Arriving and meet and greet with our English speaking guide in Eleftherios Venizelos airport who will arrange your transfer to the hotel, while he will be updating you with information regarding your stay in Athens. After you get some rest, you can enjoy your meal in one of the plenty traditional Greek taverns in Monastiraki district and continue by walking around the picturesque Plaka area, full of small shops.
You will be picked up from the hotel to have a 4 hours panoramic city tour by coach. We will pass the must-see Tomb of the Unknown Soldier that stands in front of Parliament House on Syntagma Square. We will also pass from the Russian church, the Academy and the Library. We will make a stopover at the Temple of Zeus, to continue with Athens’ crowning glory, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Acropolis of Athens, cluster of ancient buildings that acted as a fortress. We continue with the fascinating Athens Acropolis Museum to see its staggering collection. Due to certain restrictions in the visiting hours of the new Acropolis museum the order of the program may change.
Free day for leisure in Athens. We suggest a drive along the coastal road, passing the wonderful beaches of Glyfada, Vouliagmeni & Varkiza to the most Southern point of Attica, Cape Sounion, where the white marble pillars of the Temple of Poseidon stand. After visiting the ancient Temple of Poseidon, the God of Sea, you will have time to walk at leisure on the rocky promontory of Sounio. We will return to Athens early in the afternoon.
You will pick you up 3hrs before your scheduled flight for the departure transfer to Eleftherios Venizelos airport. Arrival in Rome and transfer to the hotel. Free evening to stroll around the city center and discover a trattoria to enjoy a delicious dinner and wine.
Meet with our tour guide at your hotel, and start your 4 hours tour in Rome, visiting the Colosseum. Stroll in through the Roman Forum, enjoy the impressive panoramic view of ancient Temples, Triumphal-archers, the Senate House, Basilicas and Sacred Way which encircle the old Roman Forum. Reach the top of the Capitoline Hill and then continue to Piazza Venezia, dominated by the massive looming “Wedding Cake” marble honorary monument erected in 1885 to honour King Victor Emmanuel II. After lunch, we will continue the walking tour through the heart and soul of the Eternal City. We will Stroll by the Campo de Fiori, a favourite spot of the Roman “Movida ” and make your way to Piazza Navona, the most loved meeting place of Romans today and embellished by Bernini’s fountains and the Pamphili Palace. A few steps to reach the Pantheon and linger to watch the beautiful open dome made in the second century by Emperor Hadrian. Here, in this beautiful environment, lies the most elegant and refined artist of the Renaissance, Raphael Sanzio da Urbino. We will have a short break for coffee and we will continue with the symbol of “La Dolce Vita”, Trevi Fountain. Stroll by the Spanish Steps, a favourite spot of European nobles during the Grand Tour era and nowadays one of the preferred spots of the Italian fashion’s stylists. We will return to the hotel in the evening.
We will start very early so that we can avoid the big masses and head to the grandiose church of St. Peter’s Basilica, One of Rome’s prime attractions. We will continue with a guided visit to the Vatican Museum, which opens at 9 am. We will have the chance to admire Michelangelo’s incomparable Sistine Chapel ceiling. As soon as we finish the tour in the Vatican city, we will visit the medieval Trastevere district, which is nearby. In Trastevere, we will make the rounds of its famous churches, including Santa Sicilia and Santa Maria. In the evening we can just wander the tangle of cobblestone alleyways, the place is vibrant and full of hawkers. You can pick one of the many trattorias for dinner and some drinks before returning.
Free day to walk around beautiful Rome. Taste the best cappuccino in Café Greco just a few steps from Spanish Steps and then explore the fascinating well-known brand boutiques of the historical center as Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo, Prada, Fendi and many others.
You will be picked up 3hrs before your scheduled flight for the departure transfer to the designated airport.
