautiful drive through the mountains and across the gulf to the Peloponnese Peninsula. This afternoon, after the tourist crowds dissipate, we will visit Olympia, the site of the first Olympic games more than 2700 years ago. We will set up tonight near Mount Olympia. Sleep for 1 night near Olympia. Walking: strenuous. Driving: 5 hours. Dinner.
DAY 3: Ancient Corinth and Nafplio – We will do a bit of driving today across the Peloponnese to Ancient Corinth, a stop on the Apostle Paul’s missionary journey in the 1st century. Then, it’s onward to Nafplio for a relaxing two days. Sleep for 2 nights in Nafplio. Walking: light. Driving: 4 hours. Dinner.
DAY 4: Mycenae and Nafplio – Today, we will take a walk through this ancient, fortified city, seeing the Lion’s Gate, “cyclopean” walls, and buried tombs. Returning to Nafplio, you’ll have the remainder of the day to poke around town, hike to the hilltop fortress, or relax at a beach or hotel pool. Walking: moderate. Driving: 1.5 hours.
DAY 5: Epidavros and Hydra – This morning, we will drive to nearby Epidavros to look at Greece’s most well-preserved theater, seating 15,000 spectators. Then we will head south across arid mountains and valleys loaded with century-old olive trees. After a ferry ride across the gulf, we will step onto traffic-free Hydra. Enjoy the afternoon and evening getting to know the little town. We’ll pick out a taverna for dinner to enjoy together tonight. Sleep for 2 nights on Hydra. Walking: light. Driving: 2.5 hours. Dinner.
DAY 6: Hydra –No group plans for today. So, enjoy shopping in the village, sitting at the harbor with a drink and “people-watching,” taking a donkey ride, hiring a boat, or basking in the sun at one of the many beaches. Walking: your choice.
DAY 7: Athens – This morning, we’ll hop on a ferry and, within about two hours, arrive at your Athens city-center hotel. Then, join a local guide for an informative and scenic tour of the ancient Acropolis and Agora. The remainder of the day and evening are event-free to explore more of Athens on your own. Sleep for 2 nights in Athens. Walking: strenuous. Boat or Drive: 2 hours.
DAY 8: Athens – Visit Athens at your leisure. There are no group plans today, so Explore the Forum, medieval streets of the Plaka, and more on your own. Later, we will meet for dinner at a local restaurant for dinner. Walking: your choice. Dinner.
DAY 9: Tour over after breakfast – We will get you back to the Athens Airport this morning by about 8:00 am.
Itinerary specifics are subject to change.
INCLUSIONS
Round-trip transportation by coach, minibus, and boat from the airport in Athens and return
8 nights’ accommodation in well-appointed hotels. All rooms have private en-suite baths.
All tips and gratuities to guides and drivers.
Strictly Small Group consisting of 6-18 travelers.
All breakfasts and five group dinners.
Traditional dining experiences at some of David’s favorite restaurants. Eating well is a priority, and you’ll enjoy fine regional fare featuring the best the locale has to offer.
Water is included with all group meals. Sodas, wine, beer, and other drinks are your responsibility.
All tours and admissions at no extra cost: Athens Plaka walking tour ▪ Acropolis tour ▪ Acropolic Museum entrance ▪ Delphi tour ▪ Ancient Olympia tour ▪ Mycenae tour ▪ Epidavros entry ▪ Nafplio orientation ▪ Hydra orientation ▪ Boat transfers to and from Hydra ▪ and more.
A full-time Exploring Europe guide and local experts dedicated to bringing to life the art, history, and culture of the tour destinations.
David’s tour handouts are delivered electronically and detail each day’s historical and cultural experiences.
Free luggage tags and David’s custom-designed drawstring backpacks.
Our Unconditional Tour Price Guarantee, once locked in, will never change.
$50 Tour Alumni discount for each David McGuffin tour you’ve taken prior to this travel year.
EXCLUSIONS
Comprehensive Trip insurance. We strongly recommend comprehensive insurance for tour.
Fee for passports.
Beer, wine, spirits, and soda during the tour.
Laundry, phone, internet, and personal items
Extras and optional activities.
Anything not mentioned in the itinerary.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
CANCELLATION POLICY
CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS:
Deposits- Deposits for tours are fully refundable for 30 days from your initial application and deposit date, unless otherwise noted. If you book a tour less than 90 days before its departure date, full payment is due immediately, and the entire tour cost becomes non-refundable after seven days. After these dates, deposits are not refundable and will be forfeited if you cancel your tour reservation.
Payments- Tour payments are due in full 90 days before your tour departure date. If you find you must cancel between 90-0 days before your tour departure, please contact us immediately. We will work with you to transfer your payments to another tour departing within 18 months. We strongly recommend that everyone purchase comprehensive travel insurance that covers tour cancellations, emergency medical, and other unexpected events.
Cancellations will be effective when the written notification is received at David McGuffin›s Exploring Europe by mail, e-mail, or fax.
SIGN UP BY EMAIL OR POST
If you do not want to sign up online:
You may download a tour application and send it to us with payment.
-OR-
You may return it by:
- FAX 1-800-570-1351
- Email – info@davidmcguffin.com
- email – take a photo of the form with your smartphone and attach it to an email
- TXT – take a photo with your smartphone and TXT to 904-612-8149
KEY TO WALKING & ACTIVITY
Walking and Physical Activity: We have planned this trip to provide maximum tour experiences. The basic nature of Europe does require some degree of physical activity to get out and see the sights, especially in the big cities. To help you plan, we’ve included a daily projection of physical activity. Here is the key for our walking activity ratings:
Light – Walking done on level surfaces with some hills and elevation gains. Two miles or less of required walking during the day.
Moderate – Walking done on paved and gravel paths and cobbled city sidewalks. To enjoy the full tour experience, some uphill and downhill walking is expected, as is standing while viewing sights or museums. Four to six miles of walking per day.
Strenuous – Walking done on rugged and rocky paths and city-cobbled sidewalks. There will be steps and stairs. Up to three hours standing in museums or experience sites. Up to eight miles of walking per day.
Your Choice – No matter what your walking ability, we will help you find alternative ways to enjoy and experience all Europe has to offer. To get the most out of our tours, you should be able to operate at the light level every day with spurts of moderate and strenuous.
PRE-TOUR RESOURCES
Now that you’ve decided to join this tour, we are sure you’ll have some questions. Don’t worry. We are here to help you through each aspect of your tour from start to finish.
DAVID’S 60 SECONDS DESTINATION VIDEOS
Join David as he shares impromptu moments from his travels in the United Kingdom. Watching these short 60-second segments are a great way to experience David’s travel style and adventures. Watch David’s Explore Greece.
David’s TRAVEL TALK TUESDAY almost-weekly broadcast and Video Series Blog.
Every week, when David is not traveling in Europe, he presents a LIVE broadcast on Zoom and Facebook. Check it out on Tuesdays at 7:30 PM Eastern Time.
Each Travel Talk Tuesday session is recorded. Watch them here.
DAVID’S BLOG ARTICLES
David and his team have answered many travel-related questions, and they are all tucked away on his blog. But, no need to go there. Just type in a keyword in the search box at the top or bottom of this page (it’s the gray rectangle with a small magnifying glass icon), and you will get results for your query.
PLEASE SEND US AN EMAIL OR GIVE US A CALL.
We are happy to answer your travel questions and give advice and suggestions. tours@davidmcguffin.com or 800-570-1351.
Testimonials & Reviews of our EUROPE Tours
It was our great pleasure to travel with David & Charlotte for the 3rd time. Our tour which began in Budapest, Hungary ended in Dubrovnik, Croatia. This tour was atypical as we began w a bus and boarded a yacht halfway through. Budapest was nice, but the Croatian island ports were stunning. Plitvice National Park and the tour with a ranger was a highlight as well. We absorbed a remarkable amount of history and saw vineyards, a century's old winery and midieval villages. We traveled with a group of 8 friends and family which was an added bonus! It was also wonderful to be hosted on this tour by our new Croatian friends, Kruno & Suzanna! Thanks again, David!
My husband and I toured southern Ireland and Scotland. It was a celebration of our 30th anniversary. I know many have mentioned David Grey but he was amazing His flexbility , knowledge and overall character made the trip. We also enjoyed the Scotland driver- Ian who had a wonderful personality . The group dinner selections did not disappoint. Amazing food . We felt like we saw so much of both countries and enjoyed having it all planned where to go .
This was my first tour with David, likely not my last. We traversed incredible sites in Sicily. David made it easy, with informative dialogue and guides, and an outstanding driver, Paolo.
The Sicily tour was incredible! After touring with David, I felt that I had truly seen all that this special island has to offer: terrific historical sights, vibrant cities, incredible museums, majestic land and seascapes, as well as a delectable cuisine. Throughout the tour David was informative, hospitable and open to suggestions and adjustments. He has a very pleasant and accommodating persona and we were fortunate to have him as our escort. The guides he hires are excellent and really enhanced our experience. The only recommendation I have is to have a guide for EVERY excursion! Our driver, Paolo, was exceptional.
I have longed to go on safari since I was a teenager! When I learned about David's explorations BEYOND Europe, I couldn't wait to secure my spot! The Serengeti Safari was the first trip on my retirement agenda! I had high expectations, and this trip EXCEEDED every one of them. David has a network of skilled professionals at every bend in the road. I highly recommend this trip for anyone hoping to experience the beauty of Tanzania, its abundant wildlife, its rich cultural heritage, and its beautiful people!
Submit your review | |