Globus > CLASSICAL GREECE

CLASSICAL GREECE
9 Days starting from $1,299

Countries Visited:
Greece

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Length: 9 Days
Type: First Class Tour
Category: REGIONAL DISCOVERY EUROPE
Operator: Globus
Tour Code: RG-2008
   
 
About This Tour


This 9-day vacation from picturesque fishing villages to ancient historic ruins is a classic.
From Athens and ancient Corinth, Mycenae and Epidaurus to Olympia and Delphi with a special visit to the Archaeological Museum, spectacular ancient history will unfold. Enjoy a whole afternoon in the unreal, fantastic landscape of Meteora with its 24 rock-top monasteries. Visit Varlaam Monastery, famous for its frescoes, and St. Stephen’s, featuring a unique collection of icons and an incredible panoramic view. Next is Thermopylae, the site of the heroic battle of Leonidas’ 300 doomed Spartans against Xerxes’ huge Persian army. Drive past Thebes and Marathon before returning to Athens where you will visit the Acropolis.

 
  • What's Included
  • Itinerary
  • Dates & Prices
  • Sightseeing Highlights
  • SPECIALS

City Highlights
ATHENS
Welcome drink; guided sightseeing, visit the Acropolis

ANCIENT CORINTH
Guided visit of the excavations

MYCENAE
Guided visit of the excavations

EPIDAURUS
Guided visit of the 2,300-year-old open-air theater

OLYMPIA
Guided visit of the archaeological site and the museum

DELPHI
Guided visit of the excavations, visit the archaeological museum

METEORA AREA
Guided visit of the Varlaam and St. Stephen’s Monasteries

THERMOPYLAE
Guided visit

Meals
7 buffet breakfasts (BB); 4 three-course dinners (D); a welcome drink in Athens

Hotels:
ATHENS Zafolia (F), NAUPLIA Amalia (F), OLYMPIA Amalia (F), DELPHI Amalia (F), METEORA AREA Amalia (F) at Kalambaka
Day 1:
(Fri.) Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

Day 2:
Arrival in Athens, Greece. (Sat.) Time to rest or to start exploring the Hellenic capital. At 6 p.m. meet your traveling companions for a welcome drink with your Tour Director.

Day 3:
Athens–Corinth–Mycenae–Epidaurus–Nauplia. (Sun.) Motor along the coast to the bridge crossing the spectacular Corinth Canal, then visit ANCIENT CORINTH, where St. Paul preached. Two more major features today: MYCENAE, where 19th-century excavations reveal impressions of the splendors so vividly described by Homer. Admire the Beehive Tombs, the Treasury of Atreus, Lion Gate, Europe’s oldest known monument, remains of Agamemnon’s Royal Palace, and the impressive fortifications of the Citadel. Then a short drive to EPIDAURUS for a tour of its amazingly well-preserved 2,300-year-old open-air theater. Overnight in nearby Nauplia. (BB,D)

Day 4:
Nauplia–Olympia. (Mon.) Spectacular scenery on the way through the Arkadian Mountains. Then an afternoon in OLYMPIA, where the athletes of antiquity performed in honor of the King of Deities. Learn about the history of those original Olympic Games as you walk among the impressive remains of the Gymnasium and the Temples of Hera and Zeus. Also visit the MUSEUM which displays Praxiteles’ magnificent statue of Hermes. (BB,D)

Day 5:
Olympia–Delphi. (Tue.) Drive to the busy seaport of Patras, and proceed through the picturesque fishing villages along the south coast of the mainland to mystic Delphi. The afternoon is devoted to a fascinating tour of the ancient sanctuary of the god Apollo in its dramatic setting on the slopes of Mount Parnassus. Hear about the Oracle and tour the EXCAVATIONS. End the day with a visit to the ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM to admire the Charioteer, an extraordinary 5th-century B.C. bronze statue. (BB,D)

Day 6:
Delphi–Meteora Area. (Wed.) North via Lamia and Trikala to Kalambaka for an afternoon in the unreal, fantastic landscape of Meteora with its 24 rock-top monasteries. We have selected two of them for you to visit: VARLAAM MONASTERY, famous for its frescoes, and ST. STEPHEN’S, featuring a unique collection of icons and an incredible panoramic view. (BB,D)

Day 7:
Meteora Area–Thermopylae–Athens. (Thu.) Past Larisa to the comfortable coastal highway. Today’s highlight is a visit to THERMOPYLAE, the site of the heroic battle of Leonidas’ 300 doomed Spartans against Xerxes’ huge Persian army. On the way back to Athens, your Tour Director will tell you about Thebes, the setting of Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, and Marathon, where in 490 B.C. 10,000 Athenians defeated more than twice that number of Persian invaders. (BB)

Day 8:
Athens. (Fri.) Sightseeing with a Local Guide features the Parthenon’s crowning beauty atop the ACROPOLIS, the Erechtheum with its Porch of Maidens, the beautifully preserved Theseum, Roman Temple of Zeus, Theater of Dionysus and the Agora where Socrates taught. Vistas of the Royal Palace, government buildings, and elegant homes in the modern city provide a striking contrast to the remains of the glorious past. The rest of the day is at leisure. Tonight, why not try out local fare and entertainment reminiscent of Zorba the Greek for a fitting farewell to this fascinating country? (BB)

Day 9:
(Sat.) Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (BB)


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Airfare Disclaimer
A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link.

Documents
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

         
Touring Date
Land Only
Land + Air
Single
(Land Only)
Single
(Land + Air)
7/4/2008 - 7/12/2008
$1,329
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7/11/2008 - 7/19/2008
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7/18/2008 - 7/26/2008
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7/25/2008 - 8/2/2008
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8/1/2008 - 8/9/2008
$1,329
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8/8/2008 - 8/16/2008
$1,329
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8/15/2008 - 8/23/2008
$1,329
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8/22/2008 - 8/30/2008
$1,329
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8/29/2008 - 9/6/2008
$1,339
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9/5/2008 - 9/13/2008
$1,339
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9/12/2008 - 9/20/2008
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9/19/2008 - 9/27/2008
$1,339
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9/26/2008 - 10/4/2008
$1,329
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10/3/2008 - 10/11/2008
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10/10/2008 - 10/18/2008
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10/17/2008 - 10/25/2008
$1,329
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10/24/2008 - 11/1/2008
$1,299
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ATHENS
Welcome drink; guided sightseeing, visit the Acropolis

ANCIENT CORINTH
Guided visit of the excavations

MYCENAE
Guided visit of the excavations

EPIDAURUS
Guided visit of the 2,300-year-old open-air theater

OLYMPIA
Guided visit of the archaeological site and the museum

DELPHI
Guided visit of the excavations, visit the archaeological museum

METEORA AREA
Guided visit of the Varlaam and St. Stephen’s Monasteries

THERMOPYLAE
Guided visit

CURRENT SPECIALS:

Book now and take $200 off per couple on any air-inclusive European Low Season Vacations.*

* Book a 2008/2009 Globus Europe Winter air-inclusive vacation on select carriers to receive the $100 per person discount. Booking must be made, under deposit, and discount applied between June 4 and August 31, 2008 for travel commencing between October 1, 2008 and April 30, 2009. To secure the air booking, an additional deposit of $250 is required, which is refundable until the time that the flight information is confirmed. Offers not valid with one another or any offer and applies to new 2009 bookings only. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.


Save up to $600 per stateroom on 2009 Globus River and Small Ship Cruises

Discover an entirely new way to uncover the wonders of the world with river and small ship cruises. From a wine tasting adventure through the vineyards of France to island hopping in the Galapagos Islands, you’re sure to find a Globus river or small ship cruise that speaks to your heart. There’s simply no more peaceful way to sample the charming cities and awe-inspiring sights of Europe, China, Egypt and the Galápagos Islands.

*Book a 2009 Globus River Cruise air-inclusive vacation to receive the $300 off per person offer. Cruise-only bookings are eligible for the $125 off per person offer. Booking must be made, under deposit, and discount applied between May 14 and August 31, 2008 for travel through December 31, 2009. To secure the air booking, an additional deposit of $250 is required, which is refundable until the time that the flight information is confirmed. Offers not valid with one-another or any other offer and applies to new 2009 bookings only. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.


Standard Offers and Specials provided by Globus

Discount for young travelers

Share the pleasure of a Globus vacation with your children and grandchildren and take advantage of a 10-percent discount on the land-only price. For eligibility, children must be under 18 years of age on the departure date and must be accompanied by an adult. On escorted vacations we don’t accept children under eight years old because we have found that they are too young to enjoy these vacations.

Pay less for your second vacation

We charge you vacation price for your first vacation in 2008, but for every additional Globus vacation you take in the same year, you pay US$35 under list. Our vacations are designed and scheduled so you can combine them almost any way you want. It’s fun to play the add-a-vacation game yourself or talk to your travel agent.

Triple room reduction

On most Globus vacations you receive a reduction when three people travel together and share the same accommodations. Triple room reductions, when available, are listed on the itinerary pages. A word of caution: Triple rooms usually are no larger than twin rooms and the third bed, if there is one, is often a rollaway put in a twin-bedded room.

Avoid the single room supplement

We do not take reservations on a “share” basis because we have found that strangers rarely enjoy sharing a room for the duration of their vacation. Avoid the single room supplement by traveling with a friend. It’s less expensive and much more fun!


Do you have a large party of friends or family that wants to travel?

Right now when you book between 5 and 7 people before December 31, 2008, each passenger will save $75.* For example, book 5 passengers and receive a $375 discount, 6 passengers equals a $450 discount and 7 passengers will receive a $525 discount. With an offer like this, the world’s greatest destinations are now closer than ever!

*Book a 2009 Globus vacation for five, six or seven travelers to receive the $75 off per person offer. Booking must be made, under deposit, and discount applied between Jun 4 and Dec 31, 2008 for travel through December 31, 2009. Individuals must be traveling together from the same origination point to receive the discount. Not valid with any other offer and applies to new 2009 bookings only. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.


   
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