Highlights of Greece: Athens, Mykonos & Naxos

Today you explore the classical heart of Athens with your expert guide. You climb the sacred Acropolis, taking in the graceful Propylaea gateway, the exquisite little Temple of Athena Nike, and the Erechtheion with its famous Caryatid maidens, before standing before the Parthenon itself, the supreme masterpiece of classical architecture, with breathtaking views over the city to the sea. You descend to visit the superb Acropolis Museum, where the temple's sculptures are displayed in sight of the monument itself. In the afternoon you wander the enchanting Plaka, the old quarter of neoclassical houses, tavernas and cafes beneath the rock, and perhaps the lively Monastiraki flea market. The grandeur and atmosphere are captivating. As the day ends, you return to your hotel. This evening, savour Greek cuisine in a Plaka taverna. Rest well, for tomorrow you explore more of ancient Athens.

Today you delve deeper into ancient Athens and journey to the sea. You explore the ancient Agora, the political and social heart of classical Athens where Socrates once taught, with its beautifully preserved Temple of Hephaestus and the reconstructed Stoa of Attalos, and perhaps the vast Temple of Olympian Zeus and the marble Panathenaic Stadium. You may visit the world-class National Archaeological Museum, home to the treasures of Mycenae and countless masterpieces. In the afternoon you drive along the scenic Athenian Riviera to Cape Sounion, where the gleaming Temple of Poseidon stands dramatically on a headland above the Aegean, glorious at sunset. The history and beauty are captivating. As the day ends, you return to Athens. This evening, savour a final Athens dinner. Rest well, for tomorrow you sail to the Cyclades.

Today you leave the mainland and sail into the beautiful Cyclades. You are transferred to the port of Piraeus (or Rafina) to board a fast ferry across the sparkling Aegean, the islands rising one by one from the turquoise sea, to arrive at glamorous Mykonos, where you are met and transferred to your hotel. The most famous of the Cyclades, Mykonos dazzles with its whitewashed beauty and cosmopolitan style. In the afternoon you begin to explore, wandering the enchanting maze of Mykonos Town, with its blue-domed churches, chic boutiques and iconic hilltop windmills, and the pretty waterfront of Little Venice, where houses rise from the sea. The beauty and atmosphere are captivating. As the day ends, watch the sun set from Little Venice. This evening, savour a seaside dinner. Rest well, ready to explore Mykonos and Delos.

Today you sail to the sacred ancient island of Delos and enjoy the beauty of Mykonos. In the morning you take a short boat trip to Delos, one of the most important sites of the ancient Greek world, the mythical birthplace of Apollo and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With your expert guide you explore this uninhabited island, now a vast open-air museum, its temples, the famous Terrace of the Lions, grand houses with beautiful mosaics, a theatre and sanctuaries. Returning to Mykonos, the afternoon is yours to relax on a beautiful beach of golden sand and turquoise water, or explore more of the dazzling town. The history and beauty are captivating. As the day ends, enjoy the island's famous sunset. This evening, savour Mykonos dining and atmosphere. Rest well, for tomorrow you sail to authentic Naxos.

Today you sail to Naxos, the greenest and most authentic of the Cyclades. You board a ferry across the beautiful Aegean to Naxos, the largest of the Cyclades, and are met and transferred to your hotel. A lovely counterpoint to glamorous Mykonos, Naxos is fertile, authentic and unspoilt, with a proud history. In the afternoon you explore Naxos Town, wandering up through the maze of lanes to the Venetian Kastro (castle) that crowns it, and out along the causeway to the great marble Portara, the massive gateway of an unfinished ancient temple of Apollo, which frames glorious sunsets over the sea. The authenticity and beauty are captivating. As the day ends, watch the sun set through the Portara. This evening, savour an authentic Naxian taverna dinner. Rest well, ready to explore the island tomorrow.

Today you discover the beautiful interior and beaches of authentic Naxos. You journey into the mountainous, green heart of the island, visiting unspoilt traditional villages such as Halki, with its old Venetian towers and a famous citron distillery, and Apiranthos, a beautiful marble-paved mountain village, amid olive groves, vineyards and ancient marble quarries where you can see a giant unfinished kouros statue lying in the hillside. You take in Byzantine churches and sweeping mountain views. In the afternoon you relax on one of Naxos's long, beautiful beaches of golden sand and clear turquoise water, such as Agios Prokopios or Plaka. The authenticity, scenery and beaches are captivating. As the day ends, you return to Naxos Town. This evening, savour a final island dinner of fresh fish and local wine. Rest well ahead of your departure tomorrow.

After a final morning on beautiful Naxos, perhaps a last swim, a stroll through the old town, or a coffee by the harbour, you are transferred to the airport or port for your onward journey (via Athens). You leave having experienced the very best of Greece, the sacred Acropolis and perfect Parthenon, the ancient Agora, Plaka and museums of Athens, the dazzling white lanes, windmills and beaches of Mykonos, the sacred ancient island of Delos, and the authentic villages and golden beaches of Naxos. The images stay vivid long after you land, the Parthenon high above Athens, the windmills of Mykonos, the lions of Delos, and the marble Portara framing a Naxian sunset. Greece offers ancient wonder, island beauty and genuine warmth in abundance, and you depart already dreaming of a return to this captivating and beautiful land.