Best of Athens & Nafplio in 8 Days Tour

You'll get at least 12 group sightseeing events — at no extra cost!

Plus you'll get all this, too.

• A small, friendly group of 24–28 people — half the size of most tour groups
• Full-time services of a professional Rick Steves guide and local experts who will make the fascinating history, art, and culture of Greece come alive for you
• All group transportation from Athens to Athens
• 7 nights' accommodations in memorable, centrally located hotels
• All breakfasts and half your dinners
• All tips for guides and driver
• A tour kit including a guidebook and a moneybelt
• Guaranteed tour price, locked in the moment you make your deposit
• Tour alum discount of $50 for each tour you've taken with us
• Flexibility should you need to transfer or cancel your tour

Fine print: You are responsible for the cost of your drinks and free-time sightseeing. See our Tour Conditions for important details regarding everything listed above.

Group sightseeing events subject to change.

Day 1: Welcome to Athens

We'll gather at our hotel at 3 p.m. for a "Welcome to Athens" group meeting. Then we'll take a neighborhood orientation walk and get to know one another over dinner together.

Light walking: 2–4 miles throughout the day on mostly level terrain. No bus. Sleep in Athens.

Day 2: The Acropolis and Agora

This morning we'll explore ancient Athens, starting with a hike to the top of the legendary Acropolis to tour its 2,500-year-old Golden Age temples, dominated by the dramatic Parthenon. Then we'll wind our way down through the Plaka neighborhood's labyrinth of colorful streets and lively squares before enjoying a guided tour of the ancient Agora — once the hub of everyday life in classical Athens. Your afternoon and evening are free to continue exploring the Greek capital.

Strenuous walking: 2–8 miles throughout the day with lots of hills, stairs, and uneven terrain. No bus. Sleep in Athens.

Day 3: Sights and Tastes of Athens

Our day begins with a bus tour linking several of Athens' highlights, including Hadrian's Arch, Temple of Zeus, National Garden, Syntagma Square, Panathenaic Stadium, and more. We'll end at the colorful Central Market to browse stalls of spices before enjoying a cooking class and lunch at a traditional taverna. The rest of the day is yours to wander the rickety-chic Psyrri neighborhood, return to that souvlaki stand that caught your eye, and keep discovering Athens at your own pace.

Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. Bus: 1 hour. Sleep in Athens.

Day 4: Across the Corinth Canal to the Peloponnese

Today we'll leave the big city behind and head southeast to the coast. Along the way, we'll stop in Corinth to tour its crumbling ancient ruins and walk along its famous canal, which connects mainland Greece with the idyllic peninsula called the Peloponnese and the delightful, fortress-topped harbor town of Nafplio. After settling into our hotel, your guide will lead an orientation walk before setting you free for dinner on your own.

Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. Bus: 2 hours. Sleep in Nafplio.

Day 5: Mycenae and Nemea

This morning we'll start with a short drive to mythic Mycenae — the fortified city founded by Perseus a thousand years before the Parthenon was built — to walk through its grand Lion Gate, tour the impressive domed tholos tomb, and wander the massive "Cyclopean" walls. Then we'll drive through Greek wine country to the sacred athletic sanctuary of Nemea, where ancient athletes competed in honor of Zeus. After a guided tour of Nemea's museum and stadium, we'll head back to Nafplio for some downtime.

Strenuous walking: 2–8 miles throughout the day with lots of hills, stairs, and uneven terrain. Bus: 2 hours. Sleep in Nafplio.

Day 6: From Fortress to Farm

We'll begin today by venturing up, up, up to tour the Venetian-built fortress of Palamidi, dramatically perched over Nafplio. Then we'll drive to a nearby family farm specializing in oranges and olives to learn about local farming traditions and taste this year's harvest with a farm-fresh lunch. After our meal, we'll learn the traditional art of Greek dancing. Upon returning to Nafplio, the rest of your afternoon is free to explore the Old Town's colorful alleyways, ride a boat to the fortified island in the harbor, or find a whitewashed taverna with a perfect view of the sun setting across the Peloponnese.

Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. Bus: 2 hours. Sleep in Nafplio.

Day 7: Epidavros and Athens

After breakfast, we'll say antío to Nafplio and drive to Epidavros — once the most famous healing center in the Mediterranean, and home to Greece's best-preserved ancient theater. After taking the stage and learning about the roots of both medicine and drama, we'll hop back on our bus and return to Athens. Tonight, we'll enjoy a final dinner together, sharing travel memories and toasting new friends. Opa!

Light walking: 2–4 miles throughout the day on mostly level terrain. Bus: 1 hour. Sleep in Athens.

Day 8: Tour Over After Breakfast

Breakfast is provided, but there are no group activities today. You can easily catch a cab to the airport or to the nearby port of Piraeus, where a fleet of ferries will transport those eager to explore Greece's irresistible islands. Antío!

Itinerary specifics subject to change.

Our tours are physically active! It's an essential part of the Rick Steves tour experience. On our Athens & Nafplio in 8 Days tour — among other things — you'll need to happily…

1. Carry/roll your luggage over uneven pavement (possibly several blocks) and up stairways to reach your hotel, then up several flights of stairs to reach your room.
2. Be on your feet, walking and standing, for up to three hours, indoors and outdoors, in all weather conditions.
3. Sleep with street noise and no (or weak) air conditioning.
4. After orientation and transportation lessons, be able to navigate towns and cities on your own.
5. Travel on a bus without a toilet (rest stops every two hours).
6. Hike over steep, slippery, uneven terrain at several ancient sites, including 200 stairs to the top of the Acropolis.

Any time between March and October is a good time to take an Athens & Nafplio tour. However, the months of April, May, September, and October are Greece's most pleasant travel months, with comfortable weather, no rain, and lighter crowds.

Greece / Athens

Tour Hotels

In case you wish to book pre- or post-tour hotel accommodations, the contact information for the tour's first and last hotels is included in your tour confirmation email, as well as in your tour account. About one month prior to the tour departure, you'll find the directions to your first tour hotel and a complete list of hotels where we'll be staying while on tour in your tour account.

Flights

Our tours don't include airfare, so your flight arrangements and transfers are completely up to you.

Most tour members arrange to fly in and out of Athens (ATH).

We suggest arriving a day or two before your tour begins to allow ample time to get over jet lag and be well-rested for the first few days of your tour. For more information about transportation options for getting to and from your tour, or traveling to the Greek Islands, see your Rick Steves Greece guidebook.