A Look Inside Our Greece Tour
Greece....a country on everyone's bucket list? But from the thousand plus places to go, how can you ever decide what to do first?
Did you know footprints were just found on the island of Crete and are dated to be 5.7 million years old? Yeah....Greece has a lot of cool shit, and there's more than enough reasons to go back time and time again to this magical country. Let's dive in to our next major tour happening next summer 2018 to Greece.
Tony really put this tour together, but I want to really help you understand why we chose the places we did, and with a bit of insight having only been to a handful of these places, I really want to say there truly is no other place in the world like Greece.
The Cradle of Civilization
Our Greece tour is planned for 10 days and 9 nights, and goes from August 31st-September 9th, 2018 and is full of passion and purpose. Part of reasons why everyone wants to go to Greece in the first place is to see the culmination of power, history, ancient civilizations and the pristine beaches of the Greek isles. When I say there's truly no place on earth like Greece, I mean it. You feel it, you know it, and you get a sense of just how small you are (and your problems are) when you set your bare feet upon the shores of history itself. The blood, the battles, the exchanges of power, philosophy, architecture, knowledge and more. It's all self-evident when you go to Greece, and I know you won't be disappointed on the places we've strung together throughout these 10 days.
Let's hop to it.
Athens
What can be said about Athens that hasn't said before? It's one of the oldest cities in the entire world and boasts a surprisingly 21st century culture, full of art, history, and a recovering economy based on tourism to the Greek capital. And as a company focused on bringing you to the other side of things, we'll show you the Athens that doesn't get published in Travel + Leisure articles but promise to bring you through all the historic sites, including the Parthenon, Acropolis, Temple of Zeus, Syntagma Square, Temple of Dionysus and more.
Plus, Athens is has a burgeoning arts district and is quickly becoming a hot new destination for European artists of all backgrounds. Read more about it here in this BBC article.
DELPHI
What is Delphi?
Delphi is a famous ancient sanctuary that grew rich as the seat of Pythia, the oracle consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient classical world. Moreover, the Greeks considered Delphi the navel (or center) of the world, as represented by the stone monument known as the Omphalos of Delphi.
It occupies an impressive site on the southwestern slope of Mount Parnassus, overlooking the coastal plain to the south and the valley of Phocis. It is now an extensive archaeological site with a modern town nearby. It is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in having had a phenomenal influence in the ancient world, as evidenced by the rich monuments built there by most of the important ancient Greek city-states, demonstrating their fundamental Hellenic unity.
Plain and simple, it's one of the coolest places to actually be in Greece. I mean, the Greeks considered it the center of the world and if you've ever seen an Greek history movies (Troy, 300, and others) you know the Oracles were always ghastly beings who foretold of great dangers. That's obviously the trumped up version of who and what the oracles actually were, but there's still plenty of reasons why the Greeks considered Delphi to be 'center of the world.' And you'll go here and see it in person.
Can you feel the chills, yet? A whole day here, historic tour, hike and all. Chalk it up to another 'must do' on the ole bucket list.
METEORA
What is Meteora, Greece?
Serene, spiritual, magical, mystical, extraordinary, breathtaking, immense, inspiring, impressive. These are only some of the words people very often use in an effort to describe the Meteora phenomenon.
A trip to Meteora offers the unique experience of nature’s grandeur in conjunction with history, architecture and man’s everlasting desire to connect with the Divine. From the early Christian times, the Meteora vertical cliffs were regarded as the perfect place to achieve absolute isolation, to discover peace and harmony and, thus, to support man’s eternal struggle for spiritual elevation.
Meteora is a truly inspiring and sensational setting of overwhelming rock formations, but one must also be prepared to expect that this trip is much more than merely visiting an exquisite landscape. It is a pilgrimage to a holy place for all Christians around the world. Meteora has become a preservation ark for the 2000-year-old Christian Orthodox creed.
The gigantic rocks of Meteora are perched above the town of Kalambaka, at a maximum height of 400 m (1200 ft). The most interesting summits are decorated with historical monasteries, included in the World Heritage List of Unesco. Only 6 of them have made it through the centuries, from an initial estimated number of 24. Mostly dating to the 14th and until the 16th century, these monasteries were built by monks who were previously hermits in the area, living in individual caves. Once united, these monks took months and years to carry the construction material to the top of rocks, using ropes, folding ladders, nets and baskets, and with much determination. - https://www.visitmeteora.travel/en/what-to-see/the-meteora-monasteries
Seriously, I don't think I could have written it better...there's a reason why you need to see Meteora, Greece. Not only because it's the Eyrie inspiration for Game of Thrones, but more importantly because these monasteries have literally stood the test of time. From wars, battles, and more, the monks who originally built these cliffside castles have drawn people from all around the world to it's doors, and it's the perfect place in Greece to watch a sunset. You'll seriously be in shock and awe after visiting here, because the photo's we've seen have been some of the most 'wanderlusty' photos you could imagine.
Just take our word for it, you will not be disappointed in Meteora. You'll have a whole day to hike here, and take buses in-between the monasteries before sharing a few bottles of wine and watch the sunset before heading back to our hotel about 30 minutes away in a town called Trinkala.
SANTORINI
Santorini is arguably the most talked about Greek Island, and there's a reason for it. And while we're a travel company based on going mostly to the 'off the beaten path' places, we felt a huge pull to go back to Santorini (yes, the sunsets here really are incredible), but that's not why we chose it.
Undoubtedly, you have friends who have been to Santorini. They have probably raved about it, told you to go here, but chances are you'll be doing some very different things than what they did. From hiking, to sunset tours, there's ample things to do in Santorini, and you'll have plenty of time to workout, explore, hike and relax on a sunset wine cruise here.
Santorini is actually a big 'C' shaped island and is an active volcano island as well. One of the most exciting things to do here is to actually hike the Caldera ridge from town to town. Oia and Fira (the capital) are a considerable distance away from one another, but is easily walkable in a few hours and is a must. You'll see amazing views along the way.
Words cannot even begin to describe just how exciting and miraculous a place like Santorini is, and without a doubt, your friends will be severely jealous. And while we won't take up all your time after Meteora, we'll head back to Athens and then take a 4-5 hour ferry to Santorini, where you'll have a day of planned activities, night to go out, and then a whole other day and night to explore, filled with plenty of optional activities.
Sound good? Read here for a more in-depth list from the Huffington Post about where and what to do when it comes to visiting Santorini for the first time.
Plus, I told ya Santorini has some killer sunsets....
MYKONOS
So, what's Mykonos like?
Think St. Tropez meets Ibiza.
Don't know either one of those two places either? Then take a paragraph from Lonely Planet.
"Mykonos is the great glamour island of Greece and happily flaunts its sizzling St-Tropez-meets-Ibiza style and party-hard reputation.
The high-season mix of hedonistic holidaymakers, cruiseship crowds and posturing fashionistas throngs Mykonos Town (aka Hora), a traditional whitewashed Cycladic maze, delighting in its authentic cubist charms and its chichi cafe-bar-boutique scene.
The number of tourists (and cashed-up A-listers) visiting Mykonos is booming and hip new hotels, beach bars and restaurants are mushrooming. In July and August, come only if you are prepared to pay and intent on joining the jostling street crowds, the oiled-up lounger lifestyle at the packed main beaches and the relentless party. Out of season, devoid of gloss and preening celebrities, find more subdued local life, the occasional pelican wandering the empty streets and beaches that you will have largely to yourself." - Lonely Planet.
I'll be honest, I have NOT been to Mykonos and can't even seem to find the most 'thrilling' pictures of the damn place, but it still captivates me....everything I've read so far mentions how it's a crazy party island with a million things to do, like ride ATV's, go on booze cruises and has some very intense and cool nightclubs. If you're thinking about going out on our Greece trip, then this is definitely the place to do it. You'll have an additional two nights here to get after it and really explore the island, and if you're not into partying, then don't worry....there's a whole lot of adventure to be had here, too.
Check out Viator for the most current, recent things to do when it comes to visiting Mykonos.
If you'd rather read a blog on the best nightclubs here, check out this one from Culture Trip. And it turns out, everyone from Diplo to Benny Benassi, Dillon Francis, Skrillex and so many more famous DJ's play sets at many of Mykonos' nightclubs at the very end of the summer....so, get ready I guess and bring some of those nice clothes to go out in.
BACK TO ATHENS
After an exhausting two days in Mykonos (I'm sure) we'll make our way back to Athens....home of the Gods, Temple of Zeus, Acropolis and so much more. You'll have a night and the morning to prepare for your departure late on Day 10, where VoyEdge RX will purchase your ticket back to the airport for you and have one last box drop-in at a nearby CF facility as we hopefully sweat out some of the toxins we endured during our trip.
Most importantly though, you'll have had a full ten days of historic tours through the best and brightest spots of Greece, hopefully cementing a lifelong love for Greece and forging of new friendships in some seriously amazing places. Part of the reason why it took our team SO LONG to put this tour together was because there was really just so many damn places for us to include. And after some meaningful discussions, we went back to our original idea of blending in history with partying, to really go along with our 'work hard, play harder,' vibe of our tours. And whether you think this tour rocks, or it sucks, we feel completely confident in not doing 'too much' and going at a good pace for everyone and anyone involved.
So, no matter what your age is, fitness level is, or interest in partying, this tour has something for everyone, and we can't wait to bring you on it. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please email me at: cam@voyedgeRX.com and I'd gladly be happy to chat with you about this tour!
Click the button down below to see the full tour page or hit the trip calendar page at the bottom to see the rest of our upcoming trips! Don't forget, it's only $300 to place your deposit and save your spot for any tour. From there, we'll send you an invoice you can pay off as you go....kinda convenient, ain't it?
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~ Cam King