Experience the riches of Greece on a customizable private journey of must-see sights, including whitewashed Mediterranean villages; ruins that mark the birth of Western civilization; and the sun-drenched islands of Santorini and Mykonos, where you taste local wine and pastries, and absorb the beauty of the rugged, coastal setting.
Athens
Take a big step deep into ancient history and Mediterranean culture on your Greek holiday destination through the country’s capital of Athens, portraying a beautiful blend of the past with the present. Experience this journey through time as you visit the city's numerous ancient monuments, vibrant tavernas, and lively street markets.
Day 2
Athens | Exploring the Ancient Acropolis
Accompanied by your private guide, start your day with a tour of the Acropolis — a complex of monuments that symbolize Athens, highlighted by the Parthenon. Conceived in 447 BC and dedicated to the Goddess Athena, it is one of the most important ancient monuments in the Western world. At the foot of the Acropolis Rock, visit the museum and, on its top floor, view the 2,500-year-old frieze created by the legendary sculptor Pheidias — an impressive sequence of carved stone reliefs depicting ancient rituals, sacrifices, athletic contests, and musical performances — and then look out on to the majestic Parthenon itself. Enjoy the balance of the day at leisure.
🌙 Overnight: Hotel Grande Bretagne
Day 3
Athens & Cape Sounion
Begin with a guided walking tour of the city to observe Athenians in their everyday lives and experience Greece’s rich and varied culinary tradition. Visit specialty food stores to sample olive oil, cheese, honey, and other locally sourced delicacies, such as pastourma (cured meat). Stroll through local neighborhoods and visit pastry shops serving Greek sweets. Immerse yourself in the colors and smells of local spices and stop at Varvakios, a picturesque food market. This afternoon, drive to Cape Sounion, where you tour the ruined Temple of Poseidon, believed to date to the fifth century BC. Enjoy stunning vistas from the temple’s clifftop position and see where it has been marked with the carved signatures of many travelers over the centuries, including that of Lord Byron. Later, return to Athens.
🌙 Overnight: Hotel Grande Bretagne
Crete
Crete, the largest island in Greece, is renowned for its natural beauty and diversity. It boasts towering mountain ranges, sliced by dramatic gorges, interspersed with vast plateaus and endless beaches. Experience its remarkable history, evident across the island, from the ruins of the Minoan palace of Knossos to the Venetian fortresses of Rethymo. Make Crete a priority in your holiday destination checklist.
Day 4
Athens to Crete
Fly to Crete, where are met by your guide and private vehicle. Depending on your arrival time, visit the Palace of Knossos, which belonged to King Minos and was the center of the Minoan civilization. Evidence has been unearthed of mosaic floors, the grand staircase and the throne complex. Time permitting, after sightseeing, you may opt to visit a local winery to enjoy a tasting of locally produced wines. Afterward, privately transfer to your hotel in eastern Crete.
🌙 Overnight: Blue Palace Hotel
Day 5
Crete | Remote Venetian Fortress
Rise early to join your guide on a drive to Plaka, where you board a local fishing ferry to the island of Spinalonga, to see the remains of the Venetian fortress built in 1579 to defend the city of Elounda. The island was also a leper colony from 1903 until 1957. Wander along the ruined streets of this former community, learn about the people who lived in isolation in this remote place, and visit the burial ground. Upon your return to Crete, take a stroll through the picturesque streets of Plaka, filled with flowers, tavernas, and shops selling handmade wares. Enjoy the remainder of your day at leisure.
🌙 Overnight: Blue Palace Hotel
Santorini
Santorini, the top destination in Greece, beats all the glossy picture-postcard expectations; its beauty is simply breathtaking. Tourists from all over the world fall in love with Santorini’s rich variety of landscapes, culture, romantic villages, and turquoise waters. Drink your morning coffee overlooking the caldera and its endless views, explore one of the unique black or red sandy beaches, and relax under the colorful sunset on your last stop on Greece’s most romantic island.
Day 8
Santorini | White Houses & Wine Tasting
The essence of Santorini is not simply its stunning whitewashed houses and chapels offering uninterrupted views across the Aegean Sea; it also has an extraordinary ancient past. Together with your expert local guide, explore the impressive Akrotiri excavation site. After the sudden and successful evacuation of its inhabitants in the 17th century BC, the Minoan town of Akrotiri was buried by a widespread Theran eruption. Subsequently, Akrotiri’s buildings and their contents were naturally preserved under the thick layer of volcanic ash that covered the entire island. To some, this significant archaeological site is a fascinating Minoan center of commerce; to others, it’s a Greek version of Pompeii, but true romantics believe it to be the legendary lost city of Atlantis. Finish with a visit to one of the three best wineries on the island, which produces a truly unique white wine using the Assyrtiko grape, grown here in some of the oldest vineyards in the world.
🌙 Overnight: Canaves Oia Boutique Hotel
Mykonos
Mykonos, complete with traditional Cycladic architecture of white-washed walls and blue shutters on the houses, cobblestone streets, one church for every day of the year, and picturesque windmills are a few of the items you will experience on your Greek vacation. Relax on the beautiful beaches during the day, try the magnificent cuisine at night, and party like a rock star until the early hours of the morning. Mykonos never sleeps, accommodating all your needs.
Day 11
Delos | Sacred Island
This morning, join your guide for a semi-private cruise to the island of Delos. Now uninhabited, the sacred island features prominently in Greek mythology as the birthplace of Artemis and Apollo. Learn the captivating history of this UNESCO World Heritage Site as you tour the archaeological ruins of its former port.
🌙 Overnight: Bill and Coo Hotel
* Accommodations, transportation, tours, and activities described in this itinerary are based on availability and are subject to change at any time. If something is not available at the time of booking we will do our best to find a suitable alternative.
Our thoughts on travel insurance
A travel insurance plan is a package of benefits and services intended to protect your travel investment, belongings, and most importantly, you. Now more than ever, we have witnessed just how important travel insurance is. No matter what your vaccination status is, if you plan to travel it's important to have a financial safeguard in place for pandemic-related trip problems. This is especially true if you’re traveling abroad, where your U.S. health plan may have limited global coverage. Travel insurance can provide that safety net.
- Trip Cancelation
- Trip Interruption
- Medical Expenses
- Missed Connection
- Travel Delays
- Lost or damaged luggage
- Reimbursement for missed portions of your trip if you're forced into quarantine due to a positive Covid test.
- Optional "cancel for any reason" - a benefit of travel insurance coverage that offers the opportunity to cancel travel plans for reasons other than those listed as “covered reasons” on a policy.
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About Us
Brenda Ajay is a Virtuoso Luxury and Family Travel Specialist in Altoona, PA, where she founded Magic Family Travel in 2012 as a way for busy moms like herself to plan family vacations from the comfort of home with the help of a “virtual” vacation planner.
In 2018 Brenda created Allegro Luxury Vacations to provide travelers with unique vacations that offer the highest level of quality and value. Her forte is designing one-of-a-kind, custom itineraries that reflect the personality and interests of her client, where no two trips are alike, and special requests are encouraged.
In addition to her work as a seasoned travel advisor, Brenda is also a travel writer and researcher and has been featured in various industry publications such as "Travel Market Report" and Travelhoppers.com.
Brenda is an active member of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and is a Travel Institute Certified Travel Advisor. In 2019, Brenda earned Verified Travel Advisor Certification from the American Society of Travel Advisors, one of the travel industry's highest honors. Currently, there are only 15 ASTA Verified Travel Advisors in the state of Pennsylvania.
Brenda's most cherished travel memories include spending three weeks in Italy "living like a local," and vacationing at Walt Disney World each year with her husband, Bill, and their three kids.
Brenda Ajay can be reached at brenda@allegroluxuryvacations.com or by phone 888-462-9299
Credits:
Created with images by ververidis - "Oia village in Santorini island at sunset in Greece" • Adamchuk - "Traditional Cretan painted ceramic dishes for sale at a city centre shop Crete, Greece, Europe." • Paopano - "Panoramic view of the Acropolis of Athens. Greece." • Rechitan Sorin - "Scenic view of Parthenon Temple, Acropolis, Athens, Greece" • Rawf8 - "Cape Sounio, Poseidon temple archaeological site, Attica, Greece" • whitcomberd - "Aerial drone view of the ruins of the ancient Venetian fortress on the island of Spinalonga on the Greek island of Crete" • photoff - "View of Mirabello bay and Elounda, Crete, Greece" • Rostislav Ageev - "Spinalonga Island with Medieval Fortress, Crete" • MarinadeArt - "Beautiful view of the turquoise sea bay and mountain through ancient fortress of Spinalonga on island of Crete in Greece" • Gorilla - "Santorini, Greece - Oia, sunrise, panorama " • siraphol - "Beautiful architecture with santorini and greece style" • funbox - "Vineyard on lava at Santorini Island, Greece" • Santorines - "Dinner on the background of sea sunset" • rabbit75_fot - "Mykonos bay night" • Erica Ruth - "Lion statue on island of Delos with spring flowers, Cyclades archipelago, Greece " • Marcin Krzyzak - "A view of Cala Goloritze beach, Sardegna" • lukaszimilena - "Mykonos island in Greece Cyclades" • Igor Tichonow - "White catamaran yacht at anchor on clear azure surface with dark pattern in calm blue lagoon. Unrecognizable tourists relax on airbed in water near the beach" • moofushi - "Sonnenuntergang über dem idyllischen Fischerdorf Naousa mit den zahlreichen Tavernen und Bars am Hafen auf Paros, Kykladen, Griechenland" • moofushi - "Panorama der Akropolis von Athen, Griechenland, bei Sonnenuntergang "