From Istanbul to Athens

Welcome to Europamundo! Transfer to the hotel and free time. You will be provided with the information required for the beginning of the trip in the afternoon; otherwise, the information will appear on the information panels at the hotel reception area.

IMPORTANT:- Remember that hotels check-in time is usually at 14:00 hrs. If you require more hours of room availability, consider booking an additional night at the beginning of your trip.
- IF YOU REQUESTED ADDITIONAL NIGHTS upon arrival at the hotel, you would have your room booked, but your trip guide would normally contact you at the beginning of the included activities. At the reception you can also find an informative sign, indicating the telephone number and hours of assistance of our staff. YOUR TIME THEREFORE BEFORE THIS MOMENT IS FREE. The hotel staff can help you with all the information you need.


Note: The schedules that you will find in this itinerary are indicative. The guide, depending on the situation and in order to improve the development of the trip, may adjust the schedules.

09.00 hrs.- A sightseeing tour of the city. We find ourselves in a city built in two continents. On our tour, we will enter the Mosque of Suleyman the Magnificent (the largest in Istanbul). We will see the walls, the Golden Horn, the fishing district, and we will admire the exterior of Hagia Sofia. After the visit, we will offer tickets and a visit to the Top Kapi Palace, which was the administrative centre of the Ottoman Empire, with its magnificent courtyards and its pavilions.


19.30 hrs.- At the end of the afternoon we will provide a transfer to the Taksim neighbourhood, the most commercialised and lively area of the city. There will be time to dine in one of its many restaurants, and you can also take the old tram that crosses the area or go to see the nearby Galata Tower. Return to the hotel around 22.00 hrs.


Important: Services during the stay in Istanbul may change order by taking the boat ride on the Bosphorus on the first day and the panoramic visit on the second day.

Today we include a boat trip on the Bosphorus that will last about two hours. We will undertake the trip on a boat exclusively for Europamundo travellers. The Bosphorus is a strait that connects the Black Sea with the Sea of ??Marmara, which separates Istanbul into two parts: the European part and the Asian one. We will enjoy seeing the liveliness of the strait with its multitude of boats. We will pass under the two bridges that unite Europe and Asia and we will admire the palaces of the sultans, the typical wooden houses and the Ottoman villas. Return to the center of Istanbul.

Rest of the day at leisure. You can go shopping in the Grand Bazaar; visit Hagia Sophia; ... Multiple options in this great capital.

Total distance covered: 560 km.Scenery: Cold lands inside Anatólia.


07.00 hrs.- We will leave early morning from Istanbul.
14.00hrs.- Ephesus, the best preserved ancient city of Asia Minor; 2000 years ago it had a quarter of a million inhabitants. We will discover the Basilica of Saint John, and then the house of the Virgin Mary and the archaeological site (tickets included).


18.00 hrs- Ephesus departure. We continue on towards the Turquoise Coast.
18.30 hrs- Kusadasi- Arrival to this popular coastal town with a lot of atmosphere, commercial life and a small castle. Free time in the center to enjoy its bazaars and the city. Dinner and accommodation.


Note: during the high season, from June to September (both included), accommodation may be provided in a nearby town.

Total distance covered: 320 km.
Scenery: Various beautiful sights over the Aegean sea.


08.30 hrs.- Kusadasi- Departure.
10.00 hrs- Lake Bafa- Stop to see the lake, its magnificent nature, history, mystical beauty and serenity is undoubtedly one of the natural wonders to be seen in Turkey.


10.30 hrs.- Bafa Lake, departure.
12.00 hrs.- Bodrum, free time in this beautiful fortified city of Greek origin. You can visit its castle, walk through its streets which are full of life and tourist activity or its leisure marina. Time for lunch.


15.00 hrs- Bodrum, departure.
17.30 hrs.- Marmaris, arrival to another beautiful coastal tourist enclave, with its castle, its marina and its fountains. Dinner and accommodation.


NOTE: On some high difficulty dates (especially in summer), some groups can be accommodated in a nearby town.

NOTE -Remember that we are entering to Greece. On the ferry you should carry your luggage and have your passport handy as it is requested for embarkment.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The ferries that link Marmaris with Rodhes undergo frequent changes in schedules and do not operate every day (except during summer months). The itinerary may be adapted based on the frequencies available during your trip. If the group is less than 10 people, the visits of Rhodes can be made in a regular service at a different schedule (sharing with other people from other companies).


07.30 HRS.- Early in the morning, at first light, we will leave the hotel. After border procedures we will take a boat to Greece.
09.15 hrs. - Fast ferry, a cruise of approximately one hour.


10.15 hrs.- Border procedures to enter Greece. Rhodes, arrival. We will include a sightseeing tour of the city with a local guide. Its impressive walled citadel, its old town that shows the traces of the different cultures (Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Knights of Saint John, Ottomans, Italians, etc.) that inhabited it. The visit lasts about two hours. After the visit we will transfer you to the hotel.


Free afternoon.- We suggest you to enjoy on its beaches or stroll on your own in this beautiful city.-

Total distance: 115 km.
Scenery: Mediterranean landscapes, picturesque views of the sea.
Note: The flight schedules from Rhodes to Heraklion vary depending on the month, outside the tourist season there are no direct flights and there will be a flight with a stopover in Athens. Sometimes, depending on direct flight schedules, you can take a flight on Friday morning.


09.00 hrs. - Rhodes – departure-. We include an excursion to visit the island of Rhodes.
09.30 hrs. - FILERIMOS, at the top of the hill, among magnificent landscapes, you can visit its small monastery.


10.15 hrs. - Filerimos – departure-.
11.30 hrs. - Lindos, its medieval fortress and Greek Acropolis dominate the sea. With the bus we will take you to St. Paul’s Bay, it is said that the apostle arrived here by sea in the year 51 AD. to preach Christianity, the movie “The Guns of Navarone” was filmed here. Later you will have free time, you can walk through the white streets of the center, rest on its beaches or climb (on a donkey, if you wish) to the Acropolis.

15:00 hrs. - Lindos – departure. We return to Rhodes. Transfer to the airport (according to flight schedule) and direct flight or flight with a stopover in Athens to the island of Crete.

HERAKLION - Arrival and transfer to the hotel.

Total distance: 145 km.
Scenery: Beautiful Mediterranean landscapes, mountains and sea views.


09.30 hrs. - Heraklion – departure. Our road follows the coast, beautiful views of the sea.
11.00 hrs. - Rethymno – arrival. Beautiful coastal city of Venetian origin dominated by its medieval castle. Time to walk through its historic center and have lunch.

14:30 hrs. - Rethymno – departure.
15.30 hrs. - Chania – arrival. Captivating city with impressive fortress and stately mansions; contested among Romans, Byzantines, Venetians, Genoese, Turks, Egyptians and Greeks throughout its history. Our guide will inform us about the most beautiful points to visit and we will have free time to get to know the city.

19:00 hrs. - Chania. Departure and return to Heraklion.

Total distance: 180 km.


09.00 hrs. – Heraklion – Departure.
09.30 hrs. - Knossos. Arrival. We include (admission and guided tour) the PALACE OF KNOSSOS, which allows us to learn about the Minoan culture that gave rise to the Greek culture four thousand years ago.

11.45 hrs. - Knossos – departure. We cross the high mountains in the center of the island traveling south towards the Libyan Sea.
13:30 hrs. - Agia Galini, arrival in this picturesque town with labyrinthine alleys, fishing port and popular taverns. Free time to walk, have lunch and, if you’d like to, swim in the sea.

18.30 hrs. - Agia Galini - departure. Return to the capital of Crete.

20.00 hrs. - Heraklion – Arrival. We recommend walking through its historic center full of life, activity and small restaurants.


Note: From November to April we will make a stop in the picturesque city of Matala instead of Agia Galini due to the end of the summer season and the general closure of businesses in this city. Matala is known for its beautiful beach and unique landscapes of cliffs and carved caves dug into the rocks.

Total distance: 180 km.


09.30 hrs. - Heraklion – departure. We travel to the east of the island, pleasant coastal and mountainous landscapes.
11.00 hrs. - PANAGIA KERA – arrival. In a small village on a rich agricultural plain we visit the 13th century church with some of the best frescoes in Crete, admission included.

12.00 hrs. - Panagia Kera – departure.
12.15 hrs. - AGIOS NIKOLAOS – arrival to this picturesque town with its natural port. Time for a walk and lunch.

14:30 hrs. - Agios Nikolaos – departure.
15:00 hrs. - ELOUNDA, a place that was a city-state and today a beautiful tourist enclave. Time for a walk. We include here (or from the nearby port of Plaka) a boat trip and admission to the island-citadel of SPINALONGA, an ancient Venetian fortress that later served as a leprosarium for a long time. Boat trip of about 15 minutes, time in the fortress and return by boat. We return to the picturesque coastal town of PLAKA, time for a coffee and a walk.

18.00 hrs. - Plaka – departure.
19:30 hrs. - Heraklion – Arrival.

Total distance by road: 50 km.

Note: The schedules and frequencies of the ferries on which we carry out today´s program are variable depending on the period of the year. Please inform yourself in “My Trip” of the schedules that apply to your departure.

Early morning we have a transfer to the port. Normally our ferry will leave at 07:00 or 08:00 hrs. We take very fast modern ferries, in less than two hours we arrive at the island of Santorini.

SANTORINI – Arrival - (scheduled 08:50 hrs., if your ferry left at 07:00 / 09:50 hrs., if it left at 08:00 hrs). By bus, among beautiful landscapes we go to OIA, without a doubt the most spectacular town on the island: white streets full of life, immense views over cliffs, castle remains and windmills. Time to walk and have lunch.

After that we will visit FIRA, the capital of the island. Those, who would like to, can go down by cable car or donkey to the port, where the cruise ships arrive, or sail to the hot springs and contemplate the sunset from an old and classic Mediterranean boat.

After breakfast we take a ferry to MYKONOS. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Accommodation. According to mythology, the battle between Zeus and the Giants occurred on this island. Free time afterwards to wander through its small streets, visit little Venice and the classic windmills.


Note: Depending on the number of passengers, your guide may not accompany you on the ferry ride. In that case, your new guide will be waiting for you upon arrival on the island.

Mykonos. Breakfast. Free day to enjoy the island. We recommend visiting the island of Delos, birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, one of the most sacred places in Ancient Greece, or simply visiting the famous Paradise and Super Paradise beaches.

Breakfast. At the indicated time, transfer to the port to embark on the ferry boat to Athens. Arrival to the port of Piraeus at night (around 23.00).

Distance: 411 km.
Landscapes: Views over the sea. Fantastic landscapes in the Meteoras region.




08.00 hrs- Athens.- Departure. We travel to the Peloponnese region.
09.15 hrs- Corinth Channel. We make a brief stop to see this impressive work from the end of the nineteenth century to link the Isthmus of Corinth with the Aegean Sea, thus facilitating maritime transport.


09.30 hrs- Corinth Channel, departure. Once on the Peloponnese peninsula, we continue among mountains.
10.45 hrs- Tripoli. We stop in the active capital of the Arcadia region, with time for a stroll around the Areos Square area with its cafes and restaurants.


11.45 hrs- Tripoli, departure
13.45 hrs- Olympia. Time for lunch and visit the archaeological site (entrance and visit with a local guide included), the place where the first Olympic games were held in 776 B.C., with athletes from all over Greece and its colonies participating. Highlights include the Temple of Zeus, the stadium, the gymnasium and the arena. After the visit, free time; If you wish, you can visit the museum (not included).


16.45 hrs.- Olympia – departure. Mountain landscapes, some picturesque villages on our route.
18.45 hrs- Patras. Arrival in the third most populated city of Greece, a port lively city, with a remarkable medieval fortress, its cathedral is the largest church in Greece, next to it the small church of St. Andrew is a place of pilgrimage. Dinner included.

Total distance: 325 km


08.30h- Patras- After breakfast, we will cross the Rio-Antirrio bridge, a spectacular cable-stayed bridge which connects the Peloponnese with the Greek continent.


09.15h- Nafpaktos- Free time to walk around Nafpaktos, a town in the Gulf of Corinth. Its Venetian fortress dominates the city and reminds us that we are in Lepanto, the city which saw the battle between the Christian and Turkish fleets in which Cervantes lost his arm.


10.30h- Nafpaktos, departure. We resume our journey along the Gulf of Corinth.
13.00h- Mycenae. Arrival and free time to explore the colossal citadel from the 18th century BC, cradle of the European civilization (admission included).


15.30h- Mycenae, departure after lunch.
16.15 r- Acrocorinth. Admission to the immense fortress of Acrocorinth included. The foundations of an old temple of Aphrodite rest on the highest part of the settlement.


18.00h- Acrocorinth. Departure. We resume our journey towards Athens. We will make a short stop in the Corinth Canal, an amazing work from the 19th century. It connects the Isthmus of Corinth to the Aegean Sea, thereby facilitating naval transportation.


19.30h- Athens, arrival.

Free day. You can enjoy the charm of this city. Free time to explore and discover memorable places.

After breakfast, end of our services.

Note: Remember that hotels check-out time is usually at 10.00 hrs. In most cases, you can leave your luggage at the hotel reception at check-out time, so you can enjoy the city and pick it up at the time you require that same day. If you need more time to use your room, please consider booking an additional night at the end of your tour.