Athens, Peninsula and Heart of Italy (2024)

Day 1

Welcome to Europamundo! Upon arriving at the airport, we will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel. Check the information boards in the hotel reception area for details of the welcome meeting with your guide and fellow travelers.

Day 2

We will enjoy the city tour with a local guide which includes the Presidential Palace, the Panathinaikos stadium where the first modern Olympic games were held, the national library, the bustling squares of the center; the new neighborhoods that emerged after the 2004 Olympic games. The tour will finish at the Acropolis site (entry not included). In the evening we include a transfer to the PLAKA area, which is full of small Greek bars and where you will be able to enjoy the rich folklore of this country.

Day 3

We travel to the Peloponnese region. We make a brief stop next to the Corinth Channel, an impressive work of art from the end of the nineteenth century. We continue through the mountains towards Tripoli, capital of the Arcadia region. Stop in this active city and time for a stroll around the area of the Plaza Areos with its cafes and restaurants. We continue our route to Olympia where we will visit the archaeological site (entrance and visit with a local guide included). The first Olympic Games were held here in 776 B.C., where athletes from all over Greece and its colonies participated. Highlights include the Temple of Zeus, the stadium, the gymnasium, and the arena. We continue to PATRAS, the third most populous city in Greece, a lively port city with a remarkable medieval fortress. Its cathedral is the largest church in Greece and next to it, the small church of St. Andrew is a place of pilgrimage. Dinner included.

Day 4

After breakfast, we will cross over the Rio-Antirrio bridge, an impressive cable-stayed bridge which connects the Peloponnese with the Greek continent. We travel across the Central Greece regions and the Epyrus. IGOUMENITSA, arrival at this coastal city; free time for a walk before taking the modern ferry (expected departure time at 14:00h) on which we will cross the Ionian Sea towards Italy. Arrival at BRINDISI by the end of the day (arrival time expected at 21:00h). Lodging.

Day 5

Today we will visit two spectacular and authentic towns. ALBEROBELLO, charming town famous for its unique conical-shaped houses known as "trulli". These unique structures, with their stacked stone roofs, are a World Heritage Site and are considered an outstanding example of Italian rural architecture. After that we continue to MATERA, located in the Basilicata region, known for its ancient historic center with its "Sassi di Matera", a complex of ancient houses and buildings carved into the rock that date back thousands of years. It is a World Heritage Site and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited human settlements in the world. Time for a walk and lunch. In the afternoon we continue through Basilicata and Campania, admiring their beautiful mountain landscapes. NAPLES, arrival in the evening. Free time afterwards.

Day 6

We take a ferry to CAPRI, after a 45-minute crossing we arrive at this island famous for its natural beauty and luxurious lifestyle. If you’d like to, you can take a boat to the White Grotto or the cable car to the Capri city and visit the gardens of Augustus with panoramic views. We return to NAPLES, where you will have time for a walk and lunch. In the afternoon we will visit POMPEII (admission and visit with a local guide included), the prosperous city reduced to ashes and rubble when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. We will continue to ROME, arrival at the end of the day.

Day 7

We include a city tour of the capital of Italy and one of the oldest and most influential cities in Western civilization. The Colosseum, the Roman forums, the squares and fountains of the center, the great life of the city. We finish at SAINT PETER´s OF THE VATICAN, independent state within the city of Rome and center of the Catholic church. You can visit the basilica and the museums. Free time in the afternoon.

Day 8

After breakfast, end of our services.